Dr. Luna
The Vampires Promised Bride Chapter 20

You move well for an old man." Jason laughed, shifting back into his human form.

"Old man? You are older than me!" Wyatt chuckled and then looked over at Freya who was wiping her daggers clean. "I think she still managed to outdo us both." Jin swirled the bodies together gathering them in a whirlwind and stacking them up. "Ready to be torched... and what the heck were they?"

Wyatt frowned as he stepped near Freya. "That is what concerns me the most. But I think we know what is causing those attacks now."

"Someone is coming!" Freya said, snapping her head to the side. She immediately relaxed and smiled. "Seems like our girl doesn't need to be rescued after all."

Lucy jumped through the bushes and was shocked to see her parents, aunt, and uncle. She was expecting a battle. Though from the pile of bodies to the side it looked like they didn't need any help. She quickly shifted back to her human self. She could see her father studying her attire. She was wearing Derek's shirt and pants.

"Lucy!" Freya said with outstretched arms.

"Mom! Dad!" Lucy jumped into her parents' arms. They held her tight and squeezed her body between them.

"Let me see you. Are you hurt? What happened?" Wyatt knelt down as he got whiffs of the fresh blood from his daughter. He lifted her pant leg slightly, seeing the blood trickling down.

"I'm fine. Those reopened on my way to get to you. A messenger fairy told me you were fighting..."

"Why do you still have these wounds?" Freya asked as she bent down to investigate.

"The dark elves attacked with a liquid silver and vervain mixture. The silver didn't bother me but the vervain did." Lucy said as she watched her mother analyzing the wounds. "Dark elves dared to attack my daughter?!" Wyatt growled. His eyes started to turn dark as Jason growled in anger.

"Did you get my message?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, we are going to deal with that little witch." Freya said in annoyance.

"And you know your mom and dad aren't about to just sit around even if you say you are fine." Jin giggled as she leaned into Jason. "So here we are to bring you back. Ta da!"

Freya looked at Lucy and frowned. "It is odd how the vervain is affecting you. It is just as severe as it would be for a full vampire. How long ago were you injured?"

"It is going to be dark soon. We need to get set up somewhere and then we can talk." Wyatt said, looking up at the darkening sky.

Freya suddenly raised her dagger and narrowed her eyes. "Come out or die."

"Nice Freya! I'm impressed." Jasper said, chuckling as he hopped down from the tree above them. Behind him Derek also landed. His gaze was fixated on Lucy.

"Oh Jasper. So, you already found Lucy." Freya put her dagger away and looked at her daughter confused. "Why are you by yourself then?"

Lucy leaned in her father's side who had a protective arm on her. She smiled smugly at the two vampires. "I was annoyed with him that's why." She looked at her mother and gave her a sweet smile. She looked back at Jasper and Derek. "What are you two doing here?" She said in an icy tone.

"We heard you shifted and took off running. So, we came after you." Jasper shrugged his shoulders, a small frown on his lips.

"So what if I was running home? Were you planning on stopping me?" Lucy asked, quirking her eyebrow up.

Derek sighed loudly. "Exactly. You aren't getting away that easily." The moment the words left his mouth Wyatt and Jason released a low growl.

"I don't like the way you are looking at my daughter." Wyatt snarled as he stared at the stranger.

"How else should I look at my mate?" Derek asked with a smile.

"Your... mate?" Wyatt asked, looking at his sweet baby curled tucked safely under his arm.

"You look just like how I remember you. Sorry, it has been so long." Derek said, looking between Freya and Wyatt.

"Are you really..." Freya started and watched Jasper nod his head. Freya knew better than to utter his name. The forest had ears sometimes. It's Derek... I guess Selene strikes again? She mind linked to the others.

Wyatt stared at Derek. His eyes narrowed on the boy who was his daughter's mate. "Are you mistreating my baby girl?"

"It isn't like that-" Jasper quickly came to Derek's defense.

"She is clinging to me and not to her mate." Wyatt growled. "I don't care who you are. No one will mistreat my daughter." His eyes darkened as they narrowed onto Derek.

"I'm sorry." Derek said quietly. "I've wronged your daughter. I can't change what I've done. But..." He set his gaze on Lucy. "If you let me, I will spend eternity making it up to you. Please Lucy... I need you."

Lucy pondered quietly to herself. His actions hurt her whether intentionally or not. When she thinks about how long she felt unwanted... She tilted her head to the side as she felt a deep burn inside of her chest. It felt like her lungs were being filled up with water and it was hard to breathe. But this wasn't her. This wasn't from her body. This was coming from Derek. She looked up to see his pleading eyes. They looked scared and were watering slightly. She could feel a deep pang of regret from him.

She knew by looking at him that he was full of remorse. She could feel it. She pictured her brother doing something similar. And she knew he would except he had a sister smart enough to beat him upside the head. Something Derek didn't have. And the truth is she was never going to reject Derek but just planned to make him suffer a bit. But how could she continue that now? Especially in front of her father who will think badly of him if she does. Her father may not move past this moment if she acts too wounded. Plus... he was suffering. Her lungs were being squeezed from Derek's feelings. He was scared... now she felt like she was the one being cruel. She wanted him to fret about it a bit... but the feeling that was coming through was almost an agonizing level. He was breaking and this broke her resolve. He was her mate after all. And obviously her soul mate. Very obvious at this point from the flashes of his emotions that invaded her.

"Okay. But we have to rehome Jasper." Lucy raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Hey!" Jasper gasped.

"Done." Derek said simply with a small smile on his face.

"HEY!" Jasper turned and said in exasperation.

Lucy giggled. "Okay, Jasper can stay."

"Thanks for your benevolence." Jasper whimpered out with a small pout.

"Lucy, you don't have to. Even if he is your fated mate. I will-" Wyatt stopped as his daughter raised her fingers up to his lips.

"I know daddy. This is my choice." She smiled softly. "It's what I want." And for the first time that was true. She wanted Derek... her fated mate. She turned back and looked at Derek whose eyes were still glued on her. She took a step away from her father's side. She felt his hand reluctantly drop from her and then she slowly walked up to Derek. She paused just in front of him. She could feel the suffocating feeling inside of her slowly subside as she stared into his eyes.

"You are an idiot." Lucy said and watched as Derek grinned.

"I know." His eyes gazed back in to hers. He felt his heart hammering in nervous excitement. He wanted to hold her but was waiting for her. He needed to feel her in his arms... He screwed up. He didn't think things through. And ended up hurting his most precious person.

She smiled up at him and walked forward, leaning into his chest. She felt his arms come around her and the sparks and tingles rippled over her body. This time she could enjoy them. She felt his head come to rest on hers.

"My Lucy." He whispered into her hair.

"So what are those things?" Freya said, turning her attention to the pile of corpses.

"We call them voidless or soulless. They are the witches doing..." Derek said, lifting his head up. "Though she isn't doing this alone. The real culprit we believe to be Wicker. Disguising himself as a witch doctor. But he won't show his ugly face. Jasper... burn the bodies."

Jasper walked over and lit the pile of bodies on fire. "You guys can still fight for being... out of the battlefield for a while." He winked over at Jason. He knew they knew he was implying they were old. Jason chuckled dryly and rolled his eyes. "I'd like to hear everything you know." Wyatt looked up at Derek who nodded.

"Come back and stay with us tonight. I will tell you everything we have found out... you can refer to me as Ryan there. And I can explain all that as well." Derek looked down at Lucy. "And why I haven't been by her side..."

"Is there chocolate there?" Jin asked and smiled brightly.

Jasper chuckled. "I spied chocolate cake in the refrigerator."

Jin's eyes widened. "Well, what are we waiting for? It is going to be dark soon so we better hurry."

Now you couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Derek is her fated mate. Stop pouting. Freya mind linked to Wyatt.

I guess deep down I hoped she would reject the treaty and just stay with us... now she is going to move away.

Yes, but she will have a piece of the black pearl. We can visit her anytime. Just think how your parents felt having to be apart from both of their children. At least we know Aiden is never leaving the nest. Freya smiled up at Wyatt who smiled nodding his head. Wyatt wrapped his arm around Freya and pulled her into his side. "Alright let's go."

Lucy went to take a step but was immediately hoisted into the air. Derek smiled down at her as he held her bridal style. "I don't think so. You used your legs way more than you should have. And I can smell you reopened those wounds."

"I'm a werewolf not a glass doll." Lucy frowned though she was enjoying being held against his chest.

"You have to pick your battles Lucy." Freya smiled up at her daughter. "If we lose, it is because we lose on purpose." She winked at her daughter.

Lucy felt a sharp pain jolt up her leg. She remained motionless and kept it hidden from her face, yet Derek stopped walking immediately. He looked down at her in confusion and frowned.

"Lucy what hurts?" Derek's voice was laced with concern. Freya and Wyatt were instantly standing in front of them both.

"I'm fine." Lucy said quietly.

Derek set his jaw. "Don't lie to me Lucy. I felt it."

"You felt it?" Wyatt asked. He glanced over at Freya and back to Derek.

"Yes, I can feel Lucy. It is hard to explain but it has been getting stronger. Her thoughts, her feelings... her dreams..." He looked down at Lucy, his eyes flashed in amusement for only a brief moment. "And the longer the day has gone on this connection has been getting stronger." "You haven't marked her yet..." Freya said as her eyes widened.

"Even with my parents that connection didn't start until after they marked each other." Wyatt said, looking at the couple in front of him. "You two are soul mates... but from the sounds of it, it is a connection like none we have ever witnessed."

"What hurt?" Freya narrowed her eyes at her daughter. Hearing Derek's explanation she now knew her daughter was hiding her pain.

"Mom I'm fine...-" Lucy sighed as she saw the anger behind her mothers' eyes build. Her mother was more relaxed about things but if she asked for an answer, she expected one. "I pushed off of my leg when I was running. I jumped off of a boulder and I think I tore it worse. And normally that wouldn't be a problem but -"

"With the vervain still in your system it is." Freya sighed with a frown.

Derek's eyes were dark and his jaw was set. She could feel him trembling slightly.

"It's just a tear. I'm okay." Lucy tried to calm Derek down.

Wyatt slapped Derek on the back. "Get used to it. She is her mother's daughter, and she is going to keep you on your toes. Remember this day. You asked for her, no take backs." Wyatt winked at Derek. While Jasper and Jason chuckled behind him. Wyatt understood exactly how he was feeling. Being a new mate, your senses are heightened, and you are extremely protective. It must be even worse for soul mates. Derek smiled at Wyatt and curled Lucy deeper in his chest. "I can't handle her in pain."

Lucy felt her heart clench as the butterflies fluttered in her chest. She could see the pain in his eyes because of her. "It's not that bad. Honest."

"If this is this strong now it will only be worse after the marking." Freya looked at Lucy and frowned. Her daughter wasn't getting a possessive protective alpha... she was getting a possessive protective vampire prince. She was going to have a lot of fights in the future about having some independence. She raised her to have a mind and will of her own and trusted she would make it through the fights ahead.

"I'm worried about marking her with the vervain in her system." Derek said quietly.

"You can't mark her until the ceremony anyways." Jasper said.

"I don't care about the ceremony. I'll be connected better to her once she bears my mark. It is safer that way."

"Look I'm a pretty progressive dad I like to think. A mark is a fact of life. But another one is that she is my baby girl..." Wyatt felt Freya elbow him in his side.

"Well at least he is being considerate and taking his time with the marking. You know, instead of just planting it on her the moment they meet." Freya raised her eyebrow at him and he gave her a sheepish smile in return. Wyatt's situation was different and in a normal situation he never would have forced his mark. But he had just gotten his powers as the werewolf king and his wolf took control of the situation. Still, he felt bad about it, so Freya liked to tease him over it from time to time.

"Sorry Wyatt. I know she is your daughter. I'll try to be more mindful of those things around you..." Derek met with Wyatt's silver eyes. "She might be my mate, but she is more than that to me. I love your daughter. She is precious to me." Lucy could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment. What was he saying in front of everyone?! The way he was staring at her father right now. It was so determined and with so much conviction.

Wyatt smiled. "Good. Because I couldn't hand her over to anyone who she wasn't precious to."

"Can't we talk about this after I have my chocolate... I mean after we are inside?" Jin giggled.

"Yes, we need to get back. I need to look at your wound and treat it." Derek looked down at Lucy. Her cheeks were lightly flushed as she gnawed on her bottom lip. She was so damn adorable. He wanted nothing more than to taste the sweet peach below him. But with her parents there that would have to wait. Still, his chest felt ready to burst with happiness. He had his Lucy in his arms. His love. His soul mate. His queen.