The Lost Luna

Chapter 11

I wake up the next morning, stretching my body out before opening my eyes. However, the moment I open, I am met with the sight of an unfamiliar room...Ryder's room. Oh my gosh, it wasn't a dream! I tilt my head to look and the clock on the nightstand 11:30. Wow, I really slept in.

I lay my head back on the pillow, I can't believe I'm back, let alone in Ryder's bed. UGH. I groan, rolling onto my stomach, just about to scream in the pillow before I remember that Carter is sleeping behind me. I roll back around to check on my baby, only to my fear that he isn't beside me.

"Carter?" I call out, looking around the room. Once I don't lay eyes on him, I start to panic. I jump out of the bed and run the bathroom. "Carter?" I call again, opening the bathroom door, not seeing him inside.

I run out of the room and down the stairs "Carter?!" I call, looking through the kitchen and the living room, still not finding my little boy. Where is he?

I'm just about to go all crazy momma wolf until I hear him laugh. I follow the sound and make my way outside. To my relief and despair, Carter is outside with Ryder, playing around with the dogs outside.

As soon as I open the door, Carter looks up and sees me, "Hi Momma!" He says, running up to me and hugging my leg.

"Hi Carter, what are you doing outside?" I say, continuing to walk outside.

"Daddy said you needed to sleep. So we ate breakfast and now we're playing with the doggies." He says, smiling before turning around to play with a small, fat, Weiner dog.

"Ox?" I say in disbelief, Ox was a dog that Ryder bought me when we first moved in together. I would've sworn that Ryder got rid of Ox when I left.

"Good morning," Ryder says, walking up to me.

"You kept Ox?" I reply, watching as Carter plays with him.

"Well, I couldn't just get rid of him. I was mad at you, not him." Ryder shrugs, continuing to drink his coffee.

I scoff, taking a seat on one of the porch steps, using this one moment of peace to relax.

"Also, we do need to talk about what happened yesterday..." Ryder says as he sits down next to me and I groan, Moment over.

"But, we do have to make a stop at the pack house first. There are some people who are very excited to see you again." Ryder replies, and I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"The pack house? I don't want to go there. Why on earth would I go to see the people that called me a whore all those years ago." I glare at him.

"Well we don't really have a choice, we have to go. And besides, the pack house has been downsized, it's only home to the beta, delta, gamma, and their families...."

I sigh, "Whatever. Let's just get this over with. The quicker I can kill this stupid rogue, the quicker I can get back to my regular life and forget this ever happened..." I say, grabbing his coffee out of his hands and taking a sip.

"Um hello, that's my coffee." He says, smiling at me.

I shake my head, "Nope, mine now" I say with a smirk, turning on my heel and walking back to the house.

I walk back upstairs to the room out bags, grabbing some new clothes and a toothbrush heading to the bathroom. I strip and jump into the shower. I turn the water on and make it as hot as I can stand it before letting the water run over my body. I contemplate just taking Carter and going on the run, but I soon realized that is not the life I want for my son. I want him to have a place to call home. My mind runs wild until the water starts to get cold, so I quickly wash my hair and body before climbing out. I put on the new clothes and wrap my hair in the towel before heading back to Ryder's room.

I grab my computer from my purse before hopping back onto Ryder's bed, before sitting cross-legged and open my computer. I figured since I don't know how long I would be gone, I should at least try to get some work done from here. I sit on the bed doing work for about 30 minutes before Ryder knocks on the door.

"Hey, we're gonna head over to the pack house soon. They are making lunch." He says, sitting down on the bed beside me.

I hold up a finger at him, silencing him for a second while I finish the task on my computer before looking up at him, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"It's time to go to the pack house." He said, standing up walking to his closet to change his clothes.

"Ugh do I have to go?" I say, laying down on the bed.

"Isn't that why you called me? You wanted to protect Carter... and those people will protect him with their lives" he replies, walking out of his closet, pulling a new shirt over his chest.

"I know, but I didn't know I needed to take a stroll down memory lane...." I mumble, brushing my now dry hair before putting it in a messy bun. I turn around to look at Ryder, "Well? Let's get this shit show over with." I say, turning around to the door, but Ryder grabs my arm to stop me.

"Kara...I...." He stutters "I'm glad you called me." He says, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Well, it's not like I had much choice. As much as I hate to admit it, there was no way I was going to be able to protect Carter on my own." I say with a deep sigh. And that was the absolute truth. After not shifting in over 6 years,  I doubt I would be able to protect Carter by myself, let alone against an army.

He opens his mouth like he wants to say more, but I swiftly cut him off, holding up my hand, "However, don't get the wrong impression. As soon as this is over, we are going back to our normal lives."

He glares at me, "So what, I'm supposed to protect you and Carter from an unknown threat, and then you expect me to just leave you again? Once word gets out that we could quite possibly be under attack, people are going to remember you and find out that we have a child. You would be putting an even bigger target on your back, and I know you aren't that stupid, Kara"

I growl, "I will do what is best for MY child, Ryder. Calling you is best for him at this moment, but don't be fooled. I refuse to have my child grow up where his lineage is questioned and his self-esteem destroyed all because of some stupid rumor that his father chose to believe!" I yell, breathing heavily as I run my fingers down my face.

"Look I don't have the energy to argue with you right now, so let's just go to the pack house and get this show on the road," I say, turning my back to Ryder and head down to the living room without waiting for a response.

Carter is waiting patiently on the couch in the living room with his IPad on his lap, playing fruit ninja.

"Carter, let's go to the car. We're going to go meet some of Mommy's friends." I say, and he looks up at me with a smile before putting the IPad down and walking over to me. By the time Carter finishes tying his shoes, Ryder is waiting for us by the door.

"Ready to go?" He says, looking at me.

"Let's go before I change my mind."