#1 The Rise of the Crescent Moon

Josephine

My morning coffee was disturb by a knock on the door. I sighed and sat down my mug before pulling open the door. On the other side was a tall, blonde haired man with blue eyes.

“Oh, hi, Ty.” I was surprised to see one of the patrol wolves, in human form, at my door. He was holding a vase full of lilacs.

“The Alpha wanted to make sure you got these. He says he’s sorry for having to leave early yesterday and wants you to be ready by five for dinner.” Ty forced a smile and I could see how uncomfortable he was. I laughed and took the flowers from his hand,

“Thanks. You better tell your Alpha that he owes you for this.” Ty huffed and rolled his eyes,

“No kidding.” He grumbled before running back down the steps and exploding into his light colored wolf. I shut and locked the door, setting the lilacs on my table. My phone dinged, it was a text from August.

Don’t encourage them.

I laughed and quickly texted back,

Don’t send them to do your dirty work

I’ll show you dirty work ;)

I blushed at his response and dropped my phone. I was not rewarding that with a response. I decided that I had some time to kill and nothing to wear for dinner. I thought for a minute and picked up my phone.

Where are we going to dinner?

It’s a secret.

August….I need to know what to wear. I whined out loud.

Something nice.

Gee, thanks, I groaned. I needed an excuse to go shopping anyway. I jumped back in shock as I opened the door and came face to face with a tall woman with short brunette hair and brown eyes. I recognized her, but I couldn’t figure out why.

“Hi!” She squealed. I froze as the woman wrapped her skinny arms around my back in a hug.

“Uh...hi.” I replied.

“I’m Kasey, I’m an ER nurse, I was in your interview.” Recognition dawned on me. She was the one who I thought knew about August and I’s connection.

“August thought you could use some company today. He mentioned shopping and gave me his plastic.” she grinned, holding up a credit card. My eyes went wide,

“Put that away, I’m not spending his money.” I snapped.

“Oh, please, girl. When the Alpha tells you to use his card to go shopping, you listen.” She giggled.

“I don’t need his money.” I grumbled, shutting my door and walking towards the car. This was the second time someone indicated that I needed a man to take care of me financially, and I wasn’t having it.

“Josie, he wants to spoil you, you should let him. Listen,” She grabbed my elbow, making me stop and face her.

Hayden, the Gamma, is my mate which means that I know things I shouldn’t. The Alpha is incredibly smitten with you, Josie. He’s one of those wolves who undeniably believed in the mate bound, he’s been waiting for you literally his entire life. Except, he’s scared. He’s scared to push you too far too fast. But, this, spoiling you and wooing you, he can do it without fear. Let him do this.” Kasey’s voice was soft and compassionate. I took a breath and nodded,

“Okay, okay.” I surrendered. She had a good point and I needed to learn to give in….sometimes.

“Come on, I’ll drive!” She turned back into a bubbly pixie and pulled me towards her car.

“Do you know where he’s taking me tonight?” I asked. Kasey shook her head,

“No idea. But, he did say to dress fancy.” She winked at me.

“Oh, and he sent a chaperone.” She pointed out the window and I noticed a large black wolf running alongside the road.

“Seriously?” I said a little too loud.

“He’s just worried about you. You can’t mindlink yet and you’re human, he just wants to make sure you’re safe.” Kasey said lightly.

“Is it because of the rogues? Is something wrong?” I pushed. Kasey stared dead ahead, pushing her lips together. August had another thing coming for him if he thought he could just keep me in the dark.

“Kasey….” I pushed her. She sighed,

“I’m not really supposed to say.” She whispered.

“Don’t start with me, Kasey.” I snapped.

“We haven’t had rogues in a long while and now, all the sudden, we have packs of them running our borders. Then, you show up, and they start circling your cabin and coming closer to the packhouse. It could just be a coincidence but it’s concerning. The Alpha won’t let anything happen to you.” I nodded at Kasey, staying silent and watching Ford’s wolf Ash running next to us.

“That’s why there were so many animal attacks in the hospital yesterday.” I said, mostly to myself.

“Yeah, I heard you were working yesterday. The ER was buzzing about our fancy new city doctor.” She joked but I only nodded, distracted by watching Ford’s wolf race through the trees beside the road.

“I’m surprised you can see him.” Kasey said, changing the subject.

“My senses are stronger than a human’s but not as good as a wolf’s.”

“I heard your mate bond is the same way.” I didn’t answer her.

After a few more minutes, we parallel parked alongside the street. I stepped out of the car and looked down the street. We were in the heart of Little Compton, just a few steps from the square. The square was littered with shops of all kinds. Kasey dropped a bunch of coins in the meter and hitched up her purse,

“Let’s go!” She clapped her hands together, clearly much more excited than I was to be here. I shook my head, clearing my mind. It was time to stop being pouty, man up, and do some shopping with my wolfy new friend. I plastered on a grin and followed Kasey from store to store.

“That’s it, girl, that one will make the Alpha swoon.” She squealed, standing behind me. I was wearing a skin tight, floor length gown. It was navy blue and sparkly from head to toe, sticking closely to my curves. The top was a deep V, leaving little to the imagination, and giving way to a pair of long sleeves. I shimmed side to side, watching the light reflect off the sparkles.

“Are you sure it’s not too much?” I bit my lip, nervous that I was going to be overdressed.

“No way, you look hot!” Kasey gushed as she circled me. I admired myself for a little longer, thinking about August’s reaction to me in this dress and I knew that I had to have it.

My heart ached for August. It was ridiculous how much I missed him. It was unnatural, for a human anyway, but not for a werewolf. I wrestled with that reality and something told me I would be wrestling with it for a while.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” A familiar blonde waltzed into the dress shop, pushing her sunglasses up on the top of her head.

“Your Luna, Savannah, show some respect.” Kasey snapped as Savannah and two other she-wolves approached us.

“She’s no Luna, she’s not even a wolf.” Savannah laughed loudly, the two copy-cats behind her echoing her laughter.

“What do you want?” Kasey sighed, crossing her arms and standing next to me. I was silenced by Savannah and her crew, and I had no idea why. I wasn’t the “cat got your tongue” type of woman, but here I was….speechless.

“Just doing some shopping and thought I would do some charity work while I was at it.” Savannah grinned, flipping her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder.

“Wow, Savannah, you are actually unbelievable. It’s impressive, honestly.” Kasey scoffed.

“I hope you don’t plan on seeing August dressed like that,” Savannah’s eyes pulled together in distaste as she waved her manicured finger through the air,

“It’s cute, really, absolutely adorable. It’s a great way to show him what a pathetic, fragile, little human you are.”

“That’s enough.” Ford’s voice boomed across the boutique causing every human in the place to stop what they’re doing; a silence fell over the room,

“Allow me to escort you out, Savannah.” Ford left little room to be questioned as he composed his face for the humans. Savannah looked between me and Ford, the color draining from her accomplices’ faces as Ford held open the shop’s door. Savannah huffed and the three of them left the boutique. Ford winked at me before shutting the door and shooing the she-wolves away.

“Don’t mind her, Josie, she’s what I like to call all plastic. There isn’t a real bone in her body.” Kasey said, glaring at the doors.

“What is her deal, anyway?” I finally spoke.

“It doesn’t matter, honestly, it’s old news.” I could tell that Kasey was uncomfortable.

“Kasey.” I gave her a pointed look and she sighed.

“Fine.” She grumbled,

“Her and August apparently had a fling once. Ethan told me that it was literally one night. Savannah had been swooning over the Alpha for years. One night, he got drunk at one of the pack parties, and Savannah swooped in. Ethan and Hayden both say said that he made it very clear he wasn’t interested in being with anyone other than his mate, but she was convinced he loved her. Anyone with eyeballs could see that the Alpha wasn’t interested in her, or anybody else for that matter, but Savannah wouldn’t let it go.”

“She seems like the clingy type.” I muttered after a while.

“Honestly, Josie, it’s nothing to worry about. August doesn’t care about her, not in the slightest. He’s no saint, but he always believed in the mate bond and he’s never dated anybody. He’s been waiting for you.” Kasey was trying to convince me of something that I wasn’t concerned about.

“Kasey, I’m not worried.” I grabbed her shoulders,

“Let’s just get back to the shopping.” I smiled. Kasey grinned, relieved to be done with this subject.

“Seriously, though, you have to get that dress,” Her voice went up an octave as she started gushing over my appearance again,

“Now for the shoes….” Kasey wandered off, leaving me alone on the pedestal.

I quickly changed back into my street clothes and handed the dress to the cashier to hold on to while I went to find Kasey in the shoe section.

“What about these?” She held up a pair of ridiculously high blue pumps.

“Not a chance in hell.” I warned her not to fight me on this. She dropped the shoe and started to point towards another heel,

“Back away from the stripper heels, Kasey.” I threatened. Kasey held up her hands in surrender, laughing at me. I walked over to the tiny little heels and found a pair that matched the deep blue of the dress.

“Fine, I’ll give in on the heels but I won’t surrender on doing your makeup.” Kasey said, waving her hand around my face. I swatted at her and rolled my eyes, taking the shoes to the cashier and checking out.

Ford met us outside of the dress shop, sighing at the bags in my hand.

“If we don’t end sometime soon, then I think I need to make a stop at the car.” He grumbled, looking at the twenty bags dangling in his hands. I laughed at him and Kasey patted him on the top of his head.

“We’re all done, bag boy.” She said, dancing back towards the car.

“Thank the Goddess.” Ford cheered. I laughed at them both.

“Thanks for being a good sport, Ford,” I said, walking beside him,

“And thank you for what you did with Savannah.”

“Anything for you Luna. I’m just thrilled to see our Alpha so happy. He was a grumpy old prune before you showed up.” Ford laughed.

“You mean until three days ago?” I chuckled. Ford shrugged,

“Seems like an eternity already. And don’t pay any attention to Savannah. She’s got issues.” Ford rolled his eyes. I squeezed his hand as the car came into sight. We all piled into Kasey’s car and rode back to the cabin together.

Ford took off back to the packhouse once he got home, his patrol shift coming to an end for the day. Kasey and I drug the bags inside and sat them on the table. I watched as Kasey noticed the very slept in sofa and my overspilling suitcase. She raised an eyebrow at me but I just shrugged and showed her to the bathroom. Kasey set up a beauty salon worth of products on the vanity and squealed as she got me in front of the mirror.

“This is gonna be fun.” She grinned. Somehow, I doubted that.