Chapter 16

As Seen by the Pack

For a moment the pack was silent.

Then it was not.

The hall erupted into noises of excitement and fascination, as everyone stared at the new Luna of Eclipse. They’d been sure they’d seen wolves in all colors—brown, red, gray, black, even white—but never had they seen a wolf like this. Olivia’s wolf couldn’t be confused with gray or white, the way it reflected the moonlight made that clear.

What could a silver wolf mean? It had to be auspicious; Olivia looked like she’d been formed from a fallen moonbeam, she had to be blessed by the Goddess!

In the crowd, Louisa’s face went pale.

All these years, she’d thought the silver wolf had been sent by the Goddess that day. How else could such a wolf exist? Why else would she never see it again?

But she had been wrong. The silver wolf, the one she had regarded as a personal guardian since the day it had saved her, was never the incarnation of the Goddess that Louisa had assumed. It had been Olivia.

Olivia, w ewrho she envied wildly. Olivia, who she mocked and humiliated at every turn. Olivia, who she betrayed.

Regret filled her lungs. What had she done?

But no one around her was any the wiser, too busy gaping in wonder at Olivia, who looked ethereal in the moonlight. The way the light bounced off of her fur made her look like she was glowing, like she was part of the same full moon that hung above their heads.

They cheered as Alpha Elroy shifted into his own wolf form, his deep black coat dazzling against her shining one as he nuzzled her nose with his own. The crowd was ecstatic as the two threw their heads back and howled to the Goddess together, receiving Her blessing and looking deeply in love.

Through Olivia’s Eyes

Howling was ecstasy. It was a fulfillment I had never imagined, a joy so complete I felt like I was bursting with it. Stopping was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

(Okay, maybe not the hardest thing, given the last few weeks, but I was finally whole again. I was allowed to be a little dramatic with my word choice.)

I shifted back, following Elroy’s lead, smiling widely as the crowd cheered for us. I felt like I was glowing. I also felt like I was about to fall on my ass.

My first shift was so much more draining than I had expected.

Elroy must have expected it, though, because the moment I considered leaning against him for a moment I had his arms under me. He lifted me like I was weightless, and I yelped as I settled against his chest. My face flushed bright red.

“Elroy!” I tried to reprimand, but I was still giddy from my shift and couldn’t stop laughing. Elroy grinned, just a little smugly. He knew I didn’t have the energy to fight him, no matter how embarrassing it was to be carried around in front of the whole pack.

“Eclipse pack,” Elroy announced, voice booming over the crowd, “meet Olivia Alleghany, your Luna!”

The cheering was so loud I could feel it on my skin. Elroy carried me down the central aisle without a care, chest puffed and shoulders proud as if to say, ‘Look, everyone, I got the most incredible Luna!’ It made me feel…valuable.

It wasn’t until the doors closed behind us that the cheering was muffled, though I knew celebrations would carry on into the wee hours of the morning. Werewolves knew how to party, after all, and even I could admit that my wolf was something special.

I’d have to ask her about it. The knowledge that I could do that now made me lightheaded with joy.

“You did perfectly,” Elroy said, still radiating pride. “By morning all of Lunaris will know about my moon-silver Mate.” For once I let myself soak in the praise.

“I saw your Mark glowing,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him a little. I couldn’t let him think he’d get away with that—it raised too many questions, even if I was too overjoyed right now to be concerned about any of them. It was hard to be concerned about anything when I had my wolf back.

Elroy just shrugged innocently, using his shoulder to push open the door to the manor. Was he taking me to bed?

Well, I guessed it was our wedding night.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, using that tone of voice that made it obvious he knew exactly what I was talking about. I felt my grin spread. Oh, was that how we were going to play this?

“Oh, is that so?” I asked lightly. “That’s funny, I could have sworn.”

“It must have been a trick of the light,” Elroy said easily, taking two stairs at a time like there wasn’t another fully-grown adult weighing him down. “That happens to me sometimes if I shift with my eyes open.”

“So,” I said, “you weren’t sharing my pain during my shift, then?” I asked, being direct. Elroy gave a pleased smile.

“Nope.” He was obviously lying, and I didn’t like that, but it was hard for that displeasure to get to me. I’d taken care off all of today’s problems, so tomorrow’s problems could just wait until tomorrow.

Elroy set me down in front of the Pearl Room, but his hands clung to my waist, his large thumbs rubbing enticing circles into my hip bones. It felt nice, but, well, he wanted to play games, so…

I reached up, tangling my hands in his hair and guiding him down until he was close enough to kiss. And kiss I did. I took my time with his lips, right there in that empty hallway, kissing him smooth and languid until he was relaxing into me with pleasure.

His lips were thinner than mine, and I liked the way they slid together. He obviously used chapstick, at least sometimes, and I could feel a little roughness against my cheek where his stubble had grown out over the day. It was a slow, languid kiss, and I could feel him melting into it.

Just as the kiss was turning heated, though, I stepped back. Elroy tried to follow me, but I retreated too far back. He looked at me in dazed confusion.

“What are you doing, Olivia?” he asked quietly, voice pitched low and eyes locked on my lips. I smiled, the picture of innocence.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “Must have been a trick of the light. It happens to me too sometimes.”

I watched with a coy smile as Elroy processed my words, his eyes slowly widening in surprise. I’d honestly never considered being with another Alpha before, but there was a spark of competition to the dynamic that I was quickly learning to feed off of. Based on the smirk coming to Elroy’s lips, I wasn’t the only one.

He opened his mouth, but I wasn’t done playing cat-and-mouse so I cut him off with a swift, “Goodnight!” and shut my door in his face. Outside it was momentarily silent, then Elroy burst into laughter that I could hear through the door. I hid my smile behind my hand as if he would somehow see it.

My mouth. The mouth I had just kissed Elroy with. I had kissed Elroy!

I shook my head at myself, wondering what the hell I’d been thinking. For some reason kissing outside of sex felt very different, almost taboo in a contractual relationship like ours, but he hadn’t pushed me away. If anything, he’d seemed to like it.

My heart raced in my chest. I’d liked it too.