The Defiant Luna
Chapter 25

Nathan POV

Nathan stood on the pack-house stairs with Jackson watching as Alpha Austin’s car drove up the main road to the pack house. Vera and Jodi were with him, seeing as Jay-la was not here. He saw the car pull up and Alpha Austin get out of the passenger side front seat, and then who he thought was the man’s Beta, certainly was big enough to be a Beta. Didn’t have Havoc to smell the man, his wolf still sleeping it off.

‘That’s his Gamma boss, Jackson mind-linked to him with a heavy sigh to his words, ‘Looks like he brought him to have him sense Jay-la out.

‘Likely so, he’s one big bastard. Nathan murmured right back and he was, bigger than Jackson was and he wasn’t little.

‘He does indeed. Jackson replied.

Alpha Austin was, as his father stated, exceptionally good looking for someone that old. He had a head full of very well-maintained black dreadlocks that dropped half the way down his back. Nathan noted they had what looked to be silver beads, but were in all likelihood white gold or platinum beads in several of those dreadlocks.

His hair style actually suited him, he was big and imposing and that hair just made him more so. He was wearing the royal blue of council colours, dressed in a three-piece suit with a light blue shirt and black tie with a tie pin that matched his beads. Wore black shoes with a high shine to them.

He was dressed to kill, he thought, as the man walked around his car and headed for the driver’s side back door, realised this man was not only bigger but also taller than he was as well. Those piercing dark grey eyes of his landed right on Nathan as he walked, then moved along the line of people with him. Looking for the Luna, Nathan knew and she wasn’t here.

The man didn’t look a day over forty, had aged extremely well, was rumoured to be 200 years old and unmated at that. He could see why his father had told him she-wolves found him one of the most attractive Alpha’s around. Was now glad Jay-la hadn’t come across him before she’d known what he was to her.

His eyes finished their sweep and then turned away from them all to open the door for a woman, Clara, he presumed. She was a striking woman, with long dark hair, two braids ran down either side of her head and joined at the back to one long plait down her back. She had those green eyes of her granddaughter, he noticed.

Nathan watched as Alpha Austin held his hand out to her and she took it to be assisted out of the car, smiled right at her Alpha, and he smiled right back. She thanked him for his hand and Nathan realised they genuinely got along with each other, could tell by the real friendly smile they gave to each other. Clara didn’t look all that much older either, maybe thirty he thought.

She, too, was dressed nicely in a knee-length dark grey knit dress that hugged her entire body. No shame for this woman, had a figure of a warrior, likely still was, he thought to himself, she was wearing black three inch stiletto’s. Was not that tall without them, perhaps five foot two, the same as Vera, he thought.

His Gamma was wearing simple black slacks and a grey dress shirt, no tie or jacket, as he walked to the back of their car to get their suitcases.

Their pack was more northern and it was likely colder up there than it was here. He didn’t seem to be bothered by the cold winter.

“Alpha Nathan, where is the Luna?” Alpha Austin asked without any hesitation as he walked up the pack-house steps.

“On her way, is attending the children on matters of wolves going into heat. Some explanation is required for them to understand our ways due to being raised in the human world.” He extended his hand to the man “It’s nice to meet you, Alpha Austin.”

“Well, that wouldn’t have been necessary if they were allowed to be raised inside the pack. Now would it?” He stepped right up to Nathan, had no qualms in stating what was on his mind. He took Nathan’s hand in a firm grip as he stepped right up on to the top step in front of Nathan and made Nathan look up at him. He was a good three inches taller than him.

Nathan had not been expecting that, not when he was six foot four himself, smelled of pure b***d. Nathan didn’t even need Havoc for that one, it was no wonder he was so big and imposing.

“You might not think that Alpha Nathan, after my visit.” He commented and released his hand, then he dismissed him and turned right to Vera, “Well now, aren’t you all grown up. I see Jodi here is still treating you well.”

“Austin, it’s good to see you too.” Vera greeted him “and yes, still spoils me rotten every day.”

“As one’s Mate should.” He nodded as he extended a hand to Jodi and greeted him just as warmly.

Nathan sighed internally, he knew that was a full dig at him, he had to let it go. Watched as Clara hugged Vera and then jodi, greeted themboth warmly, hadn’t greeted him at all, not even an introduction he noticed. She was likely unhappy with him at this moment in time.

“When will I be laying eyes on Jay-la?” Austin’s grey eyes moved right back to him.

“When she gets here, it shouldn’t be too long. She was down at the school with her Gamma and my Beta’s Mate Margaret.”

“Guarded is she?” he questioned right away.

“No, not at all.” He was not going to fall into that trap, and thankfully, with Havoc still asleep, his wolf didn’t rise to the offence it was meant to convey. “There was a concern with Jay-la’s human nanny this morning, back in L.A., the girl is my Gamma’s human Mate. We have yet to bring her in. Is stubborn, I’d say.”

“Hmm, then I will see our rooms and we’ll have coffee and then I’d like to lay eyes on Jay-la and the children. Don’t keep me waiting on that, you won’t like the outcome.”

Right to business it seemed “Of course, there is a nice coffee hub on the third floor.”

“Good and I hope you have decent coffee. I hate drip.”

Nathan nodded, “All freshly ground beans here, I assure you. Let me show you to your suites.”

Walked all of them up to the first floor and to their suites. “You can take the stairs up to the third floor or there is an elevator just past them if you like.”

“I may be old boy, but not yet in need of an elevator,” He stated as he stepped into his room and then closed the door. It was the largest one he had here on the first floor, designed for visiting Alpha’s.

Nathan sighed as he walked away with Jackson. “Not on your side at all.”

Jackson stated.

“No.” Nathan agreed. “Didn’t even matter that both her parents were with me.”

“No it didn’t.” Jackson nodded “Clara looks like Jay-la.”

“Vera looks more like her, though Jay-la got Clara’s eyes, I noticed.” He commented, and they made their way up to the third floor via the stairs. Mind-linked to Jay-la to let her know that Alpha Austin was here and expecting to lay eyes on her pronto, that they would be in the coffee hub and he’d appreciate it if she came directly to it when she was finished with Deena and the children.

Thankfully, at this hour of the morning, the coffee hub was relatively empty of his pack members, most of them were at work at 0930 and he and Jackson pulled a few tables together to accommodate those that would be joining them including the children.

“Nathan, do you want Ethan and I here at the table?”

“No, he’s not concerned about you or the boys, just Jay-la and the children.”

“Then we’ll take a seat over by Amelia then, close by as would be expected but not so intrusive or seen as needed.”

“If you like Jackson,” He nodded.

“Relax Nathan, he’ll pick up on your nerves. How’s Havoc?”

“Still asleep.”

Heard the man chuckle and saw him shake his head “Never known your beast to sleep like this.”

“No, neither have I.” Nathan agreed. “Really enjoyed mating Kora.”

“You might want to wake him up for this.”

“I’d rather not, if he gets ticked off, Alpha to Alpha it won’t go down so well. Austin being on the council likely won’t concern Havoc. We’re not allied, that will be all that matters to him.”

“Well, if things go well. We could be.” Jackson smiled at him before walking away to go and sit with Ethan, who had arrived and was sitting chatting to Amelia.

The sun was shining today at least. He stood looking out the floor to ceiling windows up here in the coffee. There was a balcony just on the other side but it was likely still too cold for the children to have them open.

He spotted them all walking this way, smiled to himself at the sight of the children, they were all wearing puffer jackets and mittens and the girls had fluffy fur-lined hoods, watched them picking up snow and throwing it at each other. Liked that they were happy to play as they walked. It seemed they were finally becoming comfortable, even Nate was out there playing with his sisters.

Moved his eyes to Jay-la herself, she was talking to Stephen and Margaret, comfortable in both their presences, she’d pulled on black jeans and a long sleeved dark red knit top this morning. She was wearing two-inch black boots, she liked her high heels, he realised. She was probably used to wearing stiletto’s every day. The red suited her, and he’d told her as much after their shower that morning.

Though she had brushed his hand away from her dressed body, “no.” she’d stated “I’m tired.”

It had made him smile, for even though she had told him no, she’d smiled a little at him. He was hoping that she was coming to understand that he wanted her. Like the idea even, she knew Havoc had not been with him, he had told her he was all tuckered out from mating Kora. It was the first time Havoc had ever been completely stated, it seemed, never before had his beast slept so very soundly or for so very long inside his mind after just Mating his Mate before.

Seems Kora was his match in that department. It could be all the adrenaline in her system all the time, but that was just a thought, only time would tell. Once they got her back to normal.

“I see you like looking at your Mate.” He heard Alpha Austin’s voice, hadn’t heard him coming, lite on his feet, it seemed.

“I love looking at her.” he commented without taking his eyes off of her, smiled as he turned to face the man a moment later, looked right at him, “my wolf is obsessed with looking at her. I’ve never actually seen him like this ever.”

“Not even with your last Mate?”

Seems this man knew a lot about him. Likely done all the research on him and the pack.

“No, he loved her. I know that..but it’s different with Jay-la and Kora.” He motioned for Alpha Austin to take a seat and asked Amelia to come take their orders.

“How?” Austin asked him after he ordered his triple espresso.

“I don’t know how to explain it. Havoc seems more settled, Jay-la walks into a room and wants to rip out of me to be with her, hold her.” shook his head “Did that the other day.” He smiled though did not mention that Kora bit him afterwards. “He also likes just sitting inside my mind and watching her, doesn’t seem to matter what she’s doing.”

“Where is your beast now?” the man’s eyes narrowed on him.

Interestingly enough, it seemed he knew that Havoc was not awake

“Sleeping, Jay-la thought it was a good idea to let our wolves out last night. They mated all night.”

“All night?”

“Mm, ten to about three.” Smiled “They are crazy about each other.”

He could hear the children running up the stairs, they were talking excitedly about having a hot chocolate with extra marsh mellows. He saw Alpha Austin turn and look at them, as they all ran across the coffee hub and over to Amelia, could see that they were happy and excited right this minute.

Watched as the three of them smiled up at Amelia and she down at them, asked them if they could wait a few minutes and they all nodded, they were standing patiently, it seemed, for their turn. They had been here before and knew her called her Amelia, he noted.

Though he didn’t know if he liked the idea of them all having sugar after yesterday’s events. He saw Jay-la smile at them as she walked towards him and Alpha Austin. Saw that Stephen was still with her, but that he was on the phone, she waved him off when he touched her arm gently to gain her attention. Was talking to one of his men that were watching Suzy.

Saw him walk off over to where Jackson and Ethan were sitting, while Vera and Clara still walked with her along with Austin’s Gamma walking. The three women were all talking together. Austin stood as she approached. He stood as well, knew that Austin was simply extending a full courtesy to the pack’s Luna, he was inside her pack. A mark of respect, more than what he himself had gotten. “Jay-la, it is good to see you are well. I’m Alpha Austin of the Winter Moon Pack.”

“Hello, Alpha Austin.” She bowed her head slightly as a mark of respect to him and his title “Thank you for extending your offer to the children and I, to come to your pack. I truly appreciated it.”

“Of course, I would extend and offer. Clara was worried about you and when I saw your state.” Shook his head “and we will get to that, then the battle between you and Nathan. I was more than concerned. Please do come and sit down, chat with me.”

“I will answer your questions, but I will not discuss that in front of my children.”

“Fair enough, probably traumatised enough, I’d say. We can talk privately later.

Nathan watched them, but did not interrupt them. The man was likely to shut him down, pull that Wolfen Council card right on him and tell him to butt out. Even here inside his own pack, he’d have to do as he was told, to a certain degree anyway.

Waited for her to sit before sitting himself. It surprised him a little that she walked over and sat next to him. He had not known if she would do so. Doing it voluntarily would show Alpha Austin she was willing to sit next to him and present herself as his Mate and Luna. He hadn’t pulled a chair out for her on purpose, he didn’t want her or Alpha Austin thinking she would feel obligated to sit next to him and pulling a chair out for her next to him would imply she was to sit next to him.

Their coffees were brought over and the children got their hot chocolates. “Should they be having sugar Jay-la?” he asked. Did not want another day like yesterday.

“They’re fine.” She snickered slightly and it gained everyone’s attention.

“My apologies.” She smiled.

“You don’t think sugar is good for them?” Alpha Austin asked him.

“You didn’t see what happened yesterday afternoon,” He

muttered.

Saw Austin raise an eyebrow “Explain.”

“T’ll let Jay-la tell you, I believe she found it highly amusing.” All eyes were on her now and she was still smiling, still found it amusing, it seemed “I warned him, not to let them have all the candy they wanted. He didn’t listen.” She shrugged “So I left him to deal with it, three vomiting children. It was very amusing, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Alpha get thrown up on before.”

He heard Austin snort amused, it seemed, also heard his entire Alpha Unit all burst out laughing at her words. He’d not told them that, not told anyone. Now they all knew. “I even asked for help, and she didn’t want to give it.” He shook his head. Now knew she was teaching him a parenting lesson, but he still would have liked the help before it got to the vomiting.

“It was your fault.” She smiled right at him, still fully amused by it, he could tell. It lit up her whole face and his heart rate doubled at seeing her look at him like that. It wasn’t often she looked at him like that. Felt Havoc wake up instantly at his sudden increase of heart rate, looked right at her himself and purred so damned loud at how happy she looked.

Nathan cleared his throat. ‘Quit it. Alpha Austin is here.’ He told Havoc.

I don’t care, look at her.’ even Havoc could see the happiness on her face. Likely feel it in some way. Liked it himself.

“It was.” Nathan nodded at her. “Even made me clean it up by myself.

Wouldn’t help with that either.”

Saw her shake her head ‘no’

Heard Clara state “Good, he’s got to learn. Looking after the children is both of your jobs now. Not just the woman’s.”

He frowned right at her, he was well aware of that, he was simply trying to get to know them still. “There are many things I will have to learn, I imagine. I’m also certain that my Luna will give me crash courses on them.”

Watched as Jay-la sipped her coffee with a full smirk, knew that was exactly what she was going to do. Just from that one look, it said it all.

But he smiled at her, at the children themselves. The girls had no issues with him and since yesterday, even Nate was smiling in his presence and talked to him. It was good, whatever she’d said to him, seemed to have resolved some of, or all of his concerns with him.

Having her talk to Nate without him there had obviously been the right choice. It was also what Nate himself wanted. Nate trusted his mother and didn’t know his father, a man who had never been around. Yet was now here all of a sudden wanting to be a father.

He liked that she was amused around Alpha Austin and his Gamma, so far their interactions in front of him were good. It was going well he thought. He sat and watched as the children did exactly what Jay-la did, with her hot chocolate, let their marshmallows melt, smiled at them, it was very cute. They were cute, he thought to himself.

“We’ll have more soon.’ Havoc told him, sounding happy Many, a whole litter.

‘Kora agrees, does she?’

‘It’ll just happen, I mated her good, I did.’ His wolf chortled softly.