hapter 49
- DEREK
The Moonstone estate’s main number rang four times before someone finally picked up.
“Moonstone Residence!” a small voice chirped. “Who is this?”
I blinked. “Who is this?”
“I asked first,” the kid replied, then paused dramatically. “And since it’s our house phone,
I win.”
A grin tugged at my mouth before I could stop it. “That’s a dangerous game you’re playing,
kid.” It had to be Aiden. I’d know that voice anywhere.
“Not dangerous at all if you’re not a rogue,” he said, and I could hear the smirk. “Are you a rogue?”
“No,” I said. “But that question wasn’t on the standard screening form last I checked.”
Aiden laughed—a bright, clear sound that cracked something wide open in my chest. It was disarming in a way I hadn’t expected.
“Alright, not–a–rogue. Who are you calling for?”
I leaned back in my chair, running a hand over my jaw. “I was actually trying to get through to the Alpha. Or Mason.”
“Oh,” Aiden said. “Grandpa is in a Council meeting, and Uncle Mason’s… I don’t know, being secretive and mysterious or whatever.”
That tracked.
“Why didn’t you call Grandpa’s office phone?” he asked.
I had to smile. “Because I was afraid I’d get hung up on,” I admitted. “Listen, is Elena
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around?” I asked before I could think better of it.
“She’s home,” he said. “But she’s, like, super busy. She’s trying to get ready for her friend’s wedding and she’s doing all these Alliance things now.”
“Who’s getting married?” I asked, my chair creaking as I leaned back in it.
+25 Bonus
“Her friend Dawn,” he said, and went on and on excitedly, telling me all about where it was
going to be and when and how he had a major role in it–how the whole wedding would be ruined if he wasn’t perfect at his job.
“I was a ring bearer once,” I told him. “A long time ago.”
“You were?!” He seemed more than eager to hear all about it.
“See, the trick is all about the timing.”
“The timing?”
“Yeah,” said, settling into my chair, surprised with how much I was enjoying this
conversation. “You can’t go down the aisle too fast. But you also can’t go too slow. You know what song will be playing for the processional?”
“The what?”
“The processional,” I laughed. “The song that will be playing as everyone walks down the
aisle.”
“Ohhh,” he said. “No, I’m not sure what it is.”
“Find out,” I instructed him. “And then put it on. Practice your walk. Once you’ve got your timing down, all that’s left to do is to smile, walk with your head held high, and deliver the rings to the groom.”
“And…deliver…the rings…to the…groom,” he said with concentration, as though he were writing all of this down.
“Hey Aiden?”
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Chapter 49
+25 Bonus
“Yeah?” I could practically see him leaning forward, straining to hear what I was about to
say next.
“Don’t drop the rings.”
At this he laughed outright.
“I’m serious,” I went on, laughing myself. “Write that down, too. It’s maybe the most important part of your job! What if they go rolling away and fall down a sewer grate?”
“Ew!”
We both laughed and an easy, comfortable silence stretched out for a moment.
“So,” I said. “Your mom is doing a bunch of Alliance Summit stuff, huh?”
“Yep!”
The corners of my mouth twitched again. “Is she good at it?”
“She’s the best,” he said proudly, then lowered his voice like we were co–conspirators. “But I think she’s a little overwhelmed. She was trained to be a Luna, not an Alpha. You know?”
I blinked at the phone.
I knew.
Goddess, I knew.
“I’ll bet she’s doing better than she thinks.”
“She always does,” Aiden said, softer now.
There was a brief pause before he asked, “Wait… who is this?”
I cleared my throat. “I’m Derek.”
Another pause. Then-
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“Wait. Derek Derek?”
I bit back a groan. “Yeah.”
+25 Bonus
“Oh, man,” he said, laughing. “You’re the guy who sent that huge wolf plushie, right? It was like half my size.”
I chuckled. “That was… a peace offering.”
“It was awesome. Mom tried to throw it out, but I rescued it from the maid before it got to
the dumpster. I’m hiding it in my closet.”
“Why’d she throw it out?”
He hesitated a moment, then said, “She knew it was from you.”
J
I rubbed a hand across my face. “Yeah, I seem to have that effect on her.”
We both sighed into the receiver at the same time and I could feel the conversation come to
a close, as much as I didn’t want it to.
“Well, anyway, I should probably go find my mom. Nice talking to you, Derek–Derek,” he
said.
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