The Alpha and His Blessed Luna

An explanation and a kiss

Evelyn stayed with me past midnight, explaining everything there was to know about the pack. Luke had already told me he had other supernaturals in the pack, but I was shocked to learn how many. Werewolves made up the majority of the pack, but there was also a variety of humans, witches, (which I was even more shocked to find out that's what Evelyn was), warlocks, fairies, hybrids, and even mermaids who lived in the lake, but occupied the river.

I also learned that not everyone who lived here was here because of a war with Luke's pack. About half of them were here as a safe place to live. Luke found some of them homeless and gave them a place to live. Others were rescued on recon missions and brought back and gave the option to remain here. And some simply showed up here, wanting to join the pack. It was astounding. When I asked how Evelyn and Dom got together she laughed.

"I came here with my family almost four years ago. I was in the kitchen one day, and Dom ran into me. I spilled milk all down the front of him. I tried to apologize, but he told me that only form of apology he would accept was a dinner date. It was cheesy, but I accepted. We got married a year after that." She laughed again.

"Wow. That's a short time frame. No offense." I said.

"None taken. It happens when your mate Chooses you though."

"Chooses you?" I asked.

"Oh yeah. So, wolves Choose their mates. There's a big ceremony for it too. Think of it like an engagement party. Usually they feel a connection with each other, which leads to dating. When the male feels the connection is strong enough, he marks his female here-" she flicked her hair back, revealing her neck, and a blue tattoo,"- And that creates the mate bond. Wolves mate for life, so when one Chooses you, and marks you, it's for life." she explained.

"How does he mark you?" I looked at her tattoo again. It was beautiful, a swirling pattern connecting into a circle.

"He bites you, and releases his venom into the bloodstream."

I looked at her, eyes wide. I immediately slapped my hand over my neck at the thought. She laughed hard at that.

"It doesn't hurt at all. It happens during s*x. I know it sounds painful, but when Dom marked me... holy s**t. I had the most intense orgasm of my life, and I could feel ourselves becoming one. It was intense, but it was the most amazing thing in the world." She fanned herself.

I had a sudden thought, a stupid thought. But I asked anyways.

"Do mates ever...make mistakes?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"You said "usually people feel a connection." Has anyone ever... like... chosen and marked the wrong person?" I hoped, as a witch, she couldn't read my thoughts. That would be super embarrassing.

"Sometimes, but it's really rare. That's why wolves date first. Like I said, the two people in question feel a connection first. Then the male chooses the female to be his future mate. It's like proposing, but more absolute. I've personally never heard of someone backing out after being Chosen. And then sometimes, but rarely, it takes a while for the connection to become strong enough where the male feels the need to mark his mate. I think the Goddess made it that way to avoid marking the wrong person." She said.

"Oh."

"Was there a reason you asked?"

"Oh, no, I'm just curious about how it all works. How long did you and Dom date, if you don't mind me asking?"

"About six months, we were engaged for another six, and then got married. He marked me on our honeymoon."

"So it takes about a year for the connection to become strong enough?" I asked.

"Actually no. I knew Dom was ready long before, but I was in college. I wanted to graduate before he marked me, so I made him wait. He understood, even though it was hard for him. Wolves have a higher chance of getting pregnant once their fully mated and marked. Even though I'm a witch, I didn't want to take any chances. I wanted to start a family after school, and he understood that. Dom and I are the exception, not the rule." She said. "Normally, males feel the need to mark their mates around six months, sometime sooner if the connection is strong enough for both parties."

I raised my eyebrows. Six months was the rule? Evelyn looked at me and smirked. Again, I hoped she couldn't read my mind.

"Have you felt a connection to a certain someone Ava?" she wiggled her brows playfully at me. I laughed.

"The only single person I know is Leo, and he is nice, but no. I don't feel a connection to him. Nothing romantic anyways."

"Who said I was talking about Leo?" she asked.

"But I don't know anyone else here." I said.

"You know Luke." She looked into my eyes and I looked down, blushing.

"He has a girlfriend." She didn't say anything. I peeked up to see her studying me. "What?" I asked.

"You're too easy to read Ava. To answer your unspoken question, no, Luke has not Chosen or marked Taylor, and yes, everyone in the pack thinks it's strange. The connection should have been strong enough a long time ago. It's rare, but not unheard of for the connection to take more than six months, and with Taylor being... well, Taylor, it's not really surprising that he hasn't Chosen her yet." she said.

"I didn't say anything about Luke." I snapped. She giggled at me.

"Oh sweetie, you didn't have to." She giggled again. "It's getting late though, and Dom hates sleeping alone. If you want, we can eat breakfast together tomorrow? I can bring it up."

I smiled and nodded.

"Cool! I'll see you tomorrow then. And you don't need to worry, I won't tell anyone about you. I'll let the Alpha do that. Goodnight Ava."

"Night Evelyn." She smiled and disappeared out the door, shutting it behind her. I looked at the clock. One in the morning. I should be exhausted from the day I've had, but everything Evelyn had told me was circling my mind. Too lazy to change into pajamas, I took off my jeans and shirt, and got under the covers. I turned off the light beside the bed, and lay in the dark. As hard as I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about Luke.

I could not come up with one valid reason why I had basically attacked him earlier, launching myself at him the way I did. Looking back, I was surprised he didn't push me off, considering he had a girlfriend. Instead, he held me and let me sob my heart out.

Remembering the way his arms felt around me, and how he rubbed soothing circles on my back made me squirm under the covers. I don't think he realized it, but he was also muttering in my ear the whole time. Telling me he was sorry, that I would be okay, and that he would hold me as long as I needed. His scent too... Damn. Luke smelled amazing. His scent reminded me summer rain. Fresh and refreshing. If it wasn't for him, I'd probably still be outside on that bench.

I regretted getting so angry with him. His reasoning still didn't make sense to me, but I understood it. He didn't know all of what I'd been through, but he knew enough. That made him hesitant to tell me the thing that would crush me. I just wondered if he was ever planning on telling me. I'd like to think so, but who knows? I rolled over, closing my eyes. I tried to empty my mind, but it was a lost cause. I thought about Luke's hands on my back, his lips at my ear. His black hair and gorgeous green eyes. I thought about what it would be like to have him kiss me. I felt myself drifting off, wondering what it would feel like if Luke marked me.

******************************************

*KNOCK KNOCK*

*KNOCK KNOCK*

I woke up the the sound of banging on door. I sat up, looking at the clock. Nine forty two.

"Come in!" I called.

"Hey girl!" Evelyn popped in with an extra large tray in her hands. I smiled and stretched.

"Morning." I said.

"How'd you sleep?" She asked.

"Like the dead. That was honestly the best sleep I've ever had." It really was.

"Good to hear it! I brought breakfast. I didn't feel like bringing up two trays, so I loaded a big one for both of us." She said, pulling off the lid. The tray was loaded with hashbrowns, pancakes, bacon, buttered toast, fresh fruit, waffles, and two glasses of orange juice. How the hell she managed to get it up those damn stairs without spilling anything was beyond me. She giggled at the look on my face.

"I took the elevator." she said. Again, I wondered if she could read my mind.

"Evelyn, can you read people's minds?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. Like I said last night, you're just too easy to read. Like an open book." she smirked. I laughed with her and we dug in.

We chatted between bites about trivial things. I asked what she majored in in college and was impressed that she went to be a doctor. She worked part time at the pack hospital, but she was also a maid in the packhouse. Apparently she liked to keep busy.

"So what-" Evelyn started to say, but she was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. I looked at her confused, and she went to answer it since I was only in under garments.

"Oh! Good morning Alpha." she said. Oh man. What was he doing here? I grabbed the covers and pulled them around me.

"Good morning Evelyn. Do you mind if I have a word with Ava?" He asked. Evelyn looked back at me, and I nodded.

"Of course Alpha. I'll take our tray down and help out in the kitchen." She said. She walked over to me, gave me a look I didn't understand, picked up the tray, and left. Luke stepped into the room and shut the door. The air suddenly seemed thicker. He hesitated by the door, before walking over to the bed. He gestured to the spot next to me.

"May I?" He asked.

"Go ahead." I replied.

He sat down and stared at the wall. I waited several minutes for him to speak. When he didn't, I looked down. This was awkward.

"Three years ago, I got a report on my desk about a young Elemental who had gone rogue." I snapped my head up at his words. He was still staring at the wall. "The report said that she had gained not one, but all four elements. The Elders in her Clan said she was so overcome with the power, that she attacked her Clan, and killed a boy. They said she had turned evil, that she tried to burn down the Clan, and everyone in it. They finally captured her, and locked her up. She was incarcerated for three days before burning down the Clan cells, and escaping. Three people died that fire. I later found out one was there for murder, one for rape, and another for kidnapping, though none of their crimes were reported in the incident. After she escaped, I heard nothing for a while. Then, I got a new report that a human town had been destroyed, and dozens murdered by Elementals looking for her. The Elder of her Clan called me and asked for my assistance in bringing her in, dead or alive. I refused. She hadn't burned down the town, others had, trying to get to her. I thought it was an over aggressive approach, and I wasn't comfortable hunting down someone who only wanted to live her life. Time went on and nothing happened. No reports of an evil Elemental burning down towns, or attacking people, nothing. And then... I got a final report that she had been killed in a fire that her Clan and family had started. There wasn't a lot of details, just names of those involved, and her death. I sent Dom to her Clan... And he told me they had celebrated for over a month at the news of her death." My eyes had tears in them again, hearing this. But I controlled myself so he would go on.

"I was appalled. More than that, I was disgusted. I made the announcement that Elementals were no longer to be given a place in my pack, and I banished the few we had. I wanted nothing to do with the people who went to such extremes as to murder one of their own." He finished. I stared at him, not knowing what to make of everything he just told me.

"W-why are you telling me this?" I asked softly. He looked at me then.

"Because you were right. You deserved to know all this. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you when I should have. This is my way of telling you that I made a mistake, and it won't happen again. If you choose to stay here, you deserve the same rights as everyone else." He explained. I couldn't help it. The tears fell from eyes and down my cheeks. I buried my face in my hands and cried. I cried that my Clan had lied and covered up so much. I cried for my family wanting me dead. And I cried that the people I once loved so much, celebrated my death.

I felt Luke's arms go around me, like last night, but this time he stayed quiet and just held me.

"Th-thank y-you." I mumbled against his chest. It was hard for me, but I was glad he finally told me everything. I could move on that much faster now. He tightened his hold at my words. Being in his arms made me feel small, but safe. So safe. My stomach my flipping around, and my heart was hammering against my chest. As amazing as it was to be held by him, this was wrong. He had a girlfriend, who would become Luna of this pack.

I lifted my head, intending to put some distance between us. But when I looked up, I got caught in his gaze. His eyes were greener than normal, almost glowing. They reminded me of his wolf's eyes, and they were beautiful. We were silently gazing into each other's eyes when I felt his hand on my cheek. I instinctively leaned into it. It was so warm. He brought his other arm around, and laid his on my other cheek, cupping my face. My mind was screaming at me to stop this. This wasn't right. I needed to stop this.

It was easy to tune out my more intelligent thoughts, though, with him touching me like this. His thumbs wiped away the tears still on my cheeks. I took a shaky breath.

"Luke..." I barely heard myself.

"Ava."

I meant to tell him to stop before he did something he'd regret, but the way he said my name had me biting my lip instead. His eyes caught the action and his grip on my face tightened. Before I could do or say anything else, he crashed his lips to mine.