Don’t Poke the Luna Chapter 11

Xena’s POV

I felt the bass thumping through my body as we made our way to the dance floor. Ama let out an excited "Hell yeah!" before grabbing Leonard's hand. Logan and Keira followed close behind, his arm draped possessively around her shoulders.

The moment we hit the dance floor, Samuel's hands found their way to my hips, his body pressing against mine from behind. The warmth of his chest against my back sent a familiar thrill through me.

Damn, woman. I want to take a bite, his voice echoed through our pack link, low and seductive.

I couldn't help but smirk as I pressed back against him, our bodies moving in perfect sync to the pulsing rhythm. Just one bite, I teased back through the link, feeling a rush of heat at the thought. The chemistry between us was electric—but there was always that unspoken understanding hanging over us. We both knew that if we weren't mates, a relationship would only end in heartbreak.

I rested my head against his chest, letting myself enjoy the moment.

As Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" started playing, Logan groaned dramatically and tugged on Keira's hand. "That's our cue to get drinks," he shouted, Samuel nodding in agreement as they escaped the dance floor.

I continued dancing with Ama, both of us laughing as we moved to the music. That's when I felt it—eyes on me. I glanced up, scanning the crowd, and found Samuel watching me from the bar, his gaze intense. But he wasn't the only one. Across the club, leaning against the opposite wall, stood Ryder, his green eyes locked on me like a predator tracking its prey.

"Why is Ryder staring at you like that?" Ama asked, her voice close to my ear as she followed my gaze.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the heat rising to my cheeks. "No idea."

"That's Alpha Benedict's son, right?" Keira asked, her eyes widening as she turned to get a better look at him.

"Yeah," I confirmed, taking a sip of my drink. "He came to the shop to get his bike customized."

Keira's gaze lingered appreciatively on Ryder's tall frame and broad shoulders. "If I wasn't with Logan, I'd go for him," she admitted with a grin.

Before I could respond, a human guy with too much cologne and even more confidence stepped into our circle. He was flanked by two equally cocky friends, all of them reeking of alcohol.

"Can I buy you ladies a drink?" he asked, his eyes sweeping over us in a way that made my skin crawl. *What a total asshole, I thought, biting back the urge to tell him off.*

"No, thanks. We're good," I said firmly, already shifting to leave.

"Aw, don’t be like that," he said, reaching out and placing a hand on my shoulder.

The moment he touched me, my whole body tensed. I wanted to deck him right then and there—but this was my club, and the last thing I needed was to cause a scene. I just wanted to get the hell away from this creep.

I smacked his hand off me. "I said no." Then I grabbed Ama and Keira and pulled them away from the dance floor without looking back.

It seemed like my response set him off. He grabbed my shoulder instantly, his face twisting in anger. "Stuck-up bitch," he snarled, his alcohol-soaked breath washing over me.

A security guard noticed the commotion and rushed over, ready to step in. "Ms. Xena, everything okay here?" he asked, his eyes flicking between us.

"We're fine," I said, waving my hand to signal he didn’t need to get involved. "This gentleman was just about to leave."

"I wasn't—" the man started, stepping toward me.

Without hesitation, I drove my knee up into his groin. He doubled over with a strangled groan.

"Please take out the trash," I said to the security guard, who nodded and grabbed the guy by his collar, hauling him toward the exit.

"Everything good?"William suddenly appeared, making me jump slightly. Though he was supposedly addressing all of us, his eyes remained locked on Ama.

"Good, you finally made it." Ama completely melted into his embrace, his arms wrapping tightly around her.

If Ama was his fated mate, that would be interesting. But I felt an inexplicable twinge of loneliness. I'd never experienced being looked at with such intense focus, the way William looked at Ama, as if she were the only person in the world.

"What's going on here?" Logan and Ryder approached together. Both of them looked at William and Ama, who were lost in their own little world.

"I just handled some trash," I said lightly, spreading my hands.

Keira saw Logan coming and hurried over, clinging tightly to his arm."She basically neutered the guy," Keira laughed.

Watching Keira's intimate behavior with Logan now, and remembering what she'd said earlier, I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Ryder asked, his green eyes searching my face.

"Yeah, I need another drink," I replied, hoping alcohol would help calm the jumble of emotions I was feeling.

"You're welcome to join us," Logan said to Ryder. Logan's sudden invitation surprised me a little.

"Thanks. Though I don't think I could pull him away even if I wanted to," Ryder said, grabbing William's arm to separate him from Ama while I pulled Ama along as we headed to the VIP room. Samuel and Leonard were nowhere to be seen.

"What would you like to drink?" Logan asked.

"Whiskey on the rocks," Ryder ordered for both himself and William. Ama and William sat across from me. Keira and Logan took the innermost part of the U-shaped booth, while I sat on the edge with Ryder to my right. I could feel Ryder's presence. I wasn't sure what this feeling was, but I tried to stay calm and not let my thoughts wander too far.

"So, what happened?" Logan pressed.

"A drunk human wanted to cause trouble," I shrugged. "I gave him a chance, but he insisted on making a scene." Our drinks arrived quickly. I picked up my glass and drank half of it.

"There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you guys." Samuel entered the room, first noticing me, then Ryder beside me. He immediately sat down on my left, while Leonard brought a girl over and sat next to Samuel.

I was completely sandwiched between Samuel and Ryder. I felt a wave of pressure as the space suddenly seemed too small.

"This is Cindy," Leonard introduced his date. Nobody knew what to say. Cindy sounded like a stripper name, and she dressed the part too. I sighed internally. Typical Leonard.

"How did you find us?" I turned to look at Ryder.

"Right place, right time," his answer was vague, and I couldn't help wondering if he'd been keeping tabs on my whereabouts. The thought made me both nervous and slightly excited.

"Did something happen? I saw some commotion where you guys were," Samuel suddenly joined our conversation.