Nick POV
He watched as Luna Lindy, Gamma James and his Mate Gabby, plus the packs Beta Adam all strolled into the Alpha’s office. It surprised him, not the Beta, that was completely normal for this kind of dealings. Jeremy would normally be in this office as well but currently occupied. The Luna and the Gamma’s he found odd.
Luna Lindy was carrying a note book and pen, odd, looked like she was going to take notes it seemed, did Alpha Corey not have an assistant.
“You look a little confused son?” Alpha Corey commented.
“I don’t understand why your Luna is here, I get the Beta, and even the Gamma’s i guess, being that they are Lucinda’s twin sisters guardians, but.” Nick let his eyes fall on the Luna “I don’t get her.”
“Why would I not be here, Lucinda is my pack member and I want to look out for her.”
“No disrespect Luna Lindy, but you’re just the Luna. You have no say in this matter. Alpha’s make the decisions on pack alliances. So if you’re here to catch gossip, you can just leave.”
His words stung her, he watched as her demeanour changed and she became angry. Actually watched as her wolf pushed forward and snarled at him, unusual reaction for the woman. Rip ignored her, she was of no threat to them. Just a she-wolf.
“That is very disrespectful.” she snarled at him “I’ll have you know, my opinion on pack matters are valued, not just by the Alpha but by my pack.”
Nick’s mouth twitched into a smile Her Pack so funny.
“Alright calm down.” Alpha Corey got up and walked over to his Mate, Nick watched as the man slid his hands around her and pulled her into him, for a cuddle it seemed. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it like that.” he murmured softly in her ear, obviously trying to calm her down.
“He’d better apologise or I’ll put a stop to it right now.”
Nick raised an eyebrow, she would put a stop to it, like she could. She was just a glorified baby making machine. “And how do you plan to do that?” he shot at her, wow this woman, really thought she held power in this pack. From what he knew of Luna’s they held nothing, just the position in the Alpha’s bed.
“Like this.” she snapped at him, and yanked herself our of her Mates arms “I do not agree to this mating.” she turned to Alpha Corey “I will not subject my Lucinda to that barbarian.” she pointed right at him with an angry finger and to Nick’s shock stormed out of the office, Alpha Corey heading off after her, calling out her name, she was fast for such a tiny woman.
What was wrong with this pack, he shook his head dismayed.
Gabby stood and followed as well “Goodbye Alpha Nicholas.” she nodded her head towards him, her tone implied he was about to asked to leave. Actually asked to leave and without his Mate. What the hell was going on around here. Were the women in charge?
He was sitting alone in the Alpha’s office, with the Beta and the Gamma, he turned his eyes to Beta Adam “What the hell just happened?”
“You’re about to be ejected from the pack at Luna’s orders, without your Mate I believe.” he answered
“What?” he shot to his feet “She can’t do that, is just a woman.”
He heard the two of them snort and half laugh at him, Adam walked right over to him ‘Nick, may I call you Nick.”
“Go ahead.” he nodded, not really liking the amusement in his tone.
“What do you know, about Luna’s positions within a pack? I have heard how you got your pack, about both your brothers and how they both became Alpha’s of your pack, and even your father, didn’t any of them have a Luna?”
“Of course they did, my father had 5 Luna’s. Produced several heirs, rejected them when he found something else that interested him more. My brothers much the same, they are just their to sate an Alpha’s needs why.”
“Hmm...Interesting take on a Luna.” he heard the Gamma murmur, dismay in his voice.
“Well Nick, have you actually looked into what an actual Luna’s position is. Title and Rank is important. Perhaps you should, they are not just for you to gratify yourself with. As much as that is what you’ve seen, all your life I suppose...you would be dead wrong. You might want to go pack. If Alpha Corey can’t calm his Mate down. She will never agree to allow you to taking Lucinda off pack territory...And before you go all, she’s my Mate, I’m an Alpha...that won’t matter. There is only you and your Beta here now, I believe. 2 against a whole pack. 48 of which I can absolutely guarantee with out a doubt, will follow Luna Lindy’s order, without any hesitation and step between you and...your Luna.”
Nick turned at the sound of the Gamma chuckling, they weren’t joking and he knew it, but what was so funny, he was clearly missing something. He watched as Beta Adam headed off after his Alpha and Luna.
Was tapped on the shoulder by the Gamma “You might want to go and read up on Luna’s. The pack library is on the first floor, east wing. You can’t miss it.” then he to headed for the door.
“Wait, what am I missing?” he asked the Gamma.
“A lot it appears. You might be a powerful Alpha...but you clearly don’t have,” he tapped his chin in thought for a moment “perhaps...were not brought up the correct way, and don’t understand what an actual Luna is, or the position a Luna actually holds within a pack. Oh and you’d better be willing to apologise to Luna Lindy, because if you can’t sway her…” James left it unsaid, then followed his Beta and Alpha out of the office as well, all of them it seemed going after the Luna to try and calm her down.
What the hell was going on around here. Perhaps he needed to go and read up on Luna’s. He knew what a Luna was, had seen his father create 5 of them, one after the other, dismissing the previous one for the next one, once he found a stronger she-wolf to mate with, that would produce him a stronger heir.
Even his own mother had been replaced when he was 4 years old, for another woman. He had half a dozen half siblings, only one actual full blooded sibling his little sister, Mary, two years younger than he was.
Nick did not like the turn of events in Alpha Corey’s office. Luna Lindy out right rejecting his Mate Bond with Lucinda, the girl wasn’t even here to make the decision for herself. How can a Luna have the power to do that?
The Luna’s he had known, had held no power at all, his father claimed what he wanted and when the mood took him bedded when and where he wanted his current Luna. Most of them had just sat around waiting on him, to pay them attention.
He’d been a cruel Alpha to his mates it seemed, didn’t seem to acknowledge anything about them, Nick had actually heard him ranting at his last Luna “Your just here to produce me an heir, so do it already, you have no say in how I run my pack, don’t ever think you do.”
His father had told all his sons, that a Luna of a pack's, job was to produce a good strong heir to take over and that was it. To never let a woman walk all over you. As the Alpha you are in charge and if your so called Luna didn’t like it. You could just reject her and find another. There would always be, plenty of she-wolves out there willing to fuck an Alpha male.
It was true, Nick had plenty of she-wolves notched on his belt, there was never a shortage of body’s he could fuck, when and where he wanted.
He made his way up the stairs and found the library on the first floor, it was massive. Much more extensive then the one his father had kept. He’d never see a book about Luna’s back in his pack for that matter. He walked around not knowing exactly what he was looking for, when he came across a whole section tilted “The Luna’s Library.” he couldn’t believe it, Luna’s had a whole library section dedicated just to them, strolled down it reading titles on the books. There were books on all sorts of things. How to plan pack events. What mating balls were for. How to organise mating balls. How to properly invite Alpha’s to the pack. How to seat Alpha’s by rank and pack size at functions. Planning of 18th birthday parties for she-wolves and male wolves, apparently different. The correct way to party plan for Ranked and non Ranked members of a pack. How to negotiate deals and terms of female pack members that wanted to be ranked up. What the proper Ranking system was. Where to house Visiting Ranked members. Monitoring of newborn pups. Counselling of pack members.
His brain couldn’t cope, one woman to do all of these things. He’d never once, seen a Luna do anything at all in his whole life. Other than mate and produce and heir, exactly what his father had told him they were for.
“The Luna’s Role.” caught his eye, he plucked it off the shelf and sat down with it, it was old, like very old, and well worn obviously used before, and a lot he guessed by the multiple dog tagging and folds on the pages, some of it was underlined too.
To his complete and utter surprise, a Luna was not just a baby making machine. Her roll in the pack was to stand beside the Alpha and assist him with pack decisions, to actually handle the lower and some of the really important pack decisions. Luna’s were considered to be the same Rank as the Alpha and were respected as he was. Her word and orders were as good as her Alpha’s, she was not below him, but his actual equal.
Well that was not what he was taught, no wonder they were laughing at him, it appeared his view on the situation was more than a little backwards. He had just made a royal ass of himself, again it seemed.
If a Luna’s orders were as good as an Alpha’s, Luna Lindy had literally just informed him, he could not be mated to his mate, she wouldn’t allow it. This was not good. He made himself comfortable in the library collected a few other books from the shelves and continued to educate himself.
Hell there was an official Luna ceremony and everything, he’d never seen one of those. Wouldn’t even know how to do that. “Mark and Mate your Luna” is all he was ever told he had to do. So he’d just presumed that was all he had to do.
Luna’s it appeared were revered and trusted by pack members, pack members could ask for an audience and visit the Luna’s office on many matter’s. “A Luna’s office” he had heard Luna Lindy had an office when he’d arrived, thought that was silly, but now it seemed it was actually a real thing. A place for her to work from, to do all her duties. Goddess he was brought up completely backwards by his father, this was not going to go in his favour.
A Luna was also completely responsible for making sure mating balls were held on a regular basis, so that their pack members could find their mates and create a happy harmonious pack environment. Responsible for keeping track of pups to be born, pups that were born, registering their births officially with the pack, and visiting, each new mother the day her pup was born, to give a Luna’s blessings to the child. What the hell was a Luna’s blessing? He wondered.
The Luna was in charge of orphaned pups after attacks, to place them with caring and loving new families. Determine punishment for those without wolves, she was supposed to be fair and just, less harsh than the Alpha, and pack members would trust and rely on her.
When the alpha was away her word was law. She was also supposed to put herself on the line for her female pack members and their children, to defend them against other invading forces. Try to negotiate truces and keep pack members as safe as possible, in the event her Mate was killed.
Goddess her job was almost like his, only she didn’t have to go off into battle, stayed behind to protect and save the women and children.
It was also written that she was supposed to bring balance to the Alpha and his pack. A true destined Mate gifted by the Goddess herself to an Alpha, would also make the pack stronger, just by being their because the Alpha in turn would also be happier. The Goddess herself would smile down on them, bless their pack herself, if the goddess-gifted mated pair were loyal and true to each other. Their bond strengthening everyday, til it was unbreakable and they would love each other completely, defend and die to protect the other.
Nick was feeling very overwhelmed, how was he supposed to do all of this, it was not how he was raised, and though he had tried to be a fair Alpha, he definitely had no idea how to treat a Luna it seemed. A Mate yes, sex was easy and he was good at it. But it seemed Beta Adam was right. A Luna was not just there to gratify his needs and produce him an heir. Which was what he had been taught his whole life.
CH15
Luna Lindy POV
So furiously mad was she that even her Mate Corey, was not going to be able to calm her down, that man ‘An Alpha my ass.’ she snarled, as she stormed off up the stairs, to her office.
‘a bit backwards.’ her wolf Skyla agreed, annoyed also, with his disrespectful comments.
The way he had so easily dismissed her, thought she was just there for pack gossip, like she bloody cared about him at all. All she actually wanted, was to know that he would take care of Lucinda properly, but it appeared to her, that he had absolutely no respect for Luna’s. If that was the case, he would not be taking a Luna Ranked wolf, from her pack.
Lucinda knew how to be a True Luna, even when everything had been crumbling around her, even when traumatised as were the rest of her pack, she had done what all True Luna’s do. Pick themselves up, pull themselves together, and put their packs needs, above their own. The pack must come first. She knew it and did it.
At 18 and wolf-less, she had followed her former Luna’s direct order without hesitation, with the woman's very own new born baby girls, laying in her lap no less. Must have been the hardest thing in the world to do, kill an innocent woman, her own Luna. Lindy didn’t know if she could have done it. Then she had gotten herself up, with the place burning around, her pulled the remaining women and children together and gotten them to safety. Waited out the sounds of their pack, burning down around them to die down and hoping and praying that the Alpha, who’d slaughter her pack and tried to burn them all alive, prayed that he believed they were all dead.
A wolf-less 18 year old girl traipsed a traumatised bunch of women and children, keeping them together. Keeping them mentally strong because she was, they had all looked to her to lead them. To save them. She’d only been their future Luna for all of two days.
Traipsed them across hours of rogue territory, to a neighbouring pack, and had bowed down and begged for sanctuary. She knew what a Luna was, no training given at the time.
Only an actual Luna for less than a day, 12 hours at most. Her pack had turned to her and she had known by instinct alone, exactly what was needed of her. It had been hard to imagine someone, so very young, doing that after loosing everyone and everything in a matter of hours.
Lucinda didn’t think, that she and Corey knew, that the remaining women and children of White Lotus Pack still bowed their heads to her in passing, when they thought no one was looking. It was not hard to see why. It was also her entire pack that had responded to her wolfs Luna howl, the day she had been gifted Ky’ra, it was unmistakable. They had all pledged allegiance to the Half Moon Pack, loyalty with out fault, and they had been true to their word, but their hearts belonged to their actual Luna.
A True Luna she was, and that barbarian down stairs, in her mates office had no respect for a Luna.
Corey was chasing her, yelling her name, she didn’t care. She knew he was going to try and convince her, an Alpha and Luna matched by the goddess was important and could make a pack stronger and their pack members happier.
But she would not listen to him this time, she would make her Mate see. That sometimes Alpha’s don’t deserve their goddess-gifted Mates. That she would not only let Lucinda reject this man, she was going to encourage it. He didn’t deserve her.
If it started a war, so be it. He was not getting his filthy paws on her Lucinda, No way. She knew who the mutt actually was, and it was not her Lucinda. It was the Alpha downstairs, in her very pack house. He was going to have to go, the minute that Beta of his returned she was tossing him out on his ass, she would show him the true power of a Luna. With all the authority gifted to her by the moon goddess, Selena herself.
What the hell were you thinking Selena, mating that barbarian to anyone.
She was prowling around in her office when Corey walked in, she rounded on him the minute the door was closed ‘Don’t you bloody dare defend that barbarian,” she screamed at him with all her fury.
“Calm down, I’m sure its a misunderstanding.”
“No it’s not. He doesn't think anything of a Luna’s position. That much is very clear.”
“I’m sure that's not true. His pack was always a bit off, perhaps their view is a little different is all.”
“I don’t care.” she snarled at him, slapped his hands away from her, she didn’t want to calm down, and she knew he was trying, to do just that. If she let him pull her into his arms and chest, her anger would abate with his closeness and his scent, his softly spoken words to ease her anger.
His and her bond was very strong and he knew it, they were a goddess-gifted pair from when she was just 18, she’d grown up here in this pack and he’d accepted her with open arms on the full moon, practically tossed her tiny body up in the air with happiness when he’d found her.
She had not rejected him he’d always been funny and charming, he was 5 years older then her, but she’d gotten to watch him from a far as did the other female wolves here. No one would reject such a fun loving mate. Oh he could be tough and she had seen his Alpha side on many occasions loved that all powerful commanding Mate of hers, just as much as the one now before her trying to calm her down.
He was going to use their bond right now to his advantage and she knew it, he always did, when she was this ticked off at something, or someone.
“Come on love.” he practically cooed at her “come here my sweet.”
“I hate that and you know it.” she muttered already wanting to be in his arms. Stupid bond.
He chuckled “Come on love.” his arms were out stretched for her, his fingers all beckoning her to come to him, and his blue eyes were full of concern and a little desire for her, always desired her, even when she was mad.
Lindy huffed, there was no fighting it she would cave soon enough and she knew it. She walked over to him, how could she resist this big bad wolf of hers, when he just wanted to slip his arms around her and cuddle her. She felt his hands slide gently along her hips and pull her right into his body. Not an inch of space between them.
His arms wound all the way around her and he leaned down and buried his face into her neck “That’s my pretty baby.” he growled softly “Just you and me now.” he practically purred into her ear. Goddess she did love it when he talked like that, a purr in his voice he and his wolf communicating how they both felt about her.
“Bloody annoying you are.” she sighed and leaned right into him, breathed in his scent and let her Mate calm her down. She could sense that sometimes, he was even more attracted to her when she was angry and ticked off, just like now. His deep chuckle at her response vibrated her whole body and she giggled at the sensation the filled her body.
Then he was suddenly playfully biting her all over her neck and ears, little nips and growls his hands were grabbing at her ass and she was laughing and swatting at him “Stop it.” she laughed.
“No” he growled playfully at her “You’re delicious, want to taste more.” his mouth was all over her playfully biting into her shoulders and jaw, anywhere there was bare skin.
She knew he was just playing with her, it was not going to lead anywhere, it was just his way, of truly making sure she was in a better mood, she started hitting him and pushing at him to get away still laughing. Goddess he could be so playful, even after all these years, she’d never stop loving him, he was perfect for her.
He didn’t release her at all just smiled down at her that glimmer of desire still in his eyes “All better my love.”
“You’re so annoying, do you know that?”
“Yes I do, but only to you my love.” he winked at her “now lets sit and talk about this properly.”
She pouted up at him, her pale green eyes looking up in to his blue one’s, she had her means to sway him too. “I don’t want to, he’s a barbarian.”
“I seems so…” he nodded “but even a barbarian can be taught...or tricked.” he nudged her playfully.
Lindy giggled “I did get him to our mating ball.” she smiled proud of herself, the way she’d gotten that mighty Alpha to her mating ball. No one around here had been able to do that. It had taken days of research in the Luna library. Pouring through all the mating ball books, the proper etiquette of inviting Alpha’s to mating balls. It had been in one of the oldest books and she’d nearly not read it had about given up, but her stubbornness to get that man to a mating ball, for the good of his own pack, had driven her to take a deep breath and read the book.
“You tricked him good.” Corey smiled down at her proudly.
Lindy smiled “I won that bet good and proper.” she chuckled. Then reminded of her bet with her mate, to get that man here, her attitude turned serious “you are going to honour that bet right?”
“Yes my love, and I will enjoy every second of it I assure you.” the desire was back in his eyes now, but much stronger. As he was thinking about bedding her.
“You’d better...i want a little girl of my own.” she sighed softly.
“I know.” he nodded.
“Three boys, what’s one little girl...pull your wolf into line already, we have enough boys.”
“I know my love.” he nodded, but there was a mischievous glimmer in his eye, bloody always was.
But, oh! how she love it too.
“Might take a few try’s though.”
“Oh for the love of the goddess.” she threw her hands up in the air “A girl, just one.”
“Might have to suffer two or three more boys first.” he laughed out loud “But my love. I will keep that promise and honour that bet. I will never stop trying to give you a girl.”
Lindy face palmed herself, “Goddess I knew it. You found a loophole.” she was pointing an angry finger at him now, though she wasn’t really angry.
“Yes...my love. Your bet was if you won, and got him here, I would give you a little girl.”
“Yes it was.” she agreed.
He was grinning at her “You never said the next child was to be a girl. Just that I would have to agree to give you a girl.”
Lindy was pummelling him now with both fists “you knew what I meant.”
“Ah my love, you got to be more specific next time.” he was still chuckling at her, then grabbed both her wrists and yanked her on to his lap as he flopped down on the couch in her office.
“You’re so annoying.” she shot up at him.
“I know...now about Alpha Nicholas!” his tone was serious again.
“No...unless he can prove to me, he won't treat her like shit. The answer is no.”
“What will it take my love?” he was nuzzling her neck.
“I don’t know.” she sighed and leaned into him
“He is willing to do an alliance for her...So we can write in any clauses you want, to protect her.”
“Hmm.” that might work she guessed but still wasn’t convinced.
“You can make up some to just annoy him if you like.” she heard the mischief in his voice and chuckled herself.
“I might just do that...But if Lucinda actually verbalises a formal rejection?”
“I’ll stand by her.” he nodded.
Lindy was still sitting in Corey’s lap, when Adam knocked and entered the room, he shook his head and sighed “The man has no idea, about what a Luna is.”
Lindy frowned “What did he say?”
Adam sank down on a chair opposite the her and Corey. “his father apparently went through 5 Luna’s created and dismissed them on a whim. When something better caught his eye. His brothers much the same. Apparently raised with no knowledge of a Luna, other than they are there, for sateing the Alpha’s needs and producing and Heir.”
“How is that possible?” Lindy was shocked, was it even possible to do that. With such a large pack, surely someone in that pack would know, what a Luna was and the duties.
Adam shrugged “His father wasn’t the best Alpha I guess. I told him he might as well go pack. That you would not be allowing him, to take Lucinda anywhere, at this point.”
James knocked and walked in, sank down in the chair next to Adams “I sent the poor confused bastard, to the Luna Library, to educate himself.”
Lindy huffed, “A barbarian I tell you. I will not subject Lucinda to a man that will mark and mate her. Solely to produce and heir for him, then reject her.”
“Agreed...”Corey nodded “but lets wait, and see what he does with this new found information. Will he learn from it or ignore it...if he’s willing to learn, then maybe he will make a good Mate.”
“And just how, are we supposed to know if he’s willing to learn from it?” Lindy sighed “He could just say he is willing to and be lying.”
“Watch and wait my dear. James did point him towards the library. Lets see what he does.”
“Fine I will give him just one day and if he doesn't want to learn. He is out of here, without Lucinda.”
“Alright.” Corey agreed to her demand. Finally they were on the same page.
Lindy highly doubted, this barbarian would go and learn anything, but if he did. She was going to think up a few, not so nice clauses for him to follow along with, in that alliance agreement and there would be one. One to her liking that was for certain. He wanted her and Corey to treat Lucinda as though she was their daughter. Then she would do just that. Your mother in-law, is going to be a nightmare to you. She smiled to herself, a little mischief of her own was brewing.