Chapter 4
Survival Instinct
Alexa
Two days from now, I’ll marry Gabriel. Like any Alpha and Luna preparing to wed, we must pass through a chain of ceremonies. The wedding will be followed by the Luna coronation ritual.
Pressure presses in from every direction. I have never felt anything like this before. Not even close. Beauty treatments, dress fittings, physical training. Every hour of my day is scheduled and measured. Yet today, strangely, some of the weight feels lighter.
Starting this morning, Harlow is officially assigned as my bodyguard. I didn’t truly expect Gabriel to grant my request from last night, but he did.
As my bodyguard, Harlow stays by my side all day. He drives me from one appointment to another, steps in and out of buildings with quiet vigilance. No one questions our closeness now. It’s part of his duty.
“I swear, I’m about to pass out,” I say, drawing a long breath as he settles into the driver’s seat.
He glances at me with a crooked smile. “Wears a person down, doesn’t it? Being Luna and all.”
“Wears me clean out,” I reply, staring blankly at the beauty salon behind us. “I never pictured this. Becoming Luna was never part of the plan.”
He reaches over and brushes his fingers against my temple. “As long as folks are safe, that’s what counts. Ain’t that right?” I turn to him and smile.
“Yes. Jack’s back at camp. Mrs. Geeny can move around without fear. Mrs. Gertrude and Lorraine signed the asset transfer papers. And most important of all, you’re here with me. Safe.” I run my hand along his arm.
His eyes linger there before meeting mine again. “Alexa, I’m supposed to be the one looking after you.”
I shake my head. “Love protects both ways. You once stood between me and Alastair. Now it’s my turn to stand between you and Gabriel.”
He studies me for a moment, then nods. “Alright. For now, I’ll keep my head down. But one day, I’ll find a way to get us out of here. You got my word.”
I look at his face. The one I hold close in my heart. The one that feels like home no matter where we stand. Emotion rises in my chest before I can stop it. I lean forward and kiss him, quick and impulsive, before he can turn back to the steering wheel.
“Alexa,” he murmurs, half protest, half affection.
I laugh and clear my throat, pretending composure. “That’s enough of that. Where to next?”
“We’re heading home,” he says, starting the engine. “Then you need to get ready. Dinner with Gabriel. Some restaurant outside Silver Moon territory.”
“Oh.” I lean back in my seat. “Maybe he wants to talk about the property he’s buying to cover my debt to Alastair. Mr. Pascoe said Gabriel agreed to it.”
I don’t like relying on Gabriel. But right now, he’s the only one who can help me. He’s the only one with enough wealth to pay a million dollars in two days.
Romero likely has the means as well. His estate is even grander than Gabriel’s. But he won’t be allowed to purchase land within Silver Moon territory. And none of the elders or residents could gather that much cash so quickly.
Circumstances tighten around me like a cage. Only Gabriel can settle this debt.
I glance at Harlow as he drives, sunlight brushing across his profile. A quiet ache settles in my chest. When will we finally make our move? When will we leave Silver Moon behind and choose our own future?
Not yet. For now, I endure the ceremonies. The expectations. The careful smiles.
One day, we will walk away from all of this. And when we do, we will find our happiness far beyond the borders of Silver Moon.
* * *
Something feels off about Alpha Gabriel’s plan tonight. He invites me to dinner at a restaurant outside Silver Moon’s territory, yet he doesn’t ride in the same car. I can’t even meet him before arriving. The distance feels deliberate, calculated.
Earlier, a maid delivers his message. I have to wear a black minidress.
The fabric barely covers half my thighs.
When I sit, my legs are almost exposed, nothing beneath the dress but thin lace underwear.
The outfit feels less like formal dinner attire and more like a statement I don’t fully understand.
Harlow frowns when he opens the car door for me. His disapproval is clear, though he says nothing. It’s Gabriel’s order, and as my assigned bodyguard, he has no room to object.
The restaurant turns out to be unlike any I have seen. Dark Glow is a private establishment dressed entirely in monochrome black and white. The design is sleek, minimal, almost theatrical.
A hostess guides me to a VIP room. I expect Gabriel to already be there, but the chairs are empty. The room is spacious, yet furnished with only a single round table encircled by a plush sofa fixed against the wall. There are no separate chairs. The arrangement feels intentional, intimate.
“Alexa,” Harlow says quietly beside me, “Alpha Gabriel asked me to put this on you.”
I hear fabric rustle as he pulls something from his jacket.
“Put it on? You mean cover my eyes?” I ask, confused.
“Yes.”
He steps closer, and the soft brush of cloth caresses me as he lifts it toward my face.
A tremor runs through me. For a split second, memory drags me backward to another blindfold, another room, silver chains biting into my wrists. The helplessness. The auction in the darkness.
But this is Harlow. He would never hurt me.
“It’s alright,” he says, tying the cloth behind my head. “I don’t know what he’s planning, but I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
The fabric blocks everything. Complete darkness. Even Mythril’s enhanced vision is useless if my eyes are covered.
“You’re staying in here too?” I ask.
“Yeah. He said I can stay, long as I keep my mouth shut.”
“He really allowed that?”
“Sure did. So breathe easy. I’m not going anywhere.” His hand squeezes my shoulder once before releasing.
Inside my mind, I reach for Mythril. “What is he planning?”
“It’s alright, Alexa. Harlow is here. We are safe.”
I sharpen my hearing as the door opens. Footsteps enter the room. Strangely, I don’t catch Gabriel’s usual scent of bergamot and fern. The air carries only mint and pine. Harlow’s scent.
“Harlow?” I call softly.
“Right here,” he answers.
Relief loosens my chest. “Is that Alpha Gabriel who just came in?”
“Yeah. And a server with him.”
A woman’s voice speaks gently. “Good evening. Our restaurant offers a special dining experience. Guests eat in complete darkness to heighten the other senses and deepen the flavor experience.”
Complete darkness.
“In a moment, the lights will be turned off. Your utensils are placed to your right. Dishes will be served one by one, all prepared in bite-sized portions. There is no need to cut anything. Please enjoy.”
The remaining light fades. It’s pitch black. I lift a hand toward the blindfold. I don’t think it’s necessary, but Gabriel has other measures.
“Leave it on, Alexa.” Gabriel’s voice stops me. “I want to see how sharp your senses really are.”
“What is this, another Luna trial?” I mutter.
“You could call it training,” he replies calmly. “If your vision fails, an Alpha and Luna should still hold steady. Don’t you think?”
“You’re putting me through all this over dinner?” I sigh. “Fine. I’ll play along.”
It still feels unnecessary. Eating and conversing in total darkness might be novel, but hardly a measure of worth.
Course after course arrives. I rely on scent, texture, and subtle sound. I move carefully, deliberately, refusing to let discomfort show. When I finish the last bite of steak, I set my fork and knife down on the plate.
“So?” I ask, tilting my head slightly. “Did I pass?”
“Yeah,” Gabriel answers at last. “Let’s say you did.”
Why is he answering me so calmly? The longer this dinner stretches on, the more impatient I become.
I expected threats, veiled or direct. Instead, Gabriel remains composed, almost distant.
The merlot the server pours into my glass warms my throat and loosens the tightness in my chest, wrapping me in a false sense of ease.
Gabriel barely speaks. He doesn’t taunt me. He doesn’t press his dominance into the air like he usually does. With each slow sip of wine, the tension inside me dissolves further. My guard lowers inch by inch.
“Mr. Pascoe said you agreed to buy my father’s estate and pay off Alpha Alastair’s debt. That true?” I ask into the darkness.
“It’s done,” Gabriel replies, his voice heavy and measured. “The paperwork’s already handled.”
Relief flickers through me. “Then do you have Alpha Alastair’s account information? Or are you planning to ride with me to Blood Moon tomorrow?” I take another sip of wine, the liquid smooth and dangerously comforting.
The sooner the debt is cleared, the sooner I can move. The sooner I can leave Silver Moon with Harlow. If fate is kind, I might not even have to marry Gabriel.
He exhales slowly. “No need to fret. I’ve invited Alpha Alastair and Alpha Romero to Silver Moon tomorrow. They’ll be honored guests at our wedding.”
My heart jolts hard against my ribs on hearing that. Invited? Even with my eyes covered, I can’t hide the sudden storm in my chest. If they come, they will see everything. They will know what has happened to me.
Romero’s kindness flashes through my mind. His protection. His patience. I ran from him after all he did. I doubt he would willingly walk into Silver Moon to witness my wedding.
Alastair is different. He will come for his money. Even if he despises me for no longer being untouched, he won’t ignore the payment.
“That’s… good,” I murmur, placing my wine glass carefully on the table.
The room feels warmer now. My pulse grows heavier. My throat dries. In the silence, a body shifts beside me. A thigh brushes against mine. An arm slides around my shoulder. I turn toward the touch instinctively.
“What are you doing, Alpha?” I ask, trying to lean away.
“Easy now,” he murmurs close to my ear, voice low and intimate. “Don’t get riled up. Just missed you, that’s all.”
His breath warms my skin. Heat spreads across my cheeks. Something feels wrong. The scent surrounding me is not bergamot and fern. It’s mint and pine.
My thoughts blur. I try to reach for Mythril, but it feels as though she’s pressed deep beneath layers of fog inside my mind. Gabriel’s hand glides slowly along my thigh, his grip tightening as he pulls me closer.
My body responds before my mind can protest. My skin burns beneath his touch. I try to shift away, but my limbs feel heavy, sluggish.
“What did you do?” I whisper, voice unsteady. “We’re in a restaurant.”
He lets out a quiet chuckle against my neck. “This is a private room,” he says. “And that wine you’ve been sipping? It’s got a little something extra in it.”
My stomach drops. “Harlow,” I call out, panic threading through my voice. “Harlow, help me.”
He should be here. He said he would stay.
“Harlow!” I scream in my mind link, but no one answers me.
“Don’t waste your breath,” Gabriel says coolly. “He stepped out with the waitress a while ago.”
The words barely register before his lips press hard against my neck. A sigh escapes my lips at the pleasant sensation along my neck. Gabriel licks, sucks, and teases me into a pleasure I can’t deny.
Damn, this aphrodisiac potion works. And on top of that, he’s still my mate. Then what the hell is it about mint and pine that reminds me of Harlow?
I should have known Gabriel was planning a dirty trick on me. Because this time, as I let his fingers move deeper between my thighs, I don’t stop him. In one quick squeeze, two of his fingers slide beneath my lace panties and slip inside me.
“Harlow! Har—”
My words are cut off by the rush of pleasure as his fingers press against my throbbing inner muscles. Every coherent thought drifts away. One hand grips his arm in a weak attempt to hold him back. I don’t even know anymore if I want to push his hand away or pull it deeper into my wet heat.
My other hand grabs his waist. At first I mean to shove him off, but the moment my palm brushes over his hard abs, I falter. His scent, the warmth of his body, it all makes me forget about Harlow.
“Oh,” I breathe as Gabriel’s thumb presses against my clit.
No. This is wrong. But desire explodes inside me, bright and blinding. My body throbs, aching for his touch.
“Just let go, baby,” he murmurs, his Montana drawl low and rough. “Ain’t no use fighting it.”
His voice drowns out every broken sound slipping from my lips.
He crushes his mouth to mine with unstoppable hunger.
I kiss him back, opening for him, tasting him, exploring with a greedy tongue.
His hand tugs my panties down and I let them fall.
The potion fuels the fire already burning in my blood.
My body grows hotter. His fingers thrust into my slick, throbbing slit, so deep his knuckles brush sensitive flesh again and again.
His other hand finds the zipper at my back. My upper body is bare, nothing covering me but the fabric clinging at my waist. Gabriel unclasps my bra in one smooth motion and tosses it aside. He guides me down until I am half lying on the couch beneath him.
“Come for me, Luna,” he says, voice thick and steady. “I know you want to. I know you need to.”
His mouth closes around my nipple. One hand kneads my breast, thumb flicking and rolling the sensitive peak until I writhe beneath him.
His tongue is hot and wet against the other nipple, sucking and licking as if savoring something sweet.
Meanwhile his hand works between my legs, pumping, pressing all the right places.
I can’t hold back. My fingers tangle in Alpha Gabriel’s smooth hair, gripping tight as sensation crashes over me in relentless waves. I climax with a helpless cry.
“That’s it,” he says with a low chuckle. “Knew you were still mine.”
A soft sucking sound sends another jolt through me. Is he sucking his fingers? Goddess. I have committed a mortal sin, and the worst part is I want more. This is madness.
“I hate you, Gabriel,” I mutter through clenched teeth.
He gives a quiet laugh, warm and unbothered. “Careful now. Hate’s a mighty strong word.”
Then he lifts my hips and lowers his mouth between my thighs, covering my clit with his lips.