One

Genevieve's POV

"Luna!" Cara's squeal reached my ears just as I launched into the river. I felt my body slam against the water currents and then slip deep into the river.

For a minute I allowed myself the inner peace of being buried deep in the waters. The sloshing sound of the river against rocks and tones and the feeling of absolute nothingness.

"Luna! Oh, my goddess! Tell me she hasn't drowned!"

Ah, what would I do without my worrisome maid? Cara made it a point to constantly fret over every single thing. As if I were a mere child.

I swam up to the surface, feeling the water droplets slip down my body as I rose out of the river, a grin on my lips. My nipples stiffened as the cold air whipped around them and I sighed needily.

Jamie was in a meeting with Alphas from neighbouring clans and that meant he couldn't satisfy me.

Not that he ever did.

"You're alive!" Cara squealed again and I looked up to see my petite maid, standing on a cliff nearby, her pretty pale face framed by black curls. She had the widest blue eyes ever and they fitted her innocence perfectly. "But your hair is all messed up! It took me an hour to get it combed perfectly, Luna!"

I grinned at her whining, my liquid brown eyes twinkling in mockery, and swam farther away from her. "Cara, get into the water! It feels wonderful!"

"No, I shall stay right here!" She defied, turning up her nose at me.

Hilarious.

I suppose if I were any other Luna, I would be outraged by the way she spoke to me, but she was Cara. And I simply didn't care.

"Suit yourself!" I called back and reached for my hair, running my hands through the soaked mass. I could imagine Jamie's face when we returned. He would be infuriated.

'Your hair! Your beautiful white hair! How could you violate it like that?!'

It was just hair! I didn't understand why everyone made a big deal about it. Sure it was rare, sure it was said to bring great fortune and shit, but that certainly didn't forbid me from playing around in rivers whenever I wanted to.

I shook my head, let go of my hair, and plunged back into the river, zoning out Cara's screams. We had gone hunting the minute Jamie locked the doors behind him and the other Alphas. I was so glad to be exempted from that meeting. I was tired of smiling and batting my lashes and trying to play the diplomat-

A smell teased my nose and my wolf growled, finally coming awake. She had taken a nap after racing through the forest during our hunt. There could be only one thing that emanated that smell.

Rogues.

"Luna!" Cara's screams were all I needed to confirm they were upon us.

In a flash, I leaped out of the river, my bones cracking as I shifted in mid-air and jumped right before her. My wolf bared her teeth at the attackers, making sure to guard Cara, who stood behind me trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Ah, sweet Cara. Always so worrisome.

I glanced at the wolves before me. Four black wolves. Three were way smaller than I was, while the fourth was quite huge, but not as tall as I was.

I snarled at them, giving them a warning to back off. This was my territory. This was Wolfgang's land and they were fucking trespassers. How had they gotten this far without any of the guards noticing?!

They snarled in response, apparently not heeding my warning. Fine. If they wanted a fight, then a fight they would fucking get!

Run! I mindlinked Cara. I'll cover for you, Run!

No! I will not leave you.

You will obey me, Cara! Go to Jamie! Now!

She let out a yip, transformed, and raced down the cliff. One of the rogues made to go after her but I pounded on him in a flash and tore at his neck with my teeth. He was paralyzed in an instant.

Turning to face the other three, I waited for the next foolish one to attack. And he did. He roared and raced towards me raising his little fangs at me. I chuckled, grabbed him by the neck with my paws, and hurled him down the cliff behind me.

The third came running and I took him down as well. Without wasting time, I lunged after the huge black wolf, and just when my teeth reached for his neck, he disappeared and suddenly was behind me. I turned around just in time to protect my neck from being slashed off by his claws and had my face scratched instead.

It wasn't a deep wound, yet somehow, it burned like hell. Pain hit my temples and I found myself crumbling to the floor.

Silver! My wolf growled. There was silver on his claws.

Fucking bastard. He had cheated. How had he moved so fast, that I was barely able to follow his movements?! I howled at the pain, gritting my teeth in anger. I had to attack! I could not die here!

Not yet!

My vision grew blurry, as I watched the rogue approach, raising his claws to strike, when a huge wolf with white fur like mine, leaped out of nowhere and knocked the black wolf aside.

I groaned, trying to turn around to watch the fight. But there was no fight to watch. When I turned, the black wolf was dead.

And a man was standing beside it, gripping a ripped-out wolf head in his hands.

And fuck me.

He was marvelous.

He had the darkest of hair. Black curls fell freely around his neck. His eyes were a startling green that stoked a fire low in my belly and I heard my wolf purr with desire as I took in the rest of his body.

His body was bronzed, muscles rippling as he moved towards me. I ran my eyes over every sinew, every joint, every single movement on his ripped chest, and then down at his powerful legs. Each thigh of his was toned and tanned, his feet stomped on the ground as he approached.

I felt my thighs grow slick at the sight. He was bloody, he was powerful and he was utterly gorgeous.

Mate! My wolf yipped.