Luna

Morgan:

The alarm I set blared, and I nearly dropped my phone on my face. The girls would be here any moment to grab me. They had a few last-minute errands to run, and I knew I wouldn’t be ready in time, so they said they’d swing back around and grab me later.

I sat up and stared at my open closet, the two lonely outfit options mocking me. Sighing, I got up, grabbed them both and tossed them onto the bed. To the left, an older piece from my younger days; I wasn’t even sure if it still fit. It was all black: a pair of tight shorts and a cropped tank. Over it, a see-through mesh dress with a ringed collar around the neck. It was cute… back then. Now? The cringe was overwhelming. That one could stay in the past where it belonged.

Reaching for the other outfit, I held it up in front of my full-length mirror. Last year, Sasha and I spent a week in Paris. It took all my savings, but it was worth it. No regrets. While there, we went into every store possible. Even ones we knew were way out of our league (and our budget). I know the saying is ‘when in Rome’, but… When in Paris!

One of the shops we walked by held this outfit in the storefront. A hollow-out halter wrap, sleeveless with slits up the thigh, high on both legs. It covered only the most intimate parts of me, and I blame the mannequin solely for making me foolish enough to think it would look just as good on me.

I barely stopped, but it was enough for Sasha to notice, and she grinned wickedly as she dragged my protesting ass into the shop. It took me longer to put it on than I care to admit, and it took some coaxing from my best friend to finally step out of the dressing room. She shrieked and squealed in delight, demanding I buy it.

I tried to explain that I had nowhere to wear it and went to look at the tag, but she grabbed it and pulled hard, ripped it from the fabric and ran to the front of the store. I ended up bringing the dress home. It went straight into the closet alongside the high school tragedy and stayed there… until tonight.

“Fuck it.” After battling with the fabric, I went to the bathroom to throw on some simple makeup. I wanted to highlight my eyes, my favourite part of me. They were often referred to as ‘Chameleon Eyes’. Usually a stormy sea, bluish gray, with bursts of sandy brown around the pupil. They could change colour based on what I was wearing, the weather or even my mood. No matter how many waves I went through of hating the way I looked, the way I loved my eyes never changed.

I highlighted their features with black eyeliner on the lower lash line and mascara on the lashes. My hair was my second-favourite feature, almost raven-black and wavy. My goal was always to throw it up, so I went for a high pony but paused. “Is that….” My fingers brushed through the strands, and I made a face. White-silver strands reflected from the bathroom light. “Down it is…” I let my hair fall over my shoulders and styled the part, fluffing it in the back.

Rushing back to my room, I dug through the closet floor for a pair of black gladiator sandals, then ran to my vanity for jewelry. A second alarm buzzed, and I chastised my phone as if it were a person. White-gold dangling earrings, a stem that branched into individual leaves, mimicking a willow branch. Then, the necklace. My mother’s. A diamond Lariat, the only thing left that belonged to her before they were long gone from this world. I slipped it on and tucked it under the crossed fabric, goosebumps spreading across my skin from the cool contrast.

“There… dressed to kill,” I muttered after one final look in the mirror.

My phone buzzed and I reached for it, unlocking the screen with a fingerprint. We’ll be there in 10! Sasha sent it with a wink and kiss emoji.

Stepping onto the curb, I whistled in surprise as a sleek, black 2024 Mercedes-Benz pulled up. My friends spared no expense. The back door of the vehicle opened enthusiastically, and I was met with high-pitched shrieks from both of my friends.

“Morgan! You absolute Goddess!” Sasha jumped out and held me at arm’s length, then demanded I turn as she waved her finger in a circle.

Arms out, finishing a clunky turn, Sasha and Alice smiled.

Sasha guided me towards the vehicle, and I slid in as she closed the door and rounded to the front seat. “A driver, too!” I exclaimed.

“Well, enjoy… We’ll be taking an ugly, yellow banana home. That was the last of my pay.” Sasha always did have extravagant tastes.

It was a new club downtown, and the line was out the door and around the block. I was confused when Sasha had the driver stop out front. “We are never getting in here.” I leaned out the door, looking at both girls. Why did I agree to this? I thought to myself and forced a fake smile.

“Not with that attitude.” Alice grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the vehicle while Sasha tipped the driver. Turning to face me, she pushed up my boobs and adjusted the crossed fabric on my chest.

“Hey!” I wasn’t overly surprised by her, but I was already revealing more of myself than I was comfortable with. Alice grabbed me by the waist and pulled me flush against her. We walked past a few angry stares and right to the bouncer guarding the door, Sasha close behind.

He was your classic, storybook bouncer. Six foot, bald, extremely muscular… I turned to run, but Alice clung tight, and Sasha pushed my shoulders forward. My face went red as Alice begins to hit on me in front of the guy, her fingers brushing my hair off my shoulders and tracing the fabric down my cleavage. Here we go… the dread echoed in my mind.

“I’m sorry, baby. It’s a shame I can’t take you inside. I was so excited to dance with you. The way I would rock your world!” She pretended to nip at my ear, and I shuddered. The guy seemed interested but still didn’t budge.

Time to play the bit. I thought and bravely prepared for the most incredible acting moment of my life. I wrapped my arms around Alice’s shoulders and nuzzled close to her. “Aww, it’s okay, baby… we can finish what we started back at my place.” I cooed, my voice sultry. I heard Sasha squeak behind us, and Alice stepped back slightly, jamming her heel down on Sasha’s toe.

I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard and shifted his stance to adjust the friend that was trying to make an appearance in his pants. He cleared his throat and stepped aside. Alice whisked me forward quickly before he can change his mind, and Sasha follows, spinning to blow him a kiss and wink. A fit of their giggles follows us into the club.

“I need a fucking drink after that!” I let out an exasperated breath as the girls compliment my performance.

A half hour went by, and I was already over it. Leaning against the bar, completely annoyed by everyone and everything, I flagged the bartender down to order a drink. I waved with a sarcastic smirk as two drunk creeps circle around my friends and drag them to the dance floor.

I was excited when I first arrived —the display out front was pumping adrenaline through me —but that died down, and now I wish I were back at home, in my sweats, reading a good book. The bartender cracked my beer and passed it over the counter, nearly dropping it. “Hey!” I caught it just in time, then followed his gaze to see a small group of men enter the club. I nearly choked on my first sip of beer, two of them wearing black suits, with earpieces and sunglasses. In front of them were the two being guarded —likely high-profile.

Both extremely handsome; one with blue eyes and dirty blond hair, black dress pants and a white button-up, opened at the top for flair. His muscles stretched through the shirt, a regular gym guy. His friend was arguably better-looking, wearing similar clothing and dark eyebrows that complemented his light blond hair. It gave him a dark allure, reminding me of Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies.

I watched them walk through the club and retreat to a booth near the back, his friend’s smile wide and implying he was the friendlier of the two.

I jumped when Alice appeared at my side. “Did you see those gorgeous men!” She bit her lip and eyed them as they disappeared.

“Where’s Sasha?” I looked around, my question being answered when I spotted her dancing.

-

Downing the rest of my drink, I let Alice drag me to the dance floor. It took some coaxing, but I finally started to have fun, dancing with my friends as we playfully teased the men and women around us. I had no interest in any of them, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the attention it brought. The DJ had the crowd moving with excitement, and the floor became crowded, bodies grinding against bodies. To avoid separation, Alice, Sasha and I crowded each other, and a few men circled us. A hand reached out and grabbed mine, spinning me toward him, a charming smile flashing in the light. His hands found my hips, and I threw my arms around his neck, leaning back and laughing as I caught Alice wink at me. Then he pulled me up and spun me again, but when I turned back, the girls were gone.

Billie Eilish’s Bury A Friend dropped, the bass hit hard, dark, heavy, a pulse I could feel crawl up my spine and into my chest. He turned me so he could grind into my ass, and I laughed under my breath, the kind that only comes when you’ve already given in. The crowd moved closer, tight, the heat of the room turned feral.

My dance partner pressed his growing erection into me, and his hands traced the edges of my dress. His breath met my neck, and I shivered, goosebumps spreading across my skin. The second drop in the song vibrated in my ribs, and I should have stepped away, but I couldn’t, too lost in the moment. Pushing back into him, my hips found the rhythm and my world narrowed to music and motion.

Suddenly, the air changed, and something in me shifted. Eyes, heavy and fixed on me, through the crowd. But from where?

My partner’s hand slid up my body, loosely grasping my neck, and I let out a sensual breath, my eyes fluttering closed as I soaked in the moment, trying to shake off the strange new sense of being watched. He nipped at my ear, and I opened my eyes, ready to turn from him, feeling too overwhelmed by the atmosphere, but froze instead. Through the sea of people, I found them… dangerous golden eyes watching me. It was the man I had noticed before, with the blond (almost white) hair. Without breaking his gaze, his whisky glass touched his lips, and he took a long drink from it. His piercing gaze had me squirming, and I turned to face the guy I was dancing with, trying to ignore the way I suddenly felt.

The guy leaned in, both hands on my ass, and he pulled me closer, his lips finding my neck. This was getting to be too much, and I needed some air to find the girls and get out of here. I tried to push him back, but he only brushed it off and ground his body against mine, his grip tighter. I tried to yell at him to stop, but it was useless over the loud music. My hand was mid-swing to slap him when I was stopped by a firm grip around my wrist and the presence of a new body. Colour drained from the guy’s face in front of me, and he stepped back in complete fear… no, it wasn’t fear, it was terror.

The stranger released my wrist as I slowly turned to face the man behind me, my legs feeling weak. He towered over me, and while I wasn’t exactly skinny, he made my curvy form feel very tiny. His hand brushed my cheek, moving across my skin in a calming way. His fingers slid through the strands of loose hair until he found the back of my neck. “Mine.” The word came out like a growl, deep in his throat, and I could have sworn I saw his eyes flicker to black and back. He was the most terrifying man I had ever seen, and somehow, I didn’t feel the need to run.

His other hand slid around my waist, and he pulled me in, flush against his body. He began to leave soft kisses on my cheek, moving across my jawline and down my neck. Everything about this situation told me to get out and get help, but like a spell, I was entranced. What the fuck is happening? My mind argued with me, but something deep within silenced it, and he continued, now leaving open-mouth kisses on my neck, nipping at the skin. A soft moan escaped my lips, and he groaned in approval. We couldn’t be any closer and yet, I wanted to be, pushing into him more, almost going limp in his arms. It was as if the world around us slipped away, and I was drunk on … well, whatever this was. He nipped again, sharp, and my body tried to pull back, but he kept his grip firm on me.

“Mine.” He growled, and then a sharp sting, like needles, pierced my skin. I meant to cry out from the pain, but my breath left me, and a blur of lights and dancing bodies was the last I saw before my vision went dark.

------------------------------------------------------

Damian:

A fucking nightmare. That’s what this was. It was our last night in the city after a grueling meeting with the Inner-City Alpha that was a complete dead end and waste of time. Caleb, my Beta, had managed to convince me to hit up this club before we left. Said we needed to unwind and let loose. I had to be all business for the both of us because he lived with a smile slapped on his face and like life was one big party. I sighed and grabbed the whisky he brought over, pretending to give a shit about whatever he was talking about.

“Would you lighten up!” He barked, snapping me from my brooding. “We’ve been nothing but work for days, we deserve the break. Besides we’re no further ahead than we were before that meeting so we may as well relieve some stress before we get back to it.” I scoffed but he had a point. The guy lived his life without a care in the world but when it came to being my number two, he was second to none.

I threw back the rest of my whisky and picked up the second glass he had brought over. “The rogue population is growing and rumors of building a union are spreading. Forgive me if ‘having fun’ is the last thing on my mind.” I growled back. Most rogues were lone criminals, banished from their packs for various reasons. Their mental state would often decline until they resorted back to their primitive selves. Pairing up was rare, but uniting was concerning. It suggested a balance of maintaining their intelligence and becoming feral creatures. I was happy that Caleb didn’t share the burden of my responsibilities despite my piss poor attitude. My pack and the discrepancy of our kind depended on myself and other Alpha’s. The meeting with the Inner-City Alpha went nowhere and I was furious.

Downing the rest of that whisky I reached for a third but Caleb grabbed my wrist. I snarled at him. My eyes blackened, my wolf daring him to challenge me. He didn’t flinch, too used to me. “Would you try and relax, just for one fucking night. It won’t kill you.” His voice was hush and serious.

I shot him a look and ripped my hand from his grip, whisky sloshing out of the glass. “Only if you buy me another fucking drink.” I grumbled and downed that glass.

He grinned, stupidly and got up, leaving to grab some more drinks.

I ran my hand through my hair, exhaling loudly, releasing the frustration and exhaustion that had been building the past few days. My arm stretched out along the back of the booth and I turned to look at the dance floor. The club was loud, busy, and the last place I wanted to be at. I inhaled deeply, intending to sigh again, but my breath caught as a powerful aroma hit me. Butterscotch and crisp winter air. I had never encountered a scent like it before. My eyes flew open, flickering black, nostrils flared, my wolf pushing forward. Instantly, I was transported to an imaginary world of a cozy home in the middle of a winter storm.

CLINK

My head jerked as Caleb slammed a few more glasses on the table. “Drink up!” He grinned.

I rolled my shoulders, stretching my neck. My wolf was fighting to take control. He never challenged me when I was in charge. We had a mutual respect and a harmonious balance, the fact that he was trying to take charge with no warning concerned me. Taking the glass, instead of downing it instantly, I swirled the amber liquid methodically as he sat down across from me. He was running his mouth on Goddess knew what but my thoughts were focused heavy on the smell and my wolf fighting for control. “Did you hear anything I just said?” Caleb leaned forward, waving his hand in front of my face. Rolling my eyes, I took a sip of my whisky, turning to look back at the dance floor again. I meant it to be an obvious sign of disinterest but my wolf had other plans. Eyes blackening again, the same scent from before hit me like a brick… then, I saw her. A creature unlike anyone I had laid eyes on before. Mate The deep growl ricocheted around my head like a haunting echo. On autopilot, I downed the rest of the whisky then abruptly stood.

“Hey!” Caleb called out, but I was already moving across the floor towards her.

A vision of heaven, I barely noticed that she was dancing with another man until I saw her turn her head. My eyes darted to the threat as he slammed her back into him, grinding into her perfect ass, his lips grazing the neck that belonged to me. She wasn’t of my kind, or she would have sensed the same, but it did not deter me from claiming what was mine. A growl rumbled at the base of my throat as I stalked towards them. Her eyes looked like a crystal-clear ocean, a sandy beach trailing in the depths. I could swim in them all day. Every step closer to her, my wolf slammed to the surface. Slowly, I was losing control of him. I cracked my neck, eyes flickered black again, nostrils flaring. My chest rose in pride as I saw her cheeks turn flush. She noticed us. The last of my patience left as I watched him nip at her neck. She struggled to push him away. Kill-The word rumbled throughout my thoughts, over and over. Once close enough, my upper lip raised, revealing fangs, and my eyes flashed again. I relished as the colour drained from his face and he let her go, turning abruptly and leaving.

I reached out and gripped her waist, pulling her into me. She melted into me and I groaned with barely contained lust. Her head tilted slightly, her eyes meeting mine and it took every ounce of strength I had not to claim her right here.

“Mine.” It wasn’t even my voice, it was his.

She didn’t fight; she didn’t resist. I wouldn’t have forced her, but my heart raced, exhilarated by having her in my arms. A low rumble of content vibrated in my chest, and she laughed. The laugh felt like a glass of cold water on a hot day. It was refreshing, I craved it, I absorbed it into my soul. I leaned down low, my lips brushing against her ear. “You have a beautiful laugh.” I watched as her skin prickled at the sound of my voice.

The music grew louder, the walls and floors vibrating from the bass. I spun her to face me, my grip tightening on her waist. I slid one hand up her body, finding the nape of her neck. My fingers slid into her hair, and I gently gripped the strands that felt like silk. I tugged slightly; she gave no resistance. Leaning in, my lips grazed her, my tongue gliding across her skin to taste her. My eyes closed, I groaned in ecstasy.

I tried to hold back but it was becoming impossible.

When her slender fingers gripped my shirt, the desperate act of steadying herself, I lost all ability to hold back. I devoured her, my teeth grazing, ready to claim.

Mate

The word ricocheted around my mind, shattering my entire existence. Fangs pierced skin, and the taste of copper coated my tongue. I had marked her. She was mine.

Her cry of pain wasn’t heard against the music, and I pulled back to gaze at the beauty that now belonged to this beast. My heart ached as she looked at me with confusion and fear before she passed out in my arms.

“Shit!”

Then, he was gone. My wolf disappeared into the depths of my mind, leaving me with a mess to clean up. I scanned the room quickly, looking for a quiet booth to take her to. Thankfully, everyone was focused on themselves to notice. I couldn’t have anyone seeing this, thinking I was a danger and trying to take me away from my mate. The thought enraged me, and I picked her up, carrying her out of sight of any potential onlookers. I had to get her out of here, that was the first step, then I could explain.

Once placed, gently, in the booth, I searched the tiny bag she had wrapped around her wrist for a piece of ID. I grasped a card and pulled it out of the bag, I froze as Caleb’s voice echoed in my head.

Alpha! The city border has been breached, they need help! We have to leave. Now!

“Fuck!” I yelled. “This had to happen now! Why, why couldn’t we have met sooner or somewhere else.” I stood straight, hands pulling at strands of hair as I thought rapidly.

ALPHA! Caleb’s Beta voice boomed.

I’m coming! I sent back and looked back at the club. “Fuck, did you have to come alone?” I spat.

Dimitri

The name came to me, and I sent a mental message to him. He was one of the guards assisting us in negotiations and I trusted no other man more, second to Caleb. Get over here, across the bar, in the corner. I sent the message.

He moved quickly, arriving in seconds. His eyes drifted towards her, and I followed his gaze.

My hand flew up to his neck, animal instinct kicking in. “Don’t fucking look at her!” I snarled. He nodded slightly and I released my grip. “Sorry. Listen, here’s her ID,” I slapped it into his hand. “Get her home, keep watch, stay in the area. I’ll return for her when I can.”

I turned to leave but stopped and looked back. “Keep this quiet.” I growled and he nodded.

I took one last look at her, then, regretfully, tore my eyes away and ran after Caleb.

FUCK