His Reluctant Luna novel Chapter 5

I woke up slowly and fought my way to consciousness as if trying to swim up from deep, dark waters. I was 9 again, there was smoke everywhere. People were running around trying to escape the fire, there were gunshots. I closed my ears, trying to shut out the chaos, someone grabbed my shoulders. It hurt.

I looked up at the face of the man, but it was all blurry. Then I was running again, I hid under a table and shut my eyes and ears again.

"Do not be scared, I will protect you......" Said a gentle voice. I turned and there was a boy, a few years older than me. He was hiding along with me while the smoke billowed around us. 

I woke up sweating from my nightmare, breathing hard. I checked my watch, it was still early.

Five am to be precise. Most of the juveniles and younger wolves would have already started their training. But I was on a vacation. I could catch a few more hours of sleep. Though I could not sleep anymore.

I lay in my bed and replied to a few emails, exchanged a few messages with Mark. My thoughts automatically shifted to the green-eyed stranger.

"Mate, I want my mate!" 

My wolf was suddenly alert. I had been thinking about him a lot... I mean a lot! 

I had not left the pack grounds for a week, scared that he might try to get in touch with me? Kidnap me? However, nothing of that sort had occurred. I did not see him again after that day.

Maybe he was not interested in a mate either. My wolf was disgruntled by this. But I was relieved. Perhaps, I might go out to that club which Emma had been pestering me to check out.

*********

 In a few hours, I was in the common dining room. I could have eaten at home as well with Linda and Rick, but I liked eating with everyone else. I was talking to a few youngsters about their warrior training when Emma arrived to join me.

"So, you finally decided to come out of hiding," she commented.

"I have not been hiding! I was simply resting," I replied. Though she was right, I had been freaked out ever since I had bumped into that green-eyed Adonis.  My wolf purred as I thought about him. I shook my head to dispel his thoughts.

Emma rolled her eyes at me.

"You haven't been to any of the training, either."

Wolves are very physical beings. They are extraordinarily strong even as humans, so they require a lot of physical activity to remain fit, strong and dispel their energy. Our wolves also need regular outings, so running through the woods at least once a week is recommended otherwise our wolves get antsy. Urban wolves like me do regular gyming. They shift and run on the weekends. My father ensured that all members of the pack, including females, were trained to fight. Rouge attacks and inter pack wars have reduced in modern times, but they were common earlier, they still happened among more savage packs. A woman who could not protect herself was worse than a burden during such wars. They had to be protected. Hence, my father ensured the pack females were also trained as warriors. Mark often said, how did I manage such heavy exercise in my delicate figure. I could snap him with my fingers if I wanted to, but I never showed him my strength.

"I am on a vacation! Can't I take a break? " I said exasperated.

I suddenly felt something and asked," Emma, are you pregnant?"

She nearly choked on her orange juice and looked at me incredulously," What! No. I had my heat 6 months back, and I am not due for my heat until next week. Why do you say so?"

"I just had this feeling," I mumbled.

"You are doing that again." She spoke.

"Doing what?" I asked puzzled.

"Remember when we were kids, and we were playing in the treehouse, and you told Rick that he would fall from the tree and a few days later he did?"

"Yeah so?"