Page 10 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

A sher's warm hand brushed her shoulder, warm sparks and tingles raced through her body. "Lita, is everything okay?" His silver eyes searched her face.

"I was ... having an argument with my wolf," Lita admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "And I'm tired. So tired."

“Of course you are. It takes a lot for us to control our wolves. More so when they’re strong. Do you need anything? Anything at all?”

Lita shook her head, then paused. She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "Actually, there is something," she said, her green eyes meeting his silver ones with sudden intensity. "You need to decide exactly what you want, Asher."

Confusion clouded his features. "What I want? I don't understand."

Her heart raced, but she pressed on. "Take the night. Really think about whether you want to drop your fiancée for a stranger." The words tasted bitter on her tongue, but she needed to say them.

Asher's expression hardened, his jaw clenching. "Lita, you're not a stranger. You're my mate."

"Asher," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "there's something you need to know. A secret about me. Before you can really accept me as your mate. But I’m too tired right now to get into it.”

“Lita," he said, his voice low and intense, "I meant what I said.

You're my mate. Whatever this secret is, it doesn't change that fact.

I'm committed to you, to us." He stepped up to her, brushing his fingers against her cheek.

“Get some rest. We have the rest of our lives to talk. So take care of yourself now.”

“Thank you.” She then turned to look at Caden. “Thank you for the sandwich, it was delicious.”

“Anytime!”

As she moved toward the stairs, Lita caught sight of Asher's face. His silver eyes were clouded with worry and his brow furrowed in a deep frown. The sight made her heart clench. The mate pull urged her to reassure him.

“We’ll talk later.” With each step up the stairs, she felt the weight of Asher's gaze on her back.

What would happen when he learned the truth?

It would be just like her pack. She would be rejected and left alone.

Not to mention the fact that he needed to be completely sure about his decision to leave his fiancée.

It wasn’t fair to either of them to prolong the inevitable, even if she had only just realized how badly she wanted this.

“What do you think that’s about?” Asher glanced over at Caden. “I’ve never heard of someone having to battle their wolf so fiercely.” Caden appeared to be deep in thought as he watched Lita walk away, and Asher turned to him with a questioning look. “What aren't you telling me?"

Caden ran a hand through his tousled chestnut hair, his expression guarded. "I have my suspicions, but I can't be certain yet. It's ... complicated."

"Complicated how?" Asher pressed, his voice tinged with a growl. He watched as Caden shrugged, and he raised an eyebrow at him. “You aren’t going to tell me?”

Caden shook his head with an apologetic smile.

He was fiercely loyal to Asher, but he was also developing a strong loyalty toward his future luna.

Whatever he suspected, he was keeping it to himself in order to protect her.

Asher understood and didn't press the issue any further.

If it was important, Caden would share it with him eventually.

For now, he would respect Lita's privacy and let Caden keep her secret safe.

"I'll do whatever it takes to help her. She's everything to me."

Caden's eyes softened, a hint of sadness flickering across his face. "I know, brother. I know. Come on, it’s getting late. Let’s get some sleep. It’s been an interesting day.”

“That it has been. That it has.”

Lita collapsed onto her bed, the silken sheets cool against her skin.

Her heart raced and her thoughts swirled like a tempest. She looked out toward the window with a sigh.

How could she expect him to give her an honest answer when she hadn’t told him everything about herself?

He didn’t tell her about Felicia … well, she didn’t tell him what her secret was, either.

She could imagine a life with him. Waking up to his silver eyes gazing at her with love.

Being by his side and helping him lead. But when he found out the truth …

that gaze would turn into disgust and fear, just like her own pack.

She knew she had to tell him. Tomorrow, she would end the dream and get back to reality.

“It was nice while it lasted,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

Lita struggled to find a comfortable position in bed, her thoughts racing and keeping her from sleep. She let out a frustrated groan.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Her bare feet met the cool, wooden floor, grounding her. "I need to calm down."

The idea of herbal tea flitted through her mind, a comforting remedy she'd learned in her healing studies. With a determined nod, Lita stood, wrapping herself in a soft robe.

"Just a quick cup," she whispered to herself, "then maybe I can finally sleep."

Padding silently down the hallway, Lita made her way to the kitchen. As she approached, the faint sound of rustling reached her ears.

Peering down the stairs, she spotted a broad-shouldered man she'd never seen before, his back to her as he rummaged through the refrigerator.

Lita hesitated, unsure whether to announce her presence or retreat. Before she could decide, the man turned, a half-eaten sandwich in his hand. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, then crinkled with amusement as he grinned, his cheeks bulging with food.

"Mmph!" he exclaimed, quickly chewing and swallowing. "You must be the new luna!" His voice was warm and jovial, despite being muffled by the remnants of his midnight snack.

Lita blinked, taken aback by his friendly demeanor. "I ... well, prospective luna," she replied, coming down fully into the kitchen.

The man wiped his hand on his jeans before extending it to her. "Garrett," he introduced himself. "The gamma. Just got done with patrol." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, a while ago, actually. Got a bit peckish."

Lita shook his hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Garrett. I'm Lita. Though I suppose you already knew that, given the 'new luna' comment."

Garrett chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Sharp as a tack, aren't you? I can see why Asher's so smitten."

“Well, smitten is yet to be decided. But the mate pull is at play.”

“I know all about that. I didn’t have the courage to act on my feelings before the mate pull. Then we were welded together. I can’t imagine my life without her. I loved her instantly. So yeah … smitten is accurate.” He grinned, a few crumbs falling from his chin. “Trouble sleeping?”

“Yes, I was going to make a cup of tea.” Lita frowned, her gaze drifting to the clock on the wall.

The glowing numbers read 2:37 AM. A pang of concern tugged at her heart as she turned back to Garrett.

"Do you always work such late hours?" she asked, her voice laced with a mixture of curiosity and worry.

Garrett's laugh was rich and warm, filling the quiet kitchen.

"Work? This isn't work, Luna. It's just .

.. normal." He shrugged, his eyes gleaming with pride.

"It's the least we can do to keep our pack safe.

Enemies are everywhere, just waiting for the right moment to attack.

" He lifted the remaining half of his sandwich, offering it to her with a grin.

"Here, want some? Nothing beats a midnight snack for chasing away worries. "

Lita couldn't help but laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Thanks, but I'll pass," she said, her green eyes twinkling with amusement. “Just the tea will be fine.” As she spoke, Caden sauntered in.

“Tea? I’ll get the hot water started for you.” He moved to the stove. “I guess we’re all night owls here.”

"What's got you up at this hour?" Lita watched him as he moved around the kitchen.

Caden flashed her a roguish grin. "Growing boy, remember? Need my midnight snacks before I start my shift at patrol." His gaze slid to Garrett's sandwich, eyebrow raising in mock hope.

Garrett clutched his food protectively. "Make your own. This one is mine.”

“Sheesh, so protective over food.” Caden snorted, moving around in the kitchen as the water began to whistle.

Caden reached for a nearby glass, and Lita's contentment shattered along with the cup. Hot water cascaded over Caden's hand, steam rising as glass shards embedded themselves in his skin.

"Shit," Caden hissed, more annoyed than pained.

Garrett clicked his tongue, utterly unperturbed. "Wrong cup, genius. Those ones can't handle the heat."

Lita's healer instincts kicked in instantly. She rushed to Caden's side, heart pounding. "Let me see," she commanded, gently taking his arm. Her eyes scanned his face, checking for signs of shock. "Are you okay? Did any steam hit your eyes?"

Caden's expression softened, a mix of surprise and something deeper flickering in his gaze. "I'm fine, Lita. Really. Werewolf healing, remember?"

But Lita couldn't shake the image of glass buried in his flesh, her chest tight with worry. She'd seen too many wounds left to "heal on their own" go badly.

Lita's eyes narrowed as she noticed Caden's skin already attempting to knit itself back together. "Stop," she commanded, her voice firm but tinged with concern. "You can't heal with glass still in there. It'll just trap it deeper."

She turned to Garrett, who was watching the scene with mild curiosity. "First aid kit. Now."

Garrett blinked, his sandwich frozen halfway to his mouth. "Uh... we have one of those?"

Lita felt a flash of exasperation. "You're telling me a pack of werewolves doesn't keep basic medical supplies?"

As if summoned by the mounting tension, a woman with auburn hair appeared on the stairway. "Did someone say first aid kit?" she asked, her gaze quickly assessing the situation. "I know where we keep one. I'll grab it."

"Thanks, Kristen," Garrett called after her retreating form. “That’s my mate.” He beamed proudly.

Lita guided Caden to a nearby chair, her touch gentle but insistent. She grabbed a clean dish towel, pressing it beneath his injured hand to catch the blood. "Hold still," she murmured, her professional aura rising to the surface.

Caden's lips quirked into a wry smile. "It's really not necessary. The glass will work its way out eventually."

Lita clicked her tongue, annoyance flaring. "And risk infection or improper healing? Not on my watch." She paused, a troubling thought occurring to her. "Wait, is this how your pack usually handles injuries? Just ... letting them sort themselves out?"

Caden had the grace to look slightly sheepish. "We don't exactly have a dedicated healer. There are some nurses and midwives around, but for anything serious, we'd go to a hospital in town."

Lita stared at him, momentarily speechless. Here was a whole pack of werewolves, and they didn’t have a healer?!

"Well," she said softly, meeting Caden's eyes, "maybe it's time that changed."

“It has,” he grinned. “You’re here, so now we have a luna healer.”