Chapter 13: The Luna

-Nova-

I woke up the next morning when I heard the door to Rhys’s bedroom close. I quickly sat up, seeing Rhys, wearing only a pair of training shorts and all sweaty, with his shoes in his hands, standing just by the door. He quickly saw me and smiled.

“Morning,” he said as he walked to the bathroom.

Oh, Goddess … it was not all a dream?! I looked around the now bright room, as the sun shone through the windows. It was quite nice actually, but it only reminded me of everything that had happened. By now, my brothers had to have realized I was gone. What wouldn’t they think?! They had no idea where I was, but I knew they would tear everything apart until they found me. That was why it was so important I went home, but Rhys was clearly not letting me go, and I couldn’t tell him who I was. He already knew too much about me.

I jumped up from the couch and quickly got dressed in my cold clothes before I ran for the door. I was surprised to find it unlocked and I sped out of there and down to the ground floor, but just as I reached the doors leading outside, someone walked in, and I was surprised when I stood face to face with what I instantly knew was a hunter. She didn’t have that aura wolves had nor the smell, but I could recognize a hunter from miles away. All wolves had been taught to see the difference. They were stronger and meaner. This one was rather beautiful too, and she looked like she had just come back from a run.

“Going somewhere?” she asked me.

“Eh … I …”

“You’re the rogue,” she said. “Rhys’s mate.”

“No … I …”

“It’s fine. No need to be scared,” she said. “I haven’t met a lot of rogues. I’m Serena, Rogan’s mate.”

She held out her hand, and I looked at it confused. She smiled a little.

“It’s just a handshake.”

I slowly reached out and grabbed her hand, not sure why I did it.

“I … I have never shaken hands with a hunter,” I said.

She chuckled a little.

“And I have never shaken hands with a rogue,” she teased.

I quickly let go of her and looked around her to the freedom awaiting behind her. She smiled and closed the door, and I took a step back.

“So, headed somewhere?” she asked me.

“Just … eh … wanting some fresh air,” I told her.

“I see. Alone?”

I nodded.

“I like to be on my own.”

“Funny, me too,” she said, but I knew she saw right through me.

I was busted …

“Serena!”

Someone called for Serena from on top of the small balcony that overlooked the entrance. We both turned and I saw a mix of hunters and wolves gathered up there. I had never seen anything like it. Hunters … and wolves … together. I knew we had made peace with the hunters, but I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“Are you coming out with us tonight?” a woman asked.

“Yeah, I am, Elisa, but we are making room for one more.”

I turned to Serena and saw her looking at me, and I slowly pointed to myself.

“Me?!”

She smiled.

“We should get to know Rhys’s mate. Of course, you’re coming.”

“I …”

I turned to the group on top of the balcony. None of the wolves looked very happy. The hunters seemed fine with it, but I was already shaking my head as the group started to disappear.

“N-No … I can’t,” I said and looked at Serena.

“Why not?” she asked.

“I …”

“Or do you have someone waiting for you?” she asked me.

She was good … I had to admit. It was like she already knew what I was hiding, even though I had not told her anything. She seemed to be able to look right through me. No wonder she was Rogan’s mate and luna of this pack. She was perfect for it.

“No …”

“Really?” she asked.

“I …”

“Am alone?” she asked.

“Yeah …”

“So, why not stay?” she asked.

“I don’t really fit in here,” I said.

I couldn’t tell her about my brothers. They might tolerate me and not kill me as long as they didn’t know who my brothers were. They had caused so many troubles and hurt a lot of people. If I was connected to them, they would have me punished too. They could not look beyond their crimes, even though I had nothing to do with them, I had not tried to stop them either.

“So? Does it look like I do?” she asked.

“You’re their luna and Rogan’s mate.”

“I was a hunter not long ago, who was sent out to kill him,” she said.

“Yeah … but …”

“But what? You’re a rogue, so what?”

“Well, rogues are known to be bad. Even worse than some hunters,” I told her.

“My conscience isn’t clean either. I did a lot of bad things too, thinking I was doing the right thing,” she said. “But I changed, and so can you.”

“It doesn’t erase the past,” I said.

“No, but we cannot judge people by their pasts. We need to look at who they are now.”

I looked at her shocked. Never before had I thought I would be lectured by a hunter, but it seemed like Serena really had changed a lot.

“I …”

“Nova!”

I looked at the stairs again and saw Rhys had appeared, now dressed and looking rather mad. I swallowed hard, not liking the aggressive aura that was coming from him. He certainly didn’t like I had taken off, and I understood that. I wouldn’t have been happy either, but because he was a beta too, his aura also demanded submission. It was not something that he could control. It came from his status.

“Don’t worry, Rhys, we just had a little chat,” Serena said.

“Don’t think I don’t know she was on her way out,” he said as he descended the stairs and came over to us.

Serena just smiled.

“She was, but I stopped her.”

I looked down, caught between two powerful people.

“But then I invited her out with me tonight.”

“You what?!” Rhys asked and looked at Serena.

“Come now, she can’t stay here all the time. She needs to have some fun, and see who the real enemy is,” she said and winked at Rhys.

Rhys shook his head.

“Come on, Rhys! I will keep an eye on her.”

“I’m coming with,” he said.

“Oh great! Perhaps I can convince Rogan to come too!” she said, and then walked away.

I turned to Rhys, who looked at me with narrowed eyes.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked.

“I …”

**A/N: So sorry for releasing the wrong chapter 12. I have fixed it but it might take some time to show up! Again so sorry.**