The Broken Luna and Her Playboy Mate

CHAPTER 2 - OFF TO CAMPUS - ETMAINA'S POV

Once I'd left my bathroom, I noticed that the burn marks were gone. My mum or Aaron must have used their powers to make them vanish.

I dressed in my sweatpants and tank top before heading out for a morning run. Nothing cleared my mind more than running, and it was so freeing.

I ran down my private staircase off my bedroom and took off into the woods as fast as I could run.

My speed had increased since my shift. The only thing I liked about it, doing something physical helped with the pain. My body was constantly hurting, and my bones felt like they were on fire half the time and broken the other half. I liked it though, I deserved to burn and break.

The smell of the woods filled my lungs, I could smell every blade of grass, every drop of water nestled on the leaves, it was a welcoming scent.

I pushed myself faster, the wind sweeping my dark hair behind me. I continued to run, but suddenly a scent on the wind made me halt.

It was the smell of a male Lycan, I frowned in confusion and looked around, as the Lycan in me started to stir, so I quickly suppressed the b*tch.

Mom had told me about the other packs around the area and how they would want to meet me because they saw me as the Queen of all the packs, and not just the Luna of my own. I hated that idea, I did not want to be anyone’s Queen, I didn’t want any of this.

It was bad enough that mom wanted me to do some stupid ceremony with my pack to take over as head Luna from Kathy, I didn’t need other packs looking at me for their safety as well. All they cared about was this stupid power inside me, a power I could feel growing with each day, a power I was trying hard to ignore and push back.

I looked around again, but I couldn’t see or hear anyone close by and then the wind shifted, taking the scent with it. Perhaps I’d imaged it.

I frowned again before deciding to run home. I was suddenly hungry.

''So,'' I heard Kathy saying as I left the tree line and walked towards the house, in no real hurry to be around my family.

''Has she spoken about anything?''

I stopped in my tracks, my heart aching once again.

''No,'' My mom's voice was laced with pain. ''Every time I bring up her shift, or Saun, she shuts down. She still won’t even tell me where she’s been the past couple of months. I’m just grateful that Aaron was able to find her.''

So that’s how my mom knew where I was. I was instantly angry at Aaron, interfering witch.

After Saun's funeral, I left my family. I’d had no intention of being found or going back to them, but my mother had shown up at my hotel room in Sydney and begged me to come to America with her. I would have refused if it hadn’t been for Anthony. My mom was great with guilt trips, and she explained in great detail how much he was hurting, and despite my own agony, I couldn’t ignore his pain, and so I returned.

''Well, she’ll come round.'' Kathy continued as I started towards the manor once more. ''She just needs time. A Luna is strong, and it's not like that boy was her mate. He was just someone she fell in love with. She'll soon forget all about him.''

I suppressed the urge to growl and rip her throat out.

Time? She thought time would stop me from hating myself, from wishing I was dead. Good luck with that, Kathy.

I climbed up the stairs and my mother and Kathy changed the conversation. I knew that they could hear me and that I was able to hear them.

I rolled my eyes and annoyance and headed for the shower.

''Anthony!'' Mom screamed from the kitchen. ''If you’re not down here in ten minutes, I’m sending your aunt up to get you.''

''I’m coming!'' Came my brother's irritated voice.

Mom turned back to the stove where she was cooking bacon and eggs. She usually didn’t approve of such a heavy breakfast on a school day, but she was attempting to get back in Anthony’s good books, and she knew that the smell of her cooking would drift through the house and weaken his temper. I definitely didn’t get my mother’s cooking abilities. The whole kitchen would be up in flames by now if I’d been cooking.

I watched my mother with my arms crossed, how did she do it, act so normal, would I ever learn that skill?

Mom had given me a cup of foul smelling tea, meant to help with my growing pains, but it sat untouched where she had left it in front of me, I wasn't drinking something that smelt like rotting meat.

Kathy was sitting next to me in her true form. It shocked me at first, seeing how young she actually was. I guess they weren’t hiding their powers anymore.

She was being fussed over by Aaron, who had handed her, her own cup of fowl-smelling liquid.

''Thank you.'' Kathy said lovingly as she lifted the horrible smelling tea and took a sip. ''You should drink yours too, Mina. It’s good for your strength.''

I screwed up my face in disgust and sighed. ''No, thanks.''

''It'll help with your pain.'' Kathy stated matter-of-factly. ''How many times have you turned since your birthday? The more you turn, the easier it’ll be and the more control you’ll have. You’ll also need to learn how to control your power too, but Aaron can help you with that.''

My heart clenched in pain as it did every time my birthday was mentioned, and I couldn’t really hear what Kathy was saying, luckily my mum saved me.

''Mina, will you go up and see where your brother’s gotten to?'' She asked and glared angrily at Kathy.

I quickly rose and strolled out of the kitchen and up the staircase.

My long dark hair swayed as I walked, it had dark purple streaks weaved through it that was more noticeable in the light, but in the dim light of the house they were hidden well. Today, I was dressed in black shorts and stockings with a tight purple shirt.

I opened Ant's bedroom door and found him still wrapped up in his sheets face down, he'd already unpacked his belongings. I shook my head, for someone who didn't want to be here in the first place, he sure was getting comfortable quickly.

''Ant,'' I called out to him, ''Mom says to get up.''

When he didn't respond, I pulled off his blanket before sitting in a vacant armchair by a large fireplace similar to the one in my room, only he’s had different engravings in the stone.

''Go away.'' Anthony’s voice was muffled by his pillow. ''I’m not going to school today. I’m sick.''

''Yeah in the head maybe.'' I retorted as I looked at the dead embers in the fireplace. ''But that shouldn’t stop you from going to school.''

''Ha ha,'' Anthony rolled over, he dangled his arm over the side of the bed and tried to grab his blanket off the ground. ''You’re so funny. Where do you come up with these things?''

I rolled my eyes and kicked the blanked further away from Anthony’s reaching fingers. If I have to get up and go about my life, then so did he.

''I don’t know what your problem is?’ I snapped. My temper flared up so easily since the shift, and I could feel my wolf scratching to the surface for control. ''At least you don’t have to go to school with mom, today’s going to be brutal enough without her watching me all day.''

''Yeah, but if she bugs you, you could always leave'' Anthony complained as he sat up and ruffled his hair sleepily. I noticed he was wearing one of our dad's shirts ''I’m stuck at school all day with complete strangers''

''Oh, stop being a baby. It’s not the end of the world.'' I dismissed his complaint. ''You’ll rule the school in no time, and I’m just as stuck here as you are.'' I got to my feet and headed for the door. ''It’s not like I can just run away and start a new life, I tried that remember.''

I thought back to the first few weeks after my 18th birthday. I tried so hard to run away from my life, I tried so hard to end my life, but I couldn't run away from myself, no matter how hard I tried to.

''I never meant you could leave America.'' Ant shouted. I frowned and turned around to look at him, the pain in his voice shook me. ''I meant you could leave college, you promised you wouldn’t run away again.''

''Don’t stress.'' I told him, my temper rising again, I had a hard enough time dealing with my own guilt and pain, I didn't need his as well. ''I said I’d stay didn’t I? And stop taking this out on mom, it’s my fault we had to move, not hers.''

I slammed Anthony’s door and headed back to the kitchen. Mom looked up eagerly as I returned, but her face fell slightly.

''Don’t stress.' I repeated my words to Anthony and picked up my backpack. ''He’s coming down.''

''Where are you going?'' Mom asked as I turned around and headed for the glass doors off the kitchen.

Mom had been watching me like a hawk since I’d returned home, despite the promise I'd made to everyone that I wouldn’t run away again, but she still worried every time I left the house alone. I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't put a tracking device on me, but then I looked angrily at Aaron. They didn’t need a tracking device with him around. He could find me anywhere.

''I’m going to college.'' I said as though it was obvious, rolling my eyes skywards and pushing my temper down.

''Why don’t you come with me?'' She suggested quickly. ''I’ll be ready in half an hour, it’ll give us a chance to talk.''

''I want to get there early and look around.'' I said quickly, I was sick of telling her I was okay and talking was the last thing on my mind. ''I already missed yesterday.''

''You're welcome to one of my cars.'' Kathy pipped up.

''Thanks,'' I murmured, ''But I'd rather walk, plus, I don't have an American driver's license.''

''I could create a fake one for you.'' Aaron suggested.

''No, I'm good.'' I told him, ''See you all later.''

Mom looked like she wanted to stop me from leaving, but I ignored her and left the house.

I walked down the paved driveway towards town in no real hurry. I didn’t want to get to college early, and I just wanted some space from the family.

Halfway to town, a baby pink convertible passed me. The top was down, and I saw two blonde girls and a young boy around Anthony’s age inside.

Lycan senses were crazy. The car must have been going 50ks, but I could still make out every person in the car as if they’d been going 5.

I grimaced, I hated pink, I missed my old Ute that my father had given me for my sixteenth birthday, but I’d left it behind on his farm, I didn’t want to keep anything he’d given me.

For the rest of the walk I contemplated getting a job, so I could get my license and buy a new car, or maybe I could just use one of Kathy's.

I had been given a trust when I turned 18, but I hadn't checked to see how much money was in it, probably millions or more judging by how rich my family actually was, but I didn't want to use it, I wanted to earn my own things.

Finally, I came to the entrance of the college. There were two large kissing gates that were open wide to let in the many students that were pulling into the long driveway that led onto the campus car park for orientation.

I’d purposely missed the first day of college yesterday, where everyone would have been moving in, meeting their roommates and unpacking or wandering the campus checking out all the booths showing off various groups.

I didn’t want to have to force fake smiles and conversation, it was bad enough I’d have to do it today and for the rest of the year, I at least wanted one less day of faking.