The Defiant Luna
Chapter 29

Nathan POV

Nathan left Jay-la with Rae-Rae at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the first floor. She’d looked right at him and he’d touched her lace gently “Everything will be okay.” He’d told her softly and felt her squeeze his hand with hers and then nod slowly

“TIl keep Stephen for a bit iFthat’s alright.’

He’d nodded “That’s a good idea” Nathan also knew that Stepben was happy to be with Jay-la, in case Suzy called her. Jay-la, perhaps how is a good time to remind Suzy about that job offer?

Saw her nod, “Ir will be her whole family, now. You realised that night. not just Suzy.

“That is five.” He smiled “Extenuating circumstances, once everyone is settled I can get them a nice place in Rotchester, nice and close by. Il that will help with bringing her here.”

He’d watched her walk off up the stairs with Rae-Rae and Stephen, after that, had stood and watched until she was closed inside Rae-Hae’s room, then sighed heavily “What a nightmare.” He muttered.

“You are not wrong about that, Nathan’ Alpha Austin commented, from just behind him. He’d kind of forgotten he was there to be honest.

“Despite my concerns, I do see signs that young Jay-la is coming around to you.”

“Thave a lot to make up for.” Nathan told him in all honesty “It will take some time, but I am working on it, apologising and trying to make her feel wanted

“Good, I’II leave her be for a while, she’s got a lot going on. I’ll take a wander around your pack if you don’t mind

“I don’t. I can have someone go with you”

“No need.” The man’s eyes moved past him. “He comes Blaine, he’Il walk with me. It’s been a while since we caught up.”

Nathan turned to see his father walking down the stairs, little Halley next to him, holding his hand.

“My goodness, you had another.” Austin chuckled

“I did,” He heard his own father laugh right back

Walked away to let them catch up, Halley likely wasn’t going to be their- last either, not with the way they were Mating all the time. He was likely to get a few more siblings over the years to come.

He’d sent Jackson, along with the pack doctor, up to Michael to patch up any wounds that needed dressing, while his wolf was still healing him. In order to make him more presentable for when Rae-Rae went to see him.

Headed for his office only to see that the Luna’s door was actually open, strolled in there out of curiosity, to find his mother sitting on the couch, with a glass of bourbon in her hand. Sighed instantly at the dejected look on her face.

“Hard liquor?” he enquired of her.

“I’ve not had a good morning” She muttered “I did hear that you had to show Rae-Rae what we are…How’d that go?” she asked as she stared into the glass and swirled it around, the ice cubes clinking together.

It didn’t exactly sound like she thought it went well, he realised.

“Not too bad. Though now she’s just upset that Michael got punished and wants to see him.” he shook his head a little “Their bond out weighed her being upset with him.”

“That is good, I suppose.” She sighed “I don’t actually take pleasure in beating any of you.”

“I know mother.” He did believe her. “But we wolves are aggressive beasts at the best of times, he broke the rules, the most important one at that.”

“Then lied, right to our faces, I didn’t even pick up on it.” caught an annoyed inflexion in her tone.

“Neither did I, or any of us in that room. Don’t blame yourself, mother.

He’s obviously much better at lying than we both know.”

“She could die. He would have known this. We do educate on such things.” She muttered “Did I raise all my children to be so stupid, none of you seem to have any common sense, until its too bloody late.

Where did I go wrong with all of you?” she was staring right at him now, her eyes were boring into his, she wanted an actual answer, it seemed.

He sighed to himself “You did not raise us wrong.”

“Are you certain? Abbey attacks a pack member and risks her unborn pup. Michael half Mark’s his hum n Mate, which could kill her and you.” she wave a hand at him “Your errors are too numerous to lay out for you.”

He felt Havoc bristle inside his mind at the intended insult to them, though he did not snarl at his mother. “How will Halley turn out, or..’

– watched her bang the glass down on the coffee table in front of her and got up.

Nathan stood and grabbed onto her. “Mum, you are a good mother. He told her and pulled her into his chest and hugged her. He heard her sigh and felt her shake her head.

“I must have gone wrong somewhere, not instilled some sort of rules or something, missed something.”

“You did not.” He told her “Havoc and I, we have our own issues, and they did not stem from you and our up bringing. But from our first Mate. So you are not at fault where we are concerned. Abbey has always been a bloody handful, her Mate needs to step up and be firm with her is all.”

“I should have smacked her just once, while she was growing up, I was too lenient on her.”

“I can see why you never did. I can’t see myself ever punishing my girls.

To bloody cute, they’re going to walk all over me.”

“Jay-la will do it.” his mother sighed, “She’s strong, that one.”

“That she is.” He nodded, “As for Michlael, none of us saw that coming and yes, of course, he would know the consequences.” He sighed heavily himself, “Not to excuse him at all, but it’s likely he got carried away, is all.”

“It’s not right

“No it’s not.” He agreed “Halley is level headed, like father is, you wont have to worry about her.”

“Thope not.”

Nathan smiled as he rubbed her back. “As for the one you got growing inside you now.”

“What?”

“Oh, come on. I can hear that little heart beat, I’m sure you’ll raise him or her perfectly.”

“Bloody Alpha senses.” She muttered.

Nathan chuckled softly “It wasn’t that, it was the no drinking and the pause after Halley’s name. Does dad know yet?”

“Yes, I woke up to him grinning at me, his ear pressed to my stomach.

The day after we got home, told ne, and I quote, “You’re growing me a son in there.” She shook her head and finally stepped back from him.

“A son huh?”

“Hmm, apparently so.” She nodded “Like saw it already, him and his-bloody foresight.”

Nathan laughed now, “Well tell that man to put it to some good use and see just how long it’s going to take us to help Jay-la.”

“I will, though he’s probably already trying. He will need to be with her to sense it out. If he can, that is. It’s a bit obscure, sometimes not really straight forward.”

“Iknow.” He nodded “Out of curiosity, how’d you get that Luna’s Communications book?”

“Every pack has one, I believe. It’s a magical book, whatever is written in it is transcribed into all the other books. For all Luna’s to use, communicate with, i guess. Though most only put important things in it. I will document our journey with Jay-la for future reference to other. packs.”

“I don’t know about that.” He frowned.

“It’s only meant for Luna’s. I think it was originally meant for important communications, but ended up being like a diary, between pack Luna’s. It doesn’t get used by all packs, some won’t use it at all. Seen nowadays as giving the enemy packs your weakness’s.”

“I can see why. It could be used that way.” He nodded.

“Son, I think it’s important for us to document this, to help others that are like Jay-la, and I imagine that there are others out there with her affliction.”

“I guess that is very likely.” He nodded “Keep her name out of it and her rank please.”

“Alright. How did it go with Havoc, Kora and the children?”

“Really well.” He smiled right at her “You should have seen them mum, riding around on us. The way Nate hugged Kora, I think he’s been waiting a long time to do that, to meet her in wolf form.” She smiled up at him “That’s good to hear. You and Jay-la?”

“Better I think. Having just me and no Havoc this morning seemed to help.”

“Again good, you might want to do that more often with her.”

“How do you suppose I do that?”

“That is a pickle son.” She chuckled then sighed “Now I want a bloody pickle,” she muttered.

“Go find a pickle.” He waved her off and headed into his office. Sat in his chair, he was getting a little brother, it seemed ‘Can play with our pup.

Havoc piped up.

‘Knock that off.’ Nathan smiled though, it was a nice idea. Halley was -even the same age as the triplets, they already had family, their age to play with.

He looked around his office, all was quiet for the moment, he didn’t really need to do anything he realised, he would take the free time and set up for his conversation tonight with Jay-la, after the children all werit to bed

He took that book upstairs along with her b***d test results, put them in the suites office and closed the door. They were all the things that he needed. Stepped out of his suite to see Jackson strolling this way.

Coming from where Michael’s room was.

“The damage?” he enquired.

“Lots of wounds, nothing life threatening for an Alpha-blooded wolf Though he’s not very talkative, shrank away from me when I walked into the room.”

“So he should. What he did was reckless, he should have completed the Mark and dealt with the fall out, rather than halt marking her and risk her running off and dying.”

“Probably thought you would kill him.”

“I’m more likely to do that now, what would be the point if he’d marked her?”

“Mm, you want to go and put the fear of Havoc into him?”

“No,” Nathan shook his head “Let Jay-la handle him, Rae-Rae might even yell and scream at him. That would be worse for him than any of us doing it. She might still threaten to leave him, she did leave him once before.”

“We can’t allow that Nathan.” Jackson frowned at him.

“I’m not going to, but I’d let him think it. That he has lost her and it was his own stupid fault.”

“Technically, twice now he’s done that.” Jackson nodded.

“Hm, I might just go and do that, it would be a good way to punish him, without actually punishing him.” he mind-linked to Jay-la’ Hi, where are you guys at?’

‘Showered and heading for food.

‘Alright, I’m going to have a word with him, could you do me a favour?’

“That depends on what it is!’

He laughed softly ‘Nothing like that. I’m going to let Michael think Rae-Rae wants to leave. And you re the one who’s talked her into staying’

– ‘Why?’

‘Punishment, without further punishment.

“Cruel.”

“You don’t approve.’

I didn’t say that, you can, I’ll play along.

‘Thanks, oh, I have got same news to impart to you.’

‘Mm.’

“Mother and father are with pup?

Stunned silence returned to him for many seconds Wow, alright’

‘She was hunting pickles in the kitchen, feel free to tease her about it.’

Heard her chuckle now, liked the sound of it, sent a shiver of pleasure through his body ‘No, I like your mother!’

He cut the mind-link and headed for Michael’s suite. It was a nice suite, 3 bedrooms and he’d furnished it in cream and dark greens. Nathan looked at his younger brother in his bed and sighed. His mother had beat the hell out of him.

“I’m sorry.” He stammered, looking up at Nathan.

“So am I, Rae Rae is leaving, doesn’t want to be here.”

“What?” he gasped “you can’t let her leave.” He was trying to get up now.

“I can’t make her stay.” Nathan stated “Jay-la is trying to convince her now.”

“Please, Nathan. You have to help me.”

“Help you..Like you helped me? After you scared Jay-la and the children. Rae-Rae left you, Michael; The first time because you lied to her or omitted the truth. That I was your brother, not because of Jay-la.

Now you’ve gone and half marked her. Bit her and she’s terrified right now. I had to do a crash course for her into our world. What we are and she is scared. Doesn’t want to be here. Is in pain from your half-assed marking of her. The bite is still open, just so you know. Not healing properly, it is red and inflamed. Your lack of control has caused your Mate to be in pain, she will stay in pain as well.”

“I can fix it.”

“Can you? and if she chooses not to let you..you do realize, you’ve essentially killed her, right?” That was the truth of the matter, he had a human mate and could have killed her, still could in fact. “You’d better start praying to Selena herself. That Jay-la can talk her around, I’m not – going to do anything to you. Until after the full moon and the outcome is truly known to us.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Jay-la has her own thoughts on your punishment, do you want to hear them?”

“Not really” His brother sighed and closed his eyes.

“Have your wolf heal your face and arms first.” Nathan told him “Jay-la will bring Rae-Rae here, if she agrees to see you.”

Saw him nod but say nothing, he knew what he’d done was wrong.

Knew the consequences of it and now would have to lay here and hope and pray Rae-Rae would still accept him and before the full moon, the sooner the better, to be honest.

That wound of hers was going to be red and inflamed and painful until he completed the process. There was no making Rae-Rae accept him, though it was in her best interest to, if she wanted to live, that was.