The Blue Moon Luna

Chapter Three: Meeting II

[Leah’s P.O.V.] – Blue Ridge Pack

Christian leads me through the giant front door of his ridiculously big house. What greets me when I enter stuns me. This place is beautiful. The floors and lower half of the walls are clad in glossy wood, so dark it seems as if I could fall through it into an abyss. I’m taken aback by the paintings that line the upper part of the walls. The one right above a grand staircase enraptures me. It’s a simple landscape of a cliff, yet the blues and purples that swim around it are dreamlike.

“I can take you to see it if you would like,” Christian’s voice breaks me out of my transfixion. “It’s most beautiful in the first morning light. That is when this was painted.”

“This cliff is here?” I ask, flabbergasted yet excited. I could imagine living here with this view to wake up to every morning. I shake my head, dispelling the happy thoughts. Don’t get your hopes up, Leah. That’s the last thing you need to do right now.

“Yes, it’s on our territory, not far from the packhouse…” Christian hesitates, noticing my confusion at his choice of words.

“Christian, my son!” a booming voice interrupts our moment. Usually, I would be terrified at the sound of a man’s raised voice, but this one is warm, welcoming, almost like a hearty laugh. I turn to see an older, jolly-looking man with white hair and a white beard exiting a door from what looks like a cozy study.

“Leah, this is my father, Samuel,” Christian introduces the man. I would have known even if he hadn’t called him his father. They share the same piercing blue eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sir. I apologize for dropping by unannounced.” I almost feel the need to bow or curtsy. I resist those urges. Instead, I go with the politest tone I am capable of. This man, although appearing a little like Santa Claus, demands respect.

“My dear, nothing to apologize for. Any friend of Christian’s is more than welcome here, especially unannounced.” Samuel gives me a wink, making me giggle. I don’t know what it is about him, but just like with Christian, I feel safe. He exudes strength and warmth. He reminds me a little of my own father. Thinking of my parents makes me tear up. I try to fight them back, sniffling in the process.

“Oh, you must be freezing. Look at you. Come sit down. I’ll get you some tea or coffee. Which would you prefer?” Just as he speaks, I realize how ridiculous I must look. I’m still in my nightgown, and although drier than I was, my hair and clothes still cling to me. Unconsciously, I move my hands to cover my body. I feel very exposed.

“Maybe we should let Leah get some different clothes on,” Christian gently suggests. He squirms as if my discomfort is his own. “My sister, Leanna, still has some of her clothes here. You seem about the same size as her. If you want, I can show you to her room and allow you to get dressed.”

I pause for a moment. I want answers, but I also want to get out of these clothes. It seems impossible to feel oppressed by a nightgown, but that’s all they let us wear, and I have been wearing mine for a very long time. S***, I’ve been quiet too long. The two men are staring at me expectedly. “She won’t mind?” My voice comes out as more of a squeak than anything else. F*****g good job Leah; make yourself appear even more pathetic.

“Absolutely not. If there is one thing my daughters have, it’s clothes. She probably won’t even notice anything is missing. Besides, my girls were always sharing with their sisters.” Samuel gives me a heartwarming smile. For just a second, it feels like I have a family again.

Before I have time to dwell on that feeling, Christian leads me up the grand staircase to the right, down a narrow hall, and through another dark door into a bedroom. I stop, stunned. This room is everything a teenage girl could dream of. Unlike the rest of the house, it’s light and airy. Wispy fabric hangs over a canopy bed almost entirely covered by pillows. There’s a large light green sectional couch next to a set of bookcases loaded with modern and older leather-bound books. This room looks lived in, loved.

“Please, take anything you want. Leanna will not mind or likely even notice,” Christian chuckles, directing me to a large walk-in closet. “I will leave you to get dressed in private. Would you like me to wait outside the door?”

“I think I can find my way back downstairs, thank you,” I say, offering him a genuine smile. The first genuine smile that’s graced my lips since I can remember.

Christian bows out of the room, leaving me to root through a sea of clothes. I have no idea what I should wear. I met his father in a nightgown, so anything that actually conceals my body is appropriate. Eventually, I settle on a pair of loose jeans, a well-worn t-shirt, and a light sweater. There are no thick winter clothes in here, but I’m sure I will warm up soon. I search for shoes, but we are not the same size, s***.

A knock at the door disturbs my rummaging. “Leah, are you dressed?” Christian calls for me. When I exit the closet, I see him standing in the doorway, a pair of slippers and a large warm-looking hoodie in his hands. “I borrowed these from my other sister’s room,” he says, holding up the slippers, “and this,” he brandishes the hoodie, “is mine. I hope you don’t mind, it’s not exactly clean, but it’s warmer than anything my sisters own.”

I accept both articles. Something about wearing his hoodie excites me. It’s not just the warmth, it’s his warmth. I slip it on and inhale deeply; it smells heavenly, like sea cotton and some spice I can’t place. I could have sworn I saw him grin at me, but he covers it up too quickly for me to be sure. “If you’re ready, I can escort you back down.”

I nod, letting him lead me back through the hallway. Thank God he came back for me. These hallways feel like a maze. Everything looks the same to me.

-

“Please, Leah, sit down,” Samuel greets me as we enter a snug living room. I’m grateful that a roaring fire has been lit in a large marble fireplace. As if that wasn’t enough, Christian lays a blanket across my legs as I settle into a plush forest-green armchair. A cup of steaming hot tea is placed in my hands, and after one too many questions about whether I am warm enough, the two men finally settle down.

“Leah,” Christian begins, “what do you know about the supernatural?”

“Like angels and demons or…”

A look of despair and frustration flashes across his face. Exacerbated, Christian looks to his father, who chokes back a laugh. “Leah, I’m going to tell you something, and then I want you to take a few minutes before you respond, okay?” Samuel asks me, his kind eyes appraising me. I only nod, slightly terrified of what he is about to say. What have I got myself into?

“Christian and I are werewolves. You are currently in a werewolf pack called Blue Ridge, and almost everyone who lives here is a werewolf.” Samuel tells me firmly and calmly. I search his eyes for any hint of a lie, but there is nothing but the truth in them.

So, werewolves… Werewolves exist, and one just happened to find me and take me home like a stray pet. Werewolves live in gated communities. People who can turn into wolves live all in one place, and no one knows about them. Werewolves… My thoughts spin out of control. This can’t be real. They have to be messing with me. This is either a sick joke or my initiation into a cult. Again, I look at Samuel and then at Christian. One is calmly waiting, and the other seems deeply anxious.

I want to get up and run or get up and scream at them. I want to let them know I’m in on their little game and that they can’t scare or manipulate me. Yet, something deep inside me is telling me this is real. Even more unnerving is the feeling that I belong here, like I’m finally home.“Why am I here?” It’s the only question I can think of.

“Well,” Samuel prevents Christian from speaking. “In our world, we have something called mates. Mates are like soulmates. They are the perfect person for you, chosen by our Goddess, the Moon Goddess. You are Christian’s mate.”

I take another few minutes to think this information over. This Adonis of a man could be mine, all mine, if I wanted him. Who am I kidding? Of course, I want him. I mean, look at him. Then another thought hits me. How could we be soulmates if I am not a werewolf?

As if answering my unspoken question, Christian speaks. “You do not need to be a werewolf to be mated to one. It’s unusual but not unheard of.” Samuel opens his mouth to speak, but I notice Christian flash a warning glare, and he shuts it instantly. What was that about?

I want to ask more questions, but Samuel speaks before I can. “Leah, I know this is a lot for you to take in. You might not even believe us, but if you want, Christian or myself can show you.”

“Show me what?”

“Our wolves.”

-

This is insane. How the h*** have I gotten myself into this position? Show me their wolves. As if people can turn into wolves whenever they want. Why was I following these two mad men outside? Even worse, why did I believe them? This is ludicrous.

“Leah…” I break out of my spiral to see two perfect eyes looking deep into mine. Just like that, all my doubt evaporates. I can’t help but look down at his perfect lips. What I wouldn’t do to have those on my body, all over my…

“Eh-hem.” Samuel coughs, breaking the spell between Christian and me. Christian gives me a cocky grin, then checks himself.

“Leah, it would be best if one of us stayed with you while the other shifted… I mean, turn into our wolf.”

“Why? I won’t run away.” I ask. For f*** sake, Leah, this man is telling you he’s about to turn into a wolf. You need to run. You should want to run.

“It’s not that,” Christian chuckles. That sound tickles my tummy. It’s a beautiful sound. “Our wolves can’t communicate with you, but if one of us stays in human form, then that person can act as a translator of sorts…”

“Why can a wolf talk to you but not to me?”

“We can speak to each other. Telepathy, I guess, is what you call it. In our world, we call it mindlinking.”

I huff, a little disappointed that I couldn’t do that. I shake my head again. It’s all so ridiculous. Why would I feel jealous over something that isn’t even real? This is all so stupid. I should run.

“I’m going to shift now.” Christian grasps both my shoulders and turns me to look dead-on at him. “Leah, please do not run.”

“I won’t.”