The Luna Choosing Game

Nicholas and I traded lazy kiss after lazy kiss until our backs ached and the sun crept above the tree

line. We’d chased passion all night long, again and again. Despite my continuous begging, Nicholas

never took me in the dirt. Though he’d given me pleasure in nearly every other way.

My body was pleasantly sore. I really needed a bath and a nap. Maybe a good meal.

The wild feeling, I supposed, was wearing off somewhat, and reality was returning.

“We should head back,” Nicholas said.

He was naked. I was too. Our clothes definitely went flying sometime in the night. We laughed as we

went searching for them now.

“I found your panties,” he said and tossed them to me. I found my bra on a low- hanging tree branch.

Nicholas pulled on his pants.

“Do you see my dress?” I asked.

He stopped moving. I went closer to him, and saw what he saw. My dress was a bloody mess, piled in

a hump at the bottom of a tree trunk.

“Don’t put that back on,” he said.

“I can’t walk home naked.”

“Go back as a wolf, then.”

“I can’t,” I said. “Everyone thinks I don’t have a wolf. How would I possibly explain?”

“It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to explain. Let them think whatever they want.”

“It’s just a dress,” I said, and took a step toward it.

“Don’t,” Nicholas said and wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me back against him. He had

on his pants but no shirt yet. My skin pleasantly tingled where our bare skin touched.

“Nick…”

“You almost died, Piper.” His voice was soft as a whisper, barely louder than the wind. “Please do not

put that dress on. I can’t see you like that again.”

+15 BONOS

The fight left me in a rush. I wasn’t all that keen to see myself as a bloody mess again either. I

imagined it might be worse for him. I tried to think what it would be like if our roles were switched: if he

had nearly died, and I was now supposed to watch him change back into his bloody suit.

I didn’t need the dress. I’d find another way. Even if I had to walk back naked.

Or as a wolf.

“Okay,” I said. “You win.”

“Thank you,” he said and kissed my cheek. He let me go and found his shirt. It was wrinkled beyond

repair but he still put it on and did up as many buttons as he could – as many that weren’t littered

around on the forest floor.

Last night, once Nicholas had released his grip on my hands, some of his clothes … suffered the wrath

of my temporary confinement. Not that I’d minded. I just really wanted him naked.

Now, he started the trek back to the palace, Nicholas dressed as much as he could be, with me

following behind in wolf form. Fortunately, his phone had not been damaged in our night of wild passion

and he used it now to coordinate efforts with Julian and his Beta Brian.

Brian was an expert at sneaking around unseen, and helped guide us back to the guards at my door

with minimal effort. I thought I might have to shift then, so the guards could see me and I could give the NôvelDrama.Org owns this text.

password, but Nicholas overruled that idea.

“They can verify it’s you after you’ve changed,” Nicholas said, within earshot of the guards.

If I wasn’t in wolf–form, I likely would have blushed.

Nicholas opened the door for me and I sneaked inside. Elva, blessedly, wasn’t here. The room was

empty. They must have all gone down to breakfast. Thank goodness. I didn’t know how I would explain

it.

“I’ll see you later,” Nicholas said.

I shifted back into human form. I must have looked a mess, but Nicholas still took in his fill of the view.

“I have to go,” he said.

“Then go,” I teased.

“You make it difficult.”

+15 BONOS

I wanted to pull him closer by his belt loops and kiss him senseless. But I also wanted a shower. And

clothes that didn’t have mud–stains.

“Later,” I eventually relented.

“Later,” he said, and it seemed like a promise. He glanced back twice as he exited the room. I didn’t

move until the door latched behind him, half expecting him to change his mind.

I was only mildly disappointed when he didn’t.

Instead, I rushed into the closet, grabbed some fresh clothes, and then went into the bathroom to

shower and change. I cranked the shower as hot as it could and only felt clean when my skin was near

burning.

If we ever did decide to make love outside, we needed to remember to bring a blanket or something.

Mental note.

go,

I threw my dirty panties and bra right in the trash. They were torn and grass- stained beyond repair.

There really was no saving them.

When I was clean and dressed, I stepped out of the bathroom. Elva, the nanny, Charlotte, and Mark

were all standing in the room now. They all glanced at me. Only Elva’s gaze lingered.

“Mommy?” she asked.

I came closer at once. I was so happy to see her. I hadn’t seen her before everything happened. I

remembered the pain on that balcony after being stabbed, when I had wished so badly that I could see

Elva one last time, to say goodbye.

I didn’t want to say goodbye anymore. I hoped I wouldn’t have to for a long, long time.

I wanted to see my baby girl grow up.

As I came closer, Elva tilted her head more and more, inquisitive… a bit confused.

“Mommy, you… seem…” her little voice trailed.

I knelt in front of her. “What is it, honey?”

She tapped a finger to her chin. “Mommy, do you have a wolf now?”

I nearly fell down in shock.

All the other eyes in the room snapped back to me at once.

“Miss Piper?” Charlotte asked, coming closer.

+15 BONOS

Mark did too. He looked me over, but I had no injuries anymore. The cuts on my hands healed totally.

The one on my leg still had a thin scar, but even that was fading by the hour.

“I mean… yeah?” I smiled at them, one at a time, before looking at miracle. “It’s kind of a miracle, I

guess.”

“Is that the wolf’s name? Mir–cle?” Elva asked.

“Uuh…” I thought back. I couldn’t remember ever giving or receiving a name from my wolf. She didn’t

talk much, relying more on instincts to tell me how she felt.

She seemed pleased now, at the name. Miracle, then. A fine name for a miracle of a wolf.

“Yes,” I said. “Miracle.”

Elva smiled wide and rushed in for a hug. “Hi, Miracle!” she said.

My wolf rumbled happily. It had never met Elva before. I’d lost her in exchange for Elva’s life.

A worthy trade, my wolf, Miracle, whispers now. Protect our pup.

My heart warmed at once. For my wolf, who had never had the chance to bond before with Elva to

immediately see her as its pup… its pack… its family…

I held Elva tightly against me. We wouldn’t be alone anymore. No matter what happens, from now on, I

wasn’t alone in protecting Elva against the horrors of the world.

We will keep her safe, Miracle said like a promise. Against the many dangers yet

to come.

Fear curdled with hatred in my heart.

Jane was still out there, and possibly an even greater threat: Hawk.