The Defiant Luna
Chapter 41

Nathan POV

Nathan walked down the hallway on the top floor of Stanton and Co, heading for one Eric Stanton’s office, saw Stephen sitting outside the man’s office, and watched him stand up as their eyes met. He had not called to let them know he had landed or was on his way to them.

They had actually arrived ahead of schedule, got a nice tail wind, which allowed them to arrive 30 minutes earlier than expected. He’d called one of the warriors to find out just where they were and gone right to them.

Heard Stephen’s voice inside his mind “Aphla, I was Luna Ordered to come and get Suzy!

The man’s reaction to seeing him didn’t particularly surprise him, he was likely concerned about punishment.

Nathan ignored the comment he already knew that, wasn’t going to punish the man.

“Is Jay-la in there with Eric?” He asked, directing a hand to the closed doors with the plaque that stated Eric Stanton on it.

“Yes boss.”

He nodded and stood there himself. He knew that she wanted to do this on her own. That’s why she’d left with Stephen so that she could. He had intended to let her go into the man’s office on her own. Had been going to give her that choice she wanted

Though he would have brought her here, he would have waited downstairs in the car for her, or out in the waiting area, to give her that time with her boss on her own to resign.

Though Tim was another matter, he’d likely have wanted to be in the waiting room on that, but that was his own need, his own issues with her having a human boyfriend.

Wondered now if she had seen Tim already, but didn’t ask the question of Stephen even though he knew that man would know.

Tuned his hearing into Eric’s office and what was going on in there, to make sure she was alright, as he knew Stephen would have been doing while sitting out there, as he could tell Jackson was now doing as well. He didn’t know how long she had been in there.

Heard her state 1 hitched a ride.’

Commandeered his Jet more like it, smiled a little at the thought. To be honest, he did like that she was still doing her own thing, it showed him who she was deep down inside. But he did like the sneakiness of it, the old Jay-la shining through just a little along with the defiant Jay-la both all mixed in together.

But then frowned at Eric Stanton’s words, knew that the man had been told about her having a family emergency was the reason shed left work and had been gone for several weeks. Nathan also knew that Jay-la made this company a lot of money as well, that from what he could tell, Eric normally liked her as an employee. Eric was very unhappy with her, his words were clipped and harsh, he sounded very unhappy to Nathan. But surely that man had to deal with people quitting.

Heard that man fire her and sighed heavily, couldn’t be a nice thing to feel happen. He also knew this was the only job shed ever had, and was likely going to upset her. She was just quiet for several minutes and then told Eric she would have a check made out to him. That was more than confusing, why was she having to pay the man? If he was firing her.

He pushed the door open and stepped into the man’s office, as he heard Eric tell her she’d be paying for his time and efforts, obviously for his assistance with her case against himself. Nathan was uncaring of Eric’s secretary’s gasp ” you’re not allowed in there,” and ignored that woman.

It wasn’t likely that Jay-la actually needed to be told by Eric that he was going to bill her for his time. She should know this. He had been her lawyer. Though he was curious as to whether Eric had previously been attending her case pro-bono, until she had dropped the charges against him and decided to stay with him. Then Eric had changed his mind.

Jay-la didn’t look happy, even when he walked in the room, before her eyes landed on him, looked a little more unhappy to see him. He realized, as he informed Eric, that he would just pay it now. Took the letter to see just what he was paying for. It was an official dismissal letter with a contract breaking fee.

Even Nathan knew that was wrong, the reasons listed on it were not correct, the man was just pissed off shed dropped the charges and had decided to stay with him, instead of coming back here to Stanton and Co, this was his was of punishing her.

Wondered if one Eric Stanton was losing money, by losing her, any clients that she had brought in on her own would have the opportunity or choice to stick with her or move to another firm. He could well lose a lot of money from her leaving this company, not that Nathan himself cared at all.

Until that man took a full personal shot at him, about him being faithful this time around.

Not even Havoc, who’d been staying out of it until right this moment, liked that comment, snarled inside his mind, but didn’t surface. Nathan pulled out his phone and accessed the file he had on there that showed all of Vera’s injuries.

The ones he’d shown Lauren, were still on his phone. The incident was also now recorded on the pack’s data base, a lengthy report with Abbey’s part in it. A black mark against her name for the rest of her life.

He put that phone right down in front of Eric so he could see the reason that Jay-la had left, the extent of Vera’s wounds, which to a human would take weeks to heal those wounds. It had only taken Vera a few days to fully recover, but Eric did not know this.

Eric had attacked him personally, a full insult to his and his wolf’s character, so Nathan was going to return the favour.

Only he threatened the man’s work ethic and his company’s reputation. That dismissal letter had Eric’s signature on it, then offered to pit Jay-la herself up against him and his company, he didn’t think the man would like that at all. Would know just how good she was.

Then returned in kind, the monetary comment. Nathan knew how much Eric Stanton was worth and he was damned certain that man knew what Nathan’s net worth was in the human world. Knew it far out matched Eric’s and his law firms at that.

“Was that necessary?” Jay-la asked him, she didn’t sound at all happy about his interfering or his threats.

“Yes.” He told her, but really no it wasn’t necessary. He just wanted to take a piece of that man for the personal attack on him. If Eric had not done that, he’d likely have just walked Jay-la out of the man’s office and paid the bills and that would have been it.

Followed her to her office, he’d never actually seen it before, though he’d heard from both Jackson and Stephen it was large and nice, had a hell of a view. They were not wrong, she had a view of the city from up here. To get an office like this there had to be a promotion of some sort or she would have earned them a lot of money and it was appreciated by the company.

He knew what her annual salary was, a fixed amount by the company, and also knew she would receive a commission-type bonus from every case she worked and won on top of that. He didn’t particularly like that she was so quiet as they left the building, noticed she was taking her office chair with her. Must have bought it herself.

They left without seeing Tim and again wanted to ask her if shed seen or talked to him yet, or if shed gone right to Eric Stanton’s office. He paid the bill and could only shake his head, Eric had every single minute from not just him but all those lawyers he’d seen, standing behind her at that press conference shed held, itemised out. The man was definitely ticked off

“How did he expect you to be able to pay for this bill, if you had stayed here?”

Jay-la looked at it and shook her head. “I don’t know.” She took it from him and looked over it, frowned herself “Likely. take my commissions or part of each one until it was paid off, over however many years it took to pay it off. Sorry.” She sighed up at him.

“Don’t concern yourself with it, it’s just money.”

“A lot of money.” She sighed heavily.

“Not to me.” He shook his head, and it wasn’t her Luna Ceremony was going to cost more than that bill and he didn’t care about that, she was worth every penny he had

“For the pack, though.”

“Jay-la don’t worry about it. I assure you this is nothing to the pack, it is fine.” He tilted her chin up and looked down at her. “You sweetheart, snuck away from us.” He changed the subject, wanted to see her smile and talking about being fired, was never going to do that.

“Mm, I did. But I followed all your rules.”

“Oh, did you now?” he smiled down at her “Found yourself that tiny little loophole and squeezed on through it now, didn’t you?” he teased her a little.

Finally, got to see her smile. “Yes, I did. You need to think more about the way you put things.”

He heard both Jackson and Stephen laugh now. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what it was so I don’t walk into it once more.” He knew what it was. Just wanted to see her continue to smile, so playing with her verbally was good.

Watched as she shook her head, “No, that’s my secret. And I will listen and look for those loopholes all the time, just so you know.” She sounded fully amused to him now. He liked this side of her, liked that she could play with him like this.

“I could ask Stephen, you know?”

“You mean you could try…”

” she smiled sweetly up at him “

Perhaps, I have already ordered him as his Luna not to ever tell you.”

He laughed now “Cheeky bloody woman you are.”

She chuckled herself now.

. “So you’re really not mad

then?”

Smiled at her and leaned down to k**s her softly “No, I’m not mad.” He murmured “Though what father did when you left him in charge, is anyone’s guess. He looked mighty pleased with himself.”

Saw her smile up at him. “He agreed not to tell you I was gone if I put him in charge.”

“Ah I see, you not only plotted with the Gamma, but with the former Alpha as well.”

“Mm, I did.” She nodded.

“How’d it go, with Suzy?” he changed the subject.

“We’re still working on that.” Stephen sighed “I might have to be here a while.”

“We can stay a few days, Stephen.” Jay-la told him. “I can start packing up my apartment, while you spend time with Suzy.

“Thanks Jay-la.”

“Any time. The Luna and Alpha, should want to assist all pack members in getting their mates, part of our responsibility to keep the pack happy.” She commented as she looked right at him.

Nathan just smiled at her, she was not wrong. “Yes, we can stay for a few days. Mum and dad will watch the triplets, may I ask if you’ve spoken with Timothy yet?” it was itching him and his beast alike to know the answer to that question.

“I have.” She nodded “He’s moved on.”

“That’s an understatement,” Stephen murmured.

“What happened?” Nathan asked out of pure curiosity, though he was happy it was completely over between them now. Happy that man had moved on, it was likely the reason he had stopped calling her, had found someone else.

“He got engaged this morning.” Jay-la told him simply.

“Very suddenly,” Stephen snorted, “and that girl, just happened to be there, strolled into Tim’s office and showed Jay-la that ring she was now wearing.”

“I don’t mind, I want him to be happy.”

Nathan stared at her, he got the feeling there was more to it, something else had gone on, not that she said anything else on the subject, ‘Stephen?’ he mind-linked to his Gamma as Jay-la sat staring out the window.

We can talk about it later. It’s nothing to worry about, she honestly was fine with it, I just thought it odd. A bit of a shock was all, but all is good, I assure you.”

He let it go. “I thought that why we were all here. We could have a big dinner with Suzy and her family, let them get to know all of us a little, that perhaps we could help talk her family around over that dinner.”

“That might work” Jay-la nodded. “Though Stephen hasn’t had a moment alone with Suzy yet, how about we let them two have a nice dinner tonight and we can organise lunch or dinner with them tomorrow, when both her mother and sister are free.”

He looked at Stephen “Is that alright with you?”

“Yes, I’II talk to her when we get back.”

“Drop Jay-la and I off at her apartment. I’ve not seen it yet.

You two can go back to the hotel.”

“Yes boss.” They both stated, sounded amused. Though he thought Jackson more so than Stephen, he had inside knowledge about the possibility of Jay-la being pregnant already. He leaned over and kissed her temple, despite his father telling him to put paws on her, he had not done so.

Kora would tell them when she knew. Felt Havoc huff annoyingly inside his mind.

His beast wanted to know. Nathan, on the other hand, was happy to wait and see, he was happy just being with her.

He got out of the car and held his hand out for her to take, and smiled when she took it. Told the boys he and Jay-la would stay here the night, that they were free to do whatever they liked for the night, watched them just nod and drive away. She was perfectly safe with him. They both knew that.

Turned to go inside the building with her only to pick up a somewhat familiar scent in the breeze, turned and looked around them, didn’t see anything. No one was currently watching her building, no need she wasn’t here

“What?” Jay-la asked him, turning her attention to the street.

“It’s nothing.” He shook it off. “Don’t worry about it.” couldn’t put a name or a face to the scent he was smelling, and his memory was usually pretty good, though he did know it was wolfen and definitely female.

‘She-wolf.’ She mind-linked to him.

“Yes.’ He acknowledged “It’s nothing lets go inside.” He smiled at her, it was likely just someone he had met in another pack over the years, no one of importance.

Therefore, the scent didn’t retain an image with him.

Smiled down at her “Alone at last. Come show me yourself.

“Myself?”

“Yes, who you were out here in L.A. your style I guess. I am curious.”

“There’s not much to it.” she shrugged “I worked, I looked after the children.”

“I’m willing to bet you’ve got lots of family photos up there in your home.”

“I guess I do.” She nodded.

Walking about her apartment and looking at her things, from the dishes she had purchased to the furniture, a few framed pictures on the walls, didn’t really surprise him that they were of woodlands and forests, her wolfen side showing, did like the one that was mist-covered woods.

Got to see all the things the triplets had, their toys and the books they liked to have read to them, pictures of the triplets at the beach and the park, with not just Jay-la but Suzy, Lauren and Tony, Rae-Rae as well. Lots of family photos of her and her human family, they were close, likely as close as she was to her real family.

She looked happy in them, as did the triplets, and he wondered if she had been happy all the time, doubted it.

None of the loneliness he heard in Kora’s howl showed in any of those photos, kept that side of her away from everyone else, he realised. Hid it from all, likely even the children.

“We should have a meal with Lauren and Tony while were here Jay-la.” He told her while looking at a photo of them with her and the triplets.

“Can’t, they’re off on their annual holiday, Spain this year, believe, won’t be back until the tenth.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.” He looked at her, shed not mentioned that to him.

“Rae-Rae and I talked to them before they left. She misses them a lot.”

“So do you.” he smiled “I see how much you love them too.

She and Michael should come out here and visit them when they get back. That would be good for her.”

“It would, I think Rae Rae will want monthly visits, she is very close to them.”

“She can do that. But perhaps if it doesn’t interfere with Lauren and Tony’s work, they could come to the pack once a month and then Rae-Rae and Michael can go and see them once a month, say every two weeks a visit.”

“You would allow them in the pack monthly!”

“Of course, I would Jay-la, this will also give you time with them monthly. I want that for you, to have all your family around you. I also think they would like this, to see you and Rae-Rae plus the triplets. On a regular basis.”

“I would like that, though a part of me thinks going to them sometime would be nice too. It’s where Kora was allowed to be let out, there is a reserve behind their property.”

“I’d like that, Havoc to would like to run with Kora there as well one day.” He stated as he pushed what could only be her bedroom door open. Smiled right at her and then just snagged her and pulled her into the bedroom.

“We’re all

alone here, no children or anyone to interrupt us,” grinned right down at her “Let me rip your clothes off and spend the rest of the afternoon, pleasuring you in all the ways I know how.”

Smiled even more when she chuckled up at him “Did you miss me? I wasn’t gone all that long. A few hours.”

“Every second you were gone from me.” He touched her face gently “I miss you even when you’re in the next room.” Kissed her softly on the mouth “I really do love you Jay-la.” He smiled down at her “Maybe we could go away together, just the two of us after your Luna Ceremony. Is there anywhere you would like to go?”

Saw her shake her head ‘no’ and reached up to pull his mouth back down to hers, kissed him deeply and sighed “I like being inside the pack, so does Kora.” She murmured as he picked her up and carried her the few feet to her bed and lay her down.

“You’re all mine.”

” He smiled down at her “It’s just going to

be me and you Jay-la, our beasts can bugger off. I’m going to do all your favourite things to you. Just tell me in what order you want them.”

Saw her smile. “Now how long do you think that will last, denying them.”

He chuckled softly “Havoc will contain himself. Were in the human world, I promise it’s just you and me the whole time where out here.”

Kissed her long and deep, all slow and softly, he was going to rush nothing with her while here, take his time and show her it was all about her, was going to do everything she wanted, when she wanted it.