Moon God Mates 2

Chapter 18

Ellie’s POV:

I toss and turn all night. Rage and red cloud my dreams—I’m angry and confused. But above all, I feel guilty. Or maybe it’s Luke feeling guilty. His pack’s situation is still a mystery because he won’t tell me much. I hope it’s just the curse, but the dreams weigh heavy on me. I want to help ease his burden, but I don’t know how.

A knock at my door breaks my thoughts before Mila pokes her head in.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Hey, Mila.” I jump out of bed. “Ooo, I have something for you.”

I hand her a silver locket filled with crushed lavender. She holds it up, examining it.

“I cast a spell on it. As long as you wear it, your scent’s masked,” I explain.

She smirks. “So sure of yourself.”

Yeah, I am. No doubt the necklace works. I just wish all my late-night studying brought me closer to breaking Luke’s curse. But I have nothing yet.

I try to focus on something else before I frustrate myself more.

“Are you finally going to tell me who he is?” I ask.

“It’d only complicate things, Ellie,” Mila says, lying down on my bed.

“Maybe when we’re back at school?” I pry, lying next to her. Who could she be so nervous to tell me about?

She sighs, remorseful. “I won’t be going back. That’s why I came.”

She turns to face me. “Remember when I said my life was complicated?”

I nod, watching her.

“I’m due back home. I was supposed to return once I turned eighteen. I begged my father to let me stay in America for school, but now he’s sent guards for me.”

“Guards? Isn’t that extreme?”

“Not for him.” She sighs. “I have a duty to fulfill. I just hoped for one more night of freedom.” She grins silly.

“Oh god, why do I get the feeling this will go badly?”

“Come on, Ellie! I just thought maybe...” She twirls her fingers nervously. “We could do a girl’s night?”

“That sounds good. I can get some popcorn and—”

“Not the usual dorm girl’s night. A club night?” She crinkles her nose.

“A club? We don’t club, Mila!” I say, disgusted.

“Well, yeah, I know, but why not once?”

“But that’s not us! Loud, crowded, drunk people? No thanks.” I protest.

“It’s my last chance. Plus, Gloria needs to get out, and some guys are going.” She puppy dog eyes me.

I can’t say no, but I don’t want to say yes. I already know who those guys are—Cole’s the mastermind. He probably picks up everything at clubs—even STDs. Just kidding.

“Tonight?” I ask.

She nods eagerly.

“I’ll see, Mila,” I say, though I already doubt I’ll go.

“Yay!” Mila shrieks, hopping out. “I didn’t say yes, Mila! Mila?”

☾☾☾

“Are we there yet? I want a snack.”

“You just had the gummies your mama packed,” I tell James as I piggyback him the rest of the way to the address Luke gave me.

I can tell Iris is nervous about James and me going alone, but I’m thankful she doesn’t pry. I’m about 90% sure she knows Luke and I are mates. Mason driving most of the way helps ease her anxiety too.

I hike up the bag on my shoulder, stuffed with snacks—six peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a whole box of juice, and like a dozen gummy candies. It’s cute watching Iris gush over James’s schedule: nap time, playtime, shift time. She even wrote it all down so I wouldn’t forget.

I’ve babysat pack warrior kids my whole life. They like me. I’m even excited to have some of my own one day.

“Are we there now?” James asks, singing “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The last mile has no paved road, so I insist Mason let us walk alone. What should be a ten-minute walk stretches longer with James, until I offer him a piggyback ride. He insists on calling it a “wolffy ride” since he rides on the backs of wolves, not pigs. His words, not mine.

“James?” I ask, feeling the magic repel spell as we approach the boundary around Luke’s home.

“Hmm?” He stops singing.

“Want to see some magic?”

He jumps up and down as I set the snack bag and him down. I close my eyes, feeling the magic from the boundary.

I’ve stayed up late practicing boundary spells. Luke’s boundary isn’t nearly as strong as Nema’s that I helped set. I hold my hands out to where I feel the barrier, and James copies me.

I chant softly, but the barrier doesn’t budge. It takes two more tries before it lifts enough for us to pass through. I turn back quickly to make sure it seals behind us.

“Hmm, that took longer than five seconds.”

I spin around to see Luke watching his watch, looking sexier than the last time I saw him—black hair tousled like he just ran his fingers through it, a light blue button-up that matches his eyes perfectly.

He chuckles, probably catching me drooling.

James runs into his arms screaming, “Luke!”

“What’s up, little guy!”

James asks about the playground, bouncing excitedly as Luke sets him down to run toward the wooden structure in front of the house.

The house is nothing like the packhouse but still big on its own. One story, moss green with wood accents matching the forest around it. It feels homey. I smile just looking at it.

“You like it?” Luke asks, hanging the snack bag over his shoulder. I nod.

“Want to come inside?” He asks. I nod again, my voice gone.

“James, come here, buddy. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

He races in, shouting “Awesome!” when he sees a train chugging on a track near the bare Christmas tree in the corner.

Luke holds the door open for me and then takes a seat beside me on the brown leather sofa in front of the fireplace.

The house is cozy and quaint—greens and browns with rustic charm. The kitchen and dining room are closed off, making the space feel smaller but still beautiful.

“Your home’s beautiful.”

“Beautiful indeed.”

Luke looks straight at me, sitting so close I start fidgeting nervously. He picks up a strand of my hair and smells it. When he looks back, his light blue eyes darken with lust and desire.

Our faces are inches apart. I swear he’s about to kiss me—and I want nothing more. I want him, my mate, to be my first kiss.

He brushes my hair back from my face, and I melt into his gaze.

“Why is the tree bald?”

James’s voice breaks the moment. We both pull away abruptly, laughing at his comment and almost being caught doing… what? I don’t really know.

Luke stands and opens a brown trunk next to the tree.

“I have decorations here. Thought maybe you both could help me?”

James jumps up eagerly as we sort through ornaments for the tree.

It’s early November, so decorating now feels strange, but I don’t mind. I’ve never decorated a tree before. Mason’s family usually hired people to do it, so it’s normal for Mason to keep that tradition.

When we finish, Luke lifts James to place the star on top. I help judge if it’s straight, though it ends up crooked since we let a four-year-old do it.

It’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Sharing it with Luke and James makes it even more precious.

While James eats lunch, Luke and I talk. I can tell something weighs on him; he’s not fully present.

When I ask about his time as a rogue, he’s surprisingly upfront. He’s been running his whole life until settling here and meeting Iris.

Strangely, I’m not as jealous as I used to be. Maybe because their trance bond is broken, or maybe because I feel his love in the way he looks at me. He could be mine—he is mine—my mate.

I smile as Luke rereads the list Iris packed for James’s schedule. I imagine us living here—the three of us, happy and together. I’m getting my hopes up, even though I promised I wouldn’t.

“It’s about nap time,” I say. Luke looks lost reading the list but gives me a thankful smile and turns to watch James play.

He doesn’t want to be the bad guy and stop the fun.

“I could put him down if you want?” I offer.

“Actually, I’d like to do it.” Luke carries James into what I assume is a bedroom, and I take a look around the house.

I wander into the kitchen and see the same wood-and-black theme throughout. It’s spotless, like no one lives here. Cabinets and fridge are empty.

Luke must stay at the Blue Bloods packhouse most of the time. But didn’t he ever get to stay in his own home? He was rogue for years, moving from town to town with his father until settling here.

Didn’t he once enjoy the comfort of a home?

“What? Don’t you like the kitchen?” I feel him come up behind me.

“No, it’s nothing.” I turn to him.

“You’re worried. What is it?”

I sigh. “Have you ever actually stayed here, Luke?”

He was on the run most of his life, moving from place to place.

My breath catches as he grabs my hips and sits me on the island, standing between my legs.

Thankful for my jeans, because the way his hands rest on my hips does things to my body I can’t explain.

I look down self-consciously until he pushes my chin up with his finger.

“What?” I ask, breathless, a soft smile on his lips that I can’t look away from.

“You’re amazing, Ellie.”

“So are you.”

“No, I’m not.” His eyes darken as he looks away. When he meets my gaze again, they shine bright blue.

“Don’t change who you are, Ellie. Don’t let this break you.”

A tear slips down, and he wipes it away with his thumb.

“I know it’s selfish to ask, but I can’t leave this world without knowing you’ll be alright. Promise me one thing. You’ll be alright?”

His eyes search my face.

I look back for what feels like forever, but I already know.

“I’ll be alright.”

Because I’ll find another way. I won’t have to sacrifice him. Without him, I wouldn’t be.

I lean in and kiss his cheek, then rest my head on his shoulder, fanning his neck with my breath.

Luke’s body tenses beneath me—the bond affecting him more than I realize.

His hand slips from my hip to the back of my neck, gently pulling me up.

I see the fight in his eyes. He wants to kiss me—but he won’t. His resilience is too strong.

So I do what I think is right. I do what I know he won’t.

I lean forward and kiss him.