Genesis: (Book One of the True Luna Series)

by Texie D. Freeman

  June took the slip and unfolded it, scanning it twice to make sure she had read it right. Realizing the words weren’t going to change, she swallowed. “I didn’t think you were being literal.”

  “Are you still certain of this?” the guide asked, his eyes locked on her face, assessing.

  Putting the paper in the side pocket of her leggings, June nodded. “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  They returned to Thalia, who raised a brow at June. She shook her head in response, her mind trying to wrap itself around what was to come. To distract herself she addressed the guide again, “There was a mural in the library. Do you know anything about it? Particularly about the man who is with Nyx?”

  “I could tell you about it but so can your mate,” Lycos expressed. “I think he’s been kept waiting long enough, yes?”

  June didn’t have to be told twice. She and Thalia said their goodbyes to the guide and were outside the temple five minutes later. The sky had gone from black to purple and over the horizon, the sun was starting to rise.

  Thalia walked her over to the truck, ignoring her silver car. June could sense that the beta had more to say and stayed silent. When they made it to the driver’s side door, the beta broke the silence. “Do you think we can really save her? It’s just that I’ve only heard her voice a few times and I’m starting to forget what it sounds like and I—”

  She stopped herself and stared at June with watery eyes.

  “I know we will. Once Donovan is back, finding Lena and waking up Marigold will be my top priority. I promise.”

  The beta surprised June by pulling her in for a hug. They embraced for a minute before Thalia stepped away. “Go save our alpha. I’ll come by later today to check in.”

  June gave her new friend one last smile before climbing in the truck. In the mirror, she watched Thalia go to her car and get in. The beta waved as she backed up, disappearing around the bend a second later.

  Long after she was gone, June stayed put. Once more, she gripped the steering wheel and stared at the cathedral. This time, when she closed her eyes and prayed, it felt like Nyx was listening.

  /CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE/

  The house as eerily silent as June stepped through the front door. Despite the early hour of the morning, almost four a.m., she wasn’t tired. Energy coursed through her, bone deep, as she shut the front door, and engaged the locks. Still facing the door, she drew a breath, let it go, and turned.

  Walking through the room, June stepped into the kitchen. She riffled around for a while before finding a candle and a lighter. Back in the living room, she placed the candle on the table and lit the wick. The flame was small yet the shadows it casted were long and wide.

  After drawing the curtains shut, only leaving one open so that the remaining moon light could shine on the alpha. From her pocket, June pulled out the slip of paper which had been burning a hole in her pocket. She saw the words without reading them. Lycos’ instruction were so clear that he shouldn’t have even bothered writing it down.

  She let the paper slip from her fingers and watched it fall to the floor. Bending over, June unlaced her boots before sitting down on the edge of the couch. Her fingers shook, not from fear, but anticipation to see his eyes again, as she pulled off her shirt. She tossed it aside, not caring where it landed.

  “Now or never,” June muttered and repositioned herself so that she was straddling Donovan’s middle. Getting his shirt off was the hard part. When he was free, placed her hands on his bare chest and closed her eyes, pulling Genesis forward as if she had done so a thousand times before.

  Under the moon, the shift happened quickly. With the tips of her claws, June pierced her right index finger and did the same to Donovan’s chest, breaking his skin. A small bead of blood pooled before rolling down his side. June touched her finger to the wound.

  “Time,” Genesis echoed in her head.

  Keeping her hands on the alpha, June moved her hair over her right shoulder. Loud and clear, she recited, “Voco super matrem suam. Luna et stellae ut ius statera.”

  The candle flared and the moon glowed brighter as June leaned forward. Her nose skimmed across the alpha’s collarbone as she nestled her head into the space where his shoulder and neck connected. June exhaled and before she could overthink it, she bite down, her canines piercing his skin without resistance.

  Donovan’s back arched off the couch and low moan pierced the silence. June responded with a sound of her own as she felt her body blaze. Her heart hammered in sync with his. Once it slowed back to a normal pace, she pulled away.

  Fiery blue eyes clashed with hers.

  The room blurred and suddenly she was underneath him. Animalistic sounds were coming from the alpha as he stared her down, waiting. Genesis was making keening noises, her want as apparent as June’s.

  Her body tensed when Donovan nuzzled her neck, shivering when his canines brushed against the soft skin of her neck. June tilted her head, giving him better access. Sparks danced across her skin with untamable ferocity and just when she wasn’t sure she could handle it anymore, he struck.

  A moan died on her lips as her body reached towards the alpha. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she yanked him closer. Magic brimmed in the air and her being buzzed in response. The empty space in her soul, one she had never noticed, was replaced with light and warmth.

  Love, she realized.

  An eternity could have passed, and she wouldn’t have noticed, so caught up in the feeling. When Donovan released his hold, canines retracting, June’s adrenaline had faded. She peered up at him through cracked eyelids, watching the glow in his eyes dim.

  Somehow, she found the energy to raise her hand and cup his cheek, softly sighing, “There you are.”

  Donovan placed his hand over hers. “I’m sorry I worried you, baby.”

  The next thing she became aware of was being in his arms. A million questioned danced around in her head but the gentle rock and sway as Donovan carried her up the stairs was too alluring to fight. Her head fell against his chest, and her eyes slid shut. Fully sated, she let go.

  Minutes or maybe hours later, June came to, shooting up in bed. Her agitation turned to confusion as her eyes moved around the room. It took a moment to for the fog to clear before she remembered the events that had transpired. Her hand went to her neck for confirmation which came in the form of puffy skin and lingering soreness.

  Her mind snapped to Donovan and Genesis’ agitation flared. The reason was apparent when June looked over. The sheets on the other side of the bed were but the spot was empty. She was about to call out for him when she heard running water.

  Freeing herself from the duvet, June crawled out of bed. It took all her control to walk, not run, across the room. Outside the bathroom door, her hand hovered above the handle. She knew in her soul that there would be no going back in a few seconds.

  Genesis growled impatiently, effectively killing the moment. June rolled her eyes. “For the love of Nyx, keep yourself together.”

  She was unsure if she was addressing the wolf of herself and twisted the handle, sealing her fate. Steam filled the room, fogging the mirrors but the mist wasn’t thick enough to hide Donovan’s naked form through the glass shower door.

  June drank him in slowly and idly wondered how she had been able to resist this man for so long. Her imagination hadn’t done him justice. The alpha looked like he belonged among the likes of Hercules or Perseus. The edges of his body were smooth and dotting his chest was a fine layer of dark hair.

  He was a work of art.

  Donovan’s head tilted back under the spray and she couldn’t stop the breathy exhale that escaped her. His eyes snapped open and locked on her as he paused. “June?”

  She opted to not respond, instead choosing to pull off the shirt he had put on her while she slept. Her leggings followed and the alpha’s eyes roamed over her, drinking in her near bare body. June offered him a sultry smile as she looped her thumbs around the band of her pan
ties, pulling them off slowly. Her bra joined the pile of her clothes next.

  Completely nude and vulnerable before him, Donovan’s eyes flared and he audibly swallowed, “Goddess.”

  June tilted her head to the side. “Nyx has nothing to do with this.”

  His heated eyes seared through her while mumbling, “I wasn’t talking about her.”

  A hunger June had never felt before spread through her ferociously. Throwing caution to the wind, she quickly closed the space that separated her from Donovan. He didn’t move back as she stepped into the shower, and when the door closed, every inch of their skin touched.

  With gentle hands, Donovan pushed back the hair that clung to her face from the spray. She leaned into his touch, basking in his presence, and laughed, “Hi.”

  “Hello,” he greeted warmly, and then warily, “are you sure?”

  She mulled the question over before answering honestly, “I’ve never been certain about anything in my life. Not the hunters, my family, or even myself. When I woke up in that cell, I finally felt peace because I realized it was about to be over. I was going to die and would never again have to question myself or fight for survival.”

  “June—” Donovan started, his expression a mask of concern.

  “Let me finish,” she said and only continued once he nodded. “I knew I was going to die and that was okay because I had nothing to life for. When you pulled me back from the edge, I felt like something had been stolen. What else could I do other than fight? And then…it happened again, in the car, with Dani. But this time it was different. I realized I do have something to live for. I want you, every day, for as long as I have in this lifetime and the next. No hesitations, no anxiety, just us.”

  The alpha’s face was wet, and it wasn’t from the water. His hands came to her shoulders. With his fingertips, he traced her skin, taking his time as he moved lower. When he reached her thighs, June jumped when he readjusted his hands and lifted her without warning.

  She snorted very attractively when the cool tile touched her heated skin. The alpha wasn’t bother by the sound, in fact, he was smiling as he pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose.

  And then the moment turned serious. A silent question came from the alpha and she nodded.

  He didn’t leave her waiting. June’s head went back, and a rush of euphoria flooded he as he pressed into her, their bodies becoming one. The alpha’s lips met hers in a fury of passion as their moans echoed around them. June hadn’t realized she had closed her eyes until she opened them, meeting Donovan’s endless hues, speechless until, “I love you.”

  The alpha’s shocked expression would’ve made June laugh if at that very second, she hadn’t felt herself reaching new heights. Coming down felt just as good as going up, and through the roaring of blood in her ears, she heard him speak, “I love you boundlessly, June Gilley, I’m yours.”

  Ecstasy pooled around her edges once more. Before it could overtake her, she moaned, “Yours.”

  She watched as he followed. In background of her passion, June felt a teether to the alpha take form. It snapped in place, tying their souls together, and truly, it was a bond that could rival the very universe itself.

  /CHAPTER THIRTY/

  “Welcome back, Alpha,” Thalia greeted from where she sat perched on Donovan’s desk in the pack house. Her eyes shined with amusement as they turned on June. “Luna.”

  Acceptance washed over her, and Genesis, at their newly gained title. Although Thalia had been calling her by it for the past few days, June had picked up that the beta did so out of formality. Now she said it from a genuine place, no snide tones, or bitter expressions.

  Dropping Donovan’s hand, June pulled the beta into a tight hug. “Thank you.”

  “Anytime,” Thalia said, and added, “well, maybe not anytime in the near foreseeable future. I can still smell Lycos’ charred flesh in my hair.”

  Behind June, the alpha let out a low growl. She rolled her eyes and let Thalia go. Turning her attention to him, she scowled, “I thought mating was supposed to tone down your possessiveness.”

  “Not with alphas. Poor wolfie is afraid of the big bad lesbian,” Creed said as he waltzed into the office. A sly smile was plastered on his face as he looked between Donovan and June. “It’s about time.”

  June glared at him. “I am still willing to kick your ass.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Creed said smugly.

  Donovan let out an exaggerated sigh and moved around the side of his desk, pulling June with him. When he sat in his chair, he pulled her down with him, snaking his arms around her waist. She relaxed, his chin rested on her shoulder, chest vibrating as he said, “Alright, June, we’re all here as requested. What did you want to discuss?”

  “When I was in the hospital, I saw my mom in the spirit realm,” she said, watching the alpha’s face in particular. “Claire was there to deliver a message from the goddess. She said, ‘he is rising’. At first, I wasn’t sure who she was talking about, but I think I know now. Yesterday, I came across a picture of Nyx and a sleeping man.”

  The gamma’s casual expression turned hard. He and Donovan shared a look and the gamma cursed. Through gritted teeth Creed seethed, “Endymion.”

  “Who?” Thalia asked, looking just as confused as June felt.

  Donovan tensed as he replied, “Before the prophecy, bitten shifters were considered outcasts. There were rules in place that keep them separated from blood shifters. They weren’t allowed to sit in and hear our beginning. Over time, as the bitten outnumbered the blood, much of our history was lost. Every shifter knows about Nyx, but not everyone can tell you about her lover, Endymion, father of the dream walkers.”

  June recalled the mural, seeing the beautiful man in her mind, and shuddered. To her mate, she said, “Tell me about him.”

  The alpha eyes filled foreboding as he began, “Over a millennium ago, a human woman by the name of Selene lived in a small village. It was said to be the place where the Earth met the heavens. Every man and god wanted Selene to be their wife. Legend says that when she reached full growth, she was plucked from the ground and placed in the sky to live among to stars, becoming the daughter of chaos and plight.

  “Selene knew she had been gifted a great honor but after a thousand years, she grew bored of living amongst the gods. When the next winter solstice came, and the gods were drunk on wine and splendor, she took her chance and ran away. On the outskirts of the old village, she spotted a man, a shepherd prince. Their love was instant and out of desperation, Selene went back to Zeus and begged him to let her stay on earth.

  “Prior to this, the god had courted Selene for lifetimes. She had refused his advances but, on that night, they struck a deal. Selene would get ten years with the prince and no god would interior. However, when it was time for her to return home to the sky, she and Zeus would wed.

  “The goddess soon realized that she had been tricked. Over the decade, she watched the prince age while she remained the same. On her last day, the shepherd tended to his flock like he had done every morning when he heard a voice speak to him from the mouth of a cave. It promised him salvation to his problem, a way to stay with his lover forever. Selene heard the voice too, and she recognized it as Zeus. She screamed at her lover to not give in to temptation, but he didn’t listen and went inside. Instantly, he fell into a deep slumber.

  “She tried to wake him, but it was too late. Zeus had arrived and he dragged her back to the sky. He waited until they were married to tell Selene that he had watched her give herself to the prince every night. Their deal was unbreakable but that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t suffer like he had. Even so, Selene was a good wife and Zeus pretended to not notice when she would sneak off to the cave every full moon, always back at his side by sunrise.

  “During her visits, she and the prince would communicate telepathically. From their love, Selene gave birth to their offspring, children with the ability to change into wolves, and some that co
uld manipulate minds, the dream walkers. The shifters gave the goddess a new name, Nyx. She favored them above all others, even her husband and lover. Unbeknownst to her, the prince became obsessed with the dream walkers. When they were around, he felt as if he was back in the waking world. Yet, it wasn’t enough. He asked Nyx to go to Zeus and tell him to reverse the curse. The goddess refused. She didn’t want to watch her lover grown old. In sleep, he was like her, frozen in time.

  “Endymion’s love turned to rage. In retaliation, he commanded the dream walkers to the shifters, determined to hurt Nyx the way she had him. He would take her sons and daughters and dim her starlit sky.

  “The thousands of shifters she birthed were dying to rapidly to fight back. Nyx begged Endymion to call off his army and when he refused, she plucked a star from the sky and molded a new being, one half human and wolf. Though unable to change into an animal, her new creation was strong, and more importantly, they could multiply with a single bite. But the creatures were savage. To ease their feral side, she split them in two with the intent that both halves would one day find each other.

  “For the prince, this was the last straw. He followed Nyx’s lead and took it upon himself to create more dream walkers. Unlike the goddess he had no stars. Instead, he split his soul, sharing his power with each child he gave life to. Slowly, Endymion became corrupted. Nyx knew he was becoming more and more dangerous. To protect all of mankind, she ordered his death.

  “She created the first pack, binding a group of her children together. However, when they went to the cave, the dream walkers were waiting. Half of the pack was slaughtered, and the rest followed the next night when they were killed in their dreams. Only one shifter survived. Lucien swore fealty to the goddess. He vowed to not sleep until Endymion was dead. Seeing that he was true to her, Nyx blessed him with the power of his ancestors, the ability to change form. Thus, creating the first alpha.