Moon flower

Chapter 4. Over the Mountains.

As we approached the pack house I could hear the buzz of conversation and laughter spilling from inside. There were so many pack members present that many spilled outside into the lawns. The warm lights from the house spilled out on the the grass and the shadows cast by the people inside made it seem as if the grass itself was dancing. The hum of music drifted over us as we approached and I couldn’t help but smile. My stomach was doing flips and it felt as if I might explode from nerves but there was something telling me to go inside. Something drawing me in to the warm glow. I held my moon flower seedling in my hands, I had repotted it before we got ready and I could see it trembling, as I did. I took a deep breath looking over to Becca who once again had that look in her eyes, a mixture of anticipation and excitement.

“Bec!” A man’s voice called over through the crowd of people. Becca’s head snapped round to look for the source of the sound, her mate. Callum walked over to us, three glasses in hand, passing one to Becca and snaking his free arm around her waist.

“You look beautiful.” He whispered to her low and loving. She smiled up at him and kissed him deeply. Only breaking the kids when she realised I was still standing there. That’s what the mate bond does, you only have eyes for your other part.

Callum turned to me and said with a smile,

“You look lovely too by the way! Big night for you this” before he could say more Becca slapped his arm, causing him to spill some of the drinks he still held.

“s**t sorry. Do you want this?” He asked, offering me one of the glasses. I was confused by what exactly he had meant by big night for you. It didn’t make sense. It was a big night for the pack sure, but not for me personally.

“No thanks Callum, I have to look after this until the gift exchange.” I said motioning down to my moon flower. Honestly with the nerves I was feeling I would have loved a drink, but I didn’t trust myself not to drop the pot holding the seedling if I had to carry it one handed. He just nodded and handed the spare glass to Becca. My fun loving best friend had already drank most of hers and would soon be needing a top up. She gladly accepted the glass from him.

“Is that what I think it is?” A gruff voice came from the darkness, making me jump a little. Alpha Rikard approach us like a mountain emerging from the darkness and all three of up lowered our heads in respect.

“It’s a moon flower seedling Alpha, for the gift exchange. I thought that since they were growing so well this year I could spare one for our new allies.” I smiled at him as he beamed at me, I had always a special bond with the Alpha, he had been close with my parents before they died and had tried to do all that was within his power to make sure I was raised not wanting for anything, he was like an uncle to me.

“Wonderful!” Boomed Alpha Rikard loudly, his large frame bending down to get a closer look at the tiny plant it it’s little pot.

“A very good idea indeed! I’m pleased you had the forethought my dear!” He smiled up at me warmly before excusing himself, he was the alpha after all, and there were many people he had to talk to.

Looking into the pack house I suddenly didn’t feel like I wanted to enter, I told Becca and Callum to go on ahead, saying that I just needed some air for a moment, Callum nodded and Becca just smiled at me, as if she was in on some joke I wasn’t. They turned to leave and I watched them blend into the crowd of people. I suddenly felt very alone. Not knowing what to do with myself, I made my way over the deck that overlooked the lake that sat to the side of the pack house. In the moonlight the scene looked beautiful, with the silver light reflecting off the water and bouncing onto the overhanging tree branches casting waving shadows and lights across the forest. I heard a noise from behind me and as I turned to see who it was my foot slipped on the old wood, as I began to fall and the pot fell from my hands all I could think was that my moon flower would be destroyed. It was still to young and fragile to survive a drop even if the pot stayed intact. Just before I hit the ground I felt a jolt of electricity on my wrist as strong fingers wrapped around it, holding me fixed in position. Hovering just above the ground, with my eyes still cast downward I saw the moonflower had been caught in the other hand and was being gently placed on the ground. I looked to my wrist as sparks erupted across my skin travelling up my arm and flooding the rest of my body. I was hit with the same scent I had smelt last night, or rain and soil, pine needles, wildflowers and honey. My heart was beating so fast that I was sure it would pop out of my chest. I knew what this was. I knew who he was.

My eyes traveled up the man’s arm, taking in how the fabric stretched over his muscles. He was tall, a good head talked than me. He must have been at least 6”4. His chest and shoulders were wide and broad, the dark grey shirt he wore clinging to his body in a way that made me jealous of the fabric itself. His neck, perfectly sculpted, like that of an Adonis created from marble. Finally, my eyes drifted to his face. His eyes were the colour of warm sand, of caramel, of golden sunlight on snow, the irises ringed in burnished copper. He had dark hair, so dark that it was almost blue in the moonlight, swept back from his face and falling to just below his ears. With a strong jaw that was covered in stubble, he looked rugged, but in that sexy tailored way. His perfect lips were parted just slightly. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

His eyes wandered over my face, my hair, my body, and I shivered when his eyes lingered at the base of my neck, where the mates mark would be. I couldn’t find my voice, I couldn’t bring myself to speak to this god in front of me. Finally he lifted his golden gaze back to my eyes and he spoke just two words, with a voice thick and gravely,

“Your name?” Gods I could listen to that voice forever, I shivered but not from cold, my lips parted and I licked them nervously, I watched as his eyes moved from mine, down to my lips and lingered upon them, as if waiting to see how they moved when I spoke. When I said nothing he once again spoke, only this time his voice was harsher, and full of authority. He growled out low and deep,

“Your name?”

“Raine. Raine Briar.” I managed to whisper. My mouth was so dry, it was a miracle I could say anything at all. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, his eyes examining me as if I was some fine work of art, his eyes jumping and landing on each part of my face, before finally coming back to my eyes. We stood there eyes locked, starting at each other for what could have been seconds or hours. The electricity still jumped from his skin to mine where he gripped my wrist and I felt like I never wanted him to let go. But he did. He let go of my wrist as suddenly as he had grabbed it and took a step back. Looking up at him I fought to gain control of myself. I could get lost in this man.

“Jacob. Jacob Crain.” With that he turned to walk away leaving me dumbstruck, I couldn’t move, I was frozen in shock. When he was a few feet away he hesitated, turned his head looking over his shoulder, and with a faint smile playing on his lips as he uttered,

“It was nice to meet you. Mate.” And with that he was gone. Leaving me alone with the moon and the water.