bChapter /bb139 /b

b“/bYeahb, /bI actually am chasing a ghost. Yours is metaphorical.”

I look at him. I’ve got all these thoughts spinning in my head, but I trust Tyler to tell me the truth.

“Do you think Sebastian is right? Am I holding myself back?”

“One hundred percent,” he says, but he gives me a knowing look. “But I understand why.”

I huff. “Does everyone see it but me?”

“bIn /bmy opinion? Yes. Well, maybe not Logan, but I’m not sure he

countsb./bb” /b

Iugh at that, then I look at him again as we hit the halfway mark. “What validation are you looking for this morning?”

“What if I really don’t measure up to Tanner’s standards?” he asks quietly.

“I’m sorry, who’s shoes are you trying to wear? His or yours?” 1 ask him.

“I’m not sure mine are sufficient,” he says.

I

“I think that you should stop worrying about whether or not you‘ re better than Tanner and start focusing on being the best Alpha you can be. You’re not in apetition with your brother. Don’t do what I’ve been doing and call the fight before it’s event begun. Give yourself a chance to seed. I don’t know how

byour /bbrother bearned /bmore points than byou /bbhave /bin the bfirst /bbtwo /bweeks. I bdon’t /bbthink /bthat’s possible. You’ve earned so many, bTyler/bb. /bbBut /bso what if he did? Maybe he earned all his points in btwo /bweeks and then gotzyb,/b” I say, making himugh.

“This is what I’ve been thinking about this morning. Why am I holding myself back? What is it that’s holding me back?” I say.

b“/bAnd did youe up with an answer?” he asks.

“I think Sebastian’s right. I think I’ve been afraid of what it would mean if I was better than my brother. But then I realized that Dane’s been pushing me to take these sses since I started here two years ago. I think he did it for a reason.”

“Because he sees the same thing in you that the rest of us do. Honestly, Christina, it’s not hard to see. You’d have to be wearing blinders not to see it. I don’t know your brother, but if he’s anything like you, he’d want to see you seed,” he says and I stop running, turning to look at him.

“Say that again.”

“If your brother is anything like you, he’d want to see you. achieve y r best, to be the best Alpha you can be, even if it means being a better Alpha than he is,” he says, making me smile. I tilt my head at him, waiting.

He stares at me a moment and then he chuckles. “And I could say the same thing to myself.”

I hold out my hand to him. “So, we’re agreed. We’re both going to do our best, be the best versions of ourselves that we can be without trying to hold ourselves to whatever standards. WE’VE put on ourselves based on our brothers, right?”

b25.67/b%

b18:08 /b

bHe /bbshakes /bbmy /bhand. “Right.”

bWe /bturn band /bstart Jogging again. “I may need a reminder, though,” he says, ncing over at me.

“Oh, I definitely will. More than one. I’ve got your back if you’ve got mine,” I say.

“Deal.”

Sebastian catches me after breakfast asking me how I’m doing and if I need to talk. I let him know that Tyler and I talked this morning and I just need to process all the thoughts and emotions swirling around inside me right now.

“I’d like to meet tonight. I’ve had a thought that I’d like to discuss with you,” he says.

“Alright.” I’m curious about what his idea is, but I don’t ask. If he wanted to discuss it now, he would have.

It’s mid–morning when Luna Josephine arrives. She’s built just like Sylvie and Mia, but with strawberry–blond hair and greenish- brown eyes. She obviously still works out and she definitely doesn’t lo old enough to be a grandmother. Although wolves do have great gics and tend to look younger than they are as they age.

She and Sylvie hug like old friends and as soon as Sylvie releases her, Mia pulls her into a hug. I feel the sting of sadness. This is just one more group that I’ll never have a ce in because I didn’t find my mate. I’ll never be a retired Luna.

“Luna Josephine, wee back to the Academy,” James says, walking up.

18:08

I see not bmuch /bhas changed since byou /bbtwo /bare still bhanging /bbaround/b, she bsays/bb, /bhugging bfirst /bJames and then Sebastian,

“bI’m /bworking on getting a bronze of myself made to put at the bentrance /bbso /bit’s the first thing you see when you exit the train,” James saysb, /bmaking herugh.

93.33b% /b