Luna of the Golden Moon

Dancing

The small house had no lights on when Caleb rolled the truck up the last part of the driveway, making the panic in my chest get worse; where could they be?? Father didn’t like people in significant numbers, and Mother despised humans even if she lived amongst them.

I was almost stumbling to get out when Caleb stopped me with a rugged look; he didn’t want me to go inside without him making sure that someone wasn’t waiting for us, to my snort. What? Like an ambush? That was ridiculous! Nobody knew where we lived or even cared for that mattered to plan an ambush on me or my parents!

“Yes, I know… but that was before you became the Luna of the Golden Moon pack, Mila… a lot of Alphas would love to grab you, take you for ransom, or just….” He stopped when I gulped, hearing him not say the last part…use me… yes, I was starting to understand that too….

“Stay here, and don’t come inside before I tell you it’s safe; keep the doors locked.” He got out when I frowned. I saw his big body walking out to the door where I had been staying all my life, making it even more surreal to see Caleb here, stepping inside the older homestead I had been growing up in.

I was still holding my breath when he finally called me, telling me it was safe. I unlocked the car door, getting out to have him standing in the doorway looking grim, and my heart became colder. Was something wrong!?

“They are gone.” Caleb didn’t stop me when I rushed inside the small hallway, looking around the mess my mother would never have tolerated; it was like someone had been in a hurry to get out!

“Gone, what do you mean by gone?!” I was still searching around the small kitchen and living room, where Mother walked inside when she wanted to be alone. I did not find any of my parents, only the mess they had left behind!

“I’m sorry, Mila, but I’m not that surprised; you are not used to how the pack works, and since you are mated to me, you are my responsibility… maybe your parents decided that they wanted to go somewhere now when they aren’t in charge of your life….” My eyes grew, staring at the big guy with his arms crossed, looking stern again. Was he kidding me!? In charge of my life!? They were my parents, and they loved me, not just some freaking caretakers that would have been happy to get rid of me!

Caleb lost the scowl he was having when I was sneering it back at him; why was he always saying things like it was all just some upbringing, pedigree? Well, guess what? I didn’t have some fancy pedigree, not like he did!

“Mila!” He was coming after me when I was running up the stairs, sick of him and his stupid ways of just telling me that my parents never loved me, that I just was a package for them to care for, that wasn’t their responsibility, the second we got mated to each other!

“What!?” My stomach hurt again, and I felt sick, lying on my bed. I had stormed inside my small bedroom, wishing I had never eaten those hamburgers!

The small growls that sounded more like crying made my body shake when the big hand stroked my backside, wanting to help me feel better. Still, he couldn’t, not when my parents had clearly left me the second that I wasn’t living with them anymore!

“I’m sorry…. I am babe….” Caleb was stroking me, and it did feel better having the heat and tingles filling up my body from the rubbing he was giving me, making me turn around seeing his dark eyes that were worried, feeling helpless, same as me even if he wasn’t the one crying his eyes out over being abandoned!

“You are not abandoned. You have me, and I will never leave your side, not now, not when I become the head after my father.

You understand that, Luna? This is for life, us, mated together….” He purred at me with his deep Alpha wolf, wanting me to stop crying when I still felt like I didn’t understand anything; why did they even leave? I wasn’t lost; they knew where to find me even if they couldn’t see me?

Caleb pulled me up, having his arms around me when I was still whining, wanting comfort from his chest that I was snuggling inside of, feeling better that he was with me; I had no idea what would have happened if he wasn’t here and holding me.

“Cay…. I’m sorry….” I felt terrible when his eyes were changing, seeing me look up at him, pure yellow and frowning like something was wrong when I felt the warmth spreading from my thighs… oh no…. I looked down, seeing the miscolor soaking the light jeans that weren’t mine, making Caleb's eyes shift, thinking I was hurt.

Blood.

He got up, staring at me wildly like something was still wrong when I knew it wasn’t; getting up from the bedside and seeing the faint trace of my pants on the bedcover, I had just gotten my period.

“You’re not pregnant?” Caleb's dark voice rang out over the small bedroom, which was nothing compared to his at the wooden mansion. He stood tall and looked like he didn’t understand anything, staring down at my ruined jeans.

“No…I’m not….” I was taking a step back, wanting to get out of my pants and not just standing here with him staring at me like he was hurt; that didn’t make any sense? he told me that if we didn’t get pregnant by the end of this heat, we were going to wait.

Right now, I felt relief knowing that I wouldn’t have to care for a baby when I could barely care for myself!

“What is that about?? I am taking care of you; you think you need to worry about what? Food, a roof over your head? Don’t be ridiculous, Emilia! As the Luna of the golden moon, you are to have my heir, and that is it!”

I closed my eyes, hearing Caleb's loud, roaring voice, making my head hurt, and my heart clench; yes! I knew all that, but that’s what I wanted, and he had promised me. He did, and he knew that! Luna of the Golden Moon or not!

“That was before we found out you weren’t pregnant, Emilia; listen to me! I am already fighting everyone that you will be the Luna of this pack, father too, even if you don’t understand that! This pack needs to know that you can provide an heir since that is what you should bring to this mateship!” Caleb wasn’t screaming anymore, but he was stern and serious, not a trace of the carefree guy who had his tongue down my throat at a parking lot or trusted me to go inside the water that he hated with all his might. He was Alpha Caleb.

“Get out.” I said it cold back to his surprised face, having let fall every drop of anger in his eyes that was scared hearing me wanting him to leave when he was acting insane on me!

“I can’t… listen, babe. I’m sorry for yelling. I am… just listen to me…” He was pleading with me, relaxing his big body to make him seem less hostile when I didn’t care. He was staring back defiantly at the taller man who could crush me with one single stroke, and right now, he was looking lost, like he was a pup more than my mate.

“No, you listen to me! I wasn’t ready and thought you cared about my opinion. Still, clearly, you are just following head Alpha words like you have been since you left me on the floor to die!” my eyes shifted, showing that my wolf was still hurt over that same as me; he could listen to me, but instead, he just pretended to get what he wanted!” my eyes where hurt, same as my lip that had started to tremble when he didn’t answer, just looking like I was right, I know I was. He could just tell me that!

“You were not dying since Katerina wasn’t even trying to kill you. she wouldn’t…. too soft to even put out the only girl in her competition.….” Caleb was still looking stern, retaking the posture that made him look unreachable to me, still not understanding anything, hurting me even more when he looked just like his father.

I walked back, hating that he didn’t look that upset. What the hell was wrong with him, anyway? He loved me but had no problem lying to my face.

Caleb looked up like he finally had started to have some emotions on his face, more than hurt, before switching off and seeing me standing at the far end of the small room and still staring at him, upset for not listening to me.

“I never lied, never. don’t you dare say that to me again; just because I don’t feel the same way you do doesn’t make me a liar!” He was pointing his finger at me, feeling like it was piercing my heart, when I whined from the pain spreading around my chest and stomach; I didn’t want him to be angry at me; I just wanted some respect for my feelings!

“I respect your feelings; you don’t respect mine.” He was walking past me when I didn’t stop him. I was too confused about what he accused me of and didn’t understand his feelings. He had none sometimes!

The sound of the door slamming made me cry, wanting to run after him, but at the same time, what was the point? We couldn’t agree, and he was controlled by the head no matter what he was feeling!

I had thrown Caleb's mother's clothes inside a plastic bag, feeling bad for ruining them now when I was alone, showered and was taking down a skirt that mother wouldn’t allow me to wear; it was short and black, combined with the sweater showing my bare stomach.

I looked nothing like the girl who had lived here just a few days ago, with wild eyes and a desire for Caleb's return. He was probably just around the house, but he wouldn’t leave me, not when I was alone in my parents' home.

“Cay?” I sounded pathetic, and I knew it; still hurting from the ache in my stomach, I walked out slowly in my white sneakers, ready to look for him to my own shame. He was right.

I didn’t understand his feelings, but it wasn’t that easy since he didn’t share them with me… maybe I hadn’t cared about what he wanted… I was biting my lip going downstairs and seeing the empty driveway, the stone in my stomach dropping. Did he leave me!?

I ran outside, looking everywhere, calling his name over the matebond when he didn’t answer, as if I couldn’t reach him anymore. When did he even take off??

“Caleb?!” my mind was starting to lose it, holding my hands over my head, being stuck here inside the empty home, wanting my mate back the second he had decided to take off and leave me!

The sound of the car coming up on the street made me laugh, and I felt intense relief that Caleb was back—and he didn’t leave me like I had thought!

“Hey, hotshots, you want a ride or run as wolves?” I lost my smile when I saw the charismatic guy grinning at me mischievously over at the driver's side, sitting in the same truck that Caleb and I had arrived at my parent’s home.

“Where is Caleb?” I hated that I was so hurt that he had sent Kyle instead of coming himself. He didn’t even trust him, and suddenly, it was okay for him to go and get me alone at night.

I didn’t move to look at him, smiling more like he knew what was happening inside my mind. That was impossible; Caleb had told me that only the Alphas could hear you, and Kyle was just a Beta, first or not.

“Luna, I’m going to be honest, that mate of yours is passed out, and I need you to come and get him before someone takes that spot of yours….” He still smiled when I lost the slight resistance inside my chest; Caleb had done what??

“Take me to him.” I was already climbing the seat, ignoring that Kyle was checking out my legs when I was strapping in. I wanted to leave as soon as possible; if Caleb had passed out, he was in danger, and the beta should never have left him!

The music inside the car was on when I was starting out, Kyle taking us on some roadside that wasn’t on the grid. Seeing the lights in the distance made me even more tense. Why was Caleb doing this?? He loved me and left me because I didn’t want to have a baby.

My heart rate was increasing when the carefree man to my side passed me, the joint glowing in the dark, when I frowned and pushed his hand back to his snicker, thinking I was uptight, and I knew it.

“You fit in with him just fine…. That for sure….” Kyle was inhaling when I snorted at his stupid comments. Yes, I did because I was his mate and not some other skank who was coming to take my place as the Luna!

“You know, it's not that fun talking alone… I can’t hear you….” Kyle snickered more when my frown disappeared while I exhaled the sweet-smelling smoke. To my surprise, I didn’t hate it, starting to relax; oh, goddess, I really was uptight, wasn’t I?

“I’m sorry, Kyle…. I’m not used to talking out loud anymore since Caleb can hear me and…. I’m sorry for acting rude…. thank you for coming to pick me up….” I was smiling now, trying to show him that I was thankful and that he was an excellent friend to Caleb for looking out for him more than he deserved.

“No problems, Luna, that’s my whole gig….” Kyle was smiling more, showing off his attractive face; he was really hot, and he knew it, steering into the abandoned farmstead filled with people. To my surprise, there were humans here too, and not only wolves, but all seemed to hook up or have fun.

“Still… thank you, can you please take me to him?” I was smiling more when he nodded, killing the engine and wanting to help me out when I got out myself to his snicker and started to walk into the crowd, people cheering when they saw him; some girl even kissed him on the go before going back to dancing again to my frown, what was that even??

Kyle was still laughing at my shocked face, thinking I was innocent and working his way inside the barn with music that was killing my ears but didn’t seem to bother anyone else. I was surprised to see plenty of wolves, Delta, and Beta dancing around, looking happier than I had ever seen at the mansion.

“There he is….” Kyle was pointing to the back of the barn, and to my anger, my body wanted to shift and kill the man sitting passed out on the hay with not a girl at his side but two! stroking his arms like they were allowed!

“Why didn’t you stop him?” I stared accusingly at Kyle, who shrugged. He was clearly wasted, too, which made me annoyed at him more for driving and just looking like he had done his job. It was my turn to take over.

“I can't tell him what to do, hotshots; that’s where you come inside the picture. He is your mate, and those girls are ready to make sure that he leaves with them and not you….” my eyes shifted into gold-green, my claws out. I couldn’t stop the growl heard all over the stupid barn where people were still dancing, not even noticing that I was half-shifted and ready to kill anyone coming close to my mate!

“Move!” I was growling it to the first girl, staring at me like I was crazy; she was in a short dress and she had clearly been all over Caleb. I would kill her when I could smell the cheap perfume from her body on him!

“What the….” She didn’t have time to say more when I grabbed her hair, pulled her away headfirst, and threw her down onto the ground to the cheers of people.

I growled more, seeing her wolf eyes entering the dimly lighted barn; what the hell was she thinking, even trying to get my mate?! At least the other girl was a human who started to cry, making them both fall face down into the dirt and destroying that pretty makeup they thought would make my mate sleep with them!

The wolf girl got up again, showing off her teeth, offended and wanting to get me back when my hands had sharp claws on the end of my fingertips, itching to get that pretty face and rip it right off for slobbering over my mate with her disgusting scent!

“Alright, the show’s over; as you all can see, Alpha Caleb has a mate and…. You are welcome to take her on, baby girl, but I can’t guarantee you will make It out alive….” Kyle was clapping his hands, smirking at the girl that was staring at me wildly when she understood that I was Caleb's mate and not just some w***e adding to her competition!

“Luna, please….” She was bowing down, taking along the wolves that weren’t even aware of what was happening to Kyle's smirk, becoming more prominent, loving every second of this when I huffed before turning my back on the girls trying to seduce my mate.

The music started to blast again, and someone turned up even more, to my annoyance, when Kyle came up to my side, still looking like he was having the time of his life seeing me in action.

“Oh… what happened to him, Kyle?” I was coming closer, stroking my mate's face, which seemed wasted. He was still leaning against the barn’s old wooden planks.

“Yeah, he got wasted, that was for sure…. I’m pretty baked, to be honest too, Luna….” Kyle didn’t say more when I was sighing; I guess he got upset because we didn't have an heir; I just didn’t understand why this was so important to him?

“He told me… about… you know…. That…” Kyle nodded towards my bare stomach when I sighed again. Yes, he would have, considering he couldn’t stand up alone right now, my big, handsome mate.

“I’m not.” I said it sharply when Kyle held his hands up, another blunt in between his fingers, looking like he wasn’t going to argue about that with me when I was still feeling angry from having to defend my mate from two strange females.

“Yeah, I got that. So, you want some girly, or should I find someone else who appreciates my free bane when offered?” When I stared at it, wolfsbane, he held the blunt back at me. That was what it was, and I had never even heard that you could get high from it. I guess that it made sense since alcohol didn’t do that much on a wolf.

I switched my eyes between Caleb and the burning joint in Kyles's hand, not knowing what to do. Caleb had told me we would do this, but… he was out, and I didn’t want anyone else to come and put their hands on him.

“I can’t; Caleb won't like it….” I was disappointed, knowing that I would hate myself for not trying when I had the chance, but I loved my mate and respected that he didn’t want me to do this.

“Ah… come on, it’s just the butt of it… Caleb won’t know, and I’m no snitch….” Kyle was smirking more, seeing my eyes really wanting the thing in his hand…. Screw it… just this once!

I grabbed the burning end and put it inside my lips, seeing Kyle follow with his eyes and making a big laugh when I took a deep breath and started to cough right out. I felt the smoke coming out of my nose and mouth when I gave it back to the snickering Kyle.

“Oh goddess… what the hell was that??” I took deep gasps, trying to catch my breath to Kyles’s laughter, when he took a long drag from the blunt. He looked at me, intrigued by his baby blue eyes, which suddenly had a mischievous quality.

“I can’t believe you never tried bane Luna; it’s a rite of passage for wolves…” he smirked more when I rolled my eyes; my body didn’t feel different; maybe it didn’t work on me because I was an Alpha?

“Yes… my mother…. she doesn’t like fun things…” I giggled when Kyle smirked more, leaning closer like he was having just as much fun as me, giving me a beer bottle; he was a lifesaver, and I was soo thirsty!

“That does sound like a family trait. The head and Caleb… aren’t that much fun either…. but me… I’m fun…” He smiled more when I wasn’t listening, gulping down the beer he had given me before looking around. So now what?

“You want to dance, Emilia?” Kyle nodded to the dancefloor when I laughed. Yes! I wanted to dance so much!

I was leading Kyle behind me when the music wasn’t loud anymore. It was beating softly, and the lights around me were melting together, making everything look like a rainbow.

“It’s so beautiful…” I was reaching out for the colors when my hips started to sway, wanting to live inside the beat that made me feel warmer than I ever had been; this was amazing!

“Not as beautiful as you are, baby girl….” Kyle was smiling behind me when I giggled more. I took his hand and made him dance like me to the strange pulse that made me never want to stop.

“This is great! I don’t understand why Caleb was telling me no!?” I was laughing when Kyle shrugged, pulling me closer. I giggled more, feeling his firm body against mine, swaying together in the soft beat of the crowd dancing.

Suddenly, my body jerked forward, and Kyle was being yanked back hard into the crowd of people moaning and complaining with anger before seeing the tall Alpha, who was fuming with rage, staring at me like he couldn’t believe I was dancing with Kyle and still was on the ground, head down and not moving with everyone around wanted to continue to dance.

“What the actual f**k, Mila! Are you high?!” Caleb was coming closer, seeing my eyes smiling stupidly, so what if I was? Screw him being selfish, wanting to have fun alone, and leaving me in the house!

“Mila!?” Caleb grabbed my arm when I snatched it back, smirking at him; he couldn’t tell me what to do! I was free, and he could be a boring Alpha somewhere else!

“I’m going to kill you, Kyle; I said bring her, not get her f*****g wasted! How much did she inhale?!” Caleb was barking it at the ground, where Kyle was still looking back up, resting on his elbows, unsure of what to answer when I did.

“Not as much as you, Alpha, seeing that you smell of two strays with their hands all over you!” I was hissing it, hating that he was ruining my vibe, I was having fun, and here he was to make sure I knew my freaking place; how unusual!

“Luna, don’t even get me started on the fact that you were clinging onto my first Beta. Do you even understand how shameful you are acting right now?!” Caleb was still roaring when the crowd of people who hadn’t cared about me and Kyle dancing started to snicker and stare at the show before them.

My lips got stuck together when everyone was still staring, and I had my arms crossed, seeing the genuine disgust on Caleb's face like this was all my fault; it wasn’t!

“Screw you!” I couldn’t help it; the words just vomiting out of me before I turned outside, wanting to leave and never come back! Caleb had made me look like I was stupid and a willing w***e that was just dancing with Kyle; at least he was conscious!