Chapter 4; Act Stange

"Why is he acting so strangely? Can't he see that I'm trying my best to keep my distance?" Cheska muttered, as she hurried towards the kitchen.

Her mother looked up from her task and quizzically asked, "What's wrong? Why are you in such a rush? Is there something wrong in your room?"

Cheska let out a laugh and replied, "Liam told me to hurry up, so I'm trying to move as fast as I can." She felt the wind whip past her face as she sprinted, but inside her heart was still racing from her conversation with Matthew.

"Sure, please set the table for your brother and Eunice. I can almost taste the food already. By the way, the council just called, and there's an urgent meeting, so I have to go," her mother explained, removing her apron.

Cheska furrowed her brow and asked, "Why? What's the matter?"

Her mother let out a heavy sigh and said, "I'm not sure yet, but the Alpha of the other Pack called the council."

As she listened, Cheska's mind raced with worry. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, especially after her strange encounter with Matthew.

"Hmm, Cheska, you're acting strange... From the look on your face, it's clear that you know what the council meeting is about," Cheska's mother observed, walking beside her.

Cheska couldn't help but feel guilty, even though she and her mother weren't responsible for the incident at the airport. She was worried that the council would blame her mother if the other Pack got angry.

"Cheska Macbride, what's going on?" her mother asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"I'm sorry, Mom. When I was waiting for Matthew at the airport, the Alpha of the other Pack approached me. He asked me to join him for coffee, but I declined..." Cheska paused for a moment, looking at her mother. "But the Alpha became furious. He cursed our pack and grabbed me. Then Matthew saw what was happening and knocked the Alpha out." As soon as she finished her story, Cheska took her mother's hand and gave her an apologetic smile.

Despite her rage, Cheska's mother wrapped her in a tight embrace, murmuring soothing words. "I'm so relieved you're not hurt," she whispered, her hands rubbing up and down Cheska's back.

Cheska hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry for causing trouble again," she apologized. Her striking beauty had been both a blessing and a curse, drawing unwanted attention since she was young. She couldn't help but wonder if it was some kind of curse.

"Don't apologize, Cheska. The Alpha of that Pack should be the one begging for forgiveness!" her mother exclaimed, grabbing her phone and making a call.

Cheska felt herself flush with warmth as she listened to her mother's words. She couldn't help but admire her mother's courage and strength, especially in her journey towards becoming a Luna. Cheska knew firsthand the sacrifices her mother had made, taking on the responsibility of raising Matthew to become a true alpha. But her smile faded as she heard her name mentioned in the conversation.

"How can you go against the council's orders? They'll be furious!" Cheska exclaimed, her body trembling with nerves.

"I'm the Luna of the Thunder Pack, Cheska. You don't need to be afraid," her mother replied calmly, taking the apron from her daughter's hands.

Cheska snorted in response. "Should I be grateful that I'm not officially a member of the Thunder Pack yet?" she asked, voicing one of her concerns. She had always introduced herself as a member of the Thunder Pack, but her mother had yet to officially accept her, and she didn't know why.

"Matthew had each member of the pack swear a pledge of loyalty to ensure a strong bond. That's why former members have to repeat the process," her mother explained, but Cheska still had her doubts.

"I have a feeling that the real reason is because of my mate... He's not a member of the Thunder Pack, and that's why you're preventing me from becoming a full member," Cheska said, arching an eyebrow.

Her mother chuckled. "Ha ha ha, that is the main reason," she admitted as they continued cooking.

After they finished preparing dinner, Cheska's mother instructed her to call Matthew and Eunice. Cheska searched for her little brother, but he was nowhere to be found. She felt a heavy feeling in her chest as she made her way to the stairway.

"I'll ask Eunice to call Matthew, so I don't have to go to his room," she whispered to herself before knocking on Eunice's door.

But after a few minutes of knocking, no one answered. "Eunice? Are you in there?" Cheska called out, thinking that Eunice might be in the bathroom. When she received no response, she headed to Matthew's room.

As she approached the door, Cheska felt her heart pounding in her chest once again. "Cheska, calm down. Remember, you have a strong heart, so the bond between mates does not affect you," she reminded herself repeatedly as she stood in front of Matthew's door.

She took a deep breath before knocking three times, but her heart sank when she heard giggles and whispers coming from inside the room. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow; it had to be a woman.

"So, Eunice isn't answering her door because she's in Matthew's room?" Cheska muttered, intensifying her knocking on the door. She couldn't shake the annoyance she felt at the thought of a woman being with Matthew. Explicit images flooded her mind, and she couldn't stop them.

"Matthew! Open the door, you--" Cheska's sentence was cut off as the door suddenly opened, and Matthew stood before her with a frown.

"Cheska Macbride, do you want to break down my door?" Matthew asked, smirking as he crossed his arms over his bare chest.

"You! What are you doing? How could you?" Cheska exclaimed as soon as she saw Matthew standing in front of her, slightly disheveled.

Matthew looked at her with confusion.

"Hey, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Cheska couldn't bring herself to say anything when Eunice spoke up.

"Maybe Cheska has gone crazy," he said with a chuckle.

Cheska felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment at Eunice's comment. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed, and she didn't know how to react.