The Lost Luna

Chapter 2: The change

Reylee

I poured the third cup of coffee that day and went back to the sofa in the living room. After that dream, I had not been able to sleep, I had spent two hours tossing and turning in bed trying to calm my heart which still kept beating like crazy.

Around four o'clock, I decided that sleep would not return, so I got up and went down to the ground floor, the house was completely silent, and I went straight to the kitchen. After pouring some coffee, I went to the salon and turned on the television, choosing on Netflix a comedy series that would help me distract myself from that sense of anguish that had pervaded me since I woke up.

And now I was there. Curled up on the couch with a blanket on my legs and a steaming cup of coffee in my hands while Jake Peralta tried to solve a case with his usual humor. I put the TV volume down to avoid waking up people who lived on the first floor.

From the window, there was a little light, a sign that the sun was beginning to rise on that day that was going to be hectic and full of surprises.

I stared at the screen when I heard a noise coming from the stairs and a low-pitched swearing. I turned off the TV and looked away on the stairs, waiting to see where those noises came from, until I saw a sleepy Ava in black shoes with heels in hand, a sheath dress tight and ruffled, hair thick and red was messed up, in some parts completely knotted, as if someone had slipped his fingers over and over again. She walked on tiptoe trying to make as little noise as possible, as she slowly walked towards the door.

I bent my head to the side and watched as she walked feline, with her handbag and shoes in her hand, as she moved her tousled hair from the front of her face.

"Rough night?" I asked, making her jump and almost scream in fear.

"Rey." she said, blocking himself.

"Ava." I almost laughed.

"It’s not what it looks like." my friend hastened to say.

"And how does it look?" I asked, placing the cup of coffee on the coffee table in front of me and then crossing my arms to my chest.

"How does it look to you?" she replied, moving her hair behind her shoulders.

I laughed and bent my head sideways again. "It seems to me that you are sneaking in the middle of the night, or rather in the morning, before everyone wakes up, wearing the same clothes as the night before, with completely smudged makeup."

I said pointing to the trick poured around her teal eyes. "The lips were completely red and the hair ruffled as if someone had slipped his fingers over and over again as he banged you." I said returning with my arms to my chest.

"Okay, okay." she said as she slowly approached me not before taking a look at the stairs.

"Did you sleep with Josh?" I immediately asked.

"Who makes you think it’s him?" she said defensively.

I frowned. "Since the other residents of the house are my parents and me, and I certainly didn’t bang you all night, I think it’s obvious".

"Can’t it be any of the servants?"

"Is that what it is?"

Ava snorted and rolled her eyes exasperated, "All right!" she said, "Don’t you dare say anything! It was one night, we were drunk. I shouldn’t have done it. It was a mistake. You know I have to save myself for my mate". I had a laugh.

"Is that why you’re sneaking away like a thief?"

"Yes and no. Please don’t say anything." please with a flickering lip.

I knew how restrictive Ava’s father was, and if he ever found out that Ava had already had s*x instead of waiting for her mate, he would probably lock her in the house forever.

"Who should I tell? Hurry up before your parents realize you haven’t slept at home." I said, saying goodbye with a wave of my hand.

"Thank you!" she said, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek before running off without leaving a trace.

I turned on the television and surrounded my legs with my arms, resting my head on my knees while the episode was filming.

Slowly and quietly, the house came to life. People started moving from one side to the other while I lay on the sofa. A blanket on me and my head on the pillows.

Suddenly I felt as if all my energies had been sucked by a mysterious force and I couldn’t even sit any longer, let alone get up to go into my room and tuck myself under the covers.

My head had started to ache again, it was beating so much that I could not focus my eyes on the television, so I was forced to turn it off.

I should have taken a pill, but my body didn’t respond to my commands. Many times I had been sick, but that day was different, I had never felt that way. I was so tucked under the covers that I wasn’t sure if anyone had noticed me. They were all too busy in the kitchen to realize.

I would have called someone, but I had no strength to talk.

I heard someone coming down the stairs, every step of it ringing in my head as if it were amplified, as a heat wave pervaded my body. I tried to open my eyes without succeeding and puffed.

A cold hand landed on my burning skin and fingers moved my hair behind my ear.

"Hey, little princess." I heard my father’s voice, "You’re hot," he said.

"My head is bursting," I complained in a hoarse voice.

"Do you want me to call the doctor?" I shook my head.

"I want to go to my room." I complained with a thread of voice as if I were a child.

I hated being so vulnerable, I hated having no strength, I hated being seen like this.

Immediately I felt myself lifted by two strong arms, while the sweet perfume of my father pervaded my nostrils. I wrapped his neck with my arms and put my head on his shoulder as he cradled me and brought me back to my room.

He laid me on the bed and covered me with blankets.

"Are you sure you don’t want the doctor?" my father asked again.

"I’m sure a good sleep will do me good." I replied, curling up between the pillows while my father caressed my cheek.

He bent over and left me a slight kiss before I got up and went to close the window curtains, but the sound was far away because the darkness had already enveloped me.

******

I woke up that the house was quiet, too quiet even by its standards. The sun was already waning, this meant that I had slept most of the day.

I turned to the window and noticed on the bedside table a tray with food on it, now cold, with a note written by my mother announcing that they were in the square of the city for the reception of all the wolves who had arrived for the big night.

Strangely, I felt better, but unfortunately, despite my long sleep, my head kept beating wildly. The only consolation for me would be that I would have an excuse not to attend the big festival that night.

I sat on the bed and put my hand on my forehead, rubbing my temples before getting up and taking the tray.

I went down to the kitchen, finding it strangely deserted, maybe everyone was on the streets observing the guests of the territory. Better for me. I didn’t want to see anyone, not when my head threatened to explode dangerously.

I placed the tray on the table and I supported with my palms on the table, while an indescribable warmth wrapped my body and made my head dangerously swirl.

I heard the front door open, several voices coming from the hallway, among which were the voices of some of the house’s servants.

I moved away from the table and staggered towards the sink. I opened the jet of cold water and I put it under my hands, hoping that this would help the continuous whirling of my head.

Every effort was in vain. My head didn’t stop beating, I felt like a sound inside my head, a persistent growl while my body was completely on fire.

I supported myself at the sink as my breath grew heavier, voices from outside became louder and closer, I could hear the footsteps rumbling on the floor, I could feel the wood flickering at every step, the breaths of people approaching, clock ticking on the wall, water dripping into the sink as if every sound was amplified, as if every sound was slowly drilling through my head that began to pulsate more and more.

"Miss, you are awake." heard a voice behind me. Maria was the maid.

I didn’t move, I grabbed the sink with my hands, squeezing so hard that I became white knuckles, my breath was irregular and hot flashes clouded my eyes.

I tried to take a deep breath, and just then a smell filled me. A smell so good it made my mouth water. A mixed smell of vanilla and strawberries suddenly slowed down the beat of my heart, which had become frantic.

I felt my body relax as the noise in my head became more and more deafening as if something was slamming into a locked door in a corner of my head.

I staggered, almost going backwards, but my back hit something, someone.

A warm chest that supported me, an arm that surrounded my waist, pushing me against him, while that fantastic smell hit me completely, calming my every single sense.

My body relaxed against his and I couldn’t help but notice how our bodies adhered to each other as if they were created for each other.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting myself be lulled by his perfume as I leaned my head on his shoulder, letting my senses take over as I felt his nose dip into my brown hair, inhaling deeply before going down to my ear and then dipping his face in my neck.

"Mate!" he said in a loud, guttural voice that made my whole body shiver and my legs jelly.

My head whirled again, and my sight darkened, while inside I felt something break as if a thousand chains were breaking one after the other, releasing something that had been locked up for years. I felt my body become heavy suddenly until I felt nothing and oblivion took me in.