Luna Zahra

Chapter 5 - Much to Learn

The hug seemed to last forever, so when a tall, middle-aged man who I assumed to be Ryder's father appeared in the doorway, I was immensely thankful. He cleared his throat, effectively distracting his mate and causing her to release me from her grip.

"So, this must be our new family member," he spoke with a grin.

"Yes, father. This is Zahra...my mate," Ryder told his father, sounding rather professional.

"Great to meet you, Zahra. I'm Kane and this is my mate and Ryder's mother, Mira. I remember doing work with your father during my time as Alpha. I'm very sorry to hear about his condition," he said to me, sounding sincere.

I shot Ryder a warning look as he spoke for me, and then turned my attention back to his father, "It's nice to meet you as well."

"Please, do come inside! Dinner is almost ready!" his mother chimed in, sounding just as giddy as she had when she first answered the door.

I forced a smile until she turned around to lead us inside. Their personal quarters were very nice and tidy, which was to be expected for an Alpha family. The walls were decorated with beautiful artwork, mostly of the ocean or tropical islands, and hand-crafted decorations sat upon various side-tables and on shelves. The center of the living room was taken up by a large, sectional couch, and seated in the center of it was a young woman who had features very similar to Ryder's father - bright green eyes and light, golden hair. Honestly, she was gorgeous, and she gave off a sweet, bubbly vibe that was easy to pick up on despite the fact that she hadn't yet spoke.

I had a hunch that she was Ryder's sister, and I instantly knew that we would absolutely not get along.

"Zahra, this is my sister, Noelle," Ryder told me as she stood from the couch and quickly approached us.

"It's so nice to meet you, Zahra! It's about time my brother found his mate! I know all of the she-wolves are going to be so excited to finally have their Luna!" she rambled on while giving me a quick hug.

I once again, forced a smile, and I was positive that this time, it was quite obvious that I was faking it. Noelle caught on quickly, and her demeanor changed. Her bubbliness switched off, and her smile completely disappeared.

Part of me felt bad, but I'd never been able to tolerate people like her. They were just too happy and over the top all the time. It was enough of a chore to keep up with Ryder's mother, but there was no way I'd be disrespecting the former Luna. At least, not before I was official.

"Thank you, Noelle. I'm very much looking forward to being a Luna," I replied honestly, although I knew the damage was already done.

Noelle started to speak, but then paused, seeming to think over her words before verbalizing them. She then shut her mouth again and simply nodded to me, which only intrigued me. Had this little ray of sunshine been tempted to stand up to me for a moment?

Keeping her mouth shut was a wise decision.

"Zahra, I do hope you like fresh caught fish! We just had it brought in this morning – mahi mahi and red snapper. I figured we'd have some local food and authentic recipes to welcome you," Mira spoke up from the kitchen, directing all attention back towards her.

I was grateful, but at the same time, I was curious to see just how much spunk Ryder's sweet sister could truly muster up.

"I'm sure it will be great, thank you," I replied to his mother, still struggling to be polite. In all honesty, I wasn't a big fan of fish. It wasn't something we often consumed in Night Fire, but it would be fine for the night. Besides, I'd already stirred up enough trouble with Noelle – I didn't need the rest of the family turning against me so soon.