21. Black Moon Territory
Tony
I woke up and looked over at Lucy with a grin. Matt was still asleep as usual as was Lucy, but when I thought about last night, it was hard to be upset. We’d pushed her a lot last night and she’d only passed out at the end.
You’re thinking too loud, Matt groused in his sleep. I’m not getting up yet.
I shook my head. I’m not giving you a choice. We have to get moving.
Think about Lucy. She’s tired. He frowned in his sleep. We asked a lot of her last night.
She’s not coming. I nudged him. Get up.
He cracked one eye and glared at me. What do you mean she’s not coming?
You want to take our mate to an unofficial Pack Conference where Peter and David will be? I cocked an eyebrow at him. On Black Moon Territory?
Matt opened his other eye and stared at me then dropped his gaze to Lucy. He set his jaw and I waited for him to reach the same conclusion I had when the announcement came.
There’s… no way. He pouted. Why do I have to go?
I snorted. Every other alpha will be there. It’s about time you come anyway, and you really have no excuse now.
Matt groaned and flopped back across the bed. I hate you.
No, you don’t.
Lucy frowned and turned. She didn’t wake, but she curled closer to Matt. I set my jaw. If he was anyone else, I would have been jealous as fuck. Matt grinned.
She likes me more.
I shook my head. You’re closer.
Matt stroked her head eyeing her curls. I don’t remember it being on her head when we went upstairs.
I glanced down at Lucy. You mean the pin.
Matt nodded. No one’s found it. I’m not worried about the pin, obviously, but don’t you think it’s strange?
I nodded and reached out to trail my hand down Lucy’s back. It is, but it would cause too much trouble to ask people who came if they’d seen it. We have enough political problems as it is.
Matt sighed loudly. “And you want me to go to this stupid conference?”
Lucy’s eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Matt, blinking sleepily then at me before frowning.
“Apologize,” I said.
“Sorry,” Matt wrinkled his nose and drew her into his arms. “I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
Lucy shook her head. “What conference?”
“It’s an informal thing,” I said. “Mostly a meeting to let the other alphas of packs bicker a bit and try to push each other around.”
She blinked slowly. “I thought… there were only three packs?”
“There are, but each of them run differently,” I said. “It’s not something you have to worry about for right now, at least not the details. We’ll get you ready for the official one in the fall.”
“It’s not like any of the luna go to that one either,” Matt huffed. “I don’t see why---”
He broke off as I stared at him pointedly.
“Wait, is this about the Crescent Moon Festival?”
“It’s almost like you pay attention sometimes,” I said, shaking my head. “Yes. It’s the one event of the year that she has to attend.”
I sighed and turned away. “I honestly would have preferred to keep you away from the other packs, their alphas and the whole supernatural community until you knew enough to be okay, but that’s not an option all the time.”
Lucy dropped her gaze. “I can read.”
I snorted. “It’s not something you can really pick up from a book either. Even if we had books on it.”
“What… is it then?” Lucy asked. “What do lunas do?”
“Play nice,” Matt said. “Have kids, manage social stuff for the pack. There’s not really much for you to do since we’re so small…”
“Lunas of the Blue Moon Pack, typically, serve to temper the alpha,” I said. “The Blue Moon line is known for being hot-tempered and quick to fight.”
Matt grinned. “Hard to want to fight all the time when we’re using our energy in other ways.”
Lucy blinked and nodded. “Okay. What do you mean by playing nice?”
“Mostly?” Matt said. “Just don’t offend anyone. I think the old luna of the Black Moon Pack used to host teas or something like that, but really we’re not expecting you to do anything. You’re our mate first, luna second.”
Lucy bobbed her head. “Okay.”
I looked at her noticing the way she didn’t seem to want to look at either of us.
“Did you have something you wanted to do?” I asked. “Just because we don’t expect you to do anything in particular doesn’t mean you can’t.” I glared at Matt. “Or rather, just because Matt doesn’t expect you to do anything in particular, doesn’t mean you can’t.”
She glanced up at me. “You… expect me to do something.”
“There are somethings you will have to do as luna,” I said. “Going to the Crescent Moon Festival and helping with that is one of them, playing nice with the other packs is another. But I don’t expect you to sit around and wait for invitations. You’re perfectly free to do other things.”
Lucy said nothing for a moment. Then, she nodded. “Okay…”
“Okay?” I pressed. “Is that you have something in mind?”
She shook her head. “I’ll… think about it… When are you leaving?”
I checked the time. “In a few hours.”
“We have time—”
“No,” I said grabbing Matt by his arms. “Let Lucy rest. We should all eat before we all get scolded.”
“Can we have waffles?” She asked.
“Whatever you want.”
“Okay.” Lucy’s lips twitched and scooted to the edge of the bed. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Matt and I watched her go.
“Did she seem off to you?” Matt asked.
“Maybe,” I said. “It’s not like we know much about her.”
“We’re mates!” Matt cried. “What else is there to know?”
Lucy
I stood under the shower spray, turning over their words and everything I’d been hearing from the people in the pack. I couldn’t tell if they just didn’t understand the role of a luna or if I had missed something.
I came out after my shower and found a set of clothes put out for me. Matt and Tony were down the hall at our little breakfast area. The woman who was serving us looked at me with a flat look as she served us and left. Matt and Tony didn’t seem to notice.
Tony started piling food on my plate.
“You look like you have questions.”
I picked up a piece of waffle. “What’s the conference about?”
Tony and Matt shared another look and I had a feeling that they weren’t going to tell me.
“Never mind,” I said. “How long are you going to be gone?”
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