The Luna’s Choice (Theo and Ayla) by Kat Silver

Chapter 100: Theo

I sank down, sitting on a bucket, slumping over my knees, my head in my hands. I couldn’t take the warring emotions inside me anymore. I was exhausted. When I couldn’t find her in that smoke… When I started to think I wouldn’t get to her in time…

It was the most terrifying experience I had ever been through.

Ayla stepped in front of me. Her hand went to my shoulders, pushing me back gently as she slid onto my lap. She hugged my n*eck as I held her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice still rough from the smoke. “You’ re right. I can be reckless when it comes to protecting the people I care about. It’s been the only way for so long. I don’t really know anything different.”

“I know,” I said gently. “I’m trying to show you it won’t be that way anymore. You have people you can rely on now. Not just me, baby. The pack. They are here for you.”

Ayla took a deep breath, burrowing her face into my shoulder. “But I’m not their packmate anymore.”

She always said that. It wasn’t to throw it in my face that she left me. I realized that then. It was because she regretted it. In her heart, she was always a Greytooth.

I pushed her back, looking her in the eye.

“Say the word, Ayla,” I told her seriously. “Right here. Right now. We can fix that.”

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“But…”

“Right here. Right now,” I insisted. “If that’s what you want.”

The look she gave me said everything, but I wanted her to answer. I needed her to know she could come to me for these things. I needed her to know I would give her everything.

She nodded. “Yeah,” she said softly. “That’s what I want.”

I k*ssed her as my heart soared.

“Okay,” I said when I pulled away.

I looked around us and grabbed a pair of shears from a shelf. I handed them to Ayla, indicating she go first. She took them and grabbed my hand, cutting through the skin of my palm. Handing them back to me, did the same on hers. I laced our fingers together, my heart racing as our blood mixed.

“I, Theo Avery Arden, acting Alpha of the Greytooth, accept you, Ayla Garner, as a member of my pack,” I stated proudly. “As your Alpha, I swear to serve and protect you for the rest of my life.”

“I, Ayla Elizabeth Garner, accept you, Theo Arden, as my Alpha,” Ayla replied. “I swear to honor and respect you and my fellow pack members.”

I felt our tether re-establishing itself as our hands healed. What was more, I felt our mate bond grow stronger. There was so much I wanted to say to her. So much she needed to know.

‘Ayla,’ I tested the mind-link.

She smiled. Her eyes closed and she laid her head on my shoulder.

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“Thank you, Theo,’ she replied through our link.

‘Ayla, I…

Briggs came through the mind-link, interrupting my connection with Ayla.

‘Is she okay?’ he asked.

‘Yeah, she’ll be okay,’ I informed him.

‘Good,’ he said. ‘The flames are out. It’ll take hours for the smoke to clear enough to be safe. But you two may want to get out of there soon if you don’t want the entire pack talking within the hour. I wrangled everyone the best I could and got them working, but your cave-man act has already developed some curiosity.

Sh*t. I didn’t think Ayla wanted anyone else to know about us yet. I had nearly given it away when I first saw her. I caught myself before k*ssing her right there in the yard. But I didn’t want to get mad at her in front of everyone either. But I couldn’t wait for privacy. It just wasn’ t possible.

I supposed throwing her over my shoulder wasn’t the best way to keep people from wondering if something was going on between us.

‘I told them she disobeyed your orders by going in,’ Briggs said. ‘That’s why you were angry. I’m not sure how long that will be viable.’

‘I get it,’ I said. ‘We’ll be out in a second. Just get the packhouse cleared of that smoke.’

I sighed heavily. “We should leave,” I told Ayla. “I may have screwed up.”

“How?” she asked, sitting up.

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“I should have known dragging you into a shed in front of everyone would raise some suspicions,” I said solemnly. “I’m sorry. But if we go out now, we can probably keep the rumors to a minimum.”

“Oh,” she said. “Yeah, that would probably be best. I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of scrutiny.”

I wouldn’t mind more time to establish our relationship better, either. I still wasn’t even sure what our relationship was for Ayla. I wouldn’t make any assumptions. Despite how strong our connection felt, I knew it was still balancing on a knife’s edge.

We stood up, straightening ourselves up. Ayla reached for the door, but I rested my hand on hers.

“Ayla,” I said, “I may have to keep my distance the rest of the day.

“I know,” she replied with a shrug. “There’s a lot to do. You’ve got a lot of responsibilities to deal with. I get it, Theo.”

She said it so casually.

“I don’t think you do,” I said, brushing her hair behind her ear. “You were amazing today, Ayla. I don’t know what we would have done without you. I want you working beside me through this. I want it so bad I can’t stand it. But if we have any hope of keeping the pack at bay, I can’t be around you right now. I’d give it away in a second.”

Ayla smiled. Her cheeks blushed, making this whole distance thing harder.

“Okay, okay,” she said. “Just shut up. Me walking out of here with a stu*id grin on my face won’t help either.”

I winced, sucking air between my teeth. “Yeah, Briggs said I was giving you a scolding in here. It wouldn’t really help my reputation if

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you left in a better mood than you came in.”

“Well…” she started to say something but stopped herself.

“What?” I asked, intrigued by the mischief in her eyes.

“Nevermind.” She shook her head. “I’ll tell you later.” She winked at me and opened the door before I could respond.

Goddess, she was going to drive me insane.

I cleared my expression before following her. She hung her head a little as we crossed the lawn to join those who were still working to get everything cleaned up.

“Alpha,” Briggs called, jogging up to us. “Mortin said he’s got Randall ready for questioning. We should head over. Get this taken care of.”

“What’s the status here?” I asked, not sure it was a good idea for me to leave the packhouse yet.

“The fire is out,” Briggs confirmed. “It seems whatever the device was, that heavy smoke was the intention rather than major destruction. Your parents are here also. Alpha Torin is in the back, helping open everything up. Luna is inside where it’s already clear.”

I tried not to react to Ayla leaving while Briggs gave me the update. Briggs was less subtle as he looked between us but didn’t comment.

“Okay, let’s head to the precinct,” I said.

We headed for Briggs’ truck as I reached out to Ayla.

‘I’ll see you tonight,’ I told her, loving how good it felt to be able to do

that.