Page 6 of Moon's Call

“A human mate?” Draken’s lip curled. “The Moon Goddess wouldn’t be so cruel.”

Chuck adjusted the rearview mirror. “With all due respect, boss, she’s clearly got some serious magic. Those tremors weren’t exactly subtle.”

“Magic alone doesn’t make her suitable for our world.” Draken dragged his gaze away from her. “Book us rooms at the Ritz-Carlton. We’re staying through the weekend.”

“Planning to stalk her?” Scorpio’s tone was tinged with amusement.

“Surveillance,” Draken corrected, his shoulders tensing. “Something must be wrong with my inner compass. Centuries of waiting... it’s probably malfunctioning.”

“Right.” Scorpio didn’t bother hiding his skepticism. “Because that’s definitely more logical than accepting the mate the goddess chose for you.”

The SUV pulled away from the curb. Draken’s chest ached as the distance from her grew, his wolf howling in protest. He pressed his knuckles against his sternum, trying to ease the pressure.

“The Four Seasons might be better,” Chuck suggested.

“The Ritz.” Draken’s tone brooked no argument. If he was going to spend time here proving this was all a cosmic mistake, he’d do it in comfort.

An hour later, Draken stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his suite, staring out at the city sprawled below. The pull toward her remained steady like a compass pointing true north. His reflection frowned back at him, his brown hair slightly disheveled from running his hands through it in frustration.

“I still think you’re being stubborn about this,” Scorpio announced from the doorway.

“Noted.” Draken didn’t turn around. “ Tomorrow, we’ll start surveillance for a few days. I want to learn as much about her as we can. For now, I need space to think.”

“And brood?”

“Out.”

Scorpio’s chuckle followed him as he left. Alone, Draken unbuttoned his shirt and poured himself some scotch from the minibar. The amber liquid burned pleasantly as he swallowed but did nothing to settle his restless wolf or quiet his troubled thoughts.

A few days later, Draken watched his supposed mate from their parked SUV. She walked with purpose down the sidewalk. The pull in his chest had grown from uncomfortable to nearly unbearable over the past two days.

“She’s heading to that construction site again,” Chuck said from behind the wheel.

“Third time this weekend.” Scorpio lounged in the back seat. “Almost like she’s an architect or something.”

Draken tuned out their conversation. His attention fixed on how the ground seemed to ripple subtly beneath her feet as she walked like the earth itself reached up to cushion her steps. Most humans wouldn’t notice, but his enhanced vision caught every detail.

“Did you see that?” He leaned forward as she paused to check her phone. A crack in the sidewalk sealed itself near her feet.

“Yeah, boss. Just like yesterday when that pothole fixed itself after she complained about it.”

“Or this morning when that tree outside the coffee shop moved its branches so she could see the sunrise better,” Scorpio added.

The evidence was becoming harder to deny. She wielded earth magic as naturally as breathing, though she seemed completely unaware of it. His wolf preened with pride at their mate’s abilities, even as Draken’s human side struggled with what it meant.

“She’s still human,” he growled.

“A human who harnesses earth magic tied specifically to our pack’s powers.” Scorpio’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Totally normal.”

Movement caught Draken’s eye. A construction worker had lost control of a wheelbarrow full of rocks. It careened toward her, but before Draken could leap from the car, the ground buckled. The wheelbarrow stopped dead, its contents frozen in place by partially liquefied earth that immediately solidified again. She blinked, looked around confused, then continued walking as if nothing had happened.

The magnetic pull in Draken’s chest surged. His wolf howled, desperate to go up to her. He gripped the door handle until his knuckles went white.

“Still think your inner compass is malfunctioning?” Chuck asked.

“Shut up and drive.” Draken’s voice came out rough.

His wolf’s certainty was becoming harder to ignore with each display of her magical powers. Human or not, she was clearly meant to be their Luna. The thought terrified his human side just as much as it excited his wolf side.

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