Finally Found His Luna

2

‘Good afternoon! Ladies and gents!’ the announcer greeted the audience. She was wearing a two-piece suit and a long see-through cardigan. The audience roared from her greeting. Many are sitting on the benches properly, some are in the pool watching, and few are just looking from their cottages. The pageant wasn’t a formal one, the candidates are only need to walk in their swimsuits, introduce themselves, show their talents, and answer questions if they pass the preliminaries. There is no makeshift stage, just a pathway between two pools and across was the seats of the judges. There were actually five seats meaning there are five judges.

‘Today we are gathered here to hold a pageant which Hunterville sponsored every month!’ the host then revealed the prizes for the winner. The audience clapped and shouted. Everyone is clearly excited. The host raised her hand silencing the whole crowd. She then introduced the judges.

Five persons emerged from a nearby cottage and walk towards the seats. They were four males and a female. The girls from the crowd were clearly awed by the appearances of the four males, especially the last one to come out. His brows are furrowed and his gaze are deadly. He’s walking straight and did not even glance his surroundings or even bothered by the loud shouts. Reaching his place, he sat down harshly. The other guy laughed clearly enjoying the scene.

‘Ahem.’ The host fake a cough. It seems that she’s the only one noticing the unpleasant aura surrounding one of the judges. She avoided his gaze and continued. ‘The judges are complete and the audience are present, now. Shall we begin?’

The crowd roared yes and the music starts to play. One by one, the candidates emerged from one of the exclusive cottages and walked on the boardwalk. They are wearing different swimsuit. Many are in two-piece and there are only few wearing one piece. They wore heels so the walking was quite difficult because of the wet pathway. Three even slipped because of it.

‘Candidate number nine!’

A girl in red two-piece swimsuit came out of the cottage and walked confidently and introduced herself in the audience. Candidate number ten followed and so on.

‘Now I’m beginning to feel nervous!’ a woman screamed and shake her hands in the air.

Reign look at her friend, Bea, incredulously. She’s doing modelling and yet she still feels so nervous? Reign thought she should be the one feeling the nervousness right now.

‘Calm down, will you? Just think you’re doing a modelling right now.’

‘I’m trying. Modelling and pageants are not the same, you know.’

Well, she has a point, Reign thought.

‘Candidate number sixteen!’ the host shouted.

‘Oh, my gosh. Your turn! Goodluck!’ Bea screamed and push her to the exit.

‘Goodluck to you, too. You’re next, you know.’ She laughed when she saw her friend trembled even more.

Reign straightened her back and walked gracefully and with confidence. Among all of the participants, she’s the second smallest. That’s why she chose to wear a six-inches high heels to look tall somehow. But everyone ended up wearing high heels, too. So, in the end, she’s still the second smallest candidate.

Meanwhile, from his seat, Seven straightened his back as soon as he saw someone familiar. He doesn’t really want to become a judge and watch girls walk in bikinis, but he figured there’s a chance his mate is in the crowd. But he did not expect to see the girl he least wanted to see. And yet, his gaze did not leave her. She’s smiling wildly and walking with grace and confidence. She’s wearing a black one-piece swimsuit with holes in both sides highlighting her curves. Its color greatly contrasting her fair white and even skin.

Reign walks in front of the judges without looking on them. She’s actually looking at the audience, finding her best friends. She’s a bit nervous, so she wanted to see them at least, to gain confidence.

‘Go, Reign!!’

She turned her head to where the voice is, and there she saw her friends waving and jumping at their place. She smiled wider, raised her hand and waved and winked at them which only gained more shouts, but what stopped Reign from waving her hands was a loud growl she heard from her front. She glanced at the judges and was greeted by those dark orbs staring with contempt. Reign thought that she heard a growl earlier, but she can’t figure out where and who it came from.

Seven’s eyes never leave the woman in front of him, whom he learned the name is Reign. She was standing and staring straight at him, with confusion in her eyes. Her brown eyes almost turned gold from the rays of the setting sun shining on her place. And Seven can’t help himself be drawn to those deep brown eyes. The urge to stand and grab her face grew stronger making him growl one more time. No human can hear a werewolf’s growl in their human form, but Seven was astonished to saw fear on Reign’s eyes as if she heard him.

Reign indeed heard another growl, and this time, she was sure where it came from. She was shocked and made a step back. It sent her to shivers, the growl was loud and terrifying. And she was even more shocked and confused that no one seems to heard that. What the hell is going on? Reign thought.

‘Reign!’ Adrian’s voice brought her back to her senses. She looked at him from the crowds and saw concern in his eyes. She heaved a sigh and smiled again. Then she walked forward and look at the judges again, except him.

‘Good afternoon, everyone! My name is Reign Vista, twenty-six years old….’

Seven can’t understand why he had a strong urge to punch the guy who called her. He also did not like her smiling at him. And the fact that after that, Reign did not throw a single glance at him makes him more irritated. He bit his lips and followed her every move. She just ended her introduction and is now walking back to where the other candidates are lined-up. He knew that she’s avoiding his gaze deliberately. But Seven wanted her badly to look at him, and he doesn’t even know why.

The introduction ended and all candidates are complete. The talent portion ended peacefully as well. Reign was so grateful that her voice did not tremble, as because one of the judges scare her. She badly wants to end the competition just to avoid him already. And she was lucky, yes, Reign thought she was lucky she did not enter the top five candidates. Only Bea was called between the two of them. She congratulates her friend and proceeded to the cottage to change. After changing, she went to where her friends are and joined their cheering for Bea. But Reign just stay at the back to cheer. Adrian stepped back and hold her arm.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.

Reign looked up and smiled. ‘Nothing.’ How can she tell her best friend she heard a man growl and no one seems to notice? Or how did the old woman appeared and disappeared from nowhere giving her a mysterious bracelet?

But Adrian knows her well. ‘There’s something you’re not telling me.’

Reign breathed in and out. ‘It’s just I felt…...overwhelmed when I was at the front.’

Adrian looked at her intently, weighing if she’s telling the truth. Reign showed no emotions rather than weariness and embarrassment to make him believe. She tried hard not to flinch when she heard another growl again. She wanted to ask Adrian if he heard that, but it seems not because he did not even raise his head from her.

‘I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have force you to participate.’

‘No!’ Reign doesn’t want her friends to feel guilty because of that. ‘Not your fault. Forget it. I’m fine now. I’m just……. tired, I guess.’

‘You want to go back to your room?’ Adrian asked. She shook her head. She wants to support Bea, too. Adrian seems to understand her thoughts so he just stayed beside her quietly.

The pageant ended and Bea got the second place. Which earned her cash prize and a one-day food service from the hotel restaurant free of charge.

‘Congratulations!’ Reign greeted Bea and hugged her. ‘You’re amazing!’

‘You too!’ Bea answered and hugged her back.

‘Oh, come on. I bet I came at last!’ she said that made her friends laughed and teased her.

‘What went wrong with you, by the way?’ Rica asked her. ‘You came out so confident and gracefully, but then you went silent when you were at the front of the judges!’

Reign looked at her friend. She confirmed that she’s the only one who heard that growl. ‘I felt nervous suddenly.’

‘Well, who wouldn’t?’ Linzy replied. ‘I mean, being stared at by those gorgeous boys! Oh, my!’

‘Exactly! They look like gods and goddess, right?’ Maureen added with a squeal.

Adrian and the boys just rolled their eyes at the girl’s topic.

‘Aren’t we going to eat now? It’s past seven o’clock already.’ Benjie asked.

‘Oh, right! Let me change first!’ Bea answered and hurried off back to the hotel. They waited not much longer, after she arrived, they headed to the hotel’s restaurant and have their dinner.

Laughs and nonsense talks filled their table. But Reign is just trying to go along with them. She can’t stop her mind from thinking and wondering about the growl from earlier.

‘Can a human growl so loud like that?’

The noise died down. Silence took over in their table. Everyone is looking at Reign holding a spoon and fork and just staring down at her own food.

‘What human?’ Adrian asked, breaking the silence.

Reign almost jumped from her seat when he heard Adrian’s voice. She looked at him with her brows furrowed.

‘What growl?’ Rica asked as well.

Growl? Did she hear that, too? She turned her gaze towards Rica and with her eyes wide of excitement, she asked her. ‘Did you hear that, too?’

‘Yes. All of us heard it, I think.’ Rica answered.

‘Oh, gosh. Thank goodness! I thought I’m the only one who heard it.’ She said with relief. Reign thought that if everyone heard it like she did, then it’s just probably normal.

‘Heard what?’ Donna asked her this time. She looks confused and lost as to what Reign is talking about.

‘The growl! I thought you heard it, too!’ Reign exclaimed.

‘What growl?’ Mark answered her. ‘What we heard is you asking if a human can growl so loudly.’

Reign fell quiet. She turned her gaze around and found her friends looking at her with confusion and concern in their eyes. Adrian reached her hand and squeezed it lightly. As if asking if she’s okay.

‘Well…earlier…at the pageant……I heard someone growl so loud. Like a…beast.’ She replied in whisper. Now she’s beginning to feel uneasy again, knowing that she’s probably the only one who heard at all.

‘I didn’t hear such thing.’ Bea answered.

‘We didn’t, too.’ Benjie added.

‘Maybe it’s just your hallucination?’ Donna asked her.

‘I’m not stressed or whatsoever. And I don’t remember having an auditory hallucination like that in the past.’ She answered Donna.

‘Maybe it’s due to your nervousness earlier. I mean, it can happen sometimes? When a person’s having an extreme emotion?’ Linzy added.

Could it be possible? Could she really be just hallucinating? The face of that guy flashed in Reign’s memory. His sharp eyes staring at her. She closed her eyes to erase the image in her mind. Then she felt Adrian’s hand squeezing her hand again.

‘Do you want to rest already?’ he asked.

Reign looked at her friends and asked for permission to leave. ‘Can I go first?’

Everyone nodded. Somehow, they felt that something’s bothering her and she’s grateful that they weren’t asking any further questions. Because she really doesn’t know how to explain anymore. Even she, is doubting herself now.

Adrian rose from his seat and offered to escort her back to her room even how may times she declined. They walked back in silence. And she’s grateful her best friend’s not probing her to tell more. She really just wants to lie down on bed and sleep. But even after lying down for a damn whole hour, Reign can’t find herself to sleep. She sat up, and dragged herself to lean on the headboard. She took her phone and opened her social media accounts. She did scroll and read her news feed for almost two hours and yet she still can’t sleep. Then, she decided to went outside of the room. Standing on the balcony, Reign could see the night view of the whole place. Colorful lights are scattered everywhere. The sky is surprisingly very clear tonight revealing a magnificent view of constellations and stars. The moon is hanging low in the ocean, mirroring its brightness and appearance. And the breeze of the wind is cold yet very calming.

Before she could even stop, she finds herself running on the hallway and getting on the lift down. She’s already on the ground floor when she realized she forgot to bring a jacket. She's a little cold, but she ignored it anyway and walked towards the shore. It is not scary to walk alone on that area since the moon is so bright. Maybe if she let herself be calmed by the wind and sea can help her fall asleep.

She traced the ends of the waves on her feet. And walked without any directions. She glanced at the hotel and found it’s glamorous facade at night. Never in her life did she think she would experience having a vacation in such an expensive place like that. She inhaled the fresh breeze of the cool wind and smiled.

Meanwhile, from afar, Seven could be seen leaning on a palm tree and gazing at the ocean. But what he’s seeing isn’t the waves or the water, but an image of a girl keeps appearing on his mind. The confident smile, the shocked and terrified eyes of the woman who keeps haunting him even in sleep. He breathes a heavy sigh. He remembered her looking so scared at him, and that mere thought is giving him an indescribable pain. Oddly, he felt frustrated and pained whenever he thinks Reign is afraid of him. He closed his eyes and straightened his back. He shouldn’t be thinking about that girl anymore. He’s becoming unfaithful. Just when he was about to turned back to his villa, he saw a familiar build passed his sight. It’s walking on the shore slowly, clutching both of its arms.

Seven breathes harshly. No use pertaining her to a thing since anyone could probably tell she’s a ‘her’. Since she’s wearing a summer dress exposing her bare shoulders and hugging her bodice so tightly showing her curves even more.

Reign.

Seven walked towards her. He thought that she looked like a lost goddess finding her way back to the ocean. With her messy hair blowing by the wind.

‘Are you trying to get yourself sick?’

Reign startled at the voice. She looked over and found herself facing a heaving chest and broad shoulders. The voice is so masculine and deep that reign thought it belongs to someone scary. She swallowed the lump on her throat and slowly raise her eyes to look at the man in front of her.

Her eyes widen at the sight of his face. She tried to speak but no words came out of her lips. Moreover, she felt herself tensed up knowing that he’s just few inches away from her.

‘It’s cold and you’re just wearing that…you…’ Seven looked at her gaping at him. She looked shocked but not scared, Seven thought. He took his jacket off and was about to put it on her, when Reign suddenly took a step back. Leaving the jacket hanging in Seven’s hand. He gritted his teeth at her action.

‘Wear it yourself, then.’ He said then tossed the jacket on her.

Reign took the jacket off her face then looked and glared at him. She was supposed to be scared at him but she can’t find any uneasiness. Oddly, she felt comfortable and a sense of safety, which Reign thought is very unusual.

‘What are you glaring at?’

‘You could have given it to me properly!’ She answered with a scowl.

‘If I did, you’d be running away from me now.’ Seven replied looking down at her. He thought of reaching his hands and enveloping her face because it’s turning red from the cold.

‘How would you know that?’ She said back which only earned a raised eyebrow from the guy.

Seven took a stepped forward. And because of that sudden act, Reign took a stepped backward.

Seven grimaced. ‘See? You’re afraid of me.’

Reign was taken aback. It was a habit of her that when a stranger close in to her, she will step back and put distance. She looked up and saw his eyes, a mixture of anger and…pain? But why?

Seven saw her staring at him, and before he could do anything to her, he decided that he should go back and stay away. He turned his back and begun to walk.

‘That’s because I don’t know you.’ He abruptly stopped as soon as he heard her speak. He turned towards her again and saw her wearing his jacket. ‘Maybe, if you tell me your name, I would be less afraid.’

Seven stared back at her. Reign felt embarrassment. She sounds like a girl wanting to know the name of her crush. The thought made her blush.

‘Seven.’

Seven, Reign spoke in her mind.

‘Now that you know me, are you not afraid anymore?’ he asked her.

She weighed his question in her mind. Is she no longer afraid? This is the man who glared at her on the hallway, the man who she heard growled on the pool, the man who keeps haunting her with those sharp and dark orbs. But Reign then realized, what was she really afraid of? What was she really terrified of? The man? Or the unknown feelings she felt whenever she saw him?

Reign blinked and stared back at him. She already knew her answer. Curving her lips to smile, she answered.

‘No.’

Seven tried to step forward to see if she’s telling the truth. But it surprised him that Reign did not even flinched. Another step forward, and she did not step backward.

They’re only inches apart, which made Seven so restless. He wanted to caress her face and hold her in his arms, and what’s more surprising is that Kyden isn’t disagreeing with him. His wolf seemed to want the same thing. This can’t be, Seven thought. How could he be like this towards someone? How could someone, other than his mate, make him long for her touch and haunt him every time?

He lifted his right hand slowly and touch her face. Reign, completely stunned at what he did, ended up gasping loudly.

‘Who are you?’

Reign saw pain in Seven’s eyes. Then replaced with longingness and anger. She doesn't know what to say but to answer.

'Reign.' She answered. 'My name is Reign.'

Seven blinked and put down his hand. What was he thinking? What the hell is he doing?

'I know.'

Seven turned his back at her and started to walk away. He shook his head while reminding himself not to do stupid things again. Not to let the mysterious woman in his mind again.

'You knew? How?'

He heard footsteps behind him. Reign was following him.

'I heard someone shout your name earlier.'

'Ah.'

Seven walk faster.

'Wait a second! I still have something I want to ask of you!'

'What is it?' He answered without looking back. He still can hear her following him from behind.

'You growled.'

Seven stopped unconciously.

'Earlier. I heard you. How can you do that?'

Reign wanted to confirm the truth. Seven, not knowing what to do, turned his face on her, grabbed her and pulled her closer.

'How can you hear that?!'

Reign, shocked in his sudden embrace, placed her hands in his chest. There, she could clearly feel the eratic beating of his heart.

'W-What do you mean? I have ears.' She trembled. She could clearly see the rage in his eyes. What is he so mad at? Her having ears?

Seeing her trembled in his hold, Seven immediately let go and step back. He cursed himself and ran his finger on his hair in frustration. He sighed deeply then walked away without looking at her.

Seven was relieved that Reign stop following him. He thought that if he stayed a minute longer with her, he'll give in.

The wind blew stronger than earlier and its getting colder, but Reign was still standing on the same spot where Seven left her. She's standing there looking at him. Thinking what was just happened.

He asked if she can hear that. The growl. That means, he did growl. Reign thought. Sommething's not right. Something mysterious.

The thought of the continuous mysterious things happening to her made Reign shivered. She even thought that it would have been better if she didn't went there with her friends. But part of her wants to find out the truth. Wants to unravel something hidden. And moreover, wants to know more of him.

She looked at the bright round moon.

What would be the best thing she should do? Mind her own business and stay out of those things or satisfy her hunger to find out what is hidden?

She closed her eyes and hugged herself tigthly.

'Should I leave or stay?' she asked herself.

And the wind blew once more, as if answering her questions.

She opened her eyes and was greeted by the brightness of the moon. Then from far away, she could hear a howl of some animal.

Or human? Reign thought.

She have decided.