Chapter 16: Chapter Fifteen

SAVANNAH

My heel snagged on a crack in the sidewalk, sending me sprawling onto my hands and knees.

~God, that’s exactly where I wanted to stay~. After Missy’s invitation to lunch with the lunas, and the sight of marks scattered across my body, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she thought I’d spent the entire night on my knees.

But I hadn’t.

I’d spent hours beneath Dax, his hot mouth against my skin, biting and sucking me into oblivion. The memory made me want to skip lunch and sneak back to his room.

I’d never met a man with such self-control. The fact that he hadn’t fucked me into oblivion out of respect for me had me all hot and bothered again.

And the fact that he’d let Trent get a lick in without knocking his lights out? How had I gotten so lucky with Dax?

It took ten minutes of pleading for mercy, begging him to let me leave, before he finally stopped kissing me.

I’d been pinned against his door, his thigh wedged between mine, my forearms held above my head as he kissed every inch of me he could reach.

Despite my disastrous night with Trent, which hadn’t gone as planned, Dax had more than made up for it.

I tried to erase the look Trent had given me before he’d sped off in his F-150, but it was etched into my brain. He hated me. I saw it in his eyes, heard it in the way he’d called me every name under the sun.

I deserved it. It didn’t matter that I’d tried to run away from Dax, because in the end, Trent wouldn’t understand. He never would. Hell, I didn’t even fully understand myself yet.

Maybe one day Trent would forgive me, but I didn’t think that day would come anytime soon.

Despite my best efforts, I was already five minutes late. When I’d returned to my dorm room and told Jaka about the invitation to the Luna House, she’d leapt from her bed, tangled in her sheets, and landed on the floor.

I didn’t know enough about the lunas to be interested, but she insisted I needed to act accordingly. Which, judging by Missy Price, meant acting like I had a stick up my ass.

She’d lent me an off-white sundress and insisted I wear a buttoned-up cardigan and heels. It was hotter than Satan’s asscrack outside, but I took her advice.

She looked worried when I left.

I didn’t get it. It was just some sorority thing, right?

I walked up the cobblestone path, climbed the stairs, and passed between two enormous pillars. The door knocker was shaped like a howling wolf, similar to the Alpha House, but more feminine. The entire building screamed girly.

I knocked and straightened my dress while I waited. My heart pounded against my chest as I tried to look presentable.

Jaka had gasped when she saw my bite marks and had done her best to cover them with concealer. I smirked, knowing Missy would notice them, regardless of what Dax suggested.

Anyone with half an eye would have noticed them.

The door swung open, and Missy stood on the other side. She eyed my dress, and since she didn’t snarl, I figured she didn’t completely disapprove.

“You’re late,” she said.

I looked her up and down. “Well, I didn’t get an invite until an hour ago… so, ya know.”

“You weren’t in your room yesterday,” she said. “Come inside. Lunch is ready, and we have a lot to talk about.”

I stepped into the foyer, filled with crystal glasses, priceless wall art, and an open floor plan that made me feel out of place. I followed her quiet footsteps toward the sound of chatter.

The dining hall was large, with a table that could seat at least fifty. The girls stopped talking when Missy walked in. They all sat with poise, some smiling, others staring.

I swallowed the dry lump in my throat. I wasn’t sure I would fit in, or if I wanted to fit in. I’d just been introduced to this world, and being thrust into the ~Stepford Wolves~ wasn’t ideal.

“Ladies,” Missy said. “This is our newest luna, Savannah Harper. We spoke earlier about her upbringing and lack of a wolf. We will support her introduction into our world.”

~“You have a wolf,”~ my wolf said.

She’d been oddly quiet during this entire ordeal. Give her some action with the alpha and it shut her up for a while. Killing two birds with one stone.

“I actually have a wolf,” I said. “I just haven’t shifted.”

Missy gave me a curt nod. “Good. You can have a seat.”

Most of the other girls mumbled their hellos as I took an empty seat next to Missy. Silence fell over the room, and I heard a girl down the line chuckle.

Missy gave her a look. “What is it?”

The redhead smiled. “She smells like her mate.”

I leaned down and sniffed my dress. ~Well, maybe a little.~

Missy cleared her throat. “Well, that’s where I found her. Don’t act like you don’t come home on Saturday nights smelling like Erick, Pip.”

She stuck her tongue out, and I felt a little more at ease than before.

Missy gestured toward the table, which was laden with sirloin steaks, sausages, and every kind of meat you could think of. “Dig in.”

Halfway through my plate, Missy cleared her throat. “I want to tell you a little bit about the lunas. You obviously know we’re all mated to alphas.

We should always hold ourselves above the other she-wolves. We have to be on our best behavior, no getting drunk and sprinting across fields in our underwear.”

I shot her a skeptical look. “I wasn’t drunk. That was my wolf. She’s… adamant about me being with Dax all the time.”

Missy nodded in understanding. “And you’ll face some challenges with your wolf since she’s new to you. We’re here to help in any way we can. Also,” she added, “we’ll provide you with weekly etiquette lessons, in addition to your Luna 101 class. We’ll guide you through the responsibilities unique to a luna.”

Great. As if I didn’t already have enough on my plate.

“We’re all friends here,” she assured me, her smile small but genuine. “I may seem stern, but that’s my role as president. I ensure my lunas leave with the knowledge necessary to help run a pack.”

I pushed my plate away and nodded. “Okay. I understand.”

She glanced down the line of smiling faces. “You all are free to go do as you please. I need to speak with Savannah alone.”

They bid their goodbyes and scampered off toward the stairs. I assumed most of them were going to change to spend time with their mate. Which was exactly where I wanted to be.

Missy rose from her seat. “Follow me. I’ll show you your new room.”

I froze. ~My new room? What about Jaka?~

She sensed my hesitation and looked over her shoulder. “It’s standard for lunas to move into the Luna House. Your roommate can visit whenever she likes.”

I frowned but followed her up the grand marble staircase and down a long hallway. She stopped at the last door and opened it.

The room was breathtaking. The four-poster bed was white, with intricate engravings of wolves and flowers etched into the wood.

The light wood flooring was complemented by white shag rugs and matching furniture. It looked like something straight out of a magazine.

“You’re more than welcome to decorate however you want. There’s a walk-in closet to the left and your personal bathroom to the right.”

I scoffed. “Why don’t the alphas’ rooms look like this?”

She snorted. “They chose a gym over larger rooms. Figures.”

I smiled and ran my fingertips over the soft comforter on my bed. “Are the alphas allowed here?”

Missy leaned against my dresser, crossing her ankles. “Of course. I know we might seem snobbish and high-and-mighty, but we all share the same need for our mate.”

She pointed toward the windowsill. “Your mother left that for you. She was a luna.”

I moved to open it but stopped. “Wait a second. I thought my father was a beta? His brother was appointed alpha.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and avoided my gaze for a moment. “Your father wasn’t your mother’s first mate.”

I spun around to face her. “You can have more than one mate?”

“Sometimes. If your first mate dies, you can mate a second time, but not everyone gets that chance. Your mother’s first mate was Darius Herrington from the Calhoun Pack. All her information is in that box.”

I walked over and took a seat beside it. “I’ll be around if you need me. We’ll start training next week. I’ll give you time to get adjusted.” She walked toward the door and paused.

“And by the way, we try to be considerate of the other girls. Judging by those bite marks from earlier, I’d suggest you two might want to head to Dax’s dorm for your… activities.

His furniture is far less expensive than ours, and I wouldn’t put it past the two of you to break a headboard or two.”

She winked and closed the door behind her.

I was left alone with my thoughts and the pounding of my heart. The box looked daunting. I was hesitant to open it.

I reached for my cell phone, but realized I didn’t have Dax’s number, which made me laugh considering the night we’d just shared.

I lifted the lid off the box, and peered inside. A large Werewolf U sweater sat on top. I pulled it out, inhaling the musty scent of mothballs, and set it aside.

Picture frames, report cards, and memorabilia from the past lay before me. Slowly, I pulled out each item, discovering a half-moon necklace and what appeared to be a journal.

The lock was still fastened, and I resisted the urge to pry it open. It felt too precious to break. I set it back down, feeling a wave of sadness and distance wash over me.

My mother had another mate before my father? I wanted to know about him. I wanted to know about her. First, I needed to find the woman who saved my life the night of the attack.

I’d saved her name and number in my phone, and I couldn’t think of a better time to call. I pressed the ~call now~ button and waited.

When she didn’t answer, I left a brief voicemail. Hopefully, she’d call back and agree to meet with me.

Someone knocked on my door as I wiped away a stray tear. “Come in.”

I expected to see one of the lunas introducing themselves, but instead, Dax walked in. He wasn’t half-dressed like before, much to my disappointment, but wore a loose T-shirt that accentuated his muscular arms.

“I felt you were sad,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Is everything okay? Were they mean to you?”

I closed the box and stood up. “No. They were very welcoming. My mother left this for me. It turns out my mother was a luna, too.”

Dax glanced around the room. “Your dad was an alpha?”

“No. My dad was her second mate.”

His dark gaze met mine. “Really. What happened to the first one?”

I shrugged. “Missy said he died, but I don’t know how. There’s a journal in here, I’m hoping to find the key to open it.”

Dax ambled over, his gaze sweeping over my new room before he came to a halt in front of me. “You do realize you’ve got a big, strong mate now who can break that lock, right?”

A smirk tugged at my lips. “I don’t want to break it. I don’t have many of her things left.”

He nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “So, this is your new room?”

“Yeah,” I replied, glancing around. “Looks like it. I’m going to miss Jaka, though.”

Dax nodded again. “She’ll understand. Do you need help moving your things?”

“That’d be great. Thank you.”

He pinched my chin gently. “Of course.”

We stepped outside of the Luna House together, his fingers intertwining with mine. Being out in public with him felt strange, unfamiliar.

I’d been with Trent for so long that being with another guy felt new and out of my comfort zone. As my dorm hall came into view, I felt Dax’s phone vibrate.

He pulled it from his pocket and answered. “Hello? Yeah, hey Mom, sure… uh, this coming weekend? Have you talked to Dad? I told you I didn’t want to scare her.”

~Scare who, me?~

Suddenly, I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my spine. What was happening this weekend?

Dax paused, tapping his foot against the sidewalk. “Give who a ride? Why did you invite her? Seriously, Mom. She’s been trying to screw me since freshman year.

I don’t care who her parents are. Oh. My. God,” he said. “I have to go, bye.”

He ended the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. I watched as a wave of frustration washed over his sharp features. “My parents are throwing a party at our pack.”

“A party. Is it your birthday?”

He shook his head. “It’s to welcome you as our future luna.”

I swallowed hard, shifting from one foot to the other. “Me?” I whispered. “That’s really nice, but I’m scared. I haven’t even shifted yet, what if they don’t like me? I’m obviously not what everyone expected.”

Dax shook his head, his hands resting on my shoulders. “They’ll love you. It’s not the party I’m worried about.”

“What is it then?”

He sighed. “She is forcing me to bring Randi along with us.”

“Who is Randi?”

His gaze moved over my shoulder and he muttered a curse under his breath. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I swear she sniffs me out every time she leaves her dorm.”

I turned to see a perky she-wolf that looked oddly familiar walking toward us. “Is that the girl from the cafeteria?” I asked.

~“Chop her in the throat,”~ my wolf suggested. ~“I don’t like her.”~

Dax sighed. “Yes. Her family’s pack is close to ours, and they invited them. Her car is being serviced, conveniently, and she needs a ride.”

~“No,”~ my wolf declared. ~“She isn’t invited.”~

I seconded that. The closer she got, the bigger the snarl grew on my face. A seed of vibration grew inside of me, slowly taking over my nerve endings until I felt out of control of my body.

“Hey Dax! I just spoke with your mom. Looks like I’m riding with you to the party.”

Her gaze shifted toward mine and she smirked.

~Smirked!~

“Is this your luna?” she asked. “I’m Randi. I’ve known Dax forever.”

I couldn’t speak. A spark ignited in my stomach and something tried to claw its way out. I felt lightheaded. Was this my wolf? I didn’t know because I couldn’t focus.

Dax’s strong hands braced my shoulders. “Are you okay, Savannah?”

Randi took a step backward and watched as I convulsed wildly. “Is she shifting?” Randi asked. “This didn’t happen my first time.”

“Go get some help!” Dax shouted.

Randi raced away as my vision darkened, and I fell toward the ground, but Dax caught me in his arms. He whispered something to me over and over, but I couldn’t make it out.

His pleading was the last thing I heard before everything around me went dark.