Blood of the Moon

Chapter 2

I felt numb. I didn't know who I was anymore and right now I didn't care. I headed down to the kitchen to grab something before school, only to find my Aunt Leah waiting for me. A sad smile on her face. She had my dads brown eyes and brown hair. She was almost as tall as him too at 5ft11, whereas I was short in comparison to my entire family at 5ft3. Leah immediately pulled me into a hug.

"I heard what happened, sweetheart." She pulled away and cupped my face in her hands."He didn't deserve you. You are worth far more then he will ever know. Your dad was right not to like him" Dad didn't like Jake? But he never said a word. Smiling she kissed me forehead and pulled away taking my hand in hers. "I convinced him that you were old enough to make your own decisions and he couldn't always protect you. I'm so sorry, Tessa. I should have let him keep you safe." She pulled me close again and this time I held her tightly. She didn't need to apologise. She was just trying to let me have a life out from under my dads overprotective gaze. My dad might only be a human, but he was as protective as any wolf when it came to me and Leah. And how was she supposed to know my first heartbreak would be so catastrophic. "You're not going to school today. We're going to have a pamper day like we used to." She smiled as she pulled back. That put a smile on my face. I always loved our pamper days.

Nails, hair, facials, massages, new clothes and I have no idea how much junk food we consumed or how much we laughed. This was something Leah always did whenever someone she cared about was upset. And it had always worked for me because she was more like a big sister then my Aunt. We spent so long at the mall that was dark when we finally got home and we collapsed on to the sofa together. My Uncle came out of the kitchen, glasses perched at the end of his nose and papers in his hand. He looked a lot like Aaron, but if Aaron was teacher and not a jock. Though he still trained with the other wolves every morning, so he wasn't someone to be pushed around.

"There are my girls." He smiled at us. I tried to smile back but I honestly felt guilty. Leah had promised me she wouldn't tell my Uncle about Jake straight away. We both knew he would completely flip out. Even my dad didn't know yet. Both of them only knew that we weren't together anymore.

"Micheal dear, can you bring the bags in please. I don't think my legs will work anymore" She asked sweetly and I caught the worry that flashed in his eyes before he rolled them. He knew she was drama queen. He walked toward the sofa and leaned down to kiss her head. He tried to pull away but grabbed his face and kissed his lips. I turned away, shaking my head. Even after 19 years together, they still acted like love sick teenagers. I guess it had something to do with the Mate bond but I didn't know much about that.

"Of course, Babe." He said when could finally tear himself away from her and headed outside to bring in all our shopping. We both looked at each other expectantly as we waited to hear his reaction to the amount of bags that sat in the boot. Right on cue we heard him curse. "How f*****g much!" He yelled and we burst out laughing. He was so predictable. 

It had been a great day, just what I needed, but it hadn't all been easy. All day I had had to fight to make decisions for myself. Not because of my Aunt, but because Jake's voice was still in my head trying to control me. I went for black nails with a pink flower design, when his voice was telling me only natural nails would do. My hair was now a deeper brown, his voice kept telling me only natural was good enough. I didn't realise just how much of my life he had controlled. Everything from how I looked, what I wore, what I ate and even how I felt was all under his control. And I had let him. I didn't see it coming. He was so charming and so lovely at the beginning. How had it ended like this? He wasn't the man I fell in love with anymore. Did that man even exist? He destroyed me, slowly, piece by piece and then tried to mould me into what he wanted me to be. He knew all my weakness' and used them against me. Looking at myself in the mirror was like looking at a stranger. This was me. The me I wanted to be. It was my life. No one else's. My heart still hurt, but I knew I could fix it in time. Time was all I needed. This was the last time he would ever break me. I would rebuild myself from the ground up.

The next day I was heading to my first class when suddenly I was pushed against the lockers. Blake had me pinned against them with his arms either side of my head. My heart was hammering in my chest.

"What happened, Princess? I'm not used to girls running away from me." He was smirking, but something flashed in his eyes. Was that worry? No he wouldn't really be worried about me. Heaven only knows what he was actually thinking. I looked down, I couldn't answer him. Especially when he was so close I could feel his breath on my face. His fingers traced down my cheek and under my chin, lifting my face to meet his. "What is it?" He said softly. My pulse was racing and my breath stuck in my throat. Why did he affect me so much. His deep brown eyes stared intently into mine as they began to fill with tears. "You can tell me." Sighing, I pulled my phone out and passed it to him with a shaky breath. I had no idea why I was telling him.

"Read the texts from the unnamed numbers." My voice came out quiet. Tears threatened to spill as the messages replayed in my head. I had read them so many times I knew them by heart. 

'Jake said Sarah's miles better then you'

'What pathetic b***h looses a guy to her best friend'

'Sarah was always better then you'

'Why would you ever think he loved a sad b***h like you'

Why did I show him. I closed my eyes to stop the tears. "Cheated on with my best friend...and now they're together." I really was pathetic. A viscous growl and the sound of metal breaking snapped my eyes open. Blake's eyes were black and he was visibly shaking with anger, my phone crushed in his hand. Why was he so angry about this? He didn't even know me. Another growl, a fist thrown into the locker beside me and he left. I stood there trying to calm down. I shouldn't have told him. I really shouldn't have told him. 

Lunch couldn't come quick enough. I just wanted to be alone and get lost in my book. Which is what I did as soon I found an empty table. Though annoyingly I wasn't alone for long.

"Hey Tessa." An overly cheerful voice interrupted my reading. It belonged to a tall, blonde haired guy who stood in front of me smiling. Was everyone in this school taller then me? And why were all the boys so muscular? He sat down across from me. "I'm Will. Blake's Gamma." Blake's an Alpha. That explains a lot.

"That explains why Aaron hates him." I muttered whilst putting my book down. So Blake was the future Alpha of another pack. I kind of wished I had payed more attention to pack life, but I kept telling myself it didn't concern me. Oh look, yet another thing I was wrong about. Will's eyebrow raised up. Though I knew enough to know that Aaron was playing a dangerous game every time he challenged Blake.

"You didn't know Blake was an Alpha?" I shook my head. His eyes narrowed at me. "Strange. He usually brags about that to all the girls." I felt my gut twist, but it wasn't surprising to me. Most girls seemed to fall at the feet of Alpha's. Mason was our packs future Alpha and he was well known as a player. Maybe it was an Alpha thing. Then again Aaron wasn't much better so maybe it was just a male thing. I shrugged.

"Well he doesn't want to get me into bed, I just seem to be the only one who can help Cody." I wasn't lying. It had happened again with Cody just after second period. Though it had crossed my mind that maybe Blake was using me to annoy Aaron.

"Maybe you're right, because he doesn't buy things for girls he wants to bang either." He chuckled. Of course he wouldn't, he didn't need to. Will placed a box in front of me before he stood up. "Thanks for helping Cody again today. See you around." With that he left me staring at the box. Blake had bought me a brand new phone. Was this really happening right now. I had completely forgotten about how he smashed up my phone earlier. Inside I found the latest android phone, in pink. Well I couldn't fault him on colour choice but I had never been interested in having the latest gadgets. It must have cost him a fortune. I'd give it him back when I saw him next. I found it was already charged and turned on, with a text waiting for me from Blake.

'No you can't give this back to me Kitten. But you can say thanks by coming out with me tonight.'

Seriously how did he know? And why would I thank him for replacing the phone he broke in the first place? I felt a presence next to me and by the arm that was now around my waist I knew it was Blake. He pulled me into him and I watched as others sat down with us. Will sat opposite me. The blonde girl who sat down next to him was glaring at me before she smirked.

"So your Blake's flavour of the week?" She teased and I swear I felt Blake tense. Jealousy laced every word. Could she be anymore transparent. She really didn't need to be jealous, I had no interest in him, despite the fact my body kept saying otherwise. I pulled away from him but his grip on my waist just tightened. I didn't get a chance to reply as another girl sat next to me and spoke up.

"Shut up Bethany. Tessa's the girl who helps Cody." She turned and smiled at me. She had the same brown hair as Blake, but her eyes were green. "I'm Layla. Blake's twin. Thanks so much for helping out with Cody. Honestly you've no idea how relieved we all are." Suddenly, my face was between her hands as she stared into my eyes. She was definitely his sister. Neither of them have any concept of personal space. Her mouth fell open. "I didn't believe him. Tessa your eyes are so pretty. So many colours." 

Layla was easy to talk to and soon she was filling me in on everything. Another guy had sat down next to Bethany, Sam. Apparently he was to be the next Beta of Blake's pack, the Shadow Moon pack. Which I learned was neighbours with mine, the Blue Rose pack. Sam didn't seem to like anymore then Bethany did and completely ignored me. Not that I minded. I was so engrossed with talking to Layla about a book we were both obsessed with, that I hadn't even registered that I was now straddling the bench and between Blake's legs with his chest pressed against my back. That was until his arm tightened around my waist and he leaned close to my ear. My heart pounded in my chest. f**k. I never felt this way with Jake. Why was I even thinking that? s**t!

"You seem different today." His head dipped into my neck and he breathed deeply. "You even smell like you." His voice was husky and oh so sexy. Oh god. Every part of me just wanted to lean into him. But I wasn't ready to be with anyone and I wasn't the kind of girl who enjoyed a one night stand either. Blake definitely wasn't the dating type. He had had most of the girls in school, if the rumours were true and I had a feeling that they were. Swallowing the lump in my throat I pulled away from his heat and turned slightly to face him. Bad idea. f**k he was too good looking and there was lopsided grin of his that I found so stupidly attractive.

"Not different, just getting myself back." I smiled before turning back around to continue talking to Layla. More like arguing over who the spy was. Blake pulled me close to him again as he spoke to Will. 

That night I joined Layla and Blake at a bonfire party. I didn't really have a choice. She was texting my phone very two minutes until I agreed to come. If she'd have been allowed on pack territory I bet she would have dragged me out of the house. Blake had sat me next to him on one of the logs, his arm around me. Which I appreciated because despite the fire, it was bloody cold. Pretty soon though he was tongue deep in some girls mouth. Ugh, I really didn't want to see that. I knew this girls meant nothing to him but it didn't stop my heart from hurting. Right then I missed being with Jake. No, I wasn't going to think like that. So I got up to find Layla, only for Blake to pull me back down.

"Where are you going, Kitten? Why don't you join in?" He teased with that ridiculously sexy lopsided grin of his. The blonde on his lap glared at me as though she thought I was I actually considering his offer. I couldn't think of anything worse.

"Sorry I don't share." I smiled sweetly. "Have fun though. I'm gonna find your sister." I said as I stood and headed towards where I now saw Layla. Completely ignoring the confused look on his face. This really wasn't my kind of scene. There was drink and drugs, though knowing these guys it would probably be some drug that only effected wolves. Did human drugs even work on wolves? It probably wouldn't be so bad if I was in the mood to drink, but I knew that would be a bad idea right now. Everything was too fresh and I'd either make a fool of myself or burst into tears. I was not going to let either happen. Instead I focused on getting to know everyone. 

After a while I ended up sat with Layla, scoring all the boys we knew on some 'hotness scale' she invented when Blake appeared with a bust lip and a face like thunder. He quickly threw me over his shoulder making me scream.

"Blake! Put me down!" He ignored me and quickly walked into the trees. He finally put me down when we were deep into the forest. "What the f**k!" He had me pinned against a tree and he was visibly shaking. Even in the dim light I could see his eyes shifting between brown and black. What the hell had happened to him to make his wolf so angry that he was fighting for control? Hesitantly I put my hands on his face and pulled him down to look at me. "Blake, look at me." His eyes were black when they finally met mine. I guess his wolf won. What the f**k do I do now? I had never met anyone's wolf before. Let alone an Alpha's and they were known to be volatile with only their Mate being able to calm them. f**k f**k f**k! I had no idea what to do.

"Not Blake." He growled lowly. "Kain." His voice was slightly deeper then Blake's, but just as husky.

"Kain, You're okay." I said quietly. My thumbs drew circles on his cheeks. His eyes finally flickered back to brown. Blake pressed his forehead to mine while wrapping his arms around my waist. Breathing deeply. He was back in control.

"Tessa." He breathed and crushed me against his chest so fast, I gasped. He kissed my head before he grabbing my hand and leading us back to the group. What the f**k just happened?

I didn't see Blake for the rest of that week. I found I missed his company. Or maybe I just missed the attention from a hot guy. Ugh, I really didn't want anyone's attention. He was a friend, nothing more. Maybe I just missed how comfortable I felt around him. I wasn't left alone though, I spent a lot of time with Layla. Much to Aaron's dismay. But as I explained to him, technically I didn't belong to any pack and there was no harm in me making friends. Especially when it was impossible for a human to make friends in the Blue Rose pack, even being someones Mate didn't make much difference. Surely being friendly with another pack could come in handy too. He eventually relented on the condition I always tell him where I was going and who with.