His Powerful Human Luna (Book 1)

Chapter 3: Who's That Girl?

***ROMAN'S POV***

We finally reached the city, and Darien still had not decided where to go for lunch.

"Man, I could go for a burger, but I also want Chinese. We could go to that new chicken spot downtown." I started thinking that I should have come to lunch alone. I sighed in frustration.

"Let's go to Los Habaneros. They got great steak burritos," I interjected. He got quiet for a moment, pondering what I'd just suggested.

"Yeah, let's do it. Plus, they got some bomb tequila and hot waitresses," he exclaimed as he rubbed his hands together with a creepy smile on his face.

"Try not to creep out the waitresses, please," I chuckled and shook my head. We pulled up to the restaurant, and the valet handed me a ticket, then took my truck. Once seated, we began looking over the food and drinks menu. I noticed Darien staring at me.

"What are you looking at?" I questioned.

"Look, man," he began as he shifted in his seat, folding his hands on the table. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but it needs to be addressed. You need a Luna. The pack needs a Luna. You keep fooling yourself into thinking you don't, but deep down, you know you do." I sat back in my chair and threw a deathly glare at Darien.

"You're right. I don't want to talk about this. Now drop it," I hissed.

"I'm speaking as your friend, Roman, your brother. You are always so tired. It's obvious to a lot of us that your mind is distracted by something. How much help can you be to Alpha Cesar if you are too distracted to handle your pack duties?" Instant regret showed on Darien's face.

"Remember your place," I seethed. "I will find my Luna on my time, MY TIME. And even if I don't, Luna or not, I take good care of our pack. Now I said DROP IT." I spoke quietly so as not to make a scene in the restaurant but firmly enough that he would know I meant business. He lowered his head and nodded.

"I'm sorry, alpha," he said softly. After a few minutes of awkward silence, a pretty waitress showed up to take our orders.

"Hey, beautiful," he started. I rolled my eyes. "Are you single?" She was a beautiful girl. Tan skin, long wavy hair pulled back in a ponytail, short, maybe 5 feet tall, nice legs, and a pretty smile. She blushed at Darien's words.

"Yes, hun, why do you ask?"

"Well, I was wondering if maybe I could get your number?" He laid back in his chair and gave her his classic player's face- the same face I've seen him use to woo countless women into going out with him over the years. This fool will never stop. I chuckled, thinking of how different he'd become once he found his mate. That would throw salt on his- what he likes to call game.

She batted her long lashes at him, pulled a pen out of her apron, jotted down her number, and handed it to him. "Well, thank you, baby," He winked at her. She giggled and walked away, swaying her hips as she went.

"IIIIIIII am hitting that tonight," Darien softly sang. I laughed again, thinking about how much he would change once he found his mate. Then everything would be all about her. His mate would be the only woman he wanted to look at and touch, though it's hard to imagine for a lady's man like him.

We took a shot of the tequila we ordered when it hit me, a scent that seemed so distant yet familiar. "Do you smell that?" I shifted around in my seat, searching frantically for the source.

"Smell what? Our food? The guy is right behind you with it." A small older man in an apron placed our food on the table. But even the sizzling platter under my nose couldn't mask this body-tingling scent. The aroma had all my senses on fire.

"No, not that," I said as I stood up to look around.

"MATE!" I heard my wolf screaming in my head. "Mate is here!" I gasp at the realization.

"Hey, it's my sister. Angela!" Darien stood up and waved her over to us. She walked toward us, and behind her stood her friend Darla. I realized the smell was coming from her direction, but it wasn't coming from her.

"Hey, boys! What are you two doing here?" Angela asked as she hugged Darien and me. I glanced at Angela for a moment and then back at Darla. Then I realize there is a third woman with them. My eyes become wide with realization.

She looks exactly like her - the radiant beauty from those recurring dreams. The scent I was smelling became more evident once I saw her face. Even in a restaurant full of people and food, I could single out her intoxicating scent.

"Jasmine and rain," I said softly to myself.

"What?" Angela gave me a confused look before looking back at her friends and then back to me. "Oh, that's my girl, Symone," she exclaimed loudly. I didn't speak. I couldn't speak. Our eyes were locked on each other, and I couldn't hear or see anything or anyone else- just her and her racing heartbeat. Angela took another look at her friends and then back at me.

"Oh s**t. Is it Symone? Symone is your mate?" she asked quietly, her voice laced with concern. Darien's jaw dropped.

"Really?! Way to go, man! She's hot!" I growled at him, never taking my eyes off her.

"There is something off about her," I said, confused about what I was feeling, or rather, not feeling. I could sense some power, but something was missing. "I can't sense her wolf," I said. Angela's face twisted.

"What is it?" Darien asked her. This time Angela fiddled with the strap of her purse.

"Well?" I said, annoyed by her silence.

"She's..." she hesitated again.

"Spit it out!" I exclaimed loud enough to catch the attention of a few nearby patrons. Angela flinched.

"She's human."

My heart dropped. Human? All that time, I had been dreaming and losing sleep over a human? I looked back at her. She was standing there with her hand on her stomach. I wanted so badly to go to her, to touch her.

"Go to mate! I want to feel her," Goliath demanded.

"But she's human. I have no use for a human Luna." I responded to him in my mind. I sounded like my father, and I hated it. He growled at me.

"GO TO OUR MATE, NOW! I want to touch that beautiful caramel-colored skin and take in her scent. Look at her. She's remarkable."

"I can't, Goliath. We can't. She's human." My heart clenched at my own words. "We have to reject her." Goliath roared in my head.

"I don't care that she's human. I want her, and so do you. I can feel your need for her!" Goliath tried to push to the surface and go to her.

"Hey man, are you alright?" Darien put his hand on my shoulder. I turned from her as she was guided away to their table. Once she was out of my sight, I sat down and buried my face in my hands. Goliath was waging war against me, and I couldn't even fight him. I understood why he was upset. Symone was made for me. But she was human.

I never disliked humans. I even have some loyal humans in my pack. But a human Luna is an entirely different story. An alpha needs a strong, powerful Luna to rule the pack by his side. How could a pack of powerful beings like us take a weak human seriously?

"Then why have you been dreaming of her? What did that dream mean if not to be with her?"

I pushed Goliath to the back of my mind, but his words still lingered. He had a valid point. Why did I keep seeing her in my dreams? Why did the Moon Goddess flood my mind with visions of her before I even knew she was real? Still, I could not shake the words of my father. My whole life, he would go on about the dangers of a human Luna. I always wondered why he always spoke about human lunas. Still, I remember hearing about the topic almost every day- about how dangerous and detrimental a human luna could be to an alpha and their pack.

We finished our lunch in silence. I had a couple more drinks, only barely touching my food. Darien tried to lighten the mood but knew not to bring her up. Although I knew he wanted to. He's entirely too nosey not to.

We tipped our waitress generously, went outside to get my truck, and started driving toward Black River pack. As we slowed at the red light, I put my head down.

"I have to reject her," I said softly. Darien looked at me.

"I know. I'm sorry, man." I squeezed the steering wheel tightly and darted my eyes at him. He quickly averted his eye contact. When the light turned, I made a U-turn to return to her. I had to reject her right then and there before I changed my mind.

"Don't do this! She's our mate. She needs us. WE NEED HER!" Goliath howled.

"STOP! We can't have a human weakening us and our pack." I felt a pain in my chest as I fought back my need to claim my soulmate.

We headed back to the restaurant, but Angela and her friends had already left. I had Darien text his sister to find out where they were, then quickly headed to the area they were going to. When we pulled up, the girls stood by an SUV, hugging and saying their goodbyes. I got out of the truck and walked towards the SUV. Angela and Darla walked to their cars; Angela eyed me with a silent plea.

"Get in your car, Angela. You know what I have to do," I mind-linked her. As a member of my pack, she had no choice but to obey her alpha's command. She did as instructed but did not drive away. Darla had no idea what was going on as she seemed distracted by her phone while leaning against her car.

Symone's scent filled my lungs, and I continued to doubt my resolve. I was only several inches away from her. She was staring at me, those beautiful chocolate-brown eyes tearing a hole in my soul. I could tell she was trying to read me. Suddenly her face hardened, and she crossed her arms.

"Can I help you?" I accidentally let out a soft growl. Her voice was sultry and sexy.

"Touch her," Goliath commanded. Without thinking, I found myself reaching for her. She dropped her arms, and her face softened again. I snapped out of the spell her aroma, voice, and face had put on me, and I pushed Goliath down in my mind before I spoke.

I had been waiting so long to find my mate, and now I was about to reject her because she wasn't what I thought she would be. I bit the inside of my cheeks, not wanting to hurt her, not wanting to let her go without a chance. I felt like a shallow asshole. Still, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I, Alpha Roman Blackwell of the Black River Pack, hereby reject you, Symone as my mate and Luna."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" Goliath growled and screamed in my head as we watched her collapse in front of us. I did not expect her reaction to be so powerful. She is only human, after all. I, however, felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I felt like the wind had been knocked right out of my lungs. The pain was intense. I couldn't breathe. Watching this beautiful woman in distress was worse than I could have imagined.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry," I said, but not out loud to her like I wanted to.

"What have you done to me?" Symone held her stomach and cried. Angela and Darla came running over to her. I stood there for a moment while Goliath once battled me for dominance. Feeling myself slipping, I quickly turned and hurried back to my truck.

"Is she supposed to react like that? What's happening to her?" Darien asked as I hopped back into the truck. "Wait, man, you can't leave her like this. She has to accept the rejection."

"I can't stay any longer. Goliath is fighting me. If we stay any longer, she'll be in my arms. If I touch her only once, I won't be able to stop." I looked at Darien, and he looked concerned. I looked back at Symone before pulling out of the parking lot to return to my packhouse.