Dead Luna
Chapter 60

Amelia's POV

I finish my last morning appointment with a wolf named Dr. Jeremy Fishell, a wolf with extra toes, just moments to spare before the King returns. Whew! This day is turning into quite a circus.

Jackson suggests I take the Luna's chair, which I agree seems proper. And Jackson stands at attention to my right, ready to defend me in the odd chance that anyone should force me to leave against my will. Ambrosia gives me a quick pep talk, and tells me that Selene is keeping an eye on things and believes we will do just fine. It's moderately comforting to know that a goddess has got your back! There is a knock at the door before it opens, in contrast to the boisterous entrance I was subjected to before. I'm glad to see that they've learned a few manners during our brief time apart.

The Royal Gamma opens the door and peeks inside, asking if the last appointment is over and has left the room already, and once I give the all clear he ushers the King and his other officer inside. I'm told Alpha Garrett was sent to bring us lunch, so we can dine in privacy.

The king sits in a chair directly across from me. We stare at each other for some time before he speaks.

"Why was I never told about you?" He asks, obviously trying quite hard not to sound either bitter or emotional. I could still detect a tiny bit of hurt feelings underneath.

"Mom was trying to protect me," I answer, and I see him nod in response. So I continue. "She didn't realize she was pregnant until after you were mated to Eleanor, so it was far too late to change anything. She didn't want me to be taken away, and possibly be mistreated. Even I only learned of this just a few days ago. She wanted me to be of age, so that I could have control over my own life."

He nods again. Then asks, "when did you turn 21?"

"My birthdate is February second, 2002."

"So just a little over nine months after I met Juliette!" He says in awe, after doing a little mental math.

Just then Luna Heather and Alpha Garrett was setting down trays filled with lunch, and he had a smug look on his stupid face. "See! She can't be your daughter if she wasn't born until 9 months after you left! The numbers just don't add up! I knew my slutty cousin was nothing but a liar. Some other wolf must have knocked her up after you left."

"Would you please just shut your mouth, before I lose my temper?" The alpha king says very slowly and deliberately, while extending his very large claws menacingly. "The gestation period of a Lycan is about 9 to 10 month long. So that is completely normal." Alpha Garrett slunk away at that point, knowing if he said anything else to annoy the king, he'd be in a world of hurt. Or dead.

I pick up a plate of shrimp and avocado salad off of one tray and take a bite. Just sitting here in the spotlight waiting for the barrage of questions was making me anxious.

"So you are 21, you have your Lycan, and are unmated," the King summarizes. "Have you shifted yet?"

"I have only had Ambrosia for about a month. She was given to me by the moon Goddess Selene, after I was killed by some rogue wolves." I calmly tell him, and I clearly see the look of shock and horror that crosses his face. "So I haven't shifted yet. That will happen on the night of the mating ball during the next full moon, once I've chosen my mate."

"Ah, about these potential mates I keep hearing about...?" The King ventures carefully. "Who exactly are they? And would it be possible to add a few more?"

"Well, the moon goddess herself selected these wolves to be my potential mates, but I'm not required to choose any of them if I don't like them. Or I could choose all of them. The point is that it's my choice. If you believe you know of a wolf worthy to be my mate, and you think I will fall in love with him in less than 3 weeks time, feel free to add him, but I'm on a very tight schedule. I have 5 more packs to visit before the full moon, so I won't have a lot of time to spare for dates or getting to know anyone else at this point." Then I tell King Alexander about my time in the last 4 packs, and about the status of the 5 potential mates I've had so far, and how and why I'm now down to just the three.

"Does any one of these potential mates stand out above the others?" He asks.

"Well... to be completely honest, they are all about equal in my estimation. Although I believe I know which one Moon Goddess would choose for me, if I were to let her." I admit, and I know I'm right. I've known all along. But I'm not going to divulge that information short of t*****e, since I don't want to reveal all my cards, so to speak.

"Hmm." The king sits there opposite of me, and I can tell he is trying to work something out to his advantage. I continue to eat my lunch. "Well, from this point on, I want you protected. My Royal Gamma will go with you wherever you go. And I want to know your schedule for visiting the rest of the packs. I will be adding a few carefully selected wolves to your pool of potential mates."

"She is protected by me, as the moon goddess requested." Jackson speaks up, doing his best to look intimidating.

King Alexander considers this for a few moments. Then looks me in the eye and asks, "are you sure this one wolf is enough to protect you?"

"He is the replacement of my last gamma, who when called upon to protect me, was able to easily kill Alpha Jerome. A wolf who was significantly larger and fiercer. Gamma Leo ended up being made Alpha of Bull Run pack. I am protected by Moon Goddess. Therefore, I trust Gamma Jackson is all that I need for protection."

"As your father, I would feel more at ease if you would also accept my Royal Gamma Glen as extra precaution," the king insists. "Now that I've found you, I wouldn't want to lose you."

"Of course, your majesty." I state.

"Please," the king pleads, "just call me father."

"Or dad?" I suggest.

Then the next thing I know, I'm being hugged while my father is weeping in my arms, and I start crying as well. Everyone else in the room leaves, to give us some privacy during this very emotional moment.

"This morning I was such a lonely wolf with no mate or family. And now I have you!" He cries tears of joy. "But tell me, how is your mother? I suppose she chose some other mate, and you have several half siblings."

"No, actually." I respond, as soon as I'm able to contain my emotions. "She never took another mate, and I'm an only child. When I asked her about it, she just said that losing a fated mate was the most difficult thing she ever had to go through, and she wasn't willing to go through that again."

My father looks very solemn at that news. And he becomes even more grim as I explain where and how we have been living all these years.

"I've ruined Juliette's life," he says, sitting back in his seat. "She should be living in a castle, and waited on hand and foot by servants! Not working herself to the bone as a cook for her ungrateful family."

"She never thought of it that way. Mom actually loves to cook! And she was doing everything she could to give me a normal life. She didn't pine away for the life she could have led. Although, she did admit that her wolf still pines for her mate." "Lavender!" The kings Lycan Arrow suddenly comes forward, and looking eager to hear more about his former mate. "Mate still wants us? Even though i***t king rejected her?"

I laugh at how eager Arrow suddenly is, wishing to go immediately to his mate and mark her before some other wolf does. My father has a hard time reigning in that eagerness, until he reminds him how much faster they can drive the 3 hours to Winter Moon, than to run the entire distance.

My father then leaves, but not before promising to see me again very soon.