The Unclaimed Luna

Unwanted bonds

(Darius)

I left the room, my heart pounding harder than I cared to admit. Emma’s words stuck in my head which was annoying. “You can’t have it both ways, Darius. Either you want me, or you don’t.” She didn’t get it. She couldn’t. She was a mistake I never wanted to make.

But my wolf, Kael, stirred restlessly.

'You’re a coward,' he snapped, his voice cutting through my thoughts like a blade.

‘Not now, Kael,’ I bit back, stepping into the hallway.

'Not now? When then? When she loses the pup because you can’t man up? That’s your mate, Darius!'

‘She’s not my mate,’ I growled.

Kael snarled in my mind, the sound almost physical. 'Then why did you mark her? Why did you bind her to us? You think I’m going to let you walk away from her? From our pup?'

‘I didn’t choose her. It just happened,’ I argued, trying to push him back, but he wasn’t having it.

'You didn’t choose her, but you chose to stay. And don’t think I haven’t noticed how you watch her. You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me.'

I clenched my fists as I walked toward the training field. ‘I marked her because I didn’t have a choice, Kael. That doesn’t mean I want her. She’s a responsibility, nothing more.’

'Responsibility?' Kael scoffed. 'You keep telling yourself that, but deep down, you know the truth. You can’t stay away from her. And don’t even try to blame me for that.'

I didn’t answer, slamming the door in my mind to block him out. He growled again, but I didn’t care. Emma wasn’t what I wanted. She was a complication, one I didn’t need.

I was halfway to the training grounds when Lauren stepped in front of me, her arms crossed and her brown eyes narrowed.

“We need to talk,” she said.

I stopped, forcing myself to focus on her instead of what was in my head. “About what?”

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “About Emma. About why you’ve been around her like a protective shadow.”

My chest tightened. “She’s carrying my child. That’s reason enough.”

Lauren’s eyes searched mine as if she could see through my lies. “It’s more than that, Darius. You’ve been different since she showed up. Distant. Distracted. I want to know why.”

I hesitated. Kael’s voice returned, quieter this time. 'Don’t do it. Don’t push Emma away any more than you already have.'

‘I’m not listening to you,’ I shot back before focusing on Lauren. “It’s not what you think.”

Her eyes narrowed further. “Then explain it to me.”

I took a deep breath, forcing the words out. “I’m in love with you, Lauren. I always have been. Emma doesn’t mean anything to me. She’s just… the mother of my child.”

Kael let out a furious snarl in my mind. 'You liar! You don’t deserve her!'

I ignored him, watching as Lauren’s expression softened. She took a step closer, her hand brushing against my arm. “You’re sure? Because it doesn’t feel like that sometimes.”

I nodded, holding her gaze. “I’m sure. I just don’t know how to handle all of this. The baby, Emma—it’s overwhelming. But you… you’re the one I want, Lauren.”

She smiled, and for a moment, I felt relieved. At least she believed me.

Kael wasn’t so easily convinced. 'You’re lying to her, and you’re lying to yourself. You can’t keep this up, Darius. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to choose. And if you choose wrong, you’ll lose everything.'

‘Stay out of this,’ I snapped, pushing him back again.

Lauren touched my arm, pulling my attention back to her. “If that’s how you feel, then why are you spending so much time with her? Why do you care so much?”

“She’s carrying my child,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “I can’t just walk away from that. But it doesn’t mean I love her. I’m just trying to do the right thing.”

Lauren nodded slowly, her eyes searching mine again. “Okay. I believe you. But if you’re going to be with me, you need to set boundaries with her. Make it clear that she’s not a part of your life, only the baby is.”

Kael let out another growl, his voice dripping with disgust. 'You don’t deserve to call yourself an Alpha. An Alpha protects his mate and his family. You’re nothing but a coward.'

‘I’ve heard enough,’ I growled back, forcing him into silence.

“I’ll handle it,” I told Lauren, my voice firm. “Emma knows where we stand.”

She smiled again, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “Good. I just needed to hear you say it.”

I nodded, watching as she walked away. The moment she was out of sight, I felt Kael pushing against the walls of my mind, his anger radiating like a storm.

'You’re going to ruin everything,' he said, his voice low and dangerous. 'You think you can keep her at arm’s length, but you’re wrong. The bond doesn’t work that way, and you know it.'

‘The bond doesn’t matter,’ I argued, though the words felt hollow even to me.

'Keep telling yourself that,' Kael said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. 'But when she’s gone, when the pup is gone, don’t come crying to me. You’re the one who’s pushing them away.'

I clenched my fists, trying to block him out. I didn’t want Emma. I didn’t want this bond.

Then why couldn’t I stop thinking about her?

I walked back toward the packhouse, my mind filled with Kael’s taunts and Lauren’s demands. Every step felt heavier than the last.

I decided to check on Emma once more, but her voice reached me through the slightly ajar door.

“I can’t stay here,” she murmured to herself. “Not for me. Not for the baby. He’ll never care about us. We’re better off somewhere else.” My chest tightened, the words slicing through me like a blade.

Kael stirred once more, giving me a command. ‘You can’t let her leave.’