Chapter 41
Kaeleen’s POV
Astrid’s wide-eyed wonder as she stared at Shadow was priceless. I couldn’t help but laugh again, watching her try to process the fact that the woman she had trusted with her life was actually a man.
She peppered Shadow with questions, her curiosity insatiable. "But the breasts," she asked, her voice filled with genuine bewildernt. "How did you do the breasts?"
Shadow grinned, clearly enjoying the attention. He reached into his shirt and pulled out two silicone pads, holding them up for Astrid to inspect.
"Clever, huh?" he said, his eyes twinkling with amusent. "They’re lightweight and very realistic. You can even get them in different sizes."
Astrid examined the pads with fascination, turning them over in her hands, poking and prodding them. She listened attentively as Shadow explained the intricacies of his disguise, the makeup techniques he used, the voice modulator he employed. It was like she was taking notes, studying his every move, eager to learn the secrets of his craft.
The whole scene was so absurd, so surreal, that it made laugh even harder. Astrid, the Luna who had endured so much hardship, was now geeking out over a pair of fake breasts. It was a testant to her resilience, her ability to find joy in the midst of chaos.
As I watched them, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a text ssage from Rebecca.
’Is Astrid safe?’
Then one from Serena.
’How is she? Have you t her yet? Did the plan work?’
I smiled. My sisters were always looking out for , always concerned for my well-being. I knew they were eager to et Astrid, to welco her into the family.
To Rebecca, I replied: ’She is.’
A few seconds later, Rebecca sent back a thumbs-up emoji, followed by a ssage: ’Can’t wait to et her again!’
To Serena, I typed. ’She’s okay. We are on our way ho now.’
’Okay. Can’t wait to et her.’
I smiled again, feeling a surge of warmth in my chest. It ant a lot to that my family seed to have accepted Astrid so readily. I knew they would love her as much as I did, once they got to know her.
Even Shadow had taken a liking to her. He was usually reserved, guarded, reluctant to let anyone get close. But he had been genuinely kind and supportive to Astrid, treating her with respect and compassion. That was a good sign, a sure indication that my pack mbers would welco her with open arms.
As the hours passed, Astrid’s energy began to wane. The exhaustion of the past few days finally caught up with her, and she started to drift off to sleep, her head resting against the window.
I watched her, my heart aching with tenderness. She looked so peaceful, so vulnerable, so utterly beautiful. I wanted to protect her, to shield her from all the pain and suffering in the world.
I gently scooped her up in my arms, careful not to wake her. She stirred slightly, nuzzling her face against my chest, and then settled back into a deep slumber.
I carried her to the small bedroom on the plane, a private sanctuary where she could rest undisturbed. I laid her down on the bed, pulling the soft blankets over her, tucking her in like a child.
I sat beside her for a mont, stroking her hair, watching her sleep. I wanted to stay there forever, to guard her from all harm, but I knew I couldn’t. I had to go back and talk to Shadow, to discuss the next steps, to ensure that we were prepared for whatever lay ahead.
I reluctantly left the room, closing the door softly behind . I found Shadow waiting for in the main cabin, sipping a glass of water.
"Is she asleep?" he asked, his voice low.
I nodded. "Yeah," I said. "She’s exhausted."
"She’s been through a lot," Shadow said, his eyes filled with sympathy. "She’s a strong woman."
"She is," I agreed. "Stronger than she knows."
I sat down across from him, taking a deep breath. "Did anyone follow you?" I asked. "Did you notice anything suspicious at the airport?"
Shadow shook his head. "No," he said. "Everything seed clear. I think they were too lax, too complacent. They probably assud that Leon’s security was impenetrable, that Astrid was too weak to escape."
"Maybe," I said. "Or maybe they were waiting for us to make a move, planning to ambush us later."
"It’s possible," Shadow said. "But I doubt it. Leon is too arrogant to think that we could outsmart him. He probably believes that he’ll be able to track us down whenever he wants."
I nodded, my jaw tightening. It wouldn’t be long before Leon discovered that Astrid was gone. And when he did, I could only imagine the fury he would unleash.
"We need to be prepared," I said. "We need to be ready for anything."
"I know," Shadow said.
I sighed. "Get so rest. You’ve been active for the past few days."
He paused, studying with concern. "You need to rest, too, Alpha," he said. "You’ve been awake for three days straight. You can’t protect Astrid if you’re running on empty."
I knew he was right. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. But I couldn’t rest, not yet. Not until we were safely back in my pack, surrounded by my warriors, far away from Leon’s reach.
"I’ll rest later," I said. "Right now, I need to stay focused."
Shadow sighed, but he didn’t argue. He knew that I was stubborn, that I wouldn’t back down until I was satisfied that Astrid was safe.
Finally, after what seed like an eternity, the pilot announced that we were approaching Los Angeles. I looked out the window and saw the city lights twinkling below, a vast expanse of urban sprawl stretching out to the horizon.
We were almost ho.
As the plane began its descent, I went back to check on Astrid. She was still asleep, her face relaxed, her breathing even.
I gently picked her up again, cradling her in my arms. She stirred slightly, but didn’t wake up.
I carried her off the plane, careful so as not to wake her. I ensured that no one knew about the fact that I had left my ho so there were no reporters at the airport. I placed her in the back of the waiting car, arranging her head on my lap. She snuggled against , her body warm and pliant, and I felt a surge of protectiveness wash over .
She was finally safe. She was finally ho. And I wasn’t going to let anyone take her away from again.
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