Mysteries of the Moon │The Zodiac Series

4.

❝There were magnets in my bones for that iron in her blood. ❞ - Atticus 

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The sheer intensity beneath his dark orbs shock me. 

When I was younger, I used to hate people staring at me. It always got under my skin, because I never knew the true intention behind their watchful eyes. But as the Alpha's daughter, I had to push my insecurities to the side, and get over it. I learned to ignore the critical glares of my peers, but this was different. 

His stare is unwavering and uncomfortably obvious. He clearly doesn't care about being tactful, as he doesn't bother to hide his gaze. 

"Is there anything else we can provide you?" My father's voice remains strong and even, though I'm positive underneath his façade he's cracking. If I had a clear look at his face, I'm sure his eyes would be narrowed in suspicion, picking up on the Beta's peculiar behavior. "If not, our warrior wolf, Allen, will escort you to your quarters."

Underneath his stare, the weight on my chest increases tenfold. I can feel her scratching at my chest, desperate to break the flesh and be released. I know it's all in my head - the feeling of her beating on my bones to be let free, but I can't help but feel as if it's actually happening. I don't understand why she's punishing me all of a sudden. 

The other Alpha raised an eyebrow, the only sign of an emotion on his void face. "I'm settled. And you, Niko?" He asks, looking towards his companion.

Niko. 

I am, without a doubt, ill beyond my belief. As soon as his name is spoken, it bounces back and forth in my head, chanting on repeat. It's unsettling to hear this man's name demonically repeated in my brain, unable to be stopped. Out of desperation, I aggressively shake my head to try to vanquish his name from my head, causing my curled tendrils to escape my hairdo. 

His stare lets up, only for him to close his eyes momentarily, taking a sharp breath. It seems to calm him down, before his opens his eyes. They are no longer sharp and penetrating, but at ease. "Apologies," he mutters underneath his breath, though he doesn't look that apologetic for the distraction. "I'm fine. Though," he hesitates, flicking his eyes over to his Alpha before directing his gaze on to my father. "it would only be appropriate to introduce us to the rest of your company. We would like to familiarize ourselves with who we are staying with." 

I wish he never spoke. There is a fire burning in my chest, thirsty for oxygen.

Sawyer must have sensed my unease, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Sammy, seriously, are you alright?" He keeps his voice low, darting his eyes back and forth between myself and the men in front of us. 

"I think I'm dying," I managed to squeak out, my voice weak from the strain I was feeling. 

"You're not funny."

Despite my inner turmoil, I have a strong desire to strangle Sawyer for his stupid commentary. If he didn't want a genuine answer, he shouldn't have asked. At this point, I'm convinced a witch who hates my pack has cast a horrible curse on me. That is the only thing that can explain the complete chaos going on inside my body. 

"If that would make you more comfortable, I am happy to do so." I resist the urge to throttle Sawyer into a new dimension as my father speaks up. "My family, along with Beta Ty's, accompanied us to greet you all. They will be attending the dinner tonight."

"This is my mate, June, along with our child Sophia." Ty gestured towards the woman next to us, a sleeping child glued to her body. 

Both Alpha Eli and Beta Niko bowed towards June, humming out formalities. 

"I'm happy to introduce my mate, Luna Genevieve, to you both." Father jutted his head towards her, though it was obvious who he was talking about. A beat of silence passed before he angled his body towards us, adding, "And my two children, Sawyer and Samantha."

Once again, his stare was on me, but this time it was accompanied by his Alpha. 

"Pleasure to meet you both." Sawyer let his hand drop from my shoulder, bowing out of respect.

I clenched my hands at my side, forming small fists. "Likewise," I huffed out, thankful my voice was void of any animalistic undertones. Instead of bowing, I opted for a small curtsey, quickly diverting my glaze to the ground. Perhaps if I didn't look at them, this feeling would suffice. 

Another round of formalities came from the men as they addressed us. 

I never thought I would be so thankful to hear my father's stern voice speak up. "Now that introductions are done, Allen will escort you both to your quarters to allow you some time to clean up before dinner. I hope you both decide to join us."

Please don't. For the sanity of my head, I hope these men lock themselves in their room all week and never escape. 

"We will be there," Alpha Eli curtly responds before Allen steps forward from the shadows, ready to escort them inside. 

The second the Beta's penetrating stare left me, I made my escape. I didn't care anymore about the backlash I would face from my father. I couldn't take the ache in my chest any longer. I quickly turned on my heel, making a beeline for the door. I darted inside, barely registering my mother's voice as she calls my name. 

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The ache never fully vanished, but instead dulled. 

The further I got from them, the better I felt. Safely tucked behind my locked door, I felt the most at ease since they stepped out of the car. The suffocating weight no longer made me breathless, but instead was just a nagging feeling sitting in my chest.

I was quick to get to work, stripping my clothes and discarding them around my room as I made my way to the connecting bathroom. I was in desperate need of a shower - both to wash away the beads of sweat that danced on my skin, as well as calm my nerves. The water felt refreshing, running down my body in ice cold waves. 

Once I was done, I wrapped myself in a fluffy robe, not bothering to get dressed right away. I wouldn't leave my room again until I was forced to, for the dinner. I fell on my bed, letting my damp hair soak through the pillows. There was a moment of peace, before the mindlink broke through.

Samantha, his voice was sharp as it came through, speaking my name as if it was a curse. I was used to my father reprimanding me at this point. I always did something that irked him. Sawyer told us you were feeling ill, so I'll let this go. Make sure to behave tonight.

I made a mental note to thank Sawyer tonight for defending me. 

Sorry, it came over me all of a sudden. Didn't want to be ill in front of your friends. I sent a lazy mindlink back to him, aware of my misuse of the word 'friends'. I will. I assured him, despite not being too sure of myself. If that suffocating feeling finds it's way back to me tonight, I'll be making a similar escape like this morning. He won't be pleased if I have a repeat.

I lay on my bed, waiting a few moments for a reply but it doesn't come. 

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A/N: Alrighty, what do we think? Opinions on Niko?

I hope you like him, because you're going to be seeing more of him ;) As always, if you enjoyed, please vote and leave a comment letting me know! <3

HOUSEKEEPING: For anyone confused or curious, in this universe the only way to confirm you are mated to someone is through physical touch. Certain wolves, depending on how strong your wolf is, will have inclinations towards people. That could be picking up on their scent, being drawn to them, and so forth. In this universe, there is no wolf in your head telling you "Hey, that sexy man is totally your mate", because...well...where's the fun in that?! :P

** As always, if there are any grammatical mistakes, or constructive feedback you'd like to leave, please don't be afraid to do so! I am always looking to grow as a writer **