Page 39 of A Luna's Dynasty
“I’m not sure, but I think so. And my pack hated me because of it.” He squeezed her tighter, squishing her breasts against his chest.
“The Red Grove Pack are known to be … purists. They think if you take anything other than a wolf as your mate, it’s anabomination. It’s ridiculous. No one thinks that way. There is no room for that mindset.” He smiled as he stared into her wet eyes. “Was that it? Your big secret?” He watched as she nodded her head. “I want you. I’m not going to reject you. You’d have to tell me you’re a man … but even then, I don’t think I’d reject you. I told you, you’re it for me. I accept our bond. Will you?”
She reached up, grabbing her necklace. “This is the reason I don’t heal as fast. It suppresses my magic. I don’t know how I’ll react when I take it off. Tonight, after the party, I’ll remove it. Removing this necklace means I can never go back to the Red Grove Pack. It will lose its power.” She wet her lips as she furrowed her brows. There was no way of knowing if he wanted her for her or if he still loved Felicia, but if he still wanted her even with her secret, then she didn’t want to fight the bond. She hated to admit it, but she needed this man. “When I remove my necklace tonight … if you still want me, then I will accept your mark and be your luna.”
“Then tonight, you’ll be moving your things to my room.”
His body was tense against hers, his chest heaving and the heat radiating off of him. She could feel his hard arousal pressing against her through the fabric of his pants, a clear indication of his desire for her. She could see the struggle in his eyes as he restrained himself, wanting to give in but trying to hold back out of respect for her boundaries. “Lita—I’d better go. We have a big evening ahead of us.”
He started to step away, but she placed her hand on his arm. She quickly rose up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his. Soft electric tingles erupted from the touch, shooting down her spine. The kiss was soft and sweet. She lowered herself and gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Asher … for not pressuring me and for not making me feel bad about myself.”
“Thank you for giving me a chance. I will get to spend my entire life loving you … thank you for that gift. Kristen will bringin the dress you chose last night. It will be on the bed when you come out of the shower. We have a decent drive ahead of us, so we’ll be leaving in just a couple of hours.” He kissed the top of her head, turning around toward the door.
She stood there, watching him as he left the room. Her mind was swimming with emotions and thoughts. Was he too good to be true? Was it okay to be happy? She had found her mate, and he wanted her. He knew her secret and didn’t care. She was going to have a real family. If he did have feelings for Felicia, then maybe they weren’t strong. He said he loved her, and she was going to try to believe that. Even if he wanted her for the strength of the pack … as long as love was there too, it was fine.
She felt the tears begin to fall again, and this time she let them flow freely. All the pain and hurt from her past was flowing out. They were healing tears, releasing the pain to embrace her new future … to embrace love.
Chapter 23
“Felicia looked like she was ready to kill!” Kristen giggled in excitement as the vehicle hummed along the road. “I never liked her. Such a horrible brat.” Garrett nodded in agreement, his arm resting around her shoulder.
“Of course, she has to see that she can’t compete. I mean, look at you, Lita. You are ravishing!” Caden winked at her, listening to Asher’s growl.
“She’s mine to look at,” Asher snorted, pulling Lita deeper into his side and crossing his other arm in front of her, covering her body. He pressed his nose against her cheek, lightly sniffing so the air would tickle her skin. She let out an adorable laugh, and he softly kissed her beautiful cheek. Lita was amazing, and he needed to show her that.
He was surprised by his own restraint earlier today. He had held his gorgeous, naked mate, and didn’t try to take it further. Honestly, it just proved to him more how the mate pull was different. The moment he saw her in distress, all he wanted to do was comfort her. As soon as he could see she was okay, his desire came back strong, and he had to leave her quickly so he didn’t cross the line.
They would spend a beautiful evening together, and then tonight, she would become his official luna. It was perfect. He wanted to show her how special she was and show her off on the dance floor. She was his, but he was also hers. A small smile reached his lips as he leaned back in his seat, keeping her body close to his. He never thought that someone else’s emotions could ever matter this much to him. Lita’s emotions were directly tied to his. Right now, he could feel it. A small warmth that was not his own. They weren’t even marked yet, so how was he able to sense her feelings? He was certain it was a special bond from the goddess.
“What do you think, Lita? Are you the type to mark your mate back?” Garrett asked, nodding his head at Kristen. “Kristen’swolf isn’t dominant. Most female wolves don’t mark their mates, but you are an alpha’s daughter, so you might be the exception.”
“I don’t know.” Lita pursed her lips together, feeling a bit shy over the conversation. “None of the females in my old pack marked their mates.”
“It’s one of those things that your beast leads you to do. There’s no pressure. If your wolf wants it, then you’ll know. My wolf demands it.” Asher winked at her. “I’m excited to enjoy the evening with you, but I can’t wait to get you home. I want to claim you. My canines are itching to mark up that pretty neck of yours.”
“Here.” Kristen held out a handkerchief to Asher. “This is for your drool.” Everyone chuckled in the vehicle as it finally approached their destination. This feeling of being accepted and part of their group was so much more than Lita could have ever imagined. It was more than she ever thought she wanted. It made her realize how lonely she had been before.
Asher took her hand, helping her out of the vehicle. “I know you aren’t a big fan of crowds, but don’t worry. I’ll be with you.” She gave him a small smile and nodded her head.
“Looking good, Luna.” Caspian winked as he walked ahead with his date. When they reached the doors, there were a few people directing them.
“Wait, what?! Since when?” Caden asked, flashing Asher a nervous look.
“What’s going on?” Asher approached as Kristen and Garrett were led to another door.
“This is a masquerade. All unmarked males and females have a separate dining experience. All unmarked females are to go into the western wing to change, and all unmarked males the eastern room. The organizers thought it would be more fun. No one has dates tonight,” a man at the door said.
“But this is my mate. I just haven’t marked her yet.” Asher watched the guy shake his head.
“If you don’t have a mark, then you have to attend the singles party.”
“I don’t HAVE to do anything.” Asher scoffed.
“A masquerade … that sounds like fun.” Lita glanced up at Asher with a shrug. “It’s not like we can’t find one another once we’re in there. It might be fun.”
“You want to make a game of it?” Asher growled lowly near her ear. “A game of cat and mouse?”
“She might end up having to dance with other people. What if it takes you too long to find her?” Caspian snorted, shaking his head. “You should just take her home, where she’s safe.”
