Luna

ADARA

“Good morning, Luna,” Ryder whispered, nuzzling into my neck.

I scrunched my nose as his scruff tickled my neck. I looked up at him with a smile. “Good morning, Alpha.”

He grinned brightly. “I like that.”

I smirked. “You like being called Alpha?”

His eyes darkened. “I like it when ~you~ call me Alpha.”

I squealed as he rolled on top of me, peppering kisses all over my face and neck.

“Stop it!” I hollered playfully.

“Nope, we aren’t leaving this spot all day,” he whispered, placing a kiss on my nose.

I looked up at Ryder with a soft smile. “Ryder James, you know we have work to do.”

He grinned, his voice low and husky. “Adara James, I know just how much work we have to do. I am just choosing to take a day off and focus on working on something else.”

He smirked before throwing the covers over his head and kissing down my body. I moaned as he slipped off my panties and licked my slit.

Suddenly I sat up in bed. “Ryder, there’s someone here.”

He popped his head out of the covers and we sat in silence for a moment.

“I don’t hear anything.” He squinted his eyes at me. “You’re just trying to distract me . . . ”

I laughed. “If I wanted to distract you, it would be all too easy.”

Ryder smirked. “Oh really? Go ahead then, distract me.”

I gave him a sly look before rolling us over so I was above him. I crawled up him slowly, planting kisses up his abdomen, making it flex at each touch. I sat up quickly.

“Ryder, I’m serious. I hear something.”

I hopped off and put my clothes on before walking downstairs with Ryder. I jumped when there was a banging on the door. Ryder rushed to the door, swinging it open wide.

“Alpha Ryder?”

A young man, no more than eighteen, stood at our front door, panting and sweating. He had obviously run a long way.

“Yes?” Ryder asked, looking at him suspiciously.

“I was sent here by Luna Kendra. Your presence is requested at White Moon.”

I stepped forward. “Why?”

The boy hesitated for a moment. “It’s . . . I shouldn’t say.”

Ryder frowned. “Well, then you can tell your Luna that you failed. Because we won’t be coming without a good reason.”

The boy lowered his head. “Alpha Mason is stepping down and Austin will be taking over.”

I shrugged. “So? That’s been known for years, of course Austin is taking over.”

The boy shrugged. “Austin has become worse. Since you left, he has made it a point to prove he is stronger and faster and harder.”

Ryder shook his head. “What does this have to do with us?”

“Luna Kendra said to give you this, and to come to the ceremony. I think they want to make amends. I think she hopes an alliance with you will calm him.”

I looked up at Ryder with hope as I took the invitation to the Alpha ceremony.

“Thank you,” Ryder replied. “Tell your Luna you delivered your message and we will try to make it.”

Ryder closed the door with a frown before walking to the kitchen. “We are not going to that.”

My expression dropped. “Why not? They invited us . . . ”

“Why did they invite us? Alphas from other packs don’t get invited to the ceremony. It’s probably a trap,” Ryder huffed.

“Well, then consider me a prisoner because I’m going, with or without you,” I replied, walking to the coffee maker.

Ryder growled. “Fine, we’ll go. But I’m serious, Adara—something feels off.”

I walked to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “It will be okay. We’ll go to the ceremony and then come right home.”

Ryder shrugged. “We’ll see.”

***

The next morning, we made the short trip to our neighboring pack.

We made sure to dress nicely, Ryder putting on his best suit and looking ridiculously handsome as the fabric spread across his muscular body.

I put on a nice short sleeve dress that went to just above the knee, making sure to do my hair and makeup as well.

We stepped out of the truck and stared up at the pack house of White Moon Pack.

“Ready?” he asked quietly.

I took a deep breath. “Ready.”

We walked up the steps, my arm in his, and tapped on the door.

Ryder leaned down as we waited for the door to open. “Have I told you how beautiful you look?”

I smiled up at him. “At least three times.”

“Well, I’m making it four. You look beautiful.” He gave me a wink, straightening quickly when the door opened.

“You came!” my mother hollered, stepping out to hug us both.

“Hey, Mom.” I smiled.

“Come in, come in. Your father will be down in a moment.” She stepped back and looked us up and down. “You two look amazing, like a true Alpha and Luna.”

Ryder smiled. “We’re trying.”

My mother hooked her arm in mine as we walked into the meeting hall.

“I’m hoping today will be a new start for all of us. Your dad is tired and Austin is more than ready and eager to take over. I hope this makes him more responsible and level-headed.

“And I really hope we can put all of this nonsense behind us. Your dad and I are going on a much-needed vacation.” She laughed.

We were standing alone in the meeting hall with my mother, talking about how the house was coming along, when my father walked in.

“She said you would come. I didn’t think you would,” he hollered as he entered the room.

The three of us turned to face him. “Hi, Dad,” I said quietly.

He looked at us with searching eyes. “You look good.” He turned to Ryder. “You taking care of her?”

“Yes, Alpha Mason,” he replied respectfully.

“Good,” my father said, before slapping his back. “Well, Alpha Ryder, Luna Adara, thank you for coming to this special day.”

“We are glad to be here,” Ryder replied. I knew he was suspicious of the invitation, but nothing felt off.

“So how is it living in that little cabin?” my father teased as we walked to the front of the room.

“Actually, we have been working tirelessly on the pack house. We moved in about a week ago,” I replied. “There’s still quite a bit of work to do, but it’s livable.”

My father turned in surprise. “Really?”

Ryder nodded. “You sound surprised.”

My father shrugged. “I didn’t know you two were taking the rebuilding of Black Trail so seriously.”

My mother stepped forward. “We would love to come see it.”

I smiled. “We would like that.”

I looked over at my father. By the look he had on his face, I could tell the wheels were turning, but I didn’t know why.