Moonlit Rivalry: Raya's Heart

Ch. 6

Dane’s POV

As I woke up this morning, I couldn't help but run through the events of last night in my head. Cruz had told me that he could smell Raya just as strongly as he would expect to scent his mate. It drew him in, but he insisted it wasn't a s****l attraction. Instead, her scent had a calming effect on him, something that made him uneasy considering he was supposed to be wary of her.

I remembered the brief moment when I caught her, feeling her skin against mine. It sent a burning flame through me, making it difficult to pull away. I had left my hand on her for longer than I intended, unable to move away from her. And when she was sent out, I almost followed her, the pull to her was undeniable. But Lucian wasn't entirely convinced that she was truly our mate. He could feel a pull, but he wasn't sure what it meant. And according to Garret, he also felt a connection to her, but on a different level. The situation was filled with uncertainty and confusion, leaving us all wondering what this mysterious woman meant to us.

I felt a surge of anger as I realized that the connection I thought was unique between her and me was actually shared by others. It frustrated me to see her jogging this morning, dressed in a way that made me want to grab her and force her to change, but I restrained myself. The other male wolves were also watching her, and I channeled my anger into training, using it as an excuse to push them harder. I reminded them that they couldn't be easily distracted by a pair of bouncing breasts nearby, saying it loud enough in the hopes that she would hear me. However, she didn't even turn my way, which only fueled my anger further.

As I was cleaning up from training, I noticed Raya in Garret's arms. He was holding her tenderly before gently placing her on the ground. She held a finger up to him, signaling him to wait for a moment. I watched as she covered her mouth with her hand, as if trying not to vomit. Garret must have run with her, and it seemed that she was experiencing motion sickness. Surprisingly, she managed to hold her stomach contents in. Garret extended his hand to her with a smile, and she smiled back at him, actually smiling at the man who had pushed her just last night.

"Go after them!" Lucian urged me, his voice echoing in my mind.

"And say what? You're not my mate, but you might be?" I replied, frustration seeping into my words. This situation was tearing at me. I had no claim on her, yet I desperately wanted to. A deep growl rumbled from within me, causing the wolves around me to whimper. It was strange to have such an effect on other wolves when I was only a beta, but here I was, commanding their submission with just a growl.

"Just go and see what's happening," Lucian insisted, his restlessness mirroring my own.

I decided to listen to him, my curiosity reaching its peak. I followed Raya's scent of jasmine, leading me to Amaya's room. At first, I thought I had picked up her scent from earlier, but then I heard Garret's voice and Raya's giggle, and I lost control. Without a care in the world, I pushed open the door, growling at Garret as he had his arm around Raya.

"What are you doing?!" I snapped at Garret, my frustration boiling over.

"Dude, chill," he replied with his usual playful smirk, removing his arm from around Raya and stepping towards me. But the warning growl that escaped my chest stopped him in his tracks. His smile quickly faded, and his expression turned serious.

"She's my charge, Dane," Garret explained, his words confusing me. His charge? But Raya is not the Luna of the pack. Cruz had made that clear last night, proving that Raya is not his mate and therefore not the Luna.

"What do you mean? She's not the Luna," I said, my confusion evident.

"I don't know, man. All I know is that we're connected," Garret replied, his tone more serious now. "Amaya is looking into it, so can you chill the f**k out now?"

I let out a heavy sigh, feeling the tension in my muscles slowly dissipate. It was absurd that I was on the verge of fighting Garret over a human I had only met last night. This couldn't be normal. There had to be more to this situation, something deeper and more significant.

"Now that's settled, prick your fingers with this," Amaya said, rolling her eyes at me as she handed Garret a dagger adorned with ancient runes and a sharp tip. Garret followed her instructions, allowing a drop of blood to trickle down the blade and into the crystal embedded in the hilt. Then, he took Raya's hand, and I had to restrain Lucian, who was displaying an uncharacteristic possessiveness. Garret carefully and gently pricked Raya's finger, allowing her blood to mix with his inside the crystal. As the two bloods swirled together, the crystal began to glow white.

"What does that mean?" I asked, my impatience growing by the second.

"It means they have a moon-bond," Amaya replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she looked at her best friend.

"A moon-bond?" Raya questioned, clearly confused.

"It means that the moon itself has bonded us," Garret explained. "You see, I'm a gamma, and a gamma's duty is to protect the Luna with their life. You, Raya, are my charge, and I would willingly lay down my life for you."

Raya's eyes widened in realization. "What's a Luna?"

I had forgotten that Raya was unfamiliar with our pack's rankings and positions. "Usually, the Luna is the Alpha's mate. They hold a position of leadership within the pack, working alongside the Alpha to guide and grow the pack. It's a significant responsibility, and as the Luna, you have your own subordinate, the Gamma. It's similar to how the Alpha has their Beta," Garret explained, shedding light on our pack's structure.

"Wait, so Cruz is my mate?" Raya's expression turned horrified as she asked the question, and I couldn't help but smirk. I liked that she didn't seem thrilled about the idea of being mated to Cruz.

"According to him, you're not. His wolf would have sensed that on you last night," I replied, confirming what Cruz had already revealed.

"So what does that mean, then?" Raya asked, her confusion evident.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Garret chimed in, laughing lightly.

"Don't worry, Raya. We'll figure it out," Amaya reassured her, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "But for now, you've got a puppy who isn't going to leave your side. So you should feel rather safe." She pointed at Garret, clearly finding the situation amusing. "Garret, take her to see Cruz again. Let him know what's going on and make him talk to her more. He needs to get to know her better. Maybe her being your charge will help ease his worries about letting her go."

"Got it. Come on, Raya. I'll take you to Mr. Sour Face," Garret said, his tone lightening up. Raya giggled at his little joke, and I couldn't help but notice the genuine smile that spread across Garret's face. The bond between a Gamma and their charge was not meant to be flirtatious or s****l, but I have heard of instances in which a Luna loses her Alpha her Gamma fulfills all her needs. I couldn't help but wonder if, in the absence of her Alpha, Garret would feel the need to fulfill Raya's needs. The thought sent a surge of possessiveness through me, and I almost followed them out of the room. However, before I could act on my impulse, Amaya shut the door in my face with a wave of her hand, using her magic to keep me inside.

"Nope, you and I need to talk," Amaya said in a serious tone.

"What about?" I snapped, my frustration still lingering.

"Give me your finger, dumbass," she replied, extending her hand for me to place my palm in. I rolled my eyes, but reluctantly did as she said. She traced the lines on my palm, humming as she focused. "Remind me, you weren't born in this pack, correct?"

"Yeah, I was found near the river that flows through the pack lands. My dad took me in and raised me. My birth parents were floating down the river dead," I explained, the memories resurfacing.

"I'm sorry about that," Amaya sighed, closing my fingers so that I was making a fist. She grabbed a light blue crystal and ran it in a circle over the veins on my wrist. To my surprise, the crystal began to change colors, turning teal. "We need to look into your past, Dane. You have strong Alpha blood in you."

Amaya's words tore my world in two. I had always wondered about my past, but I never asked questions, not wanting to make my parents feel like I was ungrateful. Now, the curiosity and longing to understand my heritage surged within me.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. If what Amaya said was true, it meant that I would have to leave this pack soon. As I grew older, Lucian would become stronger, and eventually, he would want to challenge Cruz for the Alpha position. But that was something I never wanted to do. Cruz was my best friend, more like a brother to me, and the thought of having to leave his side broke my heart. I couldn't bear the idea of not being there for the person I cared for the most.

"Yeah, I know what I'm doing, Dane," Amaya reassured me, rolling her eyes at my question. "Here, give me some of your blood. I will find out more about your past." She handed me a small dagger, different from the one she had given Garret and Raya.

"Thanks," I muttered, taking the dagger from her. With a steady hand, I pricked my thumb, allowing the blood to flow and fill the hilt of the dagger. As I watched the crimson liquid pool inside, a mix of anticipation and anxiety coursed through me. I was about to uncover secrets about my own identity, and I couldn't help but wonder how it would change everything.

"And by the way, she likes to draw. She loves the rain, coffee early in the morning, and sitting by a river and enjoying nature. Her favorite snacks are all dark chocolate, cause she's weird as f**k, and her favorite drink is a sunrise smoothie. She hates scary movies and loves romcoms. Also, she can't stand guys who look at women as possessions and not their own person," Amaya rattled off, seemingly out of nowhere.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused by her sudden stream of information.

"Raya, of course," Amaya replied with a mischievous grin. "I can tell you want her, and I think she wants you too. Which is unusual for her. Lucian seems to want her, so even though he hasn't growled 'mate' yet, maybe he will when you become Alpha." She shrugged nonchalantly, taking the dagger from my hand and getting to work.

I was taken aback by Amaya's words, my mind racing to process what she was implying. The thought of Raya reciprocating my feelings sent a surge of excitement through me, but I knew it was a bad idea. Until she's confirmed to be my mate, I should not pursue her, for both our sakes.

"Go find her and take her to get some clothes," Amaya continued, her tone teasing. "Her poor t**s are probably dying in that small shirt of mine." She laughed at my blush, clearly enjoying the effect her words had on me. I shook my head, trying to clear my mind from the distracting thoughts.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I lied.

“Sure you don’t.” I heard her still laughing as I closed the door behind me. My footsteps echoed as I made my way to Cruz’s office, where I hoped to meet up with Raya. I don’t know how I’m going to tell Cruz I’m an Alpha.