Luna Zahra

Chapter 20 - Raw

"Where exactly are we going?" I asked again, although I was sure it was pointless.

"You'll see. Just a little further," Ryder responded, just as I expected.

I let out a heavy sigh but followed closely behind him, noticing that we were now walking up a fairly steep incline. I was certainly no wimp when it came to physical activity, but if I'd known we'd be hiking a damn mountain, I would've chosen different shoes.

I then remembered that Ryder was wearing sandals, and quickly reverted back to my 'I'm a bad bitch and can handle anything' state of mind.

Finally, it seemed we'd reached the summit, and I released a long breath full of relief.

Ryder chuckled at my reaction, but didn't turn around to face me. Instead, he continued forward while I composed myself for a moment before following behind.

I really needed to get back into training.

After walking for maybe five more minutes, I began to pick up on both the sound and scent of water nearby. While Moon Wave was of course, surrounded by the ocean, this smelled distinctly of freshwater.

I furrowed my brow as Ryder suddenly reached forward and parted a thick wall of leaves and limbs directly in front of us, slowly revealing a pool of deep turquoise water fed by a large, cascading waterfall.

My jaw dropped as I followed Ryder through the foliage and closer to the water. He casually took my hand in his and led me to the water's edge, seeming pleased by the expression on my face.

"Welcome to Eclipse Falls," he told me as we walked around the perimeter of the water, slowly getting closer to the waterfall.

"I found this little sanctuary when I was a young teenager. I'm not sure if anyone else in the pack knows of it or not, but I've never seen anyone else up here any of the times I've been," he explained to me.

"If it's not well known, how do you know what it's called?" I teased.

Ryder laughed lightly, "That's just the name I gave it. The afternoon I found it, there was a solar eclipse. It was the first one we'd had since I had been old enough to understand what it meant, so I was determined to find a good, secluded area to view it. I decided the top of a mountain would be a good spot, and ended up stumbling upon this hidden gem while I was up here."

I smiled, nodding at his explanation. That definitely seemed like something my mate would yearn to do – even in his youth he admired the beauty in nature and the universe beyond us.

"It's beautiful," I assured him. "But why did you bring me up here?"

"Because this place is special to me, and I wanted to share it with someone who is also special to me. Who better than my mate?"

My heart swelled, and I suddenly found myself at a loss for words. I wasn't one for sentiments or thoughtfulness, but I knew Ryder put a lot of intention into everything he did, and I was learning to appreciate it.

"Well, thank you," I told him, not really sure how else to respond. While I really was trying hard to adjust and found myself continuously growing closer to him and embracing our bond, I still wasn't quite on his level yet.

I still had a long way to go, and more than likely, we would always be polar opposites. Something inside me told me that was okay, as long as we appreciated and respected one another.

After a few moments of silence, a small smirk grew on Ryder's face, "Let's go behind the waterfall."

My eyes widened slightly, "Behind it?!"