The Falcon Ridge Series Book 4: Art of a Girl

(Chapter song ‘Sweet Emotion’ by Aerosmoth)

SAMMY

"Look up."

I do as instructed and turn my eyes up as the pack doctor shines a light in my eyes.

"Ok. Look at me." I direct my eyes to him and his light.

He takes the light away and smiles. "Well, young Luna. I really can't find anything wrong with you except your very exotic eye color.”

"But, why? I don't understand." I ask as he goes to his computer and starts to type.

He clears his throat and sits in his chair. "The only thing we did find was this chemical in your bloodstream. It doesn't seem to be doing any harm. It's inert really. If what you told me is true, it's entirely possible that this chemical had a reaction to the blue light being reflected off the moon from the sun."

I furrow my brow. “It’s just moonlight.”

He laughs. "Yes, that’s correct, but for us. It’s a bit different. The blue moon that we shifters see, is a special combination of light radiation given off by the sun when the moon is at a certain position in the sky. It hits the moon and that radiation is sent down to us, giving us the feeling and color we see. When that light hit your body, it activated that chemical which caused a rather violent reaction. After, that chemical inside you seems to have fused with your damaged Lycan gene. In short, it repaired it."

"So, I'm no longer a danger to anyone?" I ask quietly.

"Do you feel like you'd be a danger?" He arches a brow.

"No." I look down at my clinic gown. "But I would like be normal like you."

He laughs, stands and walks over to me. "Don't worry, Luna. I have full confidence that you're a regular, healthy shifter like the rest of us. Keep up with your counseling and training and you'll be making the Alpha proud in no time." He taps my arm.

"Thank you, doctor." I smile.

"No problem. Now get dressed. I need to get to the hospital and tend to the wounded there." He turns and grabs papers from his printer.

"Is it bad?" I ask solemnly.

"It's not good, but from what I hear we are winning." He smiles. "Bye Luna."

"Bye."

As much as I would love to bask in my new fated bond and enjoy the fact that I no longer have a beast within me, I can't.

Not while men and women continue to get hurt because of me.

The pack war continued for almost two weeks after the moon. Bastian left that night, after making love to me again. He had to get back to fight for his pack. To fight for me.

The best thing about being mated is that my mind link with Bastian is stable now. So, I can link him if I need to hear his voice. If I can't get through, I know he's fighting.

I leave the doctor's office in the mansion and head down the halls to the common room where Wren is waiting for me.

She was scrolling on her phone, glances at me and puts it down. "There's the Luna. How's everything.?"

I scratch my temple. "Well, besides having the weirdest cosmic event happen in my own body, everything's good. Apparently, the moon fixed my imbalance. So, for all intents and purposes, I'm normal."

"Do you feel her?" Wren asks.

"Yeah. She's...purring." I giggle.

"She's happy." Wren smiles.

"I never thought I'd be glad to feel that. It's weird. I should be angry at Torrent for everything that he is, but on some level, I have to thank him. If it wasn't for his bite, I wouldn't have met Bastian at all. It's surreal that I have the Bringer of death to thank for that." I play with my fingers.

"I think it's more a higher power." Wren tilts her head.

"What do you mean?" I look at her.

She sits back and leans on me. "I think on that day when Torrent bit you, a plan was set. I think Torrent was just a catalyst to start the events that led you here."

"What like a destined plan or something?" My brow ticks up.

She glances at me. "I think the moon had it all figured out for you and Bastian."

I giggle. "The moon." I say with doubt.

"Hey, that thing has powers. I've seen it. You've seen it. What happened in the ballroom? If that wasn't proof the blue moon has magic, I don't know what is." She hugged my arm.

"Well, as an artist, I like the idea of a magical blue moon pairing hearts together. It's perfect." I smile.

Wren sits up. "Well, it's not that perfect. At least, not for me."

I turn to her on the couch. "Your story's not over, Wren. Your time will happen. You'll see. It'll be soon and it will be so beautiful."

As the days went on, she eventually opened up and told me her story. I really can’t believe she’s holding it together like she is. I don’t know what I’d do without my family around me.

She smiles. "I like the thought, but I've been alone for so long now, I don't know if I could settle down. Even with my fated. It's not like I have a pack to call home or anything."

"Well." I sit up and make myself official. "As the new Luna of Black Rock, my first official announcement will be making you my first in command body guard." I nod.

Wren giggles. "That's cute."

"No. Wren. I mean it." I grab her hand. "You're strong and brave and you can teach me. Please stay here. You can have a home with us. It may not be Helena, but home is where your heart is, right?" I search her face.

She contemplates. "Ok. I guess, I can stay. At least until your training is done. After that I'm probably going to head to Falcon Ridge. Get back to the normal life I had before Black Lake and everything."

"Sounds great!" I beam.

"Sammy!" Dylan calls from the foyer.

"In here!" I call out.

He hits the door to the common room with an excited smile on his lips. "Bastian's back." He thumbs over his shoulder.

I whip my head to Wren, grin and bolt off the couch to the front door.

I throw open the door and stop on the steps. My heart melts the minute I see his eyes. He's broken, bloody and tired, but he's smiling. He drops his bag on the driveway when our eyes lock. I take in his beautiful face which looks relieved to be home. My Alpha is home.

I run full tilt to him and leap into his arms. He holds me under my legs as they wrap around his waist.

I grab his head, kiss him hard and run my fingers through his hair. I pull back a bit and gently nip his bottom lip.

"I missed you." I mumble on his lips.

"I missed you, too. So much." He grabs my head and kisses me again.

We come up for air. "Are you home for good?" I look into his amazing ocean blue eyes.

"Yeah. It's over. I'm home." He smiles.

I throw my arms around his neck and bury my head in shoulder. My heart fills with all the love I have for him.

He picks up his duffle and carries me into the house. I don't want to let him go ever again.

He sets me down on my feet. I wrap my arms around his waist and he hugs my shoulders.

Dylan stands in front of us. "So, the war's over?"

Bastian nods. "Yep. For now. We knocked their numbers down and about 1500 or so. They turned tail and ran. We did find out a few things, too."

“Like what?" I tilt my head to him.

"We found out how they can increase their numbers so fast." He looks between me and Dylan.

I let Bastian go. "How?"

"Nomad packs." He looks at both of us.

"Rogues?" Dylan asks.

Bastian shakes his head. "No. These are different. They were rumors until we confirmed it from a couple of prisoners. The Dragons have been seeking out small packs. Packs of twenty or less. Nomads. They have almost nothing in territory and live scattered across the country. Basically, they're what's left of destroyed packs. They stay hidden from the rest us. We've suspected they were out there for years, but couldn't confirm it until now."

"So, these are people without a home." I say.

"Pretty much and they apparently like it that way. But in the last fifteen years or so, we’ve suspected that these people were out there and that the Dragons have been signing Alliances with them to fight if they need to." Bastian crosses his arms.

I mirror Bastian's posture. "Can the Alliance find them and help them? Help them rebuild a home?"

Bastian turns his head to me. "I think they hate the Alliance as much as the Dragons do. At least for now, they don't want our help."

"That's so sad." My heart fills with a bit of pain for people that are suffering under Dragon rule.

Bastian picks up his bag. "I'm going to talk with the council see if we can't establish a liaison between the Alliance and the Nomads. If we can break the Dragon's Alliance, the Dragons will be crushed." He pulls me to him. "But first, my Luna. I need a shower and some food." He bounces his brow.

I giggle as Dylan cringes. "Gross."

Bastian points to him. "Be nice, brother."

"Ah... no." He gags and walks away.

We both look at each other and laugh as climb the stairs to our room. Bastian wants to enjoy our mate bonding in peace and I'm all for it.

****

We lay tangled in the sheets, just gazing in each other's eyes.

"I love you so much." I whisper as my finger traces his jawline.

"I love you, more." He smiles. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. In the last six months, you've taught me so much. Because of you, I have big plans for this pack."

"Oh?" My brow ticks up.

"Yep. I'm cleaning it up. I'm releasing funds to poorer neighborhoods and making sure everyone is properly taken care of. With your help of course." He smiles.

"Get out! Really?" I bolt up and straddle him.

"Yes, my gorgeous Luna. The days of my people suffering are over. And when I introduce you to the pack, we'll have a grand ball in your honor. At the Black Rock Amphitheater. Where I should have been in the first place." He strokes my hair.

"What about the ballroom?" I ask.

He smiles. "The trophy of a selfish man.” He ticks his head. “The destroyed trophy of s selfish man. Its going to take months to fix and I don’t care. I shouldn't have built it. My pack should come first. After you of course." He pulls me down onto his chest and kisses me.

"Wow. I never thought I'd see the day when Bastian Cole turned over a new leaf." I grin.

"You made that happen, my beautiful mate." He gives me a squeeze. "You made me see the bad in me and gave me the strength to change it."

I point to his chest. "No. You did that for me. You could've run the other way, but you chose to stay with me. You saved me from the darkness in me and I love you for it, mate."

"Mm... I love hearing that word from you." He grins and kisses me again.

After another round of hot mate sex, we had to get out of bed and get to work.

As Luna, I now had some choices to make. So, my first order of business was to call in Eric and Dylan.

Eric was the first to arrive. "There she is. The Queen of Black Rock. Come here!" He pulls me in for a hug.

"I'm hardly a queen." I giggle as I push back.

"No, but you are Luna now. Geez, how the hell did that happen?" He grins.

"Don't ask me. I was just a decorator six months ago." I laugh and I invite him to sit on the couch. "Which brings me to why I called you. I'm giving you Sam's Designs."

"What? Sammy. That's your baby." He furrows his brow and leans on his knees.

"It is. I know. I'll still be available for consult and you can work from here if you want. You can move into the pack house. But as Luna, I'll be too busy to do both. I trust you, Eric. There's no one I'd rather have running what I built than you." I sit next to him on the couch.

He looks around my office. "The office is a little girly for my taste, but I'll take it."

I throw my arms around him. "Thank you!" I kiss his cheek. "I knew you couldn't resist."

"Anything for my girl." He chuckles.

I hug him again and a voice clears it's throat.

I look up and Bastian is standing in the doorway, looking disturbed.

"Luna, we have a council meeting to get to." He said in a deep, authoritative tone.

I giggle at his obvious jealousy. "Right. Eric, I have to go. Your first job will be to have the contractor here to fix the skylight on the ballroom then fix up the rest of the damage. I have a few other things for you to do, but I'll discuss those when I get back."

Eric stands tall. "Yes, Luna." He could barely say it with a straight face and I shake my head.

Walking with Bastian, he glances over at me. "Is everything in order?"

"Yep. Eric will sign the paperwork this afternoon, then it'll be done. I can be Luna one hundred percent." I give his arm a squeeze.

"Very good. Now, let's get to that meeting." He gives me a squeeze back.