The Alpha's Treasured Luna

Chapter 4

Wandering quietly through the park, Erica tried to calm her nerves. The cool night air kissed her skin as she kept her pace slow, focusing on her breathing. She wasn’t in a rush, but she certainly wanted to be home as soon as possible. Her heart still ached from her father's harsh words, and her chest felt heavy.

As she rounded a bend, she noticed a group of young people gathered on a soccer field. Some kicked a ball around, while others sat lazily in the bleachers. But the center of attention was unmistakable—an effortlessly charismatic figure towering above the rest. The young man was tall, 6’5”, with dark brown, wavy hair that caught the faint moonlight. His piercing blue-green eyes glimmered under thick lashes, and his electric smile seemed to captivate everyone around him, especially the slender blonde woman clinging to his arm. Alpha Alex, and his fiancée, Demetria.

Erica’s heart raced, and she instinctively lowered her head, hoping her long curly hair would hide her face. She hadn’t seen Alex in years—ten, to be exact. He was the last person she saw before everything went dark that night when her life changed forever. The last night before her mother disappeared. She didn’t want to be noticed, especially not now.

She hugged her arms to her chest, quickening her pace as she prayed Alex wouldn’t spot her. But then, she felt it—the unmistakable sensation of being watched. Against her better judgment, she glanced up briefly, only to lock eyes with him. Alex.

She turned away just as quickly, cursing herself for looking. She picked up her stride, deciding to make a sharp left to escape. She just needed to get away.

Suddenly, she felt her arm yanked back.

Without thinking, Erica reacted. With swift, instinctive force, she whipped her head backward, her skull colliding with her attacker’s face.

“*f**k!* Erica, it’s me—Alex!” He hissed, clutching his nose as blood began to pour down his face.

Erica spun around, wide-eyed. “What? Why are you following me!?” Her voice was sharp, laced with panic. She knew that as an Alpha, Alex would heal quickly, but still, the sight of his blood startled her. She didn’t need any more trouble tonight—not with her father already upset with her.

Alex reset his nose with a slight crack, wiping the blood away as it quickly healed. “It’s okay, it’s my fault. I should’ve called your name,” he apologized, his voice calm. Erica stared at him, surprised by his easygoing tone. She hadn’t expected him to be so... collected.

Alex had been three years older than her, and as pups, they were somewhat close. But after her mother’s disappearance, everything changed. Alex began his Alpha training, and Erica was kept isolated by her father, cut off from most of her friends. Their lives had gone in completely different directions.

“Why do you look so stunned?” Alex asked, wiping the last of the blood from his face with a smirk.

Erica crossed her arms defensively. “Sorry about your nose, Alpha, but don’t do that again,” she stated flatly. Her curiosity was piqued, though. Why had he even tried to stop her? They hadn’t been in touch for years. They weren’t friends anymore.

Alex chuckled softly. “No worries. Good to know you can defend yourself,” he said, his tone light, but his gaze lingering on her thoughtfully. He cleared his throat. “I’ve finished my Alpha training, and I’ll be around more this summer. I’ve been trying to catch up with old friends before my ceremony in the fall.” He paused, searching her face. “It’d be nice if you came to hang out sometime. You can bring Amanda, too.”

Erica raised an eyebrow, unsure why she had agreed in the first place. She barely saw him since they became adults, and she was content with just Amanda in her life. Still, something in his eyes seemed genuine, as if he truly wanted to reconnect.

“Sure,” she replied, her voice curt as she fought back the lingering tension from their unexpected reunion.

Alex’s face brightened. “Great! Let me give you my number.” He pulled out his phone, ready to add her to his contacts.

Just then, the sound of branches snapping echoed from behind them. Erica turned as a tall, thin woman emerged from the shadowed trees, her long blonde hair flowing like a golden curtain. She walked with purpose, her lips pressed into a frown, and her hazel-green eyes darting between Erica and Alex.

“Alex, you’ve been gone a while. I came to check if everything’s okay,” Demetria’s voice was sweet but edged with something territorial.

Alex straightened, glancing at her. “Everything’s fine, Demetria. I was just inviting Erica to hang out with us sometime.”

Demetria’s gaze flicked over to Erica, her expression unreadable. Then, without warning, she grabbed Alex’s face, pressing herself against him. “Babe, what happened to your face? There’s blood!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with exaggerated concern.

Erica sighed internally, feeling an immediate headache coming on. Now was as good a time as any to make her exit.

“Goodnight, Alpha. Demetria.” Erica’s tone was polite, but distant. “I’ll think about your invitation.” She didn’t wait for a response as she turned and left, her feet carrying her swiftly away from the couple. She didn’t dare look back.

---

By the time Erica reached her driveway, it was close to 11 PM. Her strange run-in with Alex had cost her too much time in the park, and the encounter still weighed heavily on her mind. As she rubbed her temples, trying to ward off the headache, she spotted her father’s truck parked in the driveway.

“s**t… I forgot I still have to unpack the stupid thing,” she muttered to herself.

Quietly, she let herself into the house, hoping her father was either asleep or still out. But as she crept through the hallway, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She fumbled to grab it quickly, worried that the noise might wake him.

It was a text from Dane: *We still on for tonight?*

Erica pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a low sigh. She had completely forgotten about their plans after everything that had happened tonight, and now, with the car still to unpack, she was in no mood to go out.

*Raincheck? Let’s meet up tomorrow,* she replied, shoving the phone back into her pocket.

After finding the truck keys, she slipped outside and quietly began unloading its contents. Each item she moved felt heavier than it should have, the weight of her father’s disappointment still lingering in her mind.