The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Read Online
Bonus Chapter 2. (Ash + Petra. Part 1.)
Petra couldn’t contain her excitement as their car drove into the Silver River Pack’s territory.
Her pack.
Her new home.
“It’s not as big as it used to be,” Ash leaned closer to her, and his lips brushed over her ear, eliciting a rash of goosebumps over her skin. “The previous Alpha lost half of the pack’s lands during his divorce. And we have been struggling with money since then, but it’s going to get better. I promise.”
Petra knew the story, and the pack looked much better than she’d expected. She loved how he admitted to all that sheepishly as if he was worried that it would change her mind about him. It wouldn’t. Not a chance.
Petra knew she loved him when they met at dawn after the Avalanche Battle. After the most brutal fight of any of their lives, the avalanche and all the digging they had to do during the night, they both rushed to keep their word and meet each other at the Northern castle.
Petra barely had time to fine some oversized men’s sweats and a t-shirt to wear, and Ash arrived in someone’s fur coat covering his n*ake*d body. They looked bizarre and felt like the oddest couple ever, but it felt so right when she threw herself into his arms, and he spun her in the air, pressing her to him as tightly as he could. Despite them staying close to each other on the battlefield, this was an important step for them as a couple. Their first promise kept. The beginning of their new life together.
“Will you be my mate and Luna?” Ash did not hesitate this time, and she giggled as she nodded at him, finally accepting her fate, her chest heaving with excitement. It was happening. It was finally happening. Everything she’d dreamed of was about to start.
They found an unlocked storage room, kissing madly all the way there, unable to part even for a second. This was not how Petra imagined her first time to be, but to some extent, it was much better.
Imperfectly perfect.
She helped Ash out of his coat, and he pulled her shirt off in one swift move, snarling at the sight of her n*ake*d flesh before his eyes.
“Goddess, you are beautiful!” he muttered, pulling her back into his rock-hard chest and covering her lips with his. Petra had never felt a man’s hands on her. Not like that. Each Ash’s move was greedy and possessive, as if he couldn’t get enough of her, and Petra felt the need for him growing inside her too, unable to restrain herself. He was older and more experienced, and although his touches seemed desperate and a*s*sertive, driven by his desire for her, he knew exactly what he was doing because she was melting in his arms.
Ash slipped beneath the waistband of her sweats and slid his hand between her thighs for the first time, making her whimper from the new and unexpected sensation. Petra threw her head back, letting a m*oa*n she had been suppressing for so long finally escape her. The sound was met with a growl of approval from her mate, who slipped one of his fingers between her w*et folds, making sparks ripple through her body.
Petra wanted to bite her lip, but he got there first, thrusting his hot tongue past her lips, dominating her easily as she simply focused on remembering to breathe now as he led her in this new and exciting dance.
Then, all of a sudden, Ash groaned and pulled away, leaving her feeling cold and empty.
“Damn it!” he swore under his breath and then added a few more intricate words to the mix, his chest heaving as he tried not to look at her.
“Did I– do something wrong?” Petra wanted to cover herself, not sure if she had repelled him in some unknown way.
“You? Wrong?” Ash let out a dark chuckle and wrapped his arms around her. “Petra, you are perfection from head to toe. I am barely restraining myself from taking you in this dirty space. I want to ravish you and make you mine in every way imaginable. Don’t ever think otherwise. You simply can’t do anything wrong. Not with me.”
“Then why–” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence as it felt like she was begging him to take her now. Although his previous words tinted her cheeks, warmth spread over her chest.
“Because, Petra,” Ash let out a heavy sigh and then finally brought himself to meet her gaze. “Because you deserve so much more than this. I can’t take your innocence here… not here and not like this.”
She giggled at that. “I really don’t mind, Ash. After everything we’ve been through, I don’t need rose petals and a diamond necklace to go with it. I just need you, my mate. As close as possible and I need you now.”
He growled again, and she taunted him, dropping the sweats she was wearing onto the ground and turning to swipe everything off the table she was leaning on with her arm in one decisive move. Then she hopped on top of it and looked at him again, quirking her brow up in invitation.
At that moment, the door to the room started to open, and Petra got scared that some stranger would see her. She was getting bolder and braver, but she wasn’t ready for something like that.
“No!” she screamed, looking at the door, and it closed shut suddenly. She heard curses behind it, and the person outside pushed against the door, muttering more Northern expletives as he tried to enter again. Petra panicked, and one of the heavy wooden boxes on the floor moved to the door to block it from opening.
“Did you–” Ash’s head snapped to look at his startled mate.
The question hung in the air between them.
Was she the one who did that? Did she just move an object without touching it?
“I don’t know!” Petra panicked, covering her mouth. “Did I?”
Ash furrowed his brows.
“You have been blessed by a god today,” Ash stated thoughtfully, taking her hand into his. “After Riannon was reborn and blessed, she gradually developed some extraordinary abilities.”
“The battle happened hours ago!” Petra was still in denial. “That’s not “gradually”.”
“No, but you didn’t die and didn’t have to be restored after a rebirth,” Ash pointed out. “And if I am not mistaken, you were one of the first to respond to Fenrir’s call.”
That was true. The moment Petra heard it in her heart, she knew this was what she had been waiting for her whole life. A chance to be a real fighter. Not just a tiny wolf and a pretty face. Deep inside, Petra always craved more. Now she knew it.
They heard more warriors returning to the castle, and a few more people tried the damn door. Ash helped Petra to get dressed, to their shared disappointment. Their beautiful moment was gone.
***
This was why Petra was especially excited for today. They were together at last. No obstructions between them, no more complications.
“I love it, Ash,” she beamed at her future husband and saw a relieved smile curling his lips. “We will build it bigger and better if that’s what you want. Together.”
“Together,” he repeated her words, leaning closer and kissing her shoulder softly.
Their car stopped in front of a mansion that definitely needed some repair work done in the near future but, at the same time, she could tell it was still magnificent and spacious. Petra breathed out as her eyes carefully studied the surroundings. She could definitely work with this.
Ash got out of the car first and walked around to open the door for her. Petra amoothed the creases on her dress with shaky hands, trying to calm down. Evelyn taught her how important first impressions were. She has trained for this moment her whole life.
Introduction to the pack that she was going to rule alongside Ash.
She saw through the tinted glass of the car door that his hand was almost on the handle to let her out when she heard a shrieking noise that startled her.
“Ash!” Some blonde girl in a short red dress screamed, and before Petra could react or even get out of the damn car, the unfamiliar she-wolf threw herself in Ash’s arms as if she belonged there.
Petra froze in her seat. This wasn’t what she expected at all. This, in fact, was her worst nightmare. Did she get into one of these stories everyone whispered about where an Alpha was going to treat his Luna horribly while parading his mistresses around in front of the whole pack?
She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Ash really didn’t look like the type. Although she immediately remembered how many times he hesitated to claim her. Was this woman the reason why?
Petra released a steady breath and prepared to open the door herself when she saw Ash distancing himself from the woman in question.
“Harper!” he groaned. “Boundaries, please!”
Those words let Petra breathe again, but she was far from calm now. She needed answers.
Ash rushed to open the door as if he knew what she felt.
“My love,” he stretched a hand to her, and Petra accepted it, stepping out of the car as gracefully as she could. She chose an appropriate pink tweed dress and a blazer outfit for today, paired with her mother’s favourite pearls, letting her blush pink curls fall freely down her shoulders.
“Petra,” Ash slid his palm up her back and then pulled her into his warm embrace, “this is the previous Alpha’s sister, Harper Thorne. Harper, this is your new Luna and my mate, Petra.”
“Nice to meet you,” Petra decided to not make any a*s*sumptions based on one small interaction and stretched her hand out to the blonde.
“Aren’t you a pretty stick of cotton candy?” Harper giggled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. Petra had seen enough fake smiles at to recognise one.
“Thanks,” the Northerner wasn’t letting it get to her. “Ash says I am delicious, too.”
Their gazes locked, and Harper’s turned into a glare. She had received the message.
“Follow me,” the woman f*orc*ed a false smile back into her face anyway. “I have everything prepared for you.”
Ash tensed, and so did Petra. Why was this woman leading them anywhere? What was her position in the pack?
Despite everything, they followed.
“Thanks for caring, Harp, but next time you don’t need to go into all this trouble–”Ash was definitely trying to fix the situation, and it made Petra exhale in relief. This seemed to be as awkward for him as it was for her and he ensured that she knew it.
They met a few people downstairs, and everyone was respectful, happy for their Alpha and honoured to meet their new Luna. However, Harper stood there the whole time, watching over them with her arms crossed over her chest and lips pressed tightly together.
“Petra needs some rest, you guys!” she announced all of a sudden, and it didn’t escape Petra that she used her name and not her title. “It was a long road, and she needs to settle here.”
After a few awkward goodbyes, they went upstairs. Petra indeed wanted to relax because it was a long and exhausting day. Just a few hours ago, Ash had to fight one of her father’s best warriors to prove he was worthy of her, and although he won the fight, she could tell he was tired too.
But most importantly, it would be the first time, they would truly be together, and they both couldn’t wait. This was why they both ignored Harper’s suggestion.
However, Petra got tense when Harper led them upstairs too. What was next? She would make their bed for them and stay to watch overnight?
It didn’t help that Harper wore the tightest and s*e*xiest short wine-red dress and high heels. She looked like she was going to a party, but sadly she was in no rush to leave them alone.
“Petra,” she used her name again, although they weren’t close and it was inappropriate, “your room is here. I made sure you have everything you might need in there. Toiletries, sleepwear, new towels, books… although it doesn’t look like you enjoy reading.”
A jab. This time it was clear as day.
“You’ve been a busy bee,” Petra furrowed her pink eyebrows, chewing on the inside of her cheek. She still didn’t know how to handle it best.
“Sure,” Harper gave her the brightest smile. “It’s our best Guest suite.”
“A guest suite?” Petra tilted her head and arched her brow. “Shouldn’t I be in the Luna Suite?”
“Oh, these rooms are taken already!” Harper giggled.
“And you were supposed to free them,” Ash said in an ice-cold tone, making the girl drop her sneer.
“I– I just have a lot of things in there,” Harper stuttered, clenching her full lips.
“You are the one living in the Luna Suite?” Petra gasped. “On what grounds?”
This time she noticed the other woman smirking at her.
“It’s because Ash and I–”
“It’s because she is the previous Alpha’s sister, and I didn’t have a Luna before.” Ash intervened, and once again, Petra felt relieved. But only partially. This wasn’t enough.
As if he could sense her anger, her mate added, “But Harper was told to free up the accommodations weeks ago.”
“Harper is not the fastest werewolf, then!” Petra snorted, surprised with herself. She was rarely like this.
“Where is the Alpha Suite?” she asked her mate, sliding her fingers up his sleeve, knowing it would elicit tingles all over him.
“Right there,” he let out a low growl, his nostrils flared as if he could barely hold himself back. He pointed at the other side of a very long corridor.
“Oh?” Petra sighed and licked her lips, aware of his eyes lingering on them. “So far away–”
“Yeah, that will not do,” he agreed with a grin. “How about we share my suite?”
“All right, roomie, ” she giggled. “I have to warn you, though. I am really restless at night.”
“How restless are we talking?” Ash cleared his throat, and she loved the effect she had on him. A part of her was sorry for Harper, who clearly had feelings for him. And possibly history.
However, Petra was not sorry enough to let the woman walk all over her or let her have any hopes for her mate.
“You might need to restrain me at some point,” she gave Ash a very promising look and walked away to the door of his room.
He followed her swiftly, and to her surprise, so did Harper. Petra offered her a questioning look, but the she-wolf only shrugged in response.
“I am retiring for the day too,” she said. “And this is where I live.”
Harper pointed at the door right next to Ash’s, and that made Petra fume. She was indeed residing in the Luna suite and behaved as if she owned the place.
“Of course,” Petra narrowed her eyes, “after all, you need to gather your things and move out as soon as possible. We will not be holding you back from that. Have a nice evening.”
Harper’s lips twitched.
“It will probably take a few days. There isn’t a room available for me to move in.”
“Of course, there is!” It was Petra’s time to sneer as she pointed at the door on the other end of the corridor. “Moreover, you just prepared it to your liking with books and all that. Didn’t you say it yourself? It’s the best guest suite in the pack house!”
“But-” Harper wanted to protest, yet this time Ash was the one to interrupt her.
“Harp, follow your Luna’s orders. You can take the guest room for a few days.”
“For a few days?” The blonde looked at the Alpha hopefully, and Petra’s heart froze.
“Yeah, until we find you a proper cottage to move in,” Ash responded calmly. “I am sure your grandmother’s old house will be suitable enough. It’s part of your family history and heritage. It will be perfect for you even if it requires some work.”
“But–”
“Excuse us now,” Ash hugged Petra and pushed her into their room gently. “My Luna and I are tired. We need some rest and alone time. After all, we were apart for so long and we need to make up for that.”
AN: Part 2 of Ash and Petra’s bonus chapter will follow shortly.