Page 34 of Luna Trials

My phone pinged, saving me from the mental shakedown I was about to engage in. They say power and insanity are a delicate balance. It wasn’t the first time I questioned if I was about to lose my footing.

A problem for another time.

I checked my phone.

Fallon:Where are you?

I didn’t bother to respond. The elevator door opened and I followed the fresh trail of my sister’s scent to the room.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I opened the door to the penthouse suite.

Fallon was pacing, claws extended as she gripped her elbows. Fur sprouted along my skin as I tried to contain my beast.

“What happened?”

She turned to glare at me. “They were trying to fish for information during the interview. Someone knows why we’re here.”

“Is that all?” I smirked as I dropped the towel on the back of the chair and my wolf retreated with a sigh.

“This isn’t funny, Ranger. What if they figure it out and we get screwed?”

I thought it was hilarious. “I told you not to come. But just so you know, it doesn’t matterwhyI’m here. I’m well within my rights to accept the invitation to the show and do what I intend to.”

“I hate how you are so calm about everything.” Fallon rolled her eyes as she stopped pacing and took a seat on the sofa. “What if word spreads before you can act?”

“Let them talk.” I shrugged.

She glared at me, raising her chin. “Do you want them to talk about us? Because that’s what they’re doing. They asked me in the interview about our past. About Mom.”

“You knew that was bound to come up.” I pulled a water bottle from the mini-fridge and tried not to cringe at what I’m sure was the price as I chugged it down.

“I’m so sick of the rhetoric.” She growled. “Everyone already thinks of us as street rats and now it’s going to be all over national TV.”

“Are you ashamed of our roots?” I folded my arms over my chest. It was a conversation we’d danced around, but I never had the time to talk about it. Maybe this was the problem with my beast. Being here was probably the only vacation we’d taken in years and we had too much time to think.

“Not really.” She turned her face to the ceiling, drumming her black painted nails against her leg. “I’m just tired of the pomp and circumstance.”

“Once again, I’m pointing out that I didn’t ask you to come with me. You can go home at any time. Mattox is pissed that he’s doing your job anyway. He’ll forgive you for going back.”

“Mattox will be fine.” She sighed. “Besides, you know it’s the perfect excuse with me here. If I go home before mating season starts then you can leave with me and the other Alphas won’t know that was always the plan. And anyway, if I didn’t come, no one would be here to protect you.”

“Protect me?” I chuckled.

“Yes, almighty Alpha.” She rolled her head to the side. “You’re still my brother and I have to make sure you’re okay.”

“That’s sweet,” I teased, dodging the couch pillow she threw across the room.

“Shut up.” A smile spread across her face. “Speaking of sweet, I just ran into your girl.”

“My girl?” I hesitated before slipping into the bathroom, knowing I was doing a horrible job of throwing my sister off the trail.

“Yep. She looked really cute too.” Fallon studied her nails. “She was on her way to the interview.”

“Dressing up for an interview isn’t exciting news.” I closed the bathroom door behind me, purposefully not thinking of Aspen or if she was wearing those tights and the fluffy sweater again. She was a passing fancy. A distraction from what I was really doing here. It would go away if I ignored it.

“Hurry up and shower off the stink of musk,” Fallon called after me. “And then let’s go find something exciting to do since fashion bores you so much, dear brother.”

12

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