The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

6. Fresh Alr

I

ELETTR

Kai was sitting through a pointless and boring dinner which his sister arranged. He, Elene and his Beta Lachlan were dining on the upper floor, and he could watch his so-called Luna contenders dining downstairs through the glass window. He could already tell that his last hope for the stupid trials was already dead. None of them was his mate.

“Big deal!” Elene scoffed. “You know that mates are overrated anyway. Sometimes the Moon Goddess likes to laugh and gives Alphas like yourself an omega mate! Imagine an omega queen! That would be such a joke!”

“My mate would never be a joke to me,” Kai grunted. “Whatever rank or kind she is. A mate is a mate and this person is always given to us for a good reason.”

“Whatever,” his sister rolled her eyes, picking at her salad. “You know they are not given to everyone and you are getting too old for this, Kai The North needs a Luna and I can’t always fill in. One day I will get married and who knows… Maybe I will have to leave the North. Then someone will have to step up.”

He gulped his wine, knowing that his annoying sibling was right. He had gotten away with it for too long

“Marrying a random girl is not a great solution,” he said.

“Then how about you don’t marry a random person,” Elene snickered. “We have known Penelope for many years. You are good friends. She is loved and adored by everyone here and she is also the only daughter of one of your strongest Alphas.”

He knew that she would say that sooner or later. Penelope was her best friend and he knew all about their childhood dream. When they were children they made a pact that they would both marry lycan kings. That was a stupid agreement, but it got worse when Elene actually met Gideon

and fell for him. Since then she started to work extra hard to get him and Penelope together.

And Penelope was indeed the perfect Luna option for him. If only he hadn’t considered her a sister. Just thinking of kissing her or taking her to bed was gross.

However, for his kingdom, he was ready to do anything.

“Don’t even try this,” he cut his sister off and took another glance at the women. Each of them was beautiful in her own way and almost any one of them would make a perfect candidate, yet that did not bring any excitement to him.

“What you did was a bit cruel,” Lachlan stated plainly. “We knew that he would have to marry in the next few years but you really sped up the process, didn’t you? Not to mention that you cut his options significantly. He had a whole world of possibilities and now he has to choose between… How many women are there?”

“Nineteen,” Kai sighed as he finished counting.

“Twenty,” Elene corrected him. He just shrugged as he tried to specifically count just the ones who resembled alphas’ daughters. But maybe he took one of them for a helper instead. Never mind that.

“still expect you to find a way to stop this, he slightly growled at his sister.

“And I will if I absolutely have to,” Elene wiped her lips with a napkin and threw it on the table, standing up. “But first you will really give this a try. You will meet these girls and talk to them, get to know them better. And if after everything you still want to get rid of them. I swear to you, the final task will help us. They will not find fault with us.”

“Fine,” he grunted, scratching his beard.

“And get rid of that thing!” Elene pointed at it before she walked out. “You get away with this only before someone takes a picture of you.”

“They don’t take pics of

is the masquerade and at the end of it everyone will be taking photos of you and the contenders when the masks come off. And we need The North Star, not the woodcutter from the neighbouring

princess left before he could flip her

that I am the

marry you to her!” Kai let out

her to that self-proclaimed white bear king and solve all our troubles,” his Beta pointed out. And it

lycan by his side. What would stop him from murdering me

the contenders. He whistled, running his hand through his blonde hair. “At least she picked you some hotties. Maybe having a sister is not such a bad idea after

out a chesty laugh. But then his smile faded. He remembered something. “You know, the last time I saw Gideon when he brought that new Luna of his…

weakling?” Lachlan

eyes grazed the women beneath him. “This meeting would have ended the way all our conversations

all westerners,” his Beta rolled his eyes. “I would still prefer if one of these women was

guy with a big heart vibe of yours. But I am not feeling sorry for you having to spend your time with all these beautiful women!” Lachlan laughed and shoved his shoulder in friendly manner. “I have to go and check on the security in the castle and around. We have so many new people here now. I need to

and was ready to go

“Go to the garden. I need some fresh air and a run. Or a

what he wanted. So, he left the building and went to the west gate, where he always went when he wanted to shift

Asgard

and then the wind brought the delicious bluebell scent to his nostrils. “On another note, we didn’t check this pond

right. She was princess Savannah’s maid and absolutely off limits. He couldn’t possibly touch her. But… he couldn’t stop

the golden fabric slid off her delicate shoulders. The pond was illuminated from the other side and Kai could see the silhouette of the maid

much he wanted to see the show, he knew that it wouldn’t be right. So, he chose to make himself known to

ruffling her golden-brown wave locks. Kai couldn’t help his grin stretching over his lips. After tonight, he was happy

best to look offended even though he was amused by the whole situation. He also enjoyed the delicate blush that kissed her cheeks. It suited her. “I am just getting some fresh air. The question is what are you doing here? Are you trying to flash the guards?” he couldn’t wipe the

her, fascinated by the playful smile on her pretty face. He even missed the insult, feeling the warmth of

then,” a smile tugged at

to explain?” She did not look impressed. “I was about to shift and let my wolf run.

escaped him. She was pointing her index finger at him, and he grasped her wrist, spinning her and pressing her back to a nearby tree. “Little maid,” he was so close to her now that he could inhale her delicious scent

you know?” she burst out laughing. She irked him. But also… she excited

The gardener’s beard was tickling her neck and his hot breath was burning her skin. It was a game to him and it was a game to her

their eyes locked, he pinned her back to the tree. Forehead to forehead, ragged breathing, his hands on her waist… She wanted to kiss that gardener and to hell with everything. She didn’t care about the king anyway. And Athena was eager to

the familiar pain returned, piercing her

her wolf growled in fure, ready to burst out and destroy everything just

you okay?” the gardener brushed his palm over her cheek and she leaned into it because she was so hot and his skin was the coolness that she wanted so much, that she

she hissed, and he didn’t let

words.

into hers, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, demanding submission

strange girl. If someone saw him with this maid while his house was full of his potential Luna candidates, a scandal