The Heart Of The Luna

Assert Dominance

[Imani’s POV]

Austin and Aiden take me in, their expressions screaming that they think I’m nothing more than an annoyance that has just come into their world.

That makes three of us. I think inwardly. I don’t want to have to deal with the two of you either.

I was beginning to understand why my mother never mentioned the fact her new husband had sons. She probably knew if she did I would fight our move, even though I wouldn’t.

Back home there was nothing but suffering for me.

But here…Well, it looked like that might be waiting on me too.

Ugh. Why was I even letting them get under my skin already?

What if they were testing me to see just how easily I would react to being bothered.

“I’m leaving,” I sigh, not wanting to deal with them. “And you don’t have to worry about me.” I continue while beginning to head in the direction my mother and Adam went in. “I don’t intend on having anything to do with you anyway.”

“Hey,” Austin growls, his hand shooting out and wrapping around my wrist. “Where do you…”

He doesn’t finish his words as what feels almost like an electrical zap where our skin connects startles him.

“What the hell?” He mutters, lifting his hand and staring at it. “What the hell did you just do?”

“Nothing,” I respond, confused. “That was you.”

“What’s the problem?” Aiden asks, looking from Austin to me. “What did she do?”

“Nothing,” Austin snaps, though his expression says otherwise. “I just don’t want to touch a lowly omega.”

Finished speaking, he starts to move and when he passes me, he makes sure that his shoulder hits mine, causing me to stumble and almost fall on my ass.

“d**k,” I growl, rubbing the spot he hit and when I move my gaze to where Aiden still stands, I give him a look. “What?” I demand. “Shouldn’t you be going with your brother.”

For a moment, Aiden doesn’t move as he continues to take me in and when he seems to be unable to find what it is that he is looking for, he heads in the direction that Austin did.

After that, I stand in place, watching the two as they move while wondering how I was possibly going to survive a year here.

Since I already got accepted to a college across the country, I only had to live in this new place with these hostile people and attend a new school where I was certain I would be treated just like my old one for a year.

Once that year passed, I would be free to start over somewhere else.

But what about mom?

Frowning, I look toward the large packhouse that my mother and Adam have already disappeared in while wondering whether or not my mother would be okay.

From what I saw and heard, Adam treated my mother really well, but I was certain that the other members of Onyx Moon wouldn’t and that worried me the most.

While I was here, I could be her ally and protect her however I could, but once I was gone, well, that was a problem for when that time came.

For now, I needed to focus on settling in and getting by.

At least, that was the plan, but the next day when I walk into my new school and immediately have all eyes on me, I realize that what I planned was easier said than done.

You’ve got this, Imani. I tell myself, hoisting my bag on my shoulder. Don’t let anyone get to you, but the minute I start to move down the hall, I feel something large and solid slam into my back sending me crashing forward.

Hissing in pain, I slowly sit up and when I look behind me to see who the hell hit me, I find Austin and Aiden standing there with a guy who looks like a total meathead.

“Whoops,” he chuckles, his eyes screaming satisfaction. “I didn’t see you there, runt.”

Runt.

Ha, was he really calling me a runt?

I mean, sure, I was shorter than most she-wolves standing at five three and a half, but I wasn’t small enough to not be spotted.

“Maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings.” He continues as I just stare at him. “I mean, it’s pretty hard to see someone that doesn’t really matter.”

“Oh?” I say while gathering my things. “Then maybe you should be the one to look out.”

“What did you say, b***h?” The guy growls as I get to my feet. “Say that again.”

“You heard me,” I snap.

Maybe it wasn’t the best of ideas to be picking a fight on my first day, but I knew how our world worked. If you didn’t assert dominance off the bat you became a target.

I made the mistake of keeping my head down and hoping for the best back at my old school, but I wasn’t about to do that here.

Even if I wasn’t capable of using strength, I still had my wit.

“I must not have,” the guy hisses, beginning to move forward, but stopping as Austin places a hand against his chest.

Frowning, the guy looks to Austin as do I and when mine and Austin’s gazes meet, I feel something strange flit between us and when my heartrate kicks up, I feel a wave of confusion.

What the hell? I hiss inwardly, trying to make sense of the feeling. What is this?

As I ponder the feeling, Austin looks to his buddy.

“She isn’t worth it,” he tells him, but by the way the guy looks at me, I can tell that he doesn’t agree with that at all. “Come on,” Austin continues. “We’re going to be late for class.”

“But…” The guy repeats, clearly confused by the change in Austin’s demeanor.

“I said let’s go,” Austin says and I can feel his aura radiating from him. “I said we are going to be late if we don’t.”

As he speaks, he shifts his gaze to mine once more and mouths a single word, ‘leave’, and while I prepare to hold my ground the bell for first period rings.

Time to go. I think, looking to the guy once more and then turning and while his gaze burns into my back, I head toward my first class.