The Defiant Luna
Chapter 17

Jay-la POV

Jay- la heard what Nathan said, it was nice to hear, but even he had statsd it, actions speak louder than words. His actions all revolved around the children, with the exception of when they went to bed.

Saw his eyes glaze over before he could answer her question, sat and waited, it took only a few seconds before he was looking at her “I’m sorry, the Alpha council is on the phone downstairs requesting to speak with me.”

“Go.” She stated and waved him off, wasn’t going to hold him up. Didn’t realise she’d done it till it was too late to stop it, was used to doing that to the staff at her office in the law firm back in L.A. now had just done it to an Alpha of a pack, saw him raise an eyebrow at the motion, of her dismissing him, but then just got up and left. said nothing.

It would likely have been very disrespectful to him, a part of her was expecting to be reprimanded by him on the spot for it. But there was another part of her that didn’t really care either. Sighed and turned her attention back to the prenup, seems it was going to be pretty simple.

Made a list of Michael’s possessions, not much for a man worth millions.

His car and his apartment here in the packhouse, estimated it to be worth at least a million, would be kitted out with the best of everything. He was an Alpha and an Heir, then added his net worth to that list. That was it. Seems Michael was suited to being an Alpha to a pack, he didn’t go around wasting pack funds on pointless stuff.

Was typing up that document when she saw both Nathan and lackson walk into her office ten minutes later. Looked from one to the other and thought yay

“What?” she asked instead.

“The council is sending a representative to talk with you, about your being here, being my Mate.” Nathan frowned at her.

She stared at him “And you’re both staring at me because?” she asked, had no idea why the council was sending anyone.

“Did you call them Jay- la?” Nathan asked her directly.

“Why would I do that? I wouldn’t even know how to contact them.”

Saw him look at Jackson, who shook his head. “I told you.”

“Do you know anyone on the council?”

“No.”

“They are apparently coming to check on the welfare of you and the children.” He informed her.

“I did not call them, don’t blame me for that.” She snapped at him. Clearly he thought this was her doing.

“I am not. I’m simply curious is all. Have they contacted you at all?”

“No.” she would have told him, despite their differences and not particularly getting along, that would be too important to skip over even she knew that.

“Have you happened to speak to your grandmother since being here?”

“No, why would you ask that?”

“Her Alpha, Austin. He is on the council »

Despite that he said he wasn’t blaming her, he clearly thought it was her doing “I have not, and just for your information to make it clear to you, other than calling Eric Stanton and speaking with Tim, I’ve contacted no-one outside of this pack.” She stated, couldn’t keep the hard edge out of her voice, was more than annoyed with his line of questioning. Wanted it to stop.

“Alright, I need to go and organise rooms for their arrival, you and I, we can discuss our previous conversation a bit later, yes.”

“If that is what you want.” She nodded he’d likely only tell her once more he was going to be there and she’d get no say in it.

“Jay- la please.” He frowned at her.

“What, Did I not just agree to what…

Saw him glare at her and then just turn and leave the room before she could even finish her sentence. Rolled her eyes, he wasn’t even happy when she was agreeing to do what he wanted.

“Cut him a bit of slack Jay- la, would you?”

“When he does me. I will do him.” she muttered he’d just come in here and practically accused her of calling the council on him. “Go with your Alpha, Beta.”

“Enough Jay- la. You are not the only one confused or stressed out right now, you know.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, he’d always be on Nathan’s side, he was the mans best friend, and would want him to have what he wanted as well. “Get out.” She grated.

Saw him just stand there and stare at her, didn’t seem at all phased by her remark “I can make it an order if vou like.” She told him.

“I’ll only follow it, if your actually going to be a real Luna to this pack. Take vour rightful place.”

“r’ m here aren’t I.”

“Yes, but your itching to leave, I believe. What Luna wants to be away from their pack?”

“I need to close out my human life, that was forced upon me, by the one running this pack. My way, not his way, or don’t I have the right to do that.” She grated out.

Jackson stood there staring at her, he looked angry she thought absently, well he could join the freaking club. “None of you know me anymore Jackson.

You all think I should just blip over what happened. That he banished me, that I should just smile and fall at his feet. Like a good little she-wolf with no backbone and let him walk all over me, do whatever he says.”

“That is not what we want. Is also not at all what he wants, in fact. But you do need to at least give him a proper chance, you did accept him, but now you’re going out of your way to punish him. Perhaps you should have taken more time in vour decision to accept him, if that is not actually what you wanted.”

“Perhaps I didn’t have a real choice, perhaps Jackson, my wolf made that choice for me.” She knew he knew Kora had accepted Havoc before Jay- la had even had a chance to talk with Nathan.

“You could still have declined to move forward.” He shot at her.

“Yes, only to have my wolf go and Mark her Mate of her own accord.” She knew Kora wanted him as a Mate, had been on Havoc’s side from the second she’d known he was her Mate.

Saw Jackson frown now. “She wouldn’t have.”

“You don’t know her, and yes she would have. She was lonely out in the human world.” And she knew Kora had been, isolated out there without the social aspect of a pack, hurt Kora a lot, dealt with it, but still it hurt her and she suffered it, blamed herself for it even. Why she had suffered silently the loss of her pack. Blamed herself for their banishment.

Also, knew that he would have heard it, her loneliness, hell, the whole pack would have heard it in her howl back at her Alpha “Wolves can do as they please Jackson, I’m certain you understand this well.”

“I do.” He nodded with a sigh, “The council will want to speak with you regarding your relationship with Nathan “

“Why?”

“Because as I understand it, they are coming to make sure you are not being forced to be here. They will watch you, watch him, see how the two of you interact with each other. What do you think they will see when they get here,

Jav-la?”

“Likely what I see. That he is only interested in interacting with his children.”

Saw him frown now as he stood there looking at her. “Then perhaps I suggest the two of you both make an effort to spend time together, get to know each other once more, be friendly so to speak.”

She watched him turn and leave the room, sighed to herself. She had not been the one to call the council, or her grandmother. Yet they’d come in here and asked her about it, not just one question, even though that first one had been very direct and she’d answered it, he’d still continued to questioned her.

Nathan thought it was her that was pretty clear to her.

It also wasn’t as if she was actively denying Nathan, she was just very confused. Kora was of the opinion he loved her because Havoc loved Kora. But he’d gotten up yesterday and gone right back to work, she understood he had a pack to run, was likely busy, but surely he could have left Jackson in charge to spend just one day with her, could have if he’d really wanted to.

He just hadn’t, didn’t want to. It hurt more than a little, was why her walls were all up. Why Kora shut him out, got the feeling even Kora was starting to have doubts about the man himself, not his wolf, just the man.

She had talked to Nate, about their past, to help Nathan’s bond with their son. Didn’t that count as her trying, she was trying to make sure the children were comfortable around him and she was encouraging them to interact with him.

She had simply followed his lead, and stayed away from him, as he had done her, because she felt that was what he wanted. Had told him about her dinner plans and not objected to him joining them. Had even tried to comfort him at one point.

It wasn’t like she denied their bond either, had gone to bed with him, slept with him, which was just confusing her even more, loved him, but now realised a part of her hated him as well, it was hard to deal with. Wanting to be with someone that had hurt her so badly, banished and abandoned her, those feelings couldn’t just go away.

It was confusing to say the least, one minute she loved looking at him, wanted to be touched by him, and the next she just really wanted to beat the living hell out of him, scream and yell at him. Hurt him, she supposed. Felt like she was being pulled in two different directions at the same time.

She knew that he was her Mate, but also knew it had been his wolf that wanted Kora, sighed again, she didn’t want to be a doormat and just give him everything of herself, only to be walked all over and not given any respect or choices for herself. Yes, he had apologised, but he couldn’t take it all back. It had not escaped her attention that he had not wanted to answer her questions.

She was right and she knew it, and now so did Kora, he’d not once thought about her, in all the time she was gone. Knew it with full certainty now, and it hurt to blazes.

Looked at her phone, actually glad for the distraction when it rang, kind of needed it before she was a sobbing mess, pulled herself together and took a deep breath in, picked it up “Hi Suzy.”

“morning Jay- la, I’m just calling to let you know, that I’m sorry. My family, they are not keen on coming out there for Christmas, so I would prefer not to myself. At least until the break is over. I’m sorry.”

“That’s alright Suzy. I kind of thought you’d want to stay with your family.

I’m sorrv if I pushed too hard yesterday. Will you come in the new year? I’d like you to, to live here and work here, I and the children will really like that.

“Live there?”

“Yes, I’ll be moving here officially in a few weeks.” She told her, the minute her human life was closed, this is where she would be.

“I’ll take my time off, to think about that if it’s alright?”

“Of course it is. Please do consider it. I do understand that it will mean you’ll be away from your family. But I will make sure you get to go home for all the important things.”

“Alright, I’ll let you know on the 2nd.”

“Thank you Suzi.” Put her phone down and sighed heavily. How was she going to tell Stephen this? He was going to be upset, maybe even annoyed with her for her not being able to convince his mate to come here.

Got up and left the suite, wondered where his room was? It had to be close by surely, strolled down the hall and looked at the doors, Across from the Alpha suite was the Beta suite and next to that the Luna suite. Down the hall from the Alpha Suite was the Gamma suite and then the Delta suite, across from each other.

They were all clearly marked with little plaques on the door, they were all right there around their Alpha just like they would be when out inside the pack, right there to protect him if needed.

Knocked on the door marked Gamma S, figured the S stood for Stephen, mind-link to him as she did so, ‘Stephen?’

‘Yes Jay-la.’ Came right back to her.

“Where are you? Are you busy?’

‘I’m in the Alpha’s office, what’s wrong?’

‘I just need to talk to you, do you have a few minutes to do that now?

please.’

‘Where are you? he asked.

‘Outside your suite, will you meet me, in the coffee hub?’

‘Of course I will, see you a minute.’ He closed out the link.

She made her way to the third floor coffee hub and asked Amelia to make her two latte’s one with a double shot. She recalled how Stephen had his coffee, even made her smile to think about it, when she realised that Suzy liked to drink a double shot cappuccino. Suzy like the foamed milk on top, where as Stephen didn’t he thought it was a perfectly good waste of coffee space in his cup.

She saw him coming as Amelia placed the cups on the table, she smiled at her “Thank you Amelia.”

“You’re more than welcome, Luna.” Amelia smiled right at her.

“What’s wrong Jay-la?” Stephen asked as he sat down.

“There are likely many things on that front Stephen, but right this minute I need to talk to you about Suzv.”

“Alright, has she called you back?” he asked.

“Yes, just now…” took a breath in “I’m sorry Stephen, she will not come over Christmas, wants to stay with her family.” And she was sorry, it must be hard for him right now, had a Mate that knew nothing about him, didn’t even know what he was to her.

Saw him nod slowly “You did warn me.” He sighed, “Kind of been trying to prepare myself for that answer.”

“I have asked her to consider moving here, thought I would pre-empt that for you, suss it out a bit, told her I will be living here and that I want her to come here as well.”

“How’d that go?”

“Not so good either, I don’t think. But did tell me she would consider it…

I’m sorry, her family is everything to her, they are there, I don’t know if she’ll move here at all, might be too far from her family.” She saw him sighing heavilv now. “She did say she would call and let me know on the second.

He was quiet for a long time before saying “That is two weeks away Jay- la.

“I know, it is a very long time, to be away from your Mate. Why don’t vou go out there, I know I said I don’t think she would want to start a relationship this close to Christmas. But she is your Mate, perhaps if you bump into her, say randomlv in her world, but on purpose, say at a coffee shop. She’ll be attracted to you, all those muscles and those eyes of yours,” saw him smile just a little « That smile too, will charm her into sitting down with you, to replace that coffee of hers you accidently on purpose spilled to get her to look at you.”

He was smiling properly now, was a good looking boy. That was for sure, «

I’d like that… Nathan has decided he needs me here. And I can not just up and go without his permission.”

She frowned at him now. “Can I, as the Luna, give you permission?” she asked curiously.

“If he is not here in the pack and you are in charge… I suppose you could over rule his decision, though he’d like yell at us both over it when he got back.

Or me anyway.” He nodded. Finally, picked up that latte and took a sip. Raised an eyebrow at her.

Jay- la smiled at him, and wondered if she felt happy around him because he was the Gamma and was in control of her emotions or because she was actually happy chatting with him. Didn’t really know she realized, was going to go with the later.

“I recall how you have your coffee.”

“I can see that.”

“Suzy also likes a double shot, though in a cappuccino not a latte.

Saw him really smiling now, liked talking about his Mate. “What else Joes my Suzy like?”

“Hmm, you want an in, do you?” she teased him a little with a slight chuckle.

“Any help I can get.” He nodded.

“She likes Mexican food, likes spicy food.”

“So our first date, should be a Mexican place then?”

“Yes, and she’ll drink a margarita too.”

“You’re being very helpful Jav- la.”

She just smiled “Why would I not be? She is your Mate. I want you to be happy. I am all for you going over there and dating her, getting to know her, bringing her back here.. though getting you out there? Why aren’t you allowed to go? Explain that to me.”

“I’m needed here.” He stated.

“What for?”

“For you, Jay-la.”

“I don’t need you at this particular time, Stephen.”

“Really, you’re..

» saw him tilt his head and knew he was in Gamma mode

looked right at her for about twenty seconds. “Annoved deep down, is what I’m going to say.”

“Honestly, Stephen, I’m annoyed most of the time.” She sighed “Even in the human world I was annoyed. There is no difference, you can go as far as I am concerned. Having you here is not going to fix anything that Nathan thinks it will. You’re Gamma Charm doesn’t work that way.”

“I know.” He nodded “I’m here in case you get really upset.”

Ah, that made more sense to her, she’d been broken last time she’d been upset, likely he’d relayed her state to Nathan. “Stephen, just go.” She shrugged

“I’m sure vour father is here somewhere, yes?”

Saw him actually laughing now, and thought that was funny. “That’s exactly what I said.”

She smiled herself now, “Well, seeing as you and I are on the same page here.”

“Yes?”

She mind-linked to him ‘Let’s get him off pack territory, so I can tell you to go and get Suzy. I will even make it an Order so you have to.’

‘Oh, there’s the Jay-la I recall.’

‘Mm, she’s still in here sometimes and well…’ she shrugged ‘defying him is currently what I’m good at.’

“That it is.’ He chuckled ‘ though he won’t be going anywhere with the council coming.’

‘When are they due, he didn’t say.’

‘Tomorrow, Alpha Austin’s pack is only a two-hour drive away.’

‘It’s Alpha Austin that is coming?’

‘Yes, with your grandmother as well.’

‘No wonder he believes I called them.’

‘He doesn’t think that Jay- la, is actually just trying to figure out how they knew you were here, only the allied packs that were prepped for assistance in your retrieval if s**t hit the fan, know you’re here.’

‘Well, it wasn’t me Stephen.’ She muttered ‘and it certainly looked to me like he thought it was me, questioned me a lot over it. I know an interrogation when I see one, do it all the time myself.’

‘Appearances can be deceiving, Jay- la. Like you as a lawyer should know, just about anything said can be taken and twisted to ones on liking, or taken the wrong way if someone is on the defensive. Or angry and looking for a reason to twist it.’

She did know that, also understood just what he was trying to imply, that she herself had taken his questions the wrong way solely because she was looking for a reason to.