LUCAS' POVI've been glancing at the door since morning, ever since Aria and Brielle left for the guard's station. Honestly, if it were up to me, I would keep her in the pack house with me all day, but I know that wouldn't make her happy.I can see the way she glows when she's handling some situations she never thought she would handle. For instance, just last week she had to settle a fight between two women who were fighting over a fight their kids have.“Children are as innocent as they come. I bet that by the time you both get home, they're already playing together.“ She had solved their fight with just one sentence.Yesterday, I had been surprised when her guard reported to me that she had met with Elder Dickson and even managed to convince him to be open-minded about changing some pack laws. She was actually making my job easier, so if she thinks that going to visit guards is the next best thing, then I'll let her do it.“Are you expecting someone?““No. Why do you ask?““You've
THIRD PERSON'S POVRay couldn't believe how low Maria had fallen. He knew she was angry that she had lost to that girl who would become their Luna, but he didn't think her anger would make her reckless and irrational.He watched for a few minutes as she got whipped and thanked Luna for her generosity. Damn, that was just rubbing salt on the injury. If it were a normal woman, this punishment would be the perfect way to get her to back down. Not Maria, though. This would only spur her on to get her revenge. They don't know Maria like he did. She couldn't hold her cries back, and without her wolf to take the pain for her, she would feel it twenty times deeper. “Thank you for your generosity, Luna.“ She forced out after the last stroke of whip hit her in the middle of her back. She was eventually released and dropped on her back. Her sobs were heartwrenching.“Take her to the dungeon so she can learn her lesson in solitude.“ Beta Cole boomed. Luna Aria raised her hand, and the guards dr
THIRD PERSON'S POV Alpha Kane is having one of his nightmares. This time, it's a little bit tamer. It's the one where Lori was chasing him, and he thought he would find solace in Aria when she all but shut the door on him. As usual, he woke up in a cold sweat.“Where am I?“ He thinks to himself as he experiences a brief wave of panic before he remembers that he's in his room. He hurried over to the wet bar in the nearly empty pack house to knock down a few glasses of something he doesn't even recognize. It burns his throat, so he takes a wild guess that it's whisky.“Alpha Kane,” someone says to him. “Should I serve your dinner now?““Dinner?“ He wondered how long he had been sleeping for and when he even fell asleep.He turned around, and the face before him blurred and was replaced firstly by Aria's face, and then it morphed into Lori's look of pleasure as the faceless man pumped into her.Without thinking twice, he raised his hand and gave the elderly cook a slap. A slap that sent
Third Person's POVAria had finally settled into the moonlight pack. On a normal eventless day, she knew where she would be at every point in time. In the morning, she would wake up long after Lucas had gone on his run. She would make bacon, pancakes, and waffles just in time for him to get back from his run. She would get ready while he went upstairs to get dressed. Sometimes, she would sit with him, and they would talk about anything and everything. This morning, she had gone to get dressed while he ate, and he had walked in as she dropped her robe. That was enough to make him stop in his tracks.Their gazes collided in the mirror. She was sure her own eyes held the same desire she saw in his. He was heavily aroused, and his scent was just the right shade of alluring.Like he couldn't help himself, he quickly covered the short distance between them. “You have no idea how gorgeous you look right now.“To her own surprise, she didn't even feel the slightest urge to cover herself up.
THIRD PERSON'S POV Alpha Lucas couldn't remember the last time he was this happy, and it was because of his little mate. He had become less snappy, and he now had a small smile for everyone in the pack. His pack was thriving, and times were peaceful. He began to think of his little mate as his good luck charm. She was the light in his world, and he thanked his stars every day that one man had been st*pid enough to let her go.He spotted her now in the pack house compound as she threw her head back in laughter at something Brielle had said. Yesterday, after the intimate session they had after her shower, he had been craving her more and more. He lost count of how many times he had caught himself daydreaming about her. He wished that he didn't have so much work to do so he could drag her to bed and have her all to himself. He observed the pretty column of her neck where her pulse fluttered. One of these days, she would finally be ready to be marked. He just had to bid his time.“My Al
ARIA'S POVAfter the morning Lucas and I spent together, I had been a little apprehensive, so I turned to my friend, Brielle. Since she has been mated long before me, I felt like she would know more about it. “So, what exactly is the problem? You didn't like it? Hmm, Alpha Lucas doesn't look like he can't handle a woman in bed.“I blushed. “He does know how to handle me, alright.“ The memory of his large hand on my hips grinding me on his hard length flashed through my head. "Ohhh, look at you blush.“ She cackled. “What's the problem, then?"“Marking… What is it supposed to feel like?““Oh. It depends on your partner, and generally, it's supposed to be a little bit painful but a whole lot more pleasurable.““Right?““Yes."“Lucas doesn't think I'm ready.““Your mark is going to be a little bit more painful. You're going to be Luna. Your mark might hurt more, so I think he's scared of doing it.““I think I'm ready though.““Maybe you'll tell him by yourself.“ “I don't know. What if
THIRD PERSON'S POV Maria reviewed the events of the days that she has had to survive ever since that girl from nowhere became the Luna. Although she couldn't say she came from nowhere. Her days had been filled with humiliation and mockery from the people who had once adored her. These people who knew her story. They had all witnessed how hard she had struggled in life. She thought it was only befitting that she become the Luna. It was her right. She had worked hard and smart. She had given it her all only for that girl to derail her plans.Any normal person would have admitted defeat and moved on with their life except Maria was not normal. She didn't even think she was a sore loser. She thought of herself as a woman who went after what she wanted aggressively without minding how it was affecting anyone else.Her parents died when she was only four years old. They had no living relative, so she was left at the mercy of the pack. Lucas' mother had been Luna then, so she was well take
LUCAS' POV“Why do you look so worried?“ I didn't even know Cole had entered. That's how deep in my thoughts I was.“Worried? More like anxious.““Well, what about it?" The packhouse was nearly empty, and Aria was not around. She had literally tricked me into letting her go to Brielle's for a girl's night. “You know I've never had a real friend, let alone a girl's night out.“ She looked up at me with those huge eyes of hers. She knows I can't say no when she looks at me like that.“But what about me?“ I was close to causing a tantrum right there and then, and I should have hated how vulnerable I sounded, but she's the only one I can be like this around. She's the only one I can show my soft side to without any reservation.“Baby,” she said softly, and I had melted. She rarely called me anything else other than my name, so it was a big deal for me. “It's just one night. You'll be fine. Before you know it, I'll be back right in your arms.“Except she lied. She left around thirty minute
LUCAS' POVAfter all the soul-baring Aria did last night, she was exhausted and drained, so I let her sleep in. Some of the things she had told me chilled me to the bones. I was convinced that there was a special reason why she was hated so much.She didn't mention a thing about her parents, and I didn't push it. She probably had no memory of them. Alpha Kane was especially cruel to her, and I deduced that he was jealous of her. He didn't know what to do with the jealousy, so he turned around and bullied her so he could feel better about the fact that his mother loved Aria more than she loved him.“The only reason he couldn't throw me out after she died was because she had made him swear to her on her deathbed that he wouldn't throw me out. He kept his promise until I got banished, though.“ She had admitted.“I'm sorry.“ That was the only thing I kept repeating despite the ache in my chest. I was so angry, but I had to focus on her. I had to focus on cradling her in my arms and makin
LUCAS' POVI was officially in a tight spot. Three days after Oliver and Dee arrived in my pack, I still didn't know what to do with them. They were not lying, but I could not afford to get involved with them.Cole reminded me of the fact every time. Just this morning, the spies we sent to Crescent Moon pack came back to confirm the boys' story."My Alpha, I can say that the situation is even more dire than they reported. The members of the pack are absolutely terrified that the mad Alpha might come back and they might not survive it this time around." The spy said."What about the elders thing?""That's all true. We couldn't double-check because we couldn't afford to get caught in that pack, but according to what we heard from the pack members, there are about five elders that want the mad Alpha to take over so they could make more money from selling their weapons.""Alright, good job." They had bowed and left Cole and I in my office."Well, there you have it. They're not lying." I s
LUCAS' POVOrdinarily, getting access to another pack was easy. All you had to do was get your Alpha to sign the pack's letterhead that you had been granted access to leave your pack and cross into another territory. Werewolves do not take territory and space lightly. It was a very big deal. All this had to be done so you could enter a pack. Your own pack is on friendly terms with.Crescent Moon pack is definitely not on the list of packs we're friendly with, I thought to myself as we waited for Head Guard Morgan to bring in the "rogues"."What do you think they want?" I turned to Cole, who looked like he was deep in thought."I've been trying to think of many reasons, but the most viable one is that they need us to partner with them.""They could write a formal letter. Why sneak in?""That's the only flaw to it. I guess we have to wait for answers."Promptly, Head Guard Morgan knocked and pushed the door open without waiting for a response. He walked in with two men, and I tried to p
LUCAS' POV"How's the Luna doing?" Cole asked as he plopped down on the chair."Fine." I sighed, rubbing my temple. The truth was I was stressed. Aria's health was a source of concern for me. The mark was taking a toll on her. She was not telling me how she was really feeling. Mind-blocking and mind-linking were taking a toll on her. She wasn't getting a good grasp on it. I always reminded her that there was no rush, but she thought she was a failure for not getting it on time."Should we bring in a specialist to help her?""We can do that?""Yes." Why didn't I think about that?"Please look into it.""Yes, Alpha." Teaching her personally was stressing her out because she thought she had to get it right once. I had never been in a position where I had to teach someone how to do those things. I always thought it was natural but clearly not. "I'm going to go check on her now.""Yes, Alpha." I quickly climbed up the stairs, nodding at a few maids and guards that were hanging around. I
ARIA'S POV"I'm bored." Brielle yawned beside me, and I chuckled."You're always bored." I pointed out. It was true. Brielle has the attention span of a five-year-old. She always had to be doing something."This is different." She whined. "Why can't we go out?""Who says you can't go out?" I shot her a side eye, which she conveniently ignored."You. I can't leave you here.""You're free to go. I'm going to be fine, you know that.""I can't do anything fun without you." She whined again. Her whining only made me feel good. I love that she can't enjoy herself without me. It filled me with bliss, in fact."I'm going to convince Lucas to let me out tomorrow.""You know he won't." She retorted."True." Ever since my mark became prominent, he has become more overprotective. Because I still can't get a hold on my emotions, he forbade me from leaving his sight.I had told him times without number that I was okay to go out on my own. I understood his fear. All the rush of emotion I was feeling
THIRD PERSON'S POVMaria woke up with a start in the dark. For a moment, she felt disconnected and disoriented. The only question that swirled through her mind was where she was. "What is this?" She whispered in the dark. For a moment, she thought about being in the moonlight pack."Think." She said to herself. She was not hurt or in pain. "What's happening to you?"Suddenly, the event of the night slammed into her. She had been taken as a rogue in the Red Moon pack!"How could you be this st*pid?" She whispered, more scared and cautious this time. She remembered what Ray had said to her about rogues caught in the Red Moon pack. "Their Alpha is batshit crazy. He's f*cking bloodthirsty. He's not going to think twice about killing a rogue. Forget a fair trial."She had shunned his words. After all, she was a big girl, and she could take care of herself. How hard could getting in a pack could be? Also, she had a plan. A good, solid plan.However, her plan had led her into this trouble.
THIRD PERSON'S POV The entire pack was filled with chatter and excitement. The transition of the Luna was now complete. She now bore the mark of the Luna and now had access to their thoughts and emotions. It was an incredible honor to share the same link with Luna.“I felt her in my head for just a minute."“Mine was only for a brief second before it went off.““We should take gifts to the pack house later.“ It was this news that Aria had completed all the stages of being a Luna that Maria woke up to. She didn't dare to be bitter lest the people of the Moonlight pack would stone her to death. She kept all of her feelings of resentment to herself as she went about her work.Later in the afternoon, she was called on to carry parcels of gifts to the pack house. Her first thought was to poison the fruits, but that would be too rash. Where would she even find poison? No one would sell deadly leaves to her even if it was to heal herself. She was too much of a risk. Also, there was no guar
ARIA'S POV I had been feeling a tingling sensation in my head ever since we stepped out of our home. I put it off as one of the changes Lucas said my body would go through. I know he said I should come to him, but he surely doesn't mean for every little thing. The sensation had begun to intensify as we got closer, but I still didn't say anything. Surely, it would go away soon. My vision was swarming and I could barely see anything when I spotted Brielle. She was coming towards me with her arms open. She was also saying something I couldn't comprehend when I heard a voice in my head. Multiple voices. Different emotions and expressions. Some were faint while some were loud. “A fairy I would like to sit on my face.“ I recognized Lucas' voice as the loudest. What was happening to me? “Aria!“ Lucas yelled. I couldn't figure out for the life of me if it was in my head or not. “What's going on?“ “Is she going to die?“ I know I was falling backward, and I had surrendered to my bod
LUCAS' POV Aria yawned and pushed her food around on the plate.“Not hungry?““One would think I would have worked up an appetite after sleeping literally all day and, you know, after…” She trailed off at the mention of being intimate. She was still so shy. She was going to have to break it out of her. I want her to be completely comfortable with me. We would have to work on that gradually.I smirked at her. “You mean after you had your way with me?“Her cheeks reddened. “That wasn't what happened.“ She whispered as if there was someone else nearby.“So you didn't ask me to put it in?““Lucas,” she was horrified. “Don't say it like that. I don't know what you're talking about.“She looked so mortified that I decided to stop teasing her. The only thing that gave me satisfaction was that she changed into a whole new woman when she was seeking pleasure.“Have a few bites, baby. Then we can go to sleep. It's been a long day.“ Obediently, she scooped up about three spoons of pasta. She fi