Stray Echo

Accepting a New Role

POV: Echo

“Atlas, you need to keep going down!” I say, poorly suppressing a giggle as he stumbles mid-step after I stop Atlas before he steps off the second-floor landing. Pouting adorably because I laughed at him, he raised an eyebrow.

“I thought we were going to your room?”

“We are. It’s just not on this floor.” I said, feeling slightly apprehensive about showing him the basement I’d been living in for the last ten years. He shrugs and continues to move down the stairs, carrying me bridal style as we make our way to the ground floor.

“Nope! Not that way!” I chirped to keep him from going down the hallway to the main floor. Stopping, he outright frowns at me. “We are going to my room, I promise, although maybe it would be better if you set me down so I can show you the way.” I tell him, and he sets me down, supporting me so I can walk.

I took a deep breath to prepare myself for whatever would come next. I turned toward our destination. Walking into the dining room, Atlas with his arm around my waist, hands on my hips, my hands holding his, we are greeted with a vicious snarl. I stiffened, letting go of his hands and jolting away from him as though he’d electrocuted me.

I had forgotten the dining room would still be filled with warriors from both packs, all of whom turned to look at us as we entered. My brain kicked into a panic-induced frenzy.

To be seen alone with a guest would land me a week in the basement. To be seen alone, and holding hands with a guest while they had their arms around me, coming from the sleeping quarters… It looked bad, really, really bad. Alpha Brady would assume the worst. And then he would do his worst. I didn’t want to, no, I couldn’t deal with his worst, not right now, not in the shape I was in.

Instinctively, I bowed my head low, hunching in on myself and trying to make myself as small as possible. Trying to rein in my gasping breaths, I turned to scurry away when someone grabbed my hand, sending warm tingles up my arm. Another snarl ripped across the room as a grumble rumbled toward me from the direction of the hand that held me. The hand tugged gently, and I resisted before it gave a firm yank, sending me flying into a rock-hard chest.

“Oof!” I exclaimed quietly, trying to step back. “I am so sorry, sir!” For some odd reason, I am slightly disoriented, and I don’t quite understand exactly how I ended up falling into the Alpha wolf in front of me, but I was going to be in major trouble now. I shake as the angry wolf in the room continues to make their displeasure known.

Ignoring the snarls and growls, the Alpha’s hand still held mine, and his other arm was wrapped around my back, both keeping me from falling, and from being able to step away. He snakes his arm from around my back and grabs my other hand, and I slowly bring my eyes to his. His green eyes reassured me as he pulled me into him, cupping my face with his hands and kissing my forehead.

“You will never, and I mean NEVER, need to assume that role again, Little Warrior. You are no longer their slave, but my Luna.”

I nodded slowly, breathing shakily, trying to pull myself back to the present, and away from my past. ‘We are not their slave anymore, Echo. We will never have to serve them again! Put our head up, they don’t deserve our submission!’ Tala growls in my head.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly worked on straightening myself and raising my head high. I take my place beside Atlas, and he supports me once again. His pride filters into his aura as it radiates from him while he watches me collect myself and resume my position at his side. It felt unnatural to be doing so in a room full of warriors, especially when half of them were from Red Stone, but Tala and I were determined to accept our new role-Luna of the Blood Moon Pack.

I dare to meet the eyes of the Warriors from the Blood Moon Pack, Atlas’s pack, and now, my pack. Some of them seem slightly curious about my behavior, but they smile and bow their heads, regardless. I gently tip my head towards them in acknowledgment and turn my head towards the Red Stone pack.

Some warriors smiled and nodded, showing their respect. They were the ones who seemed indifferent to me before, the ones who simply left when the abuse would start up. Others outright ignored me. They were the ones who were always a part of the crowd. They never touched me, but their words had done more than enough. Finally, there were the ones who looked around angrily, confused about why the Alpha had kissed my forehead. They were the ones who were always ready to raise a hand, always willing to help someone hurt me. Many of them glared at me, baring their teeth in disgust.

The consistent growls and snarls within the room reached an all-new high, and I narrowed my eyes against my rising fear as I searched for the culprit. On the other side of the room, standing in the kitchen doorway, was Luna Embry. Her beautiful face was twisted in rage, her lips pulled over her teeth as she continued to growl at me. It took everything I had in me to meet her eyes directly and hold her furious gaze.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?” she screeched, rushing towards us. “YOU LITTLE w***e!” She stopped just in front of us, and I shivered as I waited for what would come next.

“What were you doing alone with our visiting Alpha? Figured you would slack off and spend your day trying to seduce him, did you? Hoping he will take you away from here?” She sneered, reaming me out. She didn’t seem to have heard about the events of the day.

My mouth went dry as I fought to remain in the present. The only thing keeping me grounded was the soothing circles Atlas kept making with his thumbs on my waist as he allowed me to lean into him slightly.

Before either of us could respond, she lunged forward, attempting to grab me by my hair. She never even gets close. The minute she moved toward me, Atlas snarled, one arm gently guiding me behind him as the other caught her by the wrist. The room exploded into chaos as every warrior in the room jumped to attention, growling and snarling to protect their Luna.

“ENOUGH!” Atlas shouts, a deadly aura slipping across the room. The room goes silent, except for the cries and whimpers of Embry as he squeezes her wrist tightly. “Who are you? And what gives you the right to touch her?” He snarls in her face.

“I-I-I’m Luna E-Embry, o-of the R-R-Red S-S-Stone P-P-P-Pack.” She stuttered in pain, crying out as he flings her arm back at her. She takes a deep breath, rubbing her tender wrist before continuing,

“This pack slave is not meant to be alone with guests, never mind touching them, or seducing them into thinking she is someone she is not!”. Her voice drips with poison, making it clear she believes that I have lied to the Alpha about who I am, and my station within the pack to gain his favour. His eyes darken dangerously as he watches her. After a moment, he sneers at her.

“So you’re the disrespectful Luna who couldn’t be bothered to get her lazy ass out of bed in time to greet her guests?” Her eyes went wide in anger and fear. No one has ever spoken to her like this before, but everything about Atlas right now screams danger. “If you had joined us for breakfast, as a proper Luna should, you would know exactly why Echo was alone with me, and why I continue to hold her now.” He paused, eyes narrowed,

“LUNA Echo is my MATE, and she will be coming with me to my pack.” Embry’s face turned grey, as did the faces of her warriors who missed this morning’s events as they process what Atlas just said.

I watched with a mix of fear, curiosity, and amusement as she processed what Atlas had said and what it meant about her actions just now. Showing some common sense for the first time since I’d met her, she bowed her head quickly towards Atlas.

“My apologies Alpha, I didn’t know. Please forgive me!” She mumbled, before dashing past us and up the stairs as fast as she could. Atlas glares at the rest of the Red Stone warriors.

“Anyone else have anything they want to say?” He growls, his tone warning not to. He waits a moment before he continues. “Good, we shall continue then.” He says, slowly drawing me back to his side and supporting me once more.

“Which way, my beautiful Luna?” He queries, his attention once again back on me.

“Through here!” I said quietly and hobble toward the kitchen, the warriors of both packs stepping aside to allow us to pass.