AUTHOR'S POV
Kristia happily served the clan's Luna, as she have grown fond of Diana the first time she saw her in Roman's arms when they arrived earlier today. It was as beautiful as the sunset, seeing Roman so warm and gentle with her. Seeing Roman constantly get tangled with different women, Kristia is over the moon knowing he have finally imprinted. After a long time, the Alpha of the Black Creek Clan will be in an intimate and serious relationship, faithfully and wholeheartedly to one person.
Kristia couldn't hide her smile noticing Roman's hardened face as he falter from trying to change Diana's clothes and clean her dirtied skin from mud. He struggled so hard to look away that he eventually called her to do it. She bursted laughing when he went out of the camper van giving the Luna some privacy. If that's a different girl, he might have undressed her casually and jumped on her in no time. Unexpectedly, Roman didn't took advantage of the Luna, as he slept sitting down at the foot of the bed.
Once done preparing a pot of brewed coffee, a bowl of steamed potatoes, a clubhouse, and a few pieces of hard boiled eggs, Kristia placed the food on the table before she swiftly left Roman's camper van. She was informed by Roman beforehand to leave immediately so he can spend time alone with his Luna, something that he has been excited and anxious about.
Diana followed Kristia with her eyes, yearning to ask questions rambling in her mind. There goes her chance to ask her as soon as Kristia closed the door. 'Maybe some other time', she thought.
The camper van is tiny, yet neat. The confined space makes Diana feel restricted and a bit uneasy... especially now that she is alone with Roman. Her eyes wandered at the simplicity of the charcoal gray interiors, and the selection and placement of the furniture give off a home-like and manly ambiance. The rich scent of cedar wood and sage predominantly wafted inside, attractive to the nose. While Diana explores Roman's home with her eyes moving her head from left to right, she heaved at the sight of a red laced ladies' underwear stuck just underneath the bed. She quickly bowed her head down towards her plate of steamed potatoes and clubhouse bread. 'What a Casanova', she thought.
Roman cleared his throat and said, "Thanks for saving Troy". Roman gazed her face as he lean back on his chair as if he have all the time in the world.
"Troy?", she asked as she squinted her eyes at the unfamiliar name.
"The wolf you saved from the vampire?", he replied, getting a glimpse of her blue eyes that have finally looked at him. Roman has been dreaming of this day, but, he never thought that it would this nerve-racking in actual. Breathing the same air under the same roof with his Luna makes him nervous. 'She's more beautiful up close', he thought in silence.
"Oh.. Troy..", Diana figured that it was the red wolf that she bled for. "It's the least I can do", Diana replied with a soft smile. He waited for a flicker. The pull and answering spark that he have been yearning. However, it haven't come despite he was desperately looking for it. "I should be the one thanking you, you've done so much".
Though it seemed like her responses had sharp edges and her stance were too guarded, her smiles were enough to weaken Roman's knees. He dropped his jaw seeing Diana smile at him for the first time. For a while, he forgot to breath. "I didn't know my Luna is so fearless to sacrifice her life for a person she doesn't even know.", Roman said, as he take in air deeply.
Is this the softness that he was waiting for? Finally for the slow burn is already killing him, he thought .
"I think, we should always put our best foot forward.. In my case, I'm not a good fighter, I don't run fast. My blood is my greatest and only advantage in this realm of supernaturals..", Diana said with a sharp exhale. "I just did what I thought I had to do", she added as she flinch when she touched the hot potato.
Still, she had no recognition of the imprint in her gaze as much as Diana stares at the potato on her plate. Roman started to feel heated inside.
"Luna.. I don't like the idea of you sacrificing your life for other people.. That's a wicked plan, effective but wicked. I won't let you do something crazy like that anytime in the future..", Roman took one potato and peeled it for Diana. "You don't need to bleed for anyone.. Not even get yourself hurt to save someone.", Roman placed the peeled potato on her plate, then slid his hand across the table touching her hand. Diana forced a smile as she immediately withdrew her hand down on her lap making Roman feel awkward, a rejection he have never received from a girl. "So uhh.. your blood. What's in it? By the looks of it, not all vampires who attacked us earlier knew what's in it.", Roman scratched his head clearing the uneasy feeling in the air by hopping to a different topic. He finally knew the answer to the question bothering him ever since he imprinted on Diana.
Diana wasn't sure if Roman is someone she could trust. She thought she shouldn't just easily lay her cards on the man who she just met, even if he saved her life a few times. "Let's just say... it's something that makes vampires' lives different".
"You don't trust me, do you?", Roman asked. He wanted to hear the answers, and not make assumptions that might not be true.
"I'm afraid to say I don't", Diana said, lowly.
"You keep pushing me away. Does that mean... you didn't imprint back?", Roman asked.
"Roman", Diana called. "I'm not the Luna for you",
"What makes you say that?", Roman wondered, clenching his fists under the table.
"Not just because you imprinted on me, I'm going to be your lover", Diana said.
"And Scott is?", Roman felt something bitter in his mouth.
==
Diana paused for a while as she think deeply on why would a blood maniac creature chooses to have a vulnerable life as a human than to remain an immortal being on top of the foodchain. Then she remembered..
"Maybe.. when you've lived so long in the cold, and.. when you've been alone in the dark for quite a while, you'd realized it's so much better to wake up in the morning at the sound of your heart beating.", Diana then stared at Roman. "When they found purpose in my blood, they saw their second chance at life. To live and love again. After all, life gives hope. And to have a life, every day becomes meaningful.", Diana remembered the words that came out of Calvin about how badly he wanted to choose life as a human.
Roman smiled at Diana. He thought she is not only a valiant Luna, but also a considerate woman for the way she perceive vampires. However, even if she rationalizes the vampires' possible outlook on their second chance at life, Diana still refuses to be with them. "Your.. blood can turn a vampire to human?", he asked.
"Temporarily. A drop of my blood can turn a vampire into a human for a few days..", she replied as she sipped her cup of brewed coffee.
"Just vampires?", Roman asked.
"I'm not quite sure", Diana replied. Roman gazed at her with knitted brows. "Is something wrong?", she asked.
"Hmm..Your blood can not just only supress your wolfness, but also it is too powerful to supress vampires?", Roman said in bewilderment. "Amazing… you're one of a kind. Were you born this way?", he asked.
"No. I was told, that I had a wolf scent when I was younger. One day, everything changed.", Diana answered.
Roman leaned back with a long sigh not breaking his gaze at his Luna. "When I first found out you cannot shape shift in the woods, I thought I imprinted on a weak wolf.. but seeing you out there, and having this conversation with you right here.. I realized that I imprinted on the best Luna any wolf could have.", Roman never thought that the imprint would truly make a wolf gain strong feelings towards a person in an instant. He have met so many women in his life. He have exchanged sweet nothings with any random girl, have had passionate kisses with different women, and have enjoyed crazy wild sex in every place anyone could think of. Nevertheless, his perception about intimacy, love and its mysterious ways instantly changed when he met the most intriguing and unimprinted Luna.
Roman even thought Diana's scent is more fragrant at this proximity who's just sitting in front of him. Spending more time with the Luna, she's getting easier to read now. Holding his breath from time to time, Roman suddenly learned about self-control.
"How is it possible that you imprinted on me? Scott is my..", Diana got cut off by Roman after hearing his rival's name.
"I don't know too.. ", Roman hardened his face and looked outside the window. "But you know what I'm thinking?", he looked back at Diana with softer eyes. "It would be a whole lot better if I imprinted first.. if I met you before Scott did. But hey.. who wouldn't want a good challenge huh?", he said with a gentle smile.
Diana didn't know what to say. She feels bad for rejecting Roman several times ever since she met him. Clearly, there's one particular man who have already owned her heart. Besides, she thought that it seems like Roman have more options when it comes to women.
"I see you not just a Luna, but someone capable of moving mountains even without an Alpha.. So, please don't put your life to waste, or that best foot forward all the time.. It would be a nicer to see you around", Roman said as he give out his palm for a hand shake. "I am Roman Brooke, Alpha of the Black Creek Clan", he said with a warm smile.
"Thank you for seeing me that way", Diana lifted her eyes up. "Nice to meet you, Roman. I'm Diana Woodsworth", she said as she shook hands with Roman, the charming Alpha who has a reputation for seducing any woman.