Capítulo 42

Phoebe emerged from the kitchen, her aura once again under control and her eyes their usual gray color. Máni had retreated, laughing with glee at finally exercising their aura and command. Phoebe shivered at the aura they had exuded. It was almost frightening, but she had been just as upset by the she-wolf's constant interference. She would not let anyone disturb William and Lily's bond until it was firmly established. Lily had already suffered one rejection, and if she was anything like Phoebe, she would fear and expect another.

Who would want a wolf that was so easily rejected by their fated mate? That insecurity had almost ruined Phoebe's second chance, and she wouldn't allow someone to prey on Lily's insecurities and ruin hers. She had a feeling it wouldn't be long at all before the bond between Lily and William was unbreakable. "Luna."

She turned to see Ben. Giving him a questioning look, she waited for him to continue. He seemed embarrassed by his actions the previous night, but she found it rather endearing. She recalled many nights singing with her father while her mother played his favorite eighties hits.

"The Alpha meeting will be starting in a couple hours, and I've been reminding everyone, but I can't seem to find Alpha William."

Phoebe's gaze slid toward the corner William and Lily had occupied, but it was empty. It hadn't been long since she took Camilla aside, and Máni wiggled with amusement.

Phoebe blushed lightly. She had a feeling she knew where they had gone. A brief link to Gloria confirmed their retreat, as well as assurances that his room had been prepared so nothing should disturb the eager pair.

Clearing her throat, Phoebe turned her attention back to the waiting Gamma, saying, "Alpha William just met his mate, so I think he's a little... occupied at the moment."

Ben's gaze widened in surprise, but Phoebe held in her chuckle.

"Unless there is something urgent about today's meeting, I think it's best to leave him for now. He can be informed later."

"Of course, Luna," Ben bowed, fighting a smile. It was unlikely they would see the Alpha until dinner, if not breakfast the next morning.

Sharing his thoughts, Phoebe mindlinked the cooks, "Myra, in about an hour or so, could you send up breakfast to Alpha William's suite? Just knock and leave it outside the door."

"Of course, Luna."

Satisfied, Phoebe sat back down as Blake and Emma finished their breakfast. Gradually, the Alphas separated themselves into groups to discuss pack activities and recent rogue attacks. Some left to speak in private prior to the meeting, leaving their Lunas and a few children behind. Phoebe sighed, looking over her remaining guests. Quite a few already knew each other, making Phoebe the odd one out.

They had been welcoming the previous night, but she also sensed unrest within them as she was new and very little was known about her. Well, she supposed they knew she could play piano. But that didn't tell them if she would be a good ally or not. Jason was a strong Alpha and well-known. Somehow she had to show she was his equal, but how was she supposed to instill that kind of confidence when she still didn't trust her own abilities? After all, she was only just beginning to settle into Blue Moon.

"Becky, where are you going?" a Luna asked as her daughter stood.

"I was going up to my room. It's not like there is anything else to do."

Phoebe grimaced at the young blonde's attitude. She supposed hanging around with older women would be rather boring. Rimrock never hosted any large events, so she wasn't certain how other packs handled such a situation with so many important guests. "Well, you never know, Luna Phoebe might have something planned," the Luna tried to console her daughter.

"Like what? A book club? A dance marathon?"

"A pool party," Phoebe said, letting her voice carry over the murmuring crowd.

Neither Luna nor daughter had made any effort to keep their voices low, so Phoebe felt no need to make an effort to ignore them. If they wanted to cause a scene, she was happy to let them. They certainly wouldn't rattle her.

"Of course, if you didn't bring a swimsuit, I understand if you want to skip it," Phoebe added. "It's such a nice day, it doesn't make much sense to spend it indoors. I thought a lunch on the patio with cocktails would be nice for everyone."

"Mommy, can we go swimming now?" Emma bounced in her seat.

"Absolutely. Let's go change."

The other Lunas seemed surprised by her dismissal. Phoebe wanted to make friends, but she wasn't about to pander to them. Máni wagged her tail in approval. They didn't need to play nice with these she-wolves... if anything, these wolves needed to learn to play nice with them.

Changing into swimsuits, Phoebe took the pups outside. Not unlike Rimrock, Blue Moon had a large pool surrounded by a wide patio. During her welcome party, they hadn't used the pool, but Blake and Emma were naturally curious about it, especially after Norah assured them they were welcome to swim in it as long as someone was watching over them. Not wanting the pups to be bored, Phoebe had already invited the daycare to bring the other pups as well.

When they reached the pool, several pups as well as their daily caretakers were already there. Phoebe slipped into the water, hanging out in the shallows as Blake and Emma splashed with the other young pups. She accepted a two-year-old from one of the other she-wolves and held it as the pup giggled and splashed.

Norah and Lucille joined her shortly after. The latter smirked, "You realize you are the talk of the day."

"Is that so?" Phoebe seated herself on the submerged steps, cuddling the little pup. "So what are they saying about me?"

"Mostly how they can't figure you out," Lucille sat on the edge of the pool and dangled her legs in the water. "They don't know how a Luna could play piano and sing, or why you and Jason would adopt pups before having your own. And they definitely don't know what to think about a Luna that hangs out at the pool playing with pups."

"If I knew it was going to be that easy to throw them, I wouldn't have tried so hard," Phoebe chuckled.

Lucille laughed, and even the daycare she-wolves smiled. They would be the first to admit their Luna was not ordinary, but the more they learned about her, the more they wondered why others were not like her.

"Oh my," they looked up to see a she-wolf approach clutching a towel. "You weren't kidding."

Phoebe smiled, "I never do. And you are?"

"Koko," the Luna introduced herself. "I'm from the Peace River Pack."

Unlike most of the wolves Phoebe met, Koko was not typical in physique or temperament. Her long, straight hair was black rather than brown or blonde, and she had a much darker complexion. She was tall, taller than Phoebe, but her clothes were simple in comparison to the others who tended to wear name brands as a sign of their pack's prosperity.

"Hello Koko. Come and join us," Phoebe encouraged. "The water's fine."

Koko hesitated before pulling off her tank top to reveal a black bikini. She shed her jeans next before stepping into the water to join her on the submerged steps.

"This is Billy," Phoebe introduced the pup in her lap.

"An orphan?"

"No. His father is one of our top warriors."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"..Playing piano. Why did you learn that?"

"My mother played and she taught me."

"But what purpose does it serve?"

Phoebe shrugged, "Does every skill need a purpose? My mother was the head of the pack's kitchen in my former pack, and my father was one of their groundskeepers. She taught me to cook. He taught me about plants. Neither of those skills will serve me much as a Luna, but I still enjoy them."

Koko was silent, thinking.

"Because I know how to cook, I know the effort that goes into making meals for so many, so when I thank our kitchen staff for their efforts, they know I'm being sincere," Phoebe continued. "I don't know how to make medicine, but I do know how difficult it is to find and collect certain herbs, so I recognize the efforts of our medical staff to keep everything in stock. I won't win any awards for playing piano, but it brings joy to others, including myself."

Koko chewed her lip before saying, "I actually play guitar."

"You two should play a duet tonight!" Lucille chirped.

"Well, I've never played for anyone but my grandfather. He's the one who taught me," Koko said, blushing.

"All the more reason to show it off," Lucille encouraged. She was for anything that would continue to confound the other Lunas. "I'm sure we could find a guitar."

"I'll think about it," Koko said, unused to anyone taking an interest in her talents. Most only cared about her combat skills and negotiating abilities.

"So tell me about your pack," Phoebe prompted.

"Well, we specialize in growing herbs..."

They chatted comfortably, and eventually other Lunas, Betas, and their children made their way out. The younger wolves immediately took to the water, joining the older pups from Blue Moon. The Lunas were more reluctant, not sure what to do in such a casual atmosphere. Usually, they tried to keep visiting Lunas busy with a carefully scheduled itinerary.

There was always an unspoken competition between them to dominate the room. Unlike Alphas who had a clear rank due to relative strength of their auras, Luna rank was more subtle and not always clearly defined. That was why gathering allies and creating the biggest following was vitally important. But Phoebe defied expectations.

She didn't act like a Luna. Last night she was a welcoming hostess, but there was also something distant about her, as if she expected them to fall in line behind her. What made the feeling even more difficult to ignore was how their inner wolves reacted: lowering their heads and tails in submission or completely rolling belly up whenever she was near.

Then Phoebe had taken to the piano, playing with unbelievable skill, all to entertain the pups. And when the Gamma made a fool of himself, she joined him with her beautiful voice, softening his. It was clear the Blue Moon pack was infatuated with their Luna, as was their Alpha.

Ostracizing Phoebe was out of the question. They couldn't risk insulting Blue Moon, nor could they risk falling out of favor with Jason.

It was unlikely any of the Blue Moon pack would act as an insider for them to gain leverage over Phoebe either. Plenty of rumors swirled around her, about her rejection, adopting orphan pups, and being wolfless. Yet the confrontation with Camilla proved Phoebe bore no shame about any of those rumors.

Despite being rejected once, she held her head high and proud. When it came to the pups, it was clear she loved them as her own. What was more... Jason also treated them as his own. The pups even called him daddy. She hadn't given an answer to the claim she was wolfless, but she showed no sign that there would be any sort of hindrance when it was time for the moonlit run. Was that rumor wrong?

Now Phoebe was in the pool with the other she-wolves, in charge of minding the pups. She held a two-year-old in her lap as if she were its mother, laughing and chatting with wolves far below her standing. Yet she treated them as equals. The idea seemed laughable to the other Lunas, who thought the only way to handle their pack was to be aloof and dominant. Lower and higher ranks simply didn't mix.

And yet they saw not just Phoebe but also Lucille and former Luna Norah all relaxing with the other she-wolves in the pool. Not only that, but another Luna had already joined them. Koko was considered a lower-ranked Luna because her pack was small: barely three hundred members. She had no strong allies with the other Lunas since her pack did not have any valuable resources to trade.

But Phoebe didn't seem to care as she chatted easily with the other. Koko seemed perfectly at ease as well. The other Lunas were almost ready to suspect the pair knew each other before the meeting, but that was impossible since Phoebe had been unranked prior to mating with Jason.