Staring at myself in the mirror, I analyzed the skimpy bikini the twins had packed for me and decided that, despite its small size, I actually liked it. The color perfectly matched my left eye, and although it barely contained my ample chest, the little triangles of the top managed to do the job. The bottoms, however, were a different story. Adorned with cute bows on each side, they covered only a fraction of my rear.
Kat sidled up behind me, cocking her head to the side as her curly ponytail bounced. She pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose, her cinnamon freckles scrunching up. “Why can’t I fill out like that?” she scoffed, and I tried not to show my surprise.
I wasn’t accustomed to this sort of girl talk. Kat was one of those women who embraced her body with unshakeable confidence, accepting every curve, mark, and dip. She fully owned her sexuality-a trait I was beginning to embrace myself.
“You fill out just fine,” I snorted, shaking my head at her. “Besides, I’m sure you can fit into a lot more clothes than I can.”
“Well, that’s not your fault,” she retorted, hands on her hips. “We all know the fashion industry caters to the small, Sophia.”
“I never realized you cared so much,” I teased, chuckling as she rolled her mossy eyes.
Kat was a bit shorter and less curvy than me. While my chest spilled out of the bikini top, hers were more modest. I had learned not to judge anyone based on their body, especially when it came to something as trivial as breast size. Perhaps Kat’s confidence was rubbing off on me.
I cocked my head, scrutinizing my reflection in the mirror once more, and finally decided that I liked how this bikini looked on me. Silly as it sounded, it was my first time wearing such a revealing swimsuit. Back when I was young, living with my grandma, I’d only worn simple one-piece swimsuits to the community pool.
“I know that look,” Kat grinned broadly, rubbing her hands together.
“Hey, they picked the swimsuit,” I shrugged, unable to contain the smirk that crept onto my face. “It’s only fair I make them regret it.”
It was a strange feeling, smiling this much. My cheeks ached from all the grinning and laughter, but it wasn’t unpleasant. It was the kind of pain that reminded you that life was beautiful and worth living, despite its challenges.
“I’m going to be seeing a lot of hard-ons today, aren’t I?” Kat snickered, though her emotions betrayed something deeper.
I sensed her amusement and happiness, like sun-soaked petals and tanning lotion, but underneath lay a hint of longing and a dash of bitterness. They were faint, but enough to give me pause. Why had I been gifted with this ability if not to help others? If I could ease Kat’s burden, even for a moment, perhaps my gift wasn’t so dangerous after all.
“Are you okay?” I frowned, cringing at the concern in my voice-a tone I rarely used, and one that had never been used on me. “I mean, I’m not trying to pry, but you know I can’t control this whole emotion-sensing thing.”
“What? I’m fine,” she replied, seeming taken aback by my question. “It’s just… everything going on is stressful, but I’m not upset about it.”
“It’s not that. I sense a longing from you, and just a hint of bitterness,” I blurted out, feeling awkward as the words left my mouth.
It sounded strange to articulate someone else’s emotions. Part of me regretted bringing it up, but I genuinely wanted to help. My guilt eased when Kat’s shoulders slumped.
“It’s not about you, but… when I see you with your mates, I can’t help but wonder when it’ll be my turn,” she sighed, brushing back a ringlet that had fallen from her ponytail.
She nibbled on her lower lip, meeting my gaze with a mix of guilt and vulnerability. “I’ve been eighteen for months now-two whole years without finding my mate. If he were in our pack, I would’ve found him by now.”
“Could he be in a different pack? Like Sebastian’s or Williams’s?” I asked, understanding what mates meant and remembering the overwhelming feeling of finding Ethan and Kieran. “Can you sense them or anything?”
“I wish,” she snorted, shifting on her feet. “I assume he’s in a different pack, but he could be in England for all I know. I’ve never even left this pack before. Maybe that’s why I haven’t found him yet.”
“Well, you’re coming with us to the High Table meeting. That’s as good a chance as any,” I reassured her, an idea forming in my mind. I would be Luna, right? That meant I had certain freedoms and could make decisions. With determination, I squared my shoulders and met Kat’s eyes with resolve.
Gone was the guilt in my voice, replaced by certainty. “When I become Luna, we’ll search Sebastian and Williams’s pack for your mate. If he’s not there, I’ll make sure you have everything you need to go find him.”
My words hung in the air, sinking in as Kat processed them with a mix of surprise and hope. It almost offended me, her surprise. She was the first friend I’d made here, the first in a long time. If I had the power to help her, how could I not? I wasn’t an expert on being a good friend, but I knew I’d be a terrible one if I didn’t help her find her soulmate.
“You’d do that for me? Give me the means to find my mate?” she whispered, her emerald eyes shimmering with tears.
“I’ll even send a group of warriors with you. I don’t know how frequent rogue attacks are, but I’m not leaving anything to chance,” I insisted, unwilling to risk my friend to the feral rogues out there.
“Do you think Ethan and Kieran would agree to that?” she asked, hope blossoming in her heart and lighting up her face.
Hope was an emotion I hadn’t felt much before, and I savored its uniqueness. Emotions were like experiences, each different, each unique to the person feeling them. Kat’s hope felt like those nights when I’d climb onto the roof, gazing up at the stars and dreaming of a life beyond Lauren’s and Darren’s cruelty.
I didn’t need to ponder whether Ethan and Kieran would support my decision. They would do what was best for Kat, whether because she was an incredible pack member or simply because she was my friend-my first true friend in a long time.
“What do you think they’d agree to?” Ethan’s voice cut through from the open bedroom door, his head poking in just a few inches. His onyx hair fell over his forehead, and he brushed it back with a swift motion.
“Nothing,” Kat chuckled, discreetly wiping tears from her eyes. “At least, nothing you need to worry about yet.”
“Getting into trouble already, sweetheart?” Kieran’s voice echoed down the hall.
I snorted at his teasing and tried to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks. Ethan’s gaze shifted from Kat to me, lingering a bit longer than necessary on my bikini-clad figure. His eyes traced down my body, sending shivers through my skin wherever they touched.
“I think you should have picked a different swimsuit for her, brother,” Ethan remarked, clearing his throat and redirecting his attention to my face. He subtly adjusted himself, out of Kat’s view.
After a few moments, Kieran appeared in the doorway, his eyes captivating, drawing all focus to him and Ethan. In that moment, Kat seemed to fade into the background, and my attention fixated solely on the twins-my twins. Heat surged through my stomach under their combined gaze, a warm, honey-like sensation settling between my thighs.
Kieran remained silent for a long moment, and I could have sworn I heard Kat stifling a laugh under her breath.
“I regret nothing, though I suspect she’ll be the death of us,” Kieran finally grunted, giving me one last hunger-filled look before strolling into the adjacent bathroom.
Confusion must have been written all over my face when the shower started running. Ethan, however, seemed to grasp his brother’s intentions perfectly.
“I think I’ll need a cold shower myself,” Ethan muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. His shirt had lifted slightly, revealing toned muscles on his abdomen, and there was a noticeable bulge in his sweatpants as he followed Kieran into the bathroom.
“We’ll meet you at the pool in five minutes,” Ethan called out, grinning cheekily as he closed the bathroom door behind him.
“You’re going to be in for it, girl,” Kat shook her head, her curly hair bouncing like crackling flames.
I laughed in agreement, knowing all too well the kind of delightful pain she was hinting at.
“Maybe I have three mates out there,” Kat teased as we descended the curved staircase toward the sliding glass doors leading to the pool. “Or four. I can’t stand odd numbers.”
“Four mates?” I spluttered, shaking my head in disbelief. Could you imagine? Four insatiable men all claimed as yours, while you belonged to each of them in return. No thank you! I was perfectly content with my two mates.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own harem,” Kat joked, clasping her hands together. “Full of men, that is.”
“You’ve always dreamt of having a harem of men?” I snorted, raising an eyebrow at my quirky friend.
“Not really, but I wouldn’t complain if the Moon Goddess decided to pair me with four devastatingly handsome men,” she replied with a wave of her hand. “At this point, though, I’d settle for just one.”
“You’ll find your mate, Kat. I’ll do whatever I can to help,” I reassured her with a smile.
The pool behind the cabin was as large as the community pool my grandma used to take me to, shaped like a large ‘L’ with a diving board at one end. Unlike the community pool’s shallow two feet, this one started at nearly seven. I laid out a few towels on the wicker sectional on the deck, gazing down at the crystal-clear water. It was sweltering outside, sweat trickling down my neck. I dipped a toe in and sighed at the coolness.
“Oh, Luna,” Kat teased, and I snorted without bothering to turn around. She only called me Luna when she wanted something.
“Yes, my loyal subject?” I retorted, and she cackled behind me.
That was all I managed before she tackled me from behind. I recognized her by scent alone-sunscreen and granny smith apples, an odd but summery combination. I opened my mouth to protest, but we tumbled into the pool, limbs tangled in a mess.
She’d intended to push me in, but for once, my reflexes were faster than human. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her in with me.
As we surfaced, hair wild and grinning lopsidedly, I playfully splashed her face. Her eyes widened, darting down momentarily before snapping back to my face, refusing to look below my forehead.
“Um, Sophia,” she choked out, clearly fighting laughter.
“Did you hit your head?” I raised an eyebrow. “I can’t tell with all that red hair.”
Something floated on the water, a thin scrap of sky-blue fabric nearly ten feet away. My jaw dropped as Kat snorted, hand flying to cover her mouth.
“Looks like we’ve returned just in time for the fun.”