Page 55 of Luna Ascending

Aurora is being a royal pain in my arse. She'll be eighteen soon and I'm desperately trying to find a solution to her being wolf-less before then. The risk of rejection if she meets her mate and she can't shift is high, but she doesn't seem to understand the urgency, nor that I have to keep her close, and protected. She's constantly fighting me.

“I'm basically human now Aaron,” she spits the word like it's poison “no-one will dream I'm a spy for shifters just by looking at me!”

“You could be recognised as one of their experiments Aurora” I growl a low warning.

“Then I'll get in even closer!” she states triumphantly “they might even take me to where my Separator is.”

“No.” I bellow “it is not happening. Get that out of your head right now!”

“What if...” she eyes me sideways “what if Lyell came to protect me?”

That does it. I am not having my seventeen year old sister endangering herself by poking around Coven territory and I am in no way having Lyell sniffing around her. He is a good solider, in a bad way. His loyalty to this pack was earned, but I know how he earned it. And I know his previous life.

“No” my voice is deadly quiet now “You will stay here Aurora, and you will stop all contact with Lyell. You may think you know him, but you don't. As your alpha, I forbid you any relationship with that bear. Do not disobey me, little sister.”

I mind-link Lyell my ultimatum – leave my sister alone, or leave the pack – then I turn on my heel and leave Aurora to her wailing.

Chapter Forty

Freya's POV

I can't work Aaron out right now. He's increasingly hard-line with his fighters, the pack and with his sister. I know he needs to prove himself as alpha, but he's pushing too hard.

Aurora is in pieces – she's so cut off from everyone, and Lyell was a huge support for her. Fuck knows what those two had in common, but whenever I came across them before, she was happy and smiling and he looked way more relaxed. Now she's only ever in tears.

We have to do something to get her wolf back, I'm sure I can occasionally sense it there, just under the surface. I daren't tell her – I can't work out how to reach her wolf. I worry that knowing it's there but inaccessible might just break her completely.

The closer we get to the alpha-blooding ceremony the more nervous I am. I know some of the packs attending are the same ones that sent she-wolves as potential Luna's to the Rite. I hope there's no bad blood lingering, and there better not be any fucking ideas of turning his head.

The ferocity of my jealousy surprises me. I might not be officially Luna just yet, but I'm his mate and I won't stand by and watch any nonsense for the sake of politics. My wolf is very fucking clear on this too. I love feeling like I've got backup.

I mention to Aaron that there might be bad blood, trying to hide my jealousy, but he's immediately onto what I really mean and laughs at me for it. My wolf bristles.

“Fuck off Aaron” I mutter “I'm serious, those mutts better keep their skanky little paws to themselves”

He grabs me by the waist and lowers his head towards mine, staring me straight in the eyes. I'm cross with him for laughing, and with my body for betraying me – I just want to press myself into his big chest and loose myself in a kiss. I punch his arm in annoyance.

“Beautiful, listen,” he says, suddenly serious “I didn't want those she-wolves when I barely knew you, and when you were off fucking someone else. Stop worrying – I've found you, I've claimed you. I'm never letting you go. Maybe you should be worried about that instead.” He gives me a sly grin as I huff at him and try to keep the smile from my face.

I still can't quite believe the blooding-in part of the alpha blooding is literal – fucking barbarians! Aaron has to fight his father. Whoever wins, is alpha. It's such a load of macho bullshit. Aaron's the stronger, and the better fighter, but I can't help but worry. Something tells me Connell's pride won't allow him to just 'let' his son win – he'll fight with everything he has.

It terrifies me – they could seriously hurt each other. I'm just glad the brutal element of a fight to the death is confined to the history books; Aaron only has to make his father submit.

When Aaron let slip that Connell has never submitted before, ever, I made him elaborate. Alpha Connell and his Luna even left a out part of her Luna Ceremony because he could not, would not, submit, even to her. It's sad really, now that I think about it. But it also has fucking terrifying implications for this fight.

Liz is not much bloody help at reassuring me. She's bloody feral – far too enthusiastic about the prospect of the two of them beating each other to a pulp than is natural. Fucking cougar.

Chapter Forty-One

Aaron's POV

I wake with a start, sweat pouring off me. I can hear my blood pumping in my ears, and smell my own fear. I was dreaming about today. About the alpha-blooding. Even awake, I still feel a thrill of alarm.

I'm the stronger wolf between me and my father. I have the muscle to win this fight, unless I fuck-up badly. But my gut is churning – if he won't submit, if I can't make him, then I have to kill him.

I haven't discussed it with Freya. I saw her shock at the concept of a fight to the death for leadership, and then how relieved she was to learn that's not been the law in centuries. I couldn't burst her bubble. Sure, nowadays we only have to dominate the other fighter, but in the end, one of us has to submit, or die.

She's so new to pack-life that she must see our customs as brutal and uncivilised. And she'd be right, they are. There are so many things I want to change, such a different way I want to run my pack. But first I have to win the alpha-blooding, become alpha, then win a war with the Coven, before my work with the pack can begin. Simple really. I scoff to myself and roll out of bed, reluctantly leaving Freya snuggled under the duvet.

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