Luna's Forbidden Love novel Chapter 1

I laughed to myself as I flicked to the next episode. I'd watch the entire first series of the show that day alone, but I decided that it was perfect time to start the second series – at three am, on a Sunday night when I had a geometry test in the morning. But, what can I say, I'm addicted to TV.

I must have fallen asleep during the next episode, as when I woke up to the alarm my laptop had died and I was sleeping with my head in the bowl of popcorn. I groaned in disgust, and slight pride, at myself before climbing out of bed. I tripped over an empty bottle of cola, cussing like a sailor as I did so. Turning back, I gave the bottle of cola the middle finger – as if it was purposefully in the way.

A deep voice suddenly cut through the house. "May, you better get your ass out of bed--"

"I'm out of bed" I screamed, cutting off my asshole of a brother.

"I'm leaving the house in fifteen minutes, if you're not down I will leave with your stupid ass behind".

"Dick" I muttered under my breath, before I quickly showered and ran a brush through my hair. I quickly pulled on a pair of old, tattered, jeans before pulling on an old black Guns N Roses shirt. My dark hair was still wet and curling, so shoved it up messily before pulling my red baseball cap on. I didn't really give a shit what I looked like, it was school I could care less.

I dove into my brother's car, seconds before he drove away, with my school back pack and skateboard on my lap. "You're late" my brother growled.

"Chill out man, you're going to have a coronary if you're not careful" I snorted at him. My brother didn't reply, but I could feel his eyes glaring holes into my skin. I glanced up at him and gave him a mocking smile. His dark eyes just narrowed before turning back to face the road.

Roland was two years older than me and he was a complete tool. He was tall and attractive, with dark hair and eyes. However, unlike myself, he was confident and popular. Roland could click his fingers and have both girls and boys falling over themselves to please him. But, then, my brother was the future Beta of the pack.

I was born a Werewolf, as was my brother, as we came from a long bloodline of Wolves. My father was the current Beta – the second in command – of the Vernal Pack. We were an averagely sized Pack with average strength, but a Beta was still strong and well respected. Not as strong and well respected as an Alpha; because, well, an Alpha was an Alpha.

"Climb in the back" Roland ordered me, as we came to a stop outside one of his girlfriend's house. I say 'one of' because he had a different one every damn week. I rolled my eyes at my brother, before quickly climbed into the back of his car.

My brother and I did not get on – we were polar ends of the spectrum and I wasn't sure we'd ever get on. But he tolerated driving me to and from school, because my father told him to and he did as my father said. Period.

"Baby" a ridiculously pretty girl squealed, as she climbed into the car. I was instantly jealous of how beautiful she was; especially since I was as plain as muck. Her blonde hair was straight down her back, and she wore a tight pink blouse tucked into her white skirt with matching white stilettos. I didn't know how she could wear heels to school – I tripped over in my fucking sneakers.

The girl instantly leaned over and kissed my brother. They made out for a few minutes, and I looked anywhere else as I tried to keep myself from retching in disgust. When they finally pulled their lips away from each other, the girl turned and saw me. "Who's this?" she turned her nose up at me.

"This is my little sister. Ignore her" my asshole of a brother said.

"Dick" I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" my brother snapped at me.

"I said we're going to be late" I replied with a sigh. My brother didn't say anything, just pulled away from the curb. Roland and his girlfriend – who I found out was called Denise – chatted and flirted the entire way to school.

When we got there, I dived out of the car quickly. I threw my skateboard on the floor and hopped on it. I stuck my headphone in as I skated through the parking lot. I blasted some heavy rock as I skated around people and into the school.

"Miss Throne, off that board inside" one of the teachers shouted at me. I rolled my eyes, as I jumped off my board and picked it up.

"Witch" I grumbled to myself, as I made my way to homeroom.

I stayed late after school for soccer club, before my mother picked me up. "You look a mess" my mother told me instantly.

"I've been playing soccer, what did you expect me to look like?" I retorted sarcastically.

"Yes but you look like you've been rolling around in the mud" she frowned. My mother was something I wasn't – stunningly beautiful. Her dark hair was short and cropped, which matched with her golden Latin skin made her look youthful and striking. I was hoping I had ugly duckling syndrome and soon I would blossom; but I'd been saying that for sixteen years and it hadn't happened yet.

"Don't forget we have Equinox Alpha visiting tomorrow" my mother reminded me, when we got home. "So make sure you come straight home after school".

"Maybe I should just skip the entire day and help you and dad prepare?" I smiled.

"Nice try, Mabel, but it's not happening" she gave me a look. I hated when she used my real name. I hated the name Mabel with a passion – it had been my grandmother's name and honestly it should have died along with the crazy old bitch. But, no, it was legacy to be named after her. I went by May because at least it was an averagely alright, unlike Mabel.

"Damn" I grumbled.

"And don't forget we have a pack meeting in an hour" my mother called after me.

"Damn" I repeated.

I chilled out for an hour, before my mother came and got me. She glared at me for not dressing up – but it was only the Alpha, I'd known the guy since I was born he didn't need me to dress up.

I was pretty sure my mother was disappointed about how I had turned out – I was a tomboy with an attitude problem who only cared about archery, soccer and skateboarding. She had always wanted a girl who she could take shopping and talk about boys and crushes with, but that just wasn't me. I would rather be shooting arrows into targets than shopping at target. Don't get me wrong, she loved me, but she was secretly upset I was so different to her.

"May" a voice called to me. I turned to see my friends waving me over. The only friends that I had didn't go to my school, which sucked, but at least I got to hang out with them after school.

Dom, Jared and Chris were hanging around at the back of the forest clearing. I said goodbye to my mother before rushing over to them. "What's up?" I asked them.

"Not much we're hitting the skate park after this, you game?" Chris asked me.

"I wish" I snorted, "that other Alpha is coming tomorrow so my mother is freaking out about nothing. I'm sure she'll drag me off after this to prep or some other bullshit".

"Bummer dude" Jared grumbled. I loved my friends, because they didn't care I was a girl or that I was the Beta's daughter – I was just May and that was cool.

"Hey I saw your brother at the mall early with another girl again" Chris laughed.

"Yep another week, and another girl" I mused.

"She was hot though" Chris added.

"Aren't they always?" Dom threw in.

"Of course he's the future Beta, he could never be seen with anyone who didn't have a giant stick up their tight assholes" I commented.

"Mabel" a voice boomed out. I cringed as I turned to see my father not far behind me. He stormed over to me, and my friends instantly moved a few steps away from me. "You will not speak about your brother that way and you will not use that sort of language again. Do you understand me, young lady?" he scowled me.

People in the pack, who were gathering for the meeting, glanced over at the Beta telling his delinquent daughter off. I frowned as I looked at the ground, I scuffed my sneaker in the dirt as I blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Mabel" my father prompted.

"I'm sorry" I muttered out, feeling stupid and like a small child.

"Come, you'll stand at the front with me" my father snapped. Taking my arm he pulled me through the clearing and to the patio that led of the Alpha's house. I silently complained in my mind, as he dragged me to the front.

My father was strict but I was his little girl, so he was also protective. So I was used to getting in trouble with him – but he could never stay angry at me for long. Unlike my brother who he could stay mad at for days on end.

My mother and brother quickly joined us. My father smiled at my mother, before kissing her lips softly. I looked at them and wondered how the hell I was their daughter. My mother was beautiful and my father was handsome and strong. Yet I stood there, like the fucking runt of the family.

I didn't care much about looks, in the grand scheme of things, but as some of the girls that were my age were beginning to find their mates, I was beginning to think that maybe I should be concerned. Most of the She-Wolves my age were making sure they were always groomed and perfectly made up, for when they ran into their mates. So I almost felt self-conscious about the fact I didn't care so much.

Yet, occasionally, I would stand with my family – who all looked like they had just stepped out of a magazine – and felt like I didn't really fit in. For some reason, I just didn't inherit the looks of my family. I'd worked that out at a young age, so I had made peace with it but I hated standing with them as everyone else seemed to notice it.

Luckily, the Alpha and his wife arrived and it quickly turned into a Pack meeting. Alpha Parker was a nice man, around my father's age, with soft greying hair and deep set black eyes. I hated him, hated him with every fibre of my being – because he took away my dream. He took away everything I had worked for.

The Alpha's son, David, was a little younger than me. He was being home schooled, as he was being trained to become Alpha, so I didn't see him often. But I didn't mind him really but I minded the fact that my mother kept hinting she thought the two of us were mates.

Werewolves Shift in their teenage years. I hadn't Shifted yet – it wasn't uncommon to not have Shifted yet, but my brother and my parents had both Shifted in their early teens. Yet, I was sixteen and still hadn't Shifted. Once more, I was the runt of the family.

David hadn't Shifted yet either, but could at any day now, and my mother was sure the two of us were mates. Alpha's mates were only ever daughters of other Alpha's or of Beta's – so according to that, my mother was obsessed with the fact that I would one day be the pack's Luna. I couldn't think of anything worse.

David smiled at me as he moved to stand next to me. I returned his smile, while his father began to talk about the upcoming visit from an Alpha of a different Pack. Alpha Seth Zev was the Alpha of the Equinox Pack, which was the largest Pack in the country. Alpha Zev wanted support from our Alpha in the current War he was fighting – I was pretty sure that we wouldn't support him. We were a peaceful Pack, we tried to stay out of fights.

But, everyone was on edge in the Pack. Wars between Wolf Packs were rare, but when they occurred they were drastic. They could cause death and destruction in all the packs if the war was big enough. And with the way I had heard my father talk about the upcoming war, I was pretty sure this one would be catastrophic. I didn't even know what it was about over – I struggled with listening to things I didn't care about.

"Alpha Zev will arrive tomorrow evening" Alpha Parker told the Pack, "I know it is uncomfortable for everyone, having unknown Wolves in the Pack. But he is coming on behalf of the upcoming war, to represent all the other Packs fighting against Alpha Deeds. As yet we have not chosen a side in this war, but with the way things are going, we're not going to have a choice but to join".

Chatter ran through the Pack – both nervous and excited. Nervous because it was a war, excited because it was a war. Werewolves were funny like that; terrified of death because they were so proud but excited to kill and fight others for the sake of pride. I didn't understand it myself.

"However, I will not decide anything without consulting Howard, Joel and Kelly first" Alpha Parker explained – talking about my father, the third in command and the current Luna. "But, regarding this visit, I expect everyone to be in their homes by eight o'clock this evening, unless you are on patrol, working in the dungeons or have spoken to me previously and I have given permission to be excused from curfew. But, as of tonight, there is an entire Pack wide curfew of eight and anyone found breaking that will face consequences".

There was a moment of silence, as the Pack shared worried looks. "That is all for tonight. I expect you all in your house by eight tonight. You're dismissed".