Moonlit Rivalry: Raya's Heart

Ch. 7

Raya’s POV

Cruz practically bit Garret's head off, his voice laced with frustration. "What do you mean she's your charge? This isn't funny, Garret. I already told you she's not my mate."

Garret stood his ground, unfazed by Cruz's scowl and stern tone. He looked up at him with that carefree smile of his. "It's not a joke, Cruz. Amaya confirmed that we have a moon-bond, and it's not a mate bond. I can feel her, man. That pounding headache I had last night? It was her pain. I know she's not your mate, but that doesn't mean she isn't under my protection. Maybe you need another Gamma."

I still didn’t understand this myself, but I knew it was real. I could feel Garret’s playful nature pulling at my own. It was like he was a part of me, like a friend I had grown up with all my life.

Cruz let out a weary sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sank back into his chair. Stress etched across his face, he closed his eyes, revealing a vulnerable side of him I had never seen before. It was like I was catching a glimpse of another side of Cruz, one where he was just a young man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Perhaps it was my connection with Garret, but I felt like I understood Cruz better.

“I’m sorry, Cruz. You know I’m still here for you.”

“Yeah, unless she's in danger.” He pointed to me like I was the cause of his heartache.

“I’m sorry?” I held my hands out in a shrug while Garret chuckled.

“See, I’m rubbing off already.”

“Just go, I need to finish planning and you’re only adding to my headache.” Cruz sent us away, but Garret didn’t turn to leave. He threw me a wink, and it was like I knew exactly what he was thinking. Garret tossed me a file off Cruz’s desk, I opened it and began flipping through the pages, casually strolling around the office as Cruz chased after me. Every time he got close, I tossed the file back to Garret, causing Cruz to huff in frustration. Yet, I could see the corners of his lips begging to smile.

"This place is nice, but it could use some flowers here and here," I commented, pointing to a picture in the fule. I knew Cruz was tall enough to see over my shoulder. "You could... well, wait one second." I grabbed a pen from his desk and swiftly sketched out the venue, drawing out the areas I felt needed improving. I used all the information Cruz had meticulously detailed in the file. My near-photographic memory helped, allowing me to remember every last detail he had written in that file.

"Here you go," I said, handing the paper to Cruz, who had been watching me curiously.

Cruz paused, his eyes scanning the paper. "This is..." he trailed off, searching for the right words. "Not absolutely terrible."

Garret wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Wow, that's the best compliment he's ever given anyone," he remarked, a playful tone in his voice.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for those who had to deal with Cruz if this was the best compliment he could give. "Is it really? That's just sad. Being an Alpha doesn't mean you can't be a kind ruler," I said, my voice tinged with disappointment.

“You wouldn’t understand. As an Alpha you can’t show any weakness," Cruz defended himself.

"Kindness isn't a weakness. In fact, it's a strength. If being kind scares you, then you're already showing weakness. I think it's cowardice."

I immediately regretted my words as I saw Cruz's face contort. I wasn't sure if he was going to lash out or embrace me. Garret tensed, and I mirrored his guarded stance. The bond between us still felt strange, as if we were two halves of the same person. However, Cruz quickly dispelled our worries as he let out a deep chuckle in response to my comment.

“You’re an interesting human, Raya," Cruz commented with an amused gleam in his eyes. "I'll think about your words, and I’ll take your advice on the venue. I do need to get back to work now, so you guys see yourself out and stop acting weird, Garret. You shouldn’t be holding her like that. You’re going to confuse your bond if you’re too physical.”

His comments left me feeling confused, desperately wishing for a book that could provide me with the knowledge I needed about this world.

Garret dismissed Cruz's warning with a casual wave. "Whatever, that's just a rumor," he said, but I wasn't sure what his words meant.

“Not just a rumor, so get your hands off her.” Dane came into the office, instantly sending my heart a flutter as I laid eyes on his handsome face.

Garret leaned in, teasingly whispering in my ear. "Hmm, you like him," he taunted. I playfully swatted him away, knowing he was just trying to provoke a reaction. “I’ll force him to make a move. Ready? Watch.”

Garret didn’t give me a second to respond as his lips grazed my neck. He laid a soft kiss that made my breath hitch. It wasn’t uncomfortable as it had been before whenever a guy would kiss my skin. it evoked a heavy breath, almost a moan, though not quite. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but I didn't have a moment to dwell on it as Dane swiftly pulled me away from Garret, pushing him back.

Dane held me close against his chest, allowing me to hear the rapid thumping of his heart. His chest rumbled with a deep growl, one that seemed to reverberate through the walls and made me jump. Cruz turned in surprise while Garret simply stared at Dane with a knowing smile before bursting into playful laughter. "I knew you liked her," he declared.

"We need to talk," Cruz's expression turned serious as he locked eyes with Dane. There was a hint of concern in his gaze, as if Dane had suddenly become a potential threat.

"I know we do, but these two stay, because I don't trust that one to be alone with her," Dane insisted firmly.

"No, they go. Garret, behave, that's an order," Cruz pointed his finger at him.

"Behaving, got it," Garret smirked at me as he confidently made his way towards the door. "You're going to have to let her go, Dane, otherwise I'll have to take her from you, and I don't think you want me to touch her," Garret playfully teased.

"One second," Dane looked down at me with a mixture of desire and determination in his eyes. My heart raced in my chest, overwhelmed by his intense gaze. "Sorry," he whispered to me before leaning in towards my neck. His nose grazed the spot where Garret had kissed, followed by a gentle stroke of his tongue. I clung to his shirt, unable to contain a passionate moan that escaped my lips, causing me further embarrassment.

"He needs to smell someone else on you, so he doesn't get confused," Dane explained to me, making me realize that this act was not driven by sensuality, but rather a means to prevent Garret from becoming physically involved with me. Summoning all my strength, I pushed Dane away, giving him the most furious glare I could manage before striding towards Garret.

“Don’t say a word.” I snapped at Garret, my voice filled with frustration, as I briskly walked past him and into the hallway. The sensation of Dane's tongue against my skin had left me incredibly aroused, an experience unlike anything I had ever felt before.

“Explain,” I heard Cruz demand of Dane before Garret closed the door behind us.

“Let’s go get you some clothes. We can talk about Dane while we do.”

“No, we are not talking about Dane. Instead, you can tell me all about yourself." I needed my thoughts to stay clear of Dane.

"Okay, fine, but I think it would be more fun if we spoke about the Beta," Garret teased me, but I think he sensed my turmoil as he stopped. His smile dropped with his brows pinching in concern. He grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers as he led the way.

It's still so odd to me how comfortable I feel with him. I dare say he's at the same level as Amaya, even though I know nothing of him. That's part of the reason why I said we'd be talking about him. I want to know everything there is to know about him to match the level of comfort I feel for him. Maybe then I won't find it as strange.

Garret led the way to a large building a ways away from the pack house. Inside, hundreds of racks were filled to the brim with clothes. I squealed excitedly as I pranced about the place, finding garments that would fit me. Thankfully, the bras and underwear still had the tags on them, ensuring they were brand new. As I shopped around, I couldn't help but bombard Garret with a million questions.

He revealed that he was an only child, even though he's always wanted a sibling. He then went on to tell me about his mom, who actually owns the coffee shop we were in this morning.

"Don't worry about paying for coffee ever again while you're here," Garret promised, his words filling me with gratitude.

"I could kiss you right now," I exclaimed, expressing my joy with a phrase I had heard used before.

"Oh, really?" he arched his brow, playfully testing my limits. "I bet you haven't kissed many people."

"About 5. Every time I did, I would feel so grossed out after that I'd want to throw up," I sighed, admitting one of my secrets easily.

"I can feel your sadness over it, Raya. I'm sorry. Although I wonder if it's just a human thing? Maybe you're only disgusted by humans," Garret mused, his curiosity evident. "I can feel your curiosity about it, too," he smirked, and I knew exactly what he was thinking. "Wanna kiss me and see?" he suggested, his playful tone lingering in the air.

"Didn't Cruz tell you to behave?"

"Yeah, but he won't know if you don't tell him."

"I thought you couldn't disobey an Alpha order?" I argued, thinking of Amaya and how she couldn't tell me she was a witch because Cruz had ordered her not to.

"It wasn't an Alpha order, he didn't use the voice. There's a difference, but we can get into that another time."

I nodded in agreement before returning to the rack filled with dresses. Sun dresses were always my favorite. There was something about slipping into a dress that felt so effortless compared to the task of choosing a shirt and pants to wear.

"So is that a yes?" Garret asked, gently grabbing my chin with his calloused hand. He turned me so that I was gazing into those brown eyes of his, instead of the beautiful dresses.

"You play around too much," I scolded him, but I couldn't help the curiosity bubbling in me.

"That I do, but you still haven't answered me." He smirked, seeing the turmoil his question was causing me. Probably feeling it himself. How did this bond work exactly? Could he feel everything I felt?

Garret leaned down further, closing the gap between our heights. His smile had faded, turning more into a lopsided grin. His eyes locked with mine, baring into my soul. A vibrating tingle spread through my body, almost as if my soul were ready to burst out of my skin. I had never experienced anything like it before. What is this?