My Hunted Mate
Chapter Thirty Eight

Corinna

" Gia! It's so good to see you, how have you been getting on? " I greether, returning her tight embrace with one to match hers.

" I've been good, I've been getting settled in, getting to know the pack,changing a few things. " she giggles, pulling away from me to send mea sly wink. " And you? I heard you've found your mate! When can Imeet him? *

" Uh Malakai is going to be attending a meeting with your mate in themorning, it's too late to be getting into all of that right now. " I informher. " Is Jack treating you right? *

" Yes, he is. I know you two don't exactly see eye to eye, but he's awonderful man. * She grins at me.

Instead of keeping the conversation on Jack, I muster up a smile andchange the subject, not wanting to get into ' not seeing eye to eye *being an understatement and a cover up for the fact he tried to get memurdered.

Gia leads me into the kitchen, a couple of warriors who were swappingwith night guards pass by us, bowing their head in a respectful mannertoward their Luna. " It's good that they have accepted you so well. "Ismile at her, but she frowns at me.

" What's that supposed to mean? " She crosses her arms over her chest,leaning back against the counter top while water boils for our cups oftea.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I hold my hands up in mock surrender. * Itdoesn't mean anything Gia, I'm just glad that no one is treating youdifferently because you're human. I'm happy for you. *

She sighs, turning her back to me to grab two mugs from the cabinetabove her head, setting them down onto the counter top, she tossestwo tea bags into a pot nearby. " I'm sorry, It's a touchy subject. * shemumbles, pouring boiling hot water into the pot.

"Why's that? " I ask her curiously, leaning against the wall next to thedoorway.

She pulls a small spoon from a drawer next to her to stir the tea bags inthe water, letting out a loud huff. * I. No one has a problem with itreally, there's just been a few concerns from some of the pack warriorsand honestly, there's been some coming from me too. I'm their Luna,I'm supposed to be strong, to help lead them, protect them, but ourweakest omega has more of a chance of doing that than I do. "

"You don't have to be supernatural to be a strong leader Gia. "I tellher, watching as she pours the tea into the mugs, then dumps threespoons of sugar into hers.

" Sugar? " She mutters, I quickly decline and move over to her to takemy cup into my hands as she continues to speak. " But I could be. *"You could be what? " I question, very nervous about where she'sgoing with this.

" Supernatural. If Jack bites me, I could be a wolf too. I could be strongand a good Luna to this pack- " she starts to ramble, but I quickly cuther off.

" Gia, do you know how dangerous that is? Humans rarely survive thebite, not to mention how painful the bite is, let alone the actual shift. " Iargue.

"1am his mate Corinna, you know the chances of survival go up whenyou're mated. " She protests, angrily throwing the spoon that wassitting in her cup into the sink, it clatters loudly on impact.

Tilting my head, I narrow my eyes at her. * Your chances go up, but it'snot guaranteed, what does Jack have to say about all of this? Was thishis idea?

" No, it was mine and he's just shut me down every time I've brought itup, he doesn't want to risk my life. * She grumbles, suddenly I have aslight amount of respect for Jack that I didn't have before.

" Good. He's right. " I say, calmly taking a sip from my mug when sheglares at me.

"It's late, I should go to bed. I booked an appointment with the healerfor you tomorrow afternoon. * She huffs out, tossing her untouched teainto the sink before leaving me standing alone in the kitchen, staring atthe door she'd just stormed through.

Running a hand through my hair, I wander over to the back door,swinging it open. I notice a patio table and chairs on the decking intheir back yard, so I take a seat, admiring the clear black sky and themoon that was shining brightly, bathing the grass and trees in it's silverglow.

When I've drank the tea Gia made for me, I re-enter the kitchen, sittingthe empty mug into the sink silently then make my way upstairs,crawling into bed where Kai is already fast asleep, but as exhausted as Iam, all I can do is lay awake staring at the ceiling, unable to shut off myanxious thoughts about Gia's want for the bite and if there's somethingtruly wrong with me and that's why I can't shift, my thoughts consumeme that I barely notice the sun rising and peaking through the curtainsinto the room.

It's only when Kai is up and moving around the room, getting ready forhis meeting with Jack, that I replace myself drifting asleep. He sets an alarmon my phone so I can sleep until my doctor's appointment, planting akiss on my forehead before wandering out of the room after a softdeclaration of his love for me.

After only two hours of sleep, my alarm whisks me away from mydreams. Crawling from the bed, I go to the closet dressing myself in asimple light blue thin strap sun dress with a oversized knitted cardiganand my usual pair of black docs. I apply a couple of quick brushes ofmascara and coat my lips in balm then braid my hair into a messy sidebraid, leaving small pieces of hair to frame my face.

Once I'm ready, I exit the bedroom, bumping into Phoenix and Sabineon my way downstairs. * Hey, how did the meeting go? " I ask them,glad I had made them jewellery to protect them from the sun before weleft for this trip so that Kai didn't have to be in that meeting alone whileI slept.

"It went as well as it could. Your friend his keeping her wolf in check. "Sabine informs me at the same time that Phoenix's eyebrows shoot upas he takes in my appearance.

" You look like hell. * He comments, making me send him a deadpanexpression.

" Gee, thank you Phoenix, that makes me feel so good about myself. " Isay, my tone flat and sarcastic.

Sabine quickly jumps to his rescue. * He just means you look tired. *She shrugs.

I nod. " Yeah, I barely slept. "

" You've got your appointment with the wolf healer thingy now right? *Phoenix asks.

" Yeah she does and the correct term is pack healer or pack doctor. "Gia cuts in, seeming to still be in foul humour, my thoughts are provento be correct when she sends me a stern look. " Are you ready or what?Clenching my teeth, I send her a small smile and mumble a quickgoodbye to Sabine and Phoenix, who both wish me luck, before I beginto follow Gia through the pack house to meet the healer.