Luna Rising by Sloane Murphy
Chapter Eleven
“So, where’s the booze?” Evie asks, grinning at me from her perch on the sofa. The parentals retreated to the guest house and left us to ourselves after ordering pizza for us all.
“If you think my dad has booze lying around, you are going to be sorely disappointed.” I laugh at her crestfallen look while Nova chuckles beside me.
“The guards have a decent stash, but we’d need to be sly about it, and we’d probably want to haul ass off of the compound so they didn’t find us,” Nova offers, and Evie perks up again.
“That’s not a great idea.” Raze frowns at her, and it’s like the static in the room goes up a notch. “She’s too young, and with all of the shit going on in the Seven Realms right now, it’s probably not the greatest idea for us to be running off without someone knowing where we are.”
Ever the level-headed one. Sometimes I adore him but others, he makes me just shake my damn head. “Come on, Raze, live a little. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Said every girl who ever died in a horror movie,” he deadpans, and Maddox bursts out laughing beside me.
“Come on, man. Come with us, stay sober, and protect us all. You’re the biggest badass of all, remember?”
Raze just scoffs at his brother before taking in the rest of us and sighing. “Fine, let’s go. At least I can keep an eye on you idiots, I guess.”
“I’m going to try and not be offended by that, angel boy,” Nova snarks, and he just rolls his eyes at her while I sit, trying not to cry-laugh. Because if I thought she and Maddox clashed, well, that’s nothing on this pair. Screw sunshine and the grumpy one. This is pure grump meets grump, and it’s giving me life.
“So, the guards’ stash? Where is it?” Colt chimes up, looking just as excited as Evie. I should probably put a stop to this considering I’m the oldest here, but fuck it. I’m not about to piss on everyone's parade. A little booze never hurt anyone, right?
“It’s in the gate box. So not only do we need to sneak out, we need to distract whoever is on duty enough that someone can sneak in,” Nova explains.
“Sounds easy enough. Let Raze distract them. He can put them to sleep just by speaking,” Colt snickers, and Raze punches him in the arm, knocking him from the chair.
“Can we please not break my house? If you want to snark and beat each other, let's head down to the beach. It’s safe there, and no one will think to come looking for us for a while. Plus, it’s not that far.”
“Sorry, Luna,” Raze says solemnly, while Colt just bitches about being caught off guard.
“Let’s head out,” Nova says, jumping to her feet, clapping her hands once. “Dibbs not being on distraction duty.”
“I’ll do it,” I groan. “I can usually handle the guards okay, plus after what happened earlier today, everyone will be pussyfooting around me.”
My dad apologized over dinner, so everyone is very aware of why the enforcers are feeling a little skittish around me right now. No one wants to piss off a potential future Alpha, with the exception of Jackson, who had zero issue bitching me out.
I grab my jacket and slip on my Chucks as everyone else starts heading out of the house behind Nova.
“You sure this is a good idea?” Maddox asks, hanging back for me.
“Not even a little bit.” I grin at him with a small shrug. “But between the six of us, I’m pretty sure we can rescue ourselves if needed. Plus, the beach is only half a mile from the compound. If anything goes dramatically wrong, Colt can whisper over here, right?”
“He can,” Maddox nods, looking more serious than I’ve seen him in a while. “Let’s just hope nothing goes wrong because if my parents have to come and save the day, we’re never going to hear the end of it.”
* * *
“Oh my fucking Fates, why is it so bright?” I groan, rolling over in bed and covering my face with my pillow. The pounding in my head might be the worst pain I’ve ever felt. It feels like someone’s taking a sledgehammer to the back of my head repeatedly.
Fuck my life.
“That will be the tequila,” Nova groans, and I startle, not realizing she was here with me. “I’m going to die.”
Relaxing back under the sheets, I close my eyes and snuggle into the pillow, hoping that Lycan healing can kick this hangover. There’s meant to be some bonus to the high metabolism that comes along with being a Lycan, right?
Memories of last night hit me hard, and I groan again. It took two bottles of tequila for me to feel a buzz thanks to the metabolism thing. Apparently, the whiskey I added after was enough to cause the patches in my mind as well as the headache of all headaches this morning.
“Morning, sunshine!” Maddox calls out as he smashes into the room. I pull the sheets up over my head as Nova launches a pillow at him. All I can hear is the fake oomph as it hits him. “Oh come on, you guys didn’t drink that much last night.”
“We hadn’t drank before, dickhead. Whose great idea was it to do this bullshit?” Nova grumbles from behind me as Maddox drops down onto the bed and I crawl out from under the sheets.
“That would be yours and Evie’s.” He grins over at her as she flips him the bird. He hands me a bottle of water and two Advil before doing the same for Nova. “Drink up, it’ll help. So will the sheer amount of food your mom is cooking right now. It’s a good thing she can cook ‘cause I’m pretty sure my mom would just burn the house down without Nonnie around to feed us all.”
I take the water and the pills, swallow them down, and finish the bottle. I hadn’t realized just how dehydrated I feel. “How did we even get back?”
“Well, after you pair and Evie basically passed out on the beach, Colt, Raze, and I carried you home and tucked everyone into bed.” He laughs softly, and I hide my face in my pillow. Of course that happened. Why couldn’t I be one of those cool chicks who can drink, not be affected beyond being a little happier and being breezy? No… me, I get to be the girl who can’t handle her liquor and passes out.
I’m not drinking again. Nope. Never.
Especially not if I feel like ass after every time. I feel like fucking shit.
“I need a shower,” I announce, kicking the sheets off and getting them caught around my ankles. Maddox chuckles before pulling my feet out and helping me sit up. I lean into him for a second, taking comfort in his warmth, before my stomach rolls. “Oh, shit.”
I scramble to the bathroom, managing to lock the door just before losing the contents of my stomach. Fuck my actual life right now.
I take comfort in the coolness of the bathroom tile until my stomach stops doing cartwheels. When it finally calms to a reasonable level, I turn the shower on and brush my teeth. Fates, I feel fucking awful.
Slipping beneath the water, I squeak as the cold water hits me. I thought I turned it up, but nope, I turned it down. What a dick.
The upside? I feel really fucking awake now. It’s almost like the shock of the cold water washed away all of the shit, and now I just feel a little fuzzy instead of like I’m going to die. I turn the hot water up, wash myself down, and decide to wash my hair too. The amount of sand on my scalp is ridiculous, and I hate to think about how much sand had to be in my hair to leave such large deposits on my scalp.
By the time I get back to my room, there’s no sign of Nova or Maddox, but the racket from downstairs, along with the smell of bacon, lets me know that the house is well and truly alive. My stomach growls, so I quickly dry my hair, leaving it in waves cascading down my back to finish drying fully. Then I throw on a pair of jeans and a sweater. The sun might be up, but I’m cold all the way down to my freaking bones, and there’s something comforting about the old sweater that nothing else compares to at the moment.
I head straight for the kitchen and am greeted with a loud, “Luna!” from everyone around the table. Apparently the hangover isn’t much of a secret, especially considering how pale Evie looks, which is really saying something since she’s normally pale as shit anyway. Nova stands as I reach the table, and hugs me. “My turn to shower, these people are monsters.”
I laugh softly as she stumbles out of the room and back upstairs to my bathroom. Taking a seat where she vacated, I load up my plate with bacon, sausage, and eggs, while the parentals laugh about their own antics when they were younger. At least I’m not getting bitched out. I’ll take it. This hangover might just be punishment enough.
I finish eating, managing to get by with simple answers to join in the conversation. My blood feels itchy under my skin, and I realize I haven’t shifted for a while again. My wolf is restless, and it feels awful. I really need to start finding a better balance and letting her out more often. “You ready for the run tonight?” Maddox asks softly below the hubbub of the rest of the conversation. How he can read my thoughts so well is beyond me, but I nod back at him.
“My wolf is crying to be let out to play. If the pack run wasn’t tonight, I’d just head out now and run the day away.”
He nods, running his arm against me, comforting my wolf. “I get it. My wolf feels anxious today too. I’m sure it’s just the moon fucking with us. It is a Lunar moon tonight after all.”
I’d completely forgotten about the cycle, it's been nearly five years since the last Lunar moon, but that makes sense.
If nothing else, it will at least make tonight’s run interesting.
* * *
I’ve spent the whole fucking day on edge, and it’s not the hangover. It has to be this stupid moon cycle. I’ve been snappy and uncomfortable all day, to the point where even Nova was over my shit and fucked off. The only person who hasn’t abandoned me yet is Maddox. He’s sprawled out on my bed beside me, flicking through WatchBox to find something to watch, while I’m attempting to get lost in another world on my Kindle.
That isn’t working, however, because my wolf is restless as fuck, and it’s just pissing me off even more. Of course there’s a Lunar moon around my birthday. They make all Lycans aggravated as fuck. Even those lower on the hierarchy. A Lunar moon at the end of its five-year cycle tends to bring out the worst in most people. At least it’ll be over once the moon sets tonight, and I won’t feel like I’m on edge tomorrow for my birthday.
I hope.
I’m going to have enough other shit making me on edge tomorrow and Saturday without the moon being a bastard too.
“You finished snarking inside your own head yet?” Maddox asks as he grabs a cushion and gets comfy. “I found a movie for us to pass the time until we run.”
“I suppose,” I huff. “Sorry. I’m not pissy at you, I just cannot get fucking comfortable.”
“It’s chill. I know. Come here.” He lifts an arm for me, and I lay my head down on his chest, my wolf settling a little. “Pack mentality, remember. Puppy piles for the win.”
“Yeah, yeah, know it all,” I grumble, and he just squeezes me a little.
“Shut up and watch the fucking movie.” He hits play, and I get comfortable, settling on him to watch whatever it is he’s chosen. I lose myself in the mindless action movie, and I can’t help but laugh at how I think cars turning into robots is absurd when I literally shift into a wolf, but ya know, whatever.
We skip on dinner with everyone, watching three of the movies in the series instead. Maddox can’t help but bitch about the change in the lead character throughout the series, and I can’t help but laugh at him in response. Mom brings us some sandwiches and chips somewhere in the middle of the day, but I leave the food to Maddox because for the first time that I can really remember, eating just isn’t appealing to me right now.
He looks at me funny when I pass him my food but doesn’t say a word as I settle back down on his chest, staying there until the sun sets.
A knock on my door sounds and Mom pops her head in. “Everyone’s going to start gathering. Since Remy and the others are here to keep an eye on the compound, the enforcers are going to run with us after all.”
“Sounds good.” I smile at her before stretching out on the bed with a yawn. “We’ll be down in a few. Thanks.”
She offers a small smile before leaving the room and closing the door again.
“You feeling better?” Maddox asks, stretching himself out now that I’m no longer curled up on him.
“Much, thank you. Are you ready for tonight?”
“I am. Just hoping it’s less eventful than the last run.” He frowns, and I swear my ribs twitch just thinking about it.
I pull the sleeves of my sweater down, clutching to the ends of the arms tightly. “I know what you mean. I’m anxious since this is Arrow and his family’s first run with us. I’m hoping they’ve settled in okay.”
“Arrow?” he asks, and I suddenly realize that I have so much to tell him. I quickly explain what happened, and he nods along thoughtfully. “Ah, yeah, I’m sure they’ll be fine. Compared to Zero’s pack, this one is a fucking cake walk. Your new enforcer is who I’m worried about. He was with the guy who attacked you last time.”
“Jackson? He might have a passionate dislike for me, but I don’t think he’s actually a problem.”
“Still don’t like him,” he grumbles, and I shrug before playfully shoving him. “Let’s head down before my wolf gives up on the tenuous hold on patience he’s had all day.”
I can’t help but laugh at him, but I follow him downstairs and out back to the forest where most of the pack has already gathered. Like last time, he stays glued to my side, while Roman, Dad, and Thatch stay up front, ready to throw down with anyone who needs it. Everyone seems super ramped up, but I’m pretty sure that’s thanks to the moon, and not due to the Archangel of War, who swoops through the air before flying out to the perimeter.
I mean, there’s no one quite like Levi to watch the perimeter for potential issues. I’m pretty sure he’s led more wars than I’ve eaten hot meals.
Dad stands up and begins speaking, introducing Arrow as I start stripping down. Something about being naked in the moonlight tonight feels freeing. Like the constraints of life are being torn away bit by bit.
Roman does a partial shift, howling, forcing the gathered wolves to start their shifts a little before they would naturally occur. The power of his howl calls to my wolf, who is beyond pissed at being locked away so much, and she revels in the forced shift. The pain is almost nothing compared to normal, and I howl the minute I’m fully shifted. Maddox joins in beside me before the pack takes off at a flat out run into the trees.
My wolf yips and chases, and I give her full control before settling in for the run. I lose track of how long we actually run for, but by the time the sun is rising, my wolf is content and exhausted. We’ve played all night with Maddox and Nova, chased a few squirrels just for fun, and enjoyed the shit out of our freedom.
As we reach the house, Maddox and I shift back and start pulling my clothes into my arms, but a nearby growl makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I freeze, turning to find a very fucking large red-brown wolf snarling at me.
“Luna,” Maddox starts quietly as he tries to move me behind him. I look into the wolf’s eyes and don’t look away. I’m not bowing down to whoever this is. They need to get a hold of their wolf. Could he rip my throat out, and make me bleed out? Yes, absolutely. While death might be almost impossible for a Lycan, it’s not completely out of the question. Decapitation or bleeding out are two very stupid ways for us to die, but they both happen from time to time.
“Jackson!” Roman bellows from across the clearing, and the wolf before me snaps at me, but I stand my ground. The worst thing I could do is cower or run away from an angry wolf. Though I have no idea why he’s holding any sort of resentment toward me, even in wolf form. “Stand down!”
Roman’s command ripples through the air, and I nearly find myself on my knees. Maddox’s hold on me is the only thing that keeps me standing as Jackson buckles, his shift back to human being forced by Roman. It looks excruciating, as if he’s fighting it, and my heart hurts as his wolf lets out a whine before the shift takes hold completely, and he’s kneeling in the dirt at my feet.
“Luna, Maddox, head back to the house,” Roman’s orders, and we both nod. Maddox grabs his clothes and pulls me along beside him to the house. I can’t help but look back and see a broken looking man staring after me.
I have no idea what’s going on with Jackson, but I think Roman fucked up by putting him here. Whatever it is about me that makes his hackles rise obviously hurts him, and I don’t want to cause anyone any pain.
“Whatever that was isn’t your fault,” Maddox hisses, and he’s definitely more angry than I’ve seen him in a long while. He clenches and opens his fists as he slams the front door closed behind us.
“Erm, get out of my head,” I tease softly, trying to calm him down rather than rile him up. Apparently I fail because he grabs me by the arm before cupping my cheek in one hand.
He looks into my eyes and my breath catches with the intensity on his face. I think my heart might just about stop when he opens his mouth and says, “I can’t lose you, Luna.”
He rests his forehead against mine before tearing away from me and heading up the stairs, leaving me gawking after him and wondering what the fuck just happened.
Happy Birthday to me.
