The Reincarnated Luna

Steam

The Manticore began to slowly retract its claws. I dropped down to the ground catching myself on my knees. With what little strength I had left I clutched at my abdomen. Rowan rushed past me, not yet transformed, and spread his arms out wide facing the Manticore to shield me. Nia's desperate howl resonated from the crowd she was protecting.

"Stop." The entire room that had been in chaos went silent. Mana was licking my face as I hunched over. Rowan didn't face me but his voice slipped into my head.

"Alora? How are you-" Nia let out a ground-shaking growl that cut Rowan Off as she darted towards the unmoving Manticore that had been staring down at me and Rowan. In seconds I had stopped holding my wounds and was standing between Nia and the Manticore.

"I said stop." She skidded to a stop just centimeters in front of me, her eyes large. I slowly turned, now covered in a thick layer of my own blood. I couldn't tell if my body was prickly because of that or Selene.

"This animal has been abused by the handler." My lips weren't moving, but my voice carried to every single person in the room. "For all of it's life it had been beaten and had terrible things tested on it." My eyes blazed in ager towards the elders. "All it knew was how to cower in a corner until we gave it the chance to be free of it's captors. It took that chance and decided to die trying to kill us was better than living in the constant state of abuse." I turned back from the crowd and placed a hand on Rowan's shoulder. His face was pained and drenched in sweat.

"It won't try to hurt us again." My voice was low and croaked out of my dry throat. As the words left my mouth the Manticore began to bend at its abdomen. Almost as if it was bowing. The entire room gasped, then applause echoed through. I started to fall forward and Rowan caught me.

"You're really amazing you know that? Are you healing okay?" He had a small smile dancing on his face as chills ran over my skin. Maybe it was just the blood loss but his touch was warm. Very warm and prickly, almost as if he set my skin on fire. It gave me goosebumps down my spine as he slowly lifted up my blood-soaked top just enough to see my stomach. I couldn't help my erratic heartbeat.

"It got you good but it seems like your wolf is doing okay healing you. You have lost a lot of blood though." I laughed.

"It's just a scratch." But I was having trouble moving my legs. Walsh and Isabella ran up to us as the crowd started to disperse. Nia and Jedda now in robes. Isabella seemed genuinely concerned as she scolded me and Walsh put a lasso back around the manticore.

"How could you do something so stupid?" Isabella was almost in tears and her eyes were bloodshot.

"I couldn't let someone be hurt because of me. I-"

"You are the future for this pack, and for Eli! What would he do if we lost you?" Her tone didn't lighten until Walsh laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Honey, she did what any good leader would have done. You've put yourself in harm's way many times before for the pack. This of all things shows she is ready to be Luna." She nodded but my breath caught in my throat. I honestly don't know if I was ready for everyone to know I'd be Luna and if they were listening it's a good chance they would know now. Gossip always spreads.

"I'm going to get her back to her room." Rowan scooped me up in a bridal carry before turning and walking towards the double doors. I heard Isabella make an announcement to the crowd.

"The concludes this evaluation. As you can see being able to train and manage the Manticores has been a success thus far and we will continue to work with the Manticores in the future. Any questions or concerns you may have can be directed towards me or Walsh before you leave." Rowan kicked the door open long enough for us and Mana to get out.

"How did you mind link everyone like that? It takes a lot of energy to mindlink five people at a time, let alone people you don't share a bond with."

"It's hard to talk, and I just felt the need to tell them. It just happened." My voice was hoarse and I had to swallow a few times to even be able to say that small sentence.

"Just another amazing thing an amazing woman like you can do. Just rest I'll get you to your room." He was walking slowly and the bright sunlight started to shine through my eyelids once we were outside the lab. I tried to bury my face in his broad chest which made him chuckle.

"What about Lilly?" I drug my head up, barely able to hold my eyes open, and try to make eye contact with him. He stopped walking and looked down at me but his eyes glossed over. I started to take in his features and realized how truly beautiful he truly was. The sun beamed down on his caramel skin, and make his tight black curls shine. His stubble was very prominent and all I wanted to do was rub my fingers across it, or even across his luscious bottom lip. His eyes came back into focus and I realized I had been inches away from touching his face. He smiled at me, his laugh line reaching his eyes.

"Sam and Cora are letting her stay with them tonight. They said they're glad you're okay." I returned his smile and let my hand drop.

"Thank them for me please. I'm glad she didn't see me this way." My head dropped back to his chest as I looked down at my blood-soaked clothes. I realized Rowan was also now covered in my blood and cringed.

"This is nothing. I've been covered in blood plenty of times before. It'd be stupid of me to be squeamish now. Get some rest. I'll let you know when we're in your room." I couldn't help but let the exhausted smile dance on my face as the slow sway of his walking rocked me into a much needed sleep.

"Hey, Al." I slowly lifted my eyes, not sleeping long enough. "Hey, I need you to wake up. Can you take your clothes off?" My eyes shot open, my heart pounding. First I could barely make Eli out of a blurry shape, but then the figure morphed into Rowan once I blinked a few times.

"Excuse me?" I had to tear my gaze away from his, but he just pulled me closer tightening his hold on me.

"Can you undress or do you need help?" There was no hint of joking in his voice. I realized we were standing in the bathroom off of my bedroom with the door shut. I looked down to see I was covered in blood and my memories finally came back to me. My rapid heartbeat slowed down just a tad until I realized Rowan was still offering to help me undress.

"I-I'm okay. You can put me down." I started to squirm under his intense gaze.

"Hold on give me a second." He slowly sat me on the toilet lid and kneeled down to where he was just slightly above my level. There was plenty of room in the bathroom but he somehow made it feel small and cramped. He brought his hand to my face and the very same prickling feeling that I would get with Eli radiated on my cheek.

"Are you okay?" His brows furrowed, but he seemed unfazed by our touch. My heart slammed in my chest as the steam from the hot shower made my skin feel moist.

"You-" His eyes met mine, but the worry didn't leave his expression. "You don't feel that?" I slowly lifted my hand to his face making the sensation spread. It was taking every ounce of self control I could muster to ignore how close our lips were. His expression was no longer worried, but more shocked than anything.

"You mean you feel that?" He placed his other large hand on my upper thigh making me spread my legs slightly from the tingling sensation moving throughout my body. It was hard to sit still when I wanted him so much closer.

"I-I could use some help." I motioned to my shirt as I started to breathe a little heavier. He slowly drug his hand from my thigh to my abdomen, leaving a trail that lingered. My skin was prickly and damp when I tried to tug on the hem of my shirt and winced when a sharp pain shot through my abdomen, slightly drowned out by the tingling sensation.

"Easy, let me help." Rowan's breath was cold on my cheek as his lips brushed my ear. If my body got any hotter I'm sure I would catch on fire. The tips of his fingers grazed my bare skin as he peeled the blood-soaked shirt from my skin painstakingly slow. I tried to raise my arms above my head but they were very heavy. Rowan slowly helped me pull one arm out at a time. I sighed in relief as the air hit my exposed skin, and quickly placed my hand on Rowan's chest to brace myself.

"I-" I brought my gaze to him as his hands slid down to my hips. He slowly pulled me to my feet as he supported my weight. I couldn't take it any longer and closed the space between us crashing my lips into his. The kiss was intense and I continued to lean into him, but he was still too far. I wanted to dissolve into him. His hands cupped my lower thighs and lifted me up to sit me on the sink. Our tongues danced together, each fighting for dominance but yet tinder and he followed my pace. That is until his hand slid up my back and undid my bra with ease. We briefly broke apart so that he could throw the piece of fabric away before raising his own shirt and quickly discarding it. Our chests collided making a surprised moan slip through my lips as my n*****s grazed against his warm chiseled chest. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he leaned down and started to nibble on the base of my neck. I could feel my n*****s start to harden and I wanted to try to hide them but couldn't help but arch my back and lean into him more. His nibbles turned to a trail of kisses he left leading from my collar bone down to the top of my left breast where he flicked my throbbing n****e playfully with his tongue before gently taking it into his mouth. My hands found their way into his hair searching for anything to ground me. I pulled his face back up to mine, my tongue missing his. His hand continued to massage and pinch my engorged n*****s as he sucked my lip into his, biting down gently. Another moan escaped my lips. I couldn't take it anymore, my hands shot to his pants and I started to fumble with the buttons. Once I finally got it undone he gently took both my wrists and wrapped them around his neck. The moment my eyes connected with his a cold shive ran down my spine and Selene's voice echoed through my head.

"Eli." My eyes grew wide as I realized that Eli is suppose to be my mate, so why am i feeling this way with Rowan? His mouth clashed with mine, but I didn't respond this time. I let my arms fall back down, exhausted.

"Are you okay?" He said between breaths and taking a step back to look me in the face.

"This- this isn't right. Eli is suppose to be my mate so why-" His face dropped to an emotionless state. His grip around me loosened.

"Right, right. You're right. You feel this with him too right?" He backed up and my hands shot to cover my exposed and still swelling breasts. He left his hands on my hips to help me get off the counter but once her was sure I could stand on my own he put plenty of space between us but his eyes never left my face. I felt like he was searching for something.

"I'm drawn to him. I-I can't explain it-" An image of us on the cliff holding the daggers to each other's chest popped into my head.

Eli and I are the whole reason mates even exist. We have to be mates, don't we? Selene was still too weak from healing me to answer. I'm glad she was able to communicated when she did.

"This was a mistake. I'm sorry Forget it-"

"No." He cut me off, emitting a aura of power around him that I hadn't ever felt before. "Now that I know that you can at least feel some type of bond between us I know it isn't all in my head. Eli may have you now, but I wont give up." With those last words he left the bathroom slamming the door hard behind him. I stood there for a second wondering if that really just happened. I slowly turned and glanced in the mirror to see a large hickey forming right above my areola. A deep flush overcame me remembering what we just almost did. What I wanted to do to him. Hell, what I wanted him to do to me. It was almost primal.

Slowly I climbed into the tub and showered trying to enjoy the way the hot water stung on my aching muscles, but I couldn't get the guilty feeling out of my stomach.