“Luna Beth would like everyone down for breakfast at seven. That will give the girls time to eat and then get started for the day. Beta Josh will be to your left and your Gamma and Delta are on your right. Let us know if you need anything.” I don’t answer, just turn and go into my room. I don’t have the mental capacity to be pleasant any longer.
“Let me know if anything changes. I need to know what my sister meant by ‘setting her off.”” I link Bennet. She might even talk to him if she happens to open the door. I hate that I am relying on him to get information about her. But, she seemed to like his company while she was in my pack.
“On it boss.”
Neither of us are going to sleep and we will have to pretend like we are alive and awake tomorrow or my sister will kill me. It won’t be the first time we’ve had a sleepless night. It’s just never been over a woman.
I tried everything. Doing a thousand push-ups, a hot shower, reading, pacing, laying on my bed staring at the ceiling, even sitting by the door where her scent was the strongest like a creeper. Nothing was going to calm my wolf enough to let us rest, but there is no way in hell I was walking out of this room to go to her after what she said downstairs. Rayna is right and I need to talk to her, but not like this. We both need to be calm and come up with a plan that works. Which means we have to wait until after this ceremony is over. It’s going to be the longest twenty four hours of my life.
The worst part was hearing her scream. I knew it was her, I could feel the panic thick in the air. It made my blood run cold, I left it to Bennet even though it physically hurt to not go to her. I thought my wolf was going to tear through the door, but we couldn’t go to her. I don’t know what it was, I just had a feeling we would not be welcome. I did however stand at my door listening to Jeremiah and Rayna talking in the hallway, it must have been to Bennet, about nightmares and some kind of trauma. What did the Moon Goddess give me? She’s a frail, weak, human who has been traumatized so much that she has nightmares as an adult. She’ll never be ready to be my Luna.
A surge of anger rolls through me again. My wolf and I are both angry, but for different reasons. He thinks we should go to her, just accept her, that she was made for us, she needs us. He’s angry at my determination to keep her away.
I feel like I have been tricked somehow. I have been waiting for years for a woman who was, at the very least, strong enough to lead beside me and this is what I was given. Like the Moon Goddess doesn’t want me to have a real mate. What did I do to deserve this?
Kennedy
I know I’m being a brat, but I want nothing to do with the Dark Moon guys and I will avoid having to face them for as long as possible. Rayna explained the situation to Aunt Beth earlier this morning and she decided that we could eat and get ready in my room. My aunt spun it to sound like it would be a better surprise for the guys if they didn’t see us at all before the ceremony. I did not miss that I was included in the reveal plans. She is clearly Team Ryker on this. I will be fighting eye rolls all day.
She gives me a crushing hug. “I told you that you were special, sweet girl. I can’t wait for your ceremony, I bet it will be so grand.” The woman is in La La Land and so far gone that she isn’t listening to reason.
He doesn’t want me or any Luna if the rumors from his pack are true. Rayna won’t confirm or deny any of the reports I have asked about, which makes me angry, but I also don’t want to push. It’s not fair for me to put her in the middle of this situation. This day isn’t about me, it’s about her. I can figure out my own problems after we make today amazing. I will just have to avoid them all for the whole day. Ugh.
Bennet has tried to talk to me every time the door to my bedroom has opened with Aunt Beth, the hairdressers and make-up artists coming and going. I don’t even know what to say. And why is he still out there, in the suit he was wearing when they got here? Is he stalking me? Rayna? Did he hear me screaming last night? Oh geez, I bet I woke them all up, but he was the only one concerned enough to come and check? on me.
Rayna snaps her fingers at me and I blink a few times. “Get out of your head! Today is going to be great.” She sits tall in a lowbacked, bar height chair the hair stylist brought in.
“Wha…Huh?” I look over at her getting her beautiful raven hair twisted to the side so Jeremiah can mark her properly in front of the whole pack. She looks so beautiful now, and the make-up artist hasn’t even had her way yet. “Jer is going to die when he sees you.” I try to bring the topic back to her. I can’t get distracted again.
“Yeah, well my brother is going to swallow his tongue when you come out.” She giggles and so does the hairdresser. And…we’re back to her brother and I.
“Considering he only says about two words at a time, and it’s typically a growly insult or demand, I don’t think that is a problem. Besides, it doesn’t matter. Today is all about you, not me and my crazy ass drama.”
“Would you believe me if I said he was actually shy?”
“No! Alphas aren’t shy, it’s not built into their DNA. He is selective in who he talks to, that much is clear. I’m not high on the selection list.” I laugh with her. “It’s okay, we’ll figure this out later. Get ready to knock my best friend on his butt.” I walk over and give her a hug as the hairdresser finishes up.
Once we eat our fill of the small snacks an omega brought us and the final make-up touches are done, we get dressed and the whole process is documented by the photographer that has been following us around since we got up. I have wanted to punch her a couple times for making us stall, pretending to laugh or eat or whatever for the best shot. No one cares that we took a bite of a sandwich.
Rayna’s dress is beautiful and simply elegant just like her. It’s a pale mint green grecian style dress with a?sweetheart neckline held up by two thin straps leading back to a delicate lace design on her back. The material is cinched at her waist by a thick belt made of the same gathered fabric, showing off her soft curves. The skirt is miles of gathered sheer fabric that makes her look ethereal when she walks.
“Yep. I will be scraping Jer off the floor before you even get to the end of the aisle. You are gorgeous!” I squeal at her and she smiles back at me. “It’s time. Let’s go knock his furry butt out.”
I move to open my door and am met with two solid walls of muscle. What the hell? I figured Jason would be here, but… “Oh, hell no! This is not happening. Bennet, don’t you have something better to do with your time?” I shouldn’t snap at him, he hasn’t actually done anything wrong, but be in my way and way too? close for comfort.
“Nope.” He looks us both over with a blank expression on his face. “I don’t see you giving Jason a hard time about doing his job.” He sounds hurt. Is he annoyed with me?
“He’s following his Luna, that’s his job. Why would I give him a hard time?”
“And I’m following mine, get over it. It’s not a discussion.” The f*ck? I can feel my scowl deepen. Nope. He’s not hurt, he’s pissed about having to follow me around. That makes two of us, buddy.
Rayna grabbed my arm and started walking before I could start in on Bennet. Great. Are they all this d* ckish when they aren’t partying? Maybe they were just being nice when we visited because they wanted to make it easy on Rayna. I had to take deep breaths as we walked downstairs. The Aunt Beth tornado was a welcome distraction when we got to the bottom. Jason and Bennet kept their distance, just watching from the outskirts of the room. I could tell that Aunt Beth was conflicted about my situation based on the concerned look on her face and I’m sure everyone has discussed it at length, about me, but without me. As usual. I hate that I can’t mindlink with anyone and they are forever leaving me out of conversations. I would love to be able to talk to Rayna without prying ears. It takes everything in me to keep my temper in check. I feel like I am going to be angry all day based on the way the morning started. Deep breaths, I keep reminding myself.
“Let’s get you girls out of here, the boys should be down soon and I want to keep you a surprise for now. You are both so gorgeous.” She claps her hands like a schoolgirl.
She ushers us out to a small tent at the back of the yard and tells Jason and Bennet to wait outside. She knows they can hear us just fine through the thin plastic, but I think she is giving us both a moment before the chaos starts. She hugs Rayna and then comes to me.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.