Luna with Green Eyes

CRESSA

Once Dad had opened the door, it was like something you’d see in a dream. Everyone had decorated their houses with hanging lights that shone beautifully in the afternoon.

They’d even decorated the bushes close to their houses.

Lanterns were hanging on poles, and pups were playing with sparklers. I could smell the amazing food as we headed to the pack house. Everything was just so breathtaking that I couldn’t help but smile.

“They really went all-out,” Cage said with a sly smile spread across his face. My big brother Tristan groaned in agreement.

“All right, everyone. Let’s get going to the pack house,” my dad said, taking Mom’s hand. Tristan picked up Tala so she could see everything better.

As we started walking to the pack house, I couldn’t help but watch Mom and Dad holding hands. The love they showed each other was amazing. Growing up, I’d wanted that kind of love for me and my mate.

I’d always wondered what my mate would be like.

I was guessing my twin brother had noticed I’d been watching them hold hands since he said, “Thinking about love, Sis?” He wiggled his eyebrows at me, while I rolled my eyes and smiled at him.

“Do you ever wonder what your mate will be like?” I asked, looking at the ground as we walked.

It took him a bit to respond before he said, “I mean, as long as she’s got a nice bod.”

I looked back up at him with surprise.

He smirked down at me playfully. “I’m being serious.”

I smacked his chest with a bit of force.

He chuckled, and before I knew it, we were walking into the pack house. Alpha Leo was walking toward us with great speed, giving my dad a bear hug once he reached us.

“It’s been too long, my friend!” He gave my dad a manly pat on the back before pulling away to look at his face.

“My friend, you have gotten old.” A bright smile spread across his face, and my dad groaned in disapproval.

“You make a welcome-home party for me, then call me old.” My dad gave him a look, which made Alpha Leo smile even brighter.

As Alpha Leo was about to say something, a pack member came up and said, “Alpha, everything is ready.”

Alpha Leo turned to the pack member, saying, “All right. Thank you.” The pack member bowed before leaving.

Alpha Leo then turned back to my family. “Tonight is a celebration for your return! I will not keep you from having fun.”

He smirked playfully, turning in the direction from which the pack member had come. “Follow me so we can get this party started!” The alpha walked with pride as we followed after him.

Once we got out to the back of the pack house, I saw a long table with different kinds of food. Lanterns were scattered everywhere, and music was playing while people were dancing and eating together.

As I was in awe from everything, Alpha Leo clinked his glass, silencing everyone to a complete stop. Everyone looked in the direction of their alpha.

“I want to officially announce the return of my beta and his family!” Alpha Leo said with a war cry, making everyone cheer with him.

Some of the pack started to surround my mom and dad, I was sure to ask them questions about everything. My siblings and I walked away from the crowd that was forming around them.

My brother Tristan let Tala down so she could go play with the other pups, who were playing with sparklers.

Tala pulled on my dress slightly, so I went down to her level. She smiled at me cutely before placing a little kiss on my cheek then running with much excitement to the little group of pups.

“I’m going to go talk with some pack mates I haven’t seen in a while.” Tristan gave me a kiss on the head before leaving.

As I was watching him walk away with a small smile on my face, my brother Cage pulled his arm from mine. He started to walk away. “Where are you going?” I asked, watching him turn back to face me.

“To have fun,” he said with a devilish smirk, which put a warning glare on my face.

“You better not bring a she-wolf home.” I crossed my arms, glaring at him.

“Who said I was bringing her home?” he teased, turning back and walking away. I rolled my eyes as I watched him.

“I swear, what am I gonna do with him?” I said to myself while walking over to the table of food. I grabbed myself a drink before turning and bumping into someone. Thankfully, I didn’t spill my drink.

“I’m so sorry.” I looked up into a pair of sea-blue eyes. I was shocked to realize who it was. “Ash?” I questioned, looking up into his face.

He smiled a breathtaking smile. “It’s been awhile, Cressa.”

My eyes widened in shock. The Ash I’d known had been a weak boy even though he was the alpha’s son. But the Ash before me was big with muscles!

He wore a tight, casual shirt that showed the outline of his new, muscular chest.

I was in awe a bit before jumping into his arms, forgetting I had a drink in my hand, which spilled to the ground. “Damn it,” I sighed, hugging his strong neck.

He chuckled at my outburst, hugging me back tightly.

“Who are you?!” I said, putting my now empty cup back onto the table.

He laughed softly. “After you left, me and Dad did some hard training; it was fucking hell.”

You could say Ash and I had been childhood friends, since he was the alpha’s son and I was the beta’s daughter. We’d seen each other often.

We’d become really good friends. Even after I’d left, he’d texted me almost every week or month.

“I bet!” We both laughed, knowing how hard his dad could be.

“Want to dance?” He raised a brow while extending his hand to me.

I placed my hand softly into his. “I would like that very much, kind sir,” I said playfully, remembering the many dance lessons our dads would give us.

Ash had always been bad at it, so I was curious to see if he’d step on my toes like he had when we were little.

He took my hand gently, leading me into the middle of the dance floor. At first, we were doing crazy dance moves. Ash even did a belly dance, which I was raining money on.

It was great. It felt nice just to let loose and laugh and just be crazy.

Before I knew it, the music changed to a slow song. I was about to move off the dance floor before Ash put an arm around my waist. It was then that I realized how tall he had gotten.

He looked down at me with caring eyes as I placed my hand on his broad shoulder and intertwined our fingers with each other. He bent down to my ear and whispered softly as we swayed side to side.

“You look really beautiful tonight, Cressa.” The way he said my name made shivers run down my spine. I laid my head into the crook of his neck, blushing a bit while we danced slowly together.

Everything felt so good and right in that moment before I heard something I would never forget.

The screams of my pack members.

Ash shot up his head in alert, looking in the direction of the screams.

My wolf, Cara, whimpered and growled.

“He’s coming.”

“Who?” I asked, but she didn’t answer.

While I was trying to understand what she’d meant, a pack member turned the music off and screamed, “We’re being attacked! Get ready to fight!”

I looked at Ash with terror in my eyes.

“Tala!” I looked over to where she’d been playing with the other pups, but she was nowhere to be seen. “Tala!”

I screamed out her name while looking around for her, while other pack members passed by me to help with the fight.

As I was running around looking for Tala, Ash grabbed both my arms, forcing me to look into his eyes. Tears were edging to spill out, not knowing where she was.

“Listen to me, Cressa. I’m sure one of the omega females took the pups under the pack house,” he said as his sea-blue eyes stared right through me. He cupped both my cheeks with his hands.

“Go under the pack house and watch the pups.” He kissed my forehead tenderly before running full force to the fight.

It took me a minute to process what was going on before I sprinted in the direction of the fight. Like hell I was going to hide away while my pack members risked their lives!

Once I got to the fight, it was like something out of a nightmare. My pack and the other pack were fighting in wolf form. I saw flesh and fur being ripped off.

The smell of blood was already intoxicating the air. Some wolves were lying on the ground, lifeless. I saw many scream in terror as they tried to run away.

In the midst of the chaos, I saw my father fighting a pure-black wolf the color of the night sky. He was twice the size of my father.

I was unable to look away. My heart was racing in my chest, and before I knew it, my feet were running to my father and the mysterious black wolf.

The black wolf had my father to the ground, using his paw to hold his head down, getting ready to rip out his throat.

“PLEASE DON’T!!” I screamed, but it was like the wolf could sense that I was coming, even though I was a yard away.

When our eyes met, I froze in place. I thought the black wolf mind-linked his pack, because the chaos around me stopped.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I felt Cara getting excited from meeting this wolf.

Before I knew it, the black wolf shifted, and we said together, “Mate.”

Once I saw his human form, I knew who he was right away. Luca Owen. He was the alpha of the Midnight Blood Pack. Their name said it all; the only time they attacked was at night.

They left many dead; weakness was not accepted. Every one of its members was strong, even the omegas. He was a bloodthirsty monster who loved to kill and fight.

I’d heard that he even killed females and pups.

My legs were trembling as I realized who my mate was. The other half of me was Satan himself.

He looked at me blankly before turning back to my father, who was still in wolf form. He was holding him by the throat even though Luca was still human.

The power he had was terrifying. I saw his claws extend, and before I could even say anything, he ripped my father’s throat out.

I screamed, falling to the ground, mortified as I watched my father’s lifeblood leave him.

I couldn’t think; I could only act.

I stood up, shaking a lot as I tried to run to my father, but before I could get to him, Luca grabbed me by the chin, my father’s blood dripping from his hand now on my face.

Tears fell down my cheeks as I smelled my father’s blood and looked into the eyes of his killer and my mate.

“Please,” I sobbed to my mate, not knowing what else to do. I hated that his touch sent electric shocks throughout my body, even with my father’s blood.

“Let me help him.” I tried to fight off more sobs that kept trying to leave my lips. I ran my hand up his forearm that held my chin and saw that he stiffened.

He must have felt the electric shocks from my first touch.

“I’ll do whatever you want. I won’t fight back. I’ll be a good mate, anything; just please let me help him!” I was getting desperate. My dad didn’t have much time if he wasn’t dead already.

Luca looked at me coldly as he said, “You will not touch him, but I will allow you to get someone to help him.”

After he finished his sentence, I mind-linked my mom and told her to get here with the pack doctor quickly.

I hated that his voice sounded so pleasing to me. What had I done to deserve this?

I smelled her before I saw her. Luca wrapped his large hand around my neck, pushing my back up against his large chest.

It felt cool against my back as I looked at my mom. My two brothers were by her side.

They all looked at me in shock. “Mom! Help him. He’s dying!” I cried out, tears falling down my face and mixing with my father’s blood.

Once Luca saw that my mother had brought the doctor, he tightened his grip on my neck as he started to take me away.

“Cressa!” my twin cried out, starting to run after us. I yelled back, afraid of what Luca could do.

“STAY AWAY!” I yelled. More tears fell from my face as I watched my twin brother stop in his tracks, his face in pain. He knew who was holding me by the neck.

Me and Luca were far enough away so that the doctor could see my father. Luca’s pack started to head back into the woods from which they’d come.

I watched as my pack members helped my father, and both my brothers and Mom looked at me with pain on their faces and tears in their eyes.

I heard my mother say, “Oh, my baby” as tears fell from her cheeks.

I looked back at all of them and yelled, sounding stronger than I felt, “Tell Tala and Dad that I love them! I love you all so much!”

Tears fell from my eyes as Luca let go of my neck and took hold of my wrist tightly, leading me into the woods and forever saying goodbye to the life I knew.