Page 62 of Luna Rising

Ewan washed and conditioned my hair and then used a second washcloth on the rest of me. His gentle touch contrasted with the raw power he exuded. He was thorough and efficient and had me wrapped in my robe and tucked into bed before I realized what was happening.

“I’m sorry, Zara,” he whispered, curling his large body around me.

The weight of his leg draped on mine felt good. I relaxed against his chest. “My brother?”

Honestly, I didn’t even know what I was asking specifically. With Zach so close, I felt every moment of his crippling anxiety.

“We have a lodge in town for guests. Zach and Brooke are there for now, resting and getting cleaned up.”

“Mom?” My voice cracked.

“Colleen insisted your mother stay with them.” He combed my damp hair with his fingers.

“Kiernan?”

Ewan sighed. “Shaken but okay. He’s staying with my mother.”

I squeezed my eyes as fresh tears came unbidden. “What’s going to happen to his father?”

“You don’t need to worry about that right now.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and covered my hand with his. “Grieve, Zara. Don’t hold it in.”

Ewan had lost his father so recently that my breakdown seemed almost insensitive. The guilt of that revelation brought a fresh round of tears and my shoulders shook even more violently.

“My relationship with my father was complicated. It’s different.”

“Stop reading my thoughts.” I sniffled. “And, please, tell me about complicated families. My parents basically sold me to the Leo Fae for an alliance. My twin brother, who is younger by three minutes, was told he’s special his entire life because he gets to be the next alpha, and I’m told I get the privilege of birthing special babies. And now I can’t even do that.”

The tears came hotter and faster, all my anxieties and insecurities tripping over each other to get out of my mouth. I didn’t begrudge Zach his pack status, and I had no desire to be alpha. It just would have been nice for someone to say that I was special. Just me. All by myself.

Ewan nudged my robe with his chin until the soft terrycloth fell down my shoulder so he could nuzzle my neck. “You are immeasurably special to me.”

“Only as your mate.”

“I left you in charge of the pack. Do you know how rare it is for an alpha to give control of the pack to his mate?”

I wiped my nose. “Drake is an alpha,” I said, which made little sense. Ewan seemed to understand my point.

“Yes, and you are the Luna. In the hierarchy of wolves, that’s as good as you’ll ever get.”

“Why do people keep calling me that? What does it mean?” I turned in his arms, wanting to see his face.

Ewan had his elbow on the pillow, head propped in his upturned hand. His expression was soft, his touch affectionate when he wiped away the tears on my cheeks. “It’s a legend Taurus wolves have passed down for generations about a true warrior who ascends to alpha. His power is so immense that other alphas cower in his presence.”

My thoughts went back to the clearing, where the sight of Ewan brought shifters and fae alike to their knees.

“But he has one equal. His other half. She makes him whole—his Luna.”

“And you think I’m this prophesied Luna?” I asked, eyebrows creeping up my forehead.

He nipped at my bare shoulder. “I know you are.” His fangs grazed my skin. “You’ve had enough upheaval in your life. I didn’t want to put that on you, too.”

“But how do you know?” I pressed on his chest, unable to concentrate when he had his mouth on me.

Gold lit up his irises. “You killed an alpha, Zara. Jonah was an asshole, but he wasn’t weak.”

My eyes prickled with fresh tears. I had killed Jonah in retaliation for my father and for myself. I wanted to pull the covers over my head and hide from the world and my problems, yet I also had the urge to run. To let my wolf take over because emotions were easier to deal with in animal form.

I tried to look away, but Ewan’s gaze held me captive. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get there sooner,” he said, trailing his fingertips along my collarbone.

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