Tempting LUNA 【18+】

Chapter 11: Found by the Alpha

POV:

 Flora Duncan

I live in a small town in the woods, two hours north of the city. When the bus ride ended, I stepped off and immediately smelled the familiar scent of sun-baked trees. I took a deep breath, and I could hear the stream in the forest if I listened closely. My wolf was itching to come out and run. Sure, we live in modern society, but werewolves like us still head to the countryside on weekends. The forest just makes us feel more at home.

"Shhh, not now," I told my wolf, Fala. It was already evening, and I needed to get home to see my mom.

I walked down the path through the pine trees until I reached my house—a small, three-story cottage with a little backyard. The neighbors' lawns were empty, probably because everyone was having dinner. Occasionally, warm lights peeked through curtains, showing shadowy figures inside.

"Flora, my baby!" My mom, who got my message, was already sitting in the rocking chair on the porch, knitting. When she saw me, she rushed out, all excited, trying to grab my bags.

"Are you okay, Mom? I got your message—did the doctor really say you could leave the hospital?"

"Yes, I'm fine, sweetie. Come on, I made your favorite roast chicken."

Mom held my hand as we walked inside. Everything looked the same, like I'd never left. I dropped my bags at the door and followed her to the dining area. She told me to sit at the table, then turned to the open kitchen. She put on gloves, opened the oven, and took out a perfectly roasted chicken coated in sauce—my favorite veggie roast chicken. The pan was full of veggies I love, so I always call it that.

"Why didn't you come back tomorrow? It's so late, and you must be tired." Mom set the table and sliced a piece of chicken for me.

"Thanks, Mom." I grabbed my fork and knife, eager to dig in. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Did you drive yourself home from the hospital?" I asked, my mouth full of juicy chicken.

"No," she replied with a shy smile. "Sam did."

"Wow!" I put down my fork and hugged her. "Congrats!"

"We decided to make it official. I haven't had a chance to tell you yet. I kept thinking maybe it's time to move forward, but you know..." Mom started rambling about her new boyfriend. Then, suddenly, she remembered to ask, "How's work?"

"I'll be home for a while," I shrugged. She seemed to understand and just patted my head.

"Well, that's good. I get lonely here by myself."

Later that night, after finishing Mom's roast chicken, I went to my room upstairs. Mom cleaned it occasionally, so it still looked like it did when I left. I grabbed pajamas from the closet and headed to the bathroom. I took off my clothes in front of the mirror, and the mark on my neck was still very obvious. I sank into the bathtub, the warm water calming my thoughts. The smell of the rose bath bomb filled the room, and I rested my head on the tub's edge, my fingers tracing the mark. I started thinking.

Maybe I just won't ever see Adam Hansen again. I'll stay away from him. He's an Alpha, and he'll have his Luna one day. This was just a hookup, just a one-night stand. Nothing has to change. Suddenly, my phone buzzed—a text.

Was it Adam Hansen? My heart raced as I reached for my phone with wet hands. I took a deep breath and checked it, only to find out it wasn't him. A little disappointed, I pushed the thought away. I had blocked Adam's number anyway. I couldn't get his texts. What a dumb move!

"Hey! Stop second-guessing yourself!"

Gary Elsie: 【Flora, are you back?】

I figured Mom must've told him. Gary's the neighbor's kid, an older brother figure. We've known each other since we were little, and the adults always thought we should give it a shot. Gary was the captain of the basketball team back in school, but I never liked the jock type. I was more into books... and Adam Hansen.

Why did I think of him again?

Flora: 【Yeah, what's up?】

Gary Elsie: 【Meet at the usual spot tomorrow?】

Flora: 【Sure.】

After my bath and texting Gary, I climbed into bed and fell asleep. I had a great night's sleep.

The next day, I ran into Gary as soon as I stepped outside. He has brown hair like mine, but he keeps it really short, almost shaved. He has gray eyes, tan skin, and a smile that shows off his perfect white teeth. He was wearing a plaid shirt over a tank top, showing off his muscles. He was standing next to his pickup, waving at me.

Funny thing is, he's really attractive, but I feel nothing for him.

"Hey, look who's back!"

"Morning, Gary," I smiled back at him, then noticed Mom watering the flowers, giving me a wink.

Ugh, embarrassing.

"How are you, Mr. Duncan?" Gary walked over to greet my mom.

"I'm good. Thanks for taking Flora to breakfast. Oh, and if you could bring back a bag of flour, that'd be great."

"Sure, no problem." He said, opening the car door for me as I walked up.

"Thanks a lot. I was planning to run, but my wolf wanted to run too, and I didn't want to deal with carrying clothes," I said, buckling my seatbelt, watching Gary start the car.

"The forest isn't very safe right now. You know, our town is on the northern edge of Creek Pack territory, near the werewolf borders. Some wolves from other packs might sneak into the forest, so the patrols have been beefed up," Gary explained. He's on the town's border patrol and sometimes helps out at his family's auto repair shop.

"Really? Good to know."

"If you want to run, it's safer during the day. Don't go too deep."

"Got it, thanks."

We chatted a bit more on the way, and soon we reached our usual spot. It's a small breakfast place in town, known for its eggs Benedict sausage sandwich—my favorite. The restaurant is near the town's fountain, where you can enjoy the sun and coffee. Mom and I, and sometimes Gary's family, often meet here for brunch.

We sat by the window, and a cute waitress came over, handing us menus and pouring water. She wrote down our order and gave Gary a flirty smile before walking away. He's used to it, just smiled back in his usual charming, slightly goofy way.

Then I noticed Gary was staring at me. I raised an eyebrow, "What? Did I suddenly get more attractive?"

"You seem... different," he said, taking a sip of water and blinking at me.

"What do you mean?" I felt a little nervous. Could he tell I'd been marked?

He looked me up and down, making me uncomfortable. I flipped him off, and he laughed, "You've gotten more... womanly."

"What's that supposed to mean? Was I not a woman before?" I snapped back.

He raised his hands in surrender, "Hey, it's a compliment. You're prettier than in high school."

"Thanks, I guess." I accepted his compliment reluctantly.

Trying to hide the awkwardness, I glanced out the window—and there stood Adam Hansen. I don't know how long he'd been there, staring at us, but then he turned and walked into the restaurant, heading straight for me, looking furious.

I froze.

"Oh no, you're in trouble!"