Page 19 of Luna Trials

Reporters were coming closer, calling out questions. I wished my wolf would stop growling so I could hear what they were saying. A human woman in a navy dress suit with gray hair in a tight French braid waved the security team toward the door. The men crowded behind us, moving forward.

One of the muscle dudes tried to take the wood trunk from my hands.

“I’ve got it.” I pulled back.

“We have to check it.” His voice was robotic as he tugged again. If I wasn’t a shifter, he might have knocked me on my ass.

Reluctantly, I handed it over. “You have to wiggle the latch on the lid, but be careful. It’s old and belonged to my gram.”

“He means put it under the plane in the cargo area,”Trenton spoke through our pack link, giving me a look of disgust as the cart of luggage was pushed toward the glass doors.

“Right. I knew that.” I nodded as more sweat dripped down my back. This was nuts.

“You said it was your gram’s trunk?” One of the reporters leaned over the ropes, holding his cellphone out. “Was she a Luna too?”

I turned in his direction, blinded by another flash. “No, but she–”

The security team moved me forward with their arms outstretched, cutting off my response to the reporter who asked about my gram. I gave him an apologetic smile as we were ushered toward the terminal.

“No questions.” The woman in the suit held up her hands. Groans from the reporters followed us into the air-conditioned airport and the glass doors slid shut behind us.

“I’m Molly. Head of Public Relations and your liaison for the show.” Her heels clicked along the floors as the security team formed a barrier between us and the rest of the travelers. “No official interviews until you sign the contracts and try not to speak with anyone before we get to Fountainhead Resort.”

We followed her onto an escalator. Thankfully, I’d been on one of these before. My wolf ignored the moving stairs and focused on the people staring at us.

Better get used to it,I told her as I discreetly shook my sweater to let some of the deliciously cold air dry my skin.

“We have a direct flight to Denver, but we don’t have the security available to wait at baggage claim. Your luggage will follow us in a second vehicle to the resort.” Molly stepped off the escalator and we followed. “If you have any requests, write them down now. We won’t have time to waste once we arrive.”

Stef nodded, pulling out her phone to make some notes as we were whisked through airport security. I couldn’t think of any requests. Hopefully we could take a bathroom break soon though. Trenton stared straight ahead, keeping his strong and silent type persona. It amazed me how calm both of them seemed.

Molly waved what I assumed were our boarding passes as she paused in front of an attendant, turning to look us over with a strange gleam in her eyes. I hoped I imagined her sharp gaze lingering a little too long on me as she sized us up. “This is your official welcome toMating Season. Once you’re on the plane, there’s no going back.”

Wait a minute…

The muscular guard behind me didn’t seem to hear my silent plea as he guided us forward down a little hall that rocked under our feet.

7

Aspen

After one two-hour plane ride where I didn’t die, we stepped outside the airport onto solid ground. A group of human teenagers all wearing fake wolf ears stood mixed in with the reporters on the other side of the loading area. They had their phones out and were screaming questions. I suddenly wished I was wearing sunglasses like Trenton despite the overcast skies. My wolf’s eyes kept flashing with mine as she panicked, overwhelmed by the sights and smells and noise.

“Aspen!” Someone screamed my name and I spun around, looking for the voice.

A skinny human girl reached over the ropes and tugged on my sweater sleeve.

“No touching.” One of the security team whose name I couldn’t remember pushed back against the crowd.

“She’s just a kid.” I sidestepped him. “What’s your name?”

“Ol… Ollie,” she stuttered. Her grin took up half her face and I felt my panic ease a little. Flashes from the cameras went off in bursts around me.

“Move it,” Molly barked in her no-nonsense tone which I was learning you didn’t argue with.

“Nice to meet you, Ollie.” I let the security guard usher me to the waiting limousine with tinted windows.

I was the last to slide in and the door slammed shut, blocking out most of the noise and leaving me alone with three very frustrated faces.

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