Rising Moon: The Dark Wolf Chronicles, page 27
“What do you expect me to do?” Leo asked, pushing his chest. “Hit her in the middle of a ball that my entire pack has attended? How do you think that will make me look?”
“Better than this,” Xavier replied. “At least your people would see that you aren't letting a girl fuck you around.”
“As far as the pack know, I am backing this promise and I am not going to give them a reason to think otherwise. Neither will you and neither will anyone that knows me well enough to guess this was not my doing.”
Xavier flashed his eyes black as he glared at me.
“She will be your downfall if you don't sort her out. You're the Alpha. You make the decisions. Not your little bitch of a Luna that doesn't know when to shut her mouth and do as she’s told.”
I raised my eyebrows. Did he just call me a bitch?
“And I am dealing with it,” Leo said deeply, “She is my mate.”
“You're dealing with it, huh? More like letting her get away with shit like this time and time again. The hole is getting deeper, Leo. You just let her win and now you have no choice but to deliver her promise,” Xavier said. “What next?”
“How dare you-” I began, stepping closer to Xavier.
I wasn't going to stand there and let him speak about me like that.
But Leo grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, “Don't say another word, Nelda,” he growled.
“She needs putting in her place,” Xavier said, “Do it.”
He then turned around and stormed off back towards the hall. I opened my mouth but he raised his finger as he stared at the ground, shaking in fury.
“Don't fucking speak,” he said before dragging me in the same direction as Xavier went.
The rest of the ball was painful. Leo was good at acting and greeted everyone that came to us to express their gratitude for the promise with a warm smile but he gripped my hand tightly and took every opportunity to glare at me. Dancing with him was the worst. He held me close to him and completely controlled every single move. He might as well have been dragging a sack of potatoes around.
The journey home with Leo was utterly silent and uncomfortable too. Leo wouldn't even look at me and the driver knew something was up again too. He kept glancing at me in the rear-view mirror and offering me slight smiles. I appreciated that but it didn't make up for the intense anger I was receiving from Leo.
As the journey went on in silence, a sickness grew in my stomach. I didn't regret doing what I did to help those children but I hated this. I hated fighting with Leo and I hated when he was angry with me. It was horrible to feel his glare on me and listen to him shout. A part of me shrivelled and died every time and we wanted nothing more than the warmth of his gentle arms again.
When we pulled up in front of the house, the driver opened the door on Leo's side. He got out first and then deigned to turn around and take my hand as I struggled with my heels. But he didn't for a second look me in the eye and his hold on me was tight and cold. The driver nodded and smiled to me once more before he drove away leaving me alone with Leo.
We went upstairs to our room before Leo ripped off his tie and threw his jacket onto the chair.
“Nola spoke to me,” he said eventually. “She wants to go back with Alpha Raven tomorrow.”
“And...?” I said.
“She wanted us to join the rest of my family for a goodbye dinner. My mum’s cooking lasagne apparently. I’m busy but I was going to let you go. Now I’m not.”
“Leo. Are you joking?”
“Do I look like I'm joking?” he asked, turning around and looking at me for the first time in hours. “Did I look like I was fucking joking when I almost hit you earlier?!”
His face was stern and serious. Nothing but pure anger. Not even a flicker.
“I'm sorry, okay?” I said. “For challenging your authority or whatever. I didn't want to and I didn't enjoy it but I had to for the sake of those poor little kids. Hopefully, when we have our own kids, you'll understand that.”
He turned back around and scoffed.
“Challenging my authority?” he questioned as he ripped off his shirt. “You did far more than fucking challenge it.”
“You left me with no other choice!”
“You had a choice to act like a normal Luna and not blackmail your Alpha into doing what you want,” he growled. “Where do you even get the courage to defy nature?”
I laughed.
“Defy nature? Because you're a man?”
His jaw tightened and he turned around and began marching towards me.
I cowered back but not fast enough and he soon had me pinned against the wall. A shudder went down my spine as the darkness leeched from his eyes.
My heartbeat raced as I stood still, completely unable to move. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before pulling himself off me and sitting on the bed, staring at the wall and brooding.
I caught my breath and smoothed down my dress before standing in the corner for another few minutes.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” he asked eventually. “You should sleep.”
“I can't get out of this dress alone,” I said.
The way it fastened was complicated and stretched right down from my neck to lower back. I had no chance of undoing it myself.
He sighed and beckoned me over with his finger as he swung his legs onto the floor, sitting on the edge of the bed.
I stood in front of him, turned around and let him untie the fasten.
He tugged with more force than necessary, moving my entire body but it soon loosened and I could shrug it off my shoulders and slip-free.
When I turned around to pick it off the floor, I caught him staring at my body. He let out a deep sigh, and his muscle relaxed a little.
“Come here,” he said.
I dropped the dress back down to the floor and stepped between his legs as he put his hands gently on my hips.
He looked me up and down again, this time running his warm fingers along my skin before he looked me in the eye and beckoned me to crouch down.
I knelt in front of him and he put his hand behind my neck and pulled me into his lips as the other hand came onto my chest.
I opened my mouth to speak but he brought his finger to my lips.
“Do not talk,” He grumbled, before reaching for the button on his pants, “Do not fucking talk.”
He then kissed me again. I leant closer to him, his warmth against my bare skin as my knees dug into the rug. After a few moments, he pushed his hand up into my hair and bringing my head down and unzipping his pants.
I looked up at him and he smiled before putting his hand firmly under my chin and running his thumb along my lips, “It's the least you can do.”
Chapter 36
October 23rd
The next morning I woke on the opposite side of the bed to Leo. He was staring at the ceiling and didn’t turn to me even as I rolled over.
He eventually sat up before he sauntered without a word into the bathroom.
A long steamy shower later, he returned drying his hair with a towel.
“I'll take you to my parents’ house for the lasagne,” he said.
I nodded.
“So you’re not pissed off anymore?”
He held his eyes on me for a second before leaving the room and heading downstairs.
At 10 am, Leo dropped me off before heading to the base to get some work done.
“Nelda!” Elora exclaimed as I came into the living room, “You’re still alive.”
She pulled me into a tight hug.
I swallowed and glanced around at all the eyes set on me.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Elora rolled her eyes.
“We know our brother well,” she said, “He would never have agreed to the promise you made.”
Xavier was leaning against the counter, his arms folded as his lips stayed straight and thin.
“That was a bold thing to do,” Elora said, “I’m proud of you.”
“Elora,” Xavier scolded, “Defying our Alpha is not something to be proud of. I don’t want to hear you speak like that.”
Mateo rested a hand on my shoulder.
“Standing up against evil will always be something to be proud of,” he said, locking eyes with his father.
Xavier narrowed his eyes.
“Didn’t I tell you to get out of my house until you have your attitude toward this pack and its Alpha straight? Why have you stepped through that door and started this moral bullshit again, Mateo?”
Rosa sighed and rested her hands on Xavier’s chest.
“Xavier,” she said softly, “This is our last meal with Nola for a while. Please, keep the peace.”
Xavier nodded.
“No one will bring this up again. Nelda doesn’t need any encouragement.”
The meal was awkward. I sat at the end of the table with Mateo and Elora as Rosa forced conversation at the other end with Xavier and Nola.
“So…” Elora said, during a moment of silence, “That was a gorgeous dress you were wearing last night, Nelda. Where did you get it?”
Xavier dropped his fork and leant back in his chair.
“Elora,” he groaned.
“What Dad?” she asked, “It was a beautiful dress and I just want to know where it was from. I’m sure lots of women in the pack want to know too. They might even want to buy one to wear next year. You’re a trend setter, Nelda. I think this might be the start of a revolution…”
Xavier clenched his jaw.
“This is not the start of a revolution. The women in this pack are not that stupid.”
Elora held her stare, “What do you mean? It’s just a dress, isn’t it?”
Total silence fell across the table.
“Okay…” Milo said eventually, “Mom, this was delicious, but Carlo and I need to go now.”
Carlo nodded, scraping back his chair.
“Yep, we need to go and… be somewhere else.”
“Anywhere else,” Milo confirmed.
After they had filed out of the kitchen, it was just Mateo, Nola, Rosa and I watching Elora and Xavier stare at one another.
“The dress was from TJ Max,” I said quietly, “It was in the sale though so I don’t know if-”
“Stop talking, Nelda,” Xavier said, holding up his palm, “Elora and Mateo, you can both get out of this house. Say goodbye to Nola now.”
Elora was first to stand up, shortly followed by Mateo.
“Are you serious?” Mateo asked, “We’re really doing this today? Of all days?”
“Yes,” Xavier said.
Mateo muttered something beneath her breath before she joined Elora as she hugged Nola.
“I’m sorry,” Elora whispered in her ear, “I’ll see you soon.”
Nola nodded and the three of them soon left, slamming the door behind them.
A few seconds later, the door opened again and Mateo reappeared. He held my jacket in his hand and threw it at me.
“Nelda’s coming too,” he said, “I’m not leaving her with you, Dad.”
I offered Rosa a small smile before I left the table too.
“Thank you for dinner. The best lasagne I’ve ever had.”
She nodded, “Thank you, honey.”
I then turned to Nola.
“Bye, Nola. I hope you are happy with Raven.”
I followed Mateo back out the door where we met Elora on the driveway.
“We’re going to have to find somewhere else to crash tonight, Matty,” Elora said, “There’s no way in hell I’m going back there until he’s cooled off.”
“Let’s go to Alea’s,” Mateo said.
We walked through the forest toward Alea’s house. She lived with her mate not too far away and the fresh air did us all good.
“Does this happen often?” I asked.
“Xavier kicking us out?” Elora asked.
I nodded.
“It happens to me a lot,” Mateo said, “Not sure he’s ever gone as far as kicking Elora out too.”
“So you don’t get along?”
Mateo laughed.
“I’ve never got along with Dad. Not since I was a little kid.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, “Why not?”
“Because I disagree with him. And Leo and I used to be very close and he felt I was influencing Leo and getting in the way of him becoming a ‘strong’ Alpha. He was horrified when Leo picked me as Beta.”
“You disagree about how people should be treated and how a pack should be run?”
He nodded, “But I was only ever saying what mom was too afraid to say.”
“You don’t seem so close with Leo anymore. Not even as his Beta.”
He shrugged.
“We drifted apart and now he prefers to run the pack alone and I’m just his errand boy. It all started when he became Alpha.”
“When he turned into a carbon copy of Xavier in other words,” Elora muttered, “None of us have been as close with Leo since then.”
“Do you miss him?”
Elora sighed.
“It’s been so long and he’s so different now it’s hard to remember what he was like. And things will never be the same again. There’s no point pining after something you can’t have.”
Mateo frowned, “Never say never, El.”
He glanced down at me before wrapping his arm around my shoulder.
“I have hope.”
Chapter 37
October 23rd
That evening after Nola had left with Raven, Leo picked me up from Alea’s house and drove me home.
“So you had a pleasant meal with my family I hear?” he asked as he sat down opposite me at the dining table.
I pursed my lips.
“Yeah… real nice.”
“Mateo and Elora have never known when to keep their mouths shuts,” he muttered, “I’m sure you guys all get along quite nicely.”
“How does it feel that I’ve recruited two of your siblings onto my side?” I asked, “Including your favourite brother?”
Leo gave me a sarcastic smile.
“Milo and Carlo are my favourite brothers. They don’t get in my way or encourage my mate against me.”
I shrugged.
“I’m sure I can recruit them too.”
With that he got up and sauntered into the kitchen.
“I'm not here tonight,” he said, “I have to go down to the southern territory.”
“Good,” I said sharpy, “Who gets the honour babysitting me?”
“Max.”
I snapped my head up in disbelief to look at his face. It was deadly serious.
“Leo-”
“Luca is busy and I am too pissed off at Mateo,” Leo replied with a shrug.
I stared into his eyes and he stared straight back. A slight smirk crept onto his lips and his eyes glinted.
“You can't leave me with him,” I said slowly and surely.
“I can and I will,” he replied. “You said you sorted your shit out, didn’t you?”
“I never said I liked him!”
“Well, he is one of my trusted men. You not liking him is not my issue.”
“What about Milo and Carlo?”
He shrugged.
“In theory, I could ask them but think of this as a punishment for what you did at the ball.”
I glared at him before folding my arms.
“What? You thought that giving me head last night would make me forgive?” he asked with a laugh. “It was great but it doesn't make up for the trouble you've caused me, sweetheart.”
“This is so immature,” I grumbled.
“So is your clash with Max. Take this as an opportunity to bond,” Leo replied. “Nothing more important than family, remember?”
“Leo, we hate each other,” I hissed.
Just then, the doorbell rang and Leo's face lit up, “Not my problem.”
“Fuck you,” I cursed before marching upstairs.
“Good evening, Alpha,” Max's bitter voice said once Leo had opened the door.
“Max,” Leo greeted as I stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the front door.
“Hi Nelda,” Max said with a moulded smile.
I refused to respond and only stared back at Leo.
“Nelda, come down here,” Leo said.
“Why?” I questioned.
“Because I told you to. Is there any need for another reason?”
I refused to move.
“I will come up there and get you. Do you really want a fight right now? You know who will fucking win.”
I unfolded my arms and slowly sloped down the stairs with the best scowl I could compose.
“I'll be back tomorrow evening,” he said, kissing my forehead, “Be good.”
I didn’t smile or even give him the satisfaction of eye contact so he left with nothing more.
Max’s smile fell the second the door shut.
“Next time I ask you for a dance in front of the Alpha, you will fucking give me one,” he hissed, “You will not make him distrust me.”
I raised my eyebrow, “Why not?”
“Because I’ve done some research on my other little cousin. Conall Rivers isn’t it? He lives at 59 Clifford’s road Kellington, right?”
I bit my lip.
“Now you’re threatening my brother?”
He smiled, “Say or do anything that threatens my position in Stella and I will kill him. Is that clear?”
“You're full of shit, Max. You wouldn’t do that. Leo would kill you.”
Max laughed.
“Would he? Or would he just be glad that someone did the job for him? I hear he’s a pain in the ass too? And the Alpha doesn’t give a shit how you feel.”
My face dropped and he only grinned more.
“You know I’m right. So what's it to be, love?”
Digging my nails into my palms, I took a deep breath.
“If you promise to leave Conall alone, I won't tell Leo anything.”
Max nodded.
“I knew you would comply,” he said with a wink. “See you in a bit, cuz.”
I spent the next few hours in the library. I read a book and half before getting pretty bored with the second one and hungry.
