The Runaway Luna (Book One)

Knock, Knock.

My head pops from under the covers. “Yeah?” I groan.

The door opens slowly, Michael’s head peeking around. “Can I come in? I have lunch,” he asks.

I smile sleepily at him with a small nod. He smiles back, coming into the room with a couple of takeout containers. I sit up and scoot to the headboard to make room for him. He hands me one of them as he sits.

“Thanks,” I say appreciatively.

“No problem, kiddo. Mom’s tired of cooking so she ordered Chinese,” he chuckles, digging into his food.

I laugh, before doing the same, “Well, the woman has been cooking for two days, so I don’t blame her. They went all out with this party.”

“Speaking for which, are you still excited for tonight?” he asks, looking at me worried.

I sigh with a little shrug, “Not as much as I was, but having you here makes me feel better.”

“Well, I’m glad I could be useful in some way,” he mumbles, absentmindedly stabbing at his sesame chicken.

I reach over to squeeze his hand, “Don’t do that. I know you are “Mr. Solve It” and you probably feel helpless, but you are not useless. I love you. I love that you always want to be here for me, but you can’t fix everything Michael.”

He meets my gaze and gives me a small nod, “I just wish I had the magic words to remedy this whole mess,” he admits. “This birthday was supposed to be an important and memorable day, but Goddess Annie, not like this.”

“I know, but there’s nothing that can be done. It is what it is,” I pull my hand away and take another bite of food.

“Well, it’s my mission to make sure you have the best birthday ever and enjoy this party if it’s the last thing I do,” he says stubbornly. “Though, I hope you know Mom and Dad are going to be watching you like a hawk. They are extremely worried.”

“I figured as much. Don’t worry. I’ll put on a brave face for them. They have worked too hard on this party for me to act uninterested. I owe them that,” I try to reassure him.

He nods in understanding before smirking, “I’ll make sure to harass you relentlessly tonight. By the time it’s over, that’s all you’ll remember about today.”

Rolling my eyes, I push his shoulder, “Goddess, aren’t you supposed to be the mature one?”

“Ow! Hey now. I’m twenty-two, practically your elder. You’re supposed to be respectful!” he complains, rubbing his shoulder.

“Twenty-two? More like twelve, you big baby. Go back to training!” I tease.

He laughs then changes the subject, which I’m grateful for. We talk about my medical training as well as his fighter training over the last couple of months. He complains about the “egotistical pups” and I about the impatient doctor who I have to follow sometimes. Eventually, he gets up and chunks a controller at me. We laugh, joke and complain while playing video games like no time has passed. It makes my heart so happy to have my big brother back that I almost forget my problems. Almost.

A couple of hours pass by when another knock sounds on my door.

“Come in,” I call out as I aggressively smash out combos on the controller.

Mom walks in with a smile on her face, “How did I know that’s what you two would be doing?”

“Probably because we are too predictable,” Michael smirks, matching my enthusiasm with his controller.

“Which one is this again?” Mom questions.

“Mortal Kombat. I will finally beat her, proving my fighter training isn’t for nothing,” Michael answers smugly.

I snicker, “It must be since this is our tenth match and I’ve won every time.”

“That’s because I was warming up. Your reign of tyranny ends today, little sis,” he says all dramatic.

I smirk, “Is that so, big bro? Then how come I just won…AGAIN?”

His face falls as my girl Mileena does a finishing move and kills his character Raiden. He groans, “SON OF A-“

“Michael James!!” Mom scolds, cutting him off.

I burst out laughing at the look on his face. His eyes narrow in warning which only makes me laugh harder. “That’s it!!” He exclaims, pouncing on me and tickling relentlessly.

“MICHAEL!!” I screech, trying to shove him off. “Mom, help!”

“Alright you two. Knock it off,” she chuckles.

Michael huffs but relents, “I swear, you cheat. I bet Leah helps you or something.”

“No! You just suck,” I smile, wiping the tears from my eyes.

“So I guess that means Wesley sucks, too,” Leah snickers in the back of my head.

I snort, quickly covering my mouth. His eyes narrow, “What did you say, Leah?”

“She said Wesley must suck too then since he can’t seem to help you,” I chuckle out.

He grumbles, standing up to grab our empty containers. He starts to walk out, but I stop him. “Hey, Michael?” He turns, looking at me questioningly. “Rematch after the party?”

He smirks, “You’re on.”

Mom and I watch him leave before she turns to me. “I came up to tell you it’s three o’clock. It’s time to start getting ready. Party’s at six.”

I force a smile and nod, “Okay.”

She walks forward to cup my face. “We don’t have to-“

“No, Mama. I already told Dad it’s fine. Let’s still have the party,” I try to say confidently.

She sighs, kissing my forehead, “Alright, baby. I want you to know if it becomes too much, don’t hesitate to come back home, okay?”

I silently nod as I stand up to hug her, “I will be alright. I should get ready before…uh, Jonathan gets here.”

She pulls back, “I figured you heard him. Are you okay with that?”

I sigh, walking over to my dresser to start pulling out undergarments, “Yeah, I guess. Everything’s just going to be super awkward now. I mean, I immediately pushed him away and wouldn’t let him come up here.”

“Sweetheart, I promise he’s not going to be upset with you. This is a lot, for the both of you,” she says, trying to comfort me.

“Exactly. And instead of leaning on each other, I hid from him. I love the man with everything in me, and I shut him out. I’m an idiot,” I chastise myself.

She shakes her head, “He understands. Trust me. He wanted to make sure you were okay but knew you needed space. Everything’s going to be okay. You two should just try to enjoy tonight and deal with the rest tomorrow.”

I turn to face her, leaning against the dresser, “Would…would you be upset with me if I chose him?”

She gives me a small smile, “No. I see how much you care for each other, and he’s pretty much a son already.” I smile back as she approaches me. She cups my face once again, “However, I still think you and Leah should give the mate bond a chance.” I go to interrupt but she stops me. “I know you feel differently about it now and the need to be in control over every part of your life is even stronger. I should know, you take after me. If it doesn’t make you happy, then you chose Jonathan and I will back you one hundred percent. So will your father.”

I sigh, “I want a love you and Dad have, and I thought I would have that with Jonathan. This whole mate bond completely jacked up my plans. I will try to be open minded but he will have to be an amazing mate for me to walk away from Jonathan. Though, I am more worried that Jonathan will walk first once he finds his mate. I’m sure she’ll be so beautiful and wonderful. If that happens Mom, mate or no mate, I don’t know if I’ll survive it.”

She furrows her brows, “Hey now. You are the most beautiful she-wolf in existence in my very unbiased opinion. But I understand the fear. For now, enough of that. Go hop in the shower and start getting ready.”

I grab my stuff and walk into my bathroom as she leaves the room, closing the door behind her. I take my time, wasting as much as I can. Leah tries to hype me up, talking about all the food Mom made, the family we’ll get to see, and the dancing. It’s appreciated, but my heart is too heavy to be truly excited.

A couple of hours pass and I find myself standing in front of the mirror, putting finishing touches. My outfit is a knee length, off the shoulder navy blue dress with a flattering sweetheart neckline. I had bought this dress for the way it hugged my curves, something to woo Jonathan with. Not wanting to accidentally kill myself, I pair it with a pair of black flats along with a cute black handbag. My hair is down, my natural curls on display. Mom had come in earlier and did my makeup since it’s not really my thing. It’s light but accents my features perfectly. I can’t help but feel beautiful.

“You are beautiful,” Leah says lovingly.

I smile at my reflection, seeing my eyes flash black as she moves closer. “Thanks, Leah,” I respond back in my head.

“Annie! It’s almost time to leave,” I hear Dad holler from downstairs.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” I call back, my heart starting to race.

“Nervous?” Leah asks.

“Extremely,” I tell her, fidgeting with the hem of my dress.

Leah sighs, “Everything will work out. Just try to have fun tonight.”

I nod silently, taking one last look. Reaching over to my bed, I grab my handbag and cell phone. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. My heart skips a beat, knowing exactly who it is. The front door opens.

“Hello, dear. You look very handsome,” my Mom greets, allowing him in.

“Thank you, Mrs. Hannah. Is Annie ready?” Jonathan asks, walking into the living room.

“She said she’d be down in a minute. Feel free to have a seat until then,” she offers.

“You can do this, Annie,” Leah reassures.

Taking a deep breath, I make my way out the bedroom and down the stairs. When I reach the bottom, my gaze moves to the living room. Mom and Dad stand to the side, dressed and ready to go. They look amazing in their matching outfits. I can’t believe Mom got him to wear purple. Dad has tears in his eyes while Mom is in full hysterics. Then, my eyes shift further in. The sight causes my breath to hitch. There sits Jonathan dressed in a matching navy button up shirt with black slacks. With his hair slicked back and his cologne hanging in the air, he looks more gorgeous than he normally does. His jaw drops and eyes widen when he sees me, his gaze trailing up and down my figure.

“Holy shit. He looks sexy as hell. And he is for sure undressing you with his eyes,” Leah drools in my head.

I blush at his reaction and her comment, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, “Hi.”

My voice snaps him out of his trance, and he smiles softly at me as he stands up, “Hey. You look…absolutely breathtaking.”

My face turns redder as I slowly approach them, “Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself.”

Before he can speak again, Mom grabs me. “Happy birthday, my baby,” she cries, squeezing the crap out of me.

I chuckle, rubbing her back, “Thank you. It’s okay, Mama. Don’t cry.”

“Hannah, darling. You’re gonna suffocate her,” Dad says, shaking his head. She finally lets me go so he can hug me next. “Happy birthday, baby girl. You look beautiful,” he whispers in my ear.

“Thanks Daddy,” I smile at him as he pulls away, trying to hide his tears.

Jonathan hangs back and smiles warmly at us, not wanting to interrupt. Mom notices and turns to my Dad, “Why don’t we go on ahead so we can start greeting guests?”

Dad nods, “Yes, that’s probably a good idea. Alright you two, we will see you there.” He laces his fingers into Mom’s as they head towards the door.

My gaze finds its way to the handsome man in front of me. The love and adoration in his eyes almost brings me to my knees. Jonathan waits until the front door shuts before he reacts. Without waiting another second, he takes two large steps and wraps me in a hug. Leah growls happily in my head, having Seth close to her again. My arms instinctively wrap around his neck as I greedily breath in his scent, not wanting the moment to end. Goosebumps spring up all over my body as his lips find their way to my neck. They travel down to my exposed shoulder, planting kisses along the way. I gasp and tremble in his arms, before I stiffen, unsure if we should be doing this. He freezes and curses under his breath, remembering what had happened hours earlier.

He pulls away slightly, keeping his hands on my waist while mine rests on his shoulders, “You look so beautiful, Annie. I hope I haven’t upset you. I got carried away.”

I’m touched by his concern but immediately shake my head, “You didn’t upset me. I promise. Honestly, I was expecting it to be awkward, since…you know.”

He nods in understanding with a sad smile, “Speaking of, are you okay?”

I frown, “No. I’m not. I’m sorry I pushed you away. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to comfort you. Panic took over and all I could think was that I needed to get out and run.”

Jonathan starts shaking his head, “No, Annie. Don’t apologize. You needed space, and I guess I did too.”

I look up into his eyes as I try to fight back the tears, “What do we do now?”

His hands slowly move up to cup my cheeks, “Don’t cry, gorgeous. My heart can’t take it. As far as where we go from here, that is up to you. I know where I stand. I meant everything I said to you before and after, that text included. I’m in love with you, Annabeth Solomon. I have been for a very long time.”

“And I’m in love with you too, Jonathan Murphy,” I whisper as I close my eyes, leaning into his touch.

“But…?” He questions.

My eyes open and stare into his, “But what?”

He smiles sadly, “I know you Annie. Sometimes better than I know myself. Also, I can imagine how Leah feels about this because it’s probably the same as Seth, wanting to find our mates.”

I groan, “It’s Leah more so than me. Honestly, I don’t want to find mine. I want you.” I pull away from him to lean back against the arm of the couch, “But, I know that’s not fair to any of you. You guys deserve that experience, even if it means I lose you.”

“Your mate could be a great guy, someone worth changing your plans for,” he offers dejectedly.

“I doubt it. But then again, yours could be an angel, someone worth moving on for,” I reply, looking away.

His hands reach out for mine, “I don’t want to let you go.”

“Neither do I, but I don’t know if I could survive us trying to build a life, only for you to find your mate and it all fall apart. You seem to think I’ll get swept away, but he would have to be the best man in the entire world and even then, it still may not be enough,” I say honestly.

Jonathan sighs before kneeling down in front of me. My eyebrows furrow in confusion as he rests our hands in my lap, looking up at me with love and pain. “You have no idea how happy I am to know I am what you want, but there’s this nagging voice that keeps telling me we should explore the bond, to give ourselves a choice. Even Seth feels like Leah, though I know they love each other. So, this is what I suggest. We give each other, say, two years to find our mates. At the end of that time, if we don’t find them or if we are not won over by them, we take each other as chosen mates.”

I look at him like he’s crazy, “Two years!? Are you serious?”

He sighs, squeezing my hands, “Yes, I am and I don’t say it lightly. I want nothing more than to tilt that pretty head back and mark you as mine.”

“Then, do it. I want to be with you,” I cry.

“Annie!” Leah exclaims in panic.

His pleading gaze intensifies, almost darkens, “Goddess, Annie. I…can’t. Not yet. Yesterday, maybe I would have, but I can’t do this to you until I know that you won’t regret it.”

“And in the meantime, I’m supposed to pretend the last three years didn’t happen? Pretend we are just friends?” I ask.

He turns my hands over, placing soft kisses onto my palms, “I have no intention of forgetting, but I think it would be better for us to pull back for now. Otherwise, we may miss our mate all together or hurt each other should we choose to go a different path.” He doesn’t say anymore, just looks up at me with immense sadness.

Leah whines in my mind. I know this is hurting her too, but she also wants this. How can I deny her after all we have been through? I sigh, quickly blinking a tear away, “Okay. Two years, if that’s what you think we should do.”

“Come on, let’s get to this party,” he whispers, pulling me up with him. I start to walk away, but his arms circle my waist, stopping me. He pulls me close, slamming my chest to his.

"Wait. All of that can start tomorrow. Right now, I wish to say happy birthday the way I originally planned,” he mutters before slamming his lips to mine. I melt into him, lost in his touch. The man kisses me like it’s the last time. For all we know, it could be so I match his enthusiasm, pouring three years of love into this.

We break away after several minutes, gasping for air. “I love you,” he mumbles.

“I love you, too. Now, let’s go, okay?” I hook my arm around his and head towards the front door.