The Royal Alpha, & Loyal Luna

5. But For Coming, Mahalo .

Nova's POV

I didn't want to freak Grey out by me freaking out by Wanda's words, so I held onto him and tried to stay as calm as possible.

Grey and Wanda continued to talk. Someone I assumed Grey knew in his early years and cared deeply for, considering she called him by his entire first name, he allowed her to boss him around, and he allowed her to hug him.

"You know your parents have been very troubled by all of these mishaps lately."

Ding, ding, ding. There's that word again.

Trouble.

I held tighter onto Grey, hoping he wouldn't notice, but needing the support and security to not want to dash out of here.

"I know, Wanda." He said, tugging my arm gently to keep us following after her.

"And the fact that you haven't checked in with them. Your father's-"

"With no disrespect to you, Sveanda, I am the Alpha of this pack. I am not obligated and will not check in with anyone. Especially not my father."

"It is only right, sweet child, he's still your father."

Grey's hand tightened on mine unknowingly. "Where is she?" He asked the older woman.

"Your mother is waiting for you, child. Go now." She waved her hands in a shooing manner. "Let's not keep our Luna's waiting." She smiled at me, then extended an arm, directing us to go up a spiral staircase.

I could feel the creeping heat spread across the bridge of my nose from blushing, I smiled back.

Before I had the chance to even say 'it was nice meeting you', I was nearly yanked away.

"Come." Grey said, tugging my hand and leading me up the staircase of the Krem's gorgeous home. Even if it didn't show on his face, I could feel his emotions of excitement and anticipation.

Everything was immaculate in here, I didn't want to touch a thing in fear of tainting it. Even the stairs made me feel like my feet weren't worthy enough to be dirtying them.

When we made it up the stairway, Grey led us down a hall to a back room that seemed as huge as my father's entire house.

Where in the hell all this space came from, the world may never know.

There was a sliding door on the opposite wall, that led out to a balcony that overseen a nice portion of Aureate Moon land. You could even see the clearing I was in the first day I'd come here, also the waterfall.

"This is some view." I couldn't help but to let go of his hand and stand along the balcony's rail to admire it.

"She'll be out here soon, taking a call from my father."

I turned to him, tapping a finger to my head. "She's talking to you, isn't she?"

He nodded.

I gulped, turning back to face the view. A million thoughts and emotions eating away at me, until I felt like I was going to hurl my insides up over the balcony.

Alright, Nova, this is it. Today's the day. You'll finally get to mee-

"Manu."

For a split second, I thought I was back in one of my dreams or Audri's memory had played back over in my mind.

That voice.

"Manu?" I repeated unintentionally, my thoughts interrupted too soon. I spun around and nearly leapt from the balcony when my eyes found the source. The voice that was all too familiar.

The voice behind me in the woods.

That same voice calling to the man who'd hurt Audri.

"It's you." My own voice was barely a whisper.

"It's you." Same tone, same pitch, the same..

Eyes.

There they were, yet even more pale brown than Grey's. But sure enough, they were the same. Though his had a more lazy look, in which I figured he'd acquired from his father.

The same inky, jet black hair that could easily be mistaken for a deep blue or purple as it shimmered in the sun.

Her complexion more deep brown and reddish tinted than his, with a scar peeking just above her cleavage, that looked like it was something gruesome the day she'd gotten it.

Her long hair swayed as she moved it away from her face, tucking it behind her ears.

"Ma, this is Nova. Our Luna, but more proudly titled, I'd have to say for myself, my mate."

No matter what Grey had said, and believe me, I couldn't make out a word of it with my mind running ragged and my heart pumping in my ears, all I could do was stare at her.

"Hello, Luna. It's nice to finally be introduced to you, though you've already made quite the impression. But for coming, mahalo." She slightly bowed her head, but not as much as the others had.

Of course she wouldn't.

She was the actual freaking Luna of this pack.

Not me. Not what I've been pretending to be. Not with how weak and young I am. Not with such a divine, power-emanating, experienced she-wolf right right here in front of me, the rightful Luna.

The real Luna.

You didn't need to understand or even be apart of the wolf society to feel it in you, that she was the center of this magnetic aura. An aura that held all the others together, strengthened them.

I was nothing like this woman in front of me. I was everything that she wasn't and I could see that, feel that, just being in her presence.

I wasn't an ounce, or even a shadow, not a sliver of what she was. It was evident.

Wh-what was I thinking?

I couldn't form a coherent thought to speak to her, let alone find it in me to blink, so that I wouldn't be considered staring.

No, you're making a fool of yourself.

I wanted to say something, anything, but I was afraid. Of her. And of Grey, because I knew this moment was everything to him.

At least it was suppose to be. It should've been. And here I was failing him in more ways than one.

"Pet!" Grey had yelled out to me.

I wasn't sure exactly why.. until I'd realized what I'd done.

I ran.

I jumped clear from the balcony. And as soon as my feet felt aligned with the earth, I darted off, heading straight for the trees.

I just needed to keep running.