Luna Princess (Alyssa Grey Book 1)

by Wylow Moon

  I decided I was not even going to try and figure out how to run the shower. The pool was incredible. I would have to say I could get used to this, if I wasn't still frightened by what I was going to find out. It was all so new and downright scary. I didn't have Maggie to guide me and sure as hell didn't know how to navigate these new waters myself. There were so many questions, I wasn't sure if I could remember them all.

  I got dressed and lay on my bed with only the firelight to illuminate the room. I traced the new star on my palm and each little five point star that made it up my arm. Who the hell am I? I grabbed my phone and looked at the time. It was passed midnight and the day was catching up with me. As I drifted off to sleep I promised myself to find out what was going on here first thing in the morning.

  Chapter 5 I didn't know if I felt like the new kid in school or more like a deer caught in the headlights. I wasn't going to show them how nervous I was though, so I looked at them straight on. Challenging them to my own stare down. I was bound and determined not to look away first. I didn't know who these people were, but I decided I wasn't going to back down. I wasn't going to be the shy quiet girl I was back home. It was time to stand on my own two feet.

  I woke up to light streaming in through a window I hadn't noticed last night. The black curtains blended in with the darkness I guess. I sat up and stretched looking around my room. I wondered where I would find Jeremy or if he was still asleep. I grabbed my phone from the side table and checked it. I had one missed call from Maggie. I had totally forgotten to call her yesterday. I did not even know how to begin to explain everything that was going on. I didn't even know what was going on myself. I looked at my phone and decided I would just send her a quick text saying I was fine and I would call her soon.

  I sat silently for a second thinking about whether I should get dressed and go on a search for someone or if I should stay in my room. A knock on the door made my decision for me.

  "Come in."

  Trish walked in and shut the door behind her.

  "I'm glad your up. I wasn't sure how much of a morning person you are."

  "Most days I am, as long as I can get a nice cup of hot coffee... or three." I said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. Trish had her long blonde hair tied into a braid and I could see some red peek-a-boo highlights. She wore an off the shoulder top in bright green and fitted jeans. Her eyes shown amusement as she smiled at me.

  "I think I can help you with that. We have a cafeteria of sorts on the main floor. It's how we feed everyone. It's open for the main meals of the day but any snacks people usually keep in their room. Of course it's always open to you I suppose, but the rest of us must fend for ourselves" She winked and walked over to the couch and plopped down on it.

  "Now go get dressed and I will take you down to breakfast."

  I got up, grabbed my suitcase and opened it. I wasn't really sure what I should wear but decided to go for comfort so I grabbed one of my old Queen t-shirt's and a pair of low-cut blue jeans. Grabbing some unmentionables and putting them on top of the pile I headed for the bathroom.

  "I will be quick." I said as I shut the bathroom door behind me. I changed into some clean clothes and sat down at the vanity. There was a brand new brush and looking through the drawers I found hair ties as well. I decided to split my hair in half and put it into two low hanging braids.

  It looked like I put some effort into it without actually doing much. I then found the make up and decided I could do with some eyeliner mascara and lip gloss. I double checked my reflection and satisfied with the result exited the bathroom and turned to Trish lounging on my couch.

  "Ok, let's get that breakfast."

  "And the coffee." said Trish as she let out a girlish giggle.

  "Especially the coffee." I agreed. We walked down to the first floor and took the hallway next to the entryway following it to the end. It opened up into a huge cafeteria with a good hundred people sitting down at tables and eating. As soon as we entered everyone stopped and looked our way. It was kind of weird. I got this tingly feeling over my whole body, like I could feel every person in the room, like they were standing right next to me. I shook it off as nerves though.

  I kept my back straight and my eyes unwavering. It didn't take long for them to turn their faces towards the floor. A handful even bared their necks to me. I nodded my head in triumph knowing I won this round.

  "You sure know how to put them in their place." Trish said. I could hear the grin in her voice and turned to see it on her face.

  "Don't worry though, they are just curious. They all want to meet the new Alpha. Jeremy has told them they need to leave you be for the moment to let you adjust but they won't be staying back forever."

  There was that word again, Alpha. I really needed to find Jeremy after this and get some answers. I followed Trish to a buffet line where we both grabbed trays and got into line. The buffet really had a bit of everything you could think of. Crepe's, pancakes, waffles, muffins, fruits, bacon, eggs and plenty of other dishes I couldn't name. I picked some pancakes and some cantaloupe with blueberries to top my pancakes and grabbed the syrup at the end to literally drown them. At the very end where coolers with doors on them like you would see at a grocery store but it held bottles of juice of every flavor, milk and water, next to that was a huge coffee machine. I grabbed some milk and, of course, a nice big cup of coffee adding enough creamer to get an 'are you serious' look from Trish and followed her as she beelined for an empty table.

  Trish eyed my tray and raised an amused eyebrow as I set it down across from her. I looked at my tray and then looked at hers to see what I was missing. Her tray was piled three times higher than mine was. "That's not going to fill you up hun, no matter how much you think it will." Trish said as she started in on her strawberry muffin.

  "I can always go back and get more if that's the case but I am sure it will be plenty." I said as I cut into my pancakes.

  "Whatever you say girl. So how did you sleep last night?"

  "I slept ok I guess." I said realizing for the first time in three years, I didn't have any dreams, at all. I frowned at this then decided it wasn't really necessary right now. I could ponder that at a later time. "I tried to stay up to meet with Jeremy but it was getting really late and just couldn't wait any longer. I am hoping you might be able to point me in his direction when we are done here."

  "Well that's going to have to wait a bit. I know he wanted to talk to you last night but he had some business that needed immediate attention. He should be back after lunch though."

  I was kind of disappointed but I nodded my head in understanding. I had finished my tray off and looked at it. My stomach still felt empty. I sighed and got up to go get some more food. As I got to the buffet I felt a small hand pat my leg. I looked down to see a little girl with her hair in pigtails and the most adorable smile on her face. I bent down to her level and gave her the best smile I could.

  "Yes sweetheart?" I asked

  "Is yous the Luna?" She asked me while playing with one of my braids.

  I looked at her in confusion and then looked around the room to see many of the faces watching for my answer.

  "Well I know my mommy called me her Luna Princess when I was a baby." She tried to answer honestly, not knowing what else to tell the poor girl. She giggled and threw herself at me.

  "I's knews it!" She squealed in delight. "I knews you was the Luna. Yous so perty, like my mommy." she said then ran off to her parents a few tables over giggling with glee. Her parents had fear on their face. I don't know if they thought I would be mad the little girl would interrupt my breakfast or something but I sent them a smile to reassure them.

  Trish and I finished breakfast without further incident and found ourselves outside walking the grounds.

  "I still can't believe I own all of this. I mean I grew up thinking I had nobody. Maggie, my foster mom, has been really amazing don't get me wrong, but, well I never thought I would have anything like this. Maybe go to co
llege at some point and get my own place. I wasn't really sure where my life was heading. The marks I had always made me wonder if there was more to me but this.." I gestured to the community and then to the woods ahead of us. "This I never could have imagined."

  We walked to the edge of the woods, where a well-worn path could be seen and stopped. I could see Trish was thinking over what I had just said. Probably trying to think of how to reply. I didn't blame her. I wouldn't know what to say either. I looked out into the woods and listened to the birds singing in the trees. I was scanning the branches when I saw yellow eye's looking back at me.

  My heart stopped and my body froze in time. Three trees away on one of the higher was a huge black Panther. A fucking Panther. What was a Black Panther doing in Montana! I couldn't speak to warn Trish and I couldn't move as it jumped down to land gracefully on the ground. It slowly walked towards us, creeping along the ground. Somehow I got enough of my voice to whisper Trish's name. She looked at where I was staring and cursed under her breath.

  "Alyssa it's ok he won't hurt you. Just calm down." she said putting her hand on my shoulder. Trish walked towards the panther and I almost screamed at her not to but she moved lightning fast. She went right up to the panther and smacked in upside it's massive head. I think I just had a mini heart attack at that moment. I was just waiting for it to tear into her for it's next meal.

  "Jimmy you're such an ass! Are you trying to scare your sister to death? Jeremy is going to have your head when he finds out this is how you introduce her to the Clan!" By this time Trish was smacking the crap out of the Panther and it just sat there without flinching. If I didn't know any better I would say it snorted as if laughing at her then turned its big yellow eyes on me. I backed up a step ready to run when I actually realized what Trish had said.

  "Wait did you just call that Panther Jimmy?" I asked. Looking from the Panther to Trish and back again. Trish's shoulders slumped as she looked at me.

  "You weren't suppose to find out this way. But I guess it can't be helped now thanks to your demented brother." She glared at the Panther and gave it another cuff on the back of it's head. "Show yourself Jimmy before she thinks I am crazy you brat." The Panther snorted again and walked behind a tree but only hid his back end. I watched as the fur retreated into the skin and the sound of bones breaking and rearranging rang in my ears. The massive head shrank and caved in on itself as the muzzle disappeared and a human mouth took its place. The fur on the top of his head grew longer lightening to Jimmy's brown hair. What seemed like forever was really about 30 seconds. Next thing I knew my brother stood up and stood behind the tree for a moment. When he came out he had a pair of basketball shorts on and a t-shirt. I just gaped at him.

  "You're going to catch flies if you leave your mouth open like that." Jimmy said with a grin from ear to ear. I looked at him like he was an alien and mumbled a curse before promptly passing out. Chapter 6

  I woke up to Trish slapping my cheek and my head throbbing. I swiped at a stick poking into my cheek and looked at her.

  "You passed out hun." she said, clearly seeing the confusion on my face. She looked up at Jimmy and glared.

  "I guess your brother decided this was the best way to deal with telling you about Shifters."

  "Oh, come on Trish you know Jeremy is avoiding it, though I don't know why. He has always been responsible and now all of a sudden he runs off ignoring his duties. She needs to know what's going on." Jeremy said seriously but then looked at me and smiled as if trying to reassure me everything was going to be alright. I think he is a little late on the reassuring end of things.

  "I know it's a lot to take in Alyssa but we need to prepare you for your first shift." The throbbing in my head intensified as I looked at Jimmy.

  "What do you mean my first shift?" I said half hysterically. "I don't SHIFT. I don't do anything like that. How the hell did you do that? Are you some kind of lab experiment? Is this a joke? Am I being punked?" I looked around for the hidden camera's but no one came out shouting 'Got you'. My breath was starting to come in heavy and I could feel my heart trying to beat out of my chest.

  Jeremy walked over to me and sat down beside me. I tried not to flinch but I didn't know if he was going to go Panther again and decide to end me before I could run.

  "Look, maybe this isn't the way I should have gone about It, but you had to know. You needed to see before your first change. You should have had your first change when you were thirteen but you weren't here. Since the magic held your shift from happening to you your Panther didn't activate. And you only have a bit longer before your body will force you to change."

  Jeremy took my hand in his while he was talking and kept his eyes locked on mine. I was a panther? What? I couldn't do this. I couldn't handle this. Not now not ever. I want to go home. I don't want to be here anymore. I got up and ran from them. I ran into the woods and kept running. I didn't know where I was going I only cared that it was far away.These people were fucking crazy.

  I don't know how far I ran, but soon my tears made my eyes too blurry to see out of and the stitch in my side had turned to a knife sharp stabbing pain. I slowed down and looked around me. I was surrounded by trees and had no idea which direction was what.

  I planted myself against the rough trunk of a random tree feeling the bark scrap my back as I slid down and landed on the cold hard earth. Then I let everything out. I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face in them while sobs wracked my body. What was I doing here? How was I going to get home? I heard a tree branch crack to my left and my head shot up to look towards the sound. At first, I didn't see anything. I looked up afraid I would see a panther up in the trees, but there was nothing there either. Another crack had me watching the ground around me again.

  That's when I saw it. A wolf stood behind a bush only ten feet away from me. I didn't move as I watched him. He was beautiful. His coat was pure black and his eyes were a dark blue. I watched as he pawed at the ground and hesitated to take a step forward. I knew I should probably be afraid. But at this point, I really didn't think he would hurt me. He seemed more curious than anything. And maybe he would help me if my brother came after me. Especially in panther form. I put my hand out as if to say it was ok but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to scare him off.

  That is when I realized he was the wolf from my dream. Maybe I had fallen asleep again and now the dream changed. Or maybe this was a stressed induced hallucination. That made more sense to me. My mind created something comforting for me.

  He walked slowly towards my outstretched palm and put his head in it. His fur was softer than it looked and I smiled, just feeling him beneath my hand caused my heart to calm. I felt a tingle throughout my body like he was giving me strength. He moved in closer and licked the tears from my face. I sniffed and chuckled a little. I wiped the wolf slobber from my face with my shirt and felt him move to sit next to me. He rested his head on my shoulder with his muzzle in the crook of my neck, just like in my dreams. I could feel his soft breath at the bottom of my chin coming out of his warm and slightly moist nose.

  I rested my head against his and as silent tears still made their way down my face. "What am I doing here?" I asked the wolf. He didn't answer me back but that was ok. I think I just needed to voice everything I was feeling out loud. I decided to keep talking.

  "All I ever wanted was a family, a place to belong. But I don't belong here. I don't know if I will ever belong anywhere. My brother is a freaking panther! How is that even possible. A door gave me a whole sleeve of tattoo's and everything back there I supposedly own. After having nothing my entire life, I seem to have everything. I am so afraid though. This is not how I imagined anything. It's all different and new and so far fetched. If I told anyone, they wouldn't believe me anyway." I wiped my face again and hugged the giant wolf to me.

  "They say I am a shifter too. That I am going to turn into one of those panther things. Well, they didn't say panther exactly, either way, I dont want to believe it
. But what if I go home to Maggie and then hurt her because I really do turn into an enormous black cat. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her. She has always been there for me. She is the mom I have always wanted. My own mom never wanted me. Why would anyone else want me?" I asked the wolf, looking into his blue eye's.

  "I am so broken and I really hate to feel so afraid. I have never been much of a wimp but this is just all so surreal. I am so lost." Ending my melodramatic rant, I heaved a sigh. I really did sound like a huge pansy. Of course, I still think I was taking this better than any other normal person would.

  'You're not alone Alyssa.'

  I jumped at hearing the voice in my head. I looked around waiting for someone to jump out of the bushes or from behind a tree. No one was there but the wolf sitting beside me.

  "I think all of this shit is making me crazy." I said to myself.

  'You're not going crazy Alyssa. What your brother told you is true. You're Clan now. You're actually Alpha of this Clan. Higher then Alpha really. That's why we need for you to accept this. We are not trying to hurt you. Or scare you. We need you. You, Alyssa, are our Luna Princess.'

  This time, I looked at the wolf. He had to be the one talking to me. Though I was not quite sure how.

  "My mom called me her Luna Princess... Wait. How are you even talking to me? You're a freaking wolf."

  I don't know why I wasn't afraid of this wolf when I was paralyzed with fear seeing the panther. I did know I felt something. What that something was I wasn't too sure, but it was part safety. I felt safe with this wolf. He really was a beautiful site.