I barely wait for Thor to properly park when we arrive back at Alpha's mansion before I get out of his car, making sure to slam the door hard behind me.
I am angry. I thought I could ignore him but I obviously couldn't! Who am I deceiving? I couldn't even eat the fruits I brought along with me. The book was totally useless as I couldn't move past the summary. The music was no better. All I did through the one-hour ride was pretend as if I was sleeping while I peeked at him under the veil of my lashes.
I am angry with him for doing a damn good job of ignoring me when I couldn't return the favor and I am angrier with myself for being such a love-sick puppy.
I would have loved to see Uncle Elias and congratulate him on finding his new mate but I'm not in a celebratory mood right then. So to avoid everybody, I went in through the back door to look for Ella.
My stomach rumbles loudly, reminding me that the last time I ate was yesterday at lunch. I abandon my search for Ella and go to the kitchen to look for food instead.
"Hey, guys!..." I greet the kitchen staff with a smile when I open the door but they don't reciprocate with the same energy.
Instead, they immediately drop what they're doing and stand straight.
"Luna!" They say with their heads bowed in respect.
For a moment there, I forgot I'm now the Luna and should act accordingly. Will I ever get used to people bowing to me in respect?... Pfft! I don't understand, why can't we all be friendly with each other regardless of who I am to them.
"Raise your heads. And don't mind me, you can continue with what you're doing. I won't be in your way, I promise." I say, smiling reassuringly before walking towards the big refrigerator in the corner of the large kitchen to see what it holds.
I notice from my peripheral vision how they give each other looks as if they are afraid of my presence in the kitchen. I don't understand how they can stand in trepidation when I've never given them any reason to be afraid of me.
"Perfect!" I mumble to myself when I see some freshly baked bread placed on the counter.
"What about broccoli? Do you guys have it?" I turn to ask no one in particular and the eldest of them walk towards me.
"Yes, Luna, we have fresh broccoli in the garden. Uhm, I am Chef Astrid. Is there a particular dish you want? Just tell me and I'll prepare it exactly the way you'll like it." She tries to smile as she talks in her heavily accented English but can't pull it off
I smile.
"I understand this is your kitchen chef, just that I want to make a sandwich the exact way my mom used to make it for me..."
"Oh..." She nods in understanding, her smile more genuine this time. "You can explain to me and I'll make it the exact way."
"No. How about I prepare it today and you watch so you will fully understand and perfectly make it the next time?"
"Okay, Luna." She replies, with a slight bow.
They gather for me all the ingredients I will need and stand on each side of me to watch me prepare them.
"So much bread, Luna?" Chef Astrid asks questioningly when she sees me slicing a whole big loaf of bread
I laugh
"Oh, it's not all for me. It's for all of us. I also want you guys to taste and tell me what you think of my mom's sandwich."
"Ohh..." Her eyes widen with surprise. Maybe she's never worked for a Luna that cooks for her staff before.
I finish preparing the ingredients and am in the process of putting the sandwiches together when the door opens and Ella walks in.
She looks surprised to see me in the kitchen
"Luna?..." She calls questioningly
"Hey..." I reply with a grin
"Hey... I was wondering where you were, what are you doing here?"
"Making myself some sandwiches. I was looking for you myself, actually. What's up?"
I finish with the last sandwich and begin to arrange them on a big plate
"I didn't see you arrive with the Alpha. You're making sandwiches. The Alpha and Beta also want sandwiches before leaving for Night Howlers pack. Are you already aware of what they wanted? And why are you making so much?"
I'm a bit disappointed. I was expecting her to say the Alpha sent her to come to find me. Stupid me. So naive.
"It's not only for me, it's for all of us." I indicate to the maids and chef in the room so she will know the 'us' I'm referring to. You can take for the Alpha, Beta, and anyone else that also wants. We'll just make another batch for ourselves."
"Okay..." She says and turns to the maids. "Well, don't just stand there! You heard when I said the Alpha and Beta wants sandwiches didn't you!"
"Yes, Mrs. Ella!"
"Sorry, Mrs. Ella!"
They chorused and immediately got busy arranging for their Almighty Alpha who is currently ignoring me, the food that I just made for myself. I wonder if he will reject the food if he gets to know I made them.
I pick another loaf of bread to start making another batch but the chef stops me.
"Now I can make it exactly the way you like so please allow me. See, there's still enough left over after the Alpha and Beta have been served. Why don't you have that and I'll make this for the rest of us?"
"Sure," I reply with a smile. "I'll be in the gazebo then. Please ask one of the maids to bring it there."
"Yes, Luna."
Ella and I leave the kitchen together.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry but is everything okay?... With you and the Alpha, I mean?"
I chuckle
"Why do you ask? You think everything is not okay?"
"It feels like it. You guys couldn't keep your hands off each other yesterday but it seems you couldn't wait to get away from him today. You're also eating in the gazebo apart from him..."
I groan inwardly
If Ella could notice we're having a disagreement then I bet everyone else would have noticed too and it's not even a week since we reunited. God, this is so embarrassing and it makes me angrier at Thor for putting me in such a situation.
"Well, he's angry at me because of something I did that he felt I had no right to do and I'm angry at him for overreacting but it's no big deal, really. We'll settle it."
She chuckles
Of course, I know you'll settle it. Couples fight over silly things all the time. Ivar and I can go all day not talking to each other but we always end up settling our differences in the bedroom..."
She giggles and lowers her voice to whisper in my ear. "God, I love makeup sex! It's always wilder and more gratifying."
I open my mouth wide while she just chuckles and shrugs. I thought Victoria was naughty, never knew Ella was the worst! Well, nobody ever complimented me for being well-behaved before so I guess we suit each other.
"Lover's spat is normal in every healthy relationship, Ash, so don't worry yourself about it too much. Okay?"
I nod and hug her sideways
"Thank you."
"Hmm mm... So why were you looking for me before?"
"Yeah, I wanted to ask about my phone and books. I don't know if you know where they're kept?"
"Yes. I should have informed you about it, sorry! Everything is in the room next to yours and Alpha's bedroom. Your books and all your things from Martha's house are in there. We don't know what you might want to keep or throw away."
"Oh, that's great. Thank you."
.
.
Ella later leaves to attend to her duties. I don't leave the gazebo until I'm sure Thor and the others have left for my so-called parents' pack
The moment I entered the room Ella told me about, I saw my phone where it was placed on the dresser. Underneath it was a brown manila envelope. I pick up the phone and open the envelope to see what is inside.
"Oh..."
The contents of the envelope take me back to my eighteenth birthday. I reach inside and bring out the emergency contraception that I didn't remember to take and the ATM card Thor gifted to me with the pin still stuck to the back. I remember the envelope came with a note and I wonder what happened to it and my birthday cake.
I go through the packed suitcases and I can't help but laugh when I see my twelve hundred dollars savings tucked away in one of the side pockets.
I finally found the note Thor wrote to me on my birthday. I read it again and smiled foolishly, resisting the urge to place it over my beating heart. The contraception makes me remember that I need to ask Doctor Anders for birth control pills. I would love to get pregnant again one day, just not now. I don't want to go to school and deal with morning sickness at the same time.
After I've removed everything I needed from the room. I called the maids to burn the rest which are just old clothes. I have no use for them now that I'm the Luna of the biggest pack in North America.