Artemis' Gift

PENNY

I woke up all wet and bothered. Jeez. That dream was intense. ~

I walked straight to the bathroom as I remembered my dream vividly. Sirius was working wonders inside me. I was still a virgin, so I wanted a fuck.

Badly. Sirius was a beautiful man, so it was normal I’d dream of him.

However, ever since my father had taught me and my brother about mates and how my mark worked almost like a lycanthrope’s blood, I’d always wanted one. Sometimes, I even dreamed of it.

A beautiful werewolf would sweep me off my feet, and I’d bear his pups.

We’d live happily ever after and all that shit. I really wanted that. When I thought about it, I saw Sirius’s face pop into my head. I frowned and shook my head.

No way. His Royal Highness would never choose a human. He’d made it perfectly clear how much he despised my kind.

I exited the bathroom and went downstairs because it smelled like waffles. My mom almost never made waffles, even if they were always so good when she did.

I smiled brightly as I entered our kitchen, and there she was, working on the waffles.

Her long light-brown hair was tied in a ponytail, and her brown eyes were focused on the waffle iron.

“Morning, Mom,” I greeted her.

She turned around and smiled. She still looked young, in her late thirties, because werewolves aged more slowly than humans. They could live for hundreds of years.

“Morning, sweetie. You’re up early,” she said.

“Do you need help?” I asked.

“No, I’m done. You could maybe wake your brother up?”

“Sure. Why the waffles?”

“I thought Alpha King Sirius and Royal Beta Stephen would love to have some. I invited them over,” she said as if she’d invited our neighbors instead of the king.

“What?! Mom! You could have said so!” I gasped. I didn’t want to deal with the king.

“Penny, sweetheart. My house, my rules.” She frowned.

She was such a luna sometimes. I grunted but went back upstairs to wake my brother up.

He was sprawled on his bed as usual, and I really felt bad for his mate because it wouldn’t be easy to sleep next to him. I tiptoed to his head and shook his shoulder lightly.

“Jake. Wake up.”

He opened one tired hazel eye and focused on me.

“What is it, Penny?” he asked, his voice still full of sleep.

“Mom invited the jerk king and his beta over for breakfast,” I said softly. I knew better than to rush my brother, who was clearly not a morning person.

“She did what?!” he cried in shock.

He stood up, immediately on high alert, and he knocked me right on my chin with his big head.

“Ow! Jake!” I yelled, jerking back.

I’d bitten my lower lip in the process, and I could feel the blood in my mouth. The pain was instantaneous.

My brother rushed to me and looked at my lip, cupping my face in his large hands.

“It’s a small cut. Let me clean it up,” he said seriously.

“I won’t be able to eat maple syrup, you prick,” I pouted, licking my lip.

“Sorry! I was shocked,” he said contritely.

“So was I… What is she thinking?” I frowned.

He shrugged, and we went to the bathroom so he could tend to my wound. He applied alcohol, and it eventually stopped bleeding. It numbed my lip, though, and I tasted the alcohol.

Damn it. My waffles are ruined. Thanks, brother. ~

I went back to my room once we were done, and I put on a white T-shirt and black leggings. Casual, but not my pajamas. Perfect.

We usually ate breakfast in our pajamas, so it was making me angry to have visitors.

I loved being comfortable, and my pajamas were my favorite indoor clothes.

Jacob had also put on a T-shirt and shorts.

We went downstairs together, and the jerk king was already here, also wearing something casual, a black T-shirt with blue jeans.

The shirt molded to his body, so I could easily see the muscles. Oh boy, was that a sight.

With my dream still fresh in my mind, I blushed.

His beautiful cornflower-blue eyes narrowed, and he passed a hand through his honey-colored hair, the same I’d seen between my legs in my dream …

Shit. I lowered my eyes and furrowed my brows. I wouldn’t let him see how he affected me.

My mom appeared from the kitchen with my dad. He smiled at us, and I smiled back. I’d only greet the jerk king, and that would be it. No looking at him and no talking. I could do this.

“Good morning,” my father said. “We’re honored to have King Sirius and Royal Beta Stephen with us for breakfast.”

“Mornin’, Dad,” Jake said. “King Sirius, Royal Beta Stephen.”

“Morning, everyone,” I said. “King Sirius, Royal Beta Stephen.”

I didn’t look into the jerk’s eyes as I neared the table, my head held high in disdain. The gesture didn’t escape my mother’s watchful gaze, though, and I knew she wouldn’t let that behavior slide.

“Penelope,” my mom chided.

“It’s all right, Luna Elizabeth. I deserved that for not being nice on our first encounter,” the jerk king said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he looked sincere. His cornflower blues were calm, showing no emotions. Fine. Keep them to yourself. ~

My mother looked between us, but she was still looking at me with a darkness in her eyes. I wouldn’t be nice to that jerk, even if she yelled at me.

The jerk king sat at the end of the table, and my father at the other. My mother sat on my father’s right, while Jake sat on his left.

I sat on Jake’s left and the jerk’s right, while his beta sat on his left.

Why am I next to that moron…? ~

I obviously knew why. Werewolf protocol was very strict, and my rank meant I was sitting behind my mom and brother.

That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to whine a bit. I truly didn’t want to be near the king.

“Thank you for the invitation, Luna Elizabeth. We do appreciate it,” the jerk said pleasantly.

“Oh, please, Your Highness. We’re pleased to have you,” she said with a bright smile.

I drank a bit too fast at those words and almost choked on my orange juice. Jake patted my back, all concerned, and when I could finally breathe, I said, “Sorry.”

My father laughed at that scene because it was frequent. I had zero skills with liquids. I’d always end up choking.

Maybe it was karma for my behavior with the jerk, but I’d take all the karma if it would make him go away.

“Always choking on liquids, Penelope,” my dad chuckled.

“Yeah…”

I blushed furiously because somehow, the double entendre wasn’t lost on me, but I avoided looking at the jerk. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of saying that I was a fragile creature.

The urge became too hard to fight, though, and I cast a small glance at him, but I saw fury in his eyes. Was he mad that I’d survived or something? Did he want me to really choke on it?