Renegade luna

embrace

NOVA POV

"Get out of here now!" My mother screamed at Cole and I as heavy thuds banged on the front door. Cole grabbed me around the waist and pulled me backward, into the pantry cupboard of our small cottage. His hand was over my mouth, smothering my cries. My mother stood waiting, as each bang rocked the front door until, suddenly, it imploded and a group of 6 men entered.

"Charlotte, so good to see you, after all this time" addressed the center man, addressing my mother by name.

"Yes, after so long, why even bother Scott" my mother hissed back at him.

"tidying up loose ends." he shrugged and clicked his fingers, signaling for the five others to close in on my mother. Cole tried to block my eyes, but he couldn't and muffle my screams at the same time. Through the crack in the door, I watched as they tore my mother limb by limb with their bare hands.

When they were done, they left, but not before setting fire to our home.

Cole dragged me from the pantry, out the backyard, and to the woods, where we had stashed my van.

"It's time, you have to go" he urged. I shook my head, tears streaming down my face, our home, with our mother inside, was now a raging inferno.

"I can't..." I sobbed.

"I promised Mum I would keep you safe. Remember our plans, everything she and I taught you? It's time now!" he pushed me into the van before turning back to the house. I saw only the shadow of a wolf in the glowing firelight, as I started the engine, and sped off, leaving my life as I knew it behind."

I gasped as I came back to consciousness. Tears were streaming down my face. Arlo was hovering over me. I shoved him off of me and pulled myself to my feet. I didn't need him right now. I needed Cole.

"It's done Nova, they are gone," he reassured me, but I fought back every word I wanted to snap at him. Because it wasn't done, it wasn't over. Scott recognized me, I knew it. He knew who I was, without the elixir he would have smelt me, even if he didn't recognize my face. Like ripples, it was only a matter of time and it was all Arlo's fault.

If he had just let me leave and not made me change. He stepped closer, to grab me, and something snapped. I lashed out at him, swiping at his chest with half-changed hands, then just as quickly, I was pressed against him, lips on his devouring him. He pulled away for air, his eyes bewildered, like I was too.

"Fuck." I panted, backing away. "I can't." I shook my head, running and retreating to our suite. Arlo didn't let up, he followed after me. As we entered his apartment, the rage flooded me again.

"I want to be alone, Arlo!" I snapped at him.

"could have fooled me" he snapped back. I blinked a couple of times. No matter the amount of drama, he had never snapped at me.

"What the hell, Nova? We spent a night, an amazing night, and then I thought we were all going to be slaughtered today, and then you passed out and woke up wanting to kill me again. I have been very patient, Nova, but I am tired."He pulled a dining chair out, and slumped in it, head in his hands.

How could I say sorry, without telling him this was all my fault? without telling him this would just be the beginning? I took a deep breath and closed the distance between us.

ARLO

I was bone-crushingly tired. The adrenaline had worn off, I had nothing left in me to handle Nova and her issues, and that in itself crushed me. I just wanted her to love me, the way I loved her. It was maddening. I loved her and I still felt I knew next to nothing about her. Yet I knew that I would love her, in all her ways, because we were fated.

She closed the distance between us, then covered me, wrapping her arms around me. Burying her head in the crook of my neck.

"Holly told me that everyone here has stories like mine. I get it," she whispered and held me tighter. I let out a small sob and grabbed her.

"I promised that with my life, I'd protect everyone here and I will. But right now, we need sleep."

"not yet, I need your phone"

I pulled away, to look at her. Why did she want my phone?

"Why?"

"I need to call my brother," she said softly, every word trembling. I relaxed a little. Her brother, I had sussed out his pack, and they were good. I had plans to reach out to them, perhaps make an alliance, despite them being on the other side of the country, we needed to join forces with any other pacts that shared our goals. I past her my phone. She clutched it to her chest.

"I'll wait for you in bed." I gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead and left her two it. As I shut the door, I could have sworn I heard her sniff back tears.

NOVA POV.

Once Arlo was tucked away in bed, I moved as far from the bedroom door as possible and curled up on the floor. My fingers instinctively dialed Coles's phone number. I waited, my heart hammering in time with the dial tone.

"Hello?" relief flooded through me at the sound of his voice.

"Cole, it's me," I said softly.

"This your new number?"

"It's Arlos, so I guess."

The phone was silent for a moment, I had so much I wanted to say to Cole, to ask him, yet I didn't know what to say.

"Are you okay? He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

"No, anything but. Cole Im a wolf."

"I know, Arlo sent word after the change. I said id call, but I thought perhaps you blamed me for not getting you elixir sooner."

"No Cole, I don't blame you. I know why you couldn't... but Cole, I'm in trouble."

"define trouble..."

"Scott and the scouts were here. They were in Mountain Ridge city, they fought and killed some pack members, then did an... inspection."

I heard Cole cursing under his breath.

"Did he see you?"

"Yes," My voice broke and tears started streaming down my cheeks.

"but he didn't say anything, he didn't recognize you?"

"He did, I'm sure he knows. Cole, you know what will happen. It's all my fault"

"You need to tell Alpha Arlo, I mean hes your mate right? he will understand."

"I haven't... I haven't met him." I sniffed.

Cole sighed and I could tell he was thinking.

"Look, he is not like the wolves mom dealt with, he's not like our father. Neither is my pact. I'm sure you've been warned what would happen if you do not do it willingly... Just take my word for it, finding your mate, its the best thing that will ever happen to you, and after everything you've been through, you deserve to be loved and be happy."

"but how can I be happy Cole when Im... this?"

"You're still you... you are more now than you were before... and, you need to realise, with who our father is, and that you've mated an alpha, you aren't just some weak little girl or weak little pup, you are one of the most powerful wolves in the country, its time for you to embrace it."

"I'm going to need to do Wolf 101 I think."

"good idea. In the meantime, you also need to tell Arlo. I will get some things in motion here. You and your pack will be okay, I promise." Coles' voice calmed my heart. He always knew how to calm me. I just hoped he was right about me.

"I love you Cole."

"you too"

I ended the call and took a few deep breaths before venturing into the bedroom.

Arlo sat upright in bed. He looked exhausted, my eyes tried to stay focused when I realized he was shirtless.

I tried not to meet his gaze as I stepped towards the bed, and stripped off Holly's clothes. I slipped in under the covers and turned to Arlo.

"I need something from you."

He snuggled down and faced me.

"Anything."

"I need you to teach me Wolf 101." His eyes lit up and he smiled.

"We will start tomorrow," he said sleepily.

His scent, so close to me, was all-consuming. My heartbeat slowly picked up, and I could feel a warmth brewing between my legs.

"is there anything else you need?" Arlo asked with a slight smirk.

I blushed and leaned closer, kissing him. Coles's words echoed in my mind... I had to trust he was right.

He pulled away, and I felt my body ache for him.

"Do you need more?" he said slyly.

My body screamed yes, but my mind screamed not yet. It took all of me to bite my lip and roll over away from him.

Behind me, I could feel him chuckle.

"goodnight nova... sweet dreams."