Libby POV
I want to lock myself away, to hide in the sanctuary of the bedroom. For someone so keen on freedom I understand my own irony at wanting to now be alone again.
I return to the room I was sharing with Pierce, his scent hitting me in the face as soon as I walk in. His scent has been getting stronger over the past couple of days, it is a rich cinnamon and coffee smell that reminds me of the festive hot drinks Mum used to enjoy buying whenever we enjoyed window shopping at the large department stores in the city at Christmas time. Each year they would put on an extravagant display and each year we would walk aimlessly just looking at the pretty lights and colours.
Only this morning I woke up to find myself tightly wrapped in Pierce’s arms, now he couldn’t even look at me. None of them could. I had betrayed them.
No matter how much I argue my case, that I thought Malcolm would disappear…that I wasn’t used to their way of living…they’ll never accept me back now. I know it, I was on my own again. But that’s what I wanted right?
I lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling only to remember my head was knocked against the wall by Reuben. I sit up, the room spinning slightly as I turn to see the bedsheet covered in blood in the spot my head was resting.
Yep see no magical werewolf healing… I’ll have to do this human style. Looking at the mirror I try to turn to see the back of my head but I am not an owl either and make do by blindly feeling the wound. It stings from my touch, as I feel blood continue to ooze and cake my hands.
It’s almost as if my body only now realises it is injured and the pain of the head injury hits me like a truck. I also feel my back ache and take my top off to find my entire back covered in bruises from when I was thrown into the wall by the biggest alpha around. So I have improved hearing and eyesight but not special healing ability. Great, even my supposed wolf is angry at me.
I stare at my reflection, of the young woman back at me. How could you have been so stupid? He was in the cells for a reason.
I just couldn’t let him die…not if I could have done something. Silent tears start to escape my eyes again from what I have caused, the danger I might have put the children in.
I need ice for my head but I can’t go downstairs, I can’t bare to see the look in their eyes again. I’ll have to use the en-suite, have a cold shower to try and calm the blood loss.
“Then what?” That voice enters my head again, and for once I don’t know the answer.
“I don’t know…leave. They won’t want us here now. I’ve ruined everything.”
I don’t even make it to the en-suite, I just perch quietly on the end of the bed, staring at myself in the mirror. But I’m not actually looking at myself, it’s like my vision has switched off as my doubts, my inner thoughts take over.
I can feel something clawing inside of my chest, like a beast trying to claw itself out. I’ve never felt this sensation before, I’ve never displeased people… hurt people. It’s always only ever just been me to think about. But my mind keeps going to the twins, how I’ve put them in danger, how no matter how much Reuben yells in my face to leave, I know I need to put this right for them, to ensure they are safe from Malcolm and Vicky.
Then I’ll go.
Pierce POV
How could she be so naive? To put everyone in danger? I was fuming, my emotions were mixed between storming up the stairs and marking her …something I should have done from day one…and storming up those same stairs and pulling Reuben down them for daring to touch my mate.
I was on edge since we arrived here but this new development has only made my desire to take her without her consent even more intense. I knew I shouldn’t have brought her here, I should have taken her back to my pack.
But now even my wolf is second guessing if she is the right Luna for us? Would she do what it takes to protect our pack members, not right now I don’t think so.
She was struggling without her wolf. Not to say a human Luna isn’t possible but not only has Liberty not known about the shifter community but she’s been a victim of manipulation and coercive behaviour since her mother died.
She can’t even see it, and I know that no matter what if I took her choices away, I’d be no better than Odin. Claiming to know what is best for her, forcing her before she is ready.
Evelyn and Reuben can’t see it yet, they were both too angry at her, but I could see that she wasn’t afraid to challenge authority. Even though she went the wrong way about it. She saw someone in need, even though he wasn’t, but couldn’t find it in her heart to let him die. Isn’t that true Luna material? I just wish she had confided in me, I’ve spent every night and day with her, why didn’t she tell me.
“Claim her!” My wolf growls in my mind.
“No, she isn’t ready.”
“She’ll never be ready. She needs the mate bond.” He argues back, as if it were that simple.
If I claim her, I’d have to take her out of here immediately but right now I need to fix the shit she’s got us into. I need to fight along side her brother, even if he doesn’t want anything to do with her right now…he will.
“Alpha?” Archie, one of my warriors, calls out to me as he along with my other warriors find me standing by the lake on the back decking. I don’t even remember walking here. Archie is one of the newly trained warriors to my pack, he’s only eighteen but shows great potential. Just like all the pack members younger than me, I’ve known him all his life.
“The alliances are back on full alert. Attack imminent.” I report back to them as we overlook the lake.
“Perhaps we should get the Luna out of here. Get her somewhere safe?” Archie suggests but I’m not sure what I want right now. If she could betray her own brother like this, her own blood… perhaps taking her back to my pack wasn’t the smartest idea right now.
“I can’t leave, we need to protect our friends.”
“I could escort her back, and then return…”
“Thank you Archie, but I’ll feel happier knowing she is here with me, Vicky has a vengeance and if she has a chance to use Libby in the crossfire, she won’t hesitate.”
“Then the Luna stays here. Shall we sweep the borders?” One of my more experienced warriors asks.
“Yes, go as far as three miles out, just to be sure. Report any unusual activity to me immediately.”
“Alpha!” They all submit their necks to me before leaving to investigate the lands surrounding the borders.
I walk back in the house, wanting to at least check on Libby. I hear the shower running in the en-suite and knowing she will spend the rest of the day in the bedroom I go to leave, until I suddenly see blood covering the bedding.
I push on the en-suite door to find she has locked it. Not waiting for her to tell me to go away, I break the door handle and enter the en-suite to find her standing in the shower, seemingly daydreaming. It takes me a moment to realise something is off with her, and I see blood coloured water running down her body in the shower. She’s topless but wearing leggings still.
A growl rumbles in my chest from what Reuben has done, but also that I haven’t noticed her injuries until now. I assumed she would have healed immediately….
“Libby?” I call out her name as I grab a towel for her to step out in. But she ignores me, I don’t think she has even noticed my arrival.
“Libby?” I roar at her, causing her to flinch from the noise but she still doesn’t meet my eyes. A hand touches my shoulder from behind and I turn to see Cassandra.
“Evelyn sent me…I’ll help her. You go, Reuben needs to discuss security.”
I glance at my mate again, as Cassandra steps in front of me, reaching into the shower and cussing at the coldness of the water. She was showering in ice cold water.
I storm out of the en-suite and bedroom, searching for the man that has injured my mate. No matter what she might have done, she did it without understanding the fall out. He…he knows better and Alpha King or not, I’ll break his bones.
