After the encounter the night before, I felt relieved and had a good night sleep. Maybe confrontation wasn't such a bad thing, after all, it took the heaviness off my chest.
I woke up feeling more energized and enthusiastic than usual, so I took a quick shower, wore a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, then jogged down the stairs. I walked into the dining room to see that breakfast was already served and there was no one there, which was a good thing. I sat down to eat, piling sandwiches onto my plate.
"Did you sleep well?" I heard a mocking voice ask me as I bit into the delicious sandwich. I looked up to see Luna Misheal scowling at me and I momentarily forgot about the flavor bursting in my mouth.
"Luna," I said with a full mouth.
"You must be happy and free like a bird seeing how you snitched and reported us to Eric at the slightest chance you got."
I sat there silently munching on the sandwich in my mouth, afraid to take the next bite.
"Well, Layla left. She got sent back to her father. Did you know how many years and how hard I have worked to maintain peace between our pack and hers since the death of my mate? You think being Luna is some child's play? If there is as much as a war because of you, I would make sure you never live to see the end of it." she deadpanned, pure hatred for me in her eyes.
"If you threaten my mate one more time, mother, I will be forced to send you out of the pack's house." we heard Eric say from the entrance of the dining room. I looked at him relief washing over me but I couldn't say the same for Luna Misheal. She seemed mortified at his words and left quickly.
She certainly doesn't mean what she said, does she? I asked myself as Eric kissed my cheek,
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes I did, Good morning," I said, forcing a smile as I tried to pretend the threat had no effect on me.
he snorted in reply. His attention now turned to the breakfast on the table.
"This looks delicious," he said, letting his eyes roam the full table.
"Yes, it is." I said, biting into the sandwich I was still holding and moaning in satisfaction. He sat on the chair next to me and wiped food crumbs from the corner of my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb.
'Thanks." I said, smiling at him.
He gave me a warm smile before letting his eyes roam the table again as if trying to figure out what to eat. I allowed my gaze to follow his.
"I'm sorry about my mother." He said, wincing a little, and I nodded, trying to be an understanding person. Well, I was an understanding person. I know why a lot of people don't like me. It was because I was different, of no real use to them. people only like people that they can use. I mean look at my parent, at least Luna Misheal didn't hesitate to tell it to me clearly.
"I know how she feels." I said
"She has no right to treat you that way."
"My family did worse." I said, glancing at him from under my lashes to see him staring at me with disbelief. He didn't say a word and I took it as a cue to continue.
"Growing up with them, they weren't very.... Nice. Not the ideal parent." I looked at him now but his brow was arched with concern and I sighed.
"When they found out I couldn't shift, they didn't hesitate to send me away. I was an embarrassment to them. They thought I was cursed and so they sent me away to save face. I understand them from their point of view, but they were my parents…" I shrugged,
"I expected them to act differently." I said as I looked up to prevent stubborn tears from falling. Eric pulled a stray hair out of my face with his fingertips, causing me to shiver, then he stood up and kissed my forehead.
"I won't let anyone treat you like that here." He whispered and I smiled, the stubborn tears took the cue and fell, I immediately picked up my sandwich and nibbled on it pretending it wasn't a big deal. But by God, those words mean a lot to me.
Eric wiped my tears with the pad of his thumb and soon an awkward silence fills the room. I glanced at him to see him staring at me, his eyes twinkling, my face heated.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked as the blushing crept down my face to my neck. That is, if blushing does that. I don't know, but my neck was starting to heat up as red as my face and it was becoming embarrassing.
"Nothing." He said again, an amusing smile tugging on the corner of his lips.
"You should eat something."
"I should." He said, still staring at me, and my mouth dropped open as I realized, his mind was not on anything I had to say now, it was on my face… my lips?
Oh God, was he going to kiss me? Here? what if someone sees us?
He grabbed one of my sandwiches instead.
"Hey! Don't steal my food." I protested.
"Steal? I am the alpha, it all belongs to me." He mused.
"No, it doesn't! Give it back!" I countered as he took a bite from it and began to move away.
"Oh! You shouldn't have done that!" I said in a deadly tone which he raised an amusing brow at.
Soon I found myself chasing him around the extremely long table to take back my sandwich from him, abandoning the large number of sandwiches lying on the table untouched. He chuckled in delight as he jogged around the table obviously enjoying our child's play. Suddenly, the sandwich he was holding fell to the ground and he stared at it surprised, while I giggled satisfactorily, he turned around to look at me, mischief dancing in his eyes. I stopped in my tracks too.
"Don't!" I said, but his smile widened, making me back up and start to run around the table as he now began the chasing.
Realizing my short legs were no match for his and that he would catch me in a matter of time, I bolted out of the dining room and let my instincts lead me. Well, he followed, and by the time I knew it, I was heading for my room.
Just as I bolted in, I felt a pair of strong arms grab my waist, sending sparks through my entire body. I shrieked in shock before we both collapsed on my bed laughing.
Our laughter soon died down but we just laid there in silence enjoying the comfort the mate bond brought to each of us.
"You don't need to send her away from the house, you know," I said gently after a moment of silence, but he snorted in response, before pulling me closer, pushing his face into my hair, and breathing in my scent.
"I don't want you unhappy in your own home."
"My home?" I mused.
"Yes. Our home. We will raise a family here together." he said, and I smiled. I have never actually thought of that, what it would feel like to carry Eric's child and have pups of my own. My smile widened and I turned around to face him.
"What should we name our children? I was thinking Adrian if it's a boy and Mena if it's a girl." I said happily, he smiled and kissed my lips.
"I think they are beautiful names but I was hoping to have a house full of them."
"What!" my eyes went wide in shock but he didn't blink an eye.
"About a dozen pups."
"You can't be serious!" I exclaimed but he busted into laughter and I relaxed, realizing he was teasing me.
Smiling, I turned around as I snuggled close to him. He wrapped his arm around my waist in response.
I wonder what it would feel like to have children of my own running around the house. I would love and cherish them. I wouldn't let them feel abandoned or neglected or unloved as I felt with my parents.
"We should go back downstairs," Eric said, and I nodded in agreement, but none of us made a move to stand up.
"Eric?"
"Hmmm?"
"Don't you think I should start to train with the warriors?"
He stiffened.
"Why is that?"
"Since I can't shift, I should at least learn how to defend myself as the Luna of this pack."
"Protecting you is my job."
"I know..." I turned to face him again, "but you won't always be there, what if you are off fighting in some war or for a meeting and I need to protect myself or someone in the pack?" I said as I allowed my eyes to drift to his collar.
"I sent a message to someone who can help find a solution to your inability to shift." He said and I looked at him sharply, his blue eyes were fixed on mine as he continued,
"They will be here after the crowning ceremony. When we find out and solve the problem with your wolf, we might then teach you combat if you still want to learn it."
I jumped on him happily and he fell on his back to the bed as he wrapped his arms around me.
"Thank you!" I screamed as I buried my head on his shoulder, then raised my head to see him beaming before I noticed that I was awkwardly lying on top of him.
Blushing furiously, I scrambled to my feet and cleared my throat as he sat up, an amusing look finding its way to his face again.
"I'd just head back down for breakfast." I said, trying to feign seriousness even though I knew my cheeks were blazing red. I walked out of the room immediately patting my cheeks in embarrassment.
Stifling laughter, he stood up and followed me.