Page 74 of Luna Trials

I was so swept up in my own head that I didn’t notice the looming presence of another shifter beside me at the table marking down his vote.

I shouldn’t have looked.

“Why are you voting for Aspen?” My tone had a deathly chill that was unnatural, even for me.

“She had solid answers to the questions,” the deep male voice responded.

I clicked the pen I was holding, debating on stabbing it through the rough skin of his hand. Apparently, someone hadn’t gotten the memo and I wasn’t above a demonstration to drive my point home.

I glanced up from the corner of my eye. The shifter looked back at me with none of the green the rest of these kids had and I instantly realized who I was dealing with.

“John O’Neil. I was wondering when I’d see you.” I smiled, quickly casting my vote to drop in the ballot box. “Why don’t you fill out another card without Aspen’s name on it and I’ll go buy you a drink?”

The way I saw it, he had one option here. I really hoped he’d take it.

John scratched his beard. The calculating gleam in his eye revealed an intelligence that didn’t fit his beastly unkempt look. “You staking a claim?”

I glanced back at the other gathered Alphas who hadn’t needed me to spell it out for them. “Possibly.”

John frowned, mulling my words over as I sized him up. He was a massive shifter with muscles from hard work, not the kind you built in the gym. I knew of his pack and standing, but I didn’t know what he was doing here. And I’d really like to sit down with him for a drink.

I hoped I didn’t have to kill him first.

“Pity you’re taking her off the board.” John sighed, ripping his voting card in half. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

We won’t.

I watched him scribble a few names and smiled, glad that we could get along. “Come on. Let me buy you that drink.”

*

I liked John. His humor was crude, but he was an honest shifter. There was no beating around the bush and he laid it all bare. He could also throw back his beer.

“Where have you been hiding this whole time?” I sipped my scotch.

“My girls were nervous so I’ve been taking care of them.” John waved the bartender over foranother round. “They’re finding their footing now so I’ve been able to explore.”

“Your girls?” I asked, not following his word choice.

“My nieces.” He shook his head with a smile. “They’re only five years younger but they still seem like kids to me.”

“That’s not too much of a difference.” I returned his grin. “Though we can find you a cane if you need it.”

John’s laughter bellowed from deep in his chest. “No canes yet, but give me a couple of years. I’m starting to feel my age.”

I looked to the scotch left in my glass. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-six.” He belched.

Two years older than me and he already looked haggard. “Perks of being an Alpha. We age quicker than the rest.”

“Amen to that, brother.” John clinked his beer bottle against my glass. “So, what are you really doing here?”

I smirked. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

“Me?” He thrust a thumb against his chest. “I’m a softy. That’s why I came. Haven’t found a mate yet in Michigan and my nieces dragged me to the show.”

“And you have no plans for the Alpha Games?” I asked as I took another sip from my glass.