Luna Rising by Sloane Murphy
Chapter Six
The two weeks since the rogue attack have been pretty quiet. I don’t know how much luck Dad and Roman are having looking into the rogue problem, but I also haven’t asked. Between helping Doc, working at the cafe, training with Thatch, and keeping up with my classes, I’ve barely had time to breathe, let alone worry about life outside of right here, right now.
I know I should probably be more concerned, but I trust Dad and Roman to handle it. Plus, dealing with the burn victims has been horrendous. So honestly, outside of that, I’ve tried to think about extra problems as little as possible.
Except today, I don’t have to do any of the things I’ve been caught up in because there are officially only two weeks until my birthday. And that means I need to find an outfit for this stupid party before my mom breaks our deal and picks one for me.
Me: You nearly ready to go?
Nova: Yup, I’ll meet you by your truck in 5?
Me: Sounds good!
I grab my keys and jacket from my bed, pocketing my phone before heading downstairs. “Mom! I’m heading into the city with Nova. We’re going shopping.”
I have no idea where she is, but I know she’ll hear me. That’s one upside to Lycan hearing, at least. The downside being that I never even had the chance to pretend to sneak out of the house as a teenager. “Okay, sweetheart. Have fun! Just remember our deal!”
“Yes, Mom,” I groan, rolling my eyes. Stupid heels. I don’t want to wear freaking heels, but I guess they’re still better than a whole-ass dress.
I head out to the garage, climbing into my beat-up truck and back out to wait for Nova. I really need a new one, but I’m too stubborn to let Mom and Dad buy me one. I got this with my savings from working at the cafe, so while it’s definitely a heap of shit, it’s my heap of shit.
The passenger door opens and Nova jumps in, grinning at me. “You sure this is going to get us into the city? Your mom’s SUV is right there.”
I stick my tongue out at her teasing, and she laughs before buckling up. “You leave my truck alone. She’s a good truck. She hasn’t let me down yet.”
“Yet being the worrying word in that sentence.”
I give her the bird and plug my phone into the car. The one thing I did pay to upgrade was the sound system. Going anywhere without my own music just isn’t acceptable. Who even listens to the radio anymore?
“Once in a Lifetime” by All Time Low blares through the speakers as we head out of the compound. I spot the new guy, looking miserable as ever, at the gate with Jacob, who waves us out when he opens the new gate. To look at this part of the compound now, you’d never know we were attacked just a couple weeks ago.
I roll down the windows and drive down the coastal road, enjoying the ocean air as we head for the nearest city to do some shopping. Unfortunately, the nearest city is two hours away because obviously the compound just has to be in the asshole of nowhere. We spend most of the time catching up, singing along to the songs on the playlist, and with Nova telling me stories about the craziness that’s been going on in the orphan house the last few weeks. It feels like forever since we’ve hung out properly.
The only time I’ve seen her lately is during training. As much as I love the idea of my degree, there’s been so much going on that I’ve been questioning if it’s actually the right time for me to be considering leaving the pack. My idea was to finish my degree and then head out just after my birthday. Considering that I only have three classes and my dissertation left, I’m so close to being done, but I’m questioning everything. My stomach roils over the thought of it all.
“Hey, where’d you go?” Nova asks, looking concerned.
I shrug, leaning my head back on the rest. “Just wondering if I’m doing the right thing, thinking about leaving the pack in a few weeks.”
“Have you spoken to your mom and dad yet?”
“Nope,” I say, popping my p. “I didn’t want to say anything until my birthday was over. But with the attack, I’m feeling unsure. It feels weird to just leave now.”
“Has there been any more news about the attack?” she asks, and I shake my head. “Maybe it was just a one-off thing then. Maybe that’s why there isn’t any news. If your dad doesn’t seem worried, maybe don’t let what happened with the pack in the past sway your current decision. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m going to miss you like crazy when you’re gallivanting across the globe, but I’m also all for doing what you want to do for you rather than buckling to expectations. My mom and dad followed what they were meant to do to the letter. They followed their Alpha without question and look at where that got them both.”
I frown over at her. It's rare that she talks about her parents, but when she does, it's usually because she's hurting. “You okay?”
“I'm fine, bish. I’m just a little pissed off on your behalf about the pressure everyone puts on you. Surely the attack should make people see that just doing what everyone expects of you doesn't always work. We lost what, six enforcers? Those guys were my friends. I've done patrols with them, trained with them, shared food with them. And now they're gone for no fucking reason at all.”
“I'm sorry, Nova. I hadn't even thought about it like that. I'm sorry I'm a shitty friend.”
“You're not,” she insists, shaking her head emphatically. She’s quiet for another moment before she sticks her hand out the window to float on the breeze. “I'm just all in my feelings today. But fuck it, lets go shopping and get me out of this funk. I'd really appreciate some ice cream too.”
“I'll do you one better. Pizza and ice cream at my place tonight. We can have movie night, and you can crash?”
“Sound's perfect. Now let's go find this outfit for you, yeah?”
“Oh, you say that like you get out of picking an outfit too!” I laugh as her head jerks back in my direction. She narrows her eyes, and I raise my eyebrows comically before telling her, “Mom gave me orders yesterday to make sure you're dressed as you should be. So we both get to wear heels.”
My forever Converse wearing friend groans. “Ugh, of course she freaking did. Let's get this over with.”
* * *
We’re on our second freaking boutique after three different department stores, and I still can’t find one damn thing that I like for this stupid party. “This is freaking insane.”
“Hey, I found my outfit in the first store. This is now all officially on you. I saw another little place down the way if you want to make a last-ditch effort in there?” Nova asks, trying to seem upbeat. The slight grit in her tone tells me she's as frustrated as I am.
“Sure, why not. If I don't find anything there, I'll just try online, I guess.”
The bell on the door sounds as we leave, and the assistant behind the desk glares at us as we do. I mean, I don't blame her. We were in there for a while, and all I did was moan about the shit on the racks in there.
It only takes a few minutes to get to the boutique Nova was talking about, and as soon as we go inside, I feel instantly at home. This place screams casual but dressy, which is exactly what I'm after. The girl behind the counter smiles at us as we pause at the front long enough to take everything in. “Just give me a shout if you need anything.”
I nod in thanks and head toward the back of the store. I spot a mannequin wearing an outfit, and I immediately know it’s what I'm going to wear to the party. It's simple, yet pretty. I cross my arms over my chest and try to envision myself in the outfit. It’s a black bralette under a nude knit crop sweater with long sleeves matched with black three-quarter leather pants. The entire thing is tied together with a gold belt and nude heels. It’s absolute perfection.
“I'm done,” I squeak, and Nova heads over with an excited flourish.
“Absolutely fucking yes. This is perfect. I fully support these choices; you are going to look amazing. Actually, hold on…” She walks away quickly, returning less than a minute later with a gold chain in her hands. “If you pair it with this, you're going to fucking rock it.”
I wave the attendant over, and she helps me find everything in my size. I head to the dressing room, excitedly putting it all on, along with the chain Nova found. It’s a necklace that extends so it goes between my tits and wraps around my waist. It’s gorgeous and fully on show with the outfit. I slip my feet into the heels, surprised at how little they pinch and head out to where Nova sits, foot jiggling as she waits impatiently.
“Fates have mercy on us all, girl. Even if you don't find your mate on your birthday, you are going to make those puppies drool like crazy. Let me do your hair and makeup for the party. Pleaseeeeeee?” I laugh at her and nod, because I can't deny her much of anything let alone something as simple as that.
“So you agree, this is the outfit?” I ask, trying to take in how it looks from behind as I contort myself in front of the mirror.
“Hell fucking yes it is.”
“I agree, you look stunning,” the girl who helped me gather my sizes says, smiling widely at me.
“Then let’s ring it up and get out of here. Pizza and ice cream are waiting for us!”
The girl takes everything once I'm undressed, and I damn near have a heart attack at the checkout, but Mom said not to worry about the cost. She might take that back once she sees the charge, but this was her bright idea, so I pay and head back to the truck with Nova. This outfit cost about the same amount as my goddamn truck.
We drive back in comfortable silence, though we occasionally break the silence to sing along to a favorite song on the playlist, and the drive passes quickly. We pull up at the compound before I even really have time to get bored on the journey. Jacob waves us in with a grunt, and we head back to the house, the comfortable silence carrying us home.
I find a note on the kitchen counter when we're in, letting me know that Mom and Dad are out for the night with Roman and that Maddox is around. “You okay if Maddox joins us?”
“Yeah, I don't care, as long as he doesn't make fun of my pj's, I'm chill.”
“Awesome, I’ll drop him a text and see where he's at. You have pj's upstairs if you want to go change, and I'll order a pizza then change too. Meat feast for you?” She nods, and I grin at her as she skips off upstairs.
Me: Hey! We're doing pizza, ice cream, and movies if you want to join? Pj's are mandatory.
Maddox: Sounds like fucking heaven. Let me finish up with Thatch and I'll head over.
Me: What pizza do you want?
Maddox: As if you even need to ask.
Me: Double pepperoni, double cheese it is!
Maddox: You rock, see you soon.
I pull up the local pizza place's online checkout and order the pizzas, getting myself a white base, chicken, bacon, and mushroom pizza with extra cheese. I grin widely knowing that neither of them are going to try and steal my pizza. Adding on garlic knots and potato skins—because Lycans are really good at eating—I check out, putting it on the same card I used earlier for the clothes, and wince at how much I've spent today. At the end of the day, I know it'll probably make mom happy more than anything.
I leave the front door unlocked and head upstairs, finding Nova already setting up my room. She's set up a fort of cushions and blankets on the floor at the end of my bed. “Pizzas are ordered, and Maddox is on his way.”
“Sounds good.”
I duck into the bathroom and change into my own pj's, pulling my hair back into a ponytail before heading back out to my room and getting comfy next to Nova.
“Action movie or chick flick?” she asks once I'm sitting down, flicking through the options on WatchBox.
“You know as well as I do that Maddox is just as chill with a chick flick as he is with an action movie, but me? I want to see people bleed. So let's go action.”
“Sounds good to me.”
The bedroom door swings open and Maddox struts in, taking off his t-shirt in one quick motion. I can practically feel the heat radiating from the space Nova’s occupying. “Just saying hi, but I need to shower. I'm so fucking sweaty.”
He drops his t-shirt on the floor and leaves the room. I look over at Nova and burst out laughing. “You've got a little drool there, you want me to get it, or…?”
“Fuck off,” she says, blushing bright red. “He's pretty to look at, but that’s about it. You just don't see it because you're basically attached at the hip. But you try not to drool over those abs as a non-best friend.”
I roll my eyes at her, shifting and snuggling in to get comfortable. “If you say so.”
“I do,” she huffs, sticking her tongue out at me.
Maddox reappears not long after dressed this time in pj pants and a V-neck tee just as the doorbell rings. “I'll get it. What are we watching?”
“Going old school. The Fast and the Furious.”
“Hell fucking yes! Set it up, I’ll only be a minute.” His footsteps on the stairs sound like a herd of elephants, but true to his word, he is literally less than a minute before he reappears. Got to love that Lycan speed. “Luna, why do you insist on this abomination of a pizza?”
He hands me it, and I can’t help but laugh at the look of utter disgust coloring his features. “Damn straight I did, I love this shit. The fact that you won't steal half of it is just an added bonus.”
“Brat!” he scoffs as he sits, handing Nova her pizza too.
“Thanks,” she says quietly, snuggling herself under the blankets on one side of me while Maddox gets comfy on the other.
I hit play and take a slice of the cheesy, gooey goodness. This right here? A night of movies and pizza is everything I didn't realize I needed.
Maddox nudges my foot with his before offering me the potato skins and garlic knots. I have a total weakness for food, and he knows it. “You guys better take some before I start munching. It's been a long-ass day.”
We both take some before he gives us a wolfish grin, taking the trays back. “Cars, pizza, and pretty girls. What more can a guy ask for?”
* * *
I groan as my back slams into the ground. Training with Thatch has always been intense, but since the attack, he's stepped it up a level. I look over to see Nova watching me from where she's sparring with the new guy, whose name I still don't know. Thatch paired her with him this morning since Maddox is here, opting to pair me with him.
Which is exactly how I find myself on my back, staring up at the clear blue sky. My protective friend? He’s not so protective when we train. He’s brutal, taking the moment of distraction to put me on my back without remorse.
“Come on, Luna. You're better than this. Let's go again,” Maddox says as he offers me a hand up. I take it and look over at Thatch who's frowning at me. Okay yeah, I'm distracted today. But it’s really only because I submitted my dissertation last night, which means the only thing keeping me here is me. That and my birthday party. I still can't make my mind as to whether it’s a good idea to leave right now, especially with the rogue thing still unknown.
Despite my pestering, Dad has given me exactly zero details about all of it. He says he doesn't have any real information, and I half-believe him considering how on edge he and Roman have been the last few days, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I hate feeling like a brat when I ask for information from him but trying to make up my mind is made more difficult by not having all of the details.
I also don't want anyone to think that me stepping up during the attack—or the fact that I'm not running out of here at full speed—is an indicator that I've changed my mind about refusing my birthright. Because I absolutely haven't.
At least, I don't think I have.
I groan as I dust myself off, and Maddox frowns at me too. “What has you so out of sorts today?”
“Nothing,” I sigh, hating that I’m outright lying to him, but I know he doesn't get it. He's all about following in his dad's footsteps. Though sometimes I think that’s more about proving that he can than actually wanting to do it. “Just having an off day. Let's go again.”
I drop into a defensive stance, and he runs at me. I drop my shoulder as he reaches me, and lift him, trying to flip him over. I overshoot it, and he grabs my waist as he goes down, pulling me with him. He shifts us around, so he has me pinned to the ground and grins down at me. “If you wanted to wrestle with me, Luna, you just had to ask.” He winks at me, and I slap at his chest with both hands.
“Get off of me, you big brute.”
He barks out a laugh and jumps to his feet, and I see Thatch smirking. “Gotta be faster on your feet, Luna.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I push myself up out of the dirt and rush to attack Maddox. I try to tackle him, but the giant meathead barely moves, so we start to spar. But I’m so frustrated, it doesn’t feel like sparring. Maddox grins as I land a jab to his gut, but he lets out a whoosh of air as my fist connects. It’s like the hit finally clued him into how much I need a real fight, not this pussyfooting back and forth.
“Come at me,” he teases, and so I let it rip, knowing that he can take it. We go back and forth, both landing blows, and even though I know Maddox isn’t giving me every ounce of force he has, he doesn’t truly hold back either.
This time, when he comes at me, I use his momentum against him, and he lands on his back. I leverage my weight against him with my foot on his throat, and the asshole just grins back up at me. “About time.”
“God, you’re a jackass,” I growl and pull my foot away. He jumps back to his feet and lifts me off the ground, putting me over his shoulder before spinning me around. “Maddox, oh my Fates, put me down!”
He just continues to laugh and spin until Thatcher yells, “Enough horsing around, you two! Get back to it.”
“Spoil sport,” Maddox grumbles before putting me back on my feet. I hold his arm until the world stops spinning.
“You’re such a doofus.”
“Yeah, but I’m a doofus that’s going sharpshooter training with my mom this weekend. You want to come?” My eyes go wide. I’ve never even touched a gun before. To say Auntie Remy is proficient with guns and blades is like, the biggest understatement to ever be put forth into the world. That being said, I’ve never even thought about training with weapons since Lycans tend not to use them as much as some other factions.
“You know what, hell yes,” I tell him, and his grin widens. It only makes sense for me to be trained with more weapons, especially if I want to travel the world. If I get into trouble out there, I can explain a knife or bullet wound much easier than having torn someone’s throat out.
He nods and pulls his phone from his pocket. “I’ll let Mom know. It’ll be good to have you around the Manor again. It’s been a while.”
He’s not wrong. It’s been forever, mainly because Dad usually gets a bit antsy when I leave the compound for too long, but he can’t complain about me going to the Manor. I think Auntie Remy’s place is possibly the most secure place on the planet. Which isn’t surprising considering who lives there, but still. Plus it means I get to escape the compound for a hot minute before my birthday. Considering the party is next weekend, this sounds perfect.
Thatch blows his whistle, his short brown hair whipping around in the wind and draws an end to sparring. “Three laps around the compound and then we go again!”
I groan as Maddox cackles. “Come on, let’s show these assholes what being Alpha born is all about.”
He takes off, the distance between us growing, so I push harder because I’m not letting him win without a fight. I nearly catch him when the new guy overtakes me.
What the actual fuck?
I push harder because I will literally never hear the end of it if this guy beats me. I should’ve been running more, but it hasn’t been a priority since the attack, so I’ve slacked off. Now I’m going to pay for it. I push more, enjoying the burn in my lungs as I work harder than I have in a while to close in on Maddox and overtake the new guy.
By the third loop, Maddox is way out in front of us, and I’m shoulder to shoulder with the new guy. This guy is wicked fast for a Lycan. He looks over at me and sneers before speeding up even more. I growl and give it everything I’ve got, bringing myself back to an even keel with him.
Thatch’s whistle sounds, letting me know Maddox finished his last lap. I clench my jaw trying to stop from growling as I pull on the last reserves inside of me to beat this asshole. He glares at me as I start to pull away from him, but I make it to Thatch first. Even if it is by about two steps. I’m still going to take it.
I bend over, holding onto my knees as I suck in air. The new guy storms off to the other side of the training area while Maddox drops on the ground next to me. “Who is that guy?”
“I have no idea,” I pant. “But the guy can run.”
“I saw, he nearly beat you. We need to work on your stamina.” I flip him the bird, and he barks out a laugh. All it does is strengthen my resolve to train with Auntie Remy. I want to be able to look after myself in any situation. If I can’t even outrun the other Lycans, I need to be able to fight. And if I need to learn to defend myself, Remy is likely the best person to teach me.
Maybe then when I grow up, I can be as big of a badass as she is.
A girl can dream anyway.
“Get your asses up!” Thatch yells, and I straighten up, ready to go again. He switches up everyone’s pairs, but me and Maddox, because most people don’t want a fight against Maddox to seem like a challenge. And he has this special little skill that makes everyone come at him like he’s the biggest asshole on Earth. It’s a gift, truly.
“We’re going to do some more conditioning before we spar. We’ll start with burpees.” I groan at his orders. I fucking hate burpees. They’re literally cruel. Maddox just lets out a whoop and drops to the ground like this is a fun, casual exercise and not cruel and unusual punishment.
Someone please save me from this madness.
* * *
Training wraps up, and I drop to the ground, chugging my bottle of water in one go. This might have been the most grueling training session we’ve ever done. I’m not sure what crawled up Thatch’s ass, but he’s been growly as fuck all day.
Plus, being paired up with Maddox meant that he didn’t pull his punches like others would have, so I ache a little more than normal. Not that I’m sad about that, I need to know just how much I can actually take in a fight in case I ever end up in a real one. Sparring with Maddox gives me that. What I learned today is that I need to fight with him more so I can learn how to fight while I’m injured. I saw what the enforcers and my dad fought through in the attack. Right now, I’d be useless if I was in their position.
“You good?” Nova asks, as she peers down at me.
I nod, groaning as I sit up as she drops down beside me. I rub my burning calf muscles as I consider her. After a moment, I ask, “How was working with the new guy?” I’m curious if he seems to hate her as much as he seems to hate me despite having spent no time with me.
“He’s actually okay. He is not a fan of you guys,” she says, waving at Maddox and I. “But other than that chip on his shoulder, he’s okay. Dude can fight. He used to be an enforcer for his pack. It’s why Thatch agreed to put him through the course. Today was his final evaluation, so he’s extra pissed that you beat him on the laps.”
“He shouldn’t be. He was crazy fast,” I tell her, watching as Thatch and the new guy shake hands. “What’s his name?”
“Jackson. No idea what his surname is, he’s not exactly a Chatty Cathy, but he definitely pushed me while we were sparring. Guy has some wicked skills.” She grins, watching him. I think someone might have a little crush.
“Doesn’t hurt that he’s pretty to look at,” I tease, and Maddox scoffs.
“I don’t see it myself.”
“That’s because you constantly get distracted by your own reflection in shiny surfaces,” Nova cuts back, and I just giggle softly. These two slay me. How they can both be my best friends yet be as different as night and day is beyond me. She’s grouchy as hell and Maddox is like walking sunshine. They usually tone it back a bit, but I guess the leftover adrenaline from training has everyone’s teeth on edge.
Maddox throws a handful of grass at her, and she rolls her eyes. “At least you didn’t deny it.”
“We both know there’s more to me than my pretty face, so I don’t have to deny anything.” He gives her a wolfish grin, and I shake my head.
“Enough, you guys, please.”
“Fine,” Nova grumps, and Maddox knocks my shoulder with his.
“Sure thing.”
Thatch heads toward us with Jackson in tow. They could be brothers if you ignore their faces. They’re both tall and ridiculously built… like you’d definitely cross the street if you saw them coming at you looking all menacing. Which they do right now—they both look the opposite of delightfully happy, but I don’t take it personally. Smiling just isn’t Thatch’s default setting. “Luna, I’d like to introduce you to Jackson.”
I stand at Thatcher’s words and smile at Jackson. “It’s nice to meet you officially. You killed it on those laps today.”
Jackson says nothing, opting for a small grunt instead. Nova’s words about him being pissy play on repeat in my head, so I let it go.
“He’ll be officially joining the enforcer ranks, and he’s aware that you’ll be training with us, even after your birthday,” Thatcher says.
I try to stay as sunshiny and smiley as I can. “Sounds good. Welcome to the team,” I say, looking toward Jackson.
He nods, and lets out a growly, “Thanks.”
Wow, this guy’s a real chatterbox.
“I’m going to finish introductions and then let your dad know.” He offers a tight smile before continuing, “Well done today, Luna. You beat your usual time on the laps. I expect to see improvements over the next week. I’d like to see how far we can push it.”
I tamp down the groan that threatens to spill out of my lips and nod. “Sure thing, sounds like a plan.”
Thatch leads Jackson away, and I drop back to the ground, groaning as Nova bursts out laughing. “Well that bit you in the ass, didn’t it?”
“Shut up,” I groan, covering my eyes with my arm. One day, my competitive nature will work in my favor. Today is apparently not that day.
“I guess the attack didn’t scare him away from joining the enforcers, so that’s good,” Nova says, biting her lip as she watches him walking away. I’ve never known her to go for the older guy before, or Fates, any guy really. Hopefully he’s not already mated. It would be good for her to finally get some happy of her own.
I look back to Maddox who is still watching Thatch and Jackson as they disappear. “We should head back to the house. Mom is planning a big farewell meal for you and your dad tonight, and since I have to persuade them that me coming back with you is a good idea, I figure the more time I have, the better.”
“You’re leaving?” Nova asks, and I nod.
“Just for the weekend, hopefully. I’m going to try to do some weapons training with Remy. I’ll be back Monday, ready for another week of punishment before the party,” I explain.
“You want to join us?” Maddox asks her, and she chews on her bottom lip again, her gaze bouncing back to where Jackson and Thatch left the training ground.
“No, I’m good. I’ll find something to keep me busy here, I’m sure.” I’m shocked because she practically worships the whole badass package that is Remington Bennett. Then again, her and Maddox clash so often it makes sense to me that she wouldn’t want to go too.
“I bet you will,” I cackle, and she pushes me so hard I end up lying back down again. We both know she won’t go too far if she snags Jackson’s attention because she’s holding out for her mate, but there’s nothing that says she can’t fool around a little if she wants to. She still has another year to go until her mating birthday, and if she finally has someone who tickles her pickle, I’m all for it.
Maybe this weekend we’ll both get some sword play.
