I sigh, leaning into him as Trent gives me a shrug. “I’ll tell you tomorrow, after the celebrations,” I promise. Landon gives me a dubious look, and I place both of my hands on his cheeks. “I promise, Landon. Tonight is supposed to be a perfect night. Let’s not ruin it.”
That causes Landon to relax, slightly. His shoulders are still tense, and his eyebrows are furrowed. But he nods.
I let out a breath and roll my eyes at Jesse and my brother. I know how this was going to go, and I am not looking forward to it.
Chapter 11
Lana
March 6, 2014
I lie down beside Landon, his strong arms wrap around me as he sleeps peacefully. I smile, staring at him as I remember the events of last night.
The Luna Ceremony was quick and wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It definitely didn’t deserve my nerves. Landon and I stood before everyone in the Pack, behind the pedestal that held the bowl, knife, and clothes. Landon’s father would have been up there with us if he hadn’t passed away. Therefore, we asked Cole to do the honors. He announced my position as Luna and my place at Landon’s side as his mate.
He then took the knife and cut Landon’s right palm, then mine. Landon and I grabbed each other’s hand, placing it above the bowl as our blood seeped down into it. Cole then recited the vows to me, which I accepted by saying yes. The vows were generic; asking if I would protect the pack and take on the responsibilities as Luna or die trying.
Afterward, we used the clothes to stop the bleeding and for the wounds to heal. The whole pack cheered, and we finished the celebration with feasting on the food that has been prepared for us.
Blondie sadly wasn’t able to join us in the festivities. After the ceremony, he took a few men and ran their patrols. Landon explained that at a day like this, we need to be extra careful. Packs will try to strike when we are not expecting it.
However, being linked with the pack now, Blondie sent me his congratulations. It made me happy that I could contact him or Jenny whenever needed.
But what really made me happy was when Landon projected me an image of me standing in front of him, dressed in my blue summer dress. It is what I wore when I first told him about being mates. It was also when he shifted into his wolf for the first time in four years. It was the first time he was able to see in four years.
As I looked at me standing in front of him, with a smile on my face, I can’t help but think I look beautiful. But why? My hair was wild, unkempt, and I wasn’t even wearing make-up. I am very plain, and there is nothing to captivate my attention. Or anyone’s for that matter.
“To me, you are the most beautiful creature in all the world. I am showing you what I saw, and you are feeling what I felt,” Landon had explained, leaning over to whisper in my ear.
As he said this, I sent him a picture of the first time I saw him. He was sitting at his desk and lifted his head to look at me. At that moment, I fell completely for him. I gave him my heart, and I rendered him to be the most attractive man alive.
The smile that came across his face was heart stopping. He has a lovely smile.
Around eleven, we decided to call it a night. We showed Trent and Jesse their rooms, and after a quick goodbye, I followed Landon to his room. This is the first time I will be in here.
The room is grand. It is twice the size of my old room. The four-post bed is a king size, with a brown and gold comforter. There are three large windows on the far wall, providing us the luxury of natural light. There are no pictures on the wall, and I wonder if it’s because he didn’t have a reason for them or if because he didn’t have any pictures when he could see.
Landon also had a desk in his room, and I walked over to see if there was any writing that he did himself.
“Jenny told me that you enjoy writing,” Landon said, following close behind me. I smiled at him. He bought me a desk so that I could write?
The fact that Landon even asked around about my passion for writing was considerate. But to act on it and buy me a desk was heart-touching.
The nerves returned at that point. I knew what was coming, and I shouldn’t be anything but excited. I couldn’t explain why I was nervous. Even now, after we marked and mated, I can’t tell you why.
But Landon was patient and gentle. He allowed us to lie in bed and talk for awhile until we somehow got wrapped up in each other’s arms. It felt so right, so perfect when his teeth grazed my neck. My heart was thumping as I sank my fingers into his hair, urging him to complete the process.
The mark wasn’t as painful as one would expect. There was a little pinch of pain, but the rest was pure ecstasy. So much so that it brought me to sinking my teeth into his neck, marking him myself. It isn’t common for females to mark their mate, but Landon didn’t seem to mind.
We fell asleep after that. It is usual for the pair to be tired after mating and transferring DNA.
Now, it is six in the morning, and I am lying awake beside Landon. He is sleeping past when he normally wakes up. I don’t have it in me to rouse him. He deserves a good night sleep.
I prop up on an elbow and look down at him. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps. His mouth is slightly open, his breathing slow and calm. I’m glad he doesn’t snore; I’m a light sleeper.
Do I snore? I hope not. There is nothing less attractive than a girl snoring.
“I can feel you staring,” Landon says, his voice husky. I blush and bury my head into his shoulder. “Good morning, angel.” He tightens his arm, bringing me closer to him, so our chests are pressed together.
“Good morning, Landon,” I say.
“You marked me,” he whispers in my ear. I pull back and smile up at him, running my fingers through his tousled hair. He opens his eyes, revealing his hazy orbs. My fingers move to his face, tracing his scars lightly.
I feel his anxiety as I do this. He wonders what I think about his scars. Do I find them ugly? Do I wish he didn’t have them? But I couldn’t think that. His scars are beautiful. They’re a part of who he is.
“You’re beautiful,” I tell him. Landon grabs my wrist and pulls away from me.
I freeze. Did I do something wrong?
“Lana, I want you to be completely honest with me.”
What?
“I am. I showed you what I think about you. I think you’re—”
“No.” Landon smiles, shaking his head. He reaches over and places his hand on my cheek. “I have something to ask you, and I want you to be completely serious with me.”
My heart stops. I know exactly what’s coming. “I promise.”
Landon is quiet for a moment before he takes a deep breath and asks, “Who’s Alpha Castor? What did he do to you?”
Before I could change my mind or tell him a lie, I tell him everything. I tell him what happened to his wife and how he took out his anger on the women of my pack. I tell him how I became his personal punching bag.
His reaction and what happened next was completely unexpected.
Chapter 12
Landon
March 6, 2014
By the time Lana finishes telling me everything that Alpha Castor had done to her, I couldn’t control the anger that was raging inside of me. I know it isn’t just my wolf that is furious. I am furious as well. What kind of person finds pleasure in beating women? I understand that his mate was killed, but that isn’t a valid reason to beat a woman. There will never be a valid reason.
As Lana sits in front of me, crying as she confesses the darkest parts of her past, all I want to do is kill the bastard. He has hurt my mate, and I will not stand for it.
I move to leave the bed, feeling my wolf take over. He shoves through my mind, urging to shift on the spot and run to the Cossitt Pack to rip Castor apart. As he gains more control, something I never would have expected happens.
Light enters my eyes. I blink a few times, trying to convince myself that it was just a glitch. But as I open my eyes. I am met with a white dresser, desk, and a door that must lead to t
he bathroom. My heart beat races, and I look over to see Lana sitting on the bed.
Her watery eyes widen as she gasps. “Landon!”
I look down to see I am, in fact, still in my human form. That’s not possible. I reach over, and I watch as my hand, my hand, touches her pale gray cheek. She leans her head into my touch, and I revel in the feeling.
“I can see you,” I whisper. She lets out a sob, grabbing hold of my hand and clutching it to her chest. How is this possible? “You’re so beautiful.”
I take my free hand and run it through her hair, watching the way it slides through my fingers and falls gracefully on her shoulders.
Seeing Lana in my wolf form is exhilarating. She is the most beautiful person on this earth. But to see her here, now, I can’t explain the feeling. To be able to see her as myself, not as an animal is unimaginable, utterly life-changing. To watch the way her cheeks blush as I run my fingers over them or the way her eyes glisten in the light when I touch her hair.
Life can never get better than this moment. I have peaked.
As my anger dissipates, so does my wolf. And once my wolf is pressed into the depths of my mind, my sight turns back to the endless dark abyss.
I feel Lana place both of her hands on my cheeks, caressing my face before she presses her lips against mine. “I love you, Landon Grey Matthews.”
Her words hang in between us, and I can’t help but take a deep breath, letting them sink in and overwhelm me. Her confession of love consumes me. I could live off her love. It’s all I need.
“I love you, Lana Marie Pierce.” I place a kiss on her lips. “And I promise you that we will stop Castor Vang. He will not hurt you ever again.”
“No, I don’t want you to fight him, Landon. He’s extremely powerful.”
I know what she says is true. The Cossitt Pack may be small, but they are strong. They’ve always had a strong line of Alphas, but that only makes it worse. A man of his strength was beating on an Omega. My Omega. And so, he will pay for hurting my mate.
“Lana, he is harming other women as well. We must save them. Think of your brother, of Jesse… We need to save them.”
Lana didn’t respond after that, and I knew I won the argument… for now.
***
Lana
Shortly after our discussion, we head down for breakfast.
I can’t help but keep thinking of Landon being able to see me. He was able to see while in human form, and I know that was the most precious gift anyone could give him.
Once we get downstairs, I see Mason and Natalie already sitting at the table.
“Morning, Luna!” Natalie says, laughing as she does so.
I shake my head, rolling my eyes as Landon leads me by my hand to our seats. He pulls out my chair and tucks it in under me. I am amazed how much his wolf has improved his sense of where everything is.
“Don’t call me that,” I say as food is placed on the table. I grab the glass of orange juice given to me and take a sip.
“This is so weird. I feel like I should be in there, helping.” I hear Jenny say. I look over to see her walk in, running a hand through her hair as she eyes the kitchen doors. Then she offers me a smile. “Sleep well?”
I blush beet red, bowing my head as she sits at the table. Mason lets out a throaty chuckle while Natalie and Jenny giggle.
“She slept like the dead. She even snores a little,” Landon says. My mouth gapes open as I stare at him in utter shock. Is he being serious? I do not snore!
“Hey!” I slap his arm. “That is not true!” I refuse to accept that I snore.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. But you do. It’s soft, though, like a little purring.” He grins at me, knowing he is effectively embarrassing me.
I drop my head into my hands and let out a groan. Please be a dream… please be a dream…
Everyone laughs around the table, and I just want the ground to swallow me whole.
“I hate you,” I grit out. Landon laughs a deep, hearty laugh.
The table grows quiet, and I look over to see Blondie staring at his best friend. He then leans over to give him a pat on the shoulder. “I haven’t heard that laugh in four years.”
Landon shrugs off his friend’s hand and shakes his head. “That’s just because you’re not funny,” Landon jokes.
Blondie’s shoulders sag a little in mock defeat before he leaps from his chair and tackles Landon to the ground.
Natalie, Jenny, and I get to our feet, watching as the two best friends tussle on the ground. Landon easily dodges his friend’s swings, causing Blondie to be surprised. Landon’s bright blue eyes glance at me for a moment before they focus on his opponent.
Blondie watches Landon before he shifts flawlessly into his wolf, giving a soft growl. Landon follows suit, and the dining area becomes cramped with the two large wolves.
“Take it outside, boys! I will not have you two ruin the furniture!” I holler, waving them outside. They listen, biting and snapping at each other as they run out the back doors to the open yard.
“What’s with all the noise?” Trent enters the room in nothing but gray sweats. I cover Natalie’s eyes and glare at my brother.
“Don’t you own a shirt?” I snap, shaking my head at him.
Trent looks down at his muscular chest and abdomen before he shrugs. “Why would I cover the Moon Goddess’s gift? Women would be very disappointed.”
I pretend to puke, making gagging noises. Trent waves me off, walking over to grab a piece of bacon from the middle of the table.
“What did I miss?” He nods to the two wolves wrestling outside.
“They’re just being themselves again,” Natalie voices, pulling away from me to exit the house to watch her brother and Blondie fight. Trent walks over and loops an arm around my shoulder.
He follows Natalie with his eyes, a small smile forming on his lips. If he weren’t a werewolf, I’d think he was a pervert. But I understand that look, that admiration.
“She’s mine,” he whispers.
Oh, my Goddess…
“Trent, you’re eight years older than her…”
His expression drops, and he nods his head. She won’t be able to recognize him as her mate until she is eighteen. However, if he marks her at sixteen, her wolf will confirm the match. But that is very unlikely to happen. Trent isn’t the selfish type. Plus, I doubt Landon will let Trent live if he does.
“Yes. And I will wait seven years until she sees me as her mate. It’ll be worth it.”
In seven years, Trent will be twenty-six, and I will be twenty-five. In seven years, his life will finally begin.
I felt bad for Trent. I mean, it’s wonderful that he found her… but he can’t be with her. Trent, the most selfless man I know, has to wait seven years to be with his mate. It just doesn’t seem fair to me.
“What will Landon think?” Trent asks.
Landon will protect Natalie until the day he dies. And so will Trent.
“He will think what I am thinking. That Natalie couldn’t have gotten a better mate,” I say, smiling up at my brother.
He nods, looking after the high-spirited girl who is cheering on her brother. This will be a long journey for my brother. He will have to leave his home behind, and that will enrage Castor.
Castor will lose a great warrior, and that alone will cause him to seek out Trent. He will rage war on whoever has taken him prisoner or has provided him shelter.
Soon, Castor will find Trent, and he will find me. Soon, there will be a battle that I fear Landon will not be strong enough to take on.
Chapter 13
Lana
March 6, 2014
After breakfast, Trent went up to his room to put a shirt on and steal a pair of Landon’s jeans. I told him it would be okay until we were able to go out and buy him clothes.
Since he is staying with the Shadow Pack, he is going to need a wardrobe. All he packed was enough clothes for one night. And since he isn’t leaving, I refuse to let Jesse trave
l back to the Cossitt Pack unprotected. She will also be unprotected without Trent against Castor’s brutality. She isn’t going back there. Castor will be here before we know it. We could use her strength.
I head to the backyard, standing next to Natalie as she screams at Landon to tear Blondie apart. This is a side of her I’ve never seen. She’s usually so peaceful and dainty, not encouraging violence.
“Landon, you are so much stronger than that flea bag. Annihilate him!” Natalie wails as the two wolves tear at each other.
“You do know that they are only playing around, right?” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. There is no winning or losing. Both of the wolves are holding equal ground, neither inflicting pain toward the other.
Natalie smiles. “Of course. But there is nothing better than seeing Mason defeated.”
I press my lips and shrug. She’s right. “Come on, baby! Take him down!” I hoot. Landon looks over at me and gives me a wolfy grin before tackling Blondie to the ground and sinking his teeth into his neck. Blondie whimpers in submission and retreat. “Woo hoo!” I clap as Natalie jumps up and down, screaming.
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Take that, Mason!” She runs over and hugs her brother while pointing at the defeated wolf.
Mason glares at Natalie and then gently jumps on her. She lies pinned underneath him, sticking her tongue out. “Don’t be a sore loser, Mason,” she chides, ruffling his hair. He shakes his head and steps off, meeting my eyes.
I arch an eyebrow at the gentleness in his eyes. Blondie was nothing but a big softy, just like my mate. I fear that may be their weakness when Castor attacks.
Landon trots over and presses his nose into the palm of my hand, rubbing his large body against my legs. I give his side a few loving pats. “Hello, my handsome man.” Landon’s wolf stands tall as if his chest is swelling with pride. He tilts his head back to look up at me.
“It’s a miracle that he can see in his wolf form,” Natalie says, now standing beside Blondie who is also watching Landon and me. He smiles, and I wonder what he is thinking.
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