The Greedy Luna and her Thirst for Power

A Birthday Gift

Theo, Papa, and the Royal guard met Red Wood at our gates. Alpha Jeremy stood with Jax, the latter smiling wickedly.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Papa asked him, his wolf just below the surface.

Alpha Jeremy clasped his hands in front of him, "You are surprised with our arrival?" he questioned. "Our lunas set up this get together. I'm assuming Sarai did not inform you?"

Papa seethed with anger as he mind linked his wife, 'Did you do this? You invite this monster to my home?'

'Yes,' she answered boldly, 'I knew you wouldn't approve but we must comply with their request to keep peace. Jax is turning 18 in 3 days.'

Papa growled at this news. So this was the specifics that Jeremy had spoken of the last time they met. He was still adamant about taking his daughter when she was still a juvenile.

"We are just here for a visit," Jeremy put his hands up feigning innocence.

Papa turned and stormed away after mind linking his men to escort their visitors to the pack house.

'Silas,' papa mind linked him. 'Jax and his father are here to discuss when Grace will be taken to their territory. Do not, under any circumstances let that boy get her alone.'

'Understood alpha,' Silas responded, sitting up.

I took a long shower to try to calm my nerves. I had done the math. Jax was either 18 or about to be. They were here to take me. I just knew it. I turned off the water and wrapped a towel around myself. I braced myself on the vanity counter, taking deep breaths. I would not let Jax see me as weak and scared. I just needed to get a hold on my shaking.

Silas knocked on the door lightly, "Gracie, you ok?"

He called me by my nickname, which meant he was asking as a friend, rather than my protector.

I couldn't answer him. I was not ok. I was terrified. But he already knew that. He knew me better than I knew myself most of the time. What did I do to deserve him? The thought of being dragged away from my home, my people made me want to vomit. I dried my body and my hair. I braided my hair down my back and slipped a red halter romper on and looked at myself in the mirror. I straightened my back and held my chin up. I wasn't going to leave here without kicking and screaming.

When I opened the door, Silas nearly fell into me. He had been resting his head on the closed door. He caught himself but didn't move. He met my determined gaze with a fierce look himself. He didn't even look sweaty or disheveled from our sparring. Aside from his clothes, no one would know he'd been training.

"We can stay here if you want," he said gently. "My only instructions were to keep that jackass from being alone with you."

I felt a satisfied smile tug at my lips. I liked the way he spoke with such venom about my would be suitor.

"While I would love that, I don't want to hide. I'm not meek. If he wants to take me from my family, he better figure out what he's getting into," I said with conviction.

Silas smiled and nodded, moving aside for me to head out. I stopped at my bedroom door and reached my hand back. Silently, Silas grasped it firmly. I let him lead the way. I wanted to remain hidden from view as long as possible. As we wound our way down the staircase, we saw Theo guarding the bottom. He turned and looked at us, somewhat surprised. We could hear alpha Jeremy spewing his nonsense in the den.

"Where is he?" Silas seethed to Theo.

"So far staying with his father," Theo answered. "But I didn't want to take any chances of him exploring."

My heart warmed at how protective my people were of me. I squeezed Silas' hand as a thank you.

Theo looked at me with love, like I was his own daughter, "He will no doubt smell you Grace. Young alpha's are highly intune to unmated females' scents."

I heard a low growl from Silas.

Theo looked at him knowingly, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Ah, the girl of the hour is near," I heard alpha Jeremy say loudly and then Jax casually slipped around the corner, his hands in the pockets of his black, dapper suit. If I wasn't terrified I would've blushed from how handsome he was. His eyes shown black meaning his wolf was surfacing. In 4 years he had matured so much. I furrowed my brow when he met my eyes and found myself clinging to Silas, some of my confidence waning.

I heard the familiar clicking of heels and knew mother was on her way over. For a brief moment her eyes softened and I saw her sorrow for me but she pushed it away and held her hand out to me, ignoring Silas.

"Come now Grace, we are just having a conversation. Your father and I want you to be a part of it. As it should be," she said smoothly. I tentatively took her hand and allowed her to take me from Silas, who reluctantly let my hand slip from his. I felt Jax's eyes on me the whole way back to the den.

'Please stay close,' I begged Silas in the mind link.

'Always,' he replied.

As mother had me sit between her and Papa on the couch, Jax remained standing near his mother's chair. Theo and Silas were behind the couch. I could smell Silas' familiar, warm scent and it made me a little bit more calm. I noticed Jax kept glancing at me, then Silas.

"Ah, Grace, how much you've grown!" Alpha Jeremy said creepily. "Such a beautiful young lady."

"Thank you," I said curtly meeting his eyes without a smile.

"Jax, isn't she gorgeous?" alpha Jeremy commented, turning to his son. I turned my face to boldly hold his gaze, making sure there was no smile visible for him.

"Yes, of course," he said. His voice was velvety smooth and I hated how it made me involuntarily shiver. He noticed and a sly grin teased his lips.

Papa cleared his throat, "If you're done ogling my daughter, let's begin. The sooner this gets over with the better."

Alpha Jeremy flashed an angry look at my papa but quickly recovered, "Always down to business old friend, such little time for play."

"As you know," my mother began, "Grace has just turned 15. Seeing as Jax will no longer be a juvenile in 3 days, we do not find it appropriate for her to be in his company alone."

I glanced at Jax's mother and observed how fidgety and nervous she seemed.

Alpha Jeremy was clearly displeased, "What are you proposing the timeline be then?

"Upon her 17th birthday," mother said confidently, meeting the alpha's blazing eyes.

He scoffed immediately, "That's absurd. Jax will be nearly 20 by then. He needs to show our people the future of the pack before then."

Papa growled and the alpha looked at him in annoyance.

"I-- we, understand how difficult this process is," Jax's mother said quickly. "Perhaps we could compromise on an age in the middle? Or some conditions that would make you more comfortable with Grace to come with us?"

Mother was ready for this, I could tell, She looked at Jax's mother politely then she turned her whole body to look at Jax, "Jax, what would you like to counter? Grace will be your responsibility after all."

Jax straightened his back and took his hands out of his pockets, clasping them in front of him, "I believe it is only fair Grace speaks for herself. This is her life we are all talking about."

Mother smiled and I could tell she really liked his answer. All eyes turned to me and my heart began to race.

'When I'm dead because he's only getting you over my dead body,' Silas mind linked me and I nearly laughed out loud.

"Thank you Jax," I said meeting his gaze. "I am curious, what use would I be to you before I reach 18? What is your intention with me as a teenager?"

I had succeeded in shocking the young alpha as well as his parents. They clearly did not like being called out for the disgusting request they were making of me, someone underage.

"We are not improper people my dear and request no distasteful or improper actions of you," Alpha Jeremy said quickly. I was making him sweat.

"I appreciate that alpha, but I believe I asked your son the question. I assume he knows the answer of what the plans are for his future Luna since you have come all this way to pry me from my home," I said firmly. I could sense the pride my papa was feeling for me and how he coughed to cover his chuckle.

Jax cleared his throat and moved across the room to stand in front of me. Shockingly, he bent down on one knee and gently took one of my hands in his, "My intention, princess, is to get to know you better so that we may be a force to be reckoned with when I take over my pack. I admire your strength, beauty, and intelligence. And while this may be a prearranged union, I'd like to try to win your heart so that it does not feel traumatic or forced the day I actually make you mine."

Shit, he's good.

I gulped as he stared into my eyes. I searched my brain for an argument, anything to refute him but I had nothing.

"Rather than make it feel like I'm prying you from your family, I'd prefer to respect your discomfort and propose I come visit you more often so that you can get to know me while surrounded by the people you trust and we revisit this conversation after you've had time to get to know me. Does that sound ok?" Jax said very sweetly.

"Y-yes, that sounds ok," I stammered.

"Thank you Grace," he said softly. "Do you mind if I stay for a few days then? Since I'm already here? Everyone else that I came with will leave."

"Jax," his mother said, a little worried. "Is that really necessary?"

"It is if it makes Grace more at ease," he answered without taking his eyes off me.

"I think Luna Jasmine could stay as well, what do you think Grace?" mother said. "After all, this is difficult for her as a mother too."

"Yes, that sounds fine," I agreed.

"That is very kind of you Grace," Jax said. It nearly sounded like he purred when he said my name. "Thank you."

He gently took his hand away and stood up, walking back to his mother who immediately took his hand. She looked like she was about to cry. He lightly kissed her head as if to comfort her.

"Well then, Jax and Jasmine, welcome to our home," Papa said getting to his feet. I could tell he was quite pleased with how this conversation had gone. "Theo, will you join me in escorting alpha Jeremy and his men out?"

With that Papa and Theo headed to the door as alpha Jeremy got up, rather cross. He narrowed his eyes at his son and wife and walked past them without even a goodbye. Jax had held his father's glare with confident eye contact. While his mother clung to him like she was dependent upon him.

"Well then, shall I show you to our guest rooms?" mother said with pep as she got up.

"Thank you Luna," Jax said respectfully as he helped his mother up, and took her arm in his. He smiled and nodded at me as he walked past me.

He met Silas' gaze and I saw the challenge in his eyes. This was going to be a very interesting few days.