Chapter 26

Lumae was furious. She stormed at Landon and grabbed him by his collar. "What do you think you're doing and for how long have you known I was a wolf?!"

Landon held up his arm in defence. "Hey, hey, calm down," but Lumae wasn't calm. How could she be after what he did? She suffered through hell because of him.

She tightened her grip on his collar and leaned closer to him with rage fuming from her. "Talk."

Landon sighed, "I was a late bloomer. I didn't have my first transformation until I was nineteen, when you were in college. I was in the forest hunting some deer one night, and it just happened. A while later, a group of rogues found me, took me in, taught me and realised that I was an alpha and could begin an entire new pack from scratch. I didn't even know you were one of us until, well, until I saw you protecting the Noir pack."

Lumae thought for a second, but looked back at him with rage. "Why did you even attack the Nour pack in the first place? They're a small non-hostile pack. They've never done anything to provoke anyone."

Landon sighed again, "I know, and that was exactly the point. The pack thought that, because it was so weak, we could attack them, kill their alpha, make them rogues and take them in to expand our forces."

Lumae's expression grew even more furious. She was about to snap on him and she knew. She didn't even want to hold it back. She was just on her breaking point, when a firm hand was placed on her shoulder. It was Dominic, he noticed that she was starting to get too frustrated and helped her calm down.

She let go of her grip on Landon's collar and escaped Dominic's grip, heading off in the direction of the Casablanca quarters. When she got there, she saw the sun starting to rise. It's already morning, and she didn't even notice it until now. Just then, a knock at the door was heard. Lumae opened it, only to find Sera standing before her, a bit scratched up, but in good health.

"Sera!" Lumae embraced her wholeheartedly, shocking Sera with the embrace once again.

"Good morning to you too, Luna. Could you please let me go tho? I can't breathe." Lumae, just noticing how much strength she used, immediately let go of Sera.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. Are you all right? They didn't hurt you badly or anything, right? How did I miss them? How did they even catch you?"

Sera chuckled,"I'm fine, Luna, really. They had scent blockers on, as well as specially made shoes that hardly made any sound. None of us could've known they were here, and they managed to sneak up on me, just when you stepped foot outside."

Looked back at Sera, "Well then. I think this calls for some relaxation. It's been a long night and we both seem tired. You more than I." They both chuckled.

"Why don't you come join me in the springs?"

Sera looked surprised, "Oh, no, Luna. I cannot possibly go into the springs. That's only meant for the Luna herself and her guests."

Lumae smiled, "Well today, Sera, you aren't my attendant. You're my guest. I will not allow you to do anything. You will rest along with me."

"B-But, Luna..."

"No, no buts, Sera. This is your Luna's order." Sera was now dumbfounded, she didn't know how to respond to that.
"Very well, Luna."

They both then went on to enjoy the nice, warm hot springs. "Oh right! Have you heard them yet, Luna?"

Lumae looked at Sera confused. "Heard what?"

"The pack, of course. Has no one told you that once you're Luna, that you'd be able to hear your new pack's thoughts the next morning?"

"Hear the pack's thoughts? What are you talking about, Sera?"

Sera then noticed that Lumae had never been mind linked in her entire life and came to a realisation. "Luna, are you...a rogue, or well, were you a rogue? All packs are mind-linked from the first day a cub gets their wolf form, unless you don't have a pack like yourself, but even so, you seem to be well taught for a person who doesn't have a pack, so someone must've taken you in. Didn't their alpha accept you?"

Lumae sighed, "Yes, I was a rogue. I was taken in by a woman from the Nour pack, who wanted to ask the alpha to take me in the year that I turned 16, but unfortunately she was killed before she could do so. I had to be presented by her in order to be accepted according to their customs, since she was the one who trained me and basically raised me, so I've never had that experience."

Sera looked at Lumae sadly, "I'm so sorry Luna. That's terrible. You know what, I'd be honoured to be your first linked conversation. All you've got to do is keep your mind calm and listen."

Lumae closed her eyes, calmed her mind and listened. She was just about to think that it didn't work, but she heard Sera in her mind."'Hello? Luna, can you hear me?'"

Lumae accidentally responded out loud, "Yes," making Sera accidentally laugh out loud.

"'You don't have to say your words out loud, Luna. You just have to think them.'" Sera replied in the mind link.

"'Oh, okay, sorry.'"
"'No need to apologise, Luna. It happens to everyone."' Lumae chuckled.

Just then, someone else joined Lumae's mind link, "'Lumae? Hello? Can you hear me?"'

"'Yes, Dominic. I can hear you."'

Lumae looked over to Sera, "Can you hear the conversation between me and Dominic?"

"Oh, no, Luna. You can only hear the pack members who aren't linked to a specific person or the person who is specifically linked to you. I was specifically linked to you earlier, but sprung off as soon as Alpha joined your link."

"Huh, interesting?"

"'Lumae, you still there?"'

"'Yeah, yeah, Dominic. I'm still here, now let me enjoy relaxation in peace."'

Dominic chuckled and smiled, he then looked over to Landon, sitting beside him at the bar. "Well, we truly do appreciate your pack helping ours. We still have a few quarters open. Enough for all of you. Why don't you stay the night?"

Landon now had a big smile. "Sure, why not?"