The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

29. No Second Chances

Savannah came back to the main hall and found Celia giving her interview. The girl seemed cheerful

and giggled a lot, but at the same time, her knee was twitching, signalling how nervous she was. Celia

wasn’t handling the pressure well Too bad for a Luna of The North candidate. Although she wasn’t a

real contender, was she?

Elene sat on a high golden chair behind the cameras and made some notes in a little notebook from

time to time. Chloe and Claude were doing the same. Sadly, Savvy realised that they would be the

ones giving them points for their performance today. What was worse, with Kai gone, no one would be

here to help her out

Then again, was it really a problem? Considering they had already chosen each other.

It was probably stupid, but Savvy believed him. She believed everything he said, and only when she

felt a heavy gaze on her, she lifted her eyes and shivered, seeing Zack. Bad memories flooded her

mind at once.

She already believed a man blindly once.

The princess turned on her heels and walked away without sparing him an extra glance. She couldn’t

deal with him now, so it was best that they did not meet each other.

She came back to the table with snacks and beverages and saw Evelyn still working on wrapping

Petra’s tulle cape around her to imitate a skirt. Kyle was right next to them, having the time of his life,

judging by the cheesy grin plastered across his face.

“Give it to me!” Evelyn pointed at his black tie, and he started to untie it with a curious expression. She

yanked it out of his hands and wrapped it around Petra’s waist.

“Do I look bad?” The pink-haired girl was on the verge of crying. “Trust me,” Kyle smirked, “not a single

man in the room thinks that.”

“Thanks!” Petra beamed at him, suddenly happy and cheerful again. “And thanks for your help!”

“Some help that was!” Evelyn gritted her teeth, and her eyes flashed purple when she glanced at Kyle

angrily.

“Always at your service!” he saluted them and was about to leave when Evelyn stood in his way. With

hands crossed on her chest, she lifted her chin to give the guy a look of disdain.

“Mess with my girl one more time, and you will regret it!” She warned him, and now Kyle looked truly

interested.

“Me?” he gasped, grasping his heart. “Mess with Petra? Never! You can rest assured…”

The next moment the graceful woman gripped the lapels of his blazer, pulling him closer by force.

However, it looked like she was simply fixing the jacket. Savvy was impressed with her. Not many

would dare do this to a lycan. Then again, the North was different. And lycans here were different too.

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” she whispered on the verge of hissing, luckily everyone was watching

Celia’s interview. “Do it again, and your little secret will come out! You love the truth,

don’t you?

Kyle’s smirk faded at once, and Savvy herself almost gasped, hearing these words. Did Evelyn

manage to find out that Kyle was the Truthteller? That was fast! Not to mention that this could cause

potential problems for them.

“Who doesn’t like the truth?” The lycan ran his hand through his hair, still playing his role of the

careless young man. “Especially when the truth can be so useful. Don’t you think so?” He winked at the

she-wolf in front of him, and Evelyn pursed her lips together and nodded curtly. After which, she waved

him off, dismissing him as if he was a nobody, and then returned to check on Petra as it was almost her

turn to go.

Kyle stood there for a while with his mouth open, hands in his pockets until he met Savvy’s glance and

gave her a can you believe this look. But a mischievous glint in his eyes did not escape his friend. He

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was having fun!

Happy that at least someone was enjoying himself during all this, Savvy looked around and met the

gaze of her mate again. She couldn’t wait for the official part to be over so she could leave.

“Salome, it’s your turn,” Elene gestures for the witch to take the seat in front of the sibling hosts. The

woman looked stunning tonight in sparkling black, and Savannah remembered the videos from this

morning. Familiar unpleasant darkness spread over her chest. Ugly, sticky and painful, it was a horrible

feeling and she didn’t like it one bit. However, Kai’s words about Salome wanting only an alliance were

giving her hope that she would indeed leave tonight.

In the meantime, the hosts and the guest had already exchanged pleasantries.

“So the first question I want to ask,” Chloe tilted her head just the way she did before an attack, but the

witch raised her hand, gesturing for her to stop.

“I have to apologise,” Salome flashed a sincere smile. “only came here today not to be rude, but I am

not going to give an interview.”

“Are you sure?” Claude chuckled. “This would mean you don’t get any points for this, and after a very

successful date with the King, you would be back to square one.”

“Yes, I am aware,” the woman admitted and played with the shimmering sequins of her gown. “But

that’s the thing, after getting to know Kai better, we both realised that there aren’t any sparks. What

kind of union would it be without any attraction between the two of us? So, I have made a choice to

leave the Luna Trials immediately.”

“And throw a chance like that away?” Chloe arched her brow and pursed her lips. She was clearly

disappointed not to be able to go on with her initial plan, but there wasn’t anything she could do

“I am not throwing away anything,” the corners of Salome’s lips curved. “We are parting as friends.

How many people can call the Northern Lycan King a friend? Can you?”

Savvy had to give it to the witch. She had the best way out. There was no chance in hell of her winning,

and she was leaving without the humiljation of being eliminated by someone. It was her own decision.

She stood in the crowd along with everyone and felt the strong scent of mint coating her. Athena was

uncomfortable because the mate bond forced her to feel attracted to the man standing right behind

them. It was almost unbearable.

However, it got worse and escalated quickly when his hand brushed up and down hers, waves and

waves of tingles rippling through her.

At this rate, she’d start hating tingles soon, loathing the sensation ….

Zack was using the fact that she couldn’t leave without making a fuss about it, his fingers were drawing

small circles on her skin. For a moment there, Savannah had to close her eyes not to let the mate bond

cloud her judgement. She remembered their one and only night together, but then she recalled how he

chased her through the woods with his warriors. And she was pretty sure he would have killed her if he

had a chance. She was just lucky to escape.

Yes, that memory helped her a lot, and Savannah came back to her senses, choosing to move forward,

closer to the stage. Anything to escape him!

Autumn, the fox from the South was getting properly red for some reason. Savvy didn’t know what the

twins asked her, and she didn’t care. Instead, she pivoted and strode to the main door to try and get

some air. The Western Princess walked out and decided to hide in the corridor where she and Kai had

so much fun just recently, hoping no one would follow her. Sighing, the princess touched the wall she

was leaning on just under two hours ago as if she could get more strength by doing so.

She heard the steps first, the minty scent followed soon, making her growl in anger. How dared he be

so brazen? After hiding from her for months, her annoying mate couldn’t leave her alone.

“How long are you going to keep ignoring me?!” Zack demanded as if he had a right to do so and she

felt that this audacity of his had no limits.

“Ignore you?” A cruel laugh rocked her chest as she turned to face him. “Oh, Zack, I am not planning to

ignore you at all.”

“I know you are trying to scare me now, Savvy,” her mate placed his hands in his pockets and leaned

against the wall, dangerously close to her. He was so close that if she simply stretched her hand, she

could … probably strangle him in a minute or so. Maybe even break his neck if the angle was right.

“Oh, Zack, I am not even trying,” she scoffed, her laughter echoing through the passages. “But I bet

you are scared nonetheless. Is that why you were hiding for so long?”

They were staring at each other as if it was a real battle.

“I wasn’t hiding,” the man said after a while, still not taking his eyes off her. It seemed like he couldn’t

get enough of this closeness. Even if it was just an illusion. Right now, they couldn’t have been further

apart. “I was thinking of how to fix everything!”

“You are a traitor, Zack!” she took a huffish stance. “I am afraid everything is beyond fixing for you!”

“Savvy, don’t say that!” he tried to take a step towards her, but she flashed her canines at him and

growled a warning. “Whatever happened in the past, however foolish I have been, nothing will change

the fact that we are mates!”

She let out another laugh. This was too good!

“Wow, Zack,” she pushed herself off the wall and stalked towards him slowly, noticing how he gulped at

the sight of her, “I always knew that you were a sick basterd who can’t keep his word and has no heart,

but I had no idea that you are also delusional!”

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“No heart?” He looked at her sheepishly and chuckled bitterly. “Is that what you think of

me?”

“Uh-huh,” she confirmed his suspicions with a nod and a sneer.

“Savvy, what happened between us was what broke my heart. I love you so much. my beautiful mate! I

couldn’t…”

“Stop!” she gritted her teeth, angry that he was throwing big words like that into play. “Don’t you dare go

there!”

“Why not?” His hazel eyes glowed. “Because for someone who claims to love me, you did everything to

hurt me the most!”

He clenched his lips, looking for words. This definitely wasn’t going according to his plan, especially

since he knew what was at stake here

“And you had your revenge.” His voice sounded dry and full of pain. “It happened here in this hallway,

right? This place still smells of the two of you! Did you let the King touch you to get back at me?”

“You must be thinking too highly of yourself,” Savvy couldn’t help but snort. “Nothing I do has anything

to do with you! You were dead to me the moment I heard you plotting to kill my brother and using me

as a breeder for your perfect heirs.”

“So, you heard my conversation with Castiel?” He looked away just for a moment but quickly returned

his gaze to her face. “And what if I tell you that you misunderstood me? Have you ever thought of

that?”

“I have,” she chuckled, even enjoying this conversation a bit. At least it wasn’t boring. “But then I came

to the conclusion that nope, you weren’t misunderstood. You are just an as*hole who thinks of himself

only.”

“I wanted to gain Castiel’s trust to help your brother. I had to tell him what he wanted to hear,” he

started speaking, and she rolled her eyes.

“Was that why your people tried to catch me whatever it cost them? I saw it in their eyes. They were

ready to kill me in their wolf forms.”

For a few seconds, there was only silence between the two of them. “They didn’t get my order right…..”

“Of course, they didn’t! This is probably why you ran away afterwards with them and all the useful intel

you got from that fox. To be honest, I am surprised you honoured the Northern King with your

presence!”

“Savvy, I‘ve made many mistakes,” he interrupted her, probably realising they were not going anywhere

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like this. “But I am ready to forget the past and to move on to the future. With you.”

“Cause that’s happening!” Each word was laced with sarcasm. This was way less dramatic than she

imagined their next meeting to be. The stupid mate bond! She would never have fallen for a guy like

him if not for it.

“We are mates, Savannah.” Zack insisted, and she had to give it to him – he had some balls. “Fated

mates chosen by the Moon Goddess. We were made for each other, and we can make each

other happy. If you only gave me another chance ….”

“You know what, maybe I would have done it,” she lied to make a new blow. “But

unfortunately, since you managed to have lovers left and right while you were away, knowing what kind

of physical pain it would cause me, there is nothing to talk about anymore. You are simply not worthy of

my time, Zack.”

Do you think it was easy for me?” He snapped as if everything was her fault, so much pain in his eyes

she almost bought it. Almost. “My wolf was dying from the pain of separation from you, and I had to act.

I was thinking about you while I was doing this, imagining you, pretending it was my beautiful perfect

mate.”

“Zackie!” she tilted her head and pouted her lips. “Poor you! How did you get through all this? It must

have been so hard for you?!”

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, and at least he wasn’t that stupid because the Alpha before

her knew at once she was mocking him.

“Savvy.”

“Cut the cr*p!” The princess demanded, changing her tone and demeanour at once. “I was thinking

about you too when you did this, you know. I was writhing in pain each time, trying to claw my own skin

and heart out while you were screwing someone and imagining me. I was imagining things too! My

favourite fantasy was ripping your head off and being done with it quickly. It’s still the best for me!”

“Savannah ….” He repeated her name again, trying to reach her as if it could make any difference. It

couldn’t.

“But I am willing to go with my second favourite,” the girl sneered, letting her claws grow long and

tracing the one on her index finger over her lower lip. “You’d better take that chance while I still give it

to you.”

“If you are talking about rejection, then forget about it!” Zack grunted. “I will never agree to lose you!”

“To lose me, you have to have me!” she exhaled heavily. “And you don’t.” “Savvy, I love you! All I ask is

a new chance!”

Something inside of her was calling her to agree to this. She could still feel the pull even though she

was a royal lycaness.

Savannah breathed in deeply and smelled Kai’s scent. It was still strong in this place where he held her

just a few hours ago. The thought alone of him made her anger ease off a bit.

There was no chance of her forgiving Zack. Not now, not ever. “I, Savannah Stormhold,” she started

the standard rejection line.

“No!” Zack growled loudly and balled his fists, heaving. “Don’t even try this. I would never agree!”

“… reject you, Alpha Zack Morgan of The Emerald Mountain pack as my true mate!” She lifted her chin

high and let Athena give her eyes the royal golden glow. “Accept it, and I will spare your life today! Until

we meet on a battlefield, you’ll be safe.”

“Never!” he snarled, and in one sharp moment, she was next to him, grasping his neck in her palm and

shoving him against the wall, denting it by the impact.

“Say the words!” She bared her teeth. “Mark me, Savannah!” He completely misunderstood her

reaction. “You know you want

“In your dreams!” she hissed, tightening her grip and lifting him on the wall. Just a bit more pressure –

and she could crack the bones. Zack would be dead, and everything would be over

mWhat is going on here?!” She heard Elene’s voice behind her back, knowing that this was the worst

thing that could happen now...