Luna On The Run!

Alpha Zane’s POV

“You lost track of her? Wasn’t she with you? And the club was busy, how did she go unseen? Damn it!” I can barely contain my anger and slam my fist down hard on the table. Only yesterday my Delta Ivan told me he had located Ariel.

She had even checked into one of our hotels in Miami. Ivan had acted as if he were the restaurant manager and, so as not to look suspicious, had pretended to be impressed by the woman in her company. Everything went smoothly, the plan was to drug her in the busy club and take her on my private Jet to Midnight Moon. The Jet was already on its way to Miami.

And these two fools, whom I pay a hefty salary, let her go, she escaped their notice. And with so many scents around, they obviously couldn’t track her right away. When they finally caught up with the taxi driver who had picked up the women, he revealed that he had taken them to a bus station where up to 20 buses leave for all over America.

The Goddess knows how happy I was when Ivan first told me he had found her. I had organized a big welcome party for her here at Midnight Moon, and my Luna would know right away how much the pack already loved her. And then I would woo her and beg her to give our mating a chance. But all that fell apart because of these two losers in front of me.

Claw stops me from ripping their heads off.

I am so far behind Gorgio, who has been with her for a year. Damn it, these guys never get anything done! The bond between us is vague, but on several occasions, I have felt her draw strength from Gorgio to lift her spirits. He comforts and strengthens her when she needs it, proving his love to her from afar. I want to do the same for her, if only she’ll give me the chance. Their exchange triggers her bond with me, but I cannot be part of their bond because they have marked each other.

“Zane, she was gone before we knew it. I think she sensed what we were up to. I was still so careful,” Ivan interrupts the rollercoaster in my head. “After she left Miami, we sensed other werewolves in town. They weren’t from Midnight Moon, so Alpha Gorgio got on her trail too.”

I expected that. The man will not rest until he has her back. He will go to extremes because he knows I want to be ahead of him. If I find Ariel and bring her back to my pack, Gorgio will have to come to terms with sharing her with me. That is what the Moon Goddess has decided, and I am at peace with it, as long as I have my mate with me.

My claws and fangs extend, I am so pissed at these worthless wolves. As soon as they open their mouths, bad news comes out.

“Calm down, Zane. Control yourself. I’m sure we’ll find her, you just need to know how to keep your cool”. My Beta Eric grabs me by the shoulders. “If the Moon Goddess has meant her for you, you will get her. But for now, you have to stay calm. Let’s think about how to find her again. I have updated all our informants in the various states.”

Dejected, I stare at my Beta. “She could be anywhere in America. Where do we look now?” I hold my head, this is all too much.

“And she’s having fun, going to clubs, while I’m languishing here, pining for her. She doesn’t feel the bond, the urgent desire to be with her mate, with me. Has her wolf died?”

“There’s only one way to end this, Zane. I bet Alpha Gorgio is stressed too, he thinks he will lose his mate to you. You need to meet and make arrangements so that you both settle down,” Eric points out. “The way things are going, it looks like a race to find her first. And that can only lead to her running further away and finding more ways to become harder to find”.

I run my hand over my face. Eric is absolutely right, but I have doubts that Gorgio is open-minded enough for a compromise. And I can’t blame him, he has more to lose than I do. He is marked and mated to Ariel, their bond is already forged and strong.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Call Alpha King Petric and organize the meeting in his pack. Gorgio is erratic at the moment. I think we can only count on his word if the Alpha King intervenes.” I instruct my Beta. Then I turn and leave my study, no longer able to face my Delta and my warrior.

I run out of the packhouse towards the forest. Without bothering to take off my clothes, I shift in midair with an enraged growl. Claw needs this run badly, he feels rejected by Ariel. He doesn’t understand why she ran away from us when he wanted to cuddle her and make love to her. Wolves do not understand the reasoning of her human side.

He speeds through the forest like a maniac, the small animals fearfully giving way to him.

All his frustration and despair are reflected in this run. He has been without his mate for three days now and it makes him anxious. Sharing Ariel is not what he wants, but if that is the only way to have her with him, he is willing to accept that.

It is hours later when we return to the packhouse. The tension in the pack is palpable, everyone can feel through the pack bond that their Alpha is out of his normal routine. The news of Ariel being their Luna, but also of Eclipse Howl, has spread through the pack like wildfire.

As I shift, I see Eric standing there in a sweater and boxers.

Nudity is not a problem in the pack, but I keep it to a minimum.

“Go to bed early and try to get some rest. Tomorrow we will have a solution. The Alpha King is getting ready and then we’ll sort everything out. Okay?” I nod to my Beta and take the stairs two at a time.

In my apartment, I go straight into the bathroom for a revitalizing bath.

As I fill the tub, I look at myself in the mirror.

I have really got myself into a bit of a mess. And with my archenemy, an Alpha wildly known for his intolerance…