"Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong." -Leo Buscaglia This chapter answers one of your questions that had been brought up in a comment in a prior chapter. I promise, I have an answers for everything I have thought of at least. I love reading the comments because it makes me excited for the chapter that will answer or solve what you all have expressed. =]
Lucy: I have to reel my thoughts back in, as many ideas and notions are starting to arise within me."To be fair, I didn't recite anything like you normally would when I marked Leon's wrist. I'm surprised it left a marking at all," I explain, puzzling everyone at the table."It could be because I didn't swear you into the pack traditionally. You never rejected your old pack, did you, Lucy?" Leander asks."Was I supposed to?" I ask, genuinely confused."Hmmm, this is all very different than anything I have experienced before. If they feel comfortable letting you mark their wrist to help with their healing process, I'm okay with that, Lucy," Leander says."When can we have a marking and mating ceremony? Can we just do the Luna ceremony at the same time?" Leon asks.I can't even comment or react before Liam's chair screeches on the ground, causing me to finally look in his direction.I had been avoiding him entirely the best I could."Wait!" I say quickly.Leon walks over and picks me up
Lucy:I want to be the person strong enough to tell him no, but the bond is pulling me into him like a curse I can't get rid of.I don't have time to respond, though, before Leon pipes up."Haven't you done enough, brother?" Leon says, grabbing my hand and pulling me up to stand next to him.Liam frowns and looks at the table, breaking my heart for him even if he doesn't deserve as much from me right now."Come on," Leon says, tugging me by the hand after Liam didn't say anything in response.I feel torn between Leon and Liam in a way that hurts my soul. Liam had said cruel things to and about me, yet the bond wanted me to comfort him. He suddenly looked so sad.I let Leon drag me out. I feel depleted.To be considered sloppy seconds was one of the most heartbreaking things he could have possibly said to me.Although he referred to me as Leon's seconds, if he knew how many had me before him, he surely wouldn't want me then.Maybe it was all for the best.Now that I'm in the fresh air
Lucy:Leon is not a fan of this idea but he doesn't continue to argue."Be up by sunrise. I'll meet you in the training field before the other warriors get there," Liam says curtly before turning and going to his room.The atmosphere was tingling with the uncertainty I held in my heart.Sybil walks over to me and gives me a gentle hug."It will all work out, Lucy," she says before grabbing Leander's hand and retiring to their room for the night."It's only for a few days. Once the festival is over and the challenge is finished, it sounds like we can finally mark each other," I smile at Leon.He is visibly upset. I don't blame him. This has been the longest day in history.I didn't want Leon and Liam to be at odds with each other. Especially not because of me. What Sybil and Leander had said about Liam and Leon's bond made me feel like I was ripping apart two people who needed each other more than they needed me.They were born with a bond that most people only found if they were fated
Lucy: Liam's next attack, same thing. Over and over again, I'm dodging him.Playing with him like a toy. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was having fun doing this.'How are you moving so quickly?' Nia asks.'I thought you were giving me your strength and agility?' I say, now confused.'Nope,' she laughs."What the hell, Lucy! How do you have vampire-like speed?" Liam says he actually looks pissed off. He can't seem to land a single attack on me.I had never tried to dodge an attack this way before. With Seth, I wanted to learn; with Liam, I just wanted to get away from him."Wait, Vampires are real?" I ask, finally stopping from bouncing back and forth on my toes."Are you serious?" He says, with his hands on his knees now, catching his breath.'How are you not tired?' Nia asks.She's right. I'm hardly out of breath. "Lucy, you really need to spend a few days in the library. Leon is going to have his hands full with you," he responds, shaking his head.Maybe it wasn't inten
Lucy:She leaned down and gave him the wettest, slobbery lick across his face before backing off of him and trotting over to Leon.She started licking the blood from his lip. He starts laughing."Thank you, Nia," he says, lifting himself into a sitting position.Nia is enjoying his attention, soaking in his touch as he starts petting her fur."Holy shit, no wonder your mom never wanted you to shift in front of anyone. You're obviously no ordinary werewolf either," Seth says, now walking over.Nia is purring at the compliment. She desperately needed to feel this kind of attention after yesterday."May I?" Seth asks, holding out his hand.Nia turned her snout and rubbed her wet nose against his hand, letting him know it was okay.We liked it when people asked permission. Seth was always so intuitive; I can feel how much Nia appreciates this about him right now."Your eyes are kind of scary," Seth comments, making me laugh.'We get that a lot, don't we?' I giggle.'Good, everyone should
LIAM:'You're an idiot. I can't believe how much you've messed everything up,' Bo shouts in my head.Lucy's wolf is beautiful. We knew this the first time we saw her shift, but this time, it's different.'Her name is Nia, you'd know that if you weren't a dumbass,' Bo says.He is pissed at me for everything I did and said. While I do understand where he is coming from, I wish he could empathize with me just a tiny bit.Nia's howl rips through my soul. Bo is howling in my head with her. They don't want to let this bond go, but I know that I'm doing what's best for us and the pack.Every part of me wanted to chase after her, mark her, and make her mine, but I didn't see a way for that to happen."You're lucky you're dealing with Leon and not me. I'd have you packing," I hiss at Seth as we stand there waiting for Lucy and Leon to get back.He frowns at me and doesn't say anything.'You've lost your mind, Liam. What is wrong with you?' Bo pleads.I don't respond. I have nothing to say. No
LUCY:My heart skipped a beat the way Liam kept referring to me as the future Luna.I couldn't lie to myself anymore; I liked that he was sticking up for me and, more importantly, sticking up for the Omega rank in general.I wasn't an Omega, but I knew a few of the warriors on the grounds were. Savina was being stuck up for no good reason."Can I hold you?" Leon asks after kissing my forehead."Uh, I can walk. That will be weird," I say, raising my eyebrow at him for his request."It would help me," he whispers.'He's not showing it, but he is nervous about talking with Seth and Liam. Your scent will calm him down. Let him,' Nia comments.I look over at Liam and Seth before looking back at Leon. I shouldn't feel so weird doing this in front of the other two, but I kind of do."Okay," I say, shrugging.He leans down, grabbing my hips. I quickly wrap my legs around his mid and my arms around his neck.Seth and Liam walk ahead of us. He lets me slide down him a bit so my head can rest on
LUCY:"I will need all of you to hold my hands," I explain, moving over to squish their beds closer.They're hesitant but surprisingly curious, so they scootch to the edges of their beds to reach me in the middle."I want to warn you, I'm going to show you something, and there is some nudity," I say, with my cheeks turning pink.I didn't exactly want to show them this; it was a very intimate memory for Leon and me, but I needed them to trust me.I reach out both arms, allowing them to clasp their hands in mine while the middle girl looks at me."You can hold one or both," I tell her. She reaches out and grabs one hand on top of the other girls. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, focusing on the memory that I want to share with them.I've never done this before, so I'm going on instinct and praying that it works.It's the strangest experience, which is saying a lot to me at this point.I can feel them all collectively in my position as Leon starts pulling me out of my rage. The fla
LUCY:As I was thinking about what I had said to Liam at the waterfall, I realized that the truth had only become apparent to me after I said it out loud.This acknowledgment started to make me nervous.Tricia is fidgeting nervously next to Sybil. "Sybil, you didn't answer Lucy's previous question. Who do we say our truths to?" Trish pipes us again before Sybil can answer my second question.We were both eager to understand the rituals of this pack.I know I need to get Tricia alone so we can talk; something is definitely up with her.Tricia is looking at Sybil with desperate eyes, waiting for her to answer her question."There is no science to it all, sweetie," Sybil responds, making Tricia's face fall. She was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of sharing secrets, and I couldn't blame her; I had felt that way for so many years."It's like magic, really. It was how I was able to open my heart fully to Leander," Sybil says, in a dream-like state.She looks off into space for a whil
LUCY:"What was that about in the dungeon? You seemed scared after we left," Trish asks as we head back to the packhouse.I wasn't sure how to explain to her what I saw, so I shrugged it off. "Mom calls it Dragon Eyes," Trish responds at random.I stop in my tracks and look at her. What is she referring to? The way my eyes shift?"Your mom could never do that, or at least I had never seen her do it. I was curious, and when I mentioned it to my mom, she said it's been many years since a Fae was gifted with that kind of magic," Trish smiles, looping her arm through mine as we continue walking.We were walking back from visiting the hospital. The girls were in high spirits. They loved the clothes that Liam had picked out. He really had the best taste. I was glad he was there to finish up their shopping because it really wasn't my thing.Tricia was excited about their marks but hadn't said much, which didn't surprise me as the girls were present, and Trish was very kept to herself abou
LUCY:As we get to the dungeon doors, I can't help but smile once again.I look up at the guards, who, based on their expressions, know exactly who I am now.It's not their fault they dragged me here at one point. They were only following orders.Once they bow their heads at me, the bratty waitress finally realizes I'm behind her."Ugh! You!" Fern rolls her eyes at me before turning around to face the guards again."Why can't she have visitors!?" she screams at the guards, who look at me for help."You'll see her tomorrow, Fern," I say calmly.I had no idea why my magic was in a key, but once it was within me, I felt just a little bit more at home. A strength had settled in me that felt like it was always mine.It was familiar, and I welcomed it."She isn't Luna yet. She doesn't get special privileges," Fern says, glaring back at me."If Alpha doesn't want visitors, then I suggest you listen," I respond.She doesn't hear a word I say. She pouts at the guards like it will make a differe
TRICIA: [Days Prior - Part 2]I've been walking around, following my mom as she grabs items she wants to take.I'm trying to be helpful, but she is being meticulous with everything she wants to bring.She sets a stack of books on the table and finally makes eye contact with me again after I had pressed her about the Aphirages. I place my hands on her shoulders, searching her face for answers."Mom, I have never questioned anything you've asked me to do or say. Why won't you explain what the deal is with the Aphirages?" I say, continuing to push her into giving me answers.She's never been protective of something the way that she is with the flowers; aside from a book, she's never let me get anywhere near it.Even as a sneaky child, she always somehow knew when I was trying to break into the lock that held it shut."I also have other questions, such as why you said Seth would certainly change the course of events for Lucy!" I added, feeling as frustrated as ever.She looked around the
LUCY:Leander made all of the warriors leave.They have a few of their elite guarding Gatheo's home to ensure he doesn't go anywhere.I specifically asked that he not be let down to see Savina, to which Leander stated he didn't plan on allowing that anyway.I felt awful for the disruption I caused during the meeting. It was clear that these meetings were typically much more productive.Leander looked somewhat defeated and didn't hold much eye contact with me during the process of everyone leaving."Alpha, I'm sorry for causing such a scene," I say as Leon holds me from behind.Liam is being nosey, rummaging through the box, trying to figure out what's mine.I can feel it in my heart each time he grabs it or touches it."What have I told you about formalities, Lucy?" he smiles at me before grabbing me from Leon's grip and hugging me.The hug didn't last long before Leon grabbed me back and pulled me to my seat, which he decided would be his lap."Alpha lineages typically have a gift. O
TRICIA: [Days prior]I snuck through the secret passageway my people had made hundreds of years ago to prepare for the transition. That's what they called it: the transition. To me, it was the separation of myself from my heritage.We were like prisoners of our truth and power. Hiding among the werewolf communities as simple shifters.Being at the Cresent Moon Pack felt like removing the bars to the cell that my mom had kept me in.I know she had only been trying to protect me my whole life while we worked to guide Lucy the best we could."Trish! What are you doing here?!" My mom's voice comes from her room as I enter the house."Mom! Things changed. The visions we had discussed are not all aligning as we hoped," I explain to her as she rushes to hug me.I look around our comfortable little home—the home I was raised in on the edge of the Silver Moon Pack.The majority of our neighboring cabins were also Fae. All of us are waiting to live free again."Sit, child, let me get you someth
LUCY:I'm not trying to be disrespectful. My questions were genuine even though everyone in the room looks like they disagree; except for Seth who holds the same smirk throughout my questioning.It's clear that I haven't been raised to believe in the process they're used to and clearly respectI wasn't taught the way everyone was in this room. No one want's to answer my question or make it seem as if they agree with where I'm headed in this conversation."Let me guess. The first son of each member takes their father's spot?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.Leander sighs. He doesn't like my line of questioning, either.Maybe I was bitter for Kragen rejecting me simply because I was a girl or maybe it's because what is taught as normal to them, never felt normal to me."Are you questioning the order of things, Lucy? It's no different than the first born of an Alpha taking over the pack. This is how we've done it for thousands of years. It has always worked," Leander says, with a half frown,
LUCY:"I thought you were mad at me!" I fake frown at Trish.She looks nervous. Her normal casual demeanor shifted after I pointed out Saul staring at her.She blew it off like it was nothing."You had a lot going on, Luce. I just wanted to get there and back. I knew you'd insist on coming with me, but I couldn't wait any longer," she responds, justifying her off-behavior. "I'll meet you at the conference room," Liam announces before kissing the top of my head and taking off with all the bags.I wondered if Seth would be there, which made me feel guilty. He was the Beta, so surely he would be there.It wasn't a terrible thing that I wondered, right? I think to myself, realizing I'm chewing the crap out of my nail.'You know what I keep saying,' Nia giggles.'Shush it,' I quip."I wish I had a wolf to talk out my thoughts with," Trish comments at random as we head to the conference room."I'll be your wolf," I say, trying to make Trish smile."A girl's night after this?" she asks.Her
LEON:Lucy was uncomfortable at every store we went to, and even though she didn't say as much, it was apparent.She clung to me the entire time.She didn't know her sizes very well and didn't like to ask for anything, so Liam ended up staying behind to grab things he thought she would like.We were both trying not to push anything nor did we want to embarrass her by asking personal questions. We already figured that if she hadn't been out to eat, she likely had little to no experience in a shopping mall or outlet.'You're going to love what I found at the last store,' Liam links me.We were still getting used to sharing a link with Lucy. We were able to separate the two, but I knew we would have to be careful to make sure we were linking the way we intended.'Oh yeah?' I ask him as Lucy clings to my arm.She was right. Everyone was staring at her—more than even I had expected, but no one had done or said anything disrespectful yet.Liam stayed at the last clothing store we were at w