The Defiant Luna
Chapter 28

Jay-la POV

Jay-la was watching as the triplets got to ride around on Havoc, Tanner and Brawny, they all looked so very happy. Were all laughing and yelling for them to go faster. Looked at her mother who was now standing next to her, smiled right at her.

“Not even a week here and look at your babies, so very happy with all their family around them.”

Jay-la couldn’t deny that at all, they were so very happy right this minute, turned and looked at Rae-Rae. She still wanted to murder Michael for his stupidity. The girl was watching her children interact with Havoc and the others. Not often would one see children riding on wolves, or see wolves that were as large as that for that matter.

“Havoc was a bit on the naughty side with you.” Her mother teased her a little.

“He’s always naughty.” Jay-la chuckled.

“That’s because he not only loves Kora, but you as well.”

“I know.” And she did, she realised.

‘Jay-la, now would be a good time. Stephen mind-linked to her but she knew he’d connected to everyone out here, could feel that multi line open Rae-Rae is curious

‘Alright.’ She looked at her mother and said softly “Well, here we go.” And found all three wolves turn to look at her, took a breath in and looked at Rea-Rae, smiled at her, a full crash course it was to be. This was not the way it was supposed to happen at all, but they had no real options right this minute.

Let Kora rip right out of her in full view of Rae-Rae, then a moment later she was standing there in the snow in her silver wolf form, saw Kora look at her children, they knew that Kora was a wolf, but had never actually seen her before. Talked to her often, played with her in human form but never her wolf, due to living in the city all the time.

They were all now staring at her, both girls were biting their l*p, but Nate; she nearly laughed when she saw him kick Havoc like he was a horse to make him move forward towards Kora. Havoc didn’t seem to mind. He just trotted right on over to his Mate and let Nate climb down and stand right before her, looked right at her “Kora?” He asked and – she nudged him with her head and then he was hugged right into her.

Both his arms were around her neck “Kora.” He sighed, sounded very happy as he hugged her, got to really meet her for the first time. Then he leaned back and touched her face, Kora leaned down and put her forehead to his, he was too young for them to mind-link to, but he knew she was happy, was purring at him.

Then all the children were around her, touching her and she smooched up against all of them, gave each one of them a good lick up their little faces, making them laugh and squeal and then they ran away from her, and she was off chasing them, pouncing into the snow in front of them to make them shriek and run the other way, so much Joy coming from her wolf to be able to play with her pups in her true form, to know that they were not afraid of her or any of them.

Saw Ivy right there within the wolves as well, her mother had shifted to join in the playing, felt Havoc slide his head and body along Kora’s and she returned the gesture, then nipped him right on his tail and ran off to have him chase her Play not mate.’ Jay-la reminded Kora, and heard Nathan laugh inside her mind, Kora was allowing both Havoc and Nathan free rein inside their mind, keeping them all connected

‘He’s only playing. Nathan assured her.

We don’t need the triplets seeing that.’

No, probably not. He agreed but still seemed amused to her.

Kora settled down on the ground and Havoc sat right next to her, and they both watched on as the triplets continued to play and ride around on her family’s wolves. They were so happy, were laughing and yelling out to each other, they had the biggest fastest wolf. Kora and Havoc would be the fastest though.

Havoc settled all the way down to rest his head across Kora’s shoulders, he was purring softly at her, Kora turned her eyes to her Mate and licked his face, rubbed her head on him and then settled herself all the way to the ground, comfortable with him as always.

They allowed Rae-Rae to just stand and watch for a good half an hour to have time to adjust to what she was seeing. Mind-linked to Stephen ‘ How is she doing?’

‘A little confused, but not really scared right this moment. Was at first when you shifted, kind of freaked out a little. But is calm now. For the most part. I’d give it a few more minutes. She’s touched that bite on her neck twice now, hasn’t said anyth ng though.’

‘Alright.’

Heard Nathan’s voice inside her mind ‘She’s figuring it out, from what she heard Austin state.

– ‘Yes, is not dumb at all. My appear to be a happy bubbly eighteen year old, but is actually very intelligent. Though I have no idea what she will do with any of this information.’

Michael could have royally screwed up his own Mate Bond.’ He sighed.

‘Could have done. She acknowledged ‘He was too impatient.’

‘He’s Alpha blooded jay-la, not to excuse him at all. If mother hadn’t beat him. I would have let you or done it myself. But the need to claim one’s mate is extremely strong.

‘I don’t really care for that excuse. If I recall correctly, your mother and father did not Mark for a full month. Mated but did not Mark till the full moon at her Luna Ceremony. So there is self-control if one wants there, to be.’

‘I know the story. He chuckled ‘couldn’t keep their hands off each other, still bloody can’t even now. But yes, father kept full control of himself, as did Havoc for that matter. He did not Mark Kora in wolf form, when he could have. I was the one to Mark you, not him.

Your brother is selfish, he only wants what he wants, thinks he can have it because he is Alpha-blooded. Did he consider Rae-Rae at all? If she runs away or even rejects him, she’s likely to die, in less than a week.’

‘I’m sorry Jay-la.’ She could hear that he meant it, was sorry for how this turned out.

‘It’s not you who needs to apologise…how would I explain it, to Lauren and Tony.

‘Thonestly don’t know’ He sighed We should shift back and go and talk to her. She needs to understand all of this. She has to let Michael finish Marking her, even if she want’s to reject him so she doesn’t die.’

‘I know, and that will just make the pain even worse.’ And she knew that it would, Rae-Rae would be one of them, she would leave and her wolf would be forever lonely, out there like Kora had been. I don’t want her out there alone Nathan, she’ll have to stay here for safety and socialisation. Being alone out there is not fun, it hurts and not just the human, but the wolf as well.’

I’m sorry.’ He murmured softly.

‘He has to be the one to leave if she rejects him, not her. Rae-Rae should not be punished for something she not only didn’t do, but had no say in or even any hope of understanding the consequences. This is not her fault, she wanted to wait.

‘I know and I understand.’

‘But do you agree?’ she asked, knew this was his brother they were- talking about, talking of banishing him or having himself turk rogue, or go to another pack and not just for a little while, but forever.

He was quiet for a long time and then simply stated ‘Yes’

Havoc got up and so did Kora, they both shifted back to their human form and she looked up at him, he looked sad to her, but he leaned down and kissed her softly “We should get cloths on you, your not acclimatised yet.” He took her hand and led her back to the hospital, where they dressed. Watched him slip his jacket on without a shirt underneath and smiled.

“You kind of look good like that.” She touched his jacket and his bare chest at the same time. Liked seeing his smooth chest.

Heard him chuckle softly “I’ll wear whatever you want, anytime you want.” Then he took her hand “I’ll have Vera take the children back to the pack-house.” He told her as they headed for Rae-Rae s room.

Pushed in through the door and saw Rae-Rae turn to look at her, look from Nathan to her and frown, then shake her head your not human.”

“No, werewolf.” She told her, there was no hiding it “Nathan is my Mate.

” Moved her shirt aside so she could show her Nathan’s Mark on her neck. “When one is claimed by their Mate, they bite you and bleed their venom into you.”

Saw Rae-Rae’s frown deepen and then look at Nathan. He moved his jacket for her to see his neck. Then her eyes moved to Stephen. “No mate, I am unclaimed.” He stated.

“For now.” Jay-la told him “I will get Suzy here for you.”

Saw him nod and heard Rae-Rae state “As in your nanny?”

“Yes, she is Stephen’s human Mate.” Jay-la nodded.

“As you are Michael’s.” Nathan told her. “I’s why you’re drawn to him, you belong together.”

Watched as Rae-Rae looked from Nathan to herself and then back to Nathan, then pointed right at him “He was married before.”

“Unfortunately,” he nodded, “To be honest with you Rae-Rae, I’d really rather forget that.”

“What exactly is a Mate?” she asked.

“Your soulmate, the other half of you.” Jay-la told her and saw Rae-Rae once again look from one to the o her, she was trying to figure it out.

Jay-la stood and waited, as did everyone else in the room, including Alpha Austin, he was leaning up against the wall.

“Are you, his Mate? Or did he claim you because of the children?”

– There it was, the one pressing question out in the open, so it wasn’t only her who thought that either, though right this minute after this morning she didn’t really think it was just the children, “I am his Mate.”

“But you weren’t before?”

“No, I was not.”

“Then how does that work?” she folded her arms across her chest. “You only get one soulmate.”

“Well actually, in our world, young lady.” It was Alpha Austin, “you can have multiple mates granted to you. It’s complex at times, but those that have more than one mate, each Mate fits a particular part of you that the others don’t. My Gamma Clark, he has three Mates, got himself a set of triplets, lucky man.” He smiled amusedly.

Saw Rae-Rae frown at him now, “That is not legal.”

“It is, the women don’t sleep with each other, just with Clark. It’s a little weird to you because you don’t yet understand it. You will though, given time.”

“Each to their own I suppose.”

“Rae-Rae, we have a bigger problem than this. Michael has tried to claim you, it is not complete.”

“So.”

She heard Nathan sigh “If you don’t let him complete it before the full moon comes, in six days…you could die. I’m sorry Rae-Rae, he was not supposed to do this. This is not how it is done at all with humans.”

“What? I’m going to die?” could hear the fear and panic in her voice now.

“No.” Jay-la shook her head “You need to trust me now. Do what I say from here on in. I know you love Michael.” Saw her nod her head slowly. That was a good start.

“Then you need to let him Mark you properly.”

“You mean bite me again. He already did that.” She pointed to her neck, it was red and not healed. “It still bloody hurts.”

“and it will continue to hurt until the process is complete,” Nathan told her.

“It really hurt when he bit me, I so reamed in pain, it’s why he stopped.”

Her eyes moved right to Jay-la “Does yours still hurt?”

“It only hurts during the Marking, then once it’s complete, you’ll really want to have s*x a lot, crave him. You won’t be able to Mark him back till after the full moon though.”

– “Will I become like you?”

“Some humans don’t shift, some do. That is up to the moon goddess herself.” Nathan commented, “There is no guarantee one way or the other.”

“The who?”

“Young lady, from my experience, ninety percent of humans shift and become like us. So it is likely you will get a wolf of your own. It will be weird and a little scary for you. But it is what needs to happen.” Alpha Austin walked right over to her, tilted her face up to look at him. “You want to live, yes?”

“Yes,” she nodded

“Then you need to go back to Michael and let him bite you once more. It will be a few minutes of pain for a lifetime of happiness and pleasure from what I hear.”

“What you hear?”

“I’ve not found my Mate yet. She’s out there somewhere, I’m still waiting. You young lady are very lucky to have found your Mate so quickly. Doesn’t always happen like you and Michael. Look at Nathan and Jay-la. Pain and suffering, trauma and separation, took years for them to know, likely take a few more for her to ever completely trust him, but they do appear to be trying to work on it.”

“Do I have to do it now, and what about mum and dad?”

“You can’t tell them Rae-Rae, we have laws about humans finding out.”

“So I’m just supposed to let Michael bite me and then what? Just give up everything in my life, and be stuck here. Like I now realise Jay-la has to be here.”

Heard Nathan sigh “You don’t give up everything, Rae-Rae, we do live full lives, and once you are Marked you will feel very differently. You’ll want to stay, to be close to Michael.”

“And my family?”

“You can still see them, go and visit. They can also come here a couple times a year. We usually would try and get all the human extended family’s to visit at certain times all together, making it easier on the wolves. Not having to hide who they are all the time”

“What if I don’t like it?”

Jay-la watched as Stephen slid his hand on to her back. She was starting to get upset at losing contact with her family, and needed to calm down.

“How about we just take it one day at a time, Rae-Rae.” Jay-la – murmured “I know you love Michael, he loves you.”

“I want to talk to him.”

“That is a bit more difficult, right this very minute.” Nathan told her.

“Why? Where is he?.Did he run away?”

“No, he did not.” Jay-la stepped over to her and took her hands, had been worried that she would back away from her now she knew the truth, but she didn’t, hadn’t backed away from Alpha Austin either and Stephen had his hand on her. “But what he did is punishable by wolfen law.”

“What?” Saw her eyes go really wide. “Where is he?” all her fear gone now and only concern for Michael’s well being remained, her side of their Mate Bond was showing. Likely their bond would be strong between them.

“Mother…” Nathan looked right at Rae-Rae “I’m not going to lie to you, mother beat him, quite severely, he’ll likely need a day or two to heal.”

“What? No, I want to see him.”

Jay-la sighed as Rae-Rae pushed past her to latch on to Nathan’s arm please.” She was practically begging a man she didn’t even really like, to let him let her see his brother.

Saw his eyes move to her. “Jay-la, this will be your choice, she’s your sister.”

“Alright. Rae-Rae after you go and shower and dress, eat something for me, then you can see him.”

Saw her nod “Alright.”

Mind-link to Nathan ‘you’d better warn him she’s coming. I’ve given him an hour, tops, to heal the parts of himself that she’ll see.

‘Alright.”