Luna Tie: She-Wolf's Dilemma

Chapter 2

LUCA

The candle casts a beautiful glow on Mavis’ picture. Mavis was the Luna of the Swansoolo pack before she was brutally murdered by a lone wolf who had come after Alpha Luca with a knife. She was kind and adored Alpha Luca; her fate. She never failed to show him just how much she loved him. As Luna, Swansolo flourished under her leadership. They were feared and revered because, behind the loving exterior, her beautiful and elegant looks were a ruthless warrior who was never afraid of danger.

Sparks flew from the second they both set eyes on each other. Luca the calm, powerful Beta to his father. With his mysterious gaze, he always looked impenetrable to other females. He was taken aback by the way he reacted to Mavis. It wasn't just her beauty that drew him to her from across the room. It was a pull he didn't ever understand. It was a good thing they met at a party otherwise his calm demeanor would have been torn to pieces. They could not take their eyes off each other throughout the night. His father noticed and asked him why he looked at Mavis like that. He explained to his father that it was not intentional but that he felt his whole being was attracted to her; something he had never felt. His wise father told him that was because Mavis might be Luca's Fated; his one true love. Luca was astonished at this revelation; before now, he had never thought of such; he just wanted to find a befitting female to mate and create offspring. But meeting Mavis has changed everything; she was everything he didn't know he needed in his life. The time waiting to finalize their marriage was the hardest wait of his life. Seeing how hot he was for Mavis, his father got the ball rolling to marry them. Luca felt his loins were on fire the day of their nuptials. Every look she sent his way made his heart flutter. When they kissed; it was like fireworks. They had to force them apart. She was passionate about him. She always made him feel special. She couldn't have enough of him and him her. From that first kiss, they were inseparable. They made passionate love every single day they were together. He marked her the first day they made love; a mark she proudly showed off. As powerful as she was, she made him feel more powerful. He felt he could take on any obstacle as long as his Luna was there.

In hindsight, he felt that was their greatest undoing. Years down the line, he had become Alpha after his father passed, they had decided to build their pack and make it more formidable, but for some reason, they could not have offspring. Luca had decided they concentrate on building the pack economically and militarily. Mavis had made sure that the mention of the name Swansoolo sent fear down anyone’s spine. Together they had made mincemeat of all that dared come against them. So when this raggedy pack came at them, they thought it was going to be another victory. But… Mavis felt a little hesitant; she told him they needed to thread cautiously because they needed more info about this particular pack. He waved off her concern, sealing it with a kiss as he ordered the troops.

Looking at Mavis’s picture, he lets out a long guttural growl. The pain of losing her was fresh every day. They thought they had cleared the enemy pack, unbeknownst to them, there was a young member of the enemy pack who was lurking in the bushes nearby. As Luna and the Gammas organized the clearing of the field, Luca stood watching them, his back to the bushes where the youngling hid. Stealthily, crawling towards Luca, he lunges at Luca with a Knife. She saw the knife and jumped in front of her one true love without even thinking. The assailant stabbed her in the chest. Seeing what he had done, he tried running away but Luca in his rage caught him and tore him apart. Despite killing the man, Alpha Luca had never been himself since that night. He had felt her pain as he held her body and felt life seep out of her. Too weak he had passed out from the pain.

He had woken up days later to Logan, his Gamma beside him telling him Mavis was dead. He thought it was a dream Over time, reality had sunk in, he had pushed himself into protecting and providing for his pack. The problem was that he had no Luna as he had refused to get married. It had taken the rise of the Renegade Pack for him to see reasons to marry again. He needed children too, they said. He didn’t need children with anyone else, he told them. He knew he was being unreasonable. He painfully agreed to marry again. She was young and experienced in running a pack and Logan said she understood duty. He felt he was betraying Mavis. He felt the clutch in his heart. He clutched his chest hard, the iron of the medals on his official regalia piercing his palm. He staggers to the shrine he created for Mavis and kneels in front of the stand; more like an altar holding Mavis, memorabilia, and the urn with her ashes. It was his altar to her; to his one true love. The woman who made his heart skip every time and equally gave him peace. His warrior queen and equally his soft-spoken love. Tears escape through the side of his eyes and trail down to his neck, resting on the collar of his jacket. He had left everything the way it was the day Mavis left him. Her clothes were still in the closet, her jewelry and all her she had. He promised himself she would always be part of him, He could never get himself to say she died. Death was too painful. Mavis died protecting him. She jumped in front of him when the assailant tried to stab him. She took the proverbial bullet for him. He wished she had not done that or maybe they had stabbed both of them. Perhaps he would be with his love. He had played with the thought of taking his own life so he could be with his love; but his Gamma, Logan had stood watch over him for two years. The pain he felt then was like someone stabbing him in the heart with a knife. It is more bearable today four years later. They had managed to convince him to get married again. Though he felt he was betraying Mavis, he knew it was the right thing to do for his Pack. Though they defeated the Pack that attacked them, they had been without a Luna for some time. Logan had tried matchmaking him in the past and the women were not to his liking till, Mona. He didn’t love her but she was Luna material; strong, intelligent, experienced, and beautiful (not as beautiful as his Mavis) but she would do. He stands straight, wipes his face, kisses the picture, and touches the Urn.

“she would never take your place, my love”

The door opens, and Logan comes in. “we have to leave”

Lucas gets up, steels his back, and struts towards Logan.

“Are you okay?” Logan asks.

With a wry smile, Lucas smiles. “we do what we have to do; for the pack” Lucas says as he strides past Logan and out of the room. Logan sighs tiredly as he strides after his best friend and Alpha.