Secret Luna

Unexpected

Jace's POV

As Raelynn's party started to die down, I glanced around and noticed that the table full of presents hadn't been touched, and the birthday girl was nowhere to be found. I stepped out onto the terrace and glanced around to see if she was anywhere to be seen. I close my eyes and take a deep breath to focus on the sounds and scents surrounding me. That's when I get a whiff of the most amazing smell, a mix of raspberries and vanilla. I started following the scent, breaking into a run. I follow it into the woods where I stop and refocus to make sure of the direction to follow. That's when I hear the ear-piercing scream that makes my heart start to beat faster, almost in a panic. I take off towards the scream.

I break through the trees and that is when I spot her in the water under the waterfall crying and scrubbing her skin raw with sand and rocks. I rushed into the water, reaching her without any acknowledgment from her. Her eyes have a wild look about them and her skin is so red compared to the normal tanned skin that normally graces her body. Her blonde hair is plastered to her face. Thats when I notice the pile of clothes on the edge of the water. Why is she doing this? I have to stop her.

She's going to hurt herself. Raj growls in my head. Raj is my wolf, normally quiet, unless he is angered about something.

No s**t Einstein.

I reached out for Raelynn. Her frightened eyes lock onto mine. That's when I smell it, the one thing no female wolf is prepared for at this age. Her heat. If I don't get her home, she will soon have every unmated male wolf in the area trying to sleep with her. I feel the urge begin to rise in me, the urge to claim her, but she is not my mate and I swore to never have s*x with any she-wolf until I found my fated mate.

"What is happening to me, Jace? Why do I feel like I'm burning up?" she pleads with me. The informal way in which she addresses me makes my heart sing. Why, I am not sure. She looks up at me with those deep blue eyes that have me drowning in them. I can feel my resolve breaking. I could look into those eyes every day.

Snapping out of my daze, I wrap my arms around her. "Shhhh. It'll be okay, you're in heat. We need to get you back home."

She pushes away from me. "In heat? You mean I need to mate? I thought that only happens when you meet your mate? Oh god, this can not be happening to me! I don't even have a mate." she drops below the surface of the water and lets out a scream of frustration.

Once she breaks the surface again, she makes her way over to the edge to pull on her clothes. That is when I notice the tattoo on her back. Right in the middle of her back is a tattoo in the shape of a dragon. It almost seemed to glow. How did I not know she had a tattoo?

But the bigger question is why does it glow? Raj asks the question. I also want to know the answer to that.

I climb out of the water and shake the water off the best I can. The ice-cold water did nothing to cure the burning sensation that has begun to consume Raelynn, and absolutely nothing to cover the scent of her heat. We walk back to the pack house in silence, while I keep my eyes peeled for any male pack members who may try to approach her. I see them all watching us, more her than me. But it is not lost on me that they have noticed my presence. They must assume that I plan to take her, to cure that fire she has burning inside her. If only we knew who caused this fire to be ignited so soon.

We reach her bedroom door, and she turns to face me. Those blue eyes once again captured me, pulling me in. I lean down with my lips a breath away from hers. She parts her lips to speak, and I close the distance between us. I have to taste her lips. As my lips capture hers, in what can only be described as unexpected desire, I hear a moan escape her. Only to be captured with my lips. I press her up against the door as she returns the fiery kiss. Her hands slide into my hair and my hands slide along the curves of her body. Whatever this pull is, I do not want it to stop. Nothing has ever felt so right.

But we are not fated mates. I would know if we were.

Almost as if she can hear the thought in my head, she pushes me away. "Oh my god, I am so sorry Alpha." she says before rushing into her room and slamming the door. Her calling me Alpha was like a punch to the gut.

Well damn.

Raelynn's POV

Leaning back against the door trying to catch my breath, I closed my eyes trying to pretend it was just a dream. That I was not truly stupid enough to make out with my future Alpha. I make sure the door is locked and walk into the bathroom. I caught sight of the horrid marks I caused on my body. I still feel like I am burning up from the inside, so I turn the shower on cold. As I step below the spray, it stings the rawness of my skin and I hiss from the sting.

After about an hour of just standing below the spray, I emerged with a towel wrapped around my burning body. I climbed up into my bed and tried to sleep. Maybe I can sleep this heat away. I tossed and turned all night in a fitful night's sleep.

As dawn is breaking through my window, there is a soft knock at my door. I climb from the bed and wrap my robe around me. I unlocked and opened the door. Peeking through the crack, I saw Luna Gigi standing there with a tray of food. I opened the door wider to allow her to enter. She breezes past me and I closed the door.

"Luna Gigi, I'm sorry I am not dressed yet." I said as I walked towards my closet.

"Raelynn, you do not need to apologize. Jace has discussed with me that you went into heat, and he escorted you home for your safety. I am merely here to check on you." She sets the tray of food on the bedside table.

I turned bright red in embarrassment. "I don't understand why it happened though. I didn't feel the mate pull and no one claimed to be my mate. So, why did I go into heat?"

"I have only heard about that happening when someone is close to their fated mate but hasn't yet turned eighteen. But that of course doesn't make sense considering your birthday was yesterday."

"So I'm a freak?" I sat on my bed, forgetting all about getting dressed.

"No, not a freak. Just different. Your heat, while it may not physically feel like it's as strong, will continue for a couple more days. Because of that, I need you to stay in your room so that you can remain safe. I will have one of the girls bring you food and drinks."

She turned to leave. "But that means your mate has to be near, so as soon as your heat is over, you will find your mate."