Page 96 of His Fated Luna

I was the one who made her feel like she had to find her own way. I was the one who had always insisted I didn’t want her. She couldn’t wait around anymore for me to grow a damn spine and claim her. My own stubborn ego and I had backed ourselves into a corner.

I swallowed hard, a lump of regret thick in my throat. And then I dropped back into bed, feeling completely and utterly lost.

Chapter 30

"Every relationship is different. Everyone loves differently.” ? Richelle Mead, The Golden Lily

Aiden's POV

I stood in the foyer with Tony when I heard footsteps on the stairs. Turning, my eyes fell on Rose, coming down like a vision. The university concert was tonight, and damn, she looked beautiful—curls spilling down her shoulders, red lipstick, dark eyeliner. For a moment, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

“You’re drooling,” Tony muttered dramatically, poking my chin to shut my mouth.

I jerked back and snapped my mouth shut just as Rose reached the last step.

“Ready?” I asked her softly.

She nodded, glancing at Tony. I handed over a few tickets to him.

“I’ll see you at the concert?” I said, nodding toward my brother. “Remember, if I get wasted, you’re driving us home.”

“I’ll be your DD—unless I find a girl to go home with,” Tony replied with a wink in Rose’s direction. “Sorry, Rose, you know how it is.”

“No, she doesn’t,” I snapped. “I swear, Tony, if you leave us stranded...”

I needed at least one of us to stay sober.

“Relax. I’ve got your back. I’m going in Layla’s car. I’ll drive yours home,” he chuckled.

Without thinking, I grabbed Rose’s hand and pulled her toward the door. She smiled, probably enjoying the banter. I knew she’d grown up alone—watching me and Tony probably felt like watching something from a different world. Then I noticed it—her hand fit in mine like it belonged there.

“Would you mind dinner at Eddy’s Corner Diner? I love their cheeseburgers,” I said once we were settled in my car. I double-checked the brakes and lights, making sure everything was good.

“I don’t mind at all,” she said, her voice soft and honest. “I don’t get to go often but I really enjoy their food and the homey ambiance. Oh, and the milkshakes are just amazing!”

I reached over and lightly grazed her cheek before my hand found its way back to the wheel.

“I’ll take you more often from now on. I didn’t know you liked diner food.”

Her silence told me she felt the weight of those words. Like I was planning to keep her around. I wanted to. Would she stay? Goddess, I hoped she would.

We ate cheeseburgers and shared fries while she told me about the first time she saw her aunt shift.

“It scared me,” she admitted.

“It can be scary for people who don’t see it often,” I agreed.

“Does it hurt a lot, when you turn?” she asked.

I thought for a moment, taking a sip of my milkshake. “It hurts the first time. A lot. But the more you turn, the easier it gets. That first shift takes a while, and it’s the hardest. Some people can’t even do it—their wolves stay repressed. But once you get used to it, it’s more reflex than anything. Your body learns the process. Eventually, it’s just a brief flash of pain before you’re in full wolf form.”

“But you were able to stop yourself mid-turn. I saw you do it,” she reminded me.

I nodded. “Yeah, and that hurts like hell. You’re stuck in this semi-human state, bones disjointed, half-snapped. It’s brutal.”

“But you still did it that one time,” she pointed out, beautiful emerald eyes holding my gaze.

Damn I wanted to hold her and never let go.