Wolf-less Omega Luna novel Chapter 58

Alana’s POV

“Happy birthday, Alpha Axel!!”

The front porch was packed to the brim with pack members holding drinks, cards, wrapped boxes, fruit baskets, and more above their heads, smiling and clamoring “Happy Birthday” to Axel.

Tyler, Coral, Lexi, Emily, and I all made our way from the kitchen to the front door to see everybody full of smiles, and my once-melted heart melted all over again.

Axel looked at me and for a brief moment, we communicated with our eyes like we had developed a knack of doing and his look asked what hand I had in this. I shrugged my shoulders and brought my hands up in defense.

“You all successfully snuck this one up on me,” Axel’s thick and dominating voice resonated through the small crowd. “Thank you Crescent Moon pack.”

A few “you’re welcome, Alpha,” were echoed.

“I still can’t believe you had nothing to do with this,” he said for everybody to hear but with his form turned to me.

“I didn’t,” I laughed. “But I can’t say I wish the same.”

“We heard the Luna was planning something small for you so we decided to show our appreciation and love to you after that. It’s not much but we came with drinks.” A person from the group who I couldn’t recognize fully added.

Axel was now put under the spotlight as the five of us standing behind stared intently at him, including the crowd that was now slowly increasing.

“Well, the drinks aren’t going to down themselves so let's get to it. Give me as much as you can,” Axel finally said with a little excitement.

“Yeahh!!” The crowd became lively and I’m sure I heard a few hoots and whistles.

In less than ten minutes, a party was set up in front of the house and music blasted the cool night air, swallowing the sound of the breeze and insects and animals retreating for the day. Only a few pack members were in wolf form just lying down and idling away.

I caught sight of Axel walking around the group of werewolves, making small talk and accepting wrapped gifts. He looked genuinely content and grateful. It was safe to say that this was the best way his birthday could go.

We were surrounded by a pack who mostly loved and cared for us as their Alpha and Luna, who respected us and appreciated all the work Axel did for them.

The party was a nice way to connect with the rest of the pack on his special day but we already shared an intimate moment with the little decoration, gift boxes wrapped in pink, and a cake that looked like it was dipped in oil, tossed in the trash, and then brought out.

The sarcastic comments, the jeering, the emotions I felt through the bond with Axel, the feel of his hands on mine as the evening went by, were the parts that only a handful of us got to experience.

The warlock, who had, by all means, felt my eyes dissecting him did a 360 and his ice-blue eyes landed on me. With the way his lips slowly lifted into the most perfect smile, revealing his flawless dentition? I melted like butter.

But besides the look of content and satisfaction, there was something else in his eyes. Something…primal. Like need. Possession and blazing need. It sent a whizz through my bare skin.

I had no problem dwelling in that moment save for the voice I heard behind me. I wasn’t prepared for this, but I was better prepared than the last time.

“Hello, Alana or I should say Luna now.” I turned to settle my offensive gaze at her standing tall in her signature six-inch heels but didn't fail to notice that the jest usually coating the words was almost absent. Maybe I heard wrong.

Long blonde hair packed into a too-tight ponytail, long eyelashes bathed in thick mascara, eyes as blue as the sky next to snow, lips red like poison, and an upturned nose sitting on the longest neck ever.

“Britney, I promise you that this is not the time to try one of your stupid games with me. I don’t have it in me to be nice to you anymore so I will advise you to take your newly cooked plan elsewhere.” The building anger was evident in my tone.

Her taken-aback look was quickly replaced with a tilt of her lips. “I’m only here to talk to you.”

“I know, Britney,” I folded my hands across my chest. “You always ‘just’ want to talk,” I put my hands in quotes. “But that’s not what it always is, is it? You plan something stupid without considering the feelings of other people because of your weak ego and you mask it in a talk. I’m not falling for that this time around. Trust me.”

I wasn’t going to mince words. I was done being nice and she could shove her talk into her tight jeans and up her asshole.

“Ouch. I deserve that. But it’s different this time,” her voice didn’t have any of the usual ‘better than everyone else’ tone, and neither did her posture. It was strange, but she looked…calm? Was it just another of Britney’s tricks?

As if she saw that I was considering it, she added. “I promise to turn my back the very moment you feel uncomfortable with my presence.”

It was by a thin thread that I didn't say I already was.

My defiant posture remained as I whipped my head around looking for a sign of Axel. 

“Axel left for his office if he’s who you’re looking for,” said Britney.

“How convenient.” I eyed her suspiciously. After studying her for another few seconds, I dipped my head at her. “I’m listening.”

“I couldn’t help but overhear that you were in the omega section a few days ago. They wouldn’t stop chatting about it,” she said a little too quickly and a pinch too high before laughing dryly. “I’m not saying this from a place of hate, trust me. I’m only saying that I noticed the difference you made by being there just once. Everybody can see that you’re…decent, at being Luna of the pack, and I recognize that now.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that this suits you. And I probably saw that way before any of this started and I was bitter and took it out on you.” Did she just sniff? “You were always so organized and you had a solution for everything but the only solution I had for my problems was my rank which I abused to a fault. I shouldn’t have done any of it. I regret everything that I have put you through and I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am.”

I nodded at her, fed up with the same lines. “It’s okay, Britney. I’ve moved past it. You should too.”

She bobbed her head back, clearly not buying my acceptance but she smiled anyway. A smile that just almost reached her eyes.