CHAPTER THREE - MEEK AND SWEET

LUCEAN

PACK OF LORE

‘Customary?

‘Mate?

“How in the moon goddesses name did I ever think it was going to work Jayme?!” I roared to my Beta who sat stood atop my work desk, water dripping down his chin. He had just come to give me a status report on the recent scarcity of game in my packs outlands but I found it a great opportunity to sit him down for a lecture.

“Well, you did almost kill her father once in the past so…” Jayme said sarcastically, his brown hair sleek wet from melted snow.

I shot him a glare, one that made him reluctantly apologize.

Her face was always on mind, Valentina could be described simply as having Angelic beauty; with silver hair and beautiful grey eyes and the cute way her full lips curved when she spoke made my cock twitch whenever I looked at her lips.

“What do I do?” I asked him, slumping down to the ground and burying my face in my hands.

“Well have you tried really telling her?” He asked.

“Of course! She’s terrified of me. Who am I kidding she HATES me.”

“That’s natural. I mean what did you expect, you did attack and almost killed—”

“Almost killed her father I fucking get it!” I cut him with a low growl and I could tell he had a satisfactory smirk on his face.

“Sorry man, just have to let to know every once in a while because I told you it was a BAD IDEA!” Jayme slammed his hand against the wall, vibrating my once warm now cold of coffee I had forgotten to drink and left on my desk.

“I know it was a bad idea. But I couldn’t help it. Ever since I lost Em— ever since I lose her I could tell I was gradually losing my mind. And then I saw her, it was insane, I was a hair strand close to killing her father and the moment I saw her, I just couldn’t anymore… she robbed me off of myself and I was totally defenseless…” my voice was low but I knew Jayme could hear me.

“How ironic.” He said simply..

“I haven’t even taken my meds Jayme, the moment I held her yesterday, she was so cold the moment I held her I finally felt like myself again. All the voices that plagued my thoughts sized immediately. She’s the one Jayme!” I turned to look at my life long friend, Jereums father had lost his life in a war when we was boys, his father was the sentry commander for my packs military and once the news returned that he had lost his life my father had taken Jayme in and raised him like a son, like a third child. We had been inseparable since then.

“Then why don’t you show her how much you care!” He bent low, so we met at eye level.

“Are you kidding me man? She won’t even let me come five feet close to her. She’s lost everything, he parents, her home I’m sure I’m the last person she would want to talk to.”

Jayme rolled his eyes, the same way he’d always does whenever I doubted his plans,

“Look Lucean, that girl is terrified and you’re right of course she wouldn’t want to be here but the more you let her feel that way, the more she’s going to want to leave!”

He had a point. One I was loath to admit. I had never really imprinted on Emelia, I had simply gotten with my ex-mate for the customaries of my pack but the connection I had with our unborn child was something that has driven me to insanity the moment that bond was severed by her death. I could remember the red that clouded my vision, the anger and sorrow that clouded my mind and caused me to scythe through my own sentries. The way the world seemed like a lot less and life my own life meant nothing anymore.

But then I saw her, scared. And I imprinted on her, in the midst of all the chaos my wolf bonded with hers and then I did not want to be the one who caused her anymore pain. So I left, took off away from her pack leaving everyone confused as my sentries (the one I had not killed in my madness) took off after their Alpha.

“You’re right Jayme.” I said at last after a long silence.

“I’m always right Lucean!” He replied and I snorted at that. “Can I be dismissed now? I’ve listened to your tales of woe and I’ve given you a few therapy session so can I at least go take a cold shower now?”

A smile tugged at the covers of my lips. “Yes. Of course.” I said to him.

“Ugh, I’m gonna start charging you a minimum fee for these therapy sessions soon by the way.” Jayme said as he made for the door, his watery footprints trailing behind him.

“I can count on that.” I said back to him.

The moment he left I stood up, quickly downing the mug of coffee before running a comb through my tangled mess of hair and making for Teira’s cabin. She lived separately from the main pack house though she was my second Beta and I had to literally beg her to let Valentina stay in one of her empty rooms for the time being.

I intercepted a maid that carried a tray of what seemed to be breakfast. She handed it to me before nodding with the complimentary greeting and then turning away. Taking a short breath and knocking once with my free hand on the log door but it cracked open which meant Teira must have already gone out for leisure hunt and Valentina was… alone.

I walked down the familiar lobby of Teira’s cabin, enjoying its scent of honey and warm milk until I for the last door where I knew she had been staying. I knocked softy this time, once, twice, thrice no answer. I was about turning to leave when I heard her voice.

“Who is it?” She called from behind the door.

I cleared my throat. It’s Lucean.

After a short silence she replied. “Would you go away if I tell you to?”

And I had the perfect reply. “I’ll go away but only until you eat some food, you haven’t had a meal since yesterday.”

Another silence and I was about speaking up again when I heard the door unlock and I stepped in.

On seeing me she backed away quickly, her eyes trained on my face.

“You can set it down and leave.” Val said, her arms folded across her chest and I could see she was wearing some of Teira’s clothes, a light yellow dress that was too long for her small and delicate frame so it swished at her feet.

“I said not until you eat. I’m making sure you do that.” I said lowly, hoping to pass off as gently as I could.

“Then you’ll stand there for the rest of the day!” She said tersely, walking to the large bed and sitting on it, her eyes watching me steadily.

She must have forgotten to fold her arms cause the moment she noticed my gaze fall on the red slash on her right thumb she bunched a fistful of her dress.

“Did you… did you hurt yourself?”

“N-no!” She said immediately, not fooling anyone.

I walked to her, she stood wanting to take a step back but I moved faster and in a blur I had grabbed her tiny wrist, holding it up to my face.

It was a deep cut on her thumb, one she must have gotten the time she carelessly climbed atop the roof.

“HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN HERE?!” I asked, my anger boiling in my blood, my eyes reddening.

“I-I’m sor— don’t hurt me… please…” her voice was soft, I could feel her pulse beating fast.

The fact she thought I would hurt her saddened me. She really thought me to be a monster and nothing else.

I sighed when she won’t stop pulling away.

“Sit!” I said and though I could tell she was still nervous she did as I told her. I allowed my wolf’s eyes take over and just as I thought, little shards of the rusted metal were still in the open wound.

Teira was the medical expert but I knew a way to prevent the wound from any infections that may be caused by the rusted metal.

I did not ask for her permission before I took her thumb into my mouth, gently sucking on the injury and though she tried to avoid looking at my face, I could see from my peripheral as she watched me silently.

Gawd she was beautiful. A deity made flesh. I wanted to keep her, and at the same time I wanted her to stay out of her own free will so I hatched a plan that would get me the two things I wanted the most in life, my true mate and a child.

The two most important things the moon goddess had taken from me, I vowed to take them back.