One Night With Her Luna

Chapter 3: Bonfire Interrupted

Lake’s POV

We snuck out of the packhouse with ease. All we had to do was avoid the wolves assigned to patrol at night. I wasn’t the type of person to do anything like this. I usually listened to my parents, the entire pack really. Being twenty doesn’t exactly feel different but I did like the idea of making decisions for myself. I couldn’t be considered a teen anymore. I wasn’t sure when I’d fully feel like an adult but I wanted tonight to be some kind of start.

We walked down the road towards the forest in our human forms. I couldn’t shift because my dragon form would be way too obvious. Eventually, Morgan shifted into their wolf and carried me on their back. It wasn’t ideal for me but it was better if we got there as soon as possible to lessen the possibility of pack members seeing us.

When we got to the edge of our territory I hopped off of Morgan and onto the tall grass.

“I hope someone brought food, a lot of it,” Morgan said after they shifted. Their phone rang but they didn’t answer it, sending the caller to voicemail.

“Probably snacks,” I said with a chuckle. “The banquet wasn’t enough?”

“Nothings enough when food is so damn good,” Morgan replied as we started to walk again.

I began to smell the group of our friends who were waiting for us. I ignored the anxiety that wrapped around my chest. Thoughts flooded my head that I shouldn’t have been disobeying my parents. I didn’t want to disappoint them but even my dragon felt like this was something I had to do.

Dragon shifters weren’t the same as werewolves. My dragon side didn’t have a voice, it was more like instincts and other urges that come from her. My mother still named my dragon side despite this. Her name was Naja.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket when it began to ring. “Don’t answer, I hate him,” Morgan told me. “He tried to call me too.” It was Elwen from the River Blood Pack. Morgan had a romantic but mostly s****l history with him. He was kind of my first but I didn’t know him well. I silenced the ring then pushed my phone back into my pocket. If it was important I guess he’d just text me.

We walked around a set of trees into the open spot that the bonfire was near a lake. It was a much larger group than last year and I didn’t know everyone their.

I hugged myself and looked around urgently.

“What’s wrong?” Morgan asked.

“Um…” I took a deep breath. “I smell something strong, you don’t smell that too right?”

Something strong like your mate??” Their eyes widened and they bounced. “Please lead the way!”

“Don’t jump to conclusions… let’s just follow it.” I dragged my hands down my face to try to get rid of the smile I was trying to contain.

We walked closer and when one of our friends spotted us she rushed to me. “Hey, Elwen was trying to call you guys. Some people showed up unexpectedly and I we were trying to warn you guys. I promise I didn’t invite them,” she explained.

“It’s okay Sarah, who?”

“Some members of your rival pack.” The Cold Storm Pack. “I’ll just get them to leave.”

“You’re kidding me,” Morgan groaned. “This close to our territory? How many?”

“Twenty-five or thirty. Look, I’m cool with them, I’ll get them to leave no problem and we can have our fun.” She turned to me and smiled. “Happy big two-O.”

“Thanks…”

I watched her walk away and we made distance between us and the bonfire. The cold storm pack had been our rivals through five or six generations of alphas. Their pack has always been led by manipulative and controlling alphas. No one you’d respect or admire.

“Do you still smell the strong scent?” Morgan asked as they took their heels off. “I’m not putting these back on until we’re down there we’re people could see me.”

“I… don’t, well I do but it’s faint now.” I stared in the direction of the scent and heard wolves howling and growling. “I don’t think they’re leaving peacefully. I should mindlink my parents.” This was it, this was what my mom wanted to avoid, her wolf was right.

“Lake it’s fine, Sarah will deal with it,” Morgan said.

“Lake!” yelled a familiar voice. I turned my head to see our pack’s beta walking out around the trees. “What are you doing out?” She asked.

“Sorry Beta Carly… we-“

“Heard our friend’s bond fire was being attacked so we came to see what was going on,” Morgan finished for me.

Carly looked over Morgan’s outfit with an expression that she was unconvinced. “Okay, you should have mindlinked us. Those of us on patrol can handle this.”

“Of course, we’ll do better next time,” I said.

“Good.” She shifted into her wolf and ran in the direction of the bonfire.

We turned in the direction of the bonfire but Morgan grabbed my arm to make me stop. “Look,” they pointed at a group heading out of the bonfire, a few in a rush while others slowly walked.

“Hey! Lake, Morgan!” Elwen called out. “We’re heading to the city!”

“Where’s Sarah?” I asked as we walked towards the group.

“She got into a fight, your pack is helping her now, they’re taking her to your pack’s healer. It’s nothing too serious. She still wants to meet us there to celebrate your birthday,” Elwen explained.

“She said she was cool with them but the Cold Storm Pack obviously could never be trusted,” Morgan said.

“I should still go back,” I said, pointing my thumb in the other direction. Naja still didn’t want that but Carly already knew we were out.

“We’re going to get in trouble either way,” Morgan pointed out. “Come on, you’re an adult. What do you look like letting your parents control what you do.”

“They’re not just my parents, they’re our alpha and Luna too,” I debated.

“We can’t stand around,” Elwen said. “I’ll see you guys later.” He followed the group towards the city.

Growls and snarls echoed along with the sounds of trees crashing down. Morgan crossed their arms and stared at me.

“Okay let’s go,” I gave in.

“Yes!” They cheered then grabbed my hand with their heels in their free hand and we started running.

When we got to the city we moved our party to a hotel.

‘A few members of The Cold Storm pack have made their way into the territory,’ Beta Carly said over mindlink. ‘If you’re a warrior we have to advise that you stay in the packhouse or anywhere safe.’

I guess the hotel was safe. I don’t think they’d come to this city of all places. I wondered how long it would take my parents to figure out that I was gone. I wasn’t sure when Beta Carly would tell them that I had even left.

We got a huge hotel room and there was only a handful of us now.

“So what happened with Sarah?” I asked.

“She was trying to get the Cold Storm pack to leave,” Began one of our friends. “She talked to their Beta first and he said they’ll leave as soon as they collect some plants or something. He said they weren’t going to go past the bonfire. Everything was fine, they weren’t headed into your territory and they didn’t come to cause any trouble-“

“That’s that’s hard to believe,” Morgan interrupted.

“Well, that’s what happened. They really aren’t that bad.” I wasn’t sure how he could say that when Sarah was injured now because of them. “I’m not sure who but one of them was very persistent on going past the bonfire. Sarah shifted to stop them and then a fought broke out.”

I pulled my phone out to see that Sarah texted me. ‘Hey, I’m headed to the city. Most my wounds healed up themself.’

Morgan was already knocked out beside me on the couch. The others were talking amongst themselves.

Suddenly I felt the unexplained urge to take a walk. “Hey guys, I’m going to go clear my head,” I announced as I leaned Morgan over.

“No problem, be safe Lake, happy birthday.”

I stood up and walked out of the room. I walked down the hall and into the elevator. The scent was back, sweet lavender with a bit of a kick.

I closed my eyes and began to sing to myself, “The eclipse has never been new but some say it’s not even blue.”

I opened my eyes when the elevator door opened. My heart was racing but there was no one in front of me. I followed the scent but felt I’d never reach it.

‘Lake, where are you?’ My Mother asked over mindlinked but I ignored her. This scent had my focus in a death grip.

I saw a group of people down the hall so I took one step after the other out of the elevator and towards them. One of them could have been… or was I getting my hopes up.

I saw a bright light that wasn’t a light at all. It was an aura shining through the cracks behind a door. My hand hugged the doorknob but it was locked. I knocked on the door but nothing.

“Um… hello?” I knocked again. They didn’t open the door so I could see them. I wanted to, I needed to but they wouldn’t show themself. Despite not being able to see her, I knew;

‘Mate’