Genesis: (Book One of the True Luna Series)

by Texie D. Freeman

  “Oh, no! Not the silk sheets and air conditioning! How will I survive?” June mocked with deadpanned frown. “I’ve had worse. If I remember correctly, which I do, it was because of your order that I almost died.”

  “With me,” he corrected, “I’ll lock you in the room with me.”

  “I’d rather rot in my cell,” she spat and then a thought crossed her mind. She met the alpha’s gaze and narrowed her eyes. “What did you do with Rosie?”

  “Who the hell is Rosie?”

  “Are you for real? You invade my home, kidnap several people, including the sweet old woman who kept me alive, and you couldn’t bother to learn their names before executing them?”

  “Wait, what? I didn’t kill any of your precious hunters, nor was I the one who attacked your base,” Donovan refuted. “The attack was carried out by your cousin’s idiotic mate. He never told me that his other half was in danger otherwise something stealthier would’ve been planned. I was surprised when I found my prison stockpiled with humans. And yeah, I may have interrogated your people, but I freed them all. They were dropped off at a motel three hours from here. Whether they called to be picked up or not is their decision.”

  She listened but wouldn’t accept what he said until shown proof. No hybrid would ever willingly let a hunter go free. It went against their nature. In retaliation, she pointed at Creed who was watching their exchange from his corner, saying, “He told me you were going to kill me. You would spare everyone else but weren’t going to let me live? Is that true?”

  Donovan’s eyes cut to the kitchen cupboards. When he answered his voice was hollow, “It may have been on the table.”

  June crossed her arms over her chest. “Meaning?”

  “To be fair, I didn’t who you were to me until I saw you in the office. All I heard from the guards was that we had an injured hunter who was already half dead,” Donovan explained. “Dani came forward and said that your father is a staple in the hunter community. I couldn’t justify saving your life in front of my pack without an exceptional reason. You being my mate is why you’re still alive.”

  “That’s just…you’re deplorable,” June seethed, waving a hand in the air.

  Donovan eyes hardened as he stared her down. “You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same. You were going to kill your cousin.”

  “Not by choice,” June gritted and moved out from under his arm. “Don’t pretend you know me.”

  “I could if you gave me a chance,” Donovan suggested. He dropped his arm and sidestepped away from the door. “We’re meant for each other. Let me prove it to you.”

  June’s gaze flickered to the door and then back to the alpha. He wasn’t looking directly at her, but she could feel him watching, waiting for her answer. She could try to run except he would just catch her again. Her best option was to wait. She would gain his trust first and when his guard was done then she would take her chance.

  “Fine,” June huffed. Leaning into the role of the helpless victim, she let her voice go small as she said, “Since I don’t have choice.”

  Donovan ignored her last comment and turned to his friend in the corner. “Creed, you can leave. We’ll take about your punishment in the morning,”

  “I never touched her!”

  “No, you were just going to let my mate walk outside, in the cold, while she’s recovering from a gunshot wound,” the alpha chastised. To her, he held out a hand, exhaling when she narrowed her eyes. “In case you try to run while my back is turned.”

  Reluctantly, June placed her hand in his and gritted her teeth at the sparks that traveled up her arm. If the alpha noticed, he didn’t say anything as he led her out of the kitchen. They crossed the living room went right, entering a small hallway June had missed earlier. There were four doors in total, two on the right and one on the left. He bypassed those and went to the very end, stopping in front a door that looked older than time itself.

  He dropped her hand and opened it, letting her pass. Under the threshold, June paused. “Thank you, by the way.”

  “For what?”

  Swallowing her pride, June said, “For not killing them. We may all live in the complex, but not everyone hunts. Most of the people that were grabbed were civilians who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, like Rosie.”

  “Did you?” he asked, his tone suggesting that he already knew the answer.

  June, not for the first time, felt ill when thinking about her job. After a moment of hesitation she responded, “I’m the daughter of a councilman. People expect certain things from me.”

  Donovan’s hand suddenly found her forearm, holding her in place as he inquired, “How many of us have you killed? How many times did you pretend it was justice and not murder?”

  “Three,” she answered, holding his gaze.

  Nodding, the alpha dropped his hand, his face void of emotion. Moving past him and into the room, June’s chest constricted.

  He was dangerous and not just because he was a hybrid. She had only known the man for a couple of hours, yet the impact he was having on her psyche was quickly becoming transparent. If she didn’t make it out of here soon, June wasn’t sure she would survive disappointing him again.

  /CHAPTER TWELVE/

  Donovan had brought her to was what he called the Alpha Library. From what June had seen, his house was up to date with modern décor, except for this place room. The library reeked of age with floor to ceiling shelves stacked with leather bound books, lantern lights hung from the wooden rafters, and the smell of mothballs permeated the air.

  In the back of the library, a single cherry wood table, which was covered in stacks of books and papers, rested in front of a bay window. Through the parted red drapes, June could make out the moon. Its light dripped into the room, casting shadows.

  “You’ll have to excuse the mess,” Donovan commented, “no one other than myself comes in here.”

  Understanding that they were going to ignore their doorway conversation, June took the bait. “Why is that?”

  Donovan turned towards the bookshelf closest to him, taking a black book with a cracked spine off the shelf. He ran a finger down its edge while remarking, “The alpha house was built around this library. My father once said that the books and journals are the legacy of the pack, not the person who has the title. The history held here guides the pack forward and must always remain protected.”

  June gave him a skeptical look, arching a brow. “And you decided that it was a smart idea to bring a woman you just met here?”

  Holding the book to his chest, he walked over to the table and pulled out a chair before sitting down. “The threshold is sealed with magic. The only way you can enter is if I invite you in.”

  Pondering that news for a second, she slowly made her way over to the table. Eyes on the alpha, she sat down across from him and folded her hands on the tabletop. “Magic is real?”

  “Not in the way movies portray it,” Donovan said. He laid the book down on the table and opened it. A dust cloud floated for a few seconds before disbanding. “Magic is a raw element like water or the air around us. We can feel it, but we can’t see it. A few lucky people, like the pack woman who blessed this room fifty years ago, can will it do their bidding. It is for this reason that my ancestors were once able to change forms.”

  “Well, that kind of pisses me off.”

  “Why?” Donovan questioned as he flipped through the pages of the book.

  “Because it could’ve saved my mom.” June answered, bristling at his curiosity, her hand going to Claire’s necklace. She was surprised to find it in its place. Not that the hybrids would have much use for it.

  Donovan paused his thumbing to look up at her, asking solemnly, “Was she sick?”

  “No, she was bitten,” June stated, keeping her voice steady.

  “Magic wouldn’t have reversed the bite and it wasn’t what killed your mom. Her death was a result of the prejudice hunters have against my kind,” the alpha reproa
ched.

  While June knew he was right, Claire wouldn’t have been the same. People changed when they made the shift. Something primal inside of them was released and consumed their humanity.

  “I wanted my mother, not a hybrid.”

  “Shifter,” Donovan corrected. He pushed the book across the table until it rested in front of her. Reaching across the table, he tapped the top of the page. “Maybe this will help.”

  “‘Proper Terminology for the Everlasting Species Around the World: volume 1, a comprehensive index’,” June read. She narrowed her eyes at the alpha. “Are you joking?”

  “If you walk around calling us hybrids, there’s going to be an issue,” he vowed. Leaning back in his seat, he pulled a cellphone from his jeans. Looking down at the screen, he added, “You’ll find what you’re looking for under ‘S’.”

  “I didn’t realize I had signed up for a study session,” June pointed out dryly. “I’ve already learned about your kind in school. What’s the point of this?”

  “You learned what the hunters force fed you,” Donovan commented. He jerked his head to the book. “The point is that what’s in there is the truth. You’re far from the hunters now so what’s the harm in doing a little reading, June?”

  The room would’ve been cooler if he had set it on fire. For a moment, all June could focus on was the sound of his voice saying her name over and over. She almost asked him to do it again when she caught herself staring. Ducking her head, she forced her attention on the book.

  She flipped to the table of contents. Wafting away the dust that flew off the faded pages, she ran a finger down the index, stopping on ‘S’. The section began on page 427, which she promptly turned to.

  “Sacrados, Selene, sentry,” June muttered, and then finally, “shifter.”

  At the top of the page, the entry was promptly titled shifter, and under it, in neat script, read:

  The first children of Nyx (page 241) were created from the merger of humans and wolves. Shifters portray traits of both beings with varying differences. Unlike homo sapiens, shifters live an average of a hundred and twenty years, have increased strength, and portray animalistic traits such as bonding. Around puberty, male and female alike are compelled by their instincts to find a mate for protection and reproduction. Shifters are social creatures and live in small communities called packs. They are led by an alpha, which despite popular belief, can be either a male or female. Directly under the alphas is their second in command, the beta, followed by the gamma, and pack wolves, otherwise known as omegas.

  The section went on to detail about what pack life consisted of including daily duties of the alpha, beta, and a gamma. After briefly scanning it, June turned to page 241, reading:

  Born from darkness, the creator of shifters goes by many names such as Nyx, Selene, and the first luna. Betrayed by her lover, Nyx swore to never be with another. While she stuck to her vow, the goddess grew lonely and thus wove herself companions out of stars. Given the power of the wolf and the shape of a human, the shifters have been able to live in hiding among mankind. Along with their incredible gifts, the goddess also endowed shifters with a cosmic connection. By splitting a soul into two parts, Nyx was able to create an unbreakable bond between two beings.

  Slamming the book shut, June pushed it away, sourly admitting, “I’m not a fan of this Nyx woman. She sounds problematic. What if I was a lesbian and didn’t want to be with you? What if you found me revolting? And don’t even get me started on the bit about reproduction—”

  “You’re thinking too much about it,” Donovan interjected and set aside on the table. “The connection of souls is a priceless gift that is treasured for a lifetime and beyond.”

  She thought of Claire for the second time that night. Her mom and dad were as close to perfect as anyone could be, yet nothing ever lasts. What was the point of being with someone else if they were going to eventually leave?

  June’s mouth turned dry. She was saved from having to respond when her stomach growled. “Right about now I would trade this priceless gift for a dollar twenty-five cheeseburger.”

  Donovan’s eyes sparked iridescent blue. Suddenly bashful, he offered, “I don’t have any cheeseburgers, but I can make you a sandwich.”

  As he stood up, June couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Why do your eyes do that? I thought the glowing only happens when you’re in beast mode.”

  “Shifted, not beast mode,” he corrected, “and it’s an alpha trait. I have a closer connection to my wolf than average shifters. I know what he wants or is thinking every minute of every day.”

  “That must be…annoying,” June commented. She couldn’t imagine sharing her head with another being. “What did he tell you just now?”

  In the low light, Donovan’s cheeks flushed red. Running hand through his already mussed curls, he replied, “He was yelling at me for letting you go hungry.”

  June’s lips twitched. Teasing, she said, “Well, you better listen. I can’t even remember the last time I ate.”

  “Yesterday afternoon,” he stated, his cheeks flushing again as he cleared his throat, “you’ve been in and out for a few days. When you were lucid, I spoon fed you broth. You don’t remember any of that?”

  “I don’t think that’s something I could easily forget,” June muttered. Mental images of a shirtless Donovan taking care of her made her heart leap. She shook the thoughts away. “By the way, why do I feel fine? My back was infected, and there was a bullet in my shoulder. I assume you have something to do with my miraculous recovery?”

  “In close proximity, the mate bond can expedite healing, even when one of the mates is human,” Donovan answered. Half turning, he pulled a brown leather book off the closet shelf and dropped it in front of her. “This’ll explain it better.”

  “Oh, great. More reading,” June huffed. Her nose wrinkled at the title, The Complete Guide for Modern Mates. She wondered what the shifter definition of modern was because the book looked like it had sixty years on her.

  Donovan chuckled and stepped towards the door. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  She waved him off and cracked open the book. Her eyes skimmed the title page until she heard the door close. Peeking up, June let out a breath. She was alone.

  And he had left his phone behind.

  Grabbing it, June did a little dance as she swiped the screen. She clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “No password, Mr. Alpha? That’s just foolish.”

  Her eyes went to the door and, with the phone in hand, she rose from the table. Going to the rear of the library, June ducked behind one of the many metal filing cabinets. It was basic knowledge that hybrids had excellent hearing. She didn’t want to test how much more superior the alpha was. She hoped the added distance and makeshift barrier would buy her enough time.

  June swiped the screen again and pulled up the keypad. By heart, she punched in one of the only three numbers she had memorized. Every ring that sounded was a stab to the heart. On the fifth ring, she was preparing hang up when the line clicked.

  “Hello?” a groggy voice mumbled, followed by a yawn.

  “Jace!” June gasped loudly and winced. She peeked around the corner. When Donovan didn’t come storming into the room, she tried again, quietly hissing, “It’s me.”

  On the other end, Jace cursed. There’s was rustling on his other side for a moment before he asked, “Where are you? Everyone who was taken was picked up—”

  “A few towns over, I know,” June finished. “Look, I don’t have much time. I need you to talk to the council and tell them to come and rescue me. The Ashby alpha is crazy! He’s keeping me hostage.”

  “I-I can’t do that,” Jace responded, “after the attack the complex was shut down. The council has been locked inside city hall. Even if I could get to them, they would refuse. You know how it is, right?”

  Exhaling through her nose, June pushed herself to think of another solution. Finally, she said, “My dad. He’ll come for me himself.
Can you—”

  “About that, he’s—” Jace started but then his voice was replaced with static.

  “Jace? Hello?” June pulled back the phone and swore when as the call dropped. In the corner of the screen, the service bar had been switched with for a circle with a line through it. Her frustration finally hit its peak and she tossed the infernal device, watching it skid across the hardwood until it was stopped by a sock clad foot.

  June hadn’t heard the door open, much less the alpha’s arrival.

  Bending down, Donovan picked the phone up off the floor and turned it over in his hand. His eyes moved off the black screen to her. In a flat voice, he asked, “Who did you call?”

  “Does it matter? You’re getting your wish,” June snapped as she stood up. She dusted off the knees of her borrowed sweatpants. “He’s not coming.”

  “He?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she repeated and pushed past the alpha. June didn’t make it a single step when he stopped her by gently grabbing her elbow. She glared at his hand. “Let me go.”

  Donovan dropped his hand instantly, saying, “If you had read more, you would know that electronic devices are arbitrary since the pack communicates through a mind link. In fact, this is one of the only phones on this mountain. Good luck finding the another.”

  June’s jaw went slack as his hand wrapped around the cell. The sound of breaking glass echoed through the room. When he loosened his grip, pieces of metal and plastic fell from his palm. The debris hitting the floor knocked her sanity back in place.

  Any comradery for the man in front of her instantly went up in the flames. She backed away from him as her eyes started to sting. When the tears started to fall, she didn’t wipe them away, even as her throat began to close up. “Fuck you.”

  The smug shine in Donovan’s eyes died and his lips pressed together. He reached for her but froze when she took another step back. “I—”

  Emotionlessly, she quipped, “Thanks for the sandwich but I’m not hungry anymore.”

  Without waiting for his response, she turned on her heel and left the library. She made it to the middle of the hallway when he shouted from behind her, “June!”