Luna Amelia

Now Would Be the Time

Chapter Three

*Mila*

There’s a huge wolf standing in front of me, his canines bared at me, feral snarls reverberating through his chest so loud that it shakes the floor. For a moment, I’m completely stunned. I can’t move, I can’t think, I can’t even breathe. 

Everything around me is pure chaos. Half the guests are shifting and the other half are high-tailing it out of here. I notice a few more wolves heading my direction.

I’ve never shifted. 

I know that my wolf is there, but there’s no real connection with her. I just can’t shift. 

If we were going to shift, now would be the time, I try to coax her. No response. Damn wolf. 

The huge wolf takes one paw-step towards me before an even larger wolf approaches. He carries himself with purpose and confidence. He radiates Alpha-male pheromones. He’s got to be a pack Alpha… or maybe an Alpha’s son. His fur is black and shiny, and his piercing blue eyes cut me to the core. He’s staring so deeply into my eyes that, for a moment, I forget where I am and what’s happening. 

I blink, snapping myself out of this weird trance, but the feeling that I know him lingers. My attacker growls, the moment between me and this maybe-Alpha seemingly going unnoticed. That snaps the Alpha-wolf out of it and he lunges at him, his teeth digging into the attackers neck. Part of me wants to stay, to see this wolf with the black fur. I don’t want to leave him.

But instead, I push myself away from the bar, dropping my glass of wine on the floor, and I take off running towards the exit. I’m in the parking lot in no time, and it’s just as hectic out here as people scramble to leave. I dodge a few speeding cars, praying that no more wolves show up.

A hand reaches out as I’m running and grabs me, pulling me against his chest. I let out a startled yelp, but I don’t have time to think about it, as I’m being pulled quickly towards a black car. I grip his hand tighter. 

“Are you okay?” Augustus demands, shoving me into the backseat. 

I bump into someone else and sigh happily when I realize it’s my mother, and I throw my arms around her neck. 

“Amelia!” She gasps, relief flooding her face as she hugs me back. “Are you alright?”

I nod at both my mother and Augustus, assuring them both that I am unharmed.

“Where’s daddy?” I ask. 

“The Alpha will be fine,” Augustus says confidently. “Markus, let’s go,” he tells the driver. 

“We can’t leave without him!” I exclaim. 

My mother puts a calming hand on my arm, meant to reassure me, but I’m scared. I saw those wolves up close and it seemed to me that they were out for blood. 

“The Alpha’s commands are clear,” he tells me. “We were to get you and the Luna to safety as quickly as possible. That is what we’re doing. We leave without him.”

Augustus is using his guard voice with me, and though I know that he’s right—my dad would want us taken care of first—something about it really pisses me off. 

“Mila,” my mother cautions me as Markus throws the car into drive and we peel out of the parking lot. “Come here. Get some rest.” She pulls me to her, my head resting against her shoulder. Rest is the last thing on my mind.

I want to say that I’m just concerned for my father, but I can’t deny that the Alpha-wolf’s eyes are still haunting my mind. They were so beautiful and intriguing. I hate that I left him, not getting to meet him in his human form, or even thank him for saving me. It’s more than that, though. I almost feel drawn to him, and my heart aches a little knowing that we’re driving further and further away from him. 

Do I have a crush on him? The wolf that I’ve only seen once in my life for a few brief moments?

I idly wonder if he’s my mate… but I quickly push that thought aside. If he was my mate I would have instantly known. I didn’t get that feeling with him. 

It doesn’t matter either way, though. I don’t want one. 

I try and force the mental image of his eyes from my head. Those beautiful eyes. My lack of self control has me wondering—if he’s not my mate, what is this connection to him that I feel? And did he feel it too? It seemed like he did. When our eyes met, it’s like time slowed down. He stared back at me with the same awestruck expression as I had, but then he was gone. 

It doesn’t matter, I try and convince myself. 

Forget about him, there are better ways to occupy my time. 

I think that and immediately realize that that isn’t exactly true, though. I don’t have much to occupy my time. I study, and I have friends, but no aspirations. What would I do if I didn’t think about the mystery wolf?

My mother’s phone rings suddenly and I jump, startled. She pats my arm, chuckling as she answers. 

“Isaac, are you okay?” She answers.

I can’t hear my father’s end of the conversation, so instead I tune out and stare out the window as we race back to the jet. At least I know my father is okay. 

She hangs up and sighs. “Alpha West has asked your father to stay and help reorganize their security.”

I can’t blame him, Augustus mind links me. We are the best around. I roll my eyes at him in the rear view mirror and he cracks a smile. He isn’t wrong, though. We have the top pack security in the nation. 

“He’ll call in the morning with an update,” she tells me. “Just sleep now, love.”

I rest my head in the crook my my mom’s neck, her scent comforting me. I fall asleep seeing the vivid blue eyes. When I wake, I’m being carried up to my bed, a pair of chocolate brown eyes looking down at me. I force the disappointment aside and lean forward to press my lips to his.

I am forever making bad decisions. He kisses me back, a low growl building in his chest. I wrap my arms around his neck and he pauses just outside the door of my room. We kiss like that for a few moments until he pulls away, leaving me breathless. 

“We have a meeting shortly,” he informs me regretfully. “I can’t stay tonight, but I’ll check on you tomorrow, okay?”

I just nod as he sets me on my feet. He presses his lips to my forehead before departing. I make my way to my bed, collapsing. It doesn’t feel like anything that happened tonight was real. How could it be?

Did rogues actually sneak into an Alpha of the Year party? What for? To hurt people? Now that I think of it, everyone around me was running, but it almost seemed like the wolves were coming straight for me. That wouldn’t make any sense, though. My heart racing and still wearing my formal attire, I fall asleep to more dreams of my mystery wolf.