Becoming Luna

DELILAH

Seth shrugged, picking me up as if this were an everyday occurrence—his brother finding him in a tumbled mess with a woman. The thought cut deep.

The burning anger in Cole’s eyes cut even more as Seth helped me to my feet. My body was trembling from the cold, as well as a bit of shame.

We had done something without Cole—but Seth was my mate too.

A wave of exhaustion crashed into me, making my knees weak as Seth attempted to escort me from the water. Had he been a human, I would have fallen.

Instead, Seth quickly had a hand under my knees, picking me up and cradling me to his chest as I shivered, holding me close.

As soon as we were out of the water, Cole, fully dressed, attempted to grab me from Seth.

Seth growled low in his throat, but Cole only glared at him.

“She may be a witch, but you’re treating her like a wolf, and she’s still human. Delilah could have gotten hypothermia just because you wanted to rut her in the water,” Cole growled at him.

Both of their hands were on me.

“She wanted it just as much as I did. Or didn’t you hear her moaning my name, brother?” Seth growled. “Don’t tell me how to take care of my woman—clearly I’m doing a better job already.”

I whimpered between them. I just wanted them to stop fighting.

Cole, being the more levelheaded of the two, took a small, deep breath as he tried to calm down.

“We will talk about this later. For now she has needs,” he muttered, pulling me from Seth.

He glared at Cole for a moment, but then I gave another big shiver and he relented, releasing me to him.

Cuddling me to his chest, Cole held me close, despite my body being wet and cold.

His warmth was like a soothing balm.

My teeth were chattering. “S-s-sorry.”

Cole didn’t say anything, just glanced down at me.

He continued up the small embankment into the treeline, where a small stack of clothes and blankets were piled on the forest floor, along with some food.

He set me on my feet near a tree. “Lean on it.”

I did as he asked before he started pulling out clothing, then kneeled in front of me to put on the sweatpants.

Something about this was intimate in a way I had never experienced.

I couldn’t remember anyone helping me get dressed before—though I’m sure my mother had done it when I was at a very young age.

“Arms,” he grunted, holding up the shirt to put my hands and head through.

Despite my shivering and fumbling, Cole got them on easily before quickly picking me back up.

Seth was already standing next to a nearby tree, and had changed into pants, shoes, and a T-shirt. His arms were crossed as he glowered at us.

~The real fight has begun.~ That was all I could think to myself before I slowly drifted off to sleep against Cole’s chest.

“She’s a disgusting little witch.”

~“We’ll never accept her as a luna—she’s not even a wolf.”~

~“Tricks!”~

~“Magic!”~

These were the words I heard, along with a mixture of growls and angry howls, as I stirred in Cole’s arms. I peeled my eyes open.

Standing around us were probably three times the number of wolves I had seen during the casting of the spell.

Most of them were males, most of them wearing jeans and plain T-shirts, but a few of them were almost nude, as if ready to shift at any moment.

As I looked around, I realized one woman was completely dressed and was standing next to Seth, ready to pounce.

Jewel.

This alarmed me enough to sit up in Cole’s arms.

Immediately, I felt a small sense of reassurance that she was standing beside Seth, not facing him.

She was facing the pack, ready to defend us from them.

“Cole has already explained to you that she is mated to us. You will accept her as your new luna and let us pass,” Seth growled, asserting his alpha will. “Or will you challenge us?”

A murmur went through the pack. Most of them bowed to Seth’s will, but one person stood out as he walked forward.

He looked to be about thirty or so, with a beard as wild as his brown hair. Though he was thin, he looked very agile and strong, especially in comparison to Seth’s bulk.

“Why don’t we have a one-on-one challenge?”

Everyone gasped, but the man nodded. “Traditionally, there’s only one alpha in a pack. This has always been unnatural. I think it’s fair for you to fight me, one-on-one. If you both think you’re so tough.”

Cole let out a small little growl. “Arthur,” he said, addressing the wolf.

Arthur looked past Seth to Cole, narrowing his eyes.

“I love and respect you, Cole. We’re best friends and all, but this is an abomination. That’s what being mated to that witch has spelled for you.”

He took a step forward. “And if that means taking over as pack leader, and showing your brother a lesson…well then, let’s do this. Fair.”

A snarl rose up from Cole, making me look at him with wide eyes. His claws started to extend, cutting into my skin, pulling a whimper from my lips.

Instantly, both Cole and Seth glanced at me, then looked one another in the eye. Something silent passed between them, making Cole relax.

“Fine. You and me, Arthur,” Seth said, starting to strip down.

As he began to pull down his pants, he jerked his head at Jewel. She nodded and began clapping her hands. “All right, give them room. Everyone move back.”

Quickly, with her ushering, everyone moved back to form a large semicircle near the trees.

Cole moved us into the clearing, away from the trees, so it was just Seth and Arthur surrounded by the forest and the pack.

“C-Cole, they don’t have to accept me as their luna,” I said in a warbled, worried voice.

“Hush,” Cole growled, his body tensing slightly. “They need a reminder as to why we are the alphas.”

I blinked up at him. I didn’t understand the dynamics of a wolf pack, but I knew this challenge was bold and upfront.

Typically, witches were very sneaky and underhanded. What I had done to my mother was unprecedented and would cause a huge stir in the community.

Whispers of our blood feud would fill the halls, and I would gain allies as well as enemies from what I had done.

Yet here were best friends fighting, and somehow I could sense that there was no real betrayal here.

Anger, yes, but once the challenge was met, it would be over. The argument would be settled.

But I knew how exhausted Seth was—that spell had done more to the brothers than they were letting on.

It was pulling from all of us, and since being branded with the marks, none of us had truly rested.

We wouldn’t either. Not until it was complete.

~Goddess, let him win…~ I prayed silently.