The Royal Alpha, & Loyal Luna

29. Trusting Me Will Get You Killed .

Kalen's POV

I couldn't lie.

It was difficult to see her like this.

To see her so out of character. Given, I had only known her for such a short amount of time, it was all it took for me to understand what Kaelil had described when he spoke such kind words of Aureate Moon's new Luna.

It wasn't Kale or even Kaleb who had sent word of her, no. It was Kaelil, the brother who chose to not go rogue, but to have no sayings in pack matters either.

Many believed him to only stay in the pack because of his mate, Amii. But we all knew better, a mate would follow their other half to the ends of the earth if need be.

It was me he felt the need to stay for. To be able to keep me informed with pack matters and to make sure those I love were safe. To make sure my family was safe.

And to make sure I could tell them whenever there was a threat.

I could remember many months ago now, exploding the security cameras to alarm them of the Autumn's Night pack beginning their attacks. It was my way of alerting them to the best of my abilities.

And now, before me stood their beloved luna, torn between love and betrayal. Between revenge and an act of forgiveness. Between life.. and death.

I was curious to know what was in the works of that brain of hers. What thoughts something unique as, not only a half-breed, but a royal one, would have.

It was in her blood, to question and challenge everything, just as it was in mine to follow and protect my Primes, no matter where they were headed. To war or to the grave.

Yet even knowing so, a feeling not so small inside of me, knew I would follow her regardless.

Was this her doing? This sense of.. home?

"We'll arrive at a good time before nightfall in two days from now." I told her as I scanned the area to let her know it was safe. "We should set up camp now, before it gets too late."

"Good thing Alpha Grey ended up letting you go with some gear."

"Oh, he didn't." I gave her a look to let her know she would be my undoing, before even having a chance to be back with the pack. "Kaleb did."

"Now why would the little wolf go and do something like that?"

"Because he trusts you, Luna. We all do." I seemed to take her by surprise for a moment.

"Yeah, well.. trusting me will get you killed. And stop calling me that."

"What should I call you if not Luna? I have no place to call you Nova, not yet at least."

"A rogue still drilled with pack values."

"Once an Aureate Moon wolf, always an Aureate Moon wolf."

She scoffed. "After tomorrow, I'm sure no one will want me as a wolf, let alone to be from Aureate Moon."

"We aren't as vicious as those let on. You should know that by now."

"I've watched Grey kill.. Audri, Lynn, Kale, Spear, all of them."

"And yet they took you in, a half-breed like the one who ruined their pack's ranks, without hesitation."

"Not all of them.."

I gave her a puzzling look, before realizing. "You haven't officially been bound to the pack.."

She looked at me angrily for a moment, then seemed to give up whatever mental argument she seemed to be having with herself.

"No.. I haven't." She settled with instead. "And with what I'm about to do," She starting setting out her tent. "I doubt I ever will."

"Don't kid yourself." She looked at me as if she were going to take a good swing at me. "I'm just saying, you told me not to discredit my Alpha, you don't discredit your pack."

"I'm on a suicide mission to not only kill my own mother, but our own Princess. No matter for what, I even know the consequences for killing one of our own.. a royal."

So you've the common sense to know your punishment, but not the sense to stop.

"I can't stop." She answered to my silent thoughts. "I won't. Not until she pays."

"Tell me, Lady Nova." She eyed me, but didn't say anything to my use of name. "What drives you?"

"Fear." The word left her mouth as if it'd been waiting there for the question.

"Alpha wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I fear for."

"No?"

"My dad, my brother, my friends, my pack, my.." She looked down at her wolven. "My fiancé. It's them I fear for. Minette cares for no one but herself, she won't care if they die protecting me. So long as she has me in her grasp."

"So you aren't going there simply to kill her for your sake." I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me. "You put on a good poker face, making it seem as though you could care less if we die in the process of you stopping this war."

"I care more than I'd like to admit."

"Why shouldn't you?"

She seemed to struggle internally for a moment before answering. "Keep your friends close and enemies closer. My enemy happens to be.. dangerously close. Closer than Minette." She wrapped her arms around herself subconsciously.

I set my bag down, walking over to her. She looked up at me with a hurt expression, yet curious eyes.

"What is it you can't say, Luna?" I opened my link up willingly to her. Wanting her to know she had someone there to listen. "You can trust me. You know that."

"I.." I could see it all over her face. The pain of a wolf who could not be free. I had known the feeling all too well.

I grabbed the sides of her arms.

She just.. watched me, violet eyes holding more emotions than an adolescent pup.

"Nova.." I said softer. "Please."

Her body jilted before trembling, her eyes watered, but she fought to not let them fall.

I hugged her into me. "You know," The naturally sweet scent of her hair flooded my senses. "It's okay.. to not be okay."

She started to cry, holding onto me as she convulsed softly against me. I found myself looking up to keep the brim of my eyes dry as I held her.

"Get some rest," I told her as her head hung low to my chest. "I'll be on first watch tonight." She moved away and just as I started to set up the rest of the gear, she stopped me.

"Gio.." She looked at me and for the first time since I'd seen her awake, and even with violet eyes, she looked like the Luna in everyone's stories. "I'll do well by you. I have to, I owe you."

I smiled. "You're welcome, Luna."