Chapter 4

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Van

Sleep... that was all that he needed. He needed it so badly that he opted to go this his parents' house and sleep in his own bed. He hadn't been 'home' in weeks, maybe months. He usually preferred the barracks with his team, but tonight demanded silence and solitude. His mother would be thrilled to have him at the breakfast table in the morning.

The journey back had taken twice as long as inbound one, thanks to some searchlights from the hostile pack. The pilot had to completely circumnavigate that particular territory, which nearly doubled their travel time. The sun had set hours ago by the time they landed, so debrief got pushed to the morning.

He trudged through the front door and left his pack in the entryway. Despite the late hour, a few lights still illuminated the living room. His mother... always making sure her boy got home safe. Not wanting to face her, he forced his legs to move faster and carry him up the stairs. He'd take the briefest shower and slide into the warmth of his bed.

Shouldering his door open, he blinked in the lamp light. Why was the light on? Did someone figure out he was coming back and leave it for him? He turned towards the lamp and froze.

A girl sat on his couch, which was now covered with sheet and blankets. She looked up from her book—his book he now noticed—with wide eyes. The color had drained from her face, or maybe pale was her natural color. Those saucer-sized eyes looked ten times darker against her skin. Aside from the look of shock, she appeared normal.

Forget normal. There was a girl in his room!

"Who are you?" he growled, not even trying to be nice.

"I..." Her jaw dropped and she gaped at him.

"What are you doing in my room?"

"I... uhm... Luna Karina..."

Of course. His mother...

"You know what? Forget it. Just get out."

For a minute, she stared at him without moving. He finally ground his teeth and spat out the order again.

"Get... out!'

She sprang to her feet and flew past him. Her footsteps echoed down the hall and faded out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His mother... sent a girl... to his room. What on earth was she thinking?"

"Donovan?"

Great. He turned to face the last woman he wanted to talk to at the moment. His mother stood in the doorway, wrapped in the robe and looking at him with a puzzled light in her eyes.

"Mother..." He forced his voice flat, reminding himself that she was his luna as well as his mother.

"I wasn't expecting you to come home," she stated. "Normally you stay with your team."

"Well as you can see, I came home tonight. And imagine my surprise when I found..." He gestured to the couch bed.

"Like I said, I wasn't expecting you," she repeated. "So I— Where is she? Donovan, what did you do?"

Running his fingers through his hair, he pushed down the growing knot in his gut. The girl had been in his room because he wasn't supposed to be there. If she wasn't there for him, then...

"Zoey!?!" His mother spun on the balls of her feet and darted into the hallway. Her voice echoed as she continued to call out for the mystery girl.

After staring at his couch for a moment, Van slammed his bedroom door and headed for the bathroom. Answers would make more sense after he'd gotten that much-needed sleep.

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