Lunar Temptations

Ch 59

It felt surreal to be saying it when I had always imagined him to be the one to say it back, imagining meeting him after years and what he would say first. Instead, he had done the first thing - bind me to him and hold me closer. He should have been one to hate me when I didn't understand him or give him a chance to explain his motives or Elio's. I was wrong. The Moon Goddess wasn't punishing me, but rather protecting me.

"You held on to me even when I f****d everything up." I cried, my body turning colder. "You told me that you'd haunt me until you have proven your loyalty to me, and..." I said, taking my hands out of his and placing one on his chest while wrapping the other around his neck, closing in on him. "Now, I don't want you to stop haunting me."

With that, he crashed his lips onto mine, and I didn't wait a second to kiss him back with all the strength in me. Our worlds appeared to be colliding and rising once again, and it was the most euphoric of feelings, to be broken and put together by your mate. He was soft and gentle, sliding his hand onto my waist to pull me impossibly closer. My hands made their way to his hair as I tugged on them, our movements growing frantic. It wasn't our first kiss, but the intensity of it was surreal, and I wanted to cherish it as long as it would last.

He pulled back and rested his forehead on mine. We were both panting by this time and a smile appeared on his face, "Don't worry, Red. I won't ever stop haunting you," he said, in a deep, sexy voice. The kind that would make any woman crazy, except I would make sure that I remain the only one crazy for it.

"And I would wipe those off the face of the earth who try to haunt you," he said, pulling back now and growing serious. "You're mine and mine alone to haunt and claim." His voice was deadly by now, but brought a rush of heat to me, my cold hands not bothering me anymore. The moment felt too perfect to exist, especially after how my life had been for quite some time now. He might look like the coldest of men and a powerful Alpha, and he might even be one to everyone, but for me, he could melt and mould himself to me if it meant keeping me happy. That man brought me here to his spot right when I needed it the most, and he didn't stop until he had made me smile. No wonder, I wanted to be haunted by him forever.

We stayed like this for some time until he got a call from Drake. It was work-related, and he had been interrogating Sage further after we had left, so we decided to head back. Zayden dropped me home, and as much as I wanted him to stay, we were to leave for the Loup-Garou festival tomorrow, and we both had to wind up some work before that. That also gave me some time to get my head straight and complete my packing. It was dinner time by the time we arrived home, and I asked him about Danna first thing and how she was doing. A few nights ago, Zayden commanded his men to take Danna out of the house and export her to a confidential location. He did it to keep his mother convinced that he was a fool. We had to keep an act going, and he reassured me that Danna was safe and looked after properly. I didn't know when she would be back, but keeping her away was better for the time being.

I was halfway through my packing when my phone rang.

"Hello, Mom," I said, greeting her.

"How are you doing, sweetheart? I hope you're safe and happy," she asked. Her words would have sounded desperate, and I would have had to falsely reassure her. Instead, the time had changed. A smile appeared on my lips, "Yes, Mom. I am safe and happy."

After days of lying to her and displaying fake affection, it felt oddly satisfying to be genuine to her and to know that I didn't need to fake it. It would take me some time to adjust to this, and I had no idea how things would be after this after I knew Elio's truth. I did cry a lot upon reaching home, and it had a deep impact on me, yet I knew I hadn't lost everything yet. I had Zayden, and no matter the horrible things I had said and done to him, I hadn't lost him.

"Esme told me Dad was doing well now. I guess I will be seeing you both at Senenia Island." I said, taking a few pairs of sandals out. Some of them matched my dresses, while some of them were the ones Esme and Winnie had made me buy just because they looked good on my feet.

"Yeah, that's why I called you." She said, sounding tense.

"Is everything alright, Mom?" I asked, putting down the pair of sandals in my hand.

She cleared her throat, and after some shuffling, she spoke, "Your father is not okay, Raya. He told me not to tell the girls about it. They have already watched him suffer enough."

I slumped on the bed, my heart sinking again.

"Oh, Goddess. His medicine was starting to work well, what happened then?"

She sighed, and I could sense she was holding back a sob. "I don't know, it's as if his body cannot take any more of it."

We stayed silent for a while, and I truly didn't know what to say. It had been like this for months now, and reassuring her was not the solution anymore. She had been so strong already, and I didn't care if she would break down this once. Mom deserved it.

"I have talked with the council, and they have assigned your name as the substitute leader of our pack since we will not be able to make it." She said after a while. I felt reluctant at first, but then I shook every other thought out of my head. My pack and my family needed me, and I had run away for enough time already.

"Don't worry, Zayden and I will take care of it," I said, and the relief in her voice was evident then. "Thank you, love. We're so proud of you." She said, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You don't have to thank me, Mom." I paused and picked my pair of sandals back to pack it. "Anyways, I have gotta go. I love you both, I'll visit at once after the festival." I said and bid her goodbye.

I took a moment to myself, thinking about how I would handle going to the Loup-Garou for the first time and representing two packs at the same time in front of the entire Lycan world. It felt suddenly a heavier responsibility to bear, keeping Dad's health in mind.