The Luna's Dilemma (Divine Destiny I)

When I opened my second-floor window, I tried to be as quiet as possible. any noise. Since the guard in the hall would notice that I wasn't there, I had to make as much space as I could between this area and the woods.

I wasn't that stupid, so I didn't believe that there weren't any extra guards outside. Knowing the rotations made it slightly easier for me to get away without getting caught. I had to work for my freedom if I wanted it.

When I last looked, no one had seen me move. I fell to the soft ground and kneeled there. The smells of nature calmed me down when I felt nervous.

My wolf and I both wanted to go for a run. My bones needed to be moved around, and my skin was itchy. It couldn't wait any longer. My father would not agree with me going somewhere alone or leaving my security detail. I sneaked around at night because of this. I didn't want people to see me as a princess who needed to be cared for.

My feet couldn't move because the ground and grass were so wet. As I basked in the moonlight, a soft breeze stroked my skin. The rhythm of life's sounds and the smells of nature were soothing to my spirit. I got closer to my wolf as we got ready to become one single being.

I didn't make much progress. I was right next to them.

When I was in the forest and about a mile from the main house, I heard footsteps following me. They went too fast. Since I couldn't get away, I got ready to be taken down.

God, I couldn't win anything.

"Dammit, Marcus, you scared the living crap out of me!"

Because he had me pinned to the ground, all of my clothes were dirty.""

"Where exactly are you going?" He barked.

I made a joke saying, "To ride on my unicorn."

Marcus made it harder for me. He was getting very upset about what was going on with us. His body did not lie. Proof of his desire was right up against me, and it was long, thick, and solid as a rock. Yes, I will not go there now or in the future.

Yes, I will not go there now or in the future.

"This isn't funny at all. Even though you are almost 18, you are still limited in some ways."

"Yes, you're right! If I could, I would go to faraway places and follow all of my interests. But I chose to go for a run instead, didn't I?"

"If something bad happened to you, your father would make us both pay for it."

He stopped me just as I was going to answer in his way.

"Don't put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of. If that happened, this pack would get out of order. The rouges would take you as easily as they'd take your mother.

He went there, trying to forget about how bad he felt.

"Your dad would be lost to his wolf for sure. Our species doesn't need another renegade that our Goddess has to beat. There is no quick way to fix that problem, which is getting out of hand."

Tears are about to come out and make my eyes hurt.

Don't be weak. Don't let Marcus be in charge of you. Snuff off that feeling with sarcasm.

"Point was made. Get the hell away from me and stop howling like a wolf right now."

Crickets. He didn't try to move at all. An angry desire for revenge.

Our battle of wits was slowed down by the way I breathed. I could feel the heat rising and the wrath starting to take hold. If I couldn't control my anger, I would move under Marcus right away, clothes and all. Muddy or not, I didn't want to trash them. I got a cold feeling in my spine when I thought about his naked body pushing against mine.

My anger was too strong for the fuzzy thoughts in my head. I couldn't tell if they were mine or my wolf's. Why did it feel so different to be this close to Marcus? I'd never been so aware of a guy getting too close to me before. Now that I think about it, the only person who put me in this situation was Marcus. Sigh.

"Leave it alone. I was caught, "I growled. "I'm going straight back to my jail."

Even though I tried to get away from him, he held me there as a sign of his power. Marcus and I didn't get along, and he was willing to fill in for my dad. Mostly because he never thought about what I wanted and always did what I told him to do. Also, my wolf kept bothering me because he knew how tense things were between us. I kept forgetting about this problem.

His angry words, "Fine, but I'll tell your father about this," were the last thing I could do to keep my wolf under control. My weak grasp on reality will soon burn and break, taking my human body with it.

I tried hard but failed to stop the shift because I couldn't get rid of my anger. Marcus seemed to be everywhere lately.

He had never paid so much attention to how I did things before. But until recently, my wolf had never tried to run away so hard.

"Yours won't get any bigger just because you're a jerk. I'm just saying, "I made fun.

When he stopped, I rolled until I got away. I stumbled away from him as fast as my legs could carry me. When I was almost home, he ran up to me and grabbed my arm. Given how close my wolf was to trying to get out, I really can't afford to talk to him any more.

"Please don't act like that. I'm just keeping an eye on you."

"I'm not a child anymore,"

"That's painfully clear," Marcus grumbled. His words were barely audible, so it was clear that he didn't want me to hear them. As my birthday got closer, I was able to hear a lot better.

At the very least, if you can, let me in on my own. I don't need to be dragged in front of my dad. I detest seeing you kiss his behind.

"Addie, you can't do that. Before I do anything I'll later regret, let's leave."

Both of us knew what that meant. He would throw me over his shoulder and then drop me inside like a caveman. My pride would last through tonight. As soon as we got to the front porch, I turned away, ran inside, and walked up the stairs. They had to know that I was at home and really angry.

I felt like everyone was guarding me too much. Being restricted and kept secret from society was stifling. Dad wanted me to be protected from everyone. Since Mom was taken by a rogue, our pack was completely devoid of females. With a choke collar and a tight leash, Marcus and Dad kept me under control.

It only took a month for me to reach the age of 18, after which I had to find my Alpha mate. I would have greater power and freedom if I were my Alpha's Luna.

I didn't look forward to anything other than having independence, not even finding a mate. I was sufficiently influenced by men throughout my life to have a deep aversion to men.

I banged the bathroom door firmly to add impact. I started taking off my dirty clothing since I wanted a cool shower. The warmth would lessen the shift I was about to experience. One of the catalysts that may cause the shift faster than any other was my body's response to rage. I changed the setting from cool to ice cold because it didn't reduce the heat.

Uncomfortable rage recently surged to the surface before I snapped. My wolf was agitated, not because I wanted to. She refused to talk to me because she knew something I didn't. It wasn't at all to my liking. We weren't one right now or even close by. Uncontrollable emotions and negative side effects were brought on by that separation. That's most likely why the want to change was so strong. We required that sliver of cohesion.

I desperately wanted the chance to escape, but it wasn't permitted unless it was under supervision. It took till the full moon for the pack run. Oh my, I didn't think my wolf would agree to wait so long. Sadly, I would either wait till I was permitted to go running or cave and ask for one sooner. I'd like to go with option one since if I left before the pack ran, Marcus would probably take me with the enforcers. Marcus-Again, ugh.

I got out of the shower, draped myself in a towel, and walked to my room to try to relax. Marcus wasn't going to be keeping watch outside the door, I knew. The towel wouldn't matter since he would be occupied with my dad. He would have reprimanded me if he had been present. The moment I was situated in my room and away from prying eyes, they wouldn't dare post anybody at the door.

We stayed in an ancient farmhouse from a bygone period. Although I desired one, there was no way to get one without extensive modification. The plumbing requires different locations for the pipes. I wouldn't be here for very long, so it didn't matter.

When I was wearing my version of pajamas-a tank top and boy shorts-the knock on the door appeared as if on cue. Even though I knew it was my father, I didn't want to see him. I was still too quick to anger.

I kicked open the door in my robe and looked outside. "Yes, Dad. What do you want?" I was polite and asked.

"Let me in, young lady." When he said, "We're going to have a long overdue talk," he wasn't using his Alpha voice. It wasn't a command, just a request, so I didn't have to do what they asked."

"I'm exhausted. This could be done in the morning, right? Marcus has already taught me enough lessons. Put off the second round until the next day. Please?"

He said something that showed he agreed. He wouldn't push it tonight, but I'd pay dearly for it tomorrow. When I shut the door, some of my anger went away.

Whenever I went to see him in the morning, he would always ask me where I was going. I couldn't tell the truth without getting my behind handed to me. But no matter what it was, he would always ask why.

I really wanted to run on my own. The need to let go of all the tension and energy that had been building up was overwhelming. I felt like the walls were closing in on me, which made me feel like I couldn't breathe.

I quickly made myself comfortable in bed and shut out the light. The process of falling asleep took longer than planned. My adrenaline was still being fed by suffocating hatred, which wasn't dissipating quickly enough. There was more than one emotion stirring up the animal inside. Her thirst for domination was concealed, perhaps due to my Luna blood coming into play. Additionally, there was the unsettling sensation. . . desire?

I had only ever read about desire; I had never felt it. The closer I got to finishing my metamorphosis, the more it appeared to change. That was the feeling that caused the greatest worry out of all of these. My wolf and I were both accustomed to being angry and in charge.

If only Mom had been present to help me through this major event in my life, but she wasn't. Even if she was still alive, I had no idea. She would have managed to get back after all these years, no matter what.

Later, my thoughts were cloudy and I slept off. I could only find a little amount of tranquility there. The battle for my independence would have to be recommenced the next day because it was a new day.

Someone knocking on my door woke me up. What new pain would I have to deal with today?

"I'm heading out!"

I answered with something funny that the person on the other side of the door couldn't miss. Oh well.

After the last knock, I got out of bed to answer. Marcus standing there wasn't a surprise. Dad had sent him to get me.

Oh, joy.

He was eight inches taller than my five-foot-six-inch frame. As I stood there, I glared up at him with my silver eyes. He looked at me with his green eyes narrowed, and I got ready for a long list of demands.

"Put on your clothes, princess. The Alpha has something to tell you. He's also not too happy. I'll hang out here."

"Okay, I'll be out in five minutes."

Marcus nodded, and I did what I always do and shut the door in his face. I didn't want to act like a whore. Oh, wait. I was a bad girl. Eh, no matter. The guy was making me feel bad about myself.

Plus, I was surrounded by a whole pack of bossy werewolves. With all the orders, I found myself getting angry to show that I was in charge.

They didn't treat me like a member of the family, but more like a prize or something fragile. In packs, females were cared for and looked up to. But because I hadn't mated yet, they didn't know what to do with me. It's very frustrating.

Well, that and the fact that I couldn't get my wolf to understand me. Our relationship wasn't very smooth, and I didn't know how to make it better. She was quiet, quick to get mad, and worried.

On top of that, having to take orders most of the time drove me crazy.

I didn't care about how I looked, so I put on some old, worn-out jeans and a black tank top. I slipped on some comfortable flat black shoes and opened the door to the bedroom. I quickly brushed past Marcus and went into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

I took my time to be mean. Even though it was stupid, making them wait gave me some sick pleasure. They should feel as bad as I do.

After washing my face, brushing my teeth, and tying my hair at the nape of my neck, I called it a day.

Also, the five minutes I asked for have been used up for ten minutes.

I finally opened the door when I was ready to face the firing squad. Marcus was staring at me, so I knew that what I had done had upset him. Yes, I was angry, but when he said something about my dad, I stopped talking because I was afraid of what would happen next.

"Sorry it took so long. I was busy-enjoying my last few minutes before dealing with whatever mess you put me in. I guess it depends on how far under the bus you threw me. Don't worry, I'll make sure it swerves and hits you. That's the least I could do."

Shouldering past him, I made my way down the sweeping, grand staircase. Upon descending, the sound of pack mates talking in the living room carried on the air. Trying to make out what they were saying was impossible with Marcus at my heels. Jerk.

The minute my feet hit the floor, all talking ceased. Lovely. I was the center of attention, as usual. I knew better than to disrespect Dad in front of the pack. I kept my head down, eyes lowered in a sign of submission as I approached him.

"Would you all excuse us? I need to have a talk with my daughter."

It's as though the place is on fire. The boys stormed out, leaving nothing but awkward quiet. Dad took me into his office and closed the door behind us. I stood in front of his desk, leaning on a chair, while he sat behind it.

I stood in front of his desk, leaning on a chair, while he sat behind it.

"Sit down, we have a lot to talk about."

He grew irritated when I did not sit as requested.

"I'm not sure how time flew past, Adrianna. You were Daddy's little girl, and now you're on your way to becoming a full-fledged shifter."

"I rarely take commands and hardly never make ideas," I reminded him.

"As Luna, you'll need to learn some discipline. That sharp tongue of yours will come back to bite you."

"Even if I'm a Browning, I don't intend to change who I am. Nobody, not even my mate or father, will be able to control me. Some wolves are untamable, and I am one of them."

"Keep your tone in check, young lady," Dad advised.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Alpha?"

"I'm summoning the assembly. The Alpha men that have mating potential will compete for your heart, my dear."

He seemed satisfied with himself, but I was shocked. Had he gone insane? A freaking assembly? It was outdated and completely pointless.

"You can't be serious, Daddy!" I don't want to meet my soulmate using all these standards. That's not only unjust to me, but also to the male wolves." I realized my tone was bordering on crazy, but I couldn't stop myself. My thoughts raced over all of the reasons why this was a bad idea.

Assembly was a gathering of unmated male wolves aged eighteen to twenty-five. These shifters might fight for a female wolf's rights. With females so rare, only the Alphas were able to find a mate.

Males would swarm from all around the planet. If following the exhibition, the male turned out to be a potential mate for a female, he would then struggle for my attention.

When I considered the entire process, I shivered. Everyone first showed up for the presentation, in which I would be on exhibit in my human form. The males may now approach me and smell me after this action. The pack would provide them with lodging in our territory if they were suitable mates. The others left right away.

The next step was to reveal my shifting form to the surviving wolves. The specifics of what transpired at that time were unclear.

The next meeting of the Assembly was full of fighting. I hung out with the people who won. Once a Luna mated, its partner had to be strong to be able to take care of it. What an old-fashioned way to think, ugh.

I didn't like the idea at all. I didn't know how many women were still there, but I didn't care. One thing that wasn't talked about was that. There might have been other female shifters who could take my place. My partner let me be sneaky and a little bit crazy, so I felt like a Luna.

I had never been to a mating, so I didn't know what it was about. The only information I had was what I read in family records. Both a ritual to bring the two souls together and a huge party would happen.

I wouldn't even call how I feel right now angry. How could he tell me what to do with my life? My anger blew up again.

Dad could feel the warmth getting bigger and bigger. "Adrianna, calm down."

"I need to calm down? When was the last time you told someone to calm down, and they did? Those comments have the exact opposite effect!"

"You are one of only a few women left. You didn't really think we'd wait until a passing wolf looked in your direction, did you? Also, being part of a pack is important to our Lunas' way of life."

"I don't care which pack I'm in at all! I want to live on my own terms with a wolf who doesn't treat me too well or protect me too much. Is that too much to ask?

He sighed, and his face showed that he was tired. Was I that terrible? The idea was gone as soon as he started talking again.

"I'm trying to do the right thing. This mating has a lot more going on than you might think. Also, don't think that I haven't seen how far away your wolf is from you. She wants to make sure you are safe and not leave you.

My feet began to move around on their own. "What is she trying to protect me from? Why is this so important? Please tell me more."

I will-in due course. Please let me start. I'll make sure you know everything you need to know when it does happen. Your wolf is coming out, pushing harder, and moving quickly to take control.

I tried to say that it wasn't true, but Dad wouldn't let me. "Adrianna, yes, she is. Everyone in this pack would do anything to keep you safe. Changes will be clear to them as they happen. Everyone wishes you the best. If you could just stop being so stubborn, you'd start to see the truth. My darling, you won't get very far if you are naive and refuse to see the truth."

He was right, but my stubbornness made it hard for me to see it. So, my wolf and I did what we had been doing a lot lately: we got angry.

"I'm not in denial. All of this is so fucked up, but you don't even see that. Don't you feel anything? I chose my partner. I won't let a crude method from the Stone Age decide for me. I joked, "Father, I deserve that much."

"Now, calm down. "That's not how you talk to your Alpha!" he snapped.

"I'm talking to my father, who doesn't let me decide what to do with my life. "Your mom would be so embarrassed right now," I yelled.

Even though I knew it was a bad idea, I was very angry and upset. If I didn't calm down, the shift would go well and happen quickly. As I felt the ripple under my skin, heat came out of each pore.

"You've gone too far. Even if you weren't my daughter, I would punish you for the way you act."

I quickly came back to the present and scowled at my father. "You wouldn't have the guts to do it. Even if you are Alpha, you would not agree with such a pointless ritual. This is not a purchase, but a choice for life."

I was so sure of myself that I didn't expect him to answer. He let out all of his Alpha power, and those icy blue, piercing eyes cut deep into me. Because he was so angry, I wanted to hide in a corner. I had to work hard to stay calm, but I could tell that he liked my answer.

"I'm doing this for you because you're my daughter. I'm counting on you to act right and take part in this. You'll be 18 next month, so I want to tell all the packs tonight that we'll start right away."

"No! You've got to be kidding! Do you not love me, huh Dad?" I gave it one more go.

He sighed. "I know you do. As your parent, it's my job to stop you from doing something dangerous, since that's the problem. This is both for your own good and for the good of the whole wolf. You'll thank me in the end."

"That's not fair. I'm not an animal that can be rounded up and moved from one place to another. What about what I'm looking for? I have earned the right to choose the person the Goddess has made for me."

I didn't want to be forced to get married. I liked being able to choose what I wanted to do. If someone else chose, there was no way I could live with a male wolf all the time. I wasn't ready to give up on the idea of finding "the one."

What if it was Marcus? Could I stay my father's obedient daughter and be with Marcus at the same time? What if that person was even worse? My life could turn out to be a terrible mess. I felt sad when I thought about it.

"Again, Adrianna, this is for the best of our kind and this pack. When each female dies, we are in danger of dying out. You don't know nearly all of it. Now is the time to make it better.

"This break is hard, but I'm not going to take part."

"You know what we need to do to save our species. You can't do anything else. Your future is up to you. You don't have a clue what it means. When you do, you will see why this is the best thing to do."

"A strong guy also needs a woman who is independent and can think for herself. You shouldn't do anything else or mate with a lower-quality male. So, you need to grow up quickly. It's a big job managing a mate and a group."

I still don't want to be involved,

"Bad news. It's already been decided, so it will go ahead.

"Awesome. I'm glad you messed up my life." I spit.

"Stop throwing a tantrum. You may now leave."