The Luna's Love (Book 2)

Chapter One

“Help!” I heard someone scream as they shifted back into their human form.

“Ahh!” I heard another.

“It burns!”

“Someone help!”

I felt hands around my body, dragging me away but I thrashed and fought back, I couldn’t leave them there to die. I fought and fought until the fight I had left in my body vanished and was replaced with shock and guilt. I let myself want to save them so badly that I killed them in the process. I was finally dragged out of the body and the three of us collapsed on the ground and watched the house burn. The wolves had to have woken up in the middle of the fire because I soon heard howls and whimpers and screams that shook my core as they burned alive.

“No! Stop!” I slammed up from my bed screaming.

    My eyes quickly darted around every inch of the room as my body shook and my breathing labored. Once my mind took in the familiar surroundings I realized it was just a dream. I looked to my left to see my sleeping mate. Dylan had grown so used to my nightmares that he started sleeping through them. It made him feel horrible the first time he did but I was happy I finally wasn’t waking him at night when neither of us got any sleep anymore. 

    I looked to my right and saw the clock on my night stand read five am, the babies would be up in an hour. I took a second to compose myself in our bed, running my hands over my face and through my short auburn hair to feel it drenched in sweat. I sighed, pulling myself out of the bed quietly and walking to the bathroom in the dark. I had our new room memorized a week after we moved in so the dark didn’t faze me. Once I got into our en-suite bathroom I shut the door and turned the light on only to cringe at the pain it brought to my tired eyes. Rubbing my eyes, I slowly opened them and welcomed the bright light that had assaulted me only moments ago.

“Nice.” I muttered to myself once I saw my own reflection.

    I still wasn’t used to the hair that sat just above my shoulders. My entire life my curly auburn hair had fallen to my waist but after I had the twins I couldn’t handle the upkeep anymore. It was different with Samual because he was just one baby so it was easier, but with Rose and Gabriel I couldn’t keep up with the care my hair demanded so I cut it off. I didn’t know how freeing the action would be until after I did it but that didn’t mean I didn’t miss the way I had looked my entire life. I just didn’t think short hair suited me. I watched myself yawn and it brought attention to the dark bags underneath my dull green eyes. 

I quickly brushed my teeth to get rid of the horrid morning breath I had before stripping my clothes and climbing into the cold shower. I let the ice water beat against my sore muscles like shards of glass puncturing me in the most amazing way. As soon as I rinsed the soap off of my body and out of my hair I heard my phone buzz from outside of the shower. 

Can I come by later?

I read Austin’s message.

Of course. What time? 

 I replied, dripping water on the clear screen. I stood there for a second waiting for his response but it never came so I set my phone back down and turned the water off. I dried myself off and walked into the closet that was joined with the bathroom before turning on it’s light. After getting ready in casual clothes and towel drying my damp hair, it was six in the morning meaning the babies would be waking up any minute. I turned all of the lights back off, letting my eyes adjust to the dark before leaving the room without a single noise so I didn’t wake the beautiful man sleeping in our bed. 

    I walked down the hall of the third floor of our house, toward the twins’ room. We moved into our house right before I gave birth six months ago because the pack grew so much we didn’t have room in the pack house anymore. Now we lived with our own pack house with the only heads of the pack and their families. That included myself, Dylan, our Gamma Merrick, our Beta Zachary, our Beta female Dani, and Allysa since she was Dani and Dylan’s sister. Anyone from the outside would think it sounded like a full house but it was amazing compared to all of the people we used to live with.

Dylan, the kids, and I had the third floor while the Beta and Beta female had the second floor, leaving the main floor for our Gamma. Merrick was new to his position, only being promoted when the twins were born so there would be extra help if Dylan got tied up. 

I opened the door to the twins’ room to see Rose standing in her crib laughing at her brother who was mimicking her actions on the opposite side of the room.

“Hello my loves.” I smiled softly and once they both laid eyes on me their smiles melted my heart.

I walked over to Gabriel first, as I always did, and picked him up out of his crib before changing his diaper and setting him on the floor to crawl around. I repeated my actions with Rose and set her next to her brother on the floor. I went to their closet and picked out matching clothes before joining them on the ground and getting them dressed.

“Come here princess.” I cooed to my daughter who kept crawling away from me. “Look, your brother loves to get dressed. Why won’t you let me dress you?” I sighed.

After a few minutes of chasing I finally got her laying still on the floor so I could dress her in the pink polka dotted dress to match her brother's orange polka dotted romper. Once everyone was dressed and ready I scooped a baby up in each arm and walked downstairs in silence since everyone was still asleep.

“Hey.” I heard a voice in the dark as I entered the living room and let out a shriek making the babies giggle. 

“Oh my god! You can’t do that!” I yelled as Austin turned on the lights while laughing.

“You are so jumpy.” He smirked before coming up to me and wrapping his arms around me in a hug.

“Come see your uncle, big man!” Austin grinned and Gabriel lunged for him. 

“Why are you here so early? When you asked if you could come over I thought you meant in the middle of the day like a normal person.”

“Wynnie is teething so she has been up all night and with Addie finding out she’s pregnant again, I’m trying to let her get all of the sleep she can so she stays healthy.”

I smiled sadly at him as I set Rose on the floor next to Wynter who was playing with her toys quietly. He looked exhausted and I understood where he was coming from. Last week it was a rotating cycle with the twins of ‘who was going to be up all night’. 

“How is she?” I quizzed Austin about his pregnant wife.

“She’s okay. Neither of us were expecting for her to get pregnant when Wynter barely turned one so we’re both a little surprised and shocked, but excited nevertheless. Addelyne has always wanted a house full of kids so this is her dream come true.” He laughed at the last statement.

I nodded in response before I walked into the kitchen that was joined with the living room so I could still see the kids while I cooked. Austin got on the floor and started playing with the three of them, making me smile. I made a simple breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast because it was easy and I knew everyone loved it. I got the three highchairs set up all side by side with plates of food prepared on each one along with a sippy cup of orange juice to match. Austin and Addelyne were over here with Wynter so much that I went ahead and got a third highchair for her so she didn’t have to keep eating on the floor. 

“Breakfast!” I hollered through the house and watched Austin come into the kitchen carrying my babies with Wynter toddling in next to him. 

He put Wynnie in her highchair while I did the same with Gabriel and Rose and as soon as they were all buckled in I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Austin took a seat at the bar, fixing himself a plate and I watched Merrick, Dani, and Zachary walk in. 

“Goodmorning, B.” I smiled at Zach who immediately came to me for a hug. He was the only other morning person in the house, not that I was out of choice. “Hey Austin.” He pat Austin on the back as he walked behind him. 

    Merrick and Dani didn’t say a word as they both made a plate and sat at the kitchen table. Dani’s light brown hair looked tangled from just waking up and her brown eyes were half-lidded as if she wasn’t fully awake. Her dimples were nonexistent at the lack of emotion her face held and the freckles littering her skin looked more prominent since she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Danielle was such a natural beauty but she was too insecure to realize it so she was always covered in thick layers of product. 

    I glance at Merrick, surveying his appearance as well. His short dirty blonde hair always seemed to be in perfect place even when he had just woken up, and even though his blue eyes were shining you could still see the tiredness they held as he yawned. 

“Is it yummy?” I smiled at the three kids.

Wynter just nodded as she continued to stuff her face along with Gabriel while Rose sat there quietly drinking her juice.

“What’s wrong Rosie?” I looked at my daughter who hadn’t taken a single bite and she just huffed at me. “Come on, my love. Open up.” I picked up a piece of egg on my fork and held it toward her mouth but she just turned her head.

I couldn’t let my daughter’s looks fool me, even though she looked like me she was a hard Daddy’s Girl and you could tell by the way her eyes matched his. I gave up trying to feed her until Dylan woke up and went to make my own plate while she drank her juice. 

“Are you still okay with watching the kids while I go to the hospital today, Zach?” I asked the bright eyed boy.

“Of course. I love spending time with them and I love that you’re getting out of the house and doing something. How is the apprentice going?” He made conversation with me as I sat across from his and Austin at the island. 

“Amazing.” I couldn’t help but grin. “I love it so much, knowing that I’m helping our pack is one of the most rewarding feelings.” 

“As long as you’re ready to deliver our second baby in seven months.” Austin joked with a wink causing me to choke on a piece of bacon. 

“Neither I, nor Addie want me to deliver your baby so keep dreaming.” I laughed.

“Good morning, my little witch.” I felt a kiss on my temple and a body pressed against my back.

I didn’t even hear him come down stairs but with Dani and Merrick in their own conversation, the babies babbling, and Austin, Zach, and I talking I wouldn’t have been able to hear him. 

“Good morning. How did you sleep?”

Before he had a chance to respond, Rose let out an ear piercing squeal when she noticed her dad. Her big brown eyes lit up and she wiggled around in her highchair trying to get free.

“Good morning to you as well, princess. I didn’t forget you.” I watched my mate smile as he walked toward her.

He placed a kiss on Gabriel’s deep brown hair before picking Rose up from her seat and walking back to me with her. He made his plate then took a seat next to me at the island while balancing our six month old on his right knee. She immediately started picking at his plate and eating as he held her, making me roll my eyes.

“Why does my child hate me?” I asked, exasperated.

“She doesn’t hate you, she just has a preference.” Dylan snickered and I rolled my eyes once again.

    I looked at my little girl in my mates arms. Her fiery red hair was pointed in every direction and her curls were a mess since Dylan was the one who typically did her hair, she looked so much like Gabriel but at the same time they looked so different. His dark brown hair was a contrast to her bright hair just as his emerald green eyes were the opposite to her deep brown ones but their core features were the exact same. 

       I listened to everyone make conversation as they ate and Dani and Merrick finally perk up to join the morning. The only person missing from our morning routine was Allysa.

“I’m going to go wake up Ally.” I whispered in Dylan’s ear so I wouldn’t interrupt the conversation between him and Austin. 

    I took Gabriel and Wynnie out of their seats since they were done eating as I walked by, and set them on the floor to play. Dylan glanced at my actions before setting Rose on the floor to join them. I smiled at the kids and then turned on my heel to head to the third floor. Once I reached Allysa’s room I knocked but earned no reply from the hormonal thirteen year old.

“Allysa, it’s time to get up.” I yelled through the door as I knocked again.

When I went to turn the doorknock it was locked causing me to roll my eyes before twisting my hand in front of it and unlocking it from the inside. I wasn't surprised in the least to open the door and find her bed empty, looking like it hadn’t been slept in at all. I rubbed my temples in annoyance before walking back down stairs to tell Dylan that she had snuck out again.

“She’s gone.” I groaned as I reached the kitchen.

“Again?” Dani looked at me exasperated as she got up and cleared her plate. “She is probably at the human’s house. I swear, I don’t know what I’m going to do with her!”

“No, Danielle. You stay here.” Dylan groaned as the annoyance crept into his expression. “You always go get her when she sneaks out to see her, maybe if I go this time it will either scare the human girl enough or embarrass Ally enough to keep her from doing it again.”

    It had become an almost daily occurrence that Allysa snuck out of the house to be with this girl and Dani went and fetched her in the morning, seething. Ally was in this rebellious stage and although it angered all of us, we all went easy on her because we knew why she was doing it. She felt the burden of absent parents when they pawned her off on her older sibling’s so she was lashing out. My heart broke for her, but that didn’t make her actions okay and Dylan was hitting his breaking point with her. 

“I love you.” Dylan rinsed his plate and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead before finding the twins on the floor and doing the same to them. 

Gabriel squirmed out of his dad's arms so he could play again while Rose welcomed his love and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.

“Please bring her back in one piece and don’t scare her girlfriend too much. I need all of my children alive by the end of the day.” I wrapped my arms around his neck in a similar hug as my daughter as he was walking out.

Ally had come to feel like my own daughter even though she was only seven years younger than me. Her mother wasn’t much of a mother at all to her so even though Dani was good with her, I became a substitute mom since I already was a real mom to my own kids. 

“Fine.” He grumbled.

He embraced me in a warm hug before walking out of the kitchen. I watched his retreating figure and sighed.

Please bring her back in one piece.