The Forbidden Luna

Chapter 4 - Cinnamon and Roses

AMARIS

The previous night.

I mind linked Erik, telling him to get to my gym immediately. The castle we lived in was huge, there was 8 floors in total. the ground floor had everything the pack needed, a large gym, a cinema, a spa, a huge dining room that could fit up to 1000 werewolves in it, a large mess area and lounge for the pack to hang out in.

The first floor was living quarters for single omegas who worked in the castle, if they wanted to live here. They were allowed to have a property of their own near the castle if they wanted to, but it was generally cheaper for them to live in the castle and just have their living costs subsidised from their wages.

The second floor was for the guards. This floor also had a gym on it, not as large as the one for all of the pack but it had everything you would ever need in it.

The third floor was for the Theta, our lead medic, and the doctors and nurses. Again, the doctors and nurses could live outside the castle if they wanted to, but as we had enough rooms on that floor they could live in the castle with their families and pups, most did.

The fourth floor was for our visiting guests. Any guests, whether werewolf or other supernatural, stayed on that floor. The number of rooms we had on it allowed for large entourages to come over and stay at any given time. This floor also had a gym, lounge area and kitchen/ dining room, although most visiting supernaturals would eat on the ground floor in the private dining room that only ranked members could eat in.

The fifth floor was the chill out area for the ranked members. It was set out the same way as the fourth floor, with a larger gym and a mini cinema room. Immediate family of the ranked members also lived on this floor.

The sixth floor was for the Delta and Epsilon, and their own families. They had one side of the floor each, including their own office space and living quarters.

The seventh floor was for the Gamma and Beta, they also had one side of the floor each, including their own office space and living quarters.

The eighth floor was mine. I had my own gym up there, as well as a large office for myself. My mate would also have an office up here as well, once I had one.

"We do have one. We found them last night. They smelled amazing." Eirwen said to me snidely.

"We have been over this, Wen. You know as well as I do that we cannot take our destined mate. The pack needs a strong male and female lead. The pack has always had a strong male and female lead. If we took our destined mate, as opposed to a chosen one... They could challenge me for the title."

"And you know as well as I do your mother and father and the rest of the ranked wolves would fight in our corner. You're just scared" Eirwen replied softly.

I threw a block up between us. I didn't need Eirwen voicing what my inner thoughts were whispering to me as well. "Erik!" I shouted through mink link.

"I'm here, I'm here, keep your hair on!" Erik laughed as he entered the gym. He threw me a powerade, which I caught in my right hand. "I knew you would forget to bring one" he said, smirking at me.

"Yeh yeh, I've got a lot on my mind at the minute", I grumbled back.

"Does this have anything to do with the rogues?" Eric asked, turning on the treadmill.

I sighed, going to the second treadmill. This gym was set up for both the Alpha and Luna, so there was two of everything in it. "Yes, and no." I set the speed as a light jog to start my warmup. "When I was out with the trackers, I picked up a scent on the breeze. I... I think my mate is in the forest."

"Your mate? Your destined mate? f**k Ama, what are you going to do?" Erik said, shooting me a look of concern.

"Nothing. Hope that they move past the territory. I can't accept them, but I don't want to hurt them by rejecting them either. If we never meet... that would be best for everyone." I reply, pain evident in my voice.

"Ama, I can't pretend to know exactly what you are going through, but the Goddess has her ways. It won't be a coincidence that your mate is in the forest. How many wolves make there way up here normally? They avoid this area like the plague." Erik pointed out, increasing his run speed.

"Don't you think I know that Erik? I would like nothing more than to accept her... but there has never been a gay alpha and luna before, ever. You know that people will challenge me. Some of the pack already don't like the fact they have a female Alpha, they're just waiting to have an excuse to challenge me."

"And do you honestly think they would beat you? No wolf in this pack can pin you in training, you're an absolute machine when you get going." Erik replied, smirking at me.

I turned off the treadmill and walked over to the weights. I looked at myself in the floor to ceiling mirrors that lined the walls of the gym.

I wasn't your typical she-wolf. Standing at 6 foot 3 inches, my body wasn't typically 'feminine'. Built like a more toned and defined version of Beth Phoenix from WWE, I had clear, defined muscles in my arms. I could bench press the same as the top male warriors in the pack, but I also had the flexibility of a female to be able to pin them and get out of holds men usually wouldn't be able to get free from. I had trained extensively in MMA fighting and held a level 5 black belt in Krav Maga, a black belt in kickboxing, and had won gold in the Women's Championship for Sambo 5 years in a row.

I studied my reflection further. Defined muscles in my torso, going down to muscular thighs and calfs. I had smooth, tanned olive skin with a collection of tattoos scattering my body. Both sides of my head were shaved, my long dark hair tied in a bun at the top of my head. My breasts were quite small, considering. My body didn't scream "feminine" at all. It screamed "muscle" and "strength".

"I suppose you're right" I replied, laughing. "Who would want to take me on?"

We spend the rest of the night working out in the gym. I was too wired to sleep and Erik was feeling the same, rogues this close to the territory put us both on edge.

The next morning Anthony updated me with the news that while 2 of the rogues had left, 1 of them seemed to be tracking a female through the forest. "We need to protect our mate!" Eirwen whispered frantically at me. "Anthony is keeping an eye on the situation, you know that nothing will happen to her." "We need to protect our mate!" Eirwen whispers again, anger lacing her tone. "For f***s sake! Fine!" I reply. I mind link Anthony immediately. "If a single hair on the females head is hurt you will regret it Anthony. She is kept safe. That is an order." Anthony links back "Roger that".

"Better?" I ask Wen. "She is safe. Anthony knows better than to let any harm fall on her."

"Better," she replies, mollified.

The rest of the morning I am on edge. Waiting to hear back about the girl in the clearing. Hoping that she continues on her way. Hoping she decides to stay in my territory until she gets her wolf.

Fuck. When did life get so complicated?

Anthony mink links me once he reaches the castle, saying we need to talk. He meets me in my office, hands already held up in the air, apologetic.

"What happened?!" I growl at him.

"The rogue have been knocked out. He is on his way to the dungeons. The rogue is taken care of." He says, trying to placate me.

"And the girl?" I ask back. If I were in wolf form my fur would be standing up.

"The girl... was also hit with a tranquilliser." I start towards him, eyes black as coal. My hand is inches from his neck when he cries out "She's safe! It was one dose. She's on her way to the hospital now."

"And you left her with the trackers?! You didn't go with her once she had been shot?! I told you to make sure she wasn't harmed!" I yell, Eirwen is trying to claw her way out of me.

"I thought it would be better to come and tell you what happened in person! Goddess! What is the matter? I get that you didn't want her harmed but it is a random she-wolf with one dose of tranquilliser! She's just knocked out! She's fine! She will be in our hospital any minute now and you know she's going to get the best care possible there!" Anthony yells back at me.

Fuck. Overreacting. I smooth my hair back and tie it up out of my face.

"You can go, Anthony. I'll go and check on her myself." I say, not even looking at him. I exit my office, leaving him standing there, as I make my way down to the hospital wing in the castle.

By the time I get to the hospital I feel calmer. I enter the waiting area and call out "Where is the girl?" Claire, our Theta, comes out of Room 1. "She's in here Alpha" she replies. "She's fine, her vitals are fine, she's just knocked out."

"How long til she wakes?" I ask, standing by the door of Room 1. Goddess. I can smell her from here. The scent of cinnamon and rose wafts through the doorway, flooding my nostrils. I breath in deeply, Eirwen rolling around in delight at the smell.

I can't go in there.

"The tranquilliser is strong, it has to be for werewolves. As she doesn't have her wolf yet we are looking at about 3-4 days, depending on how she reacts to it. She is quite malnourished, it looks as though she has been on the move for at least two to three years. That will add time onto her recovery." Claire states, adding notes about the girl to her clipboard as she talks to me.

"Right. Perfect. Thank you Claire. Please keep me updated as soon as anything changes. Is everything else alright? She wasn't hurt in anyway beyond being shot with a tranquilliser?" I enquire sharply. All I can smell is cinnamon and roses. I need to go into the room but if I do I won't be able to leave it.

"Everything looks in order, Alpha. You have my word, I will overlook this patient myself, I will update you the second she wakes up."

"Thank you, Claire. I need to find out exactly how this happened. I won't keep you any longer." I reply. Cinnamon and roses. I need to get out of here. I turn on my heel and leave the hospital wing sharply, mind linking the trackers and Anthony to meet me on the training grounds.

I needed to find out who shot her.