The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

1. Northern Hospitality

every curve, creating burst after burst of tingles. Savannah arched her back, giving her mate better access, and grasped his hair as he teased her sensitive spot over and over. “You are mine, Savvy, only mine!” Zack growled as he entered her in one powerful thrust, locking their eyes and growling from the pleasure.The car jumped on an uneven northern road, and Savannah woke up, realising this was just a dream. She sighed in relief, looking around and seeing her best friend Kyle and new assistant Zara by her side.Savannah yawned as she looked outside of her car window. The views of the North did not impress her much. She sighed again, remembering that this would be her home from now on. It was unlikely that her future husband, the Northern Lycan King, would let her live in the West with her brother and his family. After all, he had been asking for her hand in marriage for so many years. Kai was a known cold-hearted brute, and she was surprised he was interested in her at all. Not to mention that she was still a minor the first time he dared to suggest the marriage. Fast forward to her being twenty now, and he still did not leave this idea.She, however, did not care about his motivation. She did not care about her future husband at all. This was a sacrifice that she was willing to make for her people. Because after her mate’s betrayal, she couldn’t feel anything anymore anyway.Just a few months ago, she was the happiest girl alive when, during a terrible war, she met the perfect man among her brother’s allies. Zack Morgan was an Alpha who earned his reputation as a great warrior and ruler. And everything in her life made sense the moment they laid their eyes on each other, and he called her his.He took her back to his pack and announced her his Luna before his packmates, proving the seriousness of his intentions. And then they had a night of passionate lovemaking. It was pure bliss, heaven on Earth, all her dreams came true… Up until the moment she woke up and accidentally heard about his plans to kill her brother and make her nothing more than a breeding machine for him. “Savannah will be busy the next few years mourning her brother and friends as well as giving birth to my pups… ” His cruel words would be imprinted in her memory forever. A scar that would never heal.Her heart broke into a million little pieces, and she ran away from him. Zack tried to get her back, but she made it very hard for him. And when they were finally able to face each other again, she rejected him. Only that he did not accept her rejection… which complicated everything for her.The car stopped, and she blinked a few times, trying to get out of her daze. She promised herself not to go into that darkness anymore. None of that mattered. She would never see him again.She was here, she was alive, and she was about to fulfil her princess duties and marry the man she did not love, need or even know. All for an alliance that her brother, the Western Lycan King needed, for she knew that if the two kingdoms were not working together now, they might both got destroyed by their enemies very soon. Her brother knew that, but King Kai did not. And they were lucky he agreed to all that in the first place.The driver opened the window and handed the papers to one of the northern guards.“Princess Savannah Stormhold,” he announced. “The bride of King Kai Fionnlagh.”The guard took his time to check the papers that were handed to him, and another one joined him, looking over his shoulder.“Is everything okay?” he asked.“Yeah, just one of the king’s brides arriving for the Trials,” the first one replied and handed the papers back.“What did he just say?” Kyle brushed his hand over his red hair. He had this little habit since their childhood.“There must be some kind of mistake,” Zara said reassuringly, checking her iPad. She always kept herself busy.“Of course,” Savannah chuckled. “Relax, Kyle. What else could it be?”They drove into the territory, and she was finally able to see what the high stone walls were hiding.It was a castle. A real castle! Huge, dark, ancient, and gloomy. Just like in history books.Savannah couldn’t believe her own eyes. She was a princess, yes, but she used to live in modern-style mansions. This was… so not what she expected. Even though her brother told her not to expect much from the North.And she didn’t. But she didn’t expect to get into the Middle Ages either.“Not important,” she breathed out. None of this was important. She just had to find Kai. Get married to him fast and be done with it. Then maybe they could work on some kind of agreement as to how their life together would be. Surely, they could agree on monthly visits. Hopefully, yearly, after she produced him an heir. Then maybe she could find her mate, kill him and just concentrate on her child. This was a good enough plan.She and her entourage got out of their cars. And Savvy noticed a woman in a dress too luxurious and open for the ugly and cold weather they had today, walking leisurely in their direction with a much younger girl by her side. The latter had some kind of folder in her hands.But it was the first one that bothered Savannah because she knew exactly who that was.“My name is Elene,” the woman smiled, playing with her heavy golden locks. “I am the Northern Princess and the sister of King Kai.”“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Savvy managed to curl her lips in a smile. “I am…” “I know who you are,” Elene sneered, and Savannah swallowed. Of course, she did. Elene probably knew everything about her family. After all, all this started with her. Years ago, Kai proposed her hand in marriage to her brother. Gideon declined the generous offer. The first time Kai asked for Savvy as his wife was probably just out of spite. It was no secret that Elene was in love with her brother. And now that he found his mate and was happily married, all her dreams about becoming the Luna of the Western Kingdom were gone.She probably hated her. Not that the situation was Savvy’s fault. But she could see that in the woman’s eyes now.“Follow me,” Elene waved to her and started walking. Sighing, Savannah did as she was told.“Your castle is magnificent,” she decided to start small talk just as etiquette required of her.“Thank you,” the northerner smirked and turned to have a look at her. “The other contenders said the same. You will be able to enjoy northern architecture more if you advance in…”“Excuse me?” Savannah was never slow, and she stopped right there and then. She knew a scheme when she saw one. “Other contenders? Maybe the princess will be so kind as to explain to me what that means?”“Other contenders for the title of The Luna of the North, of course,” Elene gave her the most innocent smile. “What else could it mean?”“But I am king Kai’s future wife,” Savvy lifted her chin up to meet the woman’s delighted gaze.“Oh, no, dear. You got something wrong. You are a contender for the position of his wife. Con-ten-der.”  Elene spelt the word for her, enjoying the moment to the core.“There must be some kind of a mistake,” Savannah insisted.“There is no mistake, dear,” the princess of the North said, “You are a contender in The Luna Trials. Take it or leave it.”“The Luna Trials?” Savannah clenched her fists, “You must be kidding! King Kai is of a very high opinion of himself if he thinks that his future wife should humiliate herself by fighting with other women over the honour of becoming his Luna!”“This is the North,” Elene suddenly became sharp, and all her smiles were gone. “The Northerners will never take a Luna who is not worthy! If you want this place, you need to prove that you are the best among all possible options. You need to be