The Unclaimed Luna

Love or control?

(Darius)

I sat on the edge of my desk, my head in my hands, replaying what had just happened over and over. I decided to come to my office to get some work done, but I couldn't focus.

I kissed her. I kissed Emma. Not because she wanted it, but because I was desperate. Because I was stupid enough to think that it would fix things, that it would make her see how much I cared. But I messed up. I messed up bad.

She didn’t want me. I could see it in her eyes when she shoved me away, when she walked out of the room without a word. I could still feel the sting of her hands on my chest, the anger in her eyes. She hated me. I’d crossed a line I never should have crossed.

My hands balled into fists, and I punched the desk in front of me, the sound echoing through the empty room. What was I thinking? How could I have been so blind, so selfish? She didn’t deserve that. She didn’t deserve me forcing myself on her like that. She deserved better. Better than me.

I leaned back, staring up at the ceiling, my chest tight with regret. I didn’t know how to fix this. Hell, maybe I couldn’t fix it. Maybe I’d gone too far this time. But I couldn’t let her leave. Not now. Not with the bond between us, not with my pup growing inside her.

I got up and walked out of my office, my steps heavy. My head was spinning, my thoughts a jumbled mess. I needed to think. I needed to do something. The pack wouldn’t understand if she just left. She was their Luna, whether she wanted to be or not.

As I stepped outside, a group of warriors was gathered near the training field. They stopped what they were doing when they saw me coming, their expressions shifting to attention. I waved them off. I wasn’t in the mood for formalities.

“Listen,” I said, my voice rough. “I need you to keep an eye on Emma. Make sure she doesn’t leave the pack lands.”

One of the warriors, Cole, frowned. “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine,” I snapped, then sighed. “She’s pregnant. She doesn’t need to be wandering off, not with everything going on. Just… keep her safe.”

They exchanged glances but didn’t question me further. I could tell they wanted to. Everyone knew things weren’t great between me and Emma, but I didn’t care what they thought. All I cared about was making sure she stayed.

“She’s marked,” I added, my voice softer. “She’s our Luna. That means she’s your responsibility as much as she’s mine.”

The words felt bitter on my tongue. She might be my mate, my Luna, but right now, it felt like I’d ruined any chance of her ever wanting to be those things.

I still had Lauren to think about, I just didn't know how to take that on right now.

Cole nodded, his expression serious. “We’ll make sure she’s safe, Alpha.”

I nodded back, my throat tight. “Good.”

I turned and walked away, my hands clenched into fists. The warriors would do their job. They’d keep an eye on her, make sure she didn’t leave. But that didn’t solve the mess I’d made. It didn’t change the fact that I’d hurt her, pushed her even further away.

I ended up back at my office, pacing the floor like a caged animal. Kael was restless, angry with me for how I’d handled things. He wanted to comfort her, to make her see how much we cared. But I’d gone about it the wrong way, and now she wouldn’t even look at me.

I sat down heavily in the chair, my head in my hands again. The bond between us was supposed to mean something. It was supposed to bring us closer, to make us stronger together. But all I’d done was drive a wedge between us.

I thought about her reaction when I kissed her, the way she shoved me away like I was poison. She wiped her mouth like she couldn’t stand the thought of me touching her. The memory made my stomach turn.

I slammed my fist into the desk again. I deserved it. I deserved worse. I had no right to kiss her, no right to try and force my feelings on her. She’d been through enough already, and I’d only made things worse.

But I couldn’t let her go. Not now. Not with my pup on the way. Not when she was my mate, my Luna, even if she was unclaimed. I didn’t know how to make her see that I wasn’t trying to control her. I just wanted to protect her. To keep her safe.

The door to my office creaked open, and Cole stepped inside, his expression hesitant.

“Alpha,” he said, his tone careful. “We’ve got eyes on her. She’s in her room. Hasn’t left since earlier.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

“Do you want us to stay close, or—”

“Just watch her from a distance,” I interrupted, my voice low. “Don’t crowd her. She needs space.”

Cole nodded and left without another word, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Space. That’s what she needed. But it felt like the more space I gave her, the more I was losing her. And maybe I was. Maybe I’d already lost her, and I was too stubborn to admit it.

I rubbed my hands over my face, exhaustion settling in. I didn’t know what to do, how to fix this. All I knew was that I couldn’t let her leave. Not with the bond, not with the pup.

But was that fair to her? To keep her here when she clearly didn’t want to be? To force her to stay because of a bond she hadn’t asked for?

I didn’t have an answer. All I had was the guilt eating away at me and the desperate need to make things right.

But how could I do that when I’d already broken her trust? When I’d already crossed a line I couldn’t uncross?

I didn’t want her to feel trapped, to feel like she didn’t have a choice. But I didn’t know how to let her go, either.

The thought of her leaving, of her being out there on her own, made my chest tighten. She was mine to protect, mine to care for. But maybe I’d been going about it the wrong way. Maybe I’d been too focused on keeping her close, on holding on, and not enough on what she needed.

I stood and walked to the window, staring out at the pack lands. They were peaceful, quiet, but I felt anything but.

I didn’t know how to fix this. I didn’t know if I could. But I had to try. For her. For the pup. For us.

Even if it meant letting her go.