Page 1 of A Luna's Dynasty
Chapter 1
“Why am I here?” Lita groaned as she got out of the car.
“You’re the alpha’s daughter. Why wouldn’t you be at the East Hearth Alpha Meeting?” Teo chuckled as he placed his hand on Lita’s head. They called it a meeting, but it was obviously more of a party. It was held in the early morning and meant to last well into the night.
“I’ve never come to these before.” Lita looked up at Teo. He was her brother’s beta and best friend. He was one of the few members of her pack who actually talked with her.
“You were in college, Miss Smarty Pants. What fourteen-year old goes to college? Your brother certainly couldn’t. The brains must have come from your mother.”
“I can hear you.” Drew shoved Teo and put him in a headlock.
“Drew!” The commanding voice of Alpha Nathon couldn’t be missed. “This isn’t the place for horseplay.”
“Dad, it isn’t exactly horseplay. They’re wolves, not centaurs.” Lita giggled as her father smiled at her.
“Are you excited for today’s event?”
“Honestly, no. I usually avoid crowds.” Lita sighed, looking at the brick building ahead. The truth was her own pack rejected her. It was something she rarely talked about with her father. He didn’t use his alpha position to order them or force them to bend to his will. Instead, he wanted members to make their own decisions. Even when it came to his own daughter.
To some, it would be strange that the alpha’s son was loved and accepted but not the daughter. But they had different mothers, and that was what separated them. Lita’s mother was not a wolf, making her a hybrid. A hybrid of what? She wasn’t sure. Her father never told her but she suspected a witch.
When she had her first shift, her wolf turned out to be enormous and black. She was as big if not bigger than alpha wolves. The pack immediately rejected and feared her. In their eyes, hybrid wolves were not to be trusted. They had mixed alliances and could never be part of a pack. She was a bad omen,and they didn’t want any part of her. Even if she was the alpha’s daughter.
That was when Lita decided to become a healer. She'd always had a strong drive to help others and needed a profession that was in high demand, so she dove into her studies and started college. She didn’t have to worry about friends and parties. She wouldn’t waste her time finding a mate who would reject and hurt her. Instead, she focused on her goal.
Now at 22, she was a fully fledged healer. With all her credentials, only her brother and Teo would come to her. Occasionally, she would give a child a shot. Hardly the job for a qualified healer. It was clear to her that her time at her pack was running short. Soon, she would leave and move into the city, where she could hide the fact that she was a hybrid. She could treat supernaturals and humans alike.
Her wolf Mira paced anxiously in her mind, which was not like her.Mira, what is it?
I don’t know. Something is making me feel uneasy.Mira, her wolf, was a gift from the Moon Goddess. She was part of her, and they could communicate with each other mentally. It was like having another consciousness in your mind, which really helped her out in college, since it was really lonely at times. One thing she knew about Mira was that she was never shy or timid. For her to act anxious was unheard of.
Do you sense something dangerous?Lita looked at the building and surrounding area. It was a meeting for the Eastern pack alphas and their children. Future pack officers were also permitted to attend. Most packs had three high-ranking officers below their alpha and luna. Their beta, who was second in command, their gamma, who was third, and their delta, who was fourth. A complete hierarchy system.
The idea of this was to secure lasting alliances for the next generation of leaders. These leaders would go on to host matingparties to try to encourage fated mates for their pack members. It was common knowledge that fated mates produced stronger pups. Most packs wanted to be stronger, so finding your mate was ideal.
“You belong here, and it's important for you to make an appearance. Speaking of appearance, Drew, where is your future luna?” It wasn’t hard to miss the irritation in Dad's voice.
“She’s coming. She had to finish primping.”
“Not an admirable quality for your luna … being late.” Nathon took in a calming breath, then looked ahead. “We can’t wait for her out here. She will have to come find you when she arrives.” Lita’s brother’s mate, Kennedy, was your typical princess of the pack. It was no shock when Drew announced she was his fated mate. The pack was over-the-moon excited for them. She tolerated Lita’s presence, but only for Drew’s sake. He was waiting for the next full moon to take her as his official mate. Once he did, Lita knew she wouldn’t feel as welcome in her own home. She needed to start looking for a new place. Her father would object, and this was why she had to keep her plans secret until the day she left.
Her father and Drew walked ahead while Lita dragged her feet. If her father didn’t sense danger, then there wasn’t any. Still, Mira was certain something was wrong. “What is it, Lita?” Teo asked as he fixed his hair, which her brother had messed up.
“I don’t know … Mira is anxious.”
“You two have avoided large gatherings and pack life. It’s only natural that this would make her apprehensive. You can feel the powerful auras radiating out of the building.”
“I wonder if Grayson and Luke will be here from the Cedar Pack,” she murmured out loud. They were twin alpha wolves who she had spent the summer with when she was a teenager. She used to talk with Grayson all the time but lost contact withhim when she started college. It was unfortunate, because he was one of the few friends she'd ever had.
“I don’t think they’ll be here. They’re more of the Middle conference. We haven’t seen the Cedar Pack for a few years ourselves.” Teo wrapped his arm around Lita’s shoulders, leaning his head down so that his hot breath tickled her ear. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” To him, Lita was a wonderful person. He hated how the pack reacted to her. They never took the chance to know how amazing she was. No wonder she was afraid of finding her fated mate. Though, to be honest, he didn’t mind that part. The feelings he had hidden deep inside him were becoming stronger.
“I guess no one here knows me, so you won’t be risking social suicide.” Lita chuckled as his brows furrowed.
“The pack are morons. They just don’t know you, and they don’t give you a chance. But I do, Little Lita. I know you, and you know I care about you … more than you realize.” He trailed off quietly, his gaze lingering on her face.
“I know, Teo, and I appreciate you. You’re really the only one in Red Grove Pack, besides my brother and father, who talk to me as if they won’t catch the plague.”
Suddenly, he turned her to his chest. “If you had the plague, then I would gladly catch it just to be close to you.”
