Alpha’s Mistaken Luna

009

Yena’s POV

I didn’t see Maximus at all the next morning. He was just gone. The house felt massive and empty without his presence looming over everything. At least Peter was still around, and he had already laid out a breakfast that looked way too expensive for a Monday morning.

“So Peter, if you aren’t his butler like you said, then what exactly is the deal between you two?” I asked, finishing up my toast, already checking the time and worrying about getting back home to Celeste.

He gave me a small, knowing smile. “He’s an old friend. And my Sire. We go back a lot of years. He was the one who mentored me.”

I stopped chewing and looked at him, my brow furrowed. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but the math just didn’t add up. “Mentor? How does that work? Peter, you could literally pass as his father.”

He let out a short, genuine laugh.

“Hasn’t he told you?” he asked. “Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut.”

“I know he’s a werewolf,” I cut in, hoping that would get him to open up.

He nodded slowly. “I gathered that much. But that’s not really what I meant. He usually never lets anyone into this house, especially not a human.” He went quiet for a second, looking at me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t solve. “It’s surprising, to say the least.”

I leaned back in my chair. I felt like I understood him, but at the same time, I was completely lost. “I’m sorry, but I honestly don’t get what you’re trying to tell me.”

Peter sighed, looking at me with a bit of pity. “Just think of him as someone who has been around for a very long time, ancient even. But the years don’t touch him the way they touch the rest of us.”

“So, like an immortal?” I asked, and it felt ridiculous even to say it out loud.

It gets more terrifying every time I learn something new about him. I always thought immortality was for stories about vampires, not this. Maybe that’s why he pulled away from me last night. Maybe he was afraid that if he lost control, he would actually break me.

My stomach twisted into knots just thinking about how dangerous he really is. If he ever finds out what Celeste and I are planning, I don’t even want to imagine what he would do. I went to change into the dress Peter had laid out for me, trying to keep my hands from shaking.

I was heading for the exit when the front door swung open and Greg walked in. I froze, staring at him in utter disbelief. He looked perfectly fine. There was no limp and no sign of the bullet that had torn into him just hours ago. He caught my expression and gave me a bright, easy smile as he told me he was taking me home.

We got into the car, and the silence lasted about ten seconds before I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” I asked, turning in my seat to look at him. “About you being a werewolf?”

Greg didn’t even flinch. He kept his eyes on the road, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel as he navigated the long driveway.

“It wasn’t exactly my secret to tell, Jenkins,” he said quietly. “And honestly, most people are better off not knowing. It’s a lot to carry.”

“You were shot, Greg. I saw it happen. Now you’re sitting here driving me home like it was nothing.”

He glanced at me, and his smile faded into something more serious. “We heal fast. It’s part of the trade-off for the life we live. But don’t go thinking we’re invincible. Maximus is the only one who can claim that.”

I looked out the window as the mansion disappeared behind the trees. The more I learned, the more I realized I was in over my head. I wasn’t just hiding from a powerful CEO anymore. I was hiding from a god.

He pulled up in front of my place, and as I hopped out, I didn’t hold back. I turned around and looked at him through the window, my voice sounding firmer than I felt.

“Tell your Alpha that I don’t need him having you follow me around,” I said. “I’m grateful for what you did last night, I really am, but this is still creepy.”

Greg just sat there looking amused. He didn’t seem offended at all. He actually raised a hand and gave me a playful little salute.

“At your service, your Highness,” he joked. “Goodbye, Jenkins.”

He pulled away before I could even snap back at the nickname. I stood on the sidewalk for a second, watching the car disappear, before I turned toward my front door. I had bigger problems to deal with now.

I was surprised to find Celeste wasn’t home when I got there. I had to fish the spare key out from under the rug just to get inside. I sent her a quick text, and she told me she was close by, so I just dropped onto the couch to wait.

When she finally walked through the door, I stood up to greet her, but her face completely fell the second she saw me. She looked devastated. Before I could even ask what was wrong, she lunged forward and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I’m sorry, Yena,” she whispered in my ear, squeezing me so hard I could barely breathe. My heart sank instantly.

I pulled back and looked at her, demanding to know what happened, but I made her sit down first. She was shaking. She hesitated for a long second, staring at her hands.

“I just got back from breakfast with your boyfriend,” she started, and I already knew exactly where this was going. “He broke up with you.”

She said it in a low voice, almost a whisper. I didn’t react. I just sat there, unable to really process it. It was a strange feeling like it hurt, but at the same time, it felt like it was happening to someone else.

Maybe I deserved it. Honestly, I hadn’t really given Bryan a second thought since I got entangled with Maximus. If he was cheating like Celeste said, then to hell with him.

“I don’t even know how to feel about it, to be honest,” I said. “You said he was cheating, right?”

Celeste nodded, looking completely surprised by how calm I was.

“Then if it’s over, it’s for the better,” I added, shrugging. “Why would I want to stay with a cheater?”

I tried to act like I didn’t care, but there was still a dull sting in my chest. To change the subject, I brought up Maximus, and Celeste’s eyes lit up instantly. The sadness on her face vanished, replaced by a hungry kind of curiosity.

“Is he already giving in to you?” she asked.

I didn’t want to go into details, so I just gave her a small nod. Her eyes widened in total shock, and she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a scandalized whisper.

“Oh my god, Yena… did you guys have s*x?”

I shook my head immediately.

“Gosh, no. We didn’t. We just kissed,” I assured her.

“Thank God,” she said, letting out a long breath. “Don’t do it. Not while you’re in my body. Kissing is enough, but remember Yena, he’s my man.”

I rolled my eyes at that. It was so typical of her to worry about her claim on him while I was the one actually dealing with his intensity and the terrifying world he lived in. She had no idea that being his woman meant dealing with a man who wasn’t even entirely human.

I told her what was actually bothering me, how suspicious he was getting, and the fact that he had Greg following me. He doesn’t know Celeste even has a sister, and we need to keep it that way. I suggested she stay low until after we swap back.

She went quiet, looking deep in thought. “I think you’re right. We have to be careful not to trigger anything, especially with someone as powerful as him.”

She told me she’d already been planning to visit our dad, and this was the perfect excuse. She could head back home for a few days to buy us some time until the full moon. It was a relief to hear her say it. Getting her out of the city was the only way to make sure Maximus didn’t catch us together.

Little did I know, things were about to take a turn.