Page 17 of Moon Kissed

She was gorgeous. A curly crown of tawny loveliness framed a heart-shaped face, bee-stung lips, and lily-pad eyes. She stalked up to me, and a trail of women as gorgeous as her followed behind.

I didn’t have to ask to know they were epsilons. You walked with that kind of confidence when you knew you’d be giving the orders, because no one in the world could tell you what the fuck to do.

“Seriously, psycho, who dressed you?” She stopped so close to me, our noses bonked. “You look like a pig in a blanket.”

I smirked, eyes crossing as I looked down on her. From the outside, it looked like she had no concept of personal space, but then, outsiders weren’t wolves. What she was trying to do was make me uncomfortable. Make me step back. If I did, it was the first battle lost in the war for dominance.

Which means technically I lied. We wolves do go to war with each other—every day and all the time—and it’s only a fucking loser coward who gives in and submits.

In a blink, the crowd surrounded us. Of course they did. Made it easier to conceal the potential fight, and slow down anyone who tried to break it off.

I beamed. “It’s funny you say that because I borrowed this dress from your closet. I wanted to wear the one you do when you’re strolling mundane street corners at night, begging every perv and random to fuck you.” I dropped into a loud whisper. “I hear you pay them five bucks and they still say your ass isn’t worth the money.”

Nia barked a laugh. Eyes bugging, she clamped her hand over her mouth—catching herself.

The newcomer turned on her with a snarl that stood everyone’s hairs on end. She advanced on her, claws elongating, then jerked to a halt. Blinking, she stared at Nia like she couldn’t remember what she was angry about.

I was right,I thought, looking at Nia with new respect.Her power will come in handy.

“That’s very funny.” The stranger turned to me, recovering quickly. “No one told me you were a comedian as well as a psycho bitch.”

“Eh, you know. It’s good to have a hobby.”

She shook her head, chuckling mirthlessly. “Well, while you’re cracking stupid jokes and pretending all of this is a game, why don’t you tell us why you did it? The truth,” she dropped. “Not the bullshit you spun to Sunella to lie your way in here. Why did you kill Castor?”

I shrugged lightly. “I did it because he asked too many stupid questions.”

Her eyes hardened. All around us whispers broke out, and none of them were too kind to me.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Um, of course I do,” I drew out exaggeratedly. “Everyone does. You’re the five-dollar whore.” I bowed. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Royal Sluttiness.”

More than just Nia snorted that time.

“You can keep that head bowed, psycho, because I am royalty. Or at least I will be when I become high priestess of Wolf Nation.”

I straightened, brows up to my hairline. “What? You do know that like actual royalty, you have to be born into the position.” I raked her up and down. “The only position you were born into was doggy style.”

“Argh!” Roaring, she charged me, fist swinging—

—and fell right through me, dumping flat on her ass.

I turned around, rolling my eyes at the cursing, flailing mess on the floor, and the bright purple thong her flipped-over skirt put on full display. “Seriously, Your Highness, I’m the fucking moon wolf. You had to know trying to hit me wouldn’t end well.”

“You bitch!”

Sighing, I flicked to my audience. “I’m sure one of you is keeping score, so put that down as psychoone, and Her Hineynesszero.”

Nia snorted atHer Hineyness. Her jaw was quivering trying to keep her laughter in.

“Let’s go.” I set off, parting the crowd effortlessly.

Nia hurried to keep up, leaving the shouting, irate random in the dirt where she belonged.

“That was amazing,” she burst out when the doors shut. “The most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. Today will go down as the best day of my life.”

I cut her a sideways look while we headed down the wide, opulent hall—making for the noises coming from around the corner. “I’m guessing you don’t like her.”

---