Chapter 8

Luna

For long seconds, no one spoke. I didn't think anyone even moved.

Adryan and Banner were covered in gore, scratches along their exposed skin, bruises starting to form. Banner was still barely hanging on to his control, his wolf right there at the surface just waiting with anticipation to come forth.

And then there was my brother, looking every bit the psycho that was his namesake.

"What?" Adryan asked and held his hands out, palms up, fingers claw-tipped and covered in blood.

I looked at Banner and saw he was in much the same condition.

When my attention was back to my brother, all I could do was stare at him. "What are you doing? Are you insane?" The words were breathless, and when he opened his mouth, I shook my head and lifted a hand, stopping him. "Don't answer that."

Banner was pacing a few feet to the side of where Adryan stood, growling low. I knew his focus was on my brother, as if he were waiting for the go-ahead to attack.

"What are you doing here?"

Adryan, in all his arrogant glory, had the nerve to laugh. I watched as a droplet of blood slid down the corner of his mouth, and he promptly lifted his hand and trailed a finger along it. He collected that bead and brought it back to his mouth, staring Banner in the eyes as he dragged his tongue over the blood-covered digit.

This had my almost completely shifted mate baring his canines and leaning his upper body forward.

"Stop, both of you. You're acting like lunatics."

"That's my calling card, baby sister."

I clenched my jaw at Adryan's arrogant tone.

His humor faded, and his nostrils flared as I picked up on his anger and protectiveness. Banner must have been able to scent it because he growled in warning at Adryan.

"Watch it, vampire."

Adryan kept his focus on me but lifted his hand and flipped Banner off.

I closed my eyes and exhaled. This was going from bad to worse.

"Did you actually think I'd let you go on a boat across the fucking world and be alone in some strange, obscure country, Luna?" Adryan cocked a black eyebrow. "You know me better than that."

I knew I shouldn't have been surprised at Adryan's actions or words, but… I was. "I can handle myself," I gritted out, my hands in tight fists at my sides. I was seething in newfound anger and annoyance. "The fact you are so controlling, that you can't even let me breathe makes you even more unhinged than I initially thought." And when he smirked, I felt my rage build.

I knew Adryan would have ripped out the throat of anyone who spoke to him the way I just had, but he just chuckled after the words left me.

He glanced at Banner. "She gets that fire from me, wolf."

"Focus," I snapped. "I mean it, Adryan. I want you to leave. I want to figure this out with Banner on my own." I was so angry I could have attacked him myself, especially when he kept that smirk trained on me, as if I were a child he could swat away with my tantrum. "I can"t believe you followed me," I said again, low and more to myself this time.

I closed my eyes and breathed out through my nose to gather my control. I knew he meant well, but sneaking behind my back to watch me crossed a line, no matter his good intentions.

"I mean I guess I can believe you did it, but gods, Adryan?—"

"Luna," he cut me off. "I hate that you're pissed at me, but you have to know I'd never let anything happen to you."

When Banner growled again, I opened my eyes and looked at my mate. For a second, we just stared at each other before I finally murmured, "Adryan, I need you to go. I want to speak with Banner alone."

When my brother stayed silent, I looked at him. His eyes were narrowed and his jaw clenched. People didn't tell him what to do. They were too afraid of how unhinged he was on a good day, let alone pissing him off on a bad one. But I didn't care, not right now.

"He's my mate, and you know what that means."

It means he's here to stay, and I have a new protector.

A long moment passed where we stared at each other in this stand-off that I refused to back down from. And thank goodness Banner didn't instigate things or make it worse with his alpha, cocky tendencies.

Instead, my mate came to stand beside me. I knew he'd insert himself between me and my brother as some kind of human shield. But I was once again thankful he let me have control in this situation.

Adryan chuckled. I looked at Banner, seeing his teeth gritted in aggression, a warning to my brother.

"Ye donna even think about my mate let alone protecting her. She's mine." Banner slammed his fist against his chest. "She's mine." The last word came out in a deafening roar that had my ears ringing.

Adryan narrowed his eyes at Banner. "Watch it, fucker. She's my little sister, and I'll always watch over her."

Banner was seconds away from lunging at Adryan, but my disgruntled sound had them both looking back at me. Adryan sighed with impatience as if I were still a little girl in his eyes.

"Adryan," I finally said. "Please." I softened my voice, a tone I'd used when I was younger to get my way. We were both stubborn, but he was even more. His arrogance and assertiveness, the fact he made sure to always get his way, made trying to show him that he was in the wrong could be the hardest thing in the world.

"I'm not going far," he said in a low, dangerous voice as he stared at Banner. "I'll be right outside the cave." He tapped his ear. "And believe me, wolf, I can hear just as well as your feral kind."

Banner made a low sound of warning and took a step forward, but I reached out and placed my hand on his forearm. He stopped immediately and looked at me, his body so tense under my touch.

Adryan exhaled and then turned and left, and it was when he was out of sight and I heard him leave the cave that I felt the tension leave me.

Banner slowly turned to face me, and I didn't miss how he shifted his body to the right so that his back was blocking the cavern entrance.

"Lass," he gruffly said. "That's yer brother?"

I swallowed and nodded. "He's a little?—"

"Fooking insane, darlin'. He's fooking bluedy insane."

I couldn't deny it, and a strangled laugh left me. "Understatement, but yeah. But he's harmless."

Banner cocked a dark eyebrow and crossed his arms over his wide chest and smirked down at me. "Harmless? That male was about tae rip my heart out. Literally."

All I could do was lick my lips and nod slowly. "He's extreme, but he means well. He's just protective." I shouldn't be downplaying Adryan's insanity, but despite his failings or shortcomings, I loved him. He was my family. "It'll take him a little bit to know his place where you and I are concerned."

Banner slowly grinned at that and moved closer. "And where are ye and I concerned, Luna?"

Ohhh. Banner's voice did funny, pleasurable things to my body.

Banner took a step forward, and I found myself taking one back. The scent of his desire was thick in the air, swirling around us, making mine rise even more.

He kept advancing, and although I retreated, it wasn't because I was afraid. On the contrary. It was exciting when he came forward, that he was almost hunting me like I was his prey.

The rocky wall stopped my retreat, but he didn't stop advancing until his chest brushed against mine, his massive form towering over me. He braced his hands on either side of my shoulders and leaned forward so his face was inches from mine.

I inhaled deeply, taking in his scent and moaning at the wild, sweet intensity of it.

"My sweet lass, I want ye so badly." He trailed his lips along the corner of my mouth, across my cheek, and then moved his tongue along the shell of my ear. I rested my head back on the rocky wall, letting my eyes close, wishing that Adryan wasn't right outside the entrance and could hear, no doubt smell everything that was happening right here, right now. I knew he'd be in here in an instant to start more shit, whether being with Banner—my mate—was consensual or not.

I shivered at the feel of his tongue moving along my ear, at that gentle yet rough scrape that had my toes curling and my breathing coming faster. But I didn't touch him, knowing it would just escalate things, that I wouldn't be able to control myself. I was already having such a hard time keeping my hands off of him.

But as if he realized we couldn't start anything here or right now, he huffed out almost irritably, gave me the sweetest, most gentle kiss on my temple, and backed away.

I licked my lips and smoothed my sweaty palms down my skirts, knowing that my entire life had changed so drastically and in just a short amount of time. If things were this intense and earth-shattering and I'd just met Banner, I could only imagine how things would go once we really got to know each other.

"He'll come around." It seemed a little out of place to mention Adryan at a time like this, although he was the catalyst to the situation we were currently in. I didn't know if I was trying to convince myself or my new mate.

Banner gave me a smile that said he didn't believe me.

"Lass, I just met him and already I can tell he'll be an issue until his last breath." His voice was gentle and low. "But it matters not. He can be the biggest pain in my arse and it would no' matter because I'll never let ye go."

Banner held his hand out to me and gave me a lopsided smile that did funny things to my belly, tightening it, spreading tingles throughout my body once more. "Let's go deal with yer psychotic brother because I am desperate tae get tae know my fair wee mate."

I melted at his words but found myself rooted to the spot, just staring at him.

"Come with me, darlin'." His voice was deep yet so very soft. "Let me show ye my home. Let me show ye all that yer entitled tae as my mate."

My heart galloped in my chest, and I let his words process in me, let them sink in deep and find a home in the softest place in my soul.

Everything was happening so fast that I was physically dizzy.

"Let me show ye yer home, as well." He lifted his hand and cupped my cheek so gently that I felt the stinging pressure behind my eyes.

I'd known affection, known a family bond. And although my brother might never be able to experience the emotion of love, his heart too cold and black, his personality too closed off, I still knew he cared about me.

But this, what I felt or could feel with Banner, was something on an entirely different level.

It was real and genuine and could become something monumental. I wanted to see how far we could take it, how much it would grow. So I lifted my hand and placed it over his, which was still cupping my face.

I gave him a small smile, loving the way his eyes flashed blue at that.

"Okay, Banner. Show me. Show me everything."