AUTHOR'S POV
Diana lost all her appetite.
Roman sat there in front of her as if he was watching a movie, making her feel too conscious to even finish the food on her plate. Every shift of her body, every shallow breath, Roman heard it, and worse, he answered it. He's becoming too aware, memorizing the lines on her fingers, and counting the dots on her skin. While it looks purely gentle, Diana didn't settle. It was annoyingly pleasant, something good but bad at the same time.
Diana checked the time on her wrist. It's almost midnight, yet somewhere beyond the walls of the camper van seemed bright and busy. And then she thought, maybe, she could immerse with the carousel outside, get moving to get to Kristia, and eventually find her way back to Scott. Sounds like a plan, she thought. "You didn't eat", Diana cracked the silence, a foreplay for her to leave the van.
"I'm not really hungry for food, Diana. I'm hungry for something else.", Roman said as he bit his lip gently.
"Do you want me to call Kristia for you?", Diana kept her cool as she try to keep a straight face. She knows this look. It's irksome, but expected.
Roman laughed uncontrollably. "Luna, I'm afraid Kristia couldn't help me with anything right now.. Only YOU can ", Roman said as he bats his eyes trying to look cute to attract his Luna.
"Stop making fun of me. You are wasting your time", Diana rolled her eyes at Roman, shaking her head.
"I don't think so".
"I do, Roman. I'm telling you, I won't choose you.", she made it clear, leaned forward giving him a stern look.
He met her gaze, leaned closer, steady as stone. "Then I'll make you want to."
Diana sprung up from her seat. There's no way making a sensible conversation with this man anymore. "May I use your restroom?", she asked, squinting her eyes.
"Of course! This way Luna", Roman led Diana to the narrow aisle towards a small cubicle on the right, near the bed. Diana maintained her composure as she keep her distant from Roman, who apparently, had all his intentions to keep his body too close to her.
Diana went in and immediately shut the door. She exhaled wearily with her eyes closed. She lifted her face up and looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She combed her black hair with her fingers and leaned on the lavatory. "How unbearable.", tightening her grip on the side of the basin. After relieving herself, Diana opened the door, ready to leave Roman's camper van. "Hey Roman... Ah!", she gasped, and almost slipped, startled to see Roman who was waiting upfront. With one swift move, Roman caught her waist with one arm, staring deep into her eyes.
For Roman, the earth crept in its orbit. He's been thinking that maybe a kiss would change Diana's mind. Just one magical kiss. He's good at that. Slowly, he tilted his face as he move closer in an attempt of kissing his Luna. A few more, and his lips would land on hers. Her eyes tightly shut, not pushing him. She was neither writhing away, nor feeling his touch.
Then... something snapped in him.
Diana placed her hands on Roman's chest, and shoved him away. She felt her cheeks warmed up, glaring at him. "Why don't you move over? And what are you doing here?", Diana was caught flustered, as she sprint back to the dinette. Steaming.
Roman sighed deeply, rubbing his face with both hands. 'Damn it! Why can't I do it?', he unbelievably shied away, leaning back on the sleek closet behind him. He feels the strong urge to jump on her, but something in her reluctant eyes keeps hin at bay. And as he turn to Diana, he noticed her turned up ears burning in crimson. He smiled thinking that he did planted a seed on that fleeting moment. "Do you want to... go out and get some fresh air?", he suddenly asked.
That wasn't exactly she have in thought, but it was better than not getting out. "YES!", she said, wanting her freedom. Then she stare at her feet, thinking she had no shoes there to walk into.
Roman removed his slippers and placed it aside. "We'll walk barefoot, or I'll carry you if you want.", he said with a teasing smile.
His playful intentions and inclination to flirt whenever he gets the chance is starting to provoke her impatience. "Barefoot it is", she agreed. Roman then opened the door and led Diana out first.
Beyond the door, a low thrum of voices and a lot of laughter rises and breaks. The night was too alive at this hour. Gold slipped through the cracks of the door, as the light spills stronger making her eyes almost close. Squinting at the brightness of the warm outdoor lights, Diana was astounded with the fact that despite it's already midnight, the lights were bright as a day. The mossy breath of fresh air with the aroma of barbecue grilling made her senses explode in delight. She stepped out of the van and laid her feet on the green carpet of moist grass. Suddenly, Diana gasped as she recoil back against Roman's hard chest to her surprise seeing a sight of wolves in different colors and sizes waiting outside. Wolves that are practically large as if they were built to block the storms.
They were waiting.
... and they were bowed.
Her heart raced, without knowing why. Roman noticed that Diana is not used to seeing wolves too often. He rubbed her back comforting the shocked Luna. "Are you alright? Sorry for not giving a heads up. It's the moon festival, so my people are gathered here for a few days.", he said. "And they've been wanting to meet you ever since you arrived", he added, giving out his hand for Diana.
Diana didn't took his hand, and even pushed it away without breaking his gaze on the wolf crowd. Their sizes made her feel small, and defenseless. Most wolves bowed at her foot, and some just simply stared at her beauty. "Oh, hello everyone. ", Diana shyly smiled and waved hesitantly at the wolves. "Is this really necessary?", she whispered at Roman. Roman gestured the wolves to leave, for it makes Diana uncomfortable, given such attention.
"Yes it is", he replied, as he lead her away.
Beyond them, the night opened into a ring of light. Camper vans and trailers stood shoulder to shoulder, circling a large bonfire that clawed the sky. People and wolves moved around it - laughing, spinning, raising bottles, their shadows dancing twice as they were.
Diana gaped in awe. She meet their smiling eyes. It wasn't polite. Not the thin measured kind that she knew. These were open. Easy. As if she had already been accepted into something she didn't remember joining. It was far too different from the people at work, and from some wolves in Scott's clan. No one measured her worth in a glance. There was space. In here, there's an unsettling ease. Despited welcomed and wanted, she felt completely out of place. Something that makes her heart race even more.
Then her eyes shifted to Roman, whom she has been following the moment she stepped out of the camper van. The wolves kneeling. The warm welcome of his people. The order of things. It wasn't random. Someone held it together. And there's Roman.
As they move towards the bonfire, there's this one wolf that caught her eye. It has a big scar on the face and a part of its brown fur is depilated. In front of the wolf were children who seemed like listening at the wolf's soft growls. "Who's that?", she asked.
"Oh.. that's Oli. The chieftain of our clan who's teaching our youngest generation about our clan history", Roman answered as he guided Diana for a walk.
"There's a chieftain in the presence of an Alpha? ", Diana wondered, now walking beside Roman.
"You figured? Smart. More than usual, when an Alpha arises, the clan chief descends. By the time my Alpha blood was awakened I thought I won't be able to juggle so many things in my hands. So, I asked the elders and the chieftain to continue leading the clan. On the other hand, it is my duty to maintain the safety of its people and… I will be handling situations requiring major decisions ", he explained, thoroughly.
"I see, understood. Clear as the day", when he said juggling so many things, Diana first thought of the different and several women he's spending most of his time with. Slick, she thought.
While walking in between trailer homes, a young lad approached Diana and shyly gave her three stems of freshly picked pink peonies. "Hello Luna! Uhh.. thanks for.. last time", he bashfully gave his gratitude.
"Luna, this is Troy.", Roman introduced, trying to push Troy away as he get closer.
"You're Troy? I didn't know you're this young. What are you, 13?", she asked, as she take the flowers.
"Not just young Luna, he's slow and clumsy.. and weak", Roman said, locking Troy's neck in his arm, and knuckled the top of his head.
Troy wriggled from Roman's arms. "No Luna! I'm 15. Actually, what Alpha was trying to say, I'm young and extremely careful during fights", he told her, as he pull away from Roman's grasp.
"Heyy you owe me and my Luna big time. She almost died because of you", Roman grabbed Troy's nape with one hand, forcing the young lad to bow at Diana.
"Sorry, Luna! It won't happen again", Troy apologized, with utmost sincerity.
Diana held Troy's hands and said, "I'm glad you're safe. Anyone would do the same thing as I did". She beamed a warm smile at Troy, making Roman jealous.
Troy break free instantly from Diana's soft hands after sensing Roman's aura. "Okay, you're done. Now, Get outta here!", Roman ordered to where Troy hurriedly left.
"He's a nice boy, you don't have to be mean", Diana said as she smell the fresh floral scent of the peonies.
"I don't like seeing my Luna getting close with other men", Roman replied in a serious tone. He took a quick glance at Diana who look softer and relaxed while smelling the flowers. "I'll give you more of those later", he said, as he cleared his throat.
"Don't bother, I'm not even your Luna", Diana answered. Roman ignored Diana's remark as they continue to walk around.
The closer they go, the louder the sounds thud. They walked further ahead until they reach a yard full of clan wolves in their human forms dancing around the large bonfire. Convinced, Diana confirmed that she doesn't belong here. Everyone looked amazingly tall and long legged. She suddenly felt small as surrounded by towering individuals. The ladies looked provocative in their skimpy clothings, while the topless men proudly displayed their rock-hard abs and tough biceps.
One by one, the people started to greet Diana with a handshake and a wave as they walk through. Diana didn't like the attention, while Roman enjoyed every bit of special treatment his people is showing to his Luna. Getting dizzy with so many faces and relentless attention, adding to the loud noises and chattering, Diana could hardly smile at every person greeting her.
"There will be a dance soon, I hope you're up for that", Roman said as he held Diana's shoulders pushing her through the crowd. They stopped when three blonde and voluptuous ladies greeted Roman. Diana was brushed aside as one of them even had the guts to reach Roman and kiss him hardly on the lips, while the other snaked her arms around Roman's waist. To her surprise, Diana moved out of the way for the ladies, as they circle Roman like bees hovering on a flower.
"Hey Roman! You didn't moonbathe with us! Whom did spent the night with? Maybe you can sleep with us tonight", the curviest woman said.
Roman reflexively shoved the girls away radiating his rage aura. "Back off and get your filthy mouth away from me!", he said, darkening his eyes as the three women and the nearby wolves tremble out of fear.