A Luna's Power

Chapter 5: Powerful New Feelings

-James-

I was … speechless. So that was why Lara had wanted this meeting. Why she had been so demanding. My eyes went from the king to the little female in front of him, who was pure fire. That was what she was. She didn’t even seem to feel a need to look away from the king, as she asked for a seat on the council. She was meeting him head on. I only knew one other female who could do that, and that was the queen. How on earth were Lara and Selene sisters? They could not be more different, and why did I like her fire so much?

Jane had been a strong female too, but Lara was a true luna. She bowed to no one, and she cared for no one who stood in her path. Maybe it wasn’t so strange she asked me to reject her.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” the king asked.

Lara nodded once, showing no signs of doubt. Had she any idea what this meant? The other members of the council would eat her alive and just that thought made me angrier than I had ever been before. The thought of anyone wanting to hurt her, it … it made me …

“James?”

My eyes had been on Lara the whole time, but now I noticed everyone was looking at me. I looked around the room confused until my eyes landed on Damian. He was the one who had spoken my name.

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

I had no idea why he was asking me this. Why would there be anything wrong?

“You’re growling,” he told me.

I was? I then noticed the low rumble coming from me and stopped immediately, as my eyes sought the little redhead further away, watching me with big and almost hungry eyes. Of course, I was certain she would never admit she felt the least attractive to me. She wanted nothing to do with me, which, of course, suited me fine.

“Yes, everything is fine,” I said.

“Are you sure?” the king asked.

I nodded and cleared my throat, looking away. I could not explain my weird behavior. Just admitting that I had found another mate, that was … I couldn’t. It was a betrayal like no other. Jane was the only one. She would always be the only one.

“What do you say, my lord?” Lara asked, drawing everyone’s attention away from me.

“If this is what you truly want-“

“It is!” she said determinedly.

It made the king smile and finally he nodded.

“Very well,” he said.

Her face lit up and for the first time I saw her smile. I had never before seen anything so beautiful. It was like time stopped, as I saw her pink lips spread and show a row of white teeth.

“But it will have to be a trial to begin with. You still need to prove you are fit for a seat on the council and convince the rest.”

“I will!” she said.

“Good, then I suggest we go find the others and get something to eat. Your sister has used the whole day on planning this dinner for you,” he said and got up.

Yet what he told her, clearly did not seem to make her very happy. She was a strange one, wasn’t she? Who hated their birthday?

Everyone quickly left the office, but I stayed just a little longer. I needed some time to gather myself. I couldn’t believe that I had acted so animal-like in the middle of the meeting. I had almost lost control just from thinking about Lara getting hurt. This was not good. If I was already losing control just from imagining things, then … then how long would it take before I claimed the little fire wolf with or without her consent.

I groaned, irritated and rubbed my hands over my face. I was a mess. I had been since Jane and my son died. Actually, I had been a mess before that. I had lost my family at the age of fourteen and then I had been an animal for two years. That changed you. It made you forget the human part in you. It took Jane a long time helping me change and then even longer to let her in, even if I knew we were mates. She had pulled me together though; the problem was she was no longer here to keep me together and now I was losing it. I had gone back to being an animal, and an animal took what he wanted.

“F*ck you, Goddess,” I whispered and leaned my hands on the top of the fireplace, leaning a little forward.

I felt exhausted, even though I had not done anything to tire me out like this. Just learning that Lara was my mate, it … it made so many feelings appear. Feelings I thought I could no longer feel. After losing Jane, I felt numb or dead inside. Now Lara was bringing me back to life. Just the sight of her had me … had me wanting to do … things. Things I didn’t think I would do with anyone but Jane, yet I found myself wondering what it would be like to have Lara’s fire burning for me. How would it feel like being completely consumed by her? She was a damn powerful luna and I wanted to know what it took to make her submit. Would she even? Would she fight me up to the very point I had her coming with my tongue and her p*ssy in need of me to f*ck her?

I groaned, trying to push those thoughts far away! This was not good. I could not be thinking in such a way. I had made a promise to Jane, just like Damian did. The difference was I would keep mine.

I pushed away from the fireplace, going over to the bar cart, pouring myself a glass of … I didn’t even look at what it was that I poured in and then I downed the drink in one go before leaving the office and joining the others in the dining room.

-Lara-

I knew the second he entered the dining room. We were all seated around the table. Everyone was talking, joking around and eating, but I barely touched the food in front of me. Inside of me it felt like a storm of emotions was flying around. I had never tried anything like it. Usually nothing really made me feel anything. I was always very much in control, but just meeting James had funny things happening to me, and when he entered the dining room every one of my senses locked on him and every move he made with his powerful body.

For some reason my thoughts started to wander, I found myself wondering what it would be like to be claimed by his body and submit to him. I quickly pulled my eyes away and back to my food. I should not even be thinking such thoughts. He was definitely a mouthwatering sight for any female out there, but I would not let my thoughts or needs have any sort of control over me. He should just stay far away from me, and I away from him. That was what was best for everyone. Besides, I was no one’s second choice. If I would ever consider getting a mate, I would not be some sad second prize.

“So, how is everything going on at home?” my sister asked.

She sat beside me and smiled. She seemed to have gotten over the fact I had actually not come here to celebrate anything or because I wanted to visit her.

“I told you, the pack is fine,” I said.

“Yes, but you must have a lot to do. Do you have anyone helping you?” she asked.

“I got Jasper,” I said.

Jasper was the beta of the pack, he had originally been loyal to my father, and I knew when I told her that I had him helping me, she did not find that very calming. She feared he would not be of help to me, at least not completely. She feared he would still be loyal to my father.

“Maybe you should find another beta,” she said. “You know how loyal he was to our father.”

“Well, now he serves me,” I said.

“But-“

“Selene,” I said and met her blue eyes with my own dark ones. “It’s fine.”

“I just want you to be careful. If Jasper-“

“Jasper won’t do anything. Don’t worry about it.”

“You’re my sister, I will always worry about you,” she told me.

I sighed. I did not want to have this talk here. I did not want to have the talk at all. While I would always care for her because she was my sister, I just … I didn’t really feel like she should have a say in anything that went on in my life, even if she did it out of concern for me. She was the one who chose to leave in the first place, and while I would always be grateful for the fact, she saved me from the old disgusting alpha our father wanted to give me to, I didn’t really want her to be very much involved in my life.

“Just tell me if you need help.”

“And then you will give it to me?” I asked with a small smile on my lips.

“Yes, why? Don’t you think I can help?”

I couldn’t help it, but I laughed. I just … Selene had never been a real leader. She had never really been able to go against those expectations people had of her or the rules of our society. It was technically me who was the reason she had her mate and kids today. I was the one who had pushed her to make the choice, she so clearly was so happy to have made. Without me, she might have chosen to stay at home or get mated to Elijah. Maybe she would not even have kept the children. I wasn’t really sure. I just didn’t think she would be much of any help to me, but clearly, I had not just offended Selene but everyone else as well. They didn’t see the fun in her words.

“Thank you, but I won’t need it. I can take care of myself,” I said.

The atmosphere had changed, and this dinner had become as uncomfortable as I had always thought it would end up to be. I sighed and got up from my chair, drawing people’s attention to me.

“Thank you for doing this, Selene, but I have got work to do and a pack to take care of. Have a nice evening everyone.”

My sister tried saying something, but I turned away before she could and walked out of there, but I had barely reached the entrance hall before I heard someone speak out to me:

“You know your sister is trying, the least you could do is do the same thing.”

I turned around, seeing the queen a few feet away, watching me with those intense silver eyes and her arms crossed. Great...