The Alpha's Lost Mate [Completed]

Chapter Twelve: The Rhosilli packhouse

** Pronunciation guide for Welsh names at the end of chapter **

I leaned my head against the edge of the boat, letting the sound of the engine and the waves it was creating drown out the intense briefing happening right next to me. Jamie had been reassuring me all night and all morning that it would be fine, but I was so nervous I felt sick. Before I could get too lost in my nerves, Ashleigh's face appeared about 6 inches in front of mine as she rested her head on the boat to meet my eyes.

"Hey," she breathed, almost undetectably.

"Hey," I whispered back.

"Finding out who you used to be, getting your memories back... It's not going to make you love Jamie any less, it's not going to make you want to leave, I promise," she whispered, gently rubbing her thumb over my knuckles. Tears stung my eyes. She knew why I was so scared before even I could unravel those feelings.

"It won't?" I breathed back, wiping the tears away before Jamie could see them.

"Of course not. You belong here, with us, nothing can ever change that," she reassured me.

"I trust you're getting all of this, Ashleigh?" Jamie said sharply, his voice raising just enough so that the engines couldn't drown him out anymore.

"Yes, Alpha," she replied, still not breaking eye contact with me. "Beta Evan will be remaining on the island and will oversee all pack and season activities based from there with Sentinel Xavier's assistance. Gamma Finn and I will base ourselves on the mainland until you return and will oversee all pack and season activities there. You will contact us every evening for a briefing, and we are to contact you immediately if there are any unforeseen problems."

He cleared his throat. "You two look weird down there, just so you know."

"You wanted us to be friends," I argued.

"Well, yes, I-" Jamie stuttered, unsure how to reply for the first time since we'd met.

"You pushed two weird people into a friendship, and you expected what exactly?" I asked.

"For us to balance each other out?" Ashleigh quipped.

"I don't remember much, but I definitely remember that's not how it works," I added, and Ashleigh giggled.

"Now we're just double-weird," she said with glee.

"You can say that again," Finn muttered under his breath, and Ashleigh swatted at him.

"Hey, only we're allowed to insult our friendship," she insisted, shooting me another grin.

Jamie pulled me gently to my feet as Derek tied the boat to the dock and lifted me from the boat. Evan stayed on board, checking the controls ready to drive it back to the island. Finn and Ashleigh climbed out, said their goodbyes and headed off for Keswick at a run. Jamie went immediately up to the helicopter where Conner had been for the last hour, doing pre-flight checks, which left me and Derek standing on the dock, just staring across the water.

"Are you alright, Luna?" he asked kindly, coming to stand just behind me.

I sighed. Ashleigh was my best friend on the island, but Derek came a close second.

"It's a lot to take in Derek, a lot to take in," I sighed.

"One step at a time Gracie, if anyone can do this you can," he encouraged.

"You think so?" I asked, turning around to face him.

"I know so," he said with a kind smile, stepping back to allow me to make my way to the others.