•Mara's POV•
"Trent." I whine, "Carry me to lunch."
Trent chuckles, "Isn't sport supposed to be a breeze for you, like it is for us?"
I give him a look, "You're seriously not tired? We just ran like, one hundred laps, I swear Coach Smith actually wants to kill us."
He shakes his head, "Those one hundred laps, were actually ten Mara."
I groan, "Lets just go to lunch."
Trent laughs and falls in step with me.
I see Jessica walking to the Gym.
I wonder where she disappeared to the last couple of days?
When she approached us, she glares at me and bumps into my shoulder, she doesn't even apologise.
Trent looks mad.
"What's up her butt today?" I ask as we continue walking.
"She shouldn't disrespect her Luna like that." Trent says with a clenched jaw.
"She won't know that I'm the Luna yet. People may know that Ryder has a mate, but they don't know it's me." I reply.
Wait a second...
"Her Luna? Don't tell me Jessica is a werewolf." I say to Trent.
"She's in our pack Mara. And also, pretty much all of the students in this school are werewolves and in our pack too." He says.
I groan and throw my head back, "How many people are there in the pack?" I ask.
"Pretty much the whole town, apart from a few humans." He replies.
We get to the area where we normally eat lunch and everyone is sitting and talking. Ryder grabs me and pulls me into his lap.
I smile and get my sandwich out of my bag.
"You know, it makes so much more sense about your scent now." Ryder says.
I furrow my eyebrows, "Huh?"
"Well, you have this fresh rainforest or jungle scent on you. It explains the tiger in you." He smiles.
I smile back and shift my position so that my back is against Ryder's chest and I lean my head back on his shoulder.
"So, tomorrow's Saturday. And I thought it might be a good time to introduce you to the pack." Ryder suggests.
I tap my fingers on my sandwich nervously.
Ryder chuckles, "There's no reason to be nervous Mara."
Damn, the mate-pull.
"We'll all be there." Mandy chirps in.
Damn, their werewolf hearing.
"I guess we have to do it at some point." I shrug.
Everyone smiles at me.
Suddenly Mandy jumps up and pulls me up also.
"We have to go dress shopping! I know this perfect little shop a few towns over." She squeals.
Ryder growls, and all the guys stand up. Layla and Bailey look at each other before shrugging and stand up also.
"We have to come with you." Ryder says.
"No! Ryder, you can't see the dress!" This time it's Layla that pushes in.
"Guys, we're not getting married." I say.
I see something in Ryder's eyes, but before I can tell what it is, Mandy stands in front of me, blocking my view of Ryder.
"But it's almost as important! You need to make an impression." She shakes my shoulders like she's shaking some sense into me.
"Which town are you going into?" Josh asks.
"Walter Valley." Mandy shrugs.
Ryder roll his eyes, "Mandy, that's another packs territory. You could get interrogated and then they could hold a grudge against me as the Alpha."
Ryder has a point.
"Then ring their Alpha and ask if we can just stop by, half an hour at the latest." Mandy says.
Ryder looks at us all.
The more that Mandy begs, the more I do actually want to go.
I put on a big smile and then all the other girls do too.
Wow, I bet this looks weird. Four teenage girls smiling widely at three teenage guys with their arms crossed over their chests.
Ryder lets out a sigh.
"Fine."
We all jump up and down and squealing.
"But." Ryder says, we stop and look at him, "I haven't talked to the other Alpha yet. And Trent has to go with you."
Trent looks to Ryder, "Why me?" He whines.
"Because, I need some protection for them and Layla is going." Ryder shrugs.
Trent look to Layla and sighs, "Fine." He mumbles.
I grin at Ryder and he grabs my hand, starting to walk to class.
"The things I do for you." He mumbles and shakes his head.
I just giggle in response.
••••*••••
As we get closer to the store Mandy wanted to take me to, I notice some guys standing near. They are pretty good-looking guys, probably around my age.
Ryder said that the other Alpha accepted, but that he would have guards around the shop.
Bailey stops suddenly and frowns.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Do you smell that?" She asks.
"What?" I question, trying to smell anything.
"It's like, rich chocolate and fresh rain." She answers.
Okay, I think Bailey's lost it.
Trent, Layla, and Mandy are at the front of the store, looking at us weirdly.
Suddenly I hear Bailey intake a breath and a voice from behind me.
"Mate." He says.
I turn around and see a guy about our age rushing towards us, his eyes locked on Bailey.
He comes up to her and cups her face, "You're mine." He says.
Then they're lips meet and I take that as my cue to leave.
As I walk towards the rest of the group I give them a gesture that means along the lines of 'Let's go inside and leaves these two'.
How they actually understood what I meant, I'll never know. But, they all just nodded and went inside.
When I get in Trent waves his phone, "I think better ring Ryder."
He nod and he goes back outside.
"So what now?" I ask Mandy as we start to scan the dresses.
She sighs, "I guess Bailey's going to ask Ryder if she can leave our pack to join her mate with his." Mandy replies.
I smile sadly, "At least she'll be with her mate."
Mandy mimics my smile, "Yeah."
"It's going to be sad to see her go, we've all grown up together." Layla comes in.
"We'll still see her." I state.
The door opens and a smiling Bailey leads her mate in, she spots us and smiles as she comes towards us.
"Hey girls, this is my mate, Nathan."
We all wave and smile.
He smiles back at us, "I'm the Beta of the Sterling Moon Pack."
The girls all look at me like I'm supposed to say something.
Mandy nudges me and leans in as she whispers, "You need to announce your title."
I instantly smile, "Oh, right sorry. I'm Mara, Luna of the Dark Moon Pack." I'm glad I remembered the name of the pack, Ryder told it to me the other day.
He looks surprised and lowers his head a little in respect.
"You're Alpha Ryder's mate then?" He ask.
I nod, "That's correct."
"And you're human? That's quite unusual for an Alpha's mate." He replies.
I notice Mandy and Bailey purse their lips.
I laugh, "Well, I may be human, but don't underestimate me." I warn.
He chuckles and pulls Bailey closer.
The girls grin and Bailey winks at me.
While Bailey and Nathan chat, Mandy gets me to try on a few dresses. When we get to the fourth one I smile and come out.
"This is the one." I say.
Mandy and Layla smile back at me, "Oh yes it is." Mandy replies.
I look over to Bailey who gives me a thumbs up.
We pay for it and walk out the door when another guy comes up to us, some of the other guys I saw before following him behind.
He is taller than Nathan, but would be a little shorter than Ryder. His light brown hair is neatly clipped and he holds himself with pride, I can't help but think he's an Alpha.
He grins when he sees Nathan and Bailey.
"Congrats man." He slaps Nathan on the shoulder, he turns to Bailey and smiles.
Then he looks at the rest of us, "I'm Will. Alpha of the Sterling Moon Pack."
Mandy has to nudge me for me to think.
Damn, I did it again!
"Mara, Luna of the Dark Moon Pack." I smile.
Will and the other men look surprised, "You're Alpha Ryder's Mate?" He asks.
Before I can reply, an arm snakes around my waist and the sparks I feel tells me immediately who it is. I look up and Ryder smiles at me.
"Yes, that's right." Ryder nods, very professionally.
"Alpha Ryder." Will nods.
"Alpha Will." Ryder replies.
Ryder looks to Bailey and Nathan.
"I believe one of my pack members have found their mate." He states.
Bailey smiles at him.
"That's correct, I would like to ask for your consent for her to join my pack." Will says.
Ryder smiles at Bailey, "That's fine. You make sure she is treated well and right." Ryder nods.
Will extends a hand and Ryder shakes it.
"Of course." He replies.
Bailey comes over and gives Ryder a hug, she travels to all of us until she gets to me.
"I'm still coming tomorrow. I wouldn't miss it Luna." She smirks.
I laugh and pull her into a tight hug.
"Stay safe. And that's a command." I say.
She smiles and nods.
We wave goodbye as we head back to the car. I get in with Ryder while the rest go with Trent.
"So, what happens now?" I ask once Ryder takes off.
"They'll hold a ceremony to welcome her into their pack." He replies.
I smile, "I'm happy for her."
Ryder looks at me and puts a hand on my knee, "Me too."
I sigh and look out the window.
I'm meeting the whole pack tomorrow.
I just hope they'll like me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Hello there.
This chapter was a bit of a filler, but Bailey met her mate!
I can't believe the reads this book is getting and it's making me so happy!
Pic of Josh to the side (Played by Taylor Lautner) ----------->
Thank you all so much!! xx