Chapter 3: Assignment

Asim

   I became a Luna Guard after my father died in a freak accident. He had been Luna guard after my mother’s father retired from the position. Now as I leave Alpha Ryder’s office I wonder why I have been reassigned to babysit a fox shifter. I was told it was because of my loyalty and trustworthiness, but it feels like I messed up somewhere. Shadow growls in my head at the thought. I know he is excited about the new assignment, but I don’t understand why. 

     As I enter the dining hall, Layla approaches me. She has been trying to convince me to take her as a chosen mate, but I refuse. I only want my fated mate.

    Shadow growls in my mind again as Layla wraps herself around me in an embrace.

    “Layla! I have told you before! I am your older brother’s best friend, and I am waiting for my fated mate,” I grumble.

     “Asim, we both know that you need to find your fated sooner than later. You don’t want moon madness to set in, do you? If you hold out much longer, you could start seeing symptoms. Once that happens, you know where to find me,” she says with a flirty wink.

     “Layla, what about your fated?” I ask with a sigh.

     “Once you mark me, I am yours, fated mate or not,” she shrugs.

     That isn’t how I see it, so I ignore it and get my lunch, then sit at a table with some of the other warriors. 

     “My little sister is still riding you about picking her to be your chosen mate?” Leo teases, nudging me.

    “Not all of us were lucky enough to find our mates before we even finished High School, but I am not ready to give up on finding my fated mate,” I say with a shrug.

    “That girl has always had a crush on you, bro,” Leo says.

    “You know she isn’t even my type,” I sigh.

    “You don’t have a type,” Leo jests. 

     His smirk lights his face with mischief as he hints at a drunken game of truth or dare many years ago that had his mate growling at me. I had confessed that at one point I hoped Leo would be my mate. He’s my best friend and handsome, but the only person in our pack I can picture myself with. I have traveled with the Luna yet still haven’t met my mate in any of the packs we have visited. Leo’s mate initially freaked out that he had a male mate, but they have been together for 10 years now. I don’t care what gender my fated mate is.

     “What about that human you were messing with last month? Did she tire of you?” Leo’s mate, Adam asks.

     “Nah! I felt like she was getting too clingy and I can’t have a human clinging to me when I find my mate,” I say.

      “So are you gonna tell us what the Alpha wanted, bro?” Leo asks.

      “He is putting me on babysitting duty. He is giving someone else Luna Guard duty. I have to protect a little fox shifter in a private penthouse downtown,” I say as nonchalantly as possible, but my tone and the babysitting dig belie my true feelings.

      ‘Stop thinking this is a bad thing!’ Shadow growls in my head. 

     After lunch, I accompany the 2 servants from our pack to the penthouse, where the Japanese servants and our security team are already setting up for the young fox. I have read their file twice, by the time they arrive.

    Shadow is restless and before the elevator doors even open, I can smell the aroma. It smells like crisp mountain air, cherry blossoms and spice. 

    “MATE”, shadow growls and I hope I am the only one who heard. 

    I am thrilled to find my mate, but the situation might be tenuous. I need to play this off casually until I can assess the situation with a level head.

    I barely contain Shadow’s excitement and have to apologize when he pushes forward to greet Hikaru. This is going to be harder than I thought. I collapse onto one of the lush lounge chairs in the sitting room and try to pull myself together, but when that little fox flirts and then tells me they are going to shower, I almost lose control.

    I step out onto the balcony and take a deep breath of the city air and take out my phone, we can get delivery of nearly any kind of food from this app and knowing that Hikaru has freshly arrived in our country from Japan, I choose the best Japanese restaurant in Boston and order dessert from one of the nearby bakeries. I went for a light, spongy cake with fluffy whipped cream frosting and a layer of fresh strawberries. 

     As I shut the door and tip the delivery girl, I hear a shuffling behind me. Hikaru has curled up on one lounger with a tablet. Their damp hair falls over their eyes and they tucked their bare feet underneath them. They are wearing loose silk pants with a matching robe wrapped around them, a complimentary camisole peeks out underneath. I bite back the growl and place the delivery bags in front of my growing erection. This might be impossible. This fox is too tempting. 

    ‘They are perfect for us, they are ours,’ Shadow reminds me.

    ‘I know, but we need to protect them, not fuck them, for now,’ I tell my wolf.

    ‘We should tell Alpha that our ward is our mate,’ Shadow suggests.

    ‘We will, but first we enjoy dinner with our mate and try not to rip that pretty silk robe off of their petite frame and have our way with them,’ I reply.

     “I hope it is okay that I ordered Japanese food in hopes to make you more comfortable,” I say, placing the sushi and Chashu Soba down on the dining table and dividing the soup into bowls before placing the sushi on plates.

      “You don’t have to do that. I already looked up all the authentic Japanese food places in the city and nearest suburbs and I do want to eat American foods so you could just order what you normally eat,” Hikaru’s sweet voice says as they gracefully arise and walk past me brushing up against me ever so lightly before taking their seat.

       “Noted,” I say while repressing the groan from their featherlight touch on my arm.

       They run a soft hand up my arm and smile sweetly as I try not to give in to the electric feeling coursing through me.

       “You don’t need to serve me. I can handle that myself, you know.”

       “My job is to protect you and it is my honor to serve you as part of my job.”

       Okay, I know I am just trying not to tell them I want to take care of them in every and any way and that what I just said makes it sound more like an obligation than a pleasure but I’m not thinking straight.

       “That is all I am, just a job?” Hikaru asks with a raised brow.