Chapter 20 - The Luna's Hidden Destiny

(Finn)

Well, that was a fucking plot twist...I stood there, drinking my scotch as I looked at my best friend's mate. Fuck she was a looker too, I have never seen anything like her.

When I first heard he found his mate, I thought he would reject her. Considering that it wasn't one of the higher-up's daughters that we knew. I figured it must have been an omega or something. Rowan had taste, he was like me, he wanted his pack to be powerful, to be as strong as possible. That was why I was with Genevieve, she was hot, yeah, but she also came from alpha blood.

He was so close to picking a mate too, he was honing in on Chloe, whose dad was a Beta from another pack. She must be pissed, the thought made me happy, Chloe was a complete bitch. But he didn't say it out loud, I saw it in his face, he knew his pack needed a Luna, and soon. Then this girl fell out of the fucking sky, who even knows where the hell she was from. Something about her though, when she talked to me, she didn't back down or submit. She was strong, probably stronger than she realizes.

Rowan is like a love-sick puppy, following her around, his hands on her at all times. I have never seen him like this in my life. Don't get me wrong, Ro had his dick moments, just usually not toward me. The way he looked at me and wanted to protect her from me. I knew why, but those other girls meant nothing to him. That was our game, he would steal my girlfriends and I would steal his. We liked to see who was the better Alpha that way. But he had the audacity to warn me to not go for Mila.

I took another sip, watching as his mate opened her presents. She acted as if she had never received a gift in her life.

Everything she looked at with curiosity, her eyes filled with excitement as Rowan watched her just as excitedly. The way her full lips curled up, her big emerald eyes sparkled..and that laugh. Fuck, that laugh..shit...I suddenly realized my cock was hard just from watching her.

I adjusted myself quickly making sure no one noticed, as I looked around. I guess everyone else was just as infatuated with her as me. Even that bastard Tristan was smiling, which I swear I had only seen twice.

I continued to watch her as the memory of when she blew out her candles filled me. It was so dark, I could barely make her out but I wanted to get closer. She smelled like champagne and strawberries to me. It was so subtle it was hard to tell, but it was sweet and intoxicating. I rested my hand on the chair as I leaned in gently, trying to see her better when she quickly grabbed my hand. What I felt startled me, almost like a flicker of something inside of me. A warmth that slowly filled me. She wasn't my mate, I already knew the mate bond since I denied my mate three years ago, wanting to pick one for myself. A Luna that was suitable enough to run Blue Moon. But what I felt with her, it was so similar, maybe because she wasn't marked yet. Could she be in heat? I'm sure we would all be able to tell a mile away if that was the case. It was odd..whoever Mila was, I felt deep down it was more than this. She was unlike any woman I had ever met..and the question that remains is, how do I make her mine?

(Rowan)

I watched as my beautiful mate opened her gifts one by one. Mom really went all out and I was thankful. Seeing Mila's smile and how happy she was just to even hold a gift filled me with complete joy. It even distracted me from Finn's constant staring. He was studying her, trying to figure out why she was my mate, and why I accepted her. No one knew but him, how I planned to choose a mate soon. And if I would have found my mate later on after choosing one, I would have had to refuse my fated mate. The thought alone pained me, what a huge mistake that would have been. I heard Bain growl in agreement, he was always against the idea. Angry with me for even thinking about it. Finn did it though, turned his mate down instantly, and didn't even look at her twice. He rejected her and she had no choice but to accept. He quickly paid off her family so they would change pacts, and never saw her again..now that was cold.

To think if I would have gone down that same path. I knew without a doubt that Mila was the one who was meant to be my Luna. Just seeing how my family has accepted her so quickly. Even Tristan accepted her, which honestly he would have been the hardest one. He hated Chloe, with a passion. The way she would already act like she was Luna. I thought about it, but I was holding out for a better choice. And thank the moon goddess I did, because I was sent my very own goddess.

"A cellphone?!" I heard Mila say excitedly. Who the hell got her a phone?

I looked around and saw Blake grinning from ear to ear..of course he did.

"I will help you set it up later Mil." He said happily, fuck I hated that nickname.

My mom handed her the next gift, she opened it excitedly. It was a smartwatch, of course, Mila had no idea what it was.

"It's a smartwatch, it also has a tracking device on it. So security knows where you are at all times." Tristan said proudly and I nodded in approval. That was a good idea, I approve of that gift.

"Really? It's not like she will ever be out of Ro's sight anyway." Finn scoffed, I could tell he was getting drunk.

"Thank you, Tristan, I love it." Mila said softly, admiring the watch as she set it down with her dozens of other presents. Please let that be the last one, oh goddess please.

"Just one more!" My mom said excitedly as she went into the other room.

"If it's a damn puppy I swear.." I said mumbling under my breath and Mila stuck her tongue out at me.

The action caused my heart to flutter. She might have been slightly drunk but she was fucking breathtaking. She also seems to get more handsy when she drinks too. Her hand caressed my arm or leg every time it was empty. I wasn't complaining, but there was no way in hell I would let her drink without me around now, especially knowing that.

Just then, my mom walked in, carrying a medium-sized box in her hands. She walked over, placing it in my mate's lap as I sat on the floor next to her, watching intently.

"I saw this in a shop this morning after we talked for the first time." She spoke softly, I couldn't believe how in love with Mila my parents already were. It was both heartwarming and scary. The fact that the moon goddess got this so right, it was just crazy.

Mila lifted the top of the box off, her eyes growing even bigger as she reached her hands inside. She gently wrapped her fingers around a glass ball and pulled it out. A gasp left her. It was a snow globe with a gold bottom. The inside had a tiny cabin surrounded by trees.

"It reminded me of what you told me about your home. I thought you could have a reminder of it. That is until your father comes." My mother spoke gently and Mila quickly placed the snow globe down, running to my mom and hugging her.

"I love it, thank you so much..all of you really. I never had anything like this before, and I know it might be a huge disruption on your lives for me to come so quickly but I hope one day I can make it up to all of you for how welcomed and cared for I have felt." Her voice became full of emotions as she looked around the room. Before I knew it, I was standing up and running to her. Enveloping her small frame into my arms, the urge to thank her filled me. To tell her how much we needed her, how long we have been waiting for her. How could one person change our lives so drastically? It hadn't even been a week and we all felt this way.

Blake quickly jumped into the hug, followed by my dad who pulled a reluctant Tristan with him. All of these grown adults breaking down because of one girl. I noticed Finn watching intently, the look of jealousy crossing him. I swear I heard him growl and I knew at that moment...I wasn't the only man who saw how special my Luna truly was. And if anyone got in between me and my mate, I would do anything to stop them..and I meant anything.