Chapter 236
#Chapter 236 – The Road Home
The ride home passes slowly, probably because I am distracted with all my thoughts.
The forest was stressful in its own way – we had to do hard work uncovering and facing our deepest doubts, learning what we
are to each other. But in many ways it had been a reprieve. Lots of people, I think, would welcome the opportunity to step away
from their life for a minute and take the time to truly consider who it is they are and what they want.
Now that I’m in this RV speeding quickly back to my home and my life there, the troubles of the world come swarming back to
me.
There was so much I had to do – wanted to do, really. And it was wonderful that I could now face these problems with the full
understanding of what Victor and I are to each other, knowing that he loves and supports me in all that I do. But that doesn’t
change the challenges themselves, some of which seem insurmountable.
Alvin and Ian sit at the little kitchen table with me, playing three magnetic board games at once, as they usually do, making up
the rules as they go. I hold Ian casually on my lap as they play, my arms lightly looped around his waist and my back pressed
against the window, which I look out of passively, not really seeing anything as I think.
Victor sits in the passenger seat as Stephen drives, the two of them going over everything we’ve missed in the past few weeks.
Luckily, the technology in the RV held up and Stephen was able to keep in touch with everything going on at home, so he’s well
prepared to brief Victor. They’ve already radioed home to let everyone know we’re coming, but apparently there’s some issue
with Rafe – he can’t be found? Or roused?
I don’t really know, and frankly I’m not interested enough to care. I’m still angry at him for what he did to Bridgette.
“Are you okay, mommy?” Ian whispers, turning to look at me with concern.
“Just fine, turkey,” I murmur, leaning forward to give him a little kiss on the nose. “Don’t worry about me – I’m just figuring out all
sorts of problems in my head as we go.”
“Math problems?” Alvin asks, perking up. “We can help!”
“No,” I reply, grinning at him. “Girl problems. Luna stuff.”
“Ewwww,” both twins say together, turning back to their game and sticking out their tongues. I laugh and turn back to my
thoughts. I knew that would work, and I need to concentrate.
My mind turns back to Bridgette, though I know there are more pressing political matters at hand. I feel terribly guilty for
unintentionally leaving her alone in that little rental cabin out in the middle of nowhere for almost a month. She’ll be comfortable, I
know, and likely needed the space – but is she lonely out there? She’s such a lovely, social person. I hope she’s not alone.
I wonder if Emma and Delia have been to see her, and the thought of them spins me off onto new subjects. I think of my mother,
grimacing as I realize that I didn’t even tell her I was going on this trip. She must be worried sick, especially considering –
Oh my god.
My eyes go wide as I realize that my father is still somewhere in Victor’s custody, leaving my mother totally alone, and that I
haven’t even thought of him in weeks –
I raise a hand to my forehead, taking a deep breath as it all rushes back to me. Why the hell had I been so eager to get out of the
forest and back to all of this? And I haven’t even begun to think about Amelia yet –
Victor turns back in his seat at the front of the RV, giving me a little nudge in my mind, perhaps sensing my distress.
You all right? he asks, looking at me seriously from the front of the car.
I give him a tight little smile and nod. Yes, I reply, speaking truthfully. Because I am okay – I can handle all of this, especially with
him at my side. Just – thinking of everything we have to take care of when we get home.
He gives a playful little shrug. I mean, you insisted we go – Ian and I wanted to stay a few more days...
I glare at him a little. Liar. You wanted to get home as much as I did. I give him a little shove with my mind and he laughs, making
Stephen turn to frown at him in confusion.
It will all be all right, Evie, my mate says to me, giving me a warm smile. After all we’ve been through? There isn’t anything that
can take us down.
I know, I reply, grateful for him and his assurance. We’ll just take it one thing at a time.
Victor gives me a wink and then turns his attention back to his Beta and the road before us. I pull Ian a little closer to me, giving
him a hug, and looking back out the window, getting my intentions in order as the miles fly by beneath our wheels.
We drive through the night, our eagerness to get home matched by Stephen’s eagerness to help us get there. “I had weeks of
rest,” he had said when I asked if he was too tired to press on, “I’m dying to get back to work.” I believed him, too – Stephen’s
always been the one to stay up with Victor at all hours, working on the nuances of his plans. He’s the kind of Beta who is there
because he wants to be, not because he has to be, and I’m very grateful to have him on our team.
When Stephen starts to fade behind the wheel, Victor takes his place for a few hours, his renewed Alpha strength giving him the
capacity to push forward and let Stephen rest. I put the boys to bed and let Stephen take the bed in the back room, where he’s
been sleeping anyway. Then, I curl up in the passenger seat next to Victor, letting my eyes drift closed.
“I’ll wake you,” he says, “if I need someone to relieve me. You can do the last six hours, right?”
“Certainly not,” I murmur, raising my chin and sighing comfortably as I curl further into the seat’s leather cushions. “I don’t think I
could even reach the pedals of this crazy machine.”
“I’ll help you tie some wooden blocks to your feet so you can reach,” Victor begins to offer, but I interrupt.
“Alpha Kensington,” I interject, opening one eye to glare at him. “Lunas do not drive. They are chauffeured.”
Victor laughs, keeping his eyes on the road, and nods to me. Smiling, I drift off to sleep.
I wake a few hours later as I sense the RV begin to slow, a new sensation after hours of fast highway driving. I squint against the
rays of the sun, raising a hand to rub my eyes and glancing around me. Then I gasp, abruptly awake, as I see my little cottage
before us. Victor is turning into the driveway.
“’Bout time you woke up,” he mutters, smiling at me. “Home sweet home, Luna.”
“Ohhh,” I gasp, admiring my little house. “It’s so cute – do you remember it being this cute!?”
He doesn’t reply, just smiles happily as he works to wedge the huge vehicle in the driveway behind some Beta cars already
there.
I hear a stirring in the back of the RV and turn to watch my boys climb happily from their bunks.
“Are we here!?” Ian cries.
“Home! Home!” Alvin shouts, running to the window and confirming his brother’s suspicions. “We’re home!”
I laugh, jumping to my feet, my sleep erased by my eagerness. “Let’s go!” I call to them, meeting them at the door. “I bet Archie
is waiting for us!”
“Do you think he can smell us?” Alvin asks, his eyes bright with excitement.
“Archie!” Ian cries out, throwing open the door and dashing towards the house.
I go along with them, knowing Victor won’t mind us running ahead. I laugh as my kids shout to the Betas on the porch, who call
greetings to them and welcome them home. I smile at the Betas myself, genuinely pleased to see all of their familiar faces, but
I’m distracted when Ian pulls the door open and a little bundle of fur comes flying through, leaping right into my arms.
“Archie!” I cry out, the little pup whining and crying as he eagerly seeks to lick every inch of my face. I go to one knee so that the
boys can give him a greeting pat, but really, Archie is only interested in me. I’m his mama, after all.
The boys dash into the house while I take a moment to coo over my little dog, petting him and telling him how pretty he is.
I go rigid, though, when I hear my twins gasp inside.
“What,” I demand, looking up at the Beta standing next to me. “Are they –“
“They’re fine, ma’am,” the Beta says, grimacing a little but putting out a hand to let me know that I don’t need to panic. “It’s just...
not very pretty in there at the moment. But there was nothing we could do –“
Curious, and a little worried despite the Beta’s reassurance, I nod and carry Archie into the house, eager to see what’s going on.
I gasp too when I see what’s sprawled out on the floor of my living room.