Page 16 of Luna Rising

“Say more,” I teased.

Charlie glanced at Ewan and shook his head. “One day. You and me can grab a beer, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I’m a sieve, leaking secrets left and right.”

I laughed. “Then I guess I’ll never tell you any of mine.”

“How ya doing? Any bitey urges?” Charlie cocked his head to the side, reminding me more of a golden retriever than a wolf.

I pretended to consider the question. “Nah. Not yet.”

His gaze transferred to Ewan. “You were worried about nothing.”

Ewan took a step closer to me, so our arms brushed. “The day’s still young.”

Mrs. Wynn joined us next. She also acknowledged her son with a nod before addressing me. “It’s nice to see you up and moving, Zara.”

“Thank you. I hope my presence hasn’t been too much of a burden,” I said, digging deep to remember my social graces. The interaction felt oddly formal compared to Charlie’s joking nature.

“Not at all.” Mrs. Wynn pursed her lips. “Of course, as the alpha couple, you two will move into your new home now that you’ve risen.”

It was the first time someone had called us the “alpha couple”, and those words brought a flood of memories from my life with Zeno. I squeezed my eyes shut and willed the slideshow to stop playing.

Ewan reached over and rubbed my back until my mind went blank. “Better?”

“Yeah, sorry. I’m good,” I promised.

He gestured the other two shifters over. The tall, lanky man sauntered across the powder, while the woman dragged her feet as if wanting to prolong the journey.

“Gaia, if she was going to bite someone, she would’ve done it already.” Charlie rolled his eyes. “And neither of you is exactly a prime candidate.”

They both acknowledged Ewan. The man turned to me and introduced himself as Birch. He wasn’t exactly friendly though not rude either, more like indifferent. The woman, on the other hand, radiated anger. I thought it was fear at first. But no. This stranger despised me.

Ewan must’ve felt it, too. He pressed against my side and the hand that had been rubbing my back moved to grip my hip possessively. A light tickle ran up my spine as, on my left, Winter summoned her magic. Her family came to stand behind the shifters, clearly sensing the mounting tension.

“Kilbi,” the woman said, voice clipped. Blue eyes filled with hatred. “You killed my best friend. Don’t expect me–”

“Think very hard before you finish that sentence,” Ewan snapped, his temper rising to scary levels. “You will respect her if you wish to remain a member of this pack.”

Kilbi paled but stood her ground. “Angelica was your mate. Your true fucking–”

“One. More. Word.” Crimson and gold flames twist within Ewan’s irises. He moved to block me, power radiating from his taught body. “And you’re done.”

The tension in the air was so thick. Magic swirled around Charlie as if he fought the urge to shift. Birch backed away from Kilbi, as if needing to distance himself from her and her unfavorable opinions.

“Does our friendship mean nothing to you?” she spat. “Did she really mean nothing to you?”

“Zara is my mate. End of story. Either accept it, or get the fuck out of my territory.” He, too, fought to keep his wolf from coming out.

Kilbi’s blue eyes sparkled. “Then I challenge her.” She gave my syrupy sweet grin around Ewan. “In our pack, until you birth him an heir, you’re fair game.”

Maybe it was the fact I would never give Ewan an heir, or maybe it was that I felt the twinge of guilt he experienced when she said Angelica’s name. Or maybe all the precautions they’d taken to ensure this meeting went well were warranted. Whatever the case, my blood boiled, and I saw red.

“You want a fight?” I shrieked, darting around Ewan. “Don’t tempt me with a good time.”

Winter reached for me, but she was no match for my speed. I shifted and charged the short distance to Kilbi. Ewan screamed my name, his alpha voice in full effect. The rage inside of me couldn’t be tamed. Not even by him.

Claws fully extended, my paws smacked either side of Kilbi’s face. The rest of my body slammed into her. She fell backward, and I landed on top of her.

Her screams filled the air, as did elemental magic. Blood poured down her face. My throat constricted, and I yearned for a taste. She slapped at my muzzle and tried to wiggle out from beneath me. My jaws parted, the thirst undeniable.

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