The Code Of The Alpha

Luca never came back to bed that night.

I laid there, staring at the ceiling, until the glow of the early morning began to fill the bedroom. When I went into the kitchen to make my tea, I was shocked to see Luca sitting at the counter with a coffee cup to his lips.

I never heard him come back inside.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

Luca’s eyebrows knit together.

“Yes?” He answered, even though it sounded like more of a question.

“You left in the middle of the night,” I told him, feeling the need to explain my concern.

“Oh, I went for a run,” he said casually, taking another sip of coffee.

“You left the door open..

“Did I?” Luca asked.

“I may not have shut it well.”

“You left your clothes strewn all over the floor,” I reminded him.

“I guess I’m not used to living with someone who sees my mess. You didn’t have to clean up behind me.”

Luca’s attention returned to his coffee cup.

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I asked him.

He looked up from his mug and smiled slightly.

“I’m fine.”

Despite still not being satisfied with his answer, I nodded apprehensively before turning to grab the kettle off the stovetop. The kitchen was silent for a few moments, except for the sounds of me filling the kettle with water and starting the stovetop burner.

“I’ve got a few things to attend to today, so I won’t be home until I come to pick you up for dinner,” Luca said, emptying the rest of his coffee into the sink.

“I’ll probably go and meet Fallon again this morning,” I told him, still trying to read the aura he carried.

“Sounds fun,” he shrugged.

“The keys are in the Jeep if you’d like to drive that.”

“What about the keys to the McLaren? Where are those?”

Luca’s attention snapped from the sink where he was washing his mug.

“Don’t you dare,” he said.

I laughed.

“Whatever, I guess the Jeep isn’t so bad.”

I saw the relief wash over Luca as he shook his head.

“I’Il see you later,” he said, grabbing his sweatshirt and walking towards the door.

“Bye.”

He stopped walking and turned around, almost hesitantly.

Luca took a few steps in my direction and grabbed my t-shirt to pull me into his chest. Before I could ask what he was doing, Luca threw his sweatshirt onto the counter behind me, grabbed my face with one hand and wrapped the other arm around my waist, pulling me into a kiss.

There’s no telling how long we would have stood there had the kettle not begun to whistle loudly. Luca pulled away with a groan and turned off the burner.

“Goodbye, amore,” he said.

I watched, speechless, as he turned and left the kitchen. It wasn’t until I heard the door shut that I realized he had actually left.

Filling my mug, I placed the teabag into the hot water and sat down at the countertop.

That was weird, I thought.

I drank my tea before going to the laundry room to fetch my clothes from where they stayed in the dryer overnight. As I walked back into Luca’s room with my clean, folded laundry, I saw my phone light up on the nightstand.

I picked it up with one hand, balancing my laundry in the other. It was a text from Mady, reading: Don’t forget I need a picture of Luca! Hope you’re well. Call me sometime this weekend.

I smiled before putting the phone back down.

Carrying my clothes into Luca’s closet, I hung a few shirts up and put my shorts and pants on an empty shelf. I really need to go shopping, I thought as I stared at the minimal pieces I had to wear.

Maybe I can get Mady to mail me my clothes.

That’s when it occurred to me: what was I supposed to wear when I met Luca’s parents? An

overwhelming sense of panic overcame me as I stared at the t-shirts I had to chose from.

“Shit,” I muttered.

I suddenly wished I hadn’t waited until the last minute when I packed for Vegas. I went to grab my phone, wanting to tell Luca to postpone the dinner until I could go buy a suitable outfit. It wasn’t until I

picked up my phone that I realized I didn’t have Luca’s phone number.

Groaning, I tossed my phone onto the bed.

What am I supposed to do?

Shaking my head and deciding to deal with it later, I changed into workout clothes and headed out to meet with Fallon. As I thought about shopping for new clothes while I drove down Luca’s driveway, the only thing I could think was how badly I needed to get a job.

Although I had enough in my savings to cover me for the next few months, there was no avoiding the loan payments that I would have to continue to make for the next ten years in order to pay off my student debts.

I certainly couldn’t do that with the paycheck I would get at the end of that week. After all, the check would only include the four days I had worked in the previous week, before we went to Vegas. That would barely be enough to buy a few things to wear, restock my shampoo and conditioner, and keep my phone service.

Not to mention I was still under a lease agreement for my townhome with Mady. I would have to pay that every month until the end of the year.

Feeling nauseous at the wave of reality that had washed over me, I drove quickly to the training fields, anxious to be distracted from it.

Parking, I saw Fallon standing at her car as she was unloading equipment from the trunk.

“I honestly didn’t expect to see you again,” Fallon laughed as she watched me walking towards her.

“I’m so sore.” I admitted.

“I wish I could say it got better with time,” she said cringing.

After I helped her carry a few things over to the ring, we went over what we had covered the day before and got right to work. By the time we were finished-nearly two hours later-I felt like I had jabbed to the point my arms would fall out of their sockets.

I better come out of this with arms so muscular / could knock Rocky Balboa on his ass. I did manage to steer the Jeep back to Luca’s house, despite the

stiffness in my shoulders.

Showering quickly, I was starving and needed to eat something. It wasn’t until I had sat down with my eggs and fruit that I had a quiet moment to breathe.

I decided I would call Mady.

She answered almost immediately.

“Hey!”

“Hi, Mady.”

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“I’m fine,” I assured her.

“How are you? How was your exam?”

“It went well.,” she said slowly.

“Are you sure you’re good?”

I sighed.

“It dawned on me this morning that I still have a lease to pay,” I told her.

“Oh, shit… and you don’t have a job anymore.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Thank you for the reminder,” I commented.

“What are you gunna do?” Mady asked.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I should be fine until the end of the year. I have savings. I’m also going to look for a job here.”

“Are you going to be able to?”

“What? Get a job?” I asked.

“I can’t see why I wouldn’t…”

“Well, you are mated to an Alpha,” she explained.

“Won’t you have duties as a Luna?”

Shit.

“I hadn’t thought about that,” I said honestly.

“Maybe talk to Luca about it? He might be able to help.”

My eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m not letting him pay my rent.”

“Don’t be stubborn,” she said.

“It’s his fault you don’t have any income, he should at least be willing to help you come up with a solution.”

“I guess.”

I changed the subject, asking her about her exam instead. I had no intentions of begging for Luca’s help regarding my finances. I would figure something out on my own.

Before we got off the phone, I asked her to mail a few of my things to me, namely some of my clothes and paint supplies. She agreed in exchange for a picture of Luca.

When we got off the phone, I sat at the kitchen counter for nearly an hour-staring at an empty plate and wondering what I was going to do for the next few months.

“I need to stop thinking about this,” I said aloud.

I stood from my seat and washed my dishes before wandering upstairs to the loft. Painting had proven to be a decent distraction in the past, I was hoping the same would be true for that afternoon.

The soreness in my arms and shoulders made it harder than normal, but I managed to get started on painting the detailed lace appliqué of my mom’s wedding dress.

Hours passed before I heard the door downstairs open and shut, knocking me from my trance.

“Amore?”

“I’m upstairs.” I shouted.

I heard Luca’s footsteps as he ascended the staircase before seeing him as he rounded the corner into the loft.

“What are you doing?” He asked, despite clearly seeing that I was seated in front of a canvas with a paintbrush in my hand.

“Painting.

“That’s amazing,” he said, walking closer to inspect the canvas.

“Thanks, I’m obviously not done yet. I need to get a few more colors to finish the details and shading and a little more of the cream-colored acrylic to finish her dress.”

“Who are they?” Luca asked.

“My parents.”

He scowled.

“That seems like a random thing to paint..”

“I’m giving it to them for their wedding anniversary.”

“Oh.”

Luca cleared his throat awkwardly before sitting down on the floor a few feet away.

“I postponed dinner plans,” he said.

I wanted to sigh in relief until I heard what he said next: “I have something I want to talk to you about.”

I dropped the paintbrush into water and turned to face him. Maybe this has something to do with his disappearance last night, I thought.

“I had a few meetings today with our pack’s elders,” he said.

“They want you to be inducted into the pack as Luna the old, traditional way.”

My eyebrows furrowed.

“What is the old, traditional way?” I asked.

Luca rolled his eyes.

“It’s asinine,” he admitted.

“It’s this weird, cultish ceremony that has to happen on a blue moon at midnight so that the moon is at

its highest point.”

I scowled.

“Why would they want to do that?”

“I don’t fucking know,” he said, clearly frustrated.

“Some shit about how a lunar blessing was good luck for a pack. That’s besides the point, though. They refuse to recognize you as Luna unless we go that route.”

We were quiet for a few moments before he sighed.

“The next blue moon is in four weeks.”

I eyed him carefully.

“Why is it such a big deal to you that I have to wait four weeks to be inducted into the pack?”

His jaw clenched as he shook his head.

“Traditionally, an Alpha isn’t supposed to consummate his relationship with his mate unless she’s in his pack. If not, they’re supposed to wait until she’s inducted.”

My jaw dropped.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“It’s bullshit,” Luca agreed.

“I’ve never heard of anyone having to follow that rule,” I said.

“It’s an old tradition,” he explained.

“Of course no one follows it anymore, no one believes in that stuff.”

“Except your pack’s elders?”

“Apparently.”

We sat in the heavy silence for a few moments, both of us trying to process the information.

“I think, maybe, it would be best.” I trailed off and took a deep breath, regaining my confidence.

“I think it would be best if I left for the next month,” I told him.

Luca immediately scowled.

“To go where exactly?” He asked.

“Home.”

He rolled his eyes.

“I thought we were past this…”

“Luca. hear me out—” I started.

“No”

I was taken back by his stubbornness.

“I think it would be easier for both of us,” I argued.

“We both have responsibilities; mine are at home and yours are here.”

“What responsibilities could you possibly have waiting for you there that couldn’t be dealt with here?” He asked.

“I had two jobs for a reason,” I told him, feeling my face grow hot with anger.

“I can’t afford to sit in your big house all day, everyday and paint to my heart’s content. Money might not be an issue for you, but it’s certainly a point of concern for me. I have a lease and tens of thousands of dollars in student debt to pay…”

Luca shook his head.

“I don’t care how much it is, l’Il pay it for you. You’re not leaving here to go and work two jobs. That’s not something you need to worry about anymore.”

“I appreciate the generosity,” I said genuinely, “but I’m not letting you shoulder my responsibilities for me.”

Luca clearly didn’t like his own words being used against him.

“You are my responsibility,” he said, rising to his feet.

I followed suit, standing in front of him.

“How exactly do you plan on living together for the next month if we can’t have sex?” I asked him.

“We’ve done just fine this week.”

I couldn’t help but notice the slight tone of resentment he used.

“Luca…”

“Stop,” he said quickly. “Don’t patronize me. I’m done engaging in this. You’re not going home. You’re going to stay here and we will figure something out.”

He turned to walk away and I sighed, not realizing it would be the last time I saw him for four days.