Chapter 71: The Glow

Chapter seventy-one: The Glow

Elena

After my little chat with Veronica, I felt lighter especially after she had told me about Evelyn Joseph. She sounded like a remarkable woman who had done so much for the Pack. I could only hope to be just as inspiring and life-changing as she was. It is a shame that I couldn't go to Elizabeth Joseph for a situation like this. She had been Luna before me and knew the ins and outs of what she needed to do to help her mate run the Pack successfully. I wanted her to share her wisdom with me but that was unlikely to happen for a while. She still hated the fact that I was with her son and was most likely even more furious since Bernard had sent Helen to live with her after he had kicked her out.

I wanted her to like me but I also knew that the likelihood of having any sort of relationship with my future mother-in-law was slim to none. She needed time to accept me and get to know me, I am willing to meet her halfway but she also needed to meet me halfway too. I was cleaning one of the tables when Veronica called the register. She has a basket of baked goods in her hands.

"Elene, I know your shift is almost over but could you take this to the hospital before you clock off? I would go myself but my mate needs me to come home, he isn't feeling so great and I need to help nurse him back to health." I waved her off.

"Don't worry, I got this. Veronica tells him "I wish him a speedy recovery."

"Thank you, Elena." She leaned over the counter so she could whisper.

"Or should I say, Luna." She pulled back and gave me a wink.

She had been doing that all morning since I had told her about Bernard and me. I had told her many times that she didn't have to address me like that but she wasn't having it. She said that I needed to learn to embrace my new title. After the ninth time she called me Luna, I gave up on correcting her. She wasn't going to stop even if I ordered her to.

"Bye, Veronica." I smiled slightly.

I walked to the back room to collect my things. I opened my locker and pulled out my bag, which had all my stuff inside. I put on my jacket and made my way to the front of the bakery and grabbed the basket as I walked out of the bakery. I walked towards the bus stop and hopped into the awaiting bus. Today was already off to a great start. I felt like I had an extra kick in my steps and like I could tackle whatever was coming my way. Veronica's reassurance made me hold my head higher.

I looked out the window as the bus drove to the main Pack area and I could feel my wolf stirring inside me as we drew closer and closer. It was almost time to see Bernard again, I had only been away from him for a couple of hours but I already missed him like I hadn't seen him in a few.

As the bus came to a halt and I was about to get off my seat, someone came barrelling down the aisle from behind me.

"Move, gamma." They spat as they offloaded the bus. It was a young man who could have been no older than twenty years. He was with a group of friends who snickered as they passed me. I had to hold my tongue from saying anything because I knew that it would only cause me more problems. I could have easily gotten their names and told Bernard about them so they would be punished but I knew that wasn't their way to fix things. I wouldn't get them to respect all Pack members by simply telling them they needed to. I needed to figure out a way for the omegas and gammas to live cohesively. I bit my tongue and got off the bus after saying goodbye to one of the passengers who also happened to live in the gamma's house with me.

I made the twenty-minute walk from the bus stop to the hospital. All the way, my mind was turning, trying to figure out how I could bring about change in the Pack. I walked through the lobby and waved at a few of the gammas I recognized from the house. They all waved back and continued their work. It was crazy to think that so many gammas had a lot of jobs within the Pack. When I actually stepped out of the bubble that I was living in and looked around, I could see just how fundamental the gammas were to the Pack. This is one major reason why there is a need to have a change in the culture.

I made my way to the ICU floor and saw Jana sitting behind her desk, tying furiously at her keyboard. When she heard my footsteps, she lifted her head and connected her eyes to my face.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise." Jana said and her eyes shifted to the parcel in my hand.

"And you came bearing gifts, you are my hero, Elena." She stood from her seat and rounded the desk.

I handed her the basket and she took it. She brought the basket of baked goods to her nose and inhaled the scent greedily. She let out a content sigh as she relished in the decadent that was Veronica's cooking.

"She made blueberry muffins." She drooled at the mere sight of everything.

"If she didn't have a mate and I didn't have one as well, I would marry this woman in a heartbeat." I laughed at her joke and watched her take a bite into her muffin. She moaned her appreciation and offered me a bite but I declined.

I had already eaten at work and I had also promised someone that I would see him and have lunch with him today. I don't want to ruin my appetite.

"How have you been, Elena? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." She asked.

"I have been good, I have started working as you can see." I gestured to her basket.

"I am loving every single second of it. I love the fact that I get to learn new baking skills and interact with different people from the town, even some humans too."

"That is great, I had been a bit worried about you because Veronica had told me a few days ago that you weren't feeling all that great. I was going to stop by the house to check on you but then I got called into surgery with Liam. A mother had complications with her children and needed an emergency cesarean section."

"It is fine, I was just a little under the weather but I took some medicine and then I started feeling much better." She smiled.

"It must have been one of those twenty-four bugs that hit hard and then left the system. I am glad you got over it and are back to being your happy-go-lucky Elena again." I nodded.

"Well, I need to get going now. I have to go and meet someone in a few minutes. I am glad that you liked your food, I will make sure to pass on the gratitude to Veronica during my next shift." She observed me for a moment and tilted her head to the left slightly watching me.

"What? I don't know but there is something about you that seems to be different. You have this glow on you, a glow that is just making you radiate from all angles." I blushed slightly.

"I don't think so." She shook her head.

"No, you are definitely glowing." She countered.

"Maybe it is because things feel like they are starting to fall into place. I think maybe because I have found a home."

"I told you that we could be your new home, Elena. " I nodded.

I knew we were talking about two different types of homes. She was speaking about a place while I was a person, my Bernard. He is my home now, wherever he went that is where my home is.

"I need to get going, Jana. I will make sure that I come by more often from now on. Say hello to your mate for me." I excused myself and left the ICU floor.

"I wanted to tell her about Bernard and me but too many people already knew. It is not because I didn't trust her, I just needed to be careful. Sometimes words slipped from people's mouths before they could think it through. The fewer people that knew, the lower the risk of word getting out. I trusted all the people that did know. They would never use anything against me or try to break Bernard and me apart. I knew they were rooting for us and I wanted it to stay that way. I will tell Jana in due time but for now, I need to keep this all to myself.

I walked out of the hospital and headed towards the place that always had me feeling excited, my boyfriend's house. Even thinking about the word boyfriend had me feeling giddy inside. My day just kept getting better and better.