SHE'S THE LUNA I WANT

JACE.

I went home right away after my conversation with Amara in my office. I just gave in to the young Alpha’s manipulation, and I had no idea why I did.

I knew better, she was taking one step closer to staking her claim on me, and I was just letting her. She will be eighteen in two months and would probably meet her mate soon. She made it clear anyway that no hearts would be broken.

Maybe I could just give in a bit and make the most of the two months before fate separated our lives completely.

My heart clenched at the thought of Amara finding her fated mate soon.

In a shifter's world, scenting our mates only happened once we turned eighteen. Only if both parties were eighteen or older and were able to shift and summon their wolves out. This was because both the humans and their wolves needed to be of age before the mate bond could be activated.

So even if Amara already had her wolf at sixteen, her human body would need to come of age for her to scent her mate and for her mate-scent to come out of her body.

And females would usually find their mates earlier, or the moment they turned eighteen, while males would find theirs later in life, but of course, there were instances where men found theirs at an early age as well.

But it would be better if Amara found hers before I did.

I was sure I could keep myself together until my own fated mate came, rather than the other way around.

Zero howled in my head and shared my sentiments. He liked Amara too, but like me, he knew our mate was somewhere out there.

Two months.

I had no idea how I would refrain from touching her, but I had done so for years. It shouldn't be a problem. Except that recently, my attraction for her has kept getting stronger.

It started when I saw her shift at sixteen. I kept telling myself that it was probably because I saw her almost naked that it awakened something in me. But I knew it was more than that. I was hoping to be the only one who could see her naked and be the one to own that body.

But fate had someone in store for me. And breaking Amara would be unfair to her and to my fated mate, knowing I had no intention of claiming anyone except for my moon blessed.

I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on the steering wheel.

I went home and did some paperwork before hurrying back to the academy. I had no fucking idea why my feet decided to move on their own and drove me here.

So yes, now I was seated inside my car outside the Shadow Academy gymnasium, waiting for Amara to finish her last class.

Some students had already gone out of the gym and passed by the area where I was. Some identified my car, and I saw them whispering with each other. Showing up here only meant one thing — I was doing my part to play the boyfriend that Amara wanted me to play.

A knock on my window snapped me out of my thoughts and made my head tilt to the left. I saw Cyrus outside, a wide grin on his face as he waited for me to roll down my window.

"Hey, fucker! What are you doing here?" Cyrius greeted me, and we shook each other's hands before he playfully threw a punch at my arm.

Cyrus is the next Alpha of the Blue Meadows Pack and Tyler's cousin. He was also Amber's twin brother and almost the same age as Amara.

They were probably in the same class for sports, as he was just wearing jersey shorts and a t-shirt. "Just picking up someone. Have you seen Amara inside?"

"She was chatting with some females. She'll probably be out soon. So it's true you're a couple now?" I chuckled but didn't say anything and just rested my arms on the wheel.

"What the fuck happened to waiting for your mate?" He chuckled as he swung his backpack on his shoulder.

This was the thing, I didn't even think about what I would tell the guys if they asked about us, as I had been vocal about not going into a relationship.

"Amara is not my girlfriend,” I told him, as I never lied to this man.

"And what are you doing here?"

"I don't know. Just keep your mouth shut when someone asks. I'm just protecting her from all the other alpha males out there.”

He laughed. "As if Amara needs protection. That female can wipe out all the males that stand in her way. In case you're not aware."

"l know."

"So quit with the bullshit. You like her. End of the conversation.” He snickered.

"Fuck you." I chuckled back.

"I'd been wanting to fuck, but mine is not yet of age. I have to wait for a fucking long time.”

"Back off. If I see you even throwing a glance at her, I will castrate you."

He raised his hands and stepped backward, chuckling as he did. "You and I, Jace. We both have the same respect for the females we want. She's safe in my heart until she shows up as my fated mate even if I have to wait for many years."

I smiled and gave him a salute before he turned around and walked toward his car.

Cyrus was just like his father, Alpha Caspian, a gentleman in every aspect, so when he told me about the female he wanted, I was sure she was safe because he would never take advantage of her.

I was doing my best to do the same thing. Except now that Amara was soon to come of age, I couldn't help but see her whenever I closed my eyes. And lately, seeing her include all these dirty thoughts.

I smiled despite myself. Dad was the exact opposite of me. He never wanted a Luna or a mate, so he fucked around and tasted every female that came his way. Until he met Mom, and she ruined every other female for him.

My head snapped up, and I turned to the entrance of the gymnasium when I heard female voices chattering, and I was right, Amara was among them.

I opened my car door and stepped out before closing it behind me.

I had my sunglasses on, so I was free to roam my eyes over her porcelain skin. I leaned back against my car and watched as she waved goodbye to her classmates and made her way to me. I crossed one leg over the other so my cock, which was starting to wake up, would not be evident in my pants.

My kitten was wearing short shorts and just a sports bra, with her small duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She had her sandy blonde hair up in a tight ponytail, and with just a smile on her face, she already looked like a top supermodel even with just average height.

No wonder she had many admirers.

Tough luck for them — her eyes were just on me.

And how I wished I could offer her more.

I slid my hands into my pockets to prevent myself from grabbing her waist as soon as she stopped in front of me. Her eyes beamed as she cocked her head to look at me.

"I didn’t know you were going to pick me up. If I had known, I should have come out earlier.”

"No harm done. Get inside the car so I can drive you to your dorm.”

"Are we not going to eat out? I love Aunt Luisa, but the dorm food sucks sometimes. I should tell her that.”

I chuckled. "Nothing beats homemade food."

"I'm sure of that. How about you cook for me one of these days? I know you can whip up a good meal."

"One of these days," I answered curtly.

"Great. Who knows someone can make the Black Shadow Pack Alpha follow an order?" She flipped her hair after I took her bag from her hand, and we walked over to the other side of the car.

I chuckled at her words and just kept my mouth shut.

"Well, only Amara can. No one else. Right?"

"Hmmm..." I mumbled. I didn't want to say anything that would just escalate or backfire in my face. I opened the backseat and threw her bag before opening her car door. I had no intention of doing the latter, but the temptress didn't open her own door and just stood there, waiting until I did it for her.

"Get in now," I told her, shaking my head, but I let a smile grace my lips.

"I didn't get any kisses yet." She said at the same time she turned around to face me. She rose on her toes and placed a soft kiss on my lips without any warning.

My chest rumbled with a low growl, and she immediately climbed into my pickup, hiking her ass higher than it should have been while giggling as I closed her door.

This was fucking wrong. I just threw myself into a bigger hole.

I let out a sigh before I went to my side of the car and slipped in.

"So where are we eating?" She asked nonchalantly as if what she did, didn't give me a boner. "We'll go to your dorm first, and you need to change clothes,” I answered as I maneuvered the car out of its parking place.

"What's wrong with this? I didn't even sweat as I wasn't part of the females who went for the volleyball match today.” She explained. her forehead creasing.

"It's not the sweat. You're not going out in those clothes, it's like panties and a bra.”

"Well, it still hides my pussy and my breasts, so what's the big deal.”

"Change your clothes or you'll be eating dorm food alone.”

"Such a grumpy ass.”

"And yet you still choose me to play this game with you.”

"I will not answer that." She snapped back at me, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Good."

"If I change clothes, then it will take time.”

" have time."

"Aren't you an Alpha? You'd been slacking off lately. Yesterday, you drove ten hours to pick me up and take me here. And then today again.”

"I have a capable Beta and a Gamma who can step up if I slack off."

"Or I'm just that special you forget being an Alpha when I'm with you.”

I chuckled and shook my head.

"I'm bad for you, Jace."

"Yes, you are."

"But you're still here. I wonder why..."

I wondered why as well. I wanted to tell her, but I didn't.

Amara was too intelligent to manipulate me with her words into admitting that I liked her. But it was not going to happen.

"We're here. Now get dressed, and I'll wait for you here.”

"You can come with me upstairs too and watch while I change clothes. I'm sure my roommates won't mind." She winked at me.

"Amara!" I growled at her because of the thought she put into my head.

She laughed heartily before climbing up on her seat to get her duffel bag from the back. Her action put her round ass and smooth legs in my peripheral view. I know she did it on purpose.

I brushed my hand over my face and leaned my elbow on the window, but I couldn't stop staring at her while making sure my face was devoid of any emotion.

Why was it taking too long for her to pick up her bag?

"I can't reach it." She said it as if she could read my mind.

I let out a sigh and slipped my arm in between our car seats without her taking her body away, so my skin was brushing against hers. After I grabbed her bag, she returned to her seat and thanked me before opening the car door and stepping out.

"I'll be back soon. Please keep your eyes on the steering wheel until I come back. Or those females will meet their demise.” She wiggled a finger as if she could scare me.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied just to avoid further conversation. "Hurry up now."