"How did she get in here without us even sensing her?" A man I don't recognize looks like he wants to take me back to his lab for examination.

It's a look I'm becoming familiar with.

Because we are awesome, that's why Amber chuckles equally amused by his surprise.

Not awesome enough we are 100% busted.

Yeah well your on your own I told you it was a stupid idea. Now mates going to be angry. Amber huffs and move to the back of my mind leaving me to my fate.

Brodie's black eyes flicker and I see some of the tension in his body relax at the sight of me.

Oddly even my muscles soften at the sight of him. Brodie didn't know I was coming back though and I wonder how long he's been looking for me. My guilt grows.

"Because she's exceptionally good at getting in and out of just about anywhere, Travis." Brodie growls.

Did I just detect a hint of pride underneath the disapproval?

Maybe I'm just hopeful I can still explain my way out of this.

I don't recommend lying. Stella Amber immediately puts a stop to my plans of just saying I was testing the patrols capabilities or going for a run.

In a way I just did, and It would seem the patrols need some work.

"You can say that again. Brodie, I could use her for training the lads. She would be a good tool to test them against."

"We'll discuss it later. Leave us now, both of you" He uses his command and in three large steps I'm enveloped in his arms.

Relief that he wants to come near me still crashes into me and I sag into his embrace.

He breathes me in and his whole body stiffens. I tense, oh shit he can smell Derek on my clothes. I hadn't accounted for that.

"Stella, why do you smell of another human man"

"Yeah, I guess I should start explaining where I have been then" I mumble feeling cold as he steps away from me like I'm on fire.

"That would be good" His tone is icily confirming that I definitely was correct in not letting him be in the same room as Derek. Still I should have talked to him before running off.

"You might want a drink" I smile sheepishly. His answering growl as he walks to the kitchen makes my stomach flip on itself.

Fifteen minutes later and Brodie hasn't said a word. I gave him a narrative of my night, of course leaving out unnecessary details that would upset him further.

He already knows Derek touched me, but no need to give him more of a visual. After a minute of silence passes, I can't take it anymore.

"Say something" I beg. I jump when he slams his glass down on the kitchen counter.

"You mean to tell me, you snuck out without telling me, sneaked across all my patrols rendering them as utterly useless. Just so you could go and see your ex-husband that you failed to even tell me about this whole time!" He' s not yelling but his tone is deadly.

I can see Leo fighting him pushing himself to come forward.

I swallow fear creeping in at his hostile posture and gaze. I know he won't hurt me physically but emotionally this man could crush me.

"Well yes, and no. Your patrols aren't useless to the average person just me. And I needed to give Derek his stuff back from my house and get some of my things myself all because I plan on staying here" I smile but it's weak I hope that this news will calm him down and make him see that this wasn't the betrayal he thinks it is.

His head snaps up to mine.

"You're staying?" so much hope in two simple words.

"Yes, I am. Going back and ending that part of my past made me realize what this place and you already mean to me" I smile back at him trying to explain that overall this has been good.

Brodie move and his hug takes all the air out of my lungs as he lifts me off my feet.

"This makes me incredibly happy Stella, but using it to deflect from deceiving me hasn't worked. Now go and have a shower while I burn these clothes." I laugh thinking he's kidding and relief that he's not sending me packing makes me knees go weak.

His hard stare bring me back to reality.

"You're serious about burning them aren't you?"

"Dead serious" he growls.

"Oh" I amble my way to the shower and make sure to hide my clothes for Casey to wash rather than being burnt which Is ridiculous.

I scrub myself twice to make sure all of Dereks scent is washed away.

If I had a bottle of Brodie soap I would cover myself in it just to satisfy him.

Drying off I change into sweats and a comfortable t-shirt. Ready to face the music I head back out and find Josh sitting at the breakfast bar Instead of Brodie.

"What? Wheres, has he gone now?" I ask annoyed. Josh chuckles.

"Do you really deserve to know after the stunt you just pulled?" he raises an eyebrow at me daringly.

"Go stuff it, Josh!" I spit pissed off because he's right I don't really deserve to know. He laughs again aggravating me more.

"I can see why you two got paired, he went to finish with Travis. Now seeing as I got stuck Luna sitting. Pour us a drink would ya? Might as well get to know each other better while we wait?"

I pour Josh a whiskey at his request, we chat back and forth and I learn he's mated to Lanie, the best chef in Kaitai. She runs and cooks at "The Melting Pot" restaurant in town.

Josh Is a nice guy. We have a good, easy conversation and although I know he's interviewing me It doesn't really feel like it.

The gnawing in my stomach only grows as the minutes tick by. The urge to go and find Brodie begging him to forgive me grows making my leg twitch up and down uncontrollably.

"So how did you end up with an ex-husband. Brodie tells me you split before he met you?"

So Brodie confides in Josh, not surprising he is his beta after all.

"Yea just a few weeks before coincidentally" I scoff realising the timing of everything.

"What happened" Josh's tone is neutral but I know he's looking out for Brodie scoping out my loyalties.

I sigh heaving a breathe then revealing the painful truth to him honestly.

"It was a really classic story. He ended up having an affair and getting the other woman pregnant. I was cast aside In the blink of an eye. Wasn't true love after all " I drawl monotone. I stare into my own whiskey swirling the dark liquid in a clockwise motion to distract myself from the sting of Dereks rejection once again.

"I'm sorry Stella that really bites" Josh answers with sincerity. We both take a swig, mine larger than his.

"Yea, yea let's move on from my failures already" I wave my hand exasperated.

"You didn't fail Stella'' my head snaps up at his words. How the hell would he know anything about what I did.

"You were never meant for him, imagine if you had still been together when you met Brodie. You would have ended up being the one to perform infidelity or you would have had to of rejected Brodie" he states.

"Rejected?" I ask him what he's talking about. I see him realize his mistake and he groans obviously having said too much.

"You would've found out eventually I guess. Mates can reject each other If they choose too" he finishes.

"Why am I only hearing this now?" A little panic starts to bubble up inside me at the idea Brodie can reject me ending our bond.

"Because If you'd known straight away would you have even given Brodie a chance?" I think for a minute and decide to answer honestly.

"I don't know, I'm glad, no one told me" It's the truth, imagine If I had never tried and just walked away back to my old, boring life, divorced, and living in Cleardale.

Josh stays quiet, satisfied with what I said. I look at my phone it's 11:30pm... I yawn exhausted.

"I'm going to bed. Am I allowed to do that alone or do you have to watch me sleep too?" Josh bursts out laughing.

"No Stella. I'm not your guard, I meant babysitting as In keeping you company. Brodie was worried you might take off angry, and he really needed to talk with Travis tonight. He also needed to cool off." Josh turns serious.

"He's still pissed with me" I sound deflated, but this is my own doing.

"Definitely, but he will come around eventually." the way he says 'eventually' makes a wave of regret flow through me. He places his glass in the sink and heads for the door.

"Goodnight Luna"

"Stella!!!" I groan.

"Now that your staying you'd better start getting used to Luna" the door closes behind him and I bury my head in my hands.

I'd forgotten about the whole being the Luna of the pack thing If I stayed. Well If I stay with Brodie that is. Hell, he might throw me out after tonight. I brush my teeth and then can't decide which bed I should sleep in?

Don't be stupid. You've pissed him off enough now go get in his bed. Amber can be so helpful for clarity at times.

"Thanks" I smile knowing it's the right decision. I've decided to stay and he was happy. If he doesn't want me in his bed then he'll have to take me out of it whenever he finally decides to show up again.

My head hits the pillow and I'm enveloped in the smell of Brodie, that's all it takes to pull me into the depths of slumber....