Luna of the Golden Moon

Kyle

I searched through the crowd and saw my mother where she was standing and talking to some other Betas.

She must have felt me coming because she turned her head and looked at me in horror at where I came and went with something entirely different than what I had arrived at with her.

She apologized, walked quickly to me, and pulled me into a corner of the room before I had time to protest. I was different, but she was my mother; it was impossible to avoid her commanding me, even without words.

“Emilia Victoria Jackson, what are you wearing, child?!” She said my full name, scolding me as I calmly looked at her for the first time in my life and smiled without fear of what she would say when we stood in the crowded hall.

"I shifted, Mother." I knew admitting it was just as good; she wasn't stupid. I both looked and felt different in front of her face, which looked scared before it became proud, more than I had seen her be in a long time.

“That means he's here!” Mother grabbed my arm, instantly looking around at me for a mark, seeing that she knew my mate was here, only to look disappointed when I didn't have one.

“Maybe...” I said the word secretly when she immediately started trying to figure out who it was that looked at me examining; I laughed at her curiosity. She would never find out, not if I did not say anything.

“Roger!” She called my father, who stood further away with a beer, and sighed when he heard her coming over. I giggled again. Alcohol does not affect us in the same way as humans, and we did not get drunk as fast as we would have if we had shifted.

He walked through the crowd, which did not care about his presence, and stopped before Mother and wavered a bit. I wondered how many beers he had been drinking while I was away.

Mother took his hands and started chatting about what had happened. He just smiled proudly at me and patted me on the arm. Father was like that. He did not say much, which was enough; my mother spoke enough for both.

“Goddess, what if it's someone from the neighboring packs, maybe even a Beta?” She looked at me in amazement; she was happy, making me more proud of my Alpha male.

I giggled again, yanked at one of the glasses of champagne carried around, and swept it quickly.

I was an adult now, at least in our world, ignoring that my mother disapproved of me drinking. Still, she did not seem to care as she just kept chatting, with me taking another glass and sipping happily. I was the luckiest girl in the world; how did even I, as a Delta, mate him?

I heard Caleb's deep voice and turned to the other side of the big hall. He was standing with a big group of people surrounding him; they were our age, everyone was dressed in black, and they were probably his friends.

And to my frown, he wasn't even giving me a glance; a pretty brunette clinging to him, and the worst part was that he didn't stop her! I felt the fire in my stomach, wanting to growl when he was mine!

I stared at the back of his head without being able to help it. He turned around just as I was on my way across the floor and glanced at me with his dark eyes, which said no.

I obeyed, stopping before my first step, and fluttered my eyes as he circled around again as if nothing had happened. Like he didn't tell me to stay away so he could go back and talk to his stupid friends and apparent girlfriend!

I felt so damn hurt that I wanted to die having a life crisis with my mother behind me, who had not noticed that I was utterly devastated.

“Not now, Luna...” The words were comforting when Caleb felt how sad I was being turned away; what choice did I have?

I put the champagne glass down and went further into the hall, getting lost in the people. I wanted to escape Caleb and not listen to him in my head anymore!

I entered a vast hall I did not even know existed before. The music was louder as I moved slowly through the crowd and saw more men of different ranks staring at me with a desire to my confusion. These were the same people who had scoffed at my arrival, and now they had hunger in their eyes?

My wolf could feel them as I ignored them, stopped before a window, looked at the green acres, and sighed heavily. I had been so happy, and now I was standing here, abandoned and lonely over something that wasn't even an hour old.

I was officially pathetic.

“Here you go...” I turned around, confused, and looked at a guy. He was big and primarily muscular, but I didn’t think he was an Alpha. Maybe a bigger beta? He had a bright white smile, tousled blond hair, and baby-blue eyes that had playfulness against my sad ones.

He was cute, handed me a shot when I took it and smiled after I drank it.

"Thanks..." I needed it more than I had realized after feeling the slight kick that faded fast as the cute guy looked at me with those baby blues like he wanted to eat me, making me laugh at the irony.

I just found my mate, who didn’t even want me in the same space with his friends, and now a hot guy is trying to hit me up, and I would never want him. That’s fate for you.

“Kyle.” When I looked at him, he held out his hand and smiled without taking it. I didn't want to touch him. I still had Caleb's scent on me, and I didn't want to lose it because I had taken another man's hand in mine.

“Emilia...” I said my name when he grinned back, staring at me. He looked good, not as good-looking as Caleb in my eyes, but any unmarked female would turn their head as he passed them.

“Do you drink, Emilia?” His voice was just curious as I shrugged and nodded. What else could I do? Abandoned by my mate, that still hurt like hell.

He smiled and pointed to the bar. I laughed, and he kept his distance from me, to my relief. I sat on the chair and got more shots in front of me as I drank fast, too fast, but I didn't care since the pain of seeing my mate have another girl close and telling me no was driving me crazy, and I knew it!

It hurt to think about it, and I waved at the poor bartender who filled the glasses. I was going to drink the first one when I stopped how Kyle looked at me, fascinated; he wanted me.

I saw it when I looked down at the dress and realized its effect on the males. I also noticed that my hair was in loose waves now, unlike a doll after running through the forest. I looked good; how on earth did that happen?

“So… do you have a mate? I can’t see a mark on you...” I drank the shot in front of him and giggled. What the hell would I answer that? Yes, I had a mate, but I could not be with him? I just giggled more.

I drank again and slammed the glass hard on the wooden counter. I had probably overestimated that I tolerated more than people because I felt heavier and my steps unstable. I had started to stop caring about what I said. Screw Caleb; he was an ass! I could be here, flirting with this Kyle, and he could taste his medicine of seeing your mate flirting with someone else!

I pushed away the remaining glasses and giggled when I held my head and looked at him, smiling stupidly, not caring that the whole place could see me, let them.

Kyle smiled smugly back at me that I had gotten drunk so fast despite being so cocky with the shots he had given me.

“Take it easy, hotshot.” He chuckled when I smiled wider and giggled. He was funny and sweet; too bad he was not my male.

I sighed and looked at the crowd, and he followed my eyes as he saw that I was looking for someone, making a nod.

He understood I had someone.

"He should mark you; it would be easier..." Kyle didn't sound smug anymore; he was just amused as he drank some beer when I shrugged. I wanted that; I longed for it, but that didn’t change anything.

“He can’t.” I sighed, turned around, and stared honestly at the stranger. It was true; I was his cousin and too low in rank—that was the reality.

“Ouch.” Kyle looked at me sympathetically as I rolled my eyes. Perfectly. Now I get pity from strangers, fantastic...

“Don’t look at me like that. I already feel bad...” I looked away, hurt, and thought he knew me and understood how I felt when I sighed. Goddess, I was pathetic.

“You’re not pathetic, Emilia. You are the most beautiful girl in this place, hell, in this pack, and if your mate is such a blockhead to get that, then I pity him, not you.” Kyle raised his beer, and I took the one he was offering. He was a cool guy, and I was just a stupid little girl lured by the ridiculous bond of the gloomy Alpha who wanted to have me.

I bet if Caleb and I weren’t mates, he would not even take a second glance at me, and this hot guy in front of me would say I’m beautiful. If I had met him like two hours ago, I would probably be blushing right now, but I felt nothing looking into the baby blue eyes; stupid bond! I swayed a little and giggled at nothing. Damn, was I drunk?

“First time?” He looked amused at how I wavered when I nodded, pulled my arms up completely, and shrugged again. What did it matter? I couldn't be with my mate in public, unlike his girlfriend; it sucked hard, and I could just be drunk and happy instead.

“Yes.” I looked smugger now when he snorted, took my beer from my hand, and drank it before my eyes. I giggled at his playful way.

He was cute. No, he was hot and attractive. I stopped and looked at him, but he was not Caleb. I sighed and looked down at the floorboards as my heart bled out before me, not knowing how to stop it.

I finally heard his voice behind me, Caleb's. I thought it was in my head or that I was too drunk and starting to get brain damage.

Kyle's eyes dilated over who was behind me. Glaring at us as if we had done something stupid, more than drinking alcohol, of course, which was the only thing I could do right now, all to numb the pain that tore at me for every minute he was not with me.

“Emilia!” Caleb said my name as if we had known each other all our lives, not the last hour. I smiled sarcastically, turned around, and still wobbled when I laughed at his grumpy face. He was so mad for me being here with Kyle; good! I was angry at the girlfriend he didn't even tell me he had!

"Alpha." I playfully bowed my head as Kyle looked more nervous. Caleb was sighing like he was already tired of this game. He focused on poor Kyle, who had done nothing to deserve his anger. Still, Caleb would take it out on him. His instincts told him that Kyle was too close and did not like anyone near his mate, regardless of rank; it was all primitive and animalistic, just as we were freaking wolves!

“Back the f**k away from her, now!” Caleb growled the words as I looked at his dark face; he would kill poor Kyle here just for talking to me.... what a hypocrite!

“Yes, Alpha.” Kyle bowed his head more and stepped back to my giggling; why would he do that? I wasn't anything worth having around; a lousy Delta, the poor Alpha heir, got unlucky to mate, not even wanting me around his friends, that d**k!

“You're not like him at all, Luna.” I stopped giggling, hearing his voice, and looked broken. I was not a Luna, far from it, drunk and helpless, and I was about to cry because I wanted to be with the only guy in the world I could not have my own kin.

“He’s my cousin Kyle, so stop apologizing.” I suddenly smirked at Caleb, widening his beautiful grey eyes in anger that I had said the truth to him as if he cared about it when I smiled defiantly.

Kyle had not looked up even after bending his head and staring at the floor, perhaps as good because Caleb and I looked at each other now as only mates did.

The invisible bond between us that no one else would ever understand when he grabbed my hand firmer than I had been prepared for and dragged me with him without a word.

Most people didn't notice us through the sea of people talking, dancing, or drinking, even if a few raised their eyebrows at the future head Alpha and the unknown girl holding his hand.