Chapter 6: A Smart Beta and A Determined Luna

[Dove]
I couldn't move.

I should fight it, but the feel of his soft, moist lips sent fluttering butterflies all over inside me. I closed my eyes and pulled him closer, inhaling his deep masculine scent. The same lips started nibbling and sucking my upper lip, and then my lower lip, coaxing my mouth to open.

I did and his tongue quickly slipped in. The wild slippery caresses lured a soft cry from my throat and my body went limp.

A large hand then held the back of my head to keep me in place as another cupped my chin, pushing it up for my lips to press harder onto his. His mouth soon covered mine completely and he deepened the kiss further. My mind was blank and I was spinning deeper into the bright light...

Then as abruptly as it had happened, his lips tore away and I was fiercely pushed back.

A bump at my waist and I opened my eyes to a hazy view of the kitchen. I was panting heavily. Then, I heard his deep breathing and was pleased that he was as affected as me.

Then the familiar harsh voice snapped me back to reality. "Go to sleep."

My eyes shot up in time to catch his face; shock and disappointment were written all over it.

And then he was gone.


*****

"... And he never showed up since," I mumbled. “He’s like a ghost, Claire. He shows up for a while and then he goes missing again. Does he hate me so much that he can’t even stand the sight of me?”

Claire, as usual, said nothing and returned quietly to the stew brewing nicely on the stove.

I dropped my gaze back to the bowl of beige creamy batter and sighed.

It turned out that nothing happened to Owin. He was reprimanded of course and made to run up the mountains and back, but that was it.

When I got the news, I felt like an idiot thinking that he had been thrown into a dark dungeon or, worse, tortured. It was probably why Cole was mad; I assumed the worst of him when he actually did nothing wrong.

Still, I couldn't fathom out his behaviour that night.

A soft chuckle came from the doorway. I looked up and found Cole's Beta grinning widely at me. Like Claire, I ignored him and quietly picked up the wooden spoon and returned to folding the batter.

"Aw, come on." The sandy blonde warrior with a devilish dimply grin came closer. "No greeting for me because I'm not Cole?"

I paused and glared at him.

"Alright, alright." He held up both hands to call for a truce.

"What do you want, Jude? I'm busy."

"I can see that." He glanced into the bowl then gave me a horrified stare. "Don't tell me this is tonight's brioche."

I frowned at him as he turned to Claire who nodded with her eyes closed.

He returned to me, "We better go and let Claire save this."

Despite my reluctance, he removed the bowl from my hands and passed it to Claire who immediately took over.

"Where are we going this time?" I groaned, dragging my feet behind him.

Since that night in the kitchen, I had been visiting various places and meeting other werewolves within the home ground.

Why was a Beta doing a Gamma's job? I had asked Jude. He simply shrugged and replied that Cole had reassigned Owin to train the new werewolves.

“You’ll definitely enjoy today’s trip.” Jude gave a secretive smile.

Unimpressed, I repeated my question in exasperation. “Where, Jude?”

“You really do ask a lot of questions.” He laughed, shifted into his beastly form and sped off.

I rolled my eyes and followed him.

We quickly arrived at a low cliff, overlooking a wide green meadow sprinkled with yellow cheerful flowers. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply and then exhaled, letting the fresh minty breeze comfort me.

My heart skipped a beat. I opened my eyes, searched the vicinity and finally found the familiar silhouette of the ox-brained werewolf. His thumb-sized figure was moving playfully around the meadow amidst a group of children.

Jude came up beside me. “Well, what do you think?”

I was pulling up my hair into a bun. “What should I be thinking?”

Jude crossed his leaned arms and turned to me, “You have been asking me about the Moon Goddess, no?”

I was all ears.

Jude smiled at Cole who was now grabbing a male cub like a rugby ball, smiling and running away from the other giggling cubs. “When it’s about a pack, it’s about the Alpha. You want answers, you have to get it from him.” He shoved a thumb in Cole’s direction.

“Are you kidding me, Jude? You know I don’t get to see him at all!”

Jude’s lively eyes fell into complete boredom. “Aren’t you living in the same mansion as him? What’s wrong with you, cub?”

“Why does everyone call me that?” I threw my hands up in the air in disbelief. “I’m not a fucking cub!” Immediately, my hands shot up and clamped over my mouth. “Oh dear Moon Goddess, I’m swearing again! It’s getting worse.”

My eyes looked away in embarrassment and they instinctively travelled to grinning Cole tossing a laughing female cub into the air and grabbing her again.

Jude was laughing so hard that the mighty leader finally saw us. At once, sunshine vanished from his face and then the same old scowl crushed his handsome features. He put down the little girl, patted her head and moved towards our direction.

Jude turned to me calmly, “A Luna takes care of all matters inside the house. You may need an escort for the outdoors but surely you don’t need one indoors.” Flashing his dimples at my surprised expression, he continued. “Aren’t you the mistress of the house?”

I turned slowly from the smartass Beta and beamed with secret confidence at the frowning giant wading through the strong winds towards me. Yes, I am, I thought.

“What are you doing here?” He shouted over. I knew the question and its hostility was directed at me because his blue eyes were on me.

The sight of his face and that darn scent conjured up memories of that night. I realized that I missed the warmth and pressure of his lips. Quickly, I grabbed a fist to feel the sting of my sharpening nails and stay focused.

Stopping at three arms’ length from us, he turned to Jude with his hands on both hips. “Why the hell would you bring her here? This is not part of her schedule.”

Before I could respond, the fearsome leader had barked his order for his Beta to send me back, and swiftly dashed off.

With arms crossed, I frowned at the disappearing figure of that ox-brained werewolf. “It doesn’t take a day to go from one wing to another, right?”

The grinning beta nodded. “Of course.”