Rising Moon: The Dark Wolf Chronicles, page 40
The blood had dried but underneath was a bruise quickly turning purple.
“Why did you have to punch him?” I said.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
I sighed.
“Have you not once in your life heard the expression ‘violence isn’t the answer’?”
He laughed.
“Bullshit,” he said, “Raven is an asshole and he needed that.”
I glanced up at the black eye from last night.
“And what about Mateo?”
He put his hands up in surrender.
“He started it.”
“You’re the Alpha and shouldn’t have let it happen. I don't like it when you fight and now you're a mess.”
“I'm sorry, okay?” he said, lifting my chin and pulling me closer.
I nodded and he leant forwards placing his lips on mine. My hand quickly found itself on his chest whilst the other slipped onto his hip.
“Ew,” Elora groaned as she walked through the door.
I pulled away from Leo, my face flushing hot as I plastered an awkward smile on my face.
“Leo, why are you making out on our kitchen worktop? Do you not have your own house?” Elora asked.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
Elora bit her lip.
“I…” Elora began, “Went out for a run.”
I caught Elora’s eye and smiled. I knew what she had been doing. Something to do with their she-wolf training.
“Why are you back so late?”
“What's it to you?” Elora asked. “None of your business. You don't even live here anymore”
“Still Alpha,” Leo said.
“Still don't care,” Elora said with her middle finger up as she jogged up the stairs.
Leo looked out the window and narrowed his eyes, “It's dark, raining and cold. Why would she go for a run?”
“Oh, don't worry about it.”
A flicker of suspicion sparked in his eyes but it diminished after a weary sigh.
“Come here,” he muttered, putting a hand behind my neck and gently pulling me back into his lips.
His tongue entered my mouth and took control of the kiss as he pressed his chest against mine, gripping my shirt and devouring me.
“Where we prepare food? really?” Milo’s voice interrupted. “All I wanted was a glass of water.”
“Sorry, Milo,” I said, taking my hand off Leo's chest.
Leo rolled his eyes, “There isn't a moment of privacy in this house.
“Your best bet is probably the basement,” Milo asked, getting a glass out the cupboard. “ The sofa down there may be old but it's comfortable enough.”
“I'm not taking my Luna to the skanky old sofa where you fuck all your one-night flings,” Leo replied.
“Hey! I at least put a towel down. Unlike Carlo… the amount of juices that must accumulate in those pillows-”
“Can I just stop you there, Milo?” I asked, closing my eyes, trying not to imagine it. “Only I'm feeling physically sick.”
Leo laughed and kissed my forehead, “My brothers are whores. I'm sorry to taint your innocence with such sin.”
“We are not the ones tainting her innocence, Leonidas,” Milo said with a wink before leaving the room with his glass of water.
My eyes widened as Leo smiled.
“You're dirty, Milo!” I shouted.
When we got through the front door of our own house, Leo turned to me and pulled me in by my hips.
“No interruptions this time,” he whispered in my ear.
“We’ve seriously got to stop getting walked in on by your family,” I said, my finger running along his jaw, “That’s Rosa, Xavier, Mateo, Elora and Milo now.”
He grinned, “Five down, two to go.”
“And thanks for telling everyone I gave you head yesterday.”
He let out a short laugh, “I'm sorry. My Dad was at my throat and it just came out.”
“Well, at least your brothers found it amusing.”
He rolled his eyes and kissed me as his hands slipped onto my ass. As his eyes flashed with lust, his gaze flickered over my body.
He slowly brought his lips to my ear, his breath warm and soft.
“Take your clothes off,” he whispered.
I took a sharp breath as a shiver of excitement shot through me.
“Right here?” I asked.
He nodded, “Right here, right now.”
I reached for the hem of my shirt before peeling it over my head. His eyes fell onto my chest as he smiled.
“And the rest.”
I unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them off my hips and down my legs until I was standing in my underwear in front of him. That’s when he lurched forward and pressed his lips against mine as his hands run wildly over my body.
A few moments later, he let out a grunt before grasping my waist and lifting me. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me to the kitchen.
“The kitchen?” I asked as he sat me down on the counter.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Nelda,” he said as he ripped off his shirt, “I don’t have the patience to take you upstairs and make love to you tonight.”
He then hauled me off the counter, spun me around and squeezed my ass.
“I just want to bend you over and fuck you against the cabinets.”
He pressed his crotch against my ass. He was hard beneath his pants and my heart quickened as my cheeks flushed.
I nodded.
“That works for me.”
“Good,” he said slipping his hand between my legs.
I gasped as he delved inside my panties.
“Spread your legs,” he ordered.
I obeyed, allowing him to reach all the sweetest spots.
“You’re so wet for me.”
I gripped the edge of the counter as his fingers circled, sending pulses of pleasure through my body.
He had me right on the edge, moaning.
That was when he put his hand on my back and pushed my chest onto the counter. After pulling my panties down, he unbuckled his pants and gripped my hips.
“Just stay right there,” he said, “Let me do the work.”
When we both finished, he released my hair that he had been gripped and slowly pulled out.
When we had had a moment to catch our breath, he pulled me off the counter and turned me around. He kissed me softly before brushing my hair out of my face.
“You’re a mess,” he said, with a grin.
I’d bothered to put mascara on this morning but it was no doubt smudged around my eyes as strands of hair stuck to my sweaty cheeks.
“I’m going to ache for a week,” I said.
He kissed my forehead, “I’ll run you a bath. While you clean yourself up, I’ll make some food and then we’ll watch a movie. How does that sound?”
I nodded.
Just as Leo was buckling his pants up, the doorbell rang.
“Put your clothes on,” he said to me.
“Yes! Please do!” Luca’s voice called.
My eyes widened as I grabbed my shirt and jeans. By the time I had pulled them over my sweaty body, Leo had opened the door, revealing his gamma.
“Oh, hey,” I said with an awkward smile.
“Alpha, why haven’t you answered your phone,” Luca said. “Mateo has been calling you.”
Luca was breathing heavily like he’d just ran miles as a sheen of sweat coated his forehead.
“I’ve been busy,” Leo said.
Luca looked down at me, my dishevelled hair and flushed cheeks. He then looked back at Leo who was equally sweaty and still without a shirt.
“… Evidently.”
He then stepped into the house, put his arm around my shoulder and turned to Leo.
“I hope you are treating my best friend like the queen she is,” he said, raising an eyebrow, “She is not your whore.”
“Whatever,” Leo said as Luca jabbed his finger towards him with a disapproving shake of his head, “What does Mateo need? Is it important?”
“Yes. You need to call him back now. I’ll run the fucking bath.”
I grimaced, “You heard that conversation?”
“Unfortunately.”
Luca and I headed upstairs while Leo was on the phone. After Luca had emptied almost an entire bottle of bubble bath into the tub, foam rose over the sides.
“Oh shit,” he said, turning the faucet off.
The bubbles dropped to the floor as the continued to grow out of control.
“Shit,” Luca cursed, grabbing as many bubbles as possible in his arms and frantically spinning around, looking for somewhere to put them, “I can’t destroy the Alpha’s bathroom. What do I do with all this foam?”
I was already giggling hysterically but I just about managed to point to the window above the bath.
Leo’s footsteps were coming up the stairs as Luca’s eyes widened. He leapt into the tub, soaking his feet as he fumbled with the window latch. Just as he was chucking chunks of bubbles out into the forest, Leo opened the door.
His eyes fell on Luca, then where he was standing in the bath water and then all the bubbles scattered across the room.
“I leave you for five minutes,” he said, “Five fucking minutes. How are you so incompetent you can’t even run a bath without wreaking havoc?”
Luca paused, his arms still full of foam as he leant by the open window.
“… Sorry?”
Leo just rolled his eyes.
“I have to go out. Look after my Luna and try not to burn the house down before I get back. Understood?”
Luca nodded and stepped out of the bath, his shoes squelching as muddy water leeched across the floor.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
Leo only kissed my head, “Don’t worry about it.”
“But-”
“Next week I’m holding a meeting about changes to the prison,” he interrupted, “Can I count on you being there?”
My eyes widened as my jaw dropped open.
“Really?”
He nodded.
I squealed in excitement before hugging him.
“Watching you guys hug is like watching a koala bear hug a giraffe at the zoo,” Luca said and we both turned our heads to look as he took another hand full of the cereal.
“Which zoos have you been to?” I asked.
He shrugged.
“Seriously though. You don't even reach his shoulder, Nelda. You're like nipple height.”
“How tall are you, Leo?” I said, looking up at him.
“6 ft 8,” Leo replied, looking down at me.
“Goddess,” I muttered, “What is the reason?”
“Well how tall are you, Nellie?”
“5 ft 2... AND a half...” I said.
Leo grinned, “Shorty.”
“And you two are… you know… with an eighteen-inch height difference? How does that even work?”
“On that bombshell,” Leo said, “I’m leaving. Have fun with that, Nelda. And Luca for the love of the Goddess, best behaviour.”
Chapter 61
November 14th
“Good morning, Lunarooni,” Luca greeted as he made his entrance into my bedroom.
“Thanks for knocking,” I said as I sat up, rubbing my eyes.
Leo hadn’t come home last night so Luca had stayed over instead.
“Here is a nutritious breakfast for the Luna and the future Alpha,” he said as he handed me a tray of croissants, fruit and toast, “And when you have eaten, get dressed. I’m taking you out.”
“Oooh! Where are we going?” I asked, taking a bite of toast.
“On a surprise road trip,” he said. “I have Leo's permission...on the off chance you are concerned about that.”
“And do I get to know where he is yet?”
Last night, Luca had refused to tell me where Leo had gone. Presumably he was under strict orders but it wasn’t like Luca to follow them.
His face fell and he shook his head.
“Just eat your breaky and we’ll get going.”
An hour later, I sat in Luca's car with my feet on the dash as he kept turning on the seat warmer as discretely as possible
“Stop it!” I exclaimed as my ass heated up for the third time.
I hated seat warmers.
You wanna know why?
Heat + ass = ass sweat.
And I hate ass sweat.
“Don't reveal your weaknesses to me, Nellie,” he said, “Did you learn nothing from growing up with a brother.”
“Awe,” I said, my heart touched, “Do you see me as a sister?”
He smiled, “Of course I do,” he said, pinching my cheek.
“Well, in that case, you should tell me Leo went earlier?” I asked.
He groaned, “I can’t, Nellie.”
“Luca, my mate has been gone all night and all morning and I don’t even get to know where? Can I at least know why you can’t tell me?”
He sighed and reached to turn off the radio.
“He wanted to tell you himself but rogues attacked last night. We have them all the time but this one was different.”
“Different?”
“Rogues are impulsive, stupid creatures. No offence. Usually they attack randomly in small numbers. But this was… organised. There were so many of them and they were so orchestrated. It’s like it was carefully planned.”
I took my feet off the dash and pressed my back into the seat.
“Was anyone hurt?”
Dreading the answer, I stared straight ahead at the road. Luca was quiet for a moment before nodding.”
“Eight dead and one woman was assaulted.”
I swallowed, “Is she alright?”
“Well, she lives alone with no family so Leo called this morning asking me to take you to her. His soldiers are around, clearing bodies and ensuring it is safe but he thinks you'd do a far better job at comforting her than them.”
“That’s where we’re going?”
He nodded, “Leo was going to explain the situation to you when we get there.”
Luca drove for some time more before he pulled up in front of a small home within the trees.
There were half a dozen soldiers around outside. One of them was boarding up a window on the house, another two were moving a body bag and others looked as though they were on guard.
Leo was waiting and opened the car door when Luca arrived.
“Hey,” he said, kissing my head, “Sorry I had to leave so abruptly last night.”
“Don’t worry. Luca explained everything.”
Leo’s eyes flickered to Luca.
“Didn’t I tell you not to tell her? What did you say?”
Luca bit his lip, avoiding meeting Leo’s gaze.
“That there was a small rogue attack. And that it’s under control and there’s nothing to worry about.”
Totally not what he said.
“Good,” Leo said sharply, “Anyway, Nelda. I know how much you like to have a purpose. You used to go to work and you had hopes of an education and it's my fault that you are no longer doing those things so I found you something else to do that puts that big heart of yours to use.”
I smiled, “You're giving me a job?”
“My people like you, Nelda,” he said, “I can't deny that. I keep them in check and the pack running smoothly but you make them happy. And I want to use that to improve the pack without weakening it. It's the perfect compromise.”
“So I take care of things you don't have the empathy to do?” I asked, “I comfort people?”
He nodded, “Yes and the woman in this house needs you more than anyone. She won't speak to me or any of my men. You stand a better chance.”
I nodded.
Just then one of his men approached Leo.
“We've found a surviving rogue, Alpha,” he said, “He could lead us back to whoever organised this but he won't speak-”
Leo flashed his eyes at his soldier and he shut his mouth as he glanced down at me.
“I’ll sort him out,” Leo grumbled, “Stay with my Luna and keep your mouth shut.”
He then strode away from the house, taking long steps as his fists clenched.
“I wouldn't want to be that rogue right now,” I said, looking back at the soldier. “What will he do?”
“Our Alpha can be very creative. It would be impossible to guess,” he said.
I shuddered.
“And why is he trying to hide the scale of this attack from me?”
The soldier kept his mouth shut and instead, just gestured toward the house.
I rolled my eyes before approaching the front door of the house. After taking a deep breath, I knocked but no one answered.
“Hello?”
Still no answer.
So I gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.
A whimpering came from down the hall so I followed it, treading lightly and slowly.
It was a small house, one story and with only three rooms.
I opened one of the doors and my eyes instantly fell to the ground where a young girl sat huddled in the corner, her knees against her chest and her eyes puffy with tears.
“I'm Nelda,” I said as I crouched a few metres from me, “What's your name?”
At first, she said nothing but then I shuffled a little closer and she snapped her head up.
“Please,” she whispered.
Her eyes were rounded, large and green. Her skin was fresh and youthful.
She was young. No older than me.
“I'm here to help,” I promised, “It's just me. The soldiers are staying away and the rogues are gone.”
She nodded but still hugged her legs tight.
“Can you tell me your name?” I asked again.
“Blossom,” she said in a hoarse voice.
I smiled, “It's nice to meet you,” I said, “And things seem dark and lonely right now but they'll get better. I promise you.”
She shook her head and tears broke free.
“I am so alone,” she said, “My entire pack are dead. I've lost my parents, my home, my friends. The world I live in is cruel.”
I sighed, “May I sit with you?”
She nodded and I folded my legs and faced her.
“You're the Luna, aren't you?” she asked, “I heard you arrive with the Alpha.”
I nodded.
She looked incredibly nervous, “Is he still here?”
“No,” I said, “... why?”
“Why did you have to punch him?” I said.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
I sighed.
“Have you not once in your life heard the expression ‘violence isn’t the answer’?”
He laughed.
“Bullshit,” he said, “Raven is an asshole and he needed that.”
I glanced up at the black eye from last night.
“And what about Mateo?”
He put his hands up in surrender.
“He started it.”
“You’re the Alpha and shouldn’t have let it happen. I don't like it when you fight and now you're a mess.”
“I'm sorry, okay?” he said, lifting my chin and pulling me closer.
I nodded and he leant forwards placing his lips on mine. My hand quickly found itself on his chest whilst the other slipped onto his hip.
“Ew,” Elora groaned as she walked through the door.
I pulled away from Leo, my face flushing hot as I plastered an awkward smile on my face.
“Leo, why are you making out on our kitchen worktop? Do you not have your own house?” Elora asked.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
Elora bit her lip.
“I…” Elora began, “Went out for a run.”
I caught Elora’s eye and smiled. I knew what she had been doing. Something to do with their she-wolf training.
“Why are you back so late?”
“What's it to you?” Elora asked. “None of your business. You don't even live here anymore”
“Still Alpha,” Leo said.
“Still don't care,” Elora said with her middle finger up as she jogged up the stairs.
Leo looked out the window and narrowed his eyes, “It's dark, raining and cold. Why would she go for a run?”
“Oh, don't worry about it.”
A flicker of suspicion sparked in his eyes but it diminished after a weary sigh.
“Come here,” he muttered, putting a hand behind my neck and gently pulling me back into his lips.
His tongue entered my mouth and took control of the kiss as he pressed his chest against mine, gripping my shirt and devouring me.
“Where we prepare food? really?” Milo’s voice interrupted. “All I wanted was a glass of water.”
“Sorry, Milo,” I said, taking my hand off Leo's chest.
Leo rolled his eyes, “There isn't a moment of privacy in this house.
“Your best bet is probably the basement,” Milo asked, getting a glass out the cupboard. “ The sofa down there may be old but it's comfortable enough.”
“I'm not taking my Luna to the skanky old sofa where you fuck all your one-night flings,” Leo replied.
“Hey! I at least put a towel down. Unlike Carlo… the amount of juices that must accumulate in those pillows-”
“Can I just stop you there, Milo?” I asked, closing my eyes, trying not to imagine it. “Only I'm feeling physically sick.”
Leo laughed and kissed my forehead, “My brothers are whores. I'm sorry to taint your innocence with such sin.”
“We are not the ones tainting her innocence, Leonidas,” Milo said with a wink before leaving the room with his glass of water.
My eyes widened as Leo smiled.
“You're dirty, Milo!” I shouted.
When we got through the front door of our own house, Leo turned to me and pulled me in by my hips.
“No interruptions this time,” he whispered in my ear.
“We’ve seriously got to stop getting walked in on by your family,” I said, my finger running along his jaw, “That’s Rosa, Xavier, Mateo, Elora and Milo now.”
He grinned, “Five down, two to go.”
“And thanks for telling everyone I gave you head yesterday.”
He let out a short laugh, “I'm sorry. My Dad was at my throat and it just came out.”
“Well, at least your brothers found it amusing.”
He rolled his eyes and kissed me as his hands slipped onto my ass. As his eyes flashed with lust, his gaze flickered over my body.
He slowly brought his lips to my ear, his breath warm and soft.
“Take your clothes off,” he whispered.
I took a sharp breath as a shiver of excitement shot through me.
“Right here?” I asked.
He nodded, “Right here, right now.”
I reached for the hem of my shirt before peeling it over my head. His eyes fell onto my chest as he smiled.
“And the rest.”
I unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them off my hips and down my legs until I was standing in my underwear in front of him. That’s when he lurched forward and pressed his lips against mine as his hands run wildly over my body.
A few moments later, he let out a grunt before grasping my waist and lifting me. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me to the kitchen.
“The kitchen?” I asked as he sat me down on the counter.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Nelda,” he said as he ripped off his shirt, “I don’t have the patience to take you upstairs and make love to you tonight.”
He then hauled me off the counter, spun me around and squeezed my ass.
“I just want to bend you over and fuck you against the cabinets.”
He pressed his crotch against my ass. He was hard beneath his pants and my heart quickened as my cheeks flushed.
I nodded.
“That works for me.”
“Good,” he said slipping his hand between my legs.
I gasped as he delved inside my panties.
“Spread your legs,” he ordered.
I obeyed, allowing him to reach all the sweetest spots.
“You’re so wet for me.”
I gripped the edge of the counter as his fingers circled, sending pulses of pleasure through my body.
He had me right on the edge, moaning.
That was when he put his hand on my back and pushed my chest onto the counter. After pulling my panties down, he unbuckled his pants and gripped my hips.
“Just stay right there,” he said, “Let me do the work.”
When we both finished, he released my hair that he had been gripped and slowly pulled out.
When we had had a moment to catch our breath, he pulled me off the counter and turned me around. He kissed me softly before brushing my hair out of my face.
“You’re a mess,” he said, with a grin.
I’d bothered to put mascara on this morning but it was no doubt smudged around my eyes as strands of hair stuck to my sweaty cheeks.
“I’m going to ache for a week,” I said.
He kissed my forehead, “I’ll run you a bath. While you clean yourself up, I’ll make some food and then we’ll watch a movie. How does that sound?”
I nodded.
Just as Leo was buckling his pants up, the doorbell rang.
“Put your clothes on,” he said to me.
“Yes! Please do!” Luca’s voice called.
My eyes widened as I grabbed my shirt and jeans. By the time I had pulled them over my sweaty body, Leo had opened the door, revealing his gamma.
“Oh, hey,” I said with an awkward smile.
“Alpha, why haven’t you answered your phone,” Luca said. “Mateo has been calling you.”
Luca was breathing heavily like he’d just ran miles as a sheen of sweat coated his forehead.
“I’ve been busy,” Leo said.
Luca looked down at me, my dishevelled hair and flushed cheeks. He then looked back at Leo who was equally sweaty and still without a shirt.
“… Evidently.”
He then stepped into the house, put his arm around my shoulder and turned to Leo.
“I hope you are treating my best friend like the queen she is,” he said, raising an eyebrow, “She is not your whore.”
“Whatever,” Leo said as Luca jabbed his finger towards him with a disapproving shake of his head, “What does Mateo need? Is it important?”
“Yes. You need to call him back now. I’ll run the fucking bath.”
I grimaced, “You heard that conversation?”
“Unfortunately.”
Luca and I headed upstairs while Leo was on the phone. After Luca had emptied almost an entire bottle of bubble bath into the tub, foam rose over the sides.
“Oh shit,” he said, turning the faucet off.
The bubbles dropped to the floor as the continued to grow out of control.
“Shit,” Luca cursed, grabbing as many bubbles as possible in his arms and frantically spinning around, looking for somewhere to put them, “I can’t destroy the Alpha’s bathroom. What do I do with all this foam?”
I was already giggling hysterically but I just about managed to point to the window above the bath.
Leo’s footsteps were coming up the stairs as Luca’s eyes widened. He leapt into the tub, soaking his feet as he fumbled with the window latch. Just as he was chucking chunks of bubbles out into the forest, Leo opened the door.
His eyes fell on Luca, then where he was standing in the bath water and then all the bubbles scattered across the room.
“I leave you for five minutes,” he said, “Five fucking minutes. How are you so incompetent you can’t even run a bath without wreaking havoc?”
Luca paused, his arms still full of foam as he leant by the open window.
“… Sorry?”
Leo just rolled his eyes.
“I have to go out. Look after my Luna and try not to burn the house down before I get back. Understood?”
Luca nodded and stepped out of the bath, his shoes squelching as muddy water leeched across the floor.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
Leo only kissed my head, “Don’t worry about it.”
“But-”
“Next week I’m holding a meeting about changes to the prison,” he interrupted, “Can I count on you being there?”
My eyes widened as my jaw dropped open.
“Really?”
He nodded.
I squealed in excitement before hugging him.
“Watching you guys hug is like watching a koala bear hug a giraffe at the zoo,” Luca said and we both turned our heads to look as he took another hand full of the cereal.
“Which zoos have you been to?” I asked.
He shrugged.
“Seriously though. You don't even reach his shoulder, Nelda. You're like nipple height.”
“How tall are you, Leo?” I said, looking up at him.
“6 ft 8,” Leo replied, looking down at me.
“Goddess,” I muttered, “What is the reason?”
“Well how tall are you, Nellie?”
“5 ft 2... AND a half...” I said.
Leo grinned, “Shorty.”
“And you two are… you know… with an eighteen-inch height difference? How does that even work?”
“On that bombshell,” Leo said, “I’m leaving. Have fun with that, Nelda. And Luca for the love of the Goddess, best behaviour.”
Chapter 61
November 14th
“Good morning, Lunarooni,” Luca greeted as he made his entrance into my bedroom.
“Thanks for knocking,” I said as I sat up, rubbing my eyes.
Leo hadn’t come home last night so Luca had stayed over instead.
“Here is a nutritious breakfast for the Luna and the future Alpha,” he said as he handed me a tray of croissants, fruit and toast, “And when you have eaten, get dressed. I’m taking you out.”
“Oooh! Where are we going?” I asked, taking a bite of toast.
“On a surprise road trip,” he said. “I have Leo's permission...on the off chance you are concerned about that.”
“And do I get to know where he is yet?”
Last night, Luca had refused to tell me where Leo had gone. Presumably he was under strict orders but it wasn’t like Luca to follow them.
His face fell and he shook his head.
“Just eat your breaky and we’ll get going.”
An hour later, I sat in Luca's car with my feet on the dash as he kept turning on the seat warmer as discretely as possible
“Stop it!” I exclaimed as my ass heated up for the third time.
I hated seat warmers.
You wanna know why?
Heat + ass = ass sweat.
And I hate ass sweat.
“Don't reveal your weaknesses to me, Nellie,” he said, “Did you learn nothing from growing up with a brother.”
“Awe,” I said, my heart touched, “Do you see me as a sister?”
He smiled, “Of course I do,” he said, pinching my cheek.
“Well, in that case, you should tell me Leo went earlier?” I asked.
He groaned, “I can’t, Nellie.”
“Luca, my mate has been gone all night and all morning and I don’t even get to know where? Can I at least know why you can’t tell me?”
He sighed and reached to turn off the radio.
“He wanted to tell you himself but rogues attacked last night. We have them all the time but this one was different.”
“Different?”
“Rogues are impulsive, stupid creatures. No offence. Usually they attack randomly in small numbers. But this was… organised. There were so many of them and they were so orchestrated. It’s like it was carefully planned.”
I took my feet off the dash and pressed my back into the seat.
“Was anyone hurt?”
Dreading the answer, I stared straight ahead at the road. Luca was quiet for a moment before nodding.”
“Eight dead and one woman was assaulted.”
I swallowed, “Is she alright?”
“Well, she lives alone with no family so Leo called this morning asking me to take you to her. His soldiers are around, clearing bodies and ensuring it is safe but he thinks you'd do a far better job at comforting her than them.”
“That’s where we’re going?”
He nodded, “Leo was going to explain the situation to you when we get there.”
Luca drove for some time more before he pulled up in front of a small home within the trees.
There were half a dozen soldiers around outside. One of them was boarding up a window on the house, another two were moving a body bag and others looked as though they were on guard.
Leo was waiting and opened the car door when Luca arrived.
“Hey,” he said, kissing my head, “Sorry I had to leave so abruptly last night.”
“Don’t worry. Luca explained everything.”
Leo’s eyes flickered to Luca.
“Didn’t I tell you not to tell her? What did you say?”
Luca bit his lip, avoiding meeting Leo’s gaze.
“That there was a small rogue attack. And that it’s under control and there’s nothing to worry about.”
Totally not what he said.
“Good,” Leo said sharply, “Anyway, Nelda. I know how much you like to have a purpose. You used to go to work and you had hopes of an education and it's my fault that you are no longer doing those things so I found you something else to do that puts that big heart of yours to use.”
I smiled, “You're giving me a job?”
“My people like you, Nelda,” he said, “I can't deny that. I keep them in check and the pack running smoothly but you make them happy. And I want to use that to improve the pack without weakening it. It's the perfect compromise.”
“So I take care of things you don't have the empathy to do?” I asked, “I comfort people?”
He nodded, “Yes and the woman in this house needs you more than anyone. She won't speak to me or any of my men. You stand a better chance.”
I nodded.
Just then one of his men approached Leo.
“We've found a surviving rogue, Alpha,” he said, “He could lead us back to whoever organised this but he won't speak-”
Leo flashed his eyes at his soldier and he shut his mouth as he glanced down at me.
“I’ll sort him out,” Leo grumbled, “Stay with my Luna and keep your mouth shut.”
He then strode away from the house, taking long steps as his fists clenched.
“I wouldn't want to be that rogue right now,” I said, looking back at the soldier. “What will he do?”
“Our Alpha can be very creative. It would be impossible to guess,” he said.
I shuddered.
“And why is he trying to hide the scale of this attack from me?”
The soldier kept his mouth shut and instead, just gestured toward the house.
I rolled my eyes before approaching the front door of the house. After taking a deep breath, I knocked but no one answered.
“Hello?”
Still no answer.
So I gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.
A whimpering came from down the hall so I followed it, treading lightly and slowly.
It was a small house, one story and with only three rooms.
I opened one of the doors and my eyes instantly fell to the ground where a young girl sat huddled in the corner, her knees against her chest and her eyes puffy with tears.
“I'm Nelda,” I said as I crouched a few metres from me, “What's your name?”
At first, she said nothing but then I shuffled a little closer and she snapped her head up.
“Please,” she whispered.
Her eyes were rounded, large and green. Her skin was fresh and youthful.
She was young. No older than me.
“I'm here to help,” I promised, “It's just me. The soldiers are staying away and the rogues are gone.”
She nodded but still hugged her legs tight.
“Can you tell me your name?” I asked again.
“Blossom,” she said in a hoarse voice.
I smiled, “It's nice to meet you,” I said, “And things seem dark and lonely right now but they'll get better. I promise you.”
She shook her head and tears broke free.
“I am so alone,” she said, “My entire pack are dead. I've lost my parents, my home, my friends. The world I live in is cruel.”
I sighed, “May I sit with you?”
She nodded and I folded my legs and faced her.
“You're the Luna, aren't you?” she asked, “I heard you arrive with the Alpha.”
I nodded.
She looked incredibly nervous, “Is he still here?”
“No,” I said, “... why?”
