His Luna’s Already A Luna
Chapter 22

Nick POV

Watching her walk into Alpha Corey's office, in that outfit made him smile. She did look very cute indeed, though he was a little unhappy about her bare abdomen, but he could see she was fit as a fiddle. Her abdomen was smooth and taught, a very slight v-line was noticeable this woman clearly worked out and maintained her fitness. Her waist so tiny, he was probably going to be able to wrap both his hands around it easily.

He knew she had not dressed like that, just for him to look at her, more likely she was going to try and tick him off. While allowing him to also feel attracted to her, which he had to admit, in that tiny pair of shorts and laced up sandles, he was very attracted to her right this minute. Rip was even watching her through his eyes, and wagging his tail. He liked his mates human counterpart too it seemed.

She did not smile at him, but did smile right at Jeremy, and Jeremy being who he was, couldn't help but chuckle at Nicks current position with his mate. Nick had shot him a warning look, to knock it off, which only made the man laugh even harder. His Beta was going to get a beating, the rate he was going, if he couldn't rein it in. When she winked playfully at Jeremy, he nearly wanted to rip the mans head off. His Beta shouldn't play with his mate like that, no one should "How's the ribs?" she asked with a chuckle. He like her soft amused chuckled, so playful, he felt himself start to calm down and his anger abate, didn't like that it was for his Beta, but still it was really nice to see it, it was the first time he'd seen her genuinely happy. He had thought she was beautiful before, now she was gorgeous. He just needed her to look at him that way, wanted to her smile and chuckle like that just for him. Damned stubborn woman.

That sickly sweet tone of voice, she directed at Alpha Corey, let him know instantly. She knew what was about to happen in this office. Luna Lindy had gone over to her house last night, with that bottle of Gin and he could see now, had already informed her, a heads up so to speak he guessed.

His Mate was about to play hard to get, with all her cuteness it seemed, and she was bloody cute in that damned out fit.

'Trouble's a brewing, me thinks boss. He heard Jeremy's voice through the mind-link, full of amusement.

'yes I can see that. Enough from you.' he warned his Beta.

'Awe come on Nick, I love a good game. So does she it appears. I'm liking her already!

'No, getting up to mischief, with my mate!

'Come on she and I could play tricks on you all day, every day!' Jeremy was damned near laughing down the link

'Enough Beta. Nick snapped at him annoyed. Oh he could well imagine the games Jeremy, would want to have her play. To annoy him.

Rip let out an annoyed growl, when their Mate feigned not knowing about having a Mate. He didn't like her not acknowledging him at all. She didn't even glance their way at the sound either, completely ignored it 'so stubborn' he thought. He had been warned she could be stubborn, when wanting to be.

Watching her tap those soft plump pink lips of hers, he just wanted to go over and yank her up from that chair and taste them. Oh he knew she was doing it on purpose, toying with him. Problem was it was bloody working. His eyes had been draw to her mouth and she was getting the desired reaction from him, that she wanted, even though she wasn't looking at him. Bloody Mate Bond was already pulling him, to her like a magnet, it was very strong, no matter how many times he tried to shake it off, he couldn't, his mind always wandered back to her.

She knew men found her attractive, and she to could play the, I'm good looking card, which he had tried to play yesterday. Cheeky woman. He was going to enjoy tormenting her for this, made a mental note for a little pay back, technically he had started it and this was her payback, but he was gong to think up a real good way, to punish her and have fun doing it to.

Might just have to take a page out of Alpha Corey's book, her a*s did look spank-able.

He could hear how amused she was, everyone could, it appeared she was having a joyous time annoying him, with her lack of acknowledgement of his presence, and the continued way she referred to the Mate Bond as a punishment, was a constant dig at him, he was certain, and he did not like it all.

It wasn't a punishment at all, just a way to get her to agree to be his Mate, give them a chance to get to know each other, get past their, not so good start of a history, due to him calling her a mutt.

Offering to spend a month in the cells instead of going with him, ticked him off, was he so bad an option that a dingy cell was better looking. It also elicited an angry growl from Rip, he did not like the thought that his Mate, might have been in a cell for punishment before.

Alpha Corey seemed to pick up on the meaning of the growl and right away cleared up any thoughts on it. Making sure that his wolf knew, she had never spend a single minute in a cell.

Once again referring to their Mate Bond as a punishment was really pushing his buttons, they're bond had been established well before her so called 'Minor Indiscretion'. Minor my a*s, he thought, with a shake of his head in dismay at her word usage, taunting an Alpha wolf, was not a minor thing. Even other Alpha's didn't go around taunting Alpha's into battle for the sake of it, you only had to fight when needed.

If she was just one of his pack members, not his mate, he would damned well put her in the cells for her actions, her actions could well have started a war. Still could if that wolf went back to his pack and decided to take real offence. Nick would find himself, back here with a but a*s load of warriors to assist if that was the case, and she would be ruddy locked in his Alpha suite the whole time. So she couldn't get involved.

Watching her now, she was really having trouble trying not to laugh at this point, he was doing his level best not to loose it and yell at her. He knew she was trying to tick him off and that it was working, but he needed to contain it. At least until he had her back on his pack territory, there she wouldn't have Luna Lindy to back her up.

Alpha Corey had mentioned she was winning their little battle, because she was completely amused and he was angry about it, if that was how this was winning, she was in the lead indeed, but he imagined that she would stop laughing, the minute she was out of this pack.

He was asked to properly introduce himself, which he knew he was going to have to do at some point. So took a deep breath to calm his anger and shift it away from his voice, walked over to her. Watched her blatantly ignore him, just looked at her manicured had and desperately try not to laugh, his annoyance at her was uncontrollable at this point and a wave of it rolled off of him.

He heard Jeremy snort and try to stifle laughter himself, the man was completely infuriating to say the least, totally loving everything that was going on in this office. The situation that Nick found himself in with his Mate. Had even warned him he didn't think this was going to go well, that he should have gone off and claimed her that night, when he scented her.

She finally turned those honey brown eyes on him, stood up from her chair, he did tower over her a good foot and a half to be precise, thought she was going to offer him a hand to shake. But then her eyes had slid over him nice and slow, he couldn't help but smile, he was damned fine to look at, 'yes my dearest, take me all in' he thought, knowing surely she would find it hard, to ignore his good looks, no she-wolf could. Then she stepped around him, completely shocking him, she was actually assessing him like he was something she was thinking about purchasing, and her words "not bad I guess" what the hell was that. He was damned good looking, had she-wolves literally tripping over each other to get into his bed.

Then she simply went and sat back down like he was nothing special, and went back to ignoring him, as if she had seen better. Like bloody hell she had seen better. Her next words shot his anger to the surface 'forcing me to mate him, is to harsh a punishment' Nick found himself unable to contain it any longer and snapped at her "Are you always this infuriating?" his anger for all to hear, he didn't care anymore.

"yes" she told him simply "always." to his dismay she clarified "to those who treat us with disrespect." her eyes were locked right on to his. She was challenging him to deny it, trying to make him apologise for calling her a mutt, on more than one occasion, something he did intend to do, just hadn't thought she'd make him do it in front of her Alpha and Beta, or his Beta for that matter.

When he didn't offer it up then and there, she out right rejected the alliance, on the pretence of not being willing to be mated off to man who couldn't admit his mistakes. Then stood to leave, effectively dismissing him. A warrior dismissing an Alpha, what the hell is that s**t! This place was so wrong, he couldn't understand how they worked here.

His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. They weren't done here, not as far as he was concerned. Her next words made him frown "I am armed, Alpha Nicholas." he was watching her, for although she had barely looked at him he had not actually taken his eyes off of his tiny Mate, and he saw no weapon, he watched her eyes look directly at his hand on her arm, it was a threat, and then move to look directly up into his "always am...unless you want a hole in that hand, I would remove it." she clarified for him.

He didn't doubt she would do it, if she did have a weapon on her, he was going to have to apologise here in front of them all. So he sucked it up and did, making certain to smile at the end his wording should draw her eyes to his lips, and he'd put on his most charming smile. He was going to make this woman c***k, if it was the last thing he did.

To his surprise she did not move her eyes to his smile, just stood there and continued to stare right into his eyes, he felt the cold steel of a blade tap his hand and shocked by it, let go on instinct. She then introduced her self 'Lucinda White, Retrieval Specialist Unit, Specialist in bladed weapons and compound bows." then turned to her Alpha and asked if she could go now as though she was only here for an introduction. Bloody infuriating woman she was. How was she not being effected by the Bond, he knew he was. It was confusing as all hell.

Couldn't make up his mind, angry one minute, concerned the next, and when she wasn't around constantly thinking about her, even now, as defiant as she was being, he want to kiss the damned woman, know what it was like to feel this plump pink lips on his. Then she was back to claiming she was being forced to be his mate. For the love of the goddess what was with this woman, they were Fated Mates, was it so hard to accept his apology, and at least try to work it out.

He'd seen his men all loved up, marked and mated in less than 12 hours, yet here was his Fated Mate, gifted to him by the Goddess herself, not even willing to try with him. What was so wrong with him that he needed to be punished like this. "For Goddess sake Lucinda," he snapped angry at her, for not even being willing it seemed to try. He was willing, hell he was actively trying right this minute "What do you want from me. I already apologised."

To his utter dismay she completely disregarded his apology, implying he hadn't meant it, had been forced to do it, which she had, forced his hand, he would have done it on his own, when they were alone. But no, she'd had to stubbornly get it out of him, in front of people, just like her Luna had done, publicly humiliated him.

Then to have her tell him, she didn't have to accept him! he knew she was implying she was going to reject him. Well he didn't have to accept it. He bloody well couldn't, even Rip was snarling in side his mind, that he was not going to let him, that his mate was not getting away from him. She was his mate and he wanted her, would be claiming her, no one else would be allowed to have her. She was his.

His wolf it seemed was irate, over the comment so he informed her as much.

She smiled right up at him, and his heart damned near leapt out of his chest, a smile just for him. Then when she moved her hair and allowed her fingers to slide along her mark spot, his eyes had followed instinctively, to look at the place his mark would go. Only to widen when he saw the scars of a mark already on her.

No! how could that be, she'd been mated before, no! Her Alpha, had said she was wolf-less, till only a few months ago. Who would Mark and Mate a wolf-less she-wolf. There was no strength in that. She would have been as week as a human.

"She gifted me to another first" she told him "he was a gentlemen, sweet and kind, never said a harsh word to me. I can't say the same for you! now can I?" then she strolled out of the room and closed the door behind her.

He couldn't even argue with her on that one. He heard Jeremy give a low whistle at the news. Nick just stood there, he didn't know what to make of that, at all.

Alpha Corey sighed "Sorry son, wasn't my place to tell you."

Nick knew that was correct "What happened to him?" he asked it was clear it was over, there was just a scar now. That only happened for one of two reasons, rejection after marking and mating or death. "Died. I believe"

Nick turned and looked at the man 'I believe' that was not the first time he'd said those words, he'd used that exact phrase regarding Lucinda's parents. "you believe?" he questioned.

"I didn't see it." Alpha Corey shrugged.

"Alright! what the hell is going on? You said the same thing about her parents."

"I did." he acknowledged with a nod.

"Why won't you tell me, I'm over playing this game you have going here."

"It's not a game son, I assure you and like I said to you before. It is up to her, to tell you and that will take trust."

"Which I clearly don't have."

"Agreed...look lets give her some time to absorb the Mating Alliance and try again after lunch, meet me back here and we'll try again."

"Oh! there will be not trying, My door will be fixed today you said. I want Lucinda in my car by 5pm or I will be taking matters into my own hands." he snapped and stalked out of the office. Jeremy followed him "Don't do anything stupid Nick."

"Oh she'll be coming home today Jeremy, I guarantee it, by force I imagine. But she will be coming.