Luna On The Run!

Beta Eric’s POV

I’m so dead!

I can’t help but admit that Ariel is my mate. And Zane knows it. My wolf knows it. And Ariel herself knows. I’m so fucked up!

I sit here analyzing all the things about Ariel that don’t make sense. She has a lot to explain.

Hunter adores her, but he doesn’t call her our mate. He keeps hinting that she is not Zane’s, but does not confirm that she is our fated one. He hints that she is ours, but never explicitly identifies her as our mate.

And no one has seen her wolf, they do sense it, but they just have never seen her shift. She is definitely one of us.

Ariel is not attracted to Zane, she doesn’t want to have sex with him or have him mark her. That’s not really what mates are about. She does not behave like a Luna, has no deep interest in Midnight Moon, and often talks about her father’s pack, but never about Eclipse Howl. In conversations with the mayor, she acted more like a delegated authority.

Most important, however, is her slip in the Recreation Center.

She implied that by the time her anniversary came around, we would both realize that we were mates. Boom! There it is, this Ariel is not yet eighteen, she is seventeen. And Eclipse Howl’s Luna has been mated to Alpha Gorgio for a year, so she’s nineteen, going on twenty. We are talking about two Ariels here, the women are two different personalities.

And given their similarities, they must be related, perhaps sisters or cousins.

I take my mobile out of my pocket to call a friend of mine in the Blue Blood, the pack of Alpha King Petric, Ariel’s father. He must have the answers I’m looking for. “Eric, my friend. How are things in Midnight Moon?” Abel chuckles. “The news of your Alpha’s double mating is keeping everyone busy.” I decided to play along.

“Yes, it is a messy affair and Alpha Gorgio is not really cooperating. I wish the Alpha King still had a daughter, then we could have resolved the matter quickly,” I start.

The man laughs. “There is another daughter. But Alexis is too young and I don’t think Zane is her type,” he is sure. “Man, prepare for war. Alpha Gorgio will never let go of Ariel. To this man, his Luna is a goddess. Zane won’t survive.”

“Alexis? Does Alpha King Petric still have one more daughter? If so, how old is she and where is she?”

“Too young, Eric. And her father will kill you if you touch her. The Alpha King is another madman when it comes to his family. That’s why he’s so fond of Gorgio, birds of a feather,” my friend continues. “Alexis is on holiday on Alpha Gorgio’s yacht. The Alpha also spoils his sister-in-law terribly. No, Zane has no chance of surviving this drama.”

Alexis! I have a name. And she’s a minor, just as I thought.

Isn’t it a coincidence that she’s on holiday and on a yacht that’s so hard to reach? I’m not an idiot. The woman here in Midnight Moon is not Ariel, but Alexis. Damn sure!

But how has she managed to do all this? Zane does feel a bond with her. And the fact that she came here of her own volition proves that there is a plan behind this. I wouldn’t be surprised if Alpha Gorgio knows all about this.

But of course, they had not reckoned with her finding her mate here and things getting more complicated. And again I wonder how they could have put it all together so perfectly.

And then I remember it all again.

Xanna, the witch, the so-called assistant. Definitely the clue. Yes, that’s why she visited me, wasting my time with her riddles. I think so.

But I have no intention of joining this masquerade. I will confront Alexis with my findings and decide from then on. But she won’t go scot-free.

But I’m still in dubio. Zane suspects me and I don’t want to betray his trust. And Alexis is my mate, I can’t betray her either.

Fuck! Things are not looking good for me. Time is not on my side, I must act quickly.

I get up from my desk chair and head out into the hallway on my way to the kitchen. The Omegas there will be able to tell me exactly where I can find Alexis. But as I turn the corner, I bump into Kensley.

I try to act as normal as possible, but I see a flash of suspicion in his eyes. Is he wary too, or is it my conscience gnawing? I choose the latter.

“Kensley, have you seen the Luna? I want to get started on Zane’s mission.”

He shifts on his feet, then leans against the wall.

“And how do you think to go about doing that? You can’t just walk up to her with all kinds of innuendo. You have to be tactical”. I bob my head. “Of course. Exactly what you suggested, I’m going to gain her trust first.” He moves his head slowly and stares straight at me.

“Okay. Watch your attitude and don’t fuel Zane’s suspicions about you. Mates are sensitive and jealousy can be deadly,” he warns me as if I didn’t already know that. And his tone irritates me as if he’s belittling me.

“Kensley, may I remind you that I am still the Beta here? Your comment is insulting. I have already cleared up any insinuations. Why do you keep bringing it up?” I reply, annoyed.

“Hey, no offense. I just want to remind you to keep an appropriate distance, especially now that Zane is suspicious. Nothing more,” he explains, throwing his hands demonstratively in the air.

“Okay, now answer my question. Do you know where I can find the Luna?”

“On the back balcony. I saw her lying in a hammock with a book. She doesn’t do much else,” he replies ironically. I snarl, no disrespect allowed.

Kensley shakes his head in despair and walks past me.

I head straight for the back balcony. I need to talk to my mate…