The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert Read Online
Chapter 46
Brigit ran through the maze using the path she had already tried before. She knew she couldn’t trust anyone very well, and her own path was the safest.
The buildings of the Forgotten City started collapsing one by one way too fast, way too close …
To the point of her thinking that she wouldn’t make it.
She finally reached the hardest part of the maze with the secret tiles and tried to hop from one to another, looking for the empty ones or the northern stars.
She was already so close to the wall that she could almost taste the safety.
However, at the last moment, a small hut not far from her exploded, pieces of stone flying in all directions, one of the heavy ones landing on one of the crescent tiles right next to her foot.
She had just a second to react before the poisoned arrows flew at her, and she ducked down, sliding over several tiles.
She knew it was bad before she stopped, and the ground started falling through under her as she activated one of the silver pits.
The flower one. The one that had sharp spikes at the bottom.
Desperate, Brigit grasped the edge of the wall, but one of her hands slipped. This was the end. She knew it had to be, and tears started stinging her eyes. Everything was in vain…
Her fingers started giving in when a strong hand caught her wrist, not letting her fall to her death. Brigit’s first thought was that the white bears got her, and a chill went down her spine because she had failed.
Failed, failed, failed…
Big time.
That was when the tingles erupted through her, and she wished it was one of the white bears.
“I’ve got you!” Aspen growled as he pulled her up to the surface. He was so big, so warm, and he smelled like the northern mountains she loved so much.
“I’ve got you,” he repeated as he pressed her against his body.
She didn’t know if he was saying that to her or to himself, and she didn’t care. Brigit heard explosions here and there, but they were dying down now. Luckily, they were on safe turf now, and Aspen still held her in his arms. His scent enveloped her; his well-trained hands were keeping her in place.
She should have pushed him away, freed himself from her, run away…but she did not want to. She had dreamt of this her whole life. This was what she wanted, what she desired the most.
This! She wanted to have a man who would love her unconditionally, who would belong to her and her alone.
She did not want to share; she did not want to fight for him, she did not want to beg for his attention, she did not want to have to ask him for anything.
Brigit dreamt of a true mate, a fated one, who was born to make her happy. For whom she would be enough.
And here he was, eager to claim her, eager to give her everything she ever wanted. It was heartbreaking to know she couldn’t accept him.
“You are okay,” he whispered into her hair, and she felt him placing a soft k!ss on the top of her head.
Brigit leaned into his warm chest with her eyes closed.
Just for a moment. Just this once…
She didn’t know how long they stayed this way, but she did not want to move. She knew that the moment she did, it would be over. She would have to end this.
“We have survivors here!” they heard a loud voice, and she saw one of the northern warriors.
Aspen grunted, his hands pressing her tighter, but she tried to push him away, to distance herself from him. He looked at her with fear in his eyes.
This huge block, the Gamma of the Northern Lycan King, was afraid. He fought in many battles, faced countless enemies, he went into an exploding maze in a heartbeat… and now he was afraid of her as if she was the only person in the entire world who could break him.
“I, Brigit Borg, reject you, Aspen Morr, as my mate.” Her voice trembled, chest heaved from the inner pressure. The air was suddenly hard to swallow, and she felt as if she was suffocating He looked at her. Really looked at her.
“You don’t want to do this,” he stated, the pain still evident on his face.
“1, Brigit Borg, reject you-” she tried to say it louder this time, but the lycan in front of her stood up “I don’t buy it,” he said and offered her his hand to help her up.
“Come back when you actually mean it.
I reject your rejection.” She gave him a puzzled look at first, but then rage took over her. Bridget slapped his hand away and rose on her own, storming as far away from him as she could…
A week passed, and everything changed. The North was buzzing with the news of the White Bear King, who made his claim on the land after being silent for many years.
“He has made his move, and it was a masterful one.” Gideon stated calmly as they sat in the Blue Spinel office of the Northern castle, the one used for bigger important meetings.
“He is still hiding and doesn’t crawl out of his hideout,” kai retorted while pouring himself a drink. Riannon and Savannah exchanged glances. Their men were so stubborn.
“Just admit it!” Gideon looked at him as he leaned back in his chair.
“You screwed up when you blew this alliance.
You could have been married to Savannah already for months! “I could have been married to Savannah for years if not for your ego!” Kai retorted as they drilled each other skulls with their eyes, each not ready to give up.
“It doesn’t matter what happened in the past!” Savvy interjected, tapping her fingers on the top of the oak desk.
“What matters is that we are all here now, and we can form that alliance after all.” “Maybe you are right, Savvy, but the conditions have changed!” The Western King smirked.
“Gideon, dear.” Riannon’s voice was like honey, taunting and soft. But her glare told a different story.
“You need this alliance as much as I do. If not more.” Kai reminded him.
“Weren’t you the one who called me to talk about this?” “I dealt with the brother I had on my hands.
Now they are concentrating on the North.
Why don’t wait for them to deal with you and then destroy them when they are weakened? “Gideon repeated almost exactly the words Kai said to him during their last meeting.
The irony wasn’t lost on the Northern King.
“Because your adorable little sister lives here?” Savvy chimed in, tired of them going back and forth.
“That’s still under question!” Her brother shook his head, crossing his arms on his ch3st.
“It’s not safe here, he can’t protect you, the people here hate you now more than ever. Savannah clenched her l!ps. They all knew it was the truth. The media has never been kind to her, but ever since they found out that Penelope d*ied, while it was only her and Savannah in the temple, things took a turn for the worse. Even despite the fact that there was an obvious villain in this story, a lot of newspapers started questioning her loyalty.
“Guys, I think you should see this!” Kyle turned his laptop so that they could all see the screen. Savannah’s l!ps parted when she saw Darius Bjorn’s face and the logo of the first channel news on it.
“His next move,” Riannon sighed and nodded for Kyle to click on the play b*tton. He projected confidence, and there was a vague smile on his l!ps as he spoke.
“It saddens me that the north is currently in such a pathetic state. I chose the Forgotten City as my target for a reason. To show you all that under the current ruler, no one is safe. He does not protect you! Not because he doesn’t want to protect you, but because he simply cannot offer you protection! I got into the ancient relic that was supposed to be sealed during the event, which was supposed to be highly protected.
Kai Fionnlagh couldn’t even protect his own future Luna! Savannah Stormhold slayed her compet*ition with ease and grace, worthy of a true Northern Queen! The North will only accept a Luna that is worthy! But this should also apply to the king! Yes, I am a White Bear! But before everything, I am a Northerner! And I want a safe kingdom for all of us! I want us to be what we used to be! Power! Power that has to be reckoned with!” Kai stood up from his chair at the head of the oval table and walked all the way down to where Kyle sat, closing his laptop.
To Savannah’s surprise, this was a much calmer reaction to what she expected from her chosen mate. She came up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.
“He is just all words again,” she rea*s*sured him, rubbing her thumb in soothing circles.
She knew a part of him had to be furious, but when he pulled her into his embrace and wrapped his arms around her as if to hide her from the whole world, she realized what he was really worried about. You are becoming his Luna over my dead body,” he said, tucking his head into her neck and inhaling her bluebell scent.
“I am becoming his Luna over my dead body.” Savvy smiled softly and tilted her head to reach his soft l!ps. She brushed them with his tongue lightly, just like a wing of a b*tterfly might, and he lost it, crashing his l!ps into hers in a possessive k!ss.
“How about we come up with a plan with no dead bod*ies?” Gideon cleared his throat, turning away.
“And also, don’t forget you are not alone here.
I don’t want to see my little sister… all grown up too fast.” “Grow up yourself first, Gideon!” Savvy tore away from her man and raised her brow at her brother.
“I didn’t say a word when you brought Riannon to our house and supported you both along the way.”
“But he is not your mate.” Gideon reminded her quietly, yet everyone in the room heard his words.
“This is exactly the problem.”
“Yes, G, Zack Morgan is my mate.
Would you prefer me to go back to him? Maybe he will have time for me between all the orgies he is having on a daily basis!” Savannah snapped at her brother, and this time the silence in the room became awkward.
Kai stroked her cheek for a moment, looking at his woman with the adoration she deserved. But when his eyes switched to her sibling, he suddenly became cold and serious. Kai took his future Luna’s hand, lacing their fingers together and stood before the king of The Western Lycan Kingdom.
“I know I have made mistakes in the past, and some of them are partially my fault,” he started.
“Partially?!” Gideon scoffed while Riannon gave him a warning look.
“I apologise,” Kai said, and Savannah’s head snapped in his direction. She didn’t expect this.
“Not only for the trials and my mistakes this year but for the past ones too. I shouldn’t have tried to push you to be with a woman you don’t love and then get angry at you for it. I had never been in love before. I thought I was, but I really wasn’t. Not before Savannah. Yes, I don’t know how the true mate pull feels, but it should be pretty close to what I feel for Savannah. I love your sister. I will always love her. Nothing will ever change my mind. There will be no other woman for me. She is mine the same way I am hers. Everything I have belongs to her. She will be my Luna and my Queen, but she is already my soul, my heart and my best friend. And I will d*ie before I let anyone separate us!”
“Nice speech,” Gideon looked them both up and down with a stern face, then glanced at his own wife.
“I am still tempted to refuse you and let you deal with everything alone.” This time Savannah was the one to growl. Athena inside of her was fuming.
“I am afraid you didn’t understand me,” Kai smirked and wrapped his hand around his woman.
“I am not asking for your blessing. If you decide against the Alliance, so be it. I will deal with the white bears on my own. I’d even come to your rescue when the foxes attack you again for Savvy’s sake because whether you want this or not, we are going to be family. Savannah and I are going to be together. That’s our decision, not yours. And we made up our minds a while ago. You are invited for the Marking Ceremony, the wedding and the Coronation, by the way.” The Western King inhaled deeply through his nostrils and stood up.
“Are you really sure?” His eyes locked with his sister’s.
“I am,” she nodded, her l!ps curled into a delicate smile.
“I’m the one who is aware of what a mate pull is, and I can say that what I feel towards Kai is so much different from what I had with Zack.
It’s a much deeper connection that wasn’t built on simply wanting each other, although we didn’t have a problem with that either.” Gideon winced, but his sister continued, “We went through so many emotions in such a short period of time, and I really got to know him. I feel his love, Big Brother, and I reciprocated with my whole heart. Kai loves me and protects me; he’s ready to fulfil my every wish, he’s ready to fight for me if he has to, but most importantly, he respects me and treats me as his equal.”
“So far, you are the one who had to fight for him.”
“And I would do it again in a heartbeat if I have to,” Savannah announced firmly.
“Even if it’s with you. So, please, don’t make me.”
Gideon had his brows knitted together, which formed a little wrinkle over his nose, But in the end, he exhaled heavily and admitted, “I will never make you do anything. I will always be on your side, little sister.”
“Are you tearing up?” Riannon asked all of a sudden in disbelief, and all eyes darted at the Western King. He turned away quickly and cleared his throat.
“Of course not! It’s just something in my eye. The North is so dusty!” He walked back to his seat, and his face already had his usual stone expression. “So, what is the plan then?”
“We find where he’s hiding and strike first. Find Zack along the way and K*ll him as well,” Kai said coldly.
“But first, it’s my time for a speech. And then, right after that, Savannah and I will have our Royal Marking Ceremony.” Savvy’s heart fluttered. This time with excitement. She knew that she was ready for this now.
“People hate her now,” Gideon reminded them.
“It’s going to be hard.”
“I don’t care!” the Northerner cut him off.
“are over!” After a very long discussion, Savannah was exhausted, but there was no time to relax and drop one’s guard.
A lot still had to be done, and she was not going to risk her newfound happiness. For this, she was ready to do anything. And there was only one person who could help her now.