Luna of the Golden Moon

Guard duty

I was eating a can of peaches I had found in the back of a cabin when Caleb went out and told me to stay put. He said he would only be gone for a while, to my huff; it had been at least an hour and a half. I had no watch since my phone was still lying on the small desk at home. Mother rushed me out, making me forget to take it to the wedding.

“Caleb… where are you?” I was bored and tired, and my stomach ached even worse. My only solution was to eat whatever I had found; I had even been desperately eyeing the beans.

“Alpha?” I was getting up and going out the door. It was almost afternoon, and I had been swimming this morning, enjoying the cold water while my body was still burning. Still, unlike before, Caleb was even happier that I wasn’t in heat anymore since that was more proof that I was pregnant.

The forest was quiet when I took the first steps outside, sitting down on the small rail that looked newer than other parts; Caleb really loved this place no matter what he was telling me; this was his sanctuary, and, in some ways, it had become mine too since we mated.

I wanted to see my parents, tell them that…. They would be grandparents, my mother would kill me on the spot for ever letting Caleb sleep with me, and my father… I closed my eyes, wanting to cry again; I missed him the most. He didn’t speak much, but he was always supportive; a true Delta didn’t complain with a gentle heart; I could only hope to be half as forgiving and kind as he was one day.

The sound of someone moving in the forest made me look up from where I was sitting, arms crossed and feeling sorry for myself; it wasn’t Caleb since I would have felt him, unlike whatever was walking just inside the tree line, making me even more nervous when it was hard to see when I wasn’t shifted.

“Alpha!” I yelled, getting more scared when the sounds of heavy paws came closer. My body reacted to the danger and started to shift; whatever it was, I would not wait it out and let something or someone hurt me just because I was alone in the forest!

“Alpha, please! there is someone here and….” I couldn’t say more when the big gray wolf emerged from the forest, big orange eyes watching me like he knew exactly what I was doing, calling my mate.

I was too scared to continue seeing the giant wolf staring at me when I couldn’t breathe, almost falling off the same railing I had been sitting on. Was he going to kill me?? Was this some staged death that would happen since I was Caleb's mate?? I couldn’t even understand why my mate would leave me alone, knowing this could happen!

“Please, don’t… please don’t kill me…” I was stammering when the wolf eyes that hadn’t been hostile got angry before bowing down before me. What was going on??

My heart was still slamming in my chest when the wolf was lying down, waiting, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I was still sitting on the railing like a lost girl; what did it want?

“My apologies… Luna…” The voice was familiar when I started to frown; wait... was that… Kyle??

The wolf looked up like he was smirking; yes, the wolf was freaking smirking when he hadn’t shifted back, and I was grateful to see he would be naked, and I was too embarrassed to even think about it.

“Kyle?” I said out loud, making him get up and look even more prominent. He wasn’t as big as Caleb, but almost… I was staring at him in awe. He sure was a handsome wolf, like he already knew that any girl, wolf, or human would swoon seeing him. And he was charming too, not like Caleb; he was only…. stern to people.

“Yes, Luna, it’s me….” Kyle bowed his head again, sounding more official than he did when speaking to me at the wedding; it was strange, to say the least, seeing a man become a beast, not like with Caleb since I was connected to him, and Kyle couldn’t hear my thoughts, not like my mate could.

“Kyle, don’t sound so official… you saw me drunk….” I giggled when he huffed like he knew that too, making me happier; he was the only wolf I had seen so far who wasn’t all rules and grave like Caleb.

“Oh, I’m sorry then… hotshots….” He made a sound now that resembled laughter when I rolled my eyes, snickering back; yeah, that was more like it.

“So, what are you doing here anyway?” I smiled when he sat down again, looking even more regal than before as if he were the next Alpha heir and not my mate.

“Guard duty, but I got bored, so I thought since Caleb was gone, I could say hi…” He was still sitting down when I lost my smile. Guard duty? What was that all about? I thought Caleb and I were alone out here.

“Kyle… are you here to guard me?” I still didn't believe it since Caleb had hated Kyle with all his might ever since he had seen us talking at the wedding, no matter how innocent.

“That’s right, hotshots. You are being guarded by the best Beta in this pack, this guy.” He made a snicker, linking me back, looking me right into my eyes, making the orange orbs spark even more from the connection he was getting from my own wolf peeking out.

I snorted hearing that; I bet he was standing here and feeling just as bored as me, probably worse since I could do what I wanted…as long as I didn’t stray too far from the cabin or the lake.

“Sure, like you would be the first Beta….” I snickered more at him; he was not the first commander after the Alpha; that role was for someone more… serious.

“I will be the day Caleb takes over as the head. I will be the first Beta to him and you, Emilia….” I couldn’t believe the same guy who was bringing me booze and being flirty had one of the most critical positions after Alpha and Luna, the first Beta.

The overseer of all Beta warriors, ensuring everyone was behaving and only reporting to the top of the pack, my mate, and me.

“Wow….” I was stunned for some reason; I did not see that coming. I thought whoever would be the first Beta would be someone graver like Caleb and not the guy who seemed to be able to hook up with any girl he wanted. I’ve seen his type before, even if I didn’t speak to them.

“Let me guess. It’s my face, isn’t it? Too attractive to be the first beta?” Kyle was laughing again when I followed, giggling at his stupid answer. Yes, sure, that was it—his face.

“Luna.” I lost my smile when I saw the big black wolf stepping out of the woods, making Kyle look down the second he made himself known by making eye contact with me that even I knew he wasn’t supposed to have.

“Alpha…” I sounded guilty, and I had no idea why. Caleb's tone made me feel like I had been doing something wrong and not just talking to the only guy who had been fun since I had come to this pack!

Caleb didn’t answer me when he walked forward to Kyle, who still hadn’t moved. His wolf ears twitched at the scolding he probably got from talking to me, making me feel even worse. It was no big deal, so he was on guard duty. At least I had someone to talk to during my long, boring wait for my mate to get back!

“Silence, Luna! Go back inside and stay there!” Caleb snapped his head back, barking it out loud to my fear when I fell backward onto my butt from the force; that was it! Caleb was a boring Alpha who couldn’t even protect me when I needed him; why was he allowed to leave when I wasn’t!?

I was still complaining, rubbing the sore spot seeing the man with the handsome face and strong features look over the railing seeing me still sitting on my butt from where he had put me.

“Emilia, baby, are you okay?!” Caleb had jumped the railing, naked when I was scowling at his worried face, guilt written all over his eyes when he was reaching out to help me up to my anger. No! I was not okay! He did this! My butt was hurting, and my arm was too!

I was growling when his hand came closer, making me slap at it, knowing that this was his fault, and I was not just going to roll over and let him say sorry for being an ass!

“Don’t touch me!” I was up on my own, growling more, hurt, and he did this; what the hell was wrong with him anyway?! I was just talking, and he acted like I had been cheating on him for speaking to Kyle!

“Kyle is a f*****g liar, and he is only here to see if he can take you from me!” Caleb was yelling it back to my baffled face; what? I was his mate; I wouldn't want anyone else, and he knew that!

“Do I?! You have done nothing but complain since we got mated! I even took you out here when I didn’t have the time for it so we could get to know each other without the pack and Kyle!” Caleb wasn’t happy when I was still holding my arm in defense, glaring back at his upset face; he didn’t have the time for me? I was his mate!

“Know what? You can’t swim, and this is your mother’s old cabin?? What else do I even know after spending all this time with you??” I was biting my lip, wanting to start crying over fighting again; I wasn’t used to this, arguing all the time; at home, my real home, there was peace even if my mother ruled; at least she didn’t scold me around the clock for existing!

“That’s more than I would let anyone else in on and still… calling me boring…. Thanks for that…” He was sick of me; that was it then; maybe he should just take his stupid mark off my neck and go get that pretty brunette who had known him his whole life.

“I want to go home.” I said it sadly when Caleb had looked away from me, too angry to even see my face when I was crying now; whatever was happening, I wanted to go home to my parents and not be chewed out by the guy who was supposed to love and care for me.

I swallowed when Caleb got up and walked inside, leaving me at his mother’s cabin's small porch, wondering how everything had gone so quickly; we loved each other?

“Caleb…” I was still standing on the porch when he walked past me, dressed this time in jeans and a shirt. He looked good, but when didn’t he? I was wiping my eyes, seeing him ignore me and walk over to a shed with a big padlock. He opened the gates and revealed a small jeep that had been standing inside all this time.

“Get in.” I snorted, slowly walking over, seeing my mate already inside and checking over the older wheels that I had no idea were here; this place had secrets, like him.

“Let’s get you back home then, Emilia.” His way of saying my name made me cry even more; it sounded like he was sick of me, and I couldn’t fight back; I was too exhausted and unwilling to continue.

Caleb didn’t say anything more, just drove out of the shed, not even closing the doors, and out onto the almost hidden tracks that I hadn’t seen either, to the sounds of my tears falling down; this was bad.