Page 64 of Luna Rising

I watched her walk down the stairs and tried not to get too emotional. My mother had never told me that she was proud of me before, and I definitely never expected her to say it after finding me in bed with a guy.

“She’s just like you,” Ewan said with a sleepy smile.

I scowled, though secretly a little pleased. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s a compliment.”

I climbed over him. “That’s because you don’t know her.”

I did as my mother instructed and pulled on a pair of cute black panties with a small pink bow on the butt and matching bra. The lingerie gave me confidence, especially when I caught Ewan watching me as I debated between three black dresses.

Fuck, she’s hot. Why did she have to choose those panties? Oh, fuck her for bending over like that. She’s trying to overdose me on lust. Gaia, I want to let her.

While I felt his feelings through the bond, his thoughts never filled my head the way mine did his. I looked at him curiously, wondering if he was aware that I could hear his dirty thoughts. I had settled on a dress, but I pretended that I hadn’t so he had to stare at me in my underwear a little longer.

I crooked my finger. “Come here. I can’t decide. Pick one.”

If I touch her, it’s over. Don’t touch her. Do. Not. Touch. Her.

Ewan kept his arms crossed over his chest, still only wearing pajama pants, which definitely didn’t hide how turned on he was. He stood behind me, so I bumped my bow-covered butt against his crotch.

Fuck. Why does everything she does feel so good? Oh, Gaia, I can smell her. No. She’s upset. Not the time. Don’t touch her.

Poor Ewan wanted to be respectful of my feelings, and I wanted to feel something besides devastation. Was I considering using sex as a procrastination tool? Yes, yes, I was. Once we left our bedroom, the real world was waiting to bite me in the ass. If I could prolong the inevitable for even a few minutes longer, I would.

I ground my ass against his raging erection and sucked my bottom lip between my teeth.

“What are you doing, Zara?” he whispered in my ear sending icy hot flames down my spine.

“I can’t touch my mate?” I batted my eyelashes at him, all innocent and doe-like.

Her skin is smooth, so soft. Fuck. Gaia, I want to drown in her scent.

“You’re upset and grieving and—”

“Wet,” I interrupted, trailing my fingertips absently between my breasts and down my stomach. His unspoken thoughts had my nipples aching for his touch.

He gripped my hips and groaned in my ear. I covered his hands with mine and guided one between my legs. “Zara,” he said my name through clenched teeth, half warning, half prayer.

I knew him well enough to know that no matter his horny thoughts he wouldn’t take this further without sufficient prompting on my part, and normally I would have appreciated that he was trying to be a gentleman. But I didn’t want a gentleman.

“I won’t break, Ewan.” I moved his other hand to my breast. “You promised to give me whatever I want. This is what I want. So close the closet door and fuck me like you mean it.”

He nipped at my bare shoulder. “I love you more all the time.”

Making my mother wait probably wasn’t the wisest decision, but I only actually felt bad about the delay when I realized Zach and Brooke were with her. The initial vibe was weird. High-ranking members of wolf packs usually met in formal settings, where they all spoke to each other in polite and oftentimes barbed comments. By design, shifters were loyal to their own and distrusting of those outside their pack.

Ewan and I joined Mom on the sofa. Brooke sat in a chair while Zach perched on the arm. She had clearly been crying, and I really wanted to hug her but refrained.

“Zach and I have spoken.” Ewan gestured to my brother. “With the state of things, we agreed signing the alliance accords immediately was important. So, we have.” He hesitated, his reluctance to continue heavy in our bond. “I’ve offered sanctuary to Zach, Brooke, and their pack. Until we can come up with a better solution, the Geminis are staying at the lodge.”

I smiled, liking the fact that he had included Brooke. With the chaos and general shitshow earlier, I hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to her or my brother. I was afraid to look at either of them with my crimson eyes. Maybe I could ask Winter to glamour them permanently. Was that a thing? Just the thought of their judgmental stares was too much to bear.

My mother had taken the vampire thing better than I expected, but apparently she’d known who I was before I did, so she was probably expecting me to come home with fangs at some point.

All the attention in the room was focused on me, and I didn’t understand their concerned stares until I really processed Ewan’s words. The entire pack was coming to live in the Taurus Mountains, which was unusual.

“Why do the Geminis need sanctuary?” I asked, directing the question at Ewan so I didn’t have to look at my brother and Brooke.

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