His Reluctant Luna

Katherine and Savannah watched in horror as I prepared to fight Eliza for the challenge.

"Why are you doing this, Eliza?" She asked.

"I am the best and strongest female of this pack. Even Alpha Lucian acknowledged that. What is the harm in challenging the Luna? It's fair." She shrugged.

"Are you stupid? You are challenging the mate bond! You cannot take a mate's place through some challenge, stop it immediately! Alpha Lucian will not be happy." Katherine warned.

She was right, but Eliza looked determined. I could smell the jealousy from her. This was the perfect opportunity to step away from the mate bond. Lucian already had an interested candidate.

I could just walk away, or lose the challenge? But I could not do that. I was not in control anymore... Lana was.

I posed, ready to attack. Without further ado, I burst out of my clothes, shifting into a brown wolf.

There were yelps and gasps around me. They were seeing Luna's true form for the first time.

"Good God! She is powerful," I heard someone mumble, and it pleased me. I had not hunted anything for a long time, and Lana was longing for it.

Eliza had shifted into a golden brown wolf. She was impressive, but I was the Alpha. We circled each other, waiting for the other to strike first.

Eliza made a run at me. I sidestepped and caught her along the flank. She yelped, licked her wound, and rushed at me again. Eliza was big but slow. But, if she managed to knock me down, I would be done. I was much faster than her, this was my advantage. She came at me again. I waited until she was near enough, I skipped away. I turned to watch her. She stopped, turned, and growled at me. I stood my ground. She came to me, again and again, kept sidestepping her. She kept repeating the same manoeuvre, running at me, stopping after I got out of her way, turning, and coming at me again.

She was not intelligent. All I had to do with this one was let her wear herself out. The growl continued to rumble in her chest. She was their best fighter? Really?

She came at me one more time and tripped over her feet. She pounced, teeth bared at my throat. Unfortunately, though she was big, she was not agile. I narrowly dodged at the appropriate moment. So, this was her trick. Act stupid, take the opponent surprised. Smart move!

This time I lunged at her, she moved aside but caught my tail as it swept by. I yelped and turned. She let go to leap at my side. I rolled and kicked her in the belly. She yowled as claws caught her in the soft flesh. I came up quickly to tear at her throat.

I clamped my jaws around her neck. I was not putting any pressure on it, though. I wanted to avoid killing her.

"Submit!" I said mentally, though she could not hear it.

When she did not relent, I increased the pressure on her neck.

"That's enough! Submit Eliza!" Lucian's command resonated through the hall.

The Golden wolf stood defiantly for a minute. I felt Lucian's presence next to me. He caressed my silky head.

"Let her go, sweetheart, she has submitted."

It felt nice, his touch, and I released Eliza. She jumped away, tucking her tail.

Lucian had folded his arms and he was looking calmly at us. He was just out of bed and was still dressed in his tracks, hair tousled.

"Alright, get back everyone, the showtime's over." He said to the pack gathered around us.

The people dispersed around while he threw two robes at us.

"You can shift now." He spoke.

I shifted back and put on the robe.

"All challenges have to be approved by the Alpha first, that is me. So, why did you challenge my mate, Eliza?" He was asking Eliza, who had shifted back. The scratches on her body were already healing.

"It was a fair challenge, anyone can challenge the Alpha or Luna," Eliza said.

"You cannot challenge a mate bond, Eliza, If I see you trying to harm my mate again? You would be punished for it."

He said menacingly, green eyes flashing with anger.

Eliza nodded. She could not defy the Alpha command and bowed her head to Lucian in submission.

Lucian held my hand and dragged me away from the gym. I thought he was taking me to the bedroom, instead, he took me towards another area.

"Infirmary"

Was written boldly over the white door.

"Lucian, I am fine." I insisted. "Why did you come down, I had everything under control."

"Challenging my mate is a challenge to my authority. Damon woke me up, why did you come out on your own? You know it's not safe?"

I rolled my eyes.noveldrama

"I was bored with sitting in the room. And I had things under control, honestly what

is her deal. Why does she keep coming after my mate?" I blurted out and did not miss the gleam in his eyes.

"Your mate," he whispered," please say that again." He grinned.

I coloured, guess Lana was still controlling me.

"Never mind!" I turned. Lucian laughed and followed.

The pack doctor declared me fit to go. I did not have any major injury and thanks to our healing capabilities, my cuts, and scratches were disappearing. Lucian looked visibly relaxed after I was declared unharmed. He escorted me back to his quarters. I could see people looking at us, then immediately running away or cowering in fear. As we entered our room, I asked Lucian again.

"So, what is Eliza's problem?" I asked again.

He looked at me sheepishly.

"I reckon I might have led her on." He mumbled.

I raised an eyebrow. "Led her on?"

He ran his hand through his hair and collapsed on the couch.

"When I was younger and had just turned 19. I had been tempted by her mysterious charm. At one point, I had even believed myself in love with her." He looked apologetic.

"Did you love her?" I had never felt such a surge of jealousy ever.

"We all do foolish mistakes while young. But no, I knew she was not my mate, so I was not going to be with her. Besides, I heard her scheming." He said with a smirk.

"Scheming?" I asked.

"I had overheard her speaking with another girl about how she intended to rule when we were mated. She had told her friend that she could make me do anything she wanted as long as she was sleeping with me."

"So, you have slept with her! I should have her killed her." I blurted out.

"That was years ago, Alice. I can still see the cold expression on her face when she had tossed her long hair over her shoulder and said...... Don't be stupid. Love is for fools. I never told anyone about the conversation I had heard. That night, when Eliza had come to me, I told her that we were through. But years later, Eliza still does not seem to understand that I would never take her as my mate."

"So now I have to deal with your jealous ex as well?" I sighed.

"Of course not! I will deal with her. But in a way, it was good that she challenged you. The pack has seen your strength. Now they would respect you for defeating the most powerful female beta. I must say I was impressed myself. Where did you learn to fight so well?" He asked with an amused expression.

It felt nice when he praised me.

"It was nothing great, I am an Alpha after all," I replied.

"You still look tired, why don't you catch on your sleep?"

"Only on one condition, if you join me." He gave a sly smile.