The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

28. Hit & Miss

Savannah didn’t know what to expect now. She grazed her sight over her smirking mate, although it

was Kai’s reaction she was mainly interested in observing. He seemed tense to her, lips pursed and

hands in his trousers pockets. Nonetheless, when their eyes locked, a small reassuring smile reached

the corners of his lips, and she instinctively knew nothing had changed between them as of yet.

“So?” Claude urged her to respond, shaking his shiny blonde hair as if he was starring in a shampoo

commercial. “Are you confident that you are staying, Savannah?”

“I can’t be confident, can I?” Savvy replied, lifting her chin slightly. She glanced at the Northern King

again. His sinile faded, but now she was the one who wanted to raise his spirits. “I am the least wanted

contender here. I know too well, and so does everyone else. I am the least likely to win, but…” She

looked Kai straight in the eye, “But I feel like I am starting to fall in love with the North. The people are

nice, the traditions are beautiful… there are so many wonderful things here!”

“But what about the king?” Chloe interrupted her little speech.

“He is … intriguing,” Savvy chuckled, desperately wishing to change the subject. She wasn’t going to

confess anything on TV with so many witnesses. Not like that.

She could feel her cheeks heated involuntarily.

“But let’s imagine you can win,” Claude suggested with an insincere grin. He definitely wasn’t imagining

that. “Do you think you can be the perfect Luna for the North?”

“Perfection is subjective,” Savannah felt herself relaxing. She was ready to talk about anything other

than how she felt about Kai. Or her mate, who was now trying to pierce her with his glare. He hadn’t

looked at her previously, but now that all the attention was on her, thanks to the interview, he was

devouring her with his hungry eyes, as if she was all he wanted for the months they had been apart. “It

would be premature of me to promise to be perfect. Perfection comes in all shapes, sizes, colours, and

forms, and more importantly, it comes from experience.”

“And do you feel like you have the required experience?” Chloe leaned forward as if they were good old

friends, but there was a menacing glint in her eyes that Savvy couldn’t ignore. She knew that glint too

well. This was how a predator would eye its prey.

Savannah Stormhold was no prey though, and it was time she clarified this.

“I definitely have more experience than anyone else in the Luna Trials.” She shot the TV presenter a

graceful smile. “You see, my parents died early, and, since then, it was only my brother and me. Gideon

didn’t have a Luna, and naturally, I had to take most of the responsibilities

upon myself.”

“Yes, we have heard that you are one of the best at throwing amazing western parties!” The twins

exchanged smirks. “But the North is a bit different from the West.”

“It is undoubtedly different,” Savvy nodded, “but politics is the same everywhere. You either have the

skills for it, or you don’t. I do. However, I am surprised that you only mentioned parties. I

thought you had done sufficient research on me. Right now, it’s a bit embarrassing that I know more

about you two than you know of me. When this is supposed to be in your job description.”

“Tell us. Savannah, what did we miss?” Claude pursed his lips, breathing sharply through his nostrils.

He did not like being challenged on air when he had no problem throwing other people under the bus

regularly.

“Pretty much everything!” The princess shrugged her shoulders innocently as she let out a little giggle.

“My charity work, curating our schools and managing to achieve better results, thanks to a few changes

in the education system than we have had prior. My personal art program, paid for by the money I

inherited from my parents. My aid to Beta Reid with the budget and managing to increase our profits.

Not to mention the many battles I took part in over the years because, frankly, I didn’t have all that

extensive battle training for nothing. I have had a busy

life that was already filled with Luna duties. I am sure it will be somewhat different here, but luckily, I am

a very quick learner.”

“And how about a rumour that you have …” Chloe went for the kill, judging by her fierce look, and

Savannah gulped, preparing for an attack.

“Oh, is that Petra?!” she heard a voice that definitely belonged to Kyle. “What is she wearing?!”

Naturally, all heads turned to the main entrance, and everybody present gasped, seeing Petra walk in

wearing a sparkling bodysuit, consisting mainly of rhinestones. It was barely covering anything, her

long slender legs were on full display. She had an enormous fluffy cape in addition that consisted of

layers and layers of white tulle. It was definitely made by the same designer for the previous gown. Her

pink hair was done up in two pyramid buns with loose curls falling down her beautiful and happy face.

She was clearly enjoying the attention, right until the moment her mentor Evelyn ran up to her, trying to

close the cape on her.

“Petra!” the woman hissed at her giggling protégé. “What?” The girl flapped her lashes. “You told me to

s*x it up a bit!” “This wasn’t what I meant!” Evelyn gritted her teeth, trying to fix the situation.

“Well,” Kyle appeared right next to them, “and I believe that Petra looks stunning tonight!”

The rascal bowed and kissed Petra’s hand, making her grin even wider. All while Evelyn drilled his skull

with her angry glare.

Savvy knew that this was the perfect distraction and decided to use that moment for her exit while the

twins made the cameras turn and film Petra.

“It was such a pleasure to talk to you!” She stood up from her seat, shook startled Chloe’s hand, and

then did the same to Claude. The two of them realised she had escaped when it was already too late.

“Wait, we are not done,” the hostess mumbled.

“Speed things up.” Kai grunted. “It’s time for the next contender. Princess Savannah, can I speak to you

for a moment?”

“Of course,” she nodded, hoping that it was for the best and not because Zack told him something

awful about her. Which could simply be the truth … She shuddered at the thought

alone.

But Kai was looking at her with the same warmth and desire, so she knew that her mate hadn’t

managed to ruin anything yet. There was still hope.

She tried to walk past Zack, who was blocking her way, but he made sure their hands touched. Even if

just for a moment, it felt like a bolt of lightning went through Savannah’s body, reaching every little

corner of her soul. The mate bond was still there, ever present as the first day she met him. Athena

howled from the pain, knowing that this bond had no future. The tingles followed … Torturously

pleasant, they made her heart ache … It was definitely easier to look at him from the side than have

any kind of physical contact.

She felt Kai’s fingers lacing with hers and in the very same moment, the bond and its effects were

forgotten. Zack’s spell was lifted. Kai was being so bold, considering they hadn’t made any

announcements yet, but she was happy that he did this.

Kai took her to the room where he had talked to Zack just a few minutes ago, and the moment he

closed the door, he pressed her against it, crashing his lips into hers.

Tongues entangled, she dug her fingers into his body as he stole a moan from her.

“Savvy,” the king placed his forehead onto hers, taking a breath, “we’ll announce everything right after

the interviews are done. I am sorry for the distraction. That Alpha …”

“I know him, Kai,” she interjected, gathering the strength to tell him who Zack really was.

“I know,” he confessed, tightening his grip on her as she gasped from the surprise.

“You do?” Savvy searched for any kind of reaction in his eyes and only saw guilt there. That bothered

her more than she could imagine.

“He is a traitor in the West. Your brother announced an award for his head.” Kai nodded, and she

realised that he was talking about something else. He still wasn’t aware that Zack was her mate. “I am

sorry for receiving him here. That must be unpleasant for you.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” she started to explain, but the king covered her lips with his again. He couldn’t

help himself. It was getting harder and harder to control Asgard.

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I need to get information from him, and he will stay here for some time. Is that

going to be a problem for you?”

“Kai,” she shook her head. “He is the worst …”

Once again, she was about to tell him everything when the back door opened, and Lachlan appeared

with a very tense face.

“Lan, are you kidding me?” Kai stepped in front of Savvy, covering her from his friend defensively. This

was an instinct of some sort, and even the king himself was surprised by it.

His Beta stared at them for a few seconds with his brows furrowed but snapped out of it quickly

“Apologies, my King,” he said in a respectful official tone he had never used before, although he wasn’t

quite sure how to behave in front of the Western Princess. They hadn’t had a chance to discuss

protocol yet. However, right now, protocol was the least of his problems. “Our northern

border is under attack.”

Savannah held back a gasp that threatened to escape her. Now wasn’t the time for drama.

“Who?” Kai asked grimly, and his Beta didn’t say a word out loud, clearly using their mental

connection instead.

“You can speak in front of Savvy,” Kai insisted, and they both flinched hearing these

words.

Savannah loved the idea of the two of them being together. However, it was something like a dream to

her, a fantasy which she allowed herself to believe. They didn’t make the announcement, and she

somehow knew that it wouldn’t be happening when they entered the hall together. It would have been

too good to be true. She may have been a princess, but her life wasn’t a fairytale

Yet now, he was ready to share vital intel with her. His Beta was either the best actor of the year or

absolutely stunned by the sudden changes.

“Are you sure?” Lachlan cleared his throat.

“Savannah is mine,” Kai said the three words that prompted his second-in-command to bow his head

respectfully.

“The white bears have attacked three towns on the borders. We haven’t experienced a massive attack

like this for months.”

“Is it Bjorn?” Savvy asked, and the Beta’s brows went up. Once again, he looked at his Alpha

questioningly.

“White bears only serve Bjorn,” Kai explained patiently and turned to her. “Savvy, I need to go there. I

am so sorry, but we will have to make our announcement another day…”

“That’s not a problem for me.” She smiled at the realisation that this was what he was thinking about

now. Them.

His expression changed upon hearing her words, and he traced her lips with his fingers. “Will you wait

for me, Little Maid?”

“Always, my Gardener.” She stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck to

give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but at the last moment, he turned to capture her lips again.

“Don’t worry, Savvy,” he whispered, a smirk forming on his handsome face, “I’ll be back so soon you

will not have time to miss me. Now that I have someone to return to …”

Her heart clenched, and warmth spread over her chest. He was almost gone when she came back to

her senses. Before she managed to say anything out loud, the door closed behind him.

“Shoot!” Savannah bit her lip in disappointment. She would have felt better if she could lift that weight

off her shoulders.

“And agitate him right before he goes to a battle?” Athena snorted in her mind. “Not the best idea.

Besides, it gives us a perfect opportunity to deal with Zack on our own. Don’t you, think?”

“Huh.” Savvy looked at the situation from a different perspective. “Let’s do this then. He

VIIVVVVILUIMV LUOI VILLISUU

either accepts my rejection and leaves, or he is …”

“Dead meat,” Athena sneered.