Luna of the Lake

III. A Lonely Existence

When I awoke the next morning, it was to a cold bed and dim lighting falling through the windows. The clock on the bedside table read that it was just past seven in the morning, and I was relieved that my body had not managed to sleep the day away once more. Willing myself to roll out of my cloudlike bed, I plodded over to the bathroom and freshened up for the day.

Still wearing the clothing I had been given to sleep in last night, I went down the hallway to find Angela in the kitchen, taking something out of the oven.

"Good morning, Luna. Did you sleep well?" she asked politely

"Yes, thank you very much." she had me sit at the counter and brought me a plate with one of the fresh baked cinnamon rolls she had just finished. I took a couple bites of the delicious pastry, feeling so pampered by having such a marvelous cook prepare food for me. I also felt extremely guilty about it.

Just as I was almost halfway done, a couple of men I didn't recognize came into the kitchen and gave me a respectful bow.

"Luna, the Alpha requests your presence in his office."

My heart began beating faster as I slowly swallowed my bite and shakily stood up, trying to breathe. I whispered a quiet thank you to Angela as I was herded out of the room and down the hall towards the entrance to the Alpha's quarters. My second time being led through the huge house didn't help me to recognize the route much better than before. I would get lost in here in a second if I was on my own.

Eventually, they stopped outside the big doors I recognized from the evening before and knocked before opening them. I walked in alone, terrified. There he was, sitting austerely behind that desk, his glittering eyes taking me in with an intense, burning stare. I couldn't look away, as much as I wanted to, and my stomach was in knots. I wish I hadn't eaten yet. I wanted to be sick.

"Good morning little mate. Please, sit." he motioned to the lone chair in front of his desk.

I walked over to it and sank into the plush upholstery, breaking his gaze and looking to the ground. Most people couldn't make sustained eye contact with an Alpha, and it seems being the mate of one didn't change that.

He cleared his throat after a moment of uneasy silence and began to speak. "I apologize for leaving so abruptly yesterday. Your information gave me urgent business to attend to."

Hmmm... what "urgent business" could that be? I wondered. Is attacking another pack considered "urgent business" around here?

I looked up and met Caius's eyes and tried to resist flinching away. "Is there going to be war between Shadow Forest and Fallen Timbers? I hope you wouldn't risk my pack in this conflict, Ice Pine has always-"

He cut me off with an annoyed sounding interruption. "Ice Pine is no longer your pack. You are a member of Shadow Forest now. Or rather, you will be soon, when you participate in the Luna ceremony."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that. First of all, being interrupted was annoying, and I also didn't like that he was making these assumptions about my position here. I guess this scary man was my mate, but I mean I didn't know him a bit. What if we didn't like each other? I could just as easily reject him as he could reject me. After all, he was terrifying and bloodthirsty, and I didn't know if I could be compatible with that. Besides, Ice Pine was my home. Sure there were a lot of bad memories there because of my parents, but it's where I was born. It's where my parents were from. I wouldn't forsake that history so easily for a man I didn't know.

I nervously looked away again, as he continued.

"I hope you will be very happy here Larka. I don't know exactly what will happen between Shadow Forest and Fallen Timbers at this time, but things have been brewing for a while and I will NOT let this attack on you, my mate, go undisciplined. Their Alpha is a doddering but malicious old fool, and his young welp of a son needs to be taught manners he failed to learn from his father." Caius was practically snarling.