Chapter 22
Lana
March 13, 2014
After successfully talking Macklin Calhon into aiding our crusade (I’ve always wanted to say that), we all head back home.
Landon gave me the cold shoulder the entire way home. He was angry that I left our pack Alpha-less to go save him. I understood, it was reckless and stupid of me to do such a thing. I didn’t even appoint someone in control when we left.
But honestly, at that time, all I cared about was making sure Landon, Blondie, and my brother were safe. Without them, I don’t believe I’d be able to run the pack anyways. I’d be demoted, maybe kicked out for being too weak without Landon by my side. I’m irrational without him.
Jenny has been having an inner monolog about how completely insane I was, only to ask for my forgiveness. She blamed herself for my injuries; that she wasn’t doing her duty as a Luna’s Guard. I told her to be reasonable. She had her own hide to save.
When we reach the house, I go straight to the bedroom, exhausted and filthy. All I want is a cold shower. I look in the mirror of the bathroom, wincing at the bite mark on my neck. It’s already healing, but it’s still red and irritated.
Discarding the shirt that the Prowler Pack gave me, I step into the shower, turning on the cold water to cascade down onto my shoulders. I hunch a little at the force, letting out a soft moan. The cold feels good on my sore muscles. I make the shower short, scrubbing my body and lightly shampooing my hair. Afterward, I dry off with a plush towel and head over to the sink to brush my hair.
Landon enters, wearing flannel pajama pants. I take him in, staring at his exposed chest. He is a man that rivals the Greek gods. He is a true beauty. His hazy blue eyes settle on me even though they don’t see me. He always knows where I am.
Landon stands behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and hands settling on my stomach. I lean back against him, dropping my head on his shoulder.
“You were careless today, Lana,” he says. I don’t respond, only enjoy the comfort of his embrace. “Did you even think of your own safety?” he whispers into my ear, placing a kiss on the side of my neck.
I watch us in the mirror, noticing how plain I look beside him. Landon is extremely tan while I am pale. His dark hair has a soft curl to it while mine is as straight as a board.
I turn around, looping my arms around his neck, grabbing gently at his hair. “Honestly, all I thought about was you.” Landon’s eyebrows crease, a frown on his lips. “I can’t manage without you. The mere thought of it terrifies me. I had to make sure you were okay.”
“Lana, it’s my job to make sure you’re okay. I protect you.”
I place a kiss on his lips. “We protect each other,” I state.
Landon nods his head in agreement, bending down to grab my hips. I let out a soft gasp as he hoists me up and wraps my legs around his waist. I dip my head slightly to capture our lips into a passionate kiss as he walks us into our bedroom, setting us down on the plush mattress.
I smile against his lips, hiking a leg around his hip as he grabs my towel and rips it away from my body.
I hook my thumbs at the waistline of his pants, shoving them down a few inches until he finishes the job. Landon grabs my waist, rolling us over, so I am on top, straddling him.
A knock comes from the door, causing me to gasp and roll off Landon. I throw myself under the blanket, making sure I am covered while Landon gets to his feet, pulling on his pants. He opens the door with an irritated grunt. “What, Natalie?”
“Be nice.” I shoot at Landon.
Natalie walks into the room, sliding past her brother. “You’re naked,” she points out to me. My cheeks burn with embarrassment.
“Natalie!” Landon scolds.
“Sorry. Anyways, I came up with the wonderful idea of getting out of the house and going to a drive-in,” she says, clapping her hands. “So get dressed, we’re leaving in about five minutes.” She exits, causing me to throw a look at Landon before I remember he can’t see it.
“Well, I hear sex at a drive-in is great,” Landon says. I chuck a pillow at him, hitting him in the chest. He chuckles, walking over to place a sweet kiss on my forehead. “That’s what I hear,” he says, heading to the closet to change his pants and put on a shirt. I follow after him, grabbing one of his black t-shirts and one of my jean shorts.
Landon’s left hand grabs my right bicep, pulling me into his chest. He ducks his head down to the juncture of my neck and inhales.
“I love when you wear my clothes. I just can’t wait to take them off you,” he says.
I arch an eyebrow. Why is he so lustful all of a sudden? “I take it you’re no longer mad at me.”
Landon steps back, his eyebrows creased together. “I was never mad at you, just slightly disappointed.”
Ouch, that hurts worse. I’d rather him be mad at me any day than disappointed. “I know I haven’t been doing a good job as Luna. But it’s a big step, going from Omega to Alpha.”
Landon shakes his head. “That’s not what I was referring to. I was disappointed in myself for not believing in your strength. I underestimated you, and I think you do, too.”
I don’t understand what he means. How could I underestimate myself? Wouldn’t I know what I am capable of?
“You say you’re not a good Luna. Lana, you just bartered with Macklin Calhon. He’s a dangerous man. And let’s not forget the fact that you stormed into that fight with Jenny and Jesse at your side, fearless.” Landon cups my cheeks with his hands, rubbing his thumbs over my cheekbones. “Lana, I couldn’t have asked for a better mate or Luna,” he says, a smile playing on his lips before he gives me a soft kiss.
I feel my heart race at what he says. No one has ever said anything like that to me before. He sees this power I hold, and unlike many other male wolves, he is proud of it. This is how I know Landon and I are perfect for each other. We glorify in each other’s accomplishments. We don’t envy each other or pity the other. We are a team.
“You’re wrong, you know,” I whisper.
“How?”
“When I saw you bloodied and weak, I was scared that you would never see me again. That the last time you saw me was with tear-streaked eyes and messy hair.” I place my hand on his right cheek, stroking his scars. “I was afraid that I didn’t get to tell you just how much I love you and how much you mean to me.”
Landon’s arms wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. “I know, baby. I know.” He captures my mouth in a toe-curling kiss, his tongue dominating mine as his hands grip my hips in an almost painful manner. “Forget the Drive—”
“Let’s go!” Natalie squeals from downstairs.
I step back, panting from the kiss we just shared.
“She needs you, Landon. She needs her brother, and I need mine.” I place a kiss on his cheek, smiling. “It’ll be fun.”
“So is that a yes?” Landon asks as we exit the bedroom, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
I look up at him with confusion. “Yes to what?”
“Drive-in sex.”
I laugh.
***
We take two cars to the drive-in. Landon, Natalie, Trent, and I drive in a black Audi S5 Convertible. Blondie, Jesse, Jenny, and Sarah take a dark blue Chevy Silverado. Landon really wanted to take the truck; he wanted to lie down in the bed. I was able to convince him to take the Audi. Audis are my dream cars, and we never get to drive it to places.
We park beside each other though further in the back because of the truck. Trent and Natalie ditch us to get in the bed of the truck with Jesse, Mason, and Sarah. Jenny hops into the back of the Audi, and I feel bad that she hasn’t found her mate yet.
Having your mate makes everything different. Every experience is amplified because it is seldom that one is in a bad mood with their mate. We’re happier. And I know she feels like the third wheel.
We sit at the drive-in for an hour before it gets dark. We had stopped along the way and purchased sn
acks and drinks for the movies.
Landon is sipping on a beer nonchalantly. I find myself staring at him. I’ve never seen him drink alcohol before. But with the way he is holding the bottle, the neck of the body placed between his pointer and middle finger, I can tell he’s had his share of beers. He chugs it like a pro, and I watch as it has no effect on him.
“I’ve built up quite a tolerance,” he tells me, sipping his third beer. I frown as he drinks it as if it were water. He doesn’t have a drinking problem… As I’ve said, I’ve never seen him drink.
I reach over and grab the bottle from his hand.
He looks over at me with confusion. “What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” I respond.
“Drinking,” he says, pointing to the beer in my hand. “Which is still illegal to you, so give me.” He snatches it back, taking another swig.
I cast a look back at Jenny, and I realize she has the same horrific look on her face. She shakes her head.
The accident. She then pointed to her left eye.
I turn back to Landon. “Do you have a drinking problem?” I ask. Landon seems offended, looking over at Jenny with a scowl. I grab his chin and direct his attention to me. “Do you have a drinking problem?” I ask again, grabbing the beer from his hand.
“I-I did after my accident. But not anymore. I’m just drinking…” he says, reaching for the beer. I glare at him. “Baby, I promise you I don’t have a habit or problem. I am finally on a night out where there isn’t some sort of problem presenting itself. I know it must be scary. This is the first time you’ve seen me drink. But being a werewolf means our tolerance is really high. It’s hard to get drunk. You’ll see soon.” He leans over and places a kiss on my forehead.
I stare at him for a moment, looking at how focused his eyes are, which are glowing blue. There isn’t a bead of sweat to be seen on his forehead, and his heart rate is steady. All signs of being drunk are void. I nod my head and hand him the beer. He takes the bottle and then dumps it over the side of the car. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did. Even though I’m not lying, you are uncomfortable. So, I will not drink anymore tonight.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I know Landon wouldn’t lie to me about that, but it still makes me feel better knowing he’d quit for the rest of the night.
I lean over and place my head on his shoulder, hugging his arm to my chest. “I love you, Landon.”
He places a kiss on the top of my head. “I love you too, baby.”
Chapter 23
Lana
March 14, 2014
I stare up at the ceiling, listening to Landon’s breathing as he sleeps peacefully beside me. The wind blows softly against the window panes, the trees brushing along the side of the house. The sun is barely peeking through the blinds. I hear morning patrol. They’re goofing off by the sounds of their growls and barks.
We didn’t get home from the drive-in until two in the morning. Sarah and Natalie crashed after the first movie. I was ready to go home. However, Jenny, Mason, and Jesse wanted to stay. I felt bad for Landon, not being able to see the movie through his own eyes. The whole time, I projected the movie into his mind, but I knew it wasn’t the same and it was exhausting for him to organize the thoughts. Landon crashed right when we got home and has been sleeping since. I wonder why he is always so tired. He never sleeps past six, and it’s reaching eight.
I look over at Landon, smiling at how peaceful he is. I roll over and place my head on his chest, draping an arm over his taunt stomach. Landon lets out a soft sound of protest before he wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him.
“Mae,” Landon murmurs.
I pull my eyebrows together. Who is this “Mae?” I know Landon, and I know I had no reason to be jealous. He wouldn’t cheat on me.
“We name our first child Mae,” he whispers, turning his head to place a kiss on my forehead. I feel a smile tug on my lips at his words. Landon tucks my head under his chin, remaining in between sleeping and waking up.
“We do?”
“Hmm. I just had the best dream—you, me, Mae, sitting around the kitchen table and bickering with Trent and Mason.”
I close my eyes, letting his dream seep into my mind.
I sit in my normal seat at the kitchen table with Landon at the head. Mae sits in my lap, her honey blonde hair reaching her mid-back. I comb my fingers through it, smiling over at Landon as he watches us with blue eyes.
He almost always has his wolf present now. He tells me, “I will not miss a moment of Mae’s life. One day, she will be eighteen with a mate of her own and will no longer be our baby girl.”
Trent and Blondie are sitting, arm wrestling, playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, trying to figure out who is Mae’s Godfather.
When Mae was born, we appointed Jesse, the godmother, and Mason, the godfather. Jenny is considered her aunt, and even though Trent is her uncle, he wants to be her godfather. For the reason, I do not know. But they have been fighting for the past two years, trying to figure it out.
Landon and I are sticking with Mason, but we decide not to tell them. We enjoy watching them fuss. Plus, it amuses Mae.
“Mommy, where is Auntie Natalie?” Mae asks. Natalie is Mae’s favorite. Natalie just turned nineteen, having been with Trent for a year now.
“Right here, you little monster!” Natalie comes from the kitchen, snatching Mae from my lap. My daughter squeals with delight and I smile over at Landon.
I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect life.
I feel a tear roll down my cheek as the dream comes to an end. I nod my head as Landon wipes my cheek. “Mae is a beautiful name,” I whisper, reaching up to place a kiss on his lips.
Even though in the dream we wait a few years for a child, Mae is a perfect name. In the dream, we don’t have Mae for a few more years, but I am planning on having a child as soon as this war is over.
“And she looks like you,” Landon says with pride. I roll my eyes, shifting to straddle his waist. Landon places his hands on my hips. “No need to seduce me,” he says with a smirk on his lips.
“Hmm. Coming from the guy who was obsessed with the idea of drive-in sex,” I say, giving him a peck on the lips.
Landon chuckles. “We never got the chance to try it out.” Landon’s arms wrap around me tightly, pressing me against his chest.
“Well, I guess we’ll just have to go back.”
***
Landon and I make it downstairs around nine-thirty.
Jesse and Jenny are sitting at the kitchen table, chatting mindlessly. Landon gives me a kiss on the top of my head, and we make our way into the kitchen where I prepare our breakfast since we missed our calling. Meggy usually has breakfast set and ready at five-thirty. If you’re not there to eat it, you have to make your own.
“I am going to marry you because we will survive this war and we will be happy. Just like the dream, I promise you, Lana. You will be my wife as I will be your husband,” Landon declares.
I bite my bottom lip, trying to contain all my happiness. I want to scream, to let all this joy I have inside out. “I will hold you to that, Alpha,” I say, reaching up to run my hand through his hair.
But in a split second, his expression changes from elation to rage. He grabs my wrist, holding it in a vice grip as he lets out a low growl. I stare wide eyed as the back door is yet again thrown open.
Trent stands there, panting. Landon turns his head to the side, eyes flashing bright blue as Trent says, “We’re under attack.”
Chapter 24
Lana
March 14, 2014
“Trent, gather all the fighters. Zane, contact the Rose Pack. Mason, contact the Prowler Pack,” Landon orders, storming out of the house. It is havoc within the pack. Everyone is running around, preparing to fight while saying their goodbyes to loved ones. I am all disoriented, doing the only thing that is sane to me- staying close to Landon. “Lana, grab Natalie and make ha
ste to the cabin—”
I snap out of my trance. “No.”
Everyone freezes for a moment, looking over at me. Landon gives out a growl, causing them to proceed with the orders he had given. Landon walks over, grabbing onto my arm. “I will not argue with you, Lana—”
“Good! So, don’t. I will not abandon you or our pack at the time of need.”
“You will not put yourself in that kind of danger! You need to be alive for the women and the children.”
“I will not live a life without you!”
Landon grabs both of my arms, pushing me in the direction of Natalie’s bedroom. I hit his chest with my fists, letting out screams of anger.
“You’re acting like a child!”
“I will not leave you. I will not let our last moment of us together be saying goodbye like this!” I protest.
“It won’t be,” Landon says. I still my fighting, looking up at him with hard eyes.
“Promise me. Promise me right now that you will return to me.” Landon just stares at me, and I give his chest a hard shove, pushing him back a step. “You can’t.”
Jesse and Jenny run up beside us, looking frantic. “Everyone is ready,” Jenny says.
Landon’s eyes shift from fierce to pleading. “Lana, please.”
“We live together or die together.” I reach up and grab his face in my hands. “That is my only option. I go where you go.”
Landon doesn’t look pleased with my answer, but we have run out of time. He leans down and places a strong kiss on my lips. “Don’t you dare die.” He growls.
“Back at you, Alpha.”
Landon turns and runs to our assembled pack. “I am so sorry, my family. I have promised to keep you safe and have failed. I do not deserve your loyalty, but I am proud to have it. I am blessed to have all of you as my pack, and if this is to be our end, then I am privileged to die amongst such brave warriors.”
Landon then shifts to his wolf, and everyone follows suit. I run up to be beside him. Jenny takes her place to my right, taking up her position of the Luna Guard. I look over at her, proud to have her as a friend. Jesse is behind me, and Trent is with Mason on Landon’s left.
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