"The Replacement Luna..."

Baubles...

Glare:

"So he's mad?"

"To say the least."

"Well then, just apologize!"

"Why does it have to be me? I didn't do anything wrong." I replied, picking up a bottle of jam and paying for it.

It was a lovely day. The sun was out, but it wasn't too hot. After stomping off to cross the road from the gasoline station with Remus on a tight leash, I came across a farmer's market where they sold farm fresh produce and some bric-a-bracs.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course, it does Genevieve."

"That's your pride talking."

"Look, I like him. Alot. But I am not going to swallow my pride, and just let him do things his way without even thinking of what I want."

"Glare, it was just a hickey! It wasn't a tattoo of his name on your wrist."

"You don't get it. He was the one who blew it all out of proportion. I merely erased all traces of what we did lastnight."

"Which is what started this problem in the first place. I warned you, the harvest moon..."

"See that's just it! He may be under the moon's influence, but his actions are still a direct expression of his decisions." I interrupted what Genevieve was going to say.

"He's a Lycan, Glare. They're possessive by nature. Haven't you learned anything?"

"But I'm not his mate! He shouldn't even be marking me in any way." I looked in on the next stall and picked up a red colored scented candle to smell.

"He's trying to show you that he wants you to be."

"What he wants, and what is are two different things." I smiled at the old woman and asked to buy two of the sweet-smelling candles.

"Oh Glare, he's trying to make the two a reality... atleast for now. Can't you just be happy with him? If in the future he meets his mate, atleast you have lastnight and today to look back on. Who knows, you might find yourself attracted to someone else even before he finds his mate. Where would that leave him?"

"I doubt that." I paid for the candles and placed them with the jar of jam in the shopping bag.

"Still, it's a possibility. You're only thinking of your own feelings. Atlas has as much chance of getting his heart broken in this situation as you."

"All the more reason not to take things seriously." I sighed. Remus started to pull me towards a hotdog stand.

"Then you shouldn't have gone to bed with him in the first place."

"But he looked so sad. So... lonely."

"So, you took advantage of him?"

"He came to me!" I felt my ears getting hot with the realization.

"You knew he was under the influence of the harvest moon Glare. If anyone was thinking straight lastnight... it should've been you."

"I guess I let my emotions get the best of me. I do like him Genevieve... I like him alot."

"Then fix it, before it gets any worse. What's important is he's trying to make you feel that he wants you... values you... chooses you."

"I guess you're right."

"Good. Look, I have to go, the coven is about to discuss a new spell to take away a Whiff's ability to vanish. Will you be ok? Are you anywhere near the cove?"

"Atlas and I are three towns from Lake Ricordi. I'll keep you posted. I've been reading the tome, and honestly, I think it's all mumbo jumbo. The words used are so old I can't understand most of it. It does however repeatedly mention something about a Penumbra. Do you know what that is?"

"No, but I'll ask mom and some of the elders. I'll update you if I find anything useful."

"Thanks. Talk to you soon?"

"You bet. Be careful. And try not to torment your Lycan boytoy too much."

"He's not a boytoy."

"Your loverboy then?"

"Shut up witch."

"Look who's talking." She laughed momentarily.

"Gotta go, I see something that I think will remedy the rift between Atlas and I."

"Goodluck then. I hope it works."

"Me too. Bye Genevieve. Love to you and mom. I'll be back soon."

"Alright. Bye Glare." And the call ended, just as I approached a stall with baubles and trinkets on display.