His Reluctant Luna

Ch 20 - Bait

"Thank you." Her honesty had caught me off guard. I found myself wanted to pepper her with questions but instead I gave her my pasted on smile. "You're going to be a great mum."

"So are you." Her words were a gut punch, a reminder of what my future was about to be. A future that terrified me. The fear must have shown on my face because Molly's smile fell. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," I reassured her, "excuse me."

I stepped away and headed for the door, desperately in need of some fresh air.

"Luna?" Siobhan was on my heels.

"Just give me some space," I said as I stepped into the cool night air.

"You aren't supposed to-"

"-Just back off!" I span, glaring at her. She winced, ducking her head. I knew that look....I'd worn it myself whenever Kole had asserted his dominance over me. Immediately, I relaxed. Calming myself until she straightened. I guess this Luna influence thing was kicking in sooner than I'd thought. "I'm sorry, Siobhan. I just need a minute. You can watch me from the porch."

She looked like she wanted to argue but instead she nodded.

I stepped away from the house, going as far as the pole Kole had once chained me to. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.

I could feel eyes on me. Siobhans eyes. Eyes of other guards set up outside. There were four in total, I'd counted them already. Two at the front entrance, two at the back. They were a roadblock I hadnt figured out yet.

I turned my face up to the sky. The moon peered down at me, bright and mocking, laughing at me in my stupid high heels. I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at her.

The party had been going strong for a few hours now but as yet, no one seemed particularly drunk. I guess I'd underestimated a wolf's constitution. I tried not to panic, tried not to imagine my fate if I didn't escape tonight.

Calm down, Iona. The night is still young...you'll figure it out.

"Luna, shouldn't you be inside enjoying your party?"

I opened my eyes, finding Moira Tourke peering at me in the darkness. "Shouldn't you have been here two hours ago? Lucy is a stickler for punctuality."

"I'm not scared of the Beta's little mate."

"Your funeral." I shrugged. Lucy might be small but if her party planning was anything to go by, her will was mighty and not to be messed with. I should probably introduce myself, play nice, but this woman openly hated me, there was no point in pretending we were friends. "You should get inside. There's cake shaped like a dick if you're into that kind of thing."

We gazed at one another, her eyes...curious. I wondered what plans this woman had for me. Did she want to hurt me to hurt Kole? Or help me escape to hurt Kole? How useful she was going to be to me would depend entirely on how crazy she was.

"You know, I'm surprised you're handling this so well," she said, a false smile playing around her lips. "I seem to remember you being less than pleased at the idea of being our Luna."

"I'm still less than pleased," I admitted. The best lies always had a dose of truth in them. "But it's going to happen anyway. Dinah...Luna Dinah, has talked me through many things and I promised her I would try to come around to the idea." The lie was tripping off my tongue so easily now.

"I'm sure our Luna did tell you many things. Did she also tell you that all human Lunas die miserable and bloody?"

"What're you talking about?" I asked and she snickered.