Luna Unknown

Chapter 7

On our way across the Reservation to the Elders, Luna started up conversation. 

"I just want to get something through your head okay?"  I nodded an 'okay' back and our synced footsteps slowed. "You were raised way different than I was, and We literally just met today." she paused, and we both stopped. She bit her lip and looked away. "What I'm trying to say is I don't feel that magical connection you're talking about, I want to just take things slow, and no more talking about marriage." 

"Sounds fair." I agreed.

"Plus I don't know what I'm about to hear from these Elder people, I might want space, you know? Well you wouldn't because you weren't adopted, I mean I might even meet my birth parents today, Neal." she looked down again, she had a habit of doing that. She hadn't really talked about herself, only listened to me talk about me.

"It's kind of like when my dad dropped the Alpha bomb on me,"  My index finger tickled at her left hand to ask if I could hold hers. She quickly moved her left hand to her right elbow, right, space. "I was really freaked out, and it gave me really bad anxiety, but he helped me out until my birthday." 

"When's your birthday?"  She looked over at me, questioningly.

"January, tenth." I said continuing to walk, but she had stopped.

"Your kidding, that's a joke right?"

"No."

 "Mines, January ninth." she said as if it pained her.

"Told you we were mates, there is no such things as coincidences and that is a sign, Kaii would believe me." I said laughing. As we continued walking, I could see the Elder house getting closer in the distance.

"Kai?"

"She's an Elder." she nodded. "Can I ask you something?" she mumbled 'I guess.'  The Elder house was getting closer. "Where did you live before you got here? I mean i never saw you at White Rock so I assume you lived somewhere else. Plus Suki told me when I came to talk to Kaleb back in November He was dealing with family issues, so she was running the shop."

"Why were you ggoin to talk to Kaleb, by what you've told me, you guys arent friends."

"I was looking for you of course," I smiled  "He was in my vision, or dreamm whatever. And I kind of jumped to conclusions and..."I rambled.

"Oh." she looked sad a minute.

"No! I mean I don't hate him I just-"

"No, no. It's not that. Ah, I used to live in this nice neighborhood like twenty minutes away from here."  she sighed, and her eyes got watery. "I went to a nice public school, well school is crappy but I guess you could consider it nice. I haven't been in months, though. "  she started messing with the rubberband on her wrist. I wondered why she hadn't been to school in months, and why she was all closed up, when I remembered what Kay had told me, but before I could ask anything we were at the door of the Elders house. I looked up as Luna started talking again.

"'They aren't here." was all she said. There was a sign on the door. 'We are enjoying our Restful Saturday, come back after Sunday Lunch.'  

"Shoot! I'm sorry it didn't even cross my mind to think it was Saturday and they would be resting."

"Restful Saturday? Another weird tradition I know nothing about."

"That's weird I could've sworn Kiyiya said something about them having Restful Sunday's in White Rock."

"Well, I just got here less than a week ago I've never celebrated 'Restful Saturday'. " she shrugged.

We turned around to head back to the back house, the sun was setting now and the sky was orange, pink, and purple. I could see the silhouette's  of the bare trees and the wind had started up again. 

"Hey hold on, come here." I stopped her, and unzipped my jacket. I pulled my left arm out of its sleeve and pulled her to my side, she put her left arm in the hole and her right around my waist.  I was pretty sure my face was bright pink from the intimate gesture. The jacket just barely zipped halfway but it was good enough.

"Are you sick or something you are really warm, like you have a fever." she looked up at me, I was maybe a foot taller.

"No it's a werewolf thing, I guess I just forgot since I'm always around other shifters."

"Oh."

When we got up to the Pack house door  she slid out of my jacket.  "Are you sure no ones gonna attack me with questions?"  she asked. "I'm sorry, I'm just not in a mood to meet people I'm kinda bummed we have to wait until tomorrow to talk to the Elders. And plus I wouldn't know how to explain that I'm not a werewolf."

"You are you just haven't shifted." I say looking at her, I had one hand on the door. "And I'm their Alpha they have to listen to me, if I tell them to leave you alone."

"How do you know?" I started to say that the Alpha was their leader, but she added on. "I mean how do you know I'm, uh, Lupus? Is that it?"

"Lupa technically, and I can smell the wolf in your blood." 

"That's not creepy at all." We both were in hysterics as I opened the door. Several people were in the dining room eating dinner, but most had taken theirs to their room. We paraded passed the few staring lupus of my pack and into the kitchen. Ariana was leaning on the counter talking to Jones our Pack House chef. Dani, who is another pack healer, was making a strange concoction that could only be for his pregnant wife.  

"What is that?" Luna walked up to him, he smiled. 

"It's a pickle, with cream cheese, and a pepperoni wrapped around it. Abigal's been craving these for days! We had to go buy more cream cheese last night." He continued to spread the cream cheese on a sandwich style pepperoni. 

"That is too weird to pass up, can I try one?" she laughed as he handed her an already wrapped pickle.

"Be my guest but It looks gross to me." he told her.

"So I take it you aren't picky about food?" I ask leaning on the counter next to Ariana, who was now staring at the both of us. She was about to try the pickle concoction, when she asked. "You're one of those people aren't you?" 

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"One who can't stand there food to touch, or" she held up a finger "can't stand to try new things."

"Is that a challenge?" she took a bite from the pickle and left half for me. 

"I guess it is." She wiped her mouth and handed me the rest. I hesitated "It's not that bad really, the cream cheese just makes it a bit sweet." Dani started to chant my name and Ariana was shaking her head laughing. Luna's smile was like the one I'd seen in my dream, a smile so natural and big you couldn't help but smile back, and do whatever she told you to. I scrunched up my nose and put the whole snack in my mouth.  It was like she said, unusual, strange maybe, but it wasn't horrible.  By the time I swallowed Luna was laughing so hard her arm slipped from the counter, but I caught her halfway before she fell.

"These last few months have been depressing, and you have made my heart full again you know that Neal?"  she was serious now as she stood back up, but trying to hold it in wasn't working her laugh filled the room in seconds.  I laughed with her. Dani soon left the room with a plate full of pepperoni wrapped pickles and cream cheese, and Ariana finally spoke up.

"I'm guessing you two wanted something for dinner?"  I turned back to Luna who was trying very hard to keep a straight face. 

"What's your absolute favorite dinner? 

 Writing this chapter was the most fun I've had in this story, we all need to try knew things and take time to laugh our worries away!