2 - Collateral Clothing

~Gemma~

I wasn’t overly alarmed. Shapeshifters had a flair for dramatics.

“Sadie! No!” Alpha Camden yelled. She sprawled halfway across the conference table before he seized her around the waist. He bound her arms behind her back with one hand. She flopped around on the table with all the grace of a beached mermaid.

“Stop! This is very unladylike!” I was embarrassed for her. She screamed at me like a rabid hyena. Not that I blamed her. I’d also be mortified by the lack of effort required to subdue me. I thought lunas were supposed to be hot shit. I shook my head.

Luna Sadie broke free and grabbed a handful of my blouse. I yelped. So what if the luna with anger issues startled me? It happened to the best of us. My nails slashed across her face in reaction. Her shrieks swallowed the silence as her skin ripped in jagged tears.

“Silver-infused nail polish, a human girl’s best friend.” I wiggled my nails as I reached for her again. Alpha Devlin wrapped his arms around me and hauled me away like I was a child throwing a tantrum. Oh sweet instant karma. It was absolutely humiliating to be neutralized so effortlessly.

“Camden! Control your luna. I’ll have her head for this. Block the exits!” Alpha Devlin ordered.

Our wolves rushed to do his bidding, cornering the three visitors and blocking any chance of escape. I shivered, feeling the answering calls of the rest of our pack members. They were coming to our aid, each and every one of them.

Our visitors had overstayed their welcome while insulting their hosts. Desperation etched on their faces as if sensing their defeat. The struggle ended before it had a chance to begin. Like I said, my pack didn’t need me for victory. I was a worthless pawn in the shapeshifter world.

Alpha Devlin leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Never worthless.”

I pinched his arm. “Stay out of my head! And let go of me.” Damn. I lost focus and allowed Alpha Devlin to worm his way inside my head. I was usually better than that. My powers had grown strong enough to keep him out. Since he turned it into a competition with his incessant testing of my barriers, the battle for my sanity continued. Speaking of sanity…

“Crap! Another freaking top ruined! Look at the holes!” I shot Luna Sadie a nasty look. You’d be surprised at the amount of collateral clothing I collected hanging out with this type of crowd.

“Are you injured, Gemma? Did she hurt you?” Alpha Devlin unbuttoned my blouse with alarming speed to assess the damage.

I slapped his hands away. “It’s all good, Alpha Devlin. See? Not a mark” I fumbled to refasten the tiny buttons. Why were there so many? It was difficult, especially when Alpha Devlin pulled me into a rib-crushing hug. “Hey! Can you just not? People are staring! And stop sniffing my hair.” Seriously, it wasn’t hair wash day.

Alpha Camden shattered our not so private interlude. “Alpha Devlin, Sadie did not mean to overreact.”

“Yes, I did!” She screeched, fighting Alpha Camden’s hold again.

“Yes, she did.” I agreed. “Gross! There is blood under my nails! For once, I’d like to have a manicure last longer than twenty-four hours.” I squirmed until Alpha Devlin released me. “Alpha Camden, I’m going to have my manicure bill sent to you. And the cost of my replacement blouse.”

“Whatever you want. Please, you can stop this.” He pleaded with his eyes.

It was sad. His eyes were cruel only moments before. “Why should I?” Still, it was important to remember your own worth around pig-headed alphas.

“Because you are human and humans want to do good.”

I laughed at his absurdity. “We aren’t diving into that topic right now. It requires a separate meeting. However, I do want her to shut up.” The frazzled luna quit her writhing thanks to me hijacking her mind. “The silence isn’t permanent. Enjoy the temporary reprieve.” From past experience, I knew my hold would last for a few minutes without further intervention.

Alpha Camden and Alpha Devlin stared each other down. Alpha Camden broke contact first. “I apologize about the misunderstanding. Human, please forgive us.”

“I have a name. And it’s a little late for pillow talk.” I put my hands on my hips.

“Gemma, show them.” Alpha Devlin spoke to me via our telepathic connection.

“Fine! To show I am the bigger person, I will heal your luna.” Alpha Camden nodded as if I needed his damn permission. Alphas in general were too tenacious for their own good. I blamed part of my motivation to heal her on Alpha Devlin. I’d do nearly anything to keep his voice out of my head. My greater motivation fueled from pure selfishness. Looking at her shredded skin began to make me queasy.

She remained motionless, watching me with wide eyes as I walked around the table. Alpha Camden pulled her in an upright position. In her heels, she towered over me by a few inches. Wow. Luna Sadie truly stunned with her dark hair and blue eyes. The red lipstick added a touch of drama. Her personality rounded out the unstable but lovely package.

I cupped her flayed cheek and whispered, “Moon Goddess, heal your daughter.” Beneath my hand, the torn flesh mended. Yeah. That never failed to both impress and disturb.

I patted her flawless skin. “All better. Listen, girl to girl, I understand your internal angst. I wouldn’t worry your pretty head over it. Alpha Camden is bound to grow tired of his younger human lover soon.” A tear trickled down her face. My thumb whisked it away. “Trust me. They all do.”

Alpha Camden’s face bloomed bright red. “Do you have any idea what you have done?”

“What I have done? Trick question or are you expecting an answer? The goddess flows through me, in every fiber of my cursed being. The question is, do you have any idea what I am capable of doing? As for your luna, you molded her. She is the product of your actions. Alpha Camden, what have you done?”

I held up a hand when he opened his mouth. His anger radiated in a tangible aura. “Obviously the question is rhetorical. I know about the scheming, backstabbing, and let us not forget all the infidelities.” Alphas thought they have the freedom to mate with all the partners their dicks desired. Got the message crystal clear. It was the main reason I avoided the trappings of Alpha Devlin’s considerable charms. Fool me once…

“Shut your mouth stupid bitch!”

Alpha Devlin growled his displeasure. “Alpha Camden, I will remind you once to mind your manners. Nobody talks to my pack like that.”

Alpha Camden shoved his luna aside. He grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the wall. “Do you really think you could save her in time?”

I ignored the snarling and furniture crashing behind us. “It’s okay, Alpha Devlin. I don’t need saving.” I grabbed Alpha Camden’s wrist and winked at him. “I like it on the rough side.”

“Your eyes. They are glowing.” Alpha Camden released me. His mouth fell open in horror.

I often had that effect on the male gender. What was a girl to do? My eyes tended to shine blue whenever the goddess came out to play, usually but not always. Nothing about the Moon Goddess was predictable. Something about my psychic abilities allowed the goddess to invade my mind and take the wheel. Mostly, she remained a passenger along for the ride. Sometimes she shared glimpses into the past or future. Not enough to save the world, just enough to drive a sane girl batshit crazy. Except for the havoc, it was kinda fun. It was the one thing that gave me an edge over my clawed companions.

“Sadie has secrets of her own. Instead of an empty bed, she spends her nights wrapped up in warm bodies. Naughty luna!” The laughter coming out of my mouth was not entirely my own. “Wonder why there are no young in the Fallen Moon Pack? The goddess will not bless you with offspring. As long as she is unhappy with you, the pack will remain barren. Rumors are spreading. They say your pack is cursed. They say you will fade into memory.”

“It is true! You are the vessel.” Alpha Camden fell to his knees. He clutched my skirt. “Tell me what to do to appease the goddess.”

It pleasured the goddess to see him groveling at our feet. “Get your clan in order. Be the alpha you were meant to be. Honor me.”

“And my luna?”

I pulled free and walked over to the misguided luna. She flattened herself against the wall in fear. My fingers trailed along her jawline. “She is quite broken, a sad, broken doll. I could attempt to heal her.” Tears streamed down Sadie’s face, making me feel things I’d rather not.

“Please,” Alpha Camden begged.

I sighed. He treated his luna like an interchangeable commodity. He decided to care about her now? “Alpha Devlin, do I hear correctly? Is the mighty Alpha Camden of the Fallen Moon Pack begging for the assistance of a lowly human?”

Alpha Devlin frowned before speaking. “He is. Will you help them?”

Judgey bastard. “Alpha Camden literally threatened to kill me! And you want me to help them?” I mentally screeched at him.

“I would never allow Camden to hurt you.” Devlin reassured me.

“Debatable. Did you miss his hand at my throat? I know that’s going to leave a mark!”

“Gemma, I fucking hate that he put his hands on you…”

“Whatever. This conversation is to be continued.” I cut our telepathic link off. Nope. Not buying the bullshit right now.

I cleared my throat. “I do not have the stirring in my heart to help you. Apparently, my opinion matters little. My alpha and the goddess are urging me to intervene. There must be something worth saving after all.” My eyes shut. A thread of a possibility floated bright and steady in the darkness. “Ah. There is the reason.”