Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Ayla “The hell he doesn’t,” Kingston bellowed. “There’s no way you’re going. It’s not happening. What were you even thinking, Ayla?”

I stood up. “I was thinking it was an honor to do this for a man who helped save my family. I was thinking I could be there to help my cousin plan the most important day of her life. I was thinking about seeing the few friends I left behind without an explanation.

I was thinking, maybe, just maybe, I could make sure my family was f****ng safe without me.

Kingston scoffed. “Yeah, the family that betrayed you every chance they got. And a man who left you to deal with them by yourself. That’s such an honor,” he said sarcastically. “All they’ll try to do is weasel their way back into your life to take advantage of you again. And Torin just wants to get you back with Theo. And as far as Mina goes, she’s lived without you for ten years. I highly doubt it would break her heart if you weren’t there.”

The sound of my palm against his face registered before the feeling of it did. How dare he? My fists were clenched at my sides and I was fuming. I could even feel Dasha stir slightly at the back of my mind. Kingston’s shoulders fell, and I could tell he regretted what he said, but it was too late.

“Ayla, I’m...”

“Shut up,” I spat. “First of all, I wasn’t asking your permission, Kingston. I was letting you know what I was considering so we could discuss it. It was a courtesy. If I decide to go, I will f****ng go. You don’t own me, Kingston. I’m not your f*****g property.

Second, don’t you dare pretend to know the feelings of people you don’t know.

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15:22 288 Vouchers Especially when it’s about people I love.” I stepped closer to him, practically in his face. “And third, if you don’t trust me to be around the mate I rejected, that’s not my f****ng problem.”

I pushed past him, heading for the door. I couldn’t be around him right now. I was about done with his sh*t.

I was almost to the door when he jumped in front of me, grabbing my arms.

“Ayla, stop,” he said desperately. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Which part?”

“Any of it,” he rushed. “I just don’t want you to leave me.”

“I’m not leaving you, Kingston,” I said. “I’m just going for work.”

“But I can’t protect you if you’re not here,” he insisted, pushing his hands through his hair.

“And what do I need protection from so desperately, Kingston? Because I can’t take the constant shadow anymore,” I yelled.

“You keep treating me like a child. You won’t tell me what you’re so worried about, and I can’t do anything on my own. I need some d**n space.”

His face went pale and fear filled his eyes. “From me?”

I sighed. His expression broke my heart, but I couldn’t lie to him. I reached out and grabbed his hand gently.

“I think we both need a little space,” I said quietly. “I’m not leaving you, Kingston. That’s not what this is. But I’m going to do this. I need to go back for a while.”

He wrapped his arms around me. He held me as if I would disappear if 27.74%

15:22 288 Vouchers he let go.

“What if he tries to get you back?”

“Kingston,” I said with exasperation.

“I’m serious, Ayla. Now that he and Kylee broke up, nothing is stopping him.”

“Except for any inclination that he wants me back,” I said. “If he wanted to be with me, don’t you think he would have shown up to the Gathering?”

Kingston didn’t say anything.

“My feelings haven’t changed, Kingston,” I told him. “I’m still with you.”

***

Kingston Ayla and I had dinner together, but there was still a tension between us. When we were done, she settled on the couch to read for a while. I needed to talk to Pierce, so I headed toward his apartment. He opened the door before I even had to knock.

“Whoa,” he said when he saw me. “You look like s**t.”

I pushed into his living room. “Ayla’s going back to Greytooth territory.”

“Whoa, what?” Pierce said with concern. “What the hell happened?”

“Luna Grace asked her to write a biography for Alpha Torin,” I replied. “She has to go to interview him and get the information she needs.”

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15:22 1288 Vouchers “Okay, so she’s coming back.”

“She said she needs space, Pierce.” I threw myself down on his couch. “She practically said I was smothering her.”

“Man, you kind of have been,” Pierce said.

“I’m just staying close,” I snapped. “I’m trying to keep her safe. With the break-in at city hall and me st**idly drawing attention to her at the Gathering, I can’t afford to make a mistake.”

“But you still refuse to tell her why you’re acting this way,” Pierce pointed out. “Of course she thinks you’re being clingy.”

“Really?” I shot at him incredulously. “You too?”

“Hey, just calling it like I see it. Either she thinks you’re being clingy, or she starts to think you’re hiding something, which you are.

Neither is going to work out well for you, dude.”

“I’m not telling her, Pierce.”

“Then maybe it’s good for her to get away from the pack for a few days,” Pierce said, handing me a beer he had pulled from the fridge.

“Giving Theo exactly what he wants,” I snapped. “You know he’s going to try to get her back. Ayla doesn’t think he will, but he will.”

“Then he tries,” Pierce said with a sigh. “Either way, you can’t keep her here like a child, Kin. If she’s telling you she’s feeling smothered, you’ ve got to back off. Besides, do you really think she could forgive Theo for what he did?”

“She forgave her mother and sister,” I said.

“Yeah, but she still cut them out of her life.” He took a drag from his 69.31%

15:22 Chapter 60 Ayla 288 Vouchers bottle. “She knows her worth, Kin. But if you’re worried about him making an impression, you better leave her with one he can’t beat.”

“And how the hell do I do that?”

“Show her support. Let her know you realize this is important to her. That you get this is something that she needs to do. Show her that you believe she’ll come back to you, even if you don’t.”

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