His Luna’s Already A Luna
Chapter 98

Lucinda POV

Lucinda didn't really want to eat anything. It wasn't the food, and she knew it. Just wasn't hungry at al No appetite. She lay staring at the walls, at the ceiling, at the back of her eyelids. Just allowed all that white around her to be absorbed and not think about anything at all, just the colour white. And how it was such an empty colour, nothing to it really, white, symbol of nothingness, she thought absently, empty and devoid of everything, just like how she wanted to feel.

Ky'ra, it seemed, was still out of reach for her. So far and deep away in the back of her mind that she felt like a mere shadow. Nothing from her wolf. Lucinda knew that she was there somewhere, but also not there too. Almost like before she had gotten her, she supposed. She missed her wolf in her mind, prowling around. Laying around, sitting up, tilting her head and snorting at her in a manner of ways, she missed her grumpy growly wolf, who had an opinion on nearly everything. Now it seemed wouldn't be coming forward anymore.

Perhaps Ky'ra felt as empty as Lucinda did. Perhaps she too had wanted it to all end back in her pack. She was not healing Lucinda, it spoke volumes. Her wolf was out for now and would only return when and if she wanted too. Lucinda had tried to reach for her many times. Asked her if she was okay. It was clear, she was not.

Lucinda did not want to be showered by the nurse and told her as much. When the woman had pushed the subject, Lucinda had yelled at her to get out, felt James' hand on her arm and told her to calm down, her eyes had turned on him and they'd stared each other down until he's started pushing waves of calm at her.

He was like Kevin, but weirdly enough didn't seem to have the same effect on her. She did feel calmer but i was very different. Could hold on to her anger and didn't feel as drawn to him as she did Kevin. Had yanked her arm from his and pointed a finger at him "I will punch you in that face of yours." she had said in a deathly quiet tone.

He'd simply laughed softly and smiled at her. Not even worried about her reaction, it seemed. Perhaps he hadn't been using all his Goddess-Gifted Gamma Charm on her.

The next thing Lucinda saw was Heather stalking into her hospital room, stand right in front of her, hands on her hips. "You will get up now. I will shower you." she demanded of her.

"I can do it myself," Lucinda had retorted.

"Not on my watch. Or, if you like, I can have James here, make you get up and go into the bathroom."

Lucinda blinked, could he actually do that? He was a Gamma. But she didn't really know much about them.ust the basic information. She hadn't actually had anything to do with Gamma's other than Kevin and he'd made her listen to him, when she hadn't wanted to. He felt stronger than James to Lucinda, but she doubted James held less power just likely used it differently.

Had been a Gamma for almost 20 years. It was unlikely the man was weaker. Just new how to use his ability, she supposed. Kevin had never needed to, she supposed, seeing as his pack had never had a Luna to deal with before. Or perhaps they felt different to her because James and Kevin were from different packs. Who knew? Not her.

Her eyes moved to James, the man smirked right at her and she saw him chuckle softly. Lucinda just knew that he could indeed make her if he opted to. Sighed and got out of the bed. Let Heather assist her in the shower, or more like give her directions, lift an arm here, turn this way, turn that way. She got a full scrub down. It was more than a little embarrassing to be honest. Had just stared at the wall and followed instructions, tried not to think about the woman washing her naked body.

All her wounds were checked, dried and redressed, "Healing well without your wolf. Some of these stitches will be able to come out in a day or two," she'd been told. Then Heather had stood in front of her and peered at her. Really looked at her. Probably trying to see if Ky'ra was inside of her somewhere, she thought. Seeing as she'd been talking about her wolf, "Might come back, if you allow her Mate near her."

"Unlikely." was all Lucinda said. Unlikely to let that man near her, unlikely it would help Ky'ra come back either. She had a feeling she was buried so deep down, because she didn't want to be around anyone and that even meant her own Mate.

"He hasn't left, you know. He brought you in himself and has barely moved away from your bedside. You might want to talk to him. Now back to bed with you." she'd waved her in the direction of her room once more.

Lucinda didn't even know why he was still here? How he had found her for that matter? Maybe Corey had let her secret out. She didn't know. Didn't really care to know right this minute. Just wanted him to go away. She got back into her bed with Heather standing next to her.

"You will eat something or I will have someone come in here and feed you. Your body can't heal without proper nutrients." she was informed curtly.

Lucinda had glared right up at the woman who had glared right back at her. Luna to Luna, it seemed. There was likely no winning a fight with her, she was stubborn and looked like she was not to be messed with. Lucinda got the distinct impression that she would not be backing down. Nothing like Alpha Corey. Serious all the time. They stared at each other for a solid 5 minutes, neither wanting to back down, and then Heather just turned and walked away, stopped at the door, her hand on it, slightly open "If you don't eat. I will send your Mate in here to feed you. Bloody well order it I will." she snapped at Lucinda and then strolled out the door.

Lucinda flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She'd held the door open for a reason, so he could hear the threat. Heather had said he was out there and from the way she had made her threat he likely was. Didn't want him in this room. "You know she will right," James told her casually.

Lucinda stared up at the ceiling and said nothing. She didn't doubt it. A tray of food was delivered to her by Heather herself, put right in front of her and then the woman stood there folded her arms across her chest and stared at her pointedly, looked from the food to Lucinda.

Lucinda huffed and sat herself up, picked up a fork and stabbed a potato harshly and bit into it. She was made to eat it. As Heather stood and watched her, stood there and watched her eat the entire meal, Lucinda chewed every bite almost resentfully and glared right at her the whole time. The woman, it seemed, was not going anywhere until the tray of food was gone.

Lucinda watched her leave the room while chewing the last mouthful of food. She had really wanted to pick up the tray and peg it across the room at her, but had restrained herself from doing so, she didn't think she would like what followed. She was a Luna, and she would do as she pleased, regardless of the fact that she wasn't the reigning Luna. She still held power, knew that when Corey and Lindy weren't here Heather and Dean were in charge.

Had simply stepped down to allow their son to take over so they could rest and relax. But once and Alpha and Luna, always an Alpha and Luna. They had reigned for nearly 30 years here, and just because they were no longer in charge didn't mean they couldn't swing their weight around.

Turned her eyes back to James as she heard him chuckle softly. He was looking right at her with a raised eyebrow, had likely felt her anger towards the woman.

"I wouldn't take your anger out on Heather. I once saw her handcuff two wolves who were Mates together with silver handcuffs, just to get them to spend time together and make them learn to get along."

"What?" she was completely shocked by that "Who?" She knew everyone here in Half Moon Pack, but obviously it was before she had come here. "Hillary and Collin." James nodded,

That gained her full attention. Hillary was Heather's youngest daughter, Corey's little sister. "You serious?" she asked, used silver handcuffs on her own daughter.

"Yes Hillary didn't like Collin's macho attitude, being a highly ranked warrior and her an Alpha-blooded female and dominant and defiant, a spoiled brat really, always got her own way, in my opinion. Used to getting her own way. And she was not easy to get along with. Collin tried to lay the law down and she tried to put her Alpha foot down, you know... a massive fight wolfed out the pair of them, if I recall correctly, Heather had told them it was enough and did what she thought was right as a Luna. I believe even Alpha Dean stayed out of it, not willing to take on his Mate over it." he shrugged "they are now working on their second pup, I believe, and happy."

"Not going to happen to me." she muttered.

"I'm sure Nick would love it." he laughed softly.

Lucinda lay down and rolled over away from him, said nothing. Didn't want to talk about anything to with that man. She knew he would, had already tried it once. She closed her eyes and forced the thought out of her mind. The room went back to being silent. James, it seemed, was happy to sit in silence, probably liked the quiet. The twins were loud and rambunctious all the time.

She allowed her mind to wonder, where they were concerned, wanted to talk about them, rolled back over, a little irritated by her wounds, not that they hurt at all, she just didn't like the way they felt when the stitches and staples pulled at her skin. "James, how are the twins?" she asked him.

"Upset." he told her calmly "Simone bit me."

She couldn't help but smile a little. Simone was always the most stubborn one when not getting her way. "What did you do to her to warrant that?"

"Removed her from your bedside." he answered simply.

"Oh," well, now she felt a bit guilty.

Gabby and James had always taken the brunt of the twins' anger. She had never been bitten by one of them, got the occasional hit, but a tilt of her head and a raised eyebrow from her, had been all it took to get them to stop and apologise, at least now she understood why that was "Sorry." she murmured.

James shrugged, "Kind of used to it, Lucinda. They have always been headstrong. But what else can I expect from my Alpha-blooded daughters!"

Lucinda looked right at him, she had not missed his inconnotation "I know they're a hand full James." He was telling her he believed they were his and he was making a full statement about it.

There was a solid minute of silence and then he looked right at her and asked "Are you going to take them from Gabby and I?" very directly.

Lucinda didn't even know the answer to that question herself. But she did know she did not want Gabby and James to be hurt by her, and she didn't want to hurt the twins either. All this time she had known someone was going to be hurt. Perhaps that someone was always going to be herself. She'd never once thought people were going to be hurt. Always the word someone, had been in her head. She sighed.

"Probably not James." she answered him as honestly as possibly.

"Probably?" he questioned her right back.

"I only just found out what I am to them, James. I'm very confused to be honest."

"Mm."

She rolled on to her back, and stared up at the ceiling for a very long time, just thinking about the twins, how happy they had been growing up here. This was their home, they might be really strongly bonded to her. But she was their sister, it's how they saw her. How she had seen them for the past 8 years. Lucinda did know deep down inside, she couldn't change that. And how would she explain it to them if she did try? It was not fair to them, to James and Gabby.

That someone, to be hurt was going to be her. She knew it. She closed her eyes and tried not to think about it.

Lindy strolled into her hospital room and looked right at her. Sighed and shook her head at her "Stubborn girl. Just had to go and off and get into a death battle, didn't you?"

Lucinda didn't say anything at all. They all knew it was bound to happen at some point, inevitable she supposed. She had won. Like she and Ky'ra knew that they would.

"I want to see you in my office child. First thing in the morning. This can not go on."

"Good. I agree." Lucinda answered, it was about time to get it all over and done with. To end it once and for all. Get back some peace and normality to her life.

"Then I'll have Kevin bring you...Nick will be there, just so you know."

It was a mere formality, she thought. Though why Lindy was letting that man still be here she didn't know. Could have just asked him to come back once she was awake. It would take less than a minute for the formal rejection and acceptance. That she knew was coming. There was nothing she wanted to say to the man. Likely wouldn't even look at him.

Lindy stood staring at her for another full minute, eyes narrowed. Then she just turned and walked out of the room. Shades of Heather she saw. The woman didn't even apologise for sending her out there to him, pushing him on her. Probably would never admit to her mistake.

They had told her that sending her away would keep her safe from Darwin. Little did that work. Darwin was less of a threat to her. To be honest, she could just kill him, had done that, in fact. The other...she closed her eyes and shoved her emotions away, did not want to deal with it at all.

It was a very long night, she tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable, and she knew it wasn't because of her wounds, they were just an irritation to her skin, nothing more. She felt restless the whole night. Trying to keep her mind off of everything, tried to keep focused on the white of the walls and ceiling.

By the time the sun hit the horizon, she was out of her bed and was damned near in a full blown panic and she knew it, couldn't stop thinking about what was coming and that she was going to have to be in a room with him. Have to see him.

James was prowling around the room after her, trying, she thought, with all he had to calm her panic, but it wasn't working. He'd barred her from leaving the room, stood in the doorway twice now in the past 10 minutes to stop her from leaving. She wanted nothing more than to just run the hell away and he knew it. Not even she could contain her own emotions right now. He was lucky Ky'ra was still way down deep or they would be having a piece of him. Likely gone right through him already.

Her heart was hammering inside her chest, and she was hyperventilating, had lashed out at him on several occasions now, actually landed several blows to the man, wounded or not. She wanted out of this room. He was sporting a bruise to his face and a bloodied lip. But he was standing his ground.

She'd yanked the IV pole off the bed and was currently standing in the middle of the room ready to beat him with it and he knew it.

If he tried to put his bloody Gamma hands on her again, she was going to take his head off had warned him as much. He'd backed off to the doorway. He knew she was capable of such. She wanted out of this room and he was stopping her. Lucinda was yelling at him to leave her alone when Kevin stepped into the room and frowned right at her.

She swung the pole right at him and yelled "Stay away from me." she warned him.

"Lucinda honey...Listen to me...Calm down." she could feel them both now, pushing two auras at her, both of them trying to calm her down.

She shook her head "Stay away."

"Lucinda honey... Listen to me..." his hands were out stretched towards her. "You know you want to."

"No." she shook her head and backed away from him. "Stop it." but she could already feel herself being drawn to him, wanting to listen to him.

"I'm your Gamma Lucinda...Just listen to me, calm down honey."

She could feel tears pricking at her eyes, looked right at him, her resolve already weakening, her heart beat was slowing down and her breathing slower. She could draw a proper breath in and out now.

"Look at me...Lucinda focus on me...on my voice... Listen to me only."

The IV pole lowered to the ground. "I hate you," she whispered, knowing he was winning their battle, fighting him was near impossible.

"That's okay honey...come here...come to me now." his hands were open to her, here eyes moved back to his, he was now right in front of her.

"I don't want..."

"I know." he whispered right back "I'll be with you the whole time." he stepped right up to her, took the pole from her hands and handed it off to James, slipped a hand into hers, his thumb rubbing a circle on the back of her hand. She leaned on him. "You promise?"

"I promise." he said softly, a hand rubbing her back now.

He just stood there with her, his calming aura flowing over her till she was completely relaxed against him. "Your Mate must really hate you sometimes."

"It doesn't work on her. Phoebe is immune to my Charm, as I'm certain Gabby is to James."

"Yes," she heard James reply.

"I have other ways to get my way with her." he smiled down at her as she looked up at him.

She knew what he meant. His Mate Bond with her. Her eyes fell away, as pain touched her chest. Felt it start welling up inside of her at just the thought of her Mate Bond about to be taken from her. About to be alone again. "Everything is going to be okay Lucinda...I promise you."

"Might as well...get it over with." she whispered and couldn't hide the pain in her words.

"Shh...its going to be okay." his Gamma Charm was on her again.

But it was not going to be okay. Nothing had ever really gone in her favour now, had it? Why would this be any different? She might be a direct descent of the moon goddess herself, but that didn't make her life blessed in anyway at all. Seemed the opposite, in fact. She was provided with a dress by one of the nurses, pulled it on, it had long sleeves and fell to her knees, her wounds mostly covered. Looked in the mirror at her bruised face, the swelling had gone down but her pale skin was still marred by purplish green bruising from the bite Ky'ra had taken to the face.

Not much she could do about it. If Ky'ra had been with her, all her bruising would have been gone by now. Wouldn't even need stitches or staples. What she looked like didn't matter right that minute, not really. She would heal given time. She pulled her hair up into a pony tail and sighed, ready, she guessed.