The Alpha Luna's Veiled Emotions

THREE

I woke up the next morning floating.

Kane and I had danced for half the night, stealing kisses, our desire for each other growing. Finally, as the crowd started to dissipate and we knew they would call us away from each other we had stolen away, and Kane had whispered sweet nothings about our future promising that we could return to my title someday, but assuring me that he and his pack just needed me right now - not my duty. I had hardly slept, so eager to get going. To tell my father my plan. I had packed my bags before I had even taken off my dress last night, packing up my life to take it to Blood Moon, where Kane promised he would mark me, sealing our bond. I didn't want to waste any time that we could have together.

I took a quick shower, and braided my light, honey-colored hair over my shoulder, before throwing on a pair of comfortable jeans, and a striped blouse. I had mindlinked my father that I would meet him in his office before breakfast, and I wanted to get it over with since we planned to leave after our meal.

I bounded down the stairs, feeing light as air until I came to the front of the study, and knocked three times. There was no answer. I frowned and opened the door. I didn't usually go into my father's office without permission - he was still the Alpha, and I felt like joining him here was a privilege. However, he knew I was coming, so I let myself in.

My heart fell from where it hummed in my chest, to the pit of my stomach as I stepped inside. What hit me first was the sound of the sobs. My mother sat in one of the chairs across from my father's desk, her head buried in her hands. Her dark hair was in a disarray, not neatly wrapped into a bun as she usually wore it. My father stood silently, allowing her to lean into him as she cried. His face looked downturned, and for the first time ever, I realized my father looked old. He was normally so full of life, but I had never seen him look so tired.

They looked like they were giving up.

My mind immediately raced to figure out what was wrong. There hadn't been any pack links, there had been no warriors in the house, and the Omegas had seemed to be tending to their duties normally.

"What's happened?" I asked quickly, my voice too high-pitched as I stepped towards them.

My father turned and looked up at me, and just sighed as he took me in, "Sit, Camilla."

I made my way across the room to take the seat beside my mother, taking my time. My father leaned down and whispered something into my mother's ear, and she sniffled, nodding her head. She quickly stood and fled the room without casting a glance at me. The dark, oak door closed behind her with a thud as I sat, and my father moved to take the chair across from me.

He folded his hands in front of him and stared at them. All I could hear was the sound of us breathing as I waited for him to speak. I noticed the light catching some of his dark blond strands that had since turned grey from the stress, and burden of being an Alpha. It had seemed like a lifetime was passing before my eyes as the near-silence stretched on forever. I finally leaned forward and rested my hand on my fathers.

"Daddy..." I whispered softly.

His large hands unfolded and wrapped mine in his, and he pulled it close to his face.

"Goddess save us," he whispered in near silent prayer, kissing the back of my hand.

He quickly released me, allowing me to pull my hand away from him as he sat up, and cleared his throat.

"Alpha Copeland has informed me that you are denouncing your title, your claim, to Rising Sun, to go with him to be his Luna...today," he said calmly, clearly collecting himself as much as possible, though he wouldn't look at me, "I just finished preparing the paperwork."

I was confused, in more ways than one. Why was my father so upset about this? He wanted a mate for me. But more importantly, I had told my mate that I wanted to be the one to tell my parents. It was early - he would've had to hail my father since they couldn't link as they weren't packmates.

"I...Kane came to you?" I asked, unable to resist.

My father nodded, "Woke me up before dawn, and came to me with his terms."

I shook my head, "Terms? What terms?' Kane and I hadn't discussed any terms.

My father still wouldn't meet my eyes, "That you renounce your title. That your contact with Rising Sun is minimal - a monthly phone call with only your mother and I present so that you weren't distracted by your role here. That you give up all financial rights to the pack, and I release your personal funds to him. That you will not return until he feels you have sufficiently served his pack as their Luna. Along with the promise of a myriad of land ownership proposals including a 17% reduction in our lands so that he can set up a 'base' here for Blood Moon."

My jaw fell open, and I stared at my father agast. I was seething. I may have been a woman, but I still had Alpha blood in my veins. I dug my fingers into the arms of the chair I sat in, trying to contain myself. Trying to contain the anger I felt towards Kane.

"And what did you say, Alpha? When Kane Copeland of Blood Moon demanded from our pack," I hissed, momentarily forgetting this was my mate.

The thought was like a bucket of cold water. Quickly dissipating my anger. I could feel my wolf pacing uncomfortably in my head. She was just as unsure, just as weary as I was. There had to be a reason for these things? He was trying to build up Blood Moon, he had told me as much. He told me that he put on an act to remain feared, to protect his pack. That he let vile rumors fester because they protected his people. I swallowed hard. My father seemed to sense my rapid changes in demeanor, and he pushed forward a stack of documents and laid down a pen beside them.

"I told him that my daughter would make the decision," he said quietly, and he finally met my eyes, "You are strong, Camilla. Powerful. You are meant to do great things. But you have to make a choice. You have to decide what things you will do."

I stared at the pen hesitantly, "I don't want to give up my pack...I just, I'm just renouncing the title for now. I'll come back."

He sighed, and stood, walking towards the large window his office held behind his desk. it was my favorite window, spanning almost the entire length of the room. He and I used to watch our pack through it together.

"Do you remember when your mother and I told you about the Old One who came to us on your 5th birthday?" he asked quietly.

I frowned, "She died shortly after you got her to the hospital. She was attacked by rogues."

He nodded, "She was. She had been held captive by some rogue general. She could feel her life force slipping. She had a vision though, and that vision included you. And somehow that frail woman was able to act on adrenaline and make it to our pack - alive," he paused as he watched a group of children run by the ground-level window, scurrying after a ball, "She was on death's door. We only caught part of it. But she said that you would be a great Alpha and that we had to protect you."

"I know daddy, I know. it's why we worked so hard," I said sadly, "And I will be great Alpha. I promise. But he's my mate. I want to have what you and mama have."

"Do you really think you'll have that with Alpha Copeland?" he asked, turning back to face me.

I hesitated again, lowering my eyes to the papers on the desk, "Kane is complicated, daddy. He is strong. He's lost, and he needs help. I think - I know, that we can get there. Together."

My father nodded, "Then I trust you, Cami. Sign the documents, and we will keep your pack safe, we will keep your legacy safe, until you return "

His words seemed to echo around me, the air heavy with his foreboding promise, and for a moment the air felt so thick I thought I might change my mind.

But I would never be so foolish to reject my mate. He was meant for me. I was meant for him. I didn't doubt there would be work to put into our relationship, but we could bring both our packs to greatness. I picked up the pen, feeling the heaviness in my hand, and rolled it between my fingers.

With one final sigh, I began signing off on each and every line with a red x beside it. I didn't bother reading everything, my father wouldn't have agreed to Kane's terms if they were a danger to us, but when I came to the last page, the renouncing of my title, I hesitated once more. I read the page again. And again.

Camilla Vaughn Verity, the sole and rightful heir to the Rising Sun pack, hereby renounces her title. Heir Alpha Verity will lay no claim to the title unless it is bestowed onto her once again, or until the end of the Verity bloodline, whichever comes first.

It gave me a chill. My father would restore my title one day, I knew he would. I would make the day come. I would make him proud. I signed my name over the line, dotting my "i" with a sense of finality. I had hardly begun to push myself out of my chair before my father's arms were around me, and I realized he was crying.

"I love you, Camilla. I love you. Never doubt for a moment that I believe in you, that we believe in you. You are the greatest gift I was ever given," he whispered into my hair, "Your mother and I would be nothing without you."

I felt tears spring into my eyes as I clutched him, and I stifled a sob, "I love you too daddy. I won't let you down."

We stood there for a few minutes before the door opened, and I peeked over my father's shoulder to see my mother. Her eyes were glassy, and her smooth face was red and puffy, but she smiled softly at me and opened her arms. I ran into them, and we wrapped our arms around each other.

"Be strong, daughter," she whispered, "You are mighty."

I just let myself be held by her, as she stroked my hair like she did when I was a child. I realized all at once that I was saying goodbye to my parents. I tried to remind myself that this wasn't forever, this was just temporary, but it was hard to shake the suffocating sadness that held the room. There was a soft knock on the open door, and I looked up once again to see more of my family.

"Didn't think we'd let you leave without saying goodbye, did you?" Eloise said.

I could tell that she had been crying too, but she looked put together as always. She wore her training clothes, and I knew that she was probably on her way to the perimeter for work. I c****d my head, smiling back at her.

"I couldn't get away from you if I tried, Eloise," I laughed sadly.

She ran forward and we embraced tightly. I would miss her bubbly, tough personality, and her confidence in not only herself but in me. We had only been friends since secondary school, but we had been close since we met. We spent time together every day, and I was sad that I didn't know when I would see her next. She finally pulled away, gripping my shoulders.

"Don't go finding a new best friend okay?" she sniffled.

I responded with a nod, before she wrapped me in one quick hug, and then bowed her head to my father and mother, exiting the room. Andrew still stood by the door. His expression was heavy, and his dark blue eyes were everything from forlorn, to angry, to confused. I had met my mate, but I couldn't help the pang in my chest, reminding me of what could've been.

"Beta," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, but unable to hold the crack in it, "Promise you'll take care of things here while I'm gone?"

Andrew and I's friendship was older than both of us. Born Alpha and Beta heirs, I didn't have to choose him to be my second, but we were knotted at the hip since our youngest days. I always knew I would choose him when the day came. We trained together, studied together, fought together, and laughed together. We would be an unbeatable team, and somehow it was harder to know I may be giving that up than anything. Our relationship, our bond, was thicker than friendship, or blood. It was a bond of undying loyalty and never-ending fealty to one another.

He cracked a grin, and nodded softly, "Someone needs to start pulling their weight around here."

I couldn't help but laugh, and we stepped into a hug. It was brief, we didn't want to prolong the inevitable. As we pulled away, Andrew gripped my forearm and craned his head towards my ear.

"If you need me, if you need help, you know I will come. I swear to you," he whispered.

I nodded, trying to force the tears out of my eyes as we fully disentangled, "Till the moon is full, Beta Payne."

"Till the moon is full, Cami," he smiled, before leaving the room.