Chapter 88
Chapter 88
Astrid’s POV
The next day, the muscles in my legs and back ached with a satisfying burn, a physical reminder of the exhilarating run with Kaeleen. The memory of it, the wind in my fur, the sight of his powerful black wolf running beside me, the sheer, unadulterated freedom was a warm glow that stayed with me all morning. It’s been a while since I was able to just enjoy freedom like that.
That warmth was a welcome shield as I sat in the passenger seat of Rebecca’s car. We were on our way to see Serena, and Rebecca had been quiet for most of the drive, a rare occurrence. Her driver, Thomas, gave me a smile when he saw me. I was getting used to seeing him around since I spent time with Rebecca.
"So, just so you know," she said finally, "Hunter... he’s not doing great. I know you already know about his condition but um...we have to be us. Let’s pretend like the cloud of possible death isn’t looming over us. Can you do that?"
I saw the worry etched around her eyes, the slight tremble in her bottom lip that she quickly bit back. This was hurting her deeply.
"I can do that," I promised, my voice soft.
We pulled up to a house that was utterly charming. It was a lovely two-story home with a black picket fence and a garden bursting with colorful, meticulously cared-for flowers. It looked like a place where only happy things could happen, which made the reason for our visit feel all the more jarring.
Serena opened the door before we even knocked. She looked exhausted. There were dark circles under her eyes that no amount of makeup could hide, and her smile, while genuine, didn’t quite reach them. But she pulled us both into tight hugs.
"Astrid, it’s so nice to see you." she said as she opened her arms for a hug which I returned.
"What about me? It’s not nice to see me?" Rebecca asked her.