The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 36. Tell Me What Happ…

Riannon couldn’t believe her own happiness when she opened her eyes and saw him lying in front of her and watching her.

Amate. She had a mate. A real one. Not a chosen one. A smile curled onto his lips and she reciprocated it. There were no regrets. Whatsoever.

This was very different from what she had with Brayden back in the day. Now that she thought about it, if this was what Brayden felt when he met his own mate, she could

understand why he couldn’t reject Roxanne.

• She would never reject Gideon if she knew.

.

.

This did not cancel all the horrible things that Roxy did to her and to others in their power struggle. But she could understand now.

Partially.

This was not changing her plan. But it gave her some understanding. “Onyx,” she called her wolf, “Are you there?” At first, all she heard was silence. But then the familiar voice sounded in her head.

“I will be soon…”

She tried calling her again, asking what was going on. But Onyx spoke no more.

However, this was better than nothing. This was a promise. And just knowing that her wolf didn’t abandon her made Riannon smile wider.

The motion did not go unnoticed. Gideon pulled her closer. So that her head was now

tucked into his chest, and he was able to dig his face into her hair and breathe in her scent that

he loved so much was able to enjoy for the first time.

“I can’t believe this is real,” he muttered, “From the moment I saw you… I dreamt of this. of holding you like this, of having you as mine.”

She looked up at his handsome face and slid her hand to brush his cheek with a short stubble that prickled her fingers slightly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked. “Would you believe me if I simply told you?” He arched his brow at her.

“I guess not,” she admitted honestly. She had too much on her plate to simply believe some lycan who approached her out of the blue insisting that she was his mate: Even if he was a king. Not to mention that Onyx, the little hyena, never told her that they were mates on the rare moments she spoke to her. She couldn’t believe her wolf would waste her strength to tell

everything

On the other hand, Onyx was smarter than regular wolves. Ria always knew that. She proved it to her many times. And to be honest, maybe it was for the best that she did not throw them into a situation where Riannon knew that he was her mate from the very beginning yet

did not feel the connection. In that way, Gideon had to work for it and earn her trust.

Yes, that wolf of hers wasn’t simple at all. She took a bet and look at where it got them…

“Yesterday,” he traced his fingers over her bare hand, “You said the word. You called me Mate. How did you know?”

“Onyx called you that,” Ria decided to confess. Now that they were together, she did not want secrets from him. It was hard starting to trust the new man in her life but what they had was so much different from what she experienced before.

It was bigger. And better. And so special. Everything one could wish for.

“Is Onyx back?” Gideon asked with hope in his voice. They were already together but he would still feel much better if he knew that the wolf was there.

“Partially,” Ria gave him a vague smile, “I feel her presence somewhere there inside of my soul but she is not at full strength yet. I think she is trying to restore after.”

She stopped talking and he suddenly got serious. This was not a joke to him at all. He knew about a few people who had lost their wolves. He started reading about them when he found out about Onyx’s absence. This was rare. But it did happen several times in shifter’s common history.

When the beast was lost, the host was becoming just an empty shell as half of their soul

That did not happen to Ria yet. But a mostly missing wolf was a

he wanted for

was another thing that bothered him. Those

Sometimes against forces much stronger than

the brink of death, the wolves, foxes, bears or other creatures sacrificed themselves to protect their hosts. The hosts survived but

owner was

worse than death.

through your beast’s eyes, to stop sensing what he

sense…

because something inside was missing as well. Everything was lessened, everything was different… Less vibrant. It was the same as sucking the joy out of life. That most vital part of a person was gone

everyone could

tell that Riannon was one of those who would be able to cope, though. She was strong. In some sense maybe

her to have that kind

everything

another thing. He didn’t know of any recent battles she took a part in. As far as his research on her showed, and his spies were among the best, her life was a typical Luna life. She had her hardships

to her in that pack behind the closed curtains that

Regardless of me asking you this earlier. But this time I want you to be absolutely honest. You can trust me. All that I do from the day I met you is for

she knew that she wasn’t going to like

was about to

Gideon tried not

the way his grasp on her

no,” she sighed. How could she

him to be

you physically?” the Lycan king asked through clenched

said at once to calm

his large palm and made her look at him, “Something that made you want not only divorce but

weak every time she spoke. She tried to convince herself that

weakness due to their rebirth and their

was everything? And more…

wrapping the Egyptian cotton sheets around herself, Gideon following her motion not to miss any trace of emotion on her beautiful

so that she could see him. He hoped that she would understand that no matter what was

himi..

to scare off, Riannon,” he gave her a soft

took everything away from me. She killed the people I cared about, made Brayden reject and humiliate me, taking my title. And even then, after I already lost everything, she still killed me with the help of one of the wolves from my own pack. It was horrible. But then I somehow came back to the very moment it all started. Gideon, I literally opened my eyes when the door opened and the two of them walked in into our packhouse. This was

on his face. Did she overdo it? Was it too

but she was too serious and nervous about that. And now that he was thinking,

the things did. Their very first conversation. She was already sure that bad things would

husband brought out his mate and mistress for everyone to see. Anyone would be

exactly the opposite.

was that bold. Unless… they were on the brink

He could see how worried she was

in the next moment, he grabbed her and pulled her into

knew that he believed her. And it did

sorry you had to go through this,” he said, kissing her hair as he couldn’t reach anything else from this position but didn’t want to let her go

his wonderful scent. Embracing the feeling of safety that he gave

finally afford to let it all out. The pain, the loneliness, the fight,

it felt so much

hurting together with her. Even Mars was howling inside feeling their

way faster than he expected. But his beautiful Luna never ceased

at him with puffy eyes, embarrassed

the last tear away with his thumb,

the whole next day in his room. Only ordering food in and

was always more. It started with the rebirth and then went

simply plan what they

years. But it was so different with Gideon. And not at all what she expected. They weren’t finishing each other’s sentences. He wasn’t agreeing with everything that she told him the way Brayden