28

“Any reason you can’t keep your eyes off me?” Kiara asked, dragging her eyes away from the restaurant’s interior to meet Devon’s.

A corner of his lips tugged up and he shrugged, “What do you think?” 

Kiara's cheeks turned a deep shade of red and she instantly looked away from him. She had no idea why a simple question like that sent her insides into an overdrive, but she quite liked the feeling.

“My turn to ask a question.”

“I didn't know we were playing 20 questions.”

“We are?” he asked with a feigned ignorance, causing Kiara to roll her eyes. He hid his laugh with a cough, “may I ask my question?”

Clicking her tongue, Kiara signed. “You may.”

“Thank you,” clearing his throat, Devon adjusted on his seat, “Why did you ask to switch restaurants? Is there anything I should know?”

Kiara's mouth instantly ran dry, and she forcibly swallowed. She tried to come up with a believable excuse, but the look in his eyes—as if he was daring her to lie—made it even harder for her to think of a lie. Reaching for the glass of water, she took a sip and cleared her throat.

“When Eliza and I were going for training earlier today, we decided to grab a quick breakfast, but unfortunately for us, a bunch of guys who recognized me as a rogue got a little rough with us, and unfortunately it was at the restaurant right before the one you wanted to take me to.” Kiara rushed out in one breath, and Devon’s mouth turned sour.

For a few minutes, his head just turned around in circles as he tried to figure out an appropriate response; something that would betray the anger soaring in his veins. 

“I am sorry,” he finally managed to say, surprising himself. “I will make sure they are properly dealt with.”

“No, no…” she bit her bottom lip as she noticed the perplexed look on his face. “Listen, they were only looking out for their pack. They had no idea about my identity, they could tell I didn't belong and they did what they had to, to protect their pack.”

“You will make such a good Luna.”

Their food arrived just in time, and Kiara was able to hide her flaming cheeks for a few seconds. 

“Time to decide if you're getting a punishment or a reward.” She picked up the spoon, and carefully took a bite size of her food and chewed, while Devon watched her closely like a hawk. “Well, let's just say you do have an eye for food.”

He released a breath of relief and then dug into his food as well, “by the end of the night,  I’d decide what I want for a reward.”

“We never said anything about a reward.”

“I’m pretty sure I heard you say something along those lines earlier.”

Rolling her eyes, Kiara let out a breath of resignation. “Fine, somebody badly wants to be a kid.”

“I would have stuck my tongue out at you, but I’ve got my people looking around.”

“The big bad Alpha,” she said teasingly, but Devon bobbed his head in agreement and Kiara laughed. The both of them ate silently for a while with smiles dancing on their faces.

“I expected you to have lots of questions for me, but you've barely asked me anything all evening,” Devon stated, causing Kiara to freeze for a millisecond before she looked up at him.

“I… I in fact do have lots of questions, but I didn't want to come off as rude”

“Wanting to learn about the person you'll spend forever with isn’t being rude.”

They held each other's gaze for a while, and she gave him a tight-lipped smile, hoping it hid the doubt she held about his words.

“So, ask away. What are you the most curious about?”

She thought for a while then snapped her fingers. “The way you have been talking about your pack needing a Luna is a bit unusual. I mean, packs don’t usually fall and crumble because they don’t have a Luna, but you make it seem that the great Akira pack will. Why?”

The corners of his lips tugged up slightly in a smile. “Things are a bit different here. The Luna is just as important, she's even slightly more important than the Alpha when it comes to the functioning and well-being of the pack. I handle organization, protection, finances, all that stuff, but the Luna, you…” he paused and gauged her reaction before he then calmly expelled a breath. “Kiara”

“Yes?” 

“Akira Pack is way more different than you think. The people here are different from what you think, there is so much more to this pack and its people, and that is why we are almost closed off to the rest of the world, that is why we have to wield the power that we do, and that is why things are so different here. Your role as a Luna here is different from what you’ve heard all your life.”

Gulping, Kiara nodded and leaned forward. “Tell me what is expected of me, and I’ll see if I’m up for it if I can do it.”

“You can, and you will. You would not have been made my mate if you couldn’t.”

“Fate plays cruel jokes on us sometimes.”

“This is not one of them.”

His eyes held certainty, so much certainty that Kiara found herself believing his words as well.

“Tell me my role, what will our mating do for your pack?”

“Our pack,” he quickly corrected, “and in the simplest terms ever, fertility and healing.”

A deep line formed on Kiara’s forehead and she shook her head slightly. “What do you mean?”

“The Luna provides fertility and healing for her pack.”

“That is what the moon goddess does. That's not the work of the Luna, the Luna nurtures, she… how could she possibly provide…”

“In Akira Pack,” Devon cut in, “she does.”