Luna Duties

I was flushed and sweating. He didn’t need to do that. Why was Gabe so hot and cold? He left me sitting on the bench but I couldn’t sit there any longer. The spot was hot from his memory of being there. I could have gone horse riding, I could have gone to the fish pond or to caves but I didn’t want to fight with snakes.
Going to train was another option but the chances were high I would run into Gabe again. What I needed was water. I marched to the river. It was calm this time and shallow but I could imagine the dangerous tides when it was rainy season. The subtle water running over rocks soothed me. It reminded me of my pack. The good memories not the scars I’d have to carry for the rest of my life.
It was a long and wide river. A dense forest stood on the other side. The green trees and bushes were closely knit together I couldn’t see a gap between them. I’d come a long way I thought I was safe to do what I did next.
I pulled my shirt over my head and dropped my pants. I kicked off my boots and unclipped my hair. The ends of my hair grazed the top of my butt. I slipped the bra off my arms and tossed my thong aside.
I dipped a toe in the water.
“Geez,” I shivered.
It was freezing despite the beating sun. I jumped right in, not thinking about the glass like water. I got to the middle and the water was as high as my waist. I would go to the river with my friends all the time in my old pack. When we really wanted to be adventurous we travelled to the lake and stayed there until the moon shone on us.
All those faces were gone. I let myself sink into the water. I dove under and remembered the boy I used to kiss on the riverbank. My father would have killed me if he found out. His face vanished like ashes. I emerged from the water and filled my lungs with breath.
I scanned the riverbank and my clothes were gone.
“No! No!” I rushed out of the water.
Someone took everything. Even my underwear. I wrapped my arms around my chest and scanned the rocky ground. Footprints led in different directions.
“No, how am I supposed to get back now?”
I could imagine the commotion. I blushed just thinking about walking back to the castle naked. Oh, Dean…
“Looking for something?”
“You?”
Dean held my clothes in his arms. He leaned against a tree and pulled out my black thong.
“Dean! What the hell?”
“If I can do it anyone can.”
“Give me my clothes! You’re insufferable.”
He raised his hand. Damn it he was giant compared to me.
“Are you really going to do this?”
“I need leverage.”
“For what?” I looked around. I was more conscious now than when I got here. What if someone was watching?
“No one’s watching us.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I can feel when wolves are close by. You were pretty upset when you left the castle. What happened?”
Shit. I couldn’t tell him his brother cornered me and made me feel things I didn’t want to.
“I needed to be alone.”
“So you came here and got naked? Did you do anything else?” He ran his hand down my back and squeezed my ass.
“Like what?” I looked away. My nipples hardened. I sucked in a breath and shut my eyes.
“Touch yourself?” His nose brushed my cheek.
“Wh-what? No. I went for a swim.”
“You know touching you is my job, right?”
“Ugh, why would I come all the way out here to touch myself?”
I grabbed my clothes and broke the trance he put me under.
“You wouldn’t want me to bring you here to fuck you?”
“I didn’t say that. I don’t know, are you going to?”
He cleared his throat, “Never mind. Tyrone’s mating ceremony’s in a few hours. We have to get ready.”
I ran my fingers through my wet curly hair. That meant I needed to help the female, give her advice and support. I cringed. Mom did a lot of that stuff. Dean and I hadn’t spoken about our mating ceremony much.
“Uh… is it safe?”
He nodded. “Of course. We’re having it here. I don’t want life in the pack to stop because of the Dare pack.”
***
The woman whose mating ceremony it was happened to be seven years older than me. I didn’t know what advice to offer her. We laughed it off because it was duty for a luna to offer advice and words of wisdom. I told her I would be there for her when she needed me. I think I gained a friend. Being such a young luna had its downside.
The pack turned out in large numbers to witness the ceremony. Dean officiated the union. He was forced to wear a suit. He looked so handsome in his black suit and no tie. He pushed his hair back into a low bun. I’ve been thinking about running my fingers through his silky blackish brown hair.
The man’s family stood to his right with Dean in the middle and the woman and her sister’s stood to her right. Dean blessed their union and a big feast was announced. I found out Dean sponsored all the food.
“You look really handsome,” I said tugging on his white shirt.
He looked around and slipped his hands around my waist. He pulled me close and a fire sparked in me. His cologne made my knees weak. My pack didn’t have mean like Dean. Big domineering men that commanded respect just by entering a room.
“I feel like a penguin,” he grumbled.
“A sexy penguin.”
“Only you can make that sound hot, Layla.”
“Everything went well. I haven’t seen Lyle or Dec.”
“They’re patrolling so is Gabe.”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “Oh, Gabe isn’t here?”
He raised a brow at me. “Does that bother you?”
My heart slammed forward and I shook my head quickly. “I just hadn’t noticed he wasn’t here.”
“Uh-huh.” Dean grabbed my ass with hands and squeezed.
“Hey! We’re in public,” I hissed.
He laughed, “It’s dark and no one can see us.”
Despite his pretty good excuse, he stopped touching me. I bit my bottom lip. When was I going to do all the courageous stuff I supposedly did when I was drunk? I wanted him to touch me now. Even though it was inappropriate to do it when so many people could catch us.
Ugh, fuck it.
I pulled him to a corner. Still partially visible to the people drinking and eating, I smiled at an elderly couple that passed by. Dean chuckled and leaned his head against the tree.
“How much have you drunk?”
“I haven’t had anything.”
“You know I won’t touch you if you’re drunk.”
I rolled my eyes and squeezed his crotch. “Fuck, Layla.”
“Good thing I’m not drunk then. I want you.”
He pulled me to his right side so I was leaning against the tree. Anyone who walked by us saw my back and Dean’s head. I caressed the bump on his pants.
“Damn it, who are you?”
I smirked and unbuttoned his jeans. I wanted to feel him in my hand. I unzipped the pants and slipped my hand into dangerous land. I rubbed the soft skin and bit my bottom lip. Dean grunted he rested his palm on the small of my back. With each stroke Dean got harder and larger.
“Damn it Little Wolf,” he clenched my dress.
“You like that?” I whispered.
Someone turned on the mic it bumped around and made a sound.
“I would just like to give a speech. I would like to thank the Alpha. Where is he?”
“Oh no.” Dean grabbed my hand to stop me stroking.
“Oh, there he is! With his beautiful luna.” Tyrone stood on the makeshift stage where the band was. His mate Alexa stood by his side.
Dean raised his hand and waved. I squeezed his cock and he grunted.
“Layla,” he growled.
“Thank you, Alpha for opening up your home to us and for officiating our ceremony. We don’t take it for granted.”
“No problem,” Dean yelled.
I wiggled my hand up his shirt and traced my fingers on his abs. Each one of them was so hard and defined. I toyed with his nipple. Enjoying myself was an understatement.
Tyrone continued with his speech, thanking other people responsible for making the ceremony happy.
“You’re a tease Layla.” Dean snatched my hand from under his shirt.
I pouted. He dragged me away from our hiding spot. We walked in the shadows so no one would see Dean hauling me away. Though she shadows weren’t dark enough to hide me from him. Gabe caught us fleeing the scene. My eyes locked for a split second. It was so fast it shouldn’t have meant anything.
“You’re taking me home?”
Was I that wrong?
“No,” he said.
Dean ventured into the garden with the fish pond. We left the pond behind and appeared in a garden I hadn’t been in yet. It had several stone benches positioned in a curve. A cage or red and white roses towered over eight feet. It was gorgeous. It was in the centre of the garden.
“What are we doing here?” I asked.
“Payback,” he grinned.
He turned me and pressed me against the cage.
“For teasing me.”
“You started it Dean.”
“I didn’t think you would do that.” He laughed. “Now I’m turned on.”
Dean lifted my dress. The breezed kissed my ass. He thought he was turned on I was practically dripping.
“You want to play, Little Wolf? Let’s play.”