Chapter 117 - LUNA'S BAGGAGE

Alison

'I should begin to learn their names.' That was the only thought in my mind when I saw someone trying to get my attention. "Luna Alison, do you need help?" I must have looked comical trying to eat while carrying a bag in each hand. I had made a last-minute stop at the store to stratify my ever-changing pregnancy cravings. The snack of the day was salt and vinegar crisps. Asher was eventually going to hate me. I had just made him get me nearly a box of sour candy, only to change my mind today.

I handed over both of the bags before sighing in relief. I could finally enjoy my snacks. "Thank you." This pregnancy was way different from my first one. I had gotten tired a lot quicker, I had constant cravings and my mood was all over the place.

I went to Mary's complaining about how everything had changed this time around. Do you know what she said? "It is probably just the same. But, back then, you didn't have the luxury to pick and choose whatever it is you wanted. You couldn't afford to get tired as you needed to work to get money for food and neither could you buy the things you craved for." She could have just called me poor and moved on. But she was right, I couldn't afford so many things back then. What right did I have to crave anything?

Someone was waiting for me at my door when I got back. Yup! My biggest mission should be to know everyone's names before they start calling me arrogant. Maybe I would have known them by now had they been nice to me when I had first arrived here. Yes, I was blaming them for the way things had turned out.

My guest did not say anything when I got to the door, not even when I tried to get inside the house. "Do you need something?" She ended up not being a troublemaker like I had thought she would be. According to her, I was the one she was supposed to talk to about such matters. Someone whose first relationship had ended in a catastrophe was suddenly required to give relationship advice. No one in their right mind would talk to me.

Good thing she only needed a shoulder to cry on because I don't think I had any idea what I was supposed to do at that moment. She burst into tears the moment she started speaking. I could only repeat 'I am sorry,' and 'things will get better' over and over again. Her mate had been forced to reject her when his Alpha learned that she was from Thompson Springs. Yes, some alphas still hated us, but I didn't think it was to the point of doing something like this to their pack members. Wasn't this whole mating thing extremely important to them?

She only left after I promised I would ask Asher to help me think of a plan. See, even she knew I wouldn't be of much help. I could have told her something about not needing a man and that she should live for herself, but that was the human way of doing things. Besides, he could not disobey an Alpha's command.

The silence in the house was deafening. Once again, I was the only one left idling while everyone else was busy. "Alison," Asher called me through the mating link, finally a distraction. I waited for him to say something but all I got was silence. Did he forget he was talking to me?

I gave on waiting. "Did you say something?"

My heart nearly stopped at what he said next. I had a feeling it wasn't why he had called me but the information was enough to almost cause me heart failure. There were journalists in the pack, not one, not two but a group and they were demanding to have an interview. Werewolves may not know much about paparazzi, but I did. They were like blood-thirsty hounds that didn't know when to let go.

I didn't need to think twice, "Send them away." There was already one video of a werewolf shifting all over the internet, we didn't need another one. If we let them into the pack, we would be digging our own graves. They could not stay. I am not sure if it was a figment of my imagination, but I can almost swear I heard Asher sigh when I asked him to send them away. Had I become such an unreasonable person in his eyes?

I quickly learned that they had gotten the address from one of the people I had personally invited to the pack. Maybe I was wrong in inviting humans to visit, but the damage has already been done. Why had I thought they would keep their promise despite knowing just how fickle humans were? In a fit of anger, I sent a message to all that I had been waiting for the second visit that it ha

They weren't leaving, just as I had expected. Why would they leave? Our pack contained what everyone was most interested in right now. This was all my fault, wasn't it? It was me publishing that article that had led to everything that was going on right now. Our address had been made public because I threw a tantrum and forced Asher's hand into letting me have my way. A luna was supposed to protect her pack but I had placed mine right in the line of fire.

I didn't get enough time to wallow in self-pity before Mary appeared out of breath at my doorstep. She walked straight into the house and switched on the TV. "I heard from someone that the people living here are freaks just like the one that was on the TV." Those were the first words I heard. What have I done? Mary had to jump over the table to stop me from falling to the ground in shock.

"Someone just let me know that they have been live streaming the whole thing since they got here." For the first time ever, I dreaded going online to check the progress of the article. I wanted publicity and it had come in like a wrecking ball. "Oh shit! I forgot to tell Jeremy and Asher, I will do it right away."

I could tell the moment she managed to get through to them, the live stream clearly captured the changes in their facial expressions. "No filming is allowed here." I shivered at how forceful Asher's voice was even through the TV screen. "You guys should leave."

"Alison, girl! Your mate looks hot!" Ah Mary, even with everything going on she can still make jokes. "Stop looking at me like that! You know I am telling the truth." She even added her trademark exaggerated wink. I felt blood rush to my cheeks and for a minute there I took a good look at Asher in appreciation, forgetting the situation we were in.

I had to slap my cheeks to bring myself back to the present, and there Mary was, making whipping motions with her hands. Just how boring would my life be without her in it?

The man looked at Asher with a sneer before saying, "What do you mean no filming is allowed? We have all seen the video of the women meeting their families." I had shot the video with so much pride but someone was using it as a point to push Asher into a corner. Who knew that my great intentions would come back to bite me in the ass? Probably everyone, maybe even I did in the back of my mind. The truth would eventually have come to light, but this was too soon.

Both Asher and Jeremy looked at the man in shock. How many people could go against Asher without so much as a flinch? No wonder he was a journalist. Their job had them running through battlefields just to keep the rest of the world informed.

The man had said he heard from some that the people living here were freaks. Who did he hear it from? Of the packs in the country, someone had sent them to Thompson Springs. One of the smallest and most interior packs, if this wasn't a targeted attack, then what wasn't?

When both sides were at a stalemate, a new voice appeared. "How could you guys start the party without me?"

"This is private property. If I say you can't film here, it means that you can't. Please leave.