The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

27. Mint

Savannah crumpled the note in her hand, turning to search for the maid who had given it to her in the first place. To her disappointment, the maid was already nowhere to be seen. It wasn’t a big deal; her face was forever imprinted in Savvy’s memory, and she could find her later. For the millionth time, she was happy her parents had chosen not to disclose her little talent. It had proven to be useful in her adulthood so far.

She wondered what the present from Bjorn could be and instinctively knew that she had to go to the centre of the crowd to find out. However, this was when she realised that everything around her smelled like mint.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and hoped this was another one of the white bear’s tricks. In her presence he had already tricked her once, somehow imitating her mate’s scent. She was not going to fall for it.

However, Athena was unsettled inside, whimpering from pain, and Savannah knew events around her were taking a turn for the worse.

“I am fine!” She heard a familiar husky chuckle and felt a pang in her heart. “Really, I am sorry I scared you all! It was nothing!”

“Nothing?” Elene’s voice was unusually high-pitched. “Are you sure? Maybe we need a healer here?”

“No, I feel much better. Thank you, princess” Zack assured her. “It’s just an old trauma. I was poisoned with aconite, and sometimes it reminds of itself. But it’s temporary.”

She hadn’t seen him in months and really believed that the next time their paths would cross would be when she hunted him down to kill him. On her terms. When she was ready and prepared.

Not like this…

Nevertheless, the Moon Goddess had other plans. People in front of her stepped away, and she finally saw none other than her mate standing and talking to Kai and Elene. Another wolf was by his side, and she immediately recognised Zack’s Beta, Viktor. He was one of the few people she met in his pack. He was also one of the wolves who tried to catch her and kill her when she was trying to escape.

He hadn’t changed much, although something about him was definitely different. He had a crazy glint in his eyes that wasn’t there before. She could feel his wolf howling for their mate, yet Zack didn’t even look at her. What kind of game was he playing?

The worst thing of all this;- she had just been so happy a moment ago. The first time in a while. Zack’s presence had to ruin it for her once again.

She wondered how he could stand there and pretend nothing was going on. However, she quickly remembered that he was an excellent actor.

“You should have left when I told you,” Naya appeared next to her and handed her a glass of champagne that smelled suspiciously like vodka

“I am surprised you warned me at all,” Savvy admitted, and took a sip of the drink, setting her

sight on the king and his unexpected guest at all times. Alcohol did not affect her too much anyway, but it could calm her nerves just a bit.

“Why?” The werecat curled her lips playfully and shrugged her shoulders. “After all, I am not your enemy here.”

“Are you a friend, though?” the princess sniggered. “That is the question.”

“What are you going to do now?” Naya “masterfully” changed the subject, playing with her high silvery-white ponytail. She looked stunning in her azure sparkling dress with cut-out sides that emanated a gentle glow. It did not escape Savannah’s eye that the cat’s long nails were painted with the same pattern as the beads and sequins of her gown. But she knew that those were actually deadly claws ready to defend their owner any time. Or attack her opponent Brigit strolled past, ignoring them completely, but as she ended up standing behind them while choosing something to eat from the abundance of refreshments offered to the guests, they heard her quiet voice.

“Am I seeing things, or is that the infamous Alpha who is” She abruptly stopped talking, but they all knew what she meant. Savvy was happy that she didn’t call Zack her mate in a grand hall full of shifters with excellent hearing.

“How did you know?” Naya sneered, not looking at the werebear. In fact, neither was looking at the other. “He ran away with his tail between his legs before we rescued you.”

“I rescued myself,” Brigit declared firmly, popping a little chocolate heart into her mouth with her back to the other contenders and the drama in their midst.

the room as if she was more interested in practically anything else,

at the battle scene.” Brigit fixed the cape of her dress. It was made entirely out of glimmering purple beads, the colour of queens. It reminded Savvy of chain armour and a part of her respected Brigit for remaining true

tone, and the two growled quietly at each

they were all here, and Zack didn’t look at her once. Neither did Kai. They were talking,

that we belong to them. They would have

Savvy relief like it probably should for mates, yet satisfaction grew in the knowledge of how much

glanced at her for the first time as if knowing what she was thinking about. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and

to her alerted Savvy that his being here wasn’t a coincidence. He had known she was

seep into her conscience. There was so much raw anger, disappointment, regret, desire … It

ever present, and she was thankful that Athena was a royal Alpha lycan, which meant she contained the pride and strength

the most, her stupid decision to mate with Zack on their first day together. This one simple mistake

something as if they were old friends. Right after which, he looked at her again. There

could somehow protect herself from his feelings. It was not fair

nails. “I

think in peace and not have to deal with what was

reeks of you,” Brigit snorted, walking away from them, and

to her chuckled. “It’s not like you two tried to hide it. Is that why Morgan was writhing on the floor

that much?” she queried,

walking away in Zack’s company. She wanted to talk to

him to know who he

eyes meeting hers in the crowd. His warm gaze calmed her

Savannah was afraid to imagine what a spectacle Zack would have made if Kai had announced his

gesture for him to speak to her first. She desperately needed to tell him everything, but Elene started clinking a fork

to her out of nowhere and quickly squeezing her hand in a supportive gesture. “If

already.”

only worries me more,” Savannah confessed with a sigh. “I could have handled that.

Her friend announced dryly and looked her in the eye. For the first time, he was so serious that she doubted for a second if he was the same light-hearted and carefree person she had known her whole life. “If he doesn’t do the right thing and accept your rejection, I will kill him for you. Tonight … Actually, we should probably kill him anyway, since

a traitor.”

the North. Apparently, so is he.

don’t care, and neither should you.” Kyle furrowed his brows, placing his hands in his pockets. “This is why I should be the one to do it and not you. They will not kill me

here…”

am getting an alliance!” Savannah rolled her eyes, trying not to blush too

good luck at the

***

appeared Petra seemed to

short hair curled and styled to perfection. She looked satisfied, and the princess wondered if it was part of her

if someone had devised a plan like that, as

how Zara watched her fellow werebird with her lips clenched tight. She knew that there was no love lost between

the ones handling the interview. Both wore sparkling white outfits to host the event and

the hall, an oversized purple and gold chair placed in the middle looked suspiciously like a throne. There were numerous vases

simple small talk, warming the werebird