Page 30 of Luna Ascending

My wolf tried to take over and run straight to Freya when Tavey fessed up about her beginner status as a witch. To keep away from her, I had to suppress my wolf half, evendespiteher engagement to the heir of the Coven. That's not fucking healthy- Imustkeep my distance.

I've no choice – we've no idea how deeply she's involved in the Coven by now, and the Coven mean only bad things for this pack, and the Watch especially.

I need to keep tabs on her though, I can't help it. She's mine, whether she knows it or not.

Since I admitted to Tavey how obsessed I am, he's been doing as much as he can to get information about Freya, but she's been holed up in her damn apartment more and more. He thinks she's pretty unhappy, and not even aware of being gas-lit, which seriously fucking worries me.

Freya might be part of the Coven's plot now, but the less she's seen, and the more embittered the battle lines between shifters and the Coven become, the more I worry about her safety. From what I know of the Coven, everyone's expendable.

She's not the only fucking thing that's concerning me. My father Connell, and his beta are entering their twilight years, just as the Coven's strength is exploding. We're struggling to hold the pack together, never-mind fulfil our role in the Watch.

The Coven have only ever seen the elementals as a source of power. While, if I understand my father correctly, they're really a force beyond controlling, neither good nor bad, but so powerful it's ultimately corrupting. If the Coven learn more about the Watch and our role as guardians, just as we're at our weakest, it could be disastrous. We need to know more about the Coven's plans in order to move against them.

“We need new tactics,” I roar “we need better intelligence!” Our information sources dried up weeks ago. We've been stagnating on the estate like a bunch of frightened mice, with no-one so much as breathing a word of disagreement to my father, until now.

My plan is fucking risky to inter-pack harmony, so it better bloody work. I have to decline the remaining ladies from the Luna Rite, which could easily cause friction with their packs. We need unity and alliances, not discord, but I can't see another way around this.

Annulling the Lune Rite is essential, but the pack can't know why, not yet. My wolf won't accept another Luna, at least not until I've had a chance to try turning Freya to our side.

Cancelling the Rite avoids the disaster of choosing a Luna, and my wolf violently rejecting her. We can't afford that either, but the pack simply can't know about Freya for now. They distrust all witches, and the current fiancée of a de Vaudou potentially as their Luna?! I won't chance it.

I still have to explain cancelling the Luna Rite. Surprisingly, it's my father who helps. He persuades the council for me, telling them only half-truths he explains there's an opportunity not to be missed. He paints me in a slightly dim light, which I'll be taking up with the old bugger later.

He explains that I'd sensed my fated-mate once, briefly. Thinking I was doing my duty by the pack I continued with the Luna Rite, and I've let the trail go cold. He's sending me out to bring back my fated-mate, for the pack.

A pack with a fated Alpha and Luna is a fucking strong beast. The last time the Watch was called on, it was only the presence of a fated-pair that saved it, so the concept holds significant sway, especially with the elders.

My father's tale, albeit making me look stupid, will allow us to gain precious ground by gathering intel on the Coven inconspicuously while I 'search' for this fated-mate. There are a few grumbles about the Luna Rite failing, but all it really took was a whisper that IthinkI've sensed my mate and they're mostly enthusiastic. I'm just surprised my father was so willing to give up on the Rite.

I take Tavey and, while supposedly tracking down my mate, start nosing up any contacts we can, following our sparse leads on the Coven's movements. It might just fly under their radar, it might not – but we have to try something!

We strike lucky in a shifter bar that doubles as a burlesque club. A few bits of information we've been fed from here look promising. The place is bloody awful, but they're the best leads we've had in weeks. Wehaveto know what the Coven are planning.

The bar is dimly lit, with tacky red lighting, although it's elegant high ceilings and wooden panelling still leave it with a sense of dignity somehow. I prop up the bar in black denims and a skin-tight top and scope the room. A few coquettish patrons look me up and down.

Luckily tonight Tavey already made contact with our best source of intel - a petite out-of-town she wolf with huge brown eyes, a tiny waist and a remarkable ability to glide effortlessly around on the most ridiculously high heeled shoes imaginable.

I guess she's cute, in a girl-next-door kind of way. They disappeared into one of the private booths only fifteen minutes ago, so I'm surprised to see him exit towards the bar, order more wine and return with it, rather unsteadily, to the girl inside the booth.

I swear he better be faking it. Our shifter metabolism deals with alcohol quickly, but I don't want him anywhere near drunk with the Coven such an unpredictable threat. My fingers drum on the bar impatiently, stopping only when a cool elegantly ringed hand covers mine.

“Don't be too impatient my darling” a voice croons in my ear “don't wish your life away, we could have so much fun...”

I look up startled, trying to keep calm. The woman's touch is ice cold, in that odd area between pleasant and painful. A pair of steel blue eyes, set in a porcelain face, stare right into my soul.

“I'm Samantha...” the voice lilts “I think you and I could have an amazing time”

I blink, my reactions feel slowed. In front of me is a svelte creature in a blood red dress with lipstick to match, and she's the queen of quick come-ons.

I can't help but notice her tits look perfect in that dress. I think it's the first time I've noticed a woman since Freya. I sniff, none-too subtly, and try not to recoil in shock at her scent, my lip curling in an automatic snarl.

“Now, now darling” she tells me off gently “that's not polite... I've heard you don't mind going outside your own species”

The sideways mention of my dalliance with Freya snaps me to attention quickly; not many people know about us.

“What do you want vamp?” I try hard to keep my voice even and steady “I don't think I'm your blood type.”

She gives a genuine throaty laugh that surprises me, twirling her hair around her fingers.

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