October 19th

It was 9:16 am and for once I had woken up before Leo. I rolled over to face him. His skin was smooth and glowing in the morning sun and his features so soft and gentle as he slept. The bed covers had slipped down, exposing his broad shoulders and perfect chest that rose and fell with every breath.

I smiled to myself and then gently ran my fingers along his arm. His eyes slowly flickered open, revealing their intense blueness and he smiled.

"Morning," he said in a broken morning voice.

"Morning," I replied placing my hand on his cheek. "I didn't mean to wake you. You looked so peaceful."

"I still am," he said placing his hand on my bare waist. "It's a perfect morning."

I looked out the window to see clear blue skys and bright sunlight yet from the crispness of the dewy grass and the slight draft through the wind I could tell it was bitterly cold. My favourite kind of weather.

"You have the Luna symbols," he said running his thumb along my wrist.

I looked down to see the two tiny symbols on the inside of my wrist, perfectly matching Leo's.

"You're officially my Luna now," he said with a warm smile as he entwined his fingers into mine.

"How does the moon goddess know though?"

"Maybe she was watching," Leo said with a cheeky grin showing off his perfectly straight white teeth. I grimaced.

"For real though, it's wizzy whoo magic shit. No one really knows."

I laughed and rolled onto my back before letting out a deep sigh.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

I smiled to myself, "You didn't go gently," I said.

"I'm sorry," Leo replied. "Does it still hurt?"

"Just a little," I said wrapping my arm around his bare chest. "I may not be able to walk for a week but..."

After letting out a short laugh, he rolled his eyes in a devilishly handsome manner.

"Don't be melodramatic."

"But I guess maybe possibly perhaps I could cope with the fact that I'll only ever sleep with you," I added.

He nudged me playfully, "Hey! You came hard. Don't degrade my abilities."

"It's where you got those abilities from that's the degrading part. I can tell you're an experienced man," I replied.

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "I should have waited for you."

I rested my head on his chest and sighed, "It's okay. Because I'm not psychotic like you, I'll get over it and I certainly won't go out looking to kill the woman."

He placed his hand on my head and began stroking my hair.

"When did you lose it?" I asked.

"In junior year of high school. I was the same age as you are now so I didn't even try to wait," he replied, "There's no excuse I'm just a..."

"Slut?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Guess so."

"Slut-shaming is so not cool anyway. It would be nice if so many women hadn't had the pleasure of being with my mate but it's not a big deal, right?"

"It would be if it was the other way round," he scoffed.

"Good job we have the reasonable one in my position then," I replied.

He rolled his eyes again. There was a slight pause...time to ask my burning question.

"Am I from this pack?" I asked.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. I've been feeling like there's something that he hasn't been telling me for a while now.

Every time he introduced me to someone, there'd be a little awkward pause after he'd revealed my name that would then be brushed over and then when Max Megestanis told me my father once lived here, my curiosity only grew.

Before my wild imagination came up with some strange theory, I decided it would be best to just ask.

"That's quite a big question for 9:18 am on a Sunday morning," He said. "...why do you ask?"

"I already had my suspicions that there's something you're keeping from me," I replied, "And then Max Megestanis told me something."

Leo raised an eyebrow, "What did he tell you and when?" he asked in a deep tone.

"I wanted to talk to you about this as soon as it happened but you were angry at me and then we went to the party and then you passed out and I um... cut my knees.. and it completely blew over my head," I rambled. "Anyway, there was something off about him. I got the impression he loathed me before you'd even introduced me."

"He's just not very friendly," Leo said, "Don't worry."

Definitely hiding something.

"Sure," I remarked, "Then when you went inside with Luca, why did he growl in my ear 'I'm warning you now, watch where you tread because our families aren't exactly friends'?," I said mocking Max's deep, harsh voice.

Leo stared at me for a few seconds before furrowing his eyebrows.

"What. The. Fuck?" he growled getting to his feet. "And remind me why you didn't think to tell me this sooner?!"

"I was going to and then I...didn't."

"I'll be back in an hour. I have a Megestanis to put in his place," he grumbled marching to his closet.

"Leo wait-" I sighed.

"He threatened you and he needs to be punished," he replied.

"And whether you do it now or later doesn't make a difference. At least let us enjoy the rest of the morning and if you think for a second I'm letting you get out of answering my questions, you can think again," I said patting the bed beside me.

He seemed reluctant to go along with my suggestion so I flashed him a pleading smile.

"No. Don't give me that look, Ella Jones," he said a smile tugging at his lips.

"I don't know what you mean..."

"The adorable puppy eyes and the cute little smile," he said.

"Please?" I added, the sheet slipping down exposing more of my bare body.

He rolled his eyes once again and threw himself back down beside me and kissed me deeply on the lips.

"So what happened next?" he asked resting his head on my stomach.

"When we were at the base and I REALLY pissed you off and you went to talk to that lady, Max spoke to me about how if I was his mate I'd never see the light of day and all that crap and obviously I was having none of that so I snapped at him which lead to him telling me I was 'just like my father'-" I said.

"You will not snap at my Megestanis like that," Leo said. "Show them respect."

"Congrats. You categorically missed the point, " I said putting my finger up to his face to sssh him. "Anyway, as I was saying. I asked him how he knew my Dad he said he was once in your pack and left the day I was born. Surely that means I was born here. And why don't I know this?"

"You were born here. I remember the day," Leo admitted after letting out a long sigh.

"My mate remembers the day I was born. That's not weird..." I commented.

"I was only 6 but I don't think I will ever forget it. Antonio was Alpha and I remember us driving to Lissauer to see your mother and father just before you were born."

"They were in Lissauer?" I asked. "The bottom factions?"

"Not originally. Your Dad was...a liability?" He asked and I nodded. "He had been demoted eight times from Thalassa. I remember my Dad mentioning him many times, it was my favourite dinner time talk actually 'What has Nicolòs Jones done now?'. Your mother always stuck by him no matter what though. We knew her as Mara Megestanis, the sister of Milo Megestanis, Max's father."

"Wait, wait, wait," I interrupted. "So surely that means I am related to Max," I then narrowed my eyes in thought, "...He's my cousin!? How come you didn't think to tell me this!"

"Must have blown over my head," He said mocking what I said earlier. "Anyway, when Nicolòs and Mara found each other as mates, Milo forbade them from seeing each other. He was the Megestanis of Triton and technically Mara's legal guardian. That meant that until she was 18, he was well within his rights to keep them apart. But your father wasn't the type to listen to any orders, just like you, so he helped Mara escape and they ran back to Nicolòs's house. That night was the night Mara conceived your brother. When Milo found out he was furious and wanted Nicolòs kicked out the pack.copy right hot novel pub