The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

Wishful Thinking

-That bad, huh?" Bjorn brushed his hand over her hair, but she slapped it away. He growled as a warning but didn't do anything else.

- Just why would you think that my dead mate's scent would be a good idea when I recover from our breaking bond?" she asked.

"I thought it might be comforting," he confessed and wanted to caress her again, but stopped at the last moment. "I am not a complete monster, you know. I want you to get better laster."

* So that you can parade me as your trophy Luna again?" Savannah scoffed.

**You were line with being paraded before," Bjorn locked his healthy eye with her. His usual black eye patch was missing. "Why is it a problem when it's for me?"

"it is a problem because it's you!" she rolled her eyes, tired from this conversation alone. "I hate you. You killed everyone I loved and cared about. I will always hate you, and to be honest, you can kill me now too. I will never be your Luna, Queen, prize or whatever you think I am."

"You just need time," he insisted, and she wasn't sure if he was telling this to her or to himself. "Once the bond is finally severed, and you heal, it will-" Bjorn stopped talking, and Savannah flinched. What was that? What was on his mind?

"Once I am healed. I am going to do my best to kill you!" she promised, gritting her teeth and clenching her lists.

"lam line with you thinking that." The bear took the cover and pulled it over Savannah's legs, shocking her with all this. "As I have said, when the time comes, you will see it differently."

"Time comes for what?" The Princess covered her face with her hands. She didn't want to talk to him anymore. She did not want to be here. The moment she closed her eyes she was back to where she really belonged in the real North and with Kai. Now that Zack was dead, they finally had their chance to find out if they were second chance mates. It could have been her wishful thinking, but she hoped that once the bond with Zack was gone, a new one would form with the man she loved.

Suddenly, she realised what the bear king was talking about. Her eyes opened wide, and she tried to sit up, although it was still difficult.

**You must be crazy!" she gasped, and his expression immediately changed to a much darker one. He knew she had figured him out, and she wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"I knew it the moment i met you in the woods," he told her. "No!" she shook her head in denial. This couldn't be true. He was lying! Or he was delusional!

"My first mate died years ago." Bjorn looked at her without blinking, his facial muscles tightening from time to time. "I knew you were my second chance mate the moment I met you."

"Not possible!" She wanted to cover her ears and run away from this. "Anyone but you!"

"If it wasn't for this, you would have never made it out of that forest the night we met. I didn't need any witnesses, the King went on. "But your scent was so... alluringly intoxicating that I couldn't stop thinking about you being my second chance."

"Lies!" She felt tears singing her eyes and wiped them away angrily. She couldn't accept this reality. And she was not going to.

"You will see it for yourself," he persisted. "Once you feel it, you will not be able to deny it. All we need now is for the bond to snap in its place."

That sobered her up from the panic that overwhelmed her. The thing was... she did not feel it. She didn't feel any kind of pull towards Bjorn. She loathed Zack, but she couldn't deny that something was connecting them both until the very last second. Something physical. And she was ready to thank the Moon Goddess because she did not feel anything like this now.

"Savannah," the bear look both her hands into his large, calloused palms, "you are exhausted now. Have some rest, and we will continue this conversation when you are ready." She looked at him for some time, not knowing how to respond, when a laugh escaped her. And then one more, and one more. Until she simply gave in and burst out laughing, "Wow!" Her eyes were teary now. "Speak about wishful thinkingi" "I know what ifeell" The bear snarled.

"So do II" Sawy laced her every word with venom as if it was a knife she was ready to plunge into Bjorn's heart. "I feel hatred! So much of it. And disgusti You killed my brother, sister-in-law, my best friend, people who were dear to me, and innocent victims tool Mates

don't do that Mates don't chain each other, don't force each other, don't torture each other! They don't lie. they don't cheat! This is How mates are wuppoud to be. If you think that what you do is normal, then you need to think again!"

Ha gowdather as if he ww her for the first time. The silence between them was uncomfortable, and Savannah just wanted him to wave her on that she could finally clove her eyes and disappear into the world o dreams again. The last bits of strength almost left

However, wien Hjorn's lips curted into a unirk, she knew he had a plan to wel what he wanted either way A venh ad never yelled before reached her, and she realised that for the first time ever, he let her know what his real scent

Svaippated in hoc "Well told you!" It Wute Hearing weered at her...

"That bad, huh?" Bjorn brushed his hand over her hair, but she slapped it away. He growled as a warning but didn't do anything else.

- just why would you think that my dead matc's scent would be a good idea when I recover from our breaking bond?" she asked.

"I thought it mighi be comforting." he confessed and wanted lociress her again, but stopped at the last moment. "I am not a complete monster, you know. I want you to get better lasier."

"So that you can pademic as your trophytuna again7" Savannah scolled.

"You were fine with being paraded before," Bjorn locked his healthy eye with her. His usual black eye patch was missing. "Why is it a problem when it's for me?"

"It is a problem because it's you!" she rolled her eyes, tired from this conversation alone. "I hate you. You killed everyone i loved and cared about. I will always hate you, and to be honest, you can kill me now too. I will never be your Luna, Queen, prize or whatever you think I am."

"You just need time." he insisted, and she wasn't sure if he was telling this to her or to himself. "Once the bond is finally severed, and you heal, it will." Bjorn stopped talking, and Savannah flinched. What was that? What was on his mind?

"Once I am healed, I am going to do my best to kill youl" she promised, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.

"iam fine with you thinking that." The bear took the cover and pulled it over Savannah's legs, shocking her with all this. "As I have said, when the time comes, you will see it differently."

*Time comes for what?" The Princess covered her lace with her hands. She didn't want to talk to him anymore. She did not want to be here. The moment she closed her eyes she was back to where she really belonged in the real North and with Kai. Now that Zack was dead, they finally had their chance to find out if they were second chance mates. It could have been her wishful thinking, but she hoped that once the bond with Zack was gone, a new one would form with the man she loved.

Suddenly, she realised what the bear king was talking about. Her eyes opened wide, and she tried to sit up, although it was still difficult.

"You must be crazy!" she gasped, and his expression immediately changed to a much darker one. He knew she had figured him out, and she wasn't thrilled with the idea.

*i knew it the moment I met you in the woods," he told her. "Nol" she shook her head in denial. This couldn't be true. He was lying! Or he was delusional!

"My first mate died years ago," Bjorn looked at her without blinking, his lacial muscles tightening from time to time. "I knew you were my second chance mate the moment I met you."

"Not possible!" She wanted to cover her ears and run away from this. "Anyone but you!"

"if it wasn't for this you would have never made it out of that forest the night we met. I didn't need any witnesses," the King went on. "But your scent was so... alluringly intoxicating that I couldn't stop thinking about you being my second chance."

"Lies!" She felt tears stinging her eyes and wiped them away angrily. She couldn't accept this reality. And she was not going to.

"You will see it for yoursell," he persisted. "Once you feel it, you will not be able to deny it. All we need now is for the bond to snap in its place."

That sobered her up from the panic that overwhelmed her. The thing was... she did not leelit. She didn't feel any kind of pull towards Bjorn. She loathed Zack, but she couldn't deny that something was connecting them both until the very last second. Something physical. And she was ready to thank the Moon Goddess because she did not feel anything like this now.

Savannah," the bear took both her hands into his large, calloused palms, you are exhausted now. Have some rest, and we will continue this conversation when you are ready."

She looked at him for some time, not knowing how to respond, when a laugh escaped her. And then one more, and one more. Until she simply gave in and burst out laughing. "Wow!" Her eyes were teary now. "Speak about wishlul thinking! "I know what I feel!" The bear snarled.

"So dol!" Savvy laced her every word with venom as if it was a knife she was ready to plunge into Bjorn's heart. "I feel hatred! So much of it. And dispuse you killed my brother, sister-in-law, my best friend, people who were dear to me, and innocent victims too! Mates

don't do that Mates don't chain each other, don't force each other, don't torture each other. They don't lie, they don't cheat! This is how males are suppoud to be if you think that what you do is normal, then you need to think again!"

He Lowid atleast he sawiamy for the first time. The silence between them was uncomfortable, and Savannah just wanted him to Leave her alone that she could finally close her eyes and disappear into the world of dreams again. The last bits of strength almost left

However, when Bjorn's lips curled into a wnik, she knew he had a plan to get what he wanted either way.

Avent she had never shelled before reached her, and she realised that, for the first time ever, he let her know what his real scent was Chestnuts and winteyeen.

Savannah's lips parted in shock. -See? told youth The White Bear Kung weered at her...

NOTE: Thank you for your patience whillel was recovering from food polsoning, Please, consider voting for The Luna Trials by giving It your Moon Tickets x