Luna’s Soul

Welcome Home

*Gabriel*

The ride back to Gabriel‘s pack was anything but peaceful.

Not for the reasons you might think. As Gabriel looked back at the sleeping girl in the backseat, he sighed.

That hadn’t been how he’d wanted things to go. But he knew she’d never willingly come back with him, and he had no choice. All it would take was one person outing her as his mate, and she would no longer be safe, no matter where she was in this world. And she was human; weaker than a she-wolf and much more vulnerable. He couldn’t risk it. He had to make sure she was safe.

Her pretty face was slack and unconscious, her hair tangled around her face in wild waves. Gabriel was trying very hard not to pay attention to the smooth, flat skin of her stomach where her shirt had ridden up— and how he wanted to kiss that skin. He shook his head. His pheromones were trying to take over, and he had to keep them under control. His inner wolf very much so wanted to mate with her and mark her, but he knew the complications of that, considering she wasn’t a wolf at all.

“She’s been out a long time,” Remy noted. “Are you sure you got the dosage correct?”

Gabriel flashed a glare at Remy. “I checked twenty times. I wouldn’t put her in danger, Remy. It takes longer for our drugs to wear off on humans.”

Remy lowered his neck instinctively, barring it to Gabriel while he drove. “Of course, Alpha,” he said submissively. “Please accept my apology. I was simply concerned for our Luna.”

Our Luna, Gabriel repeated. He loved the sound of it. He looked back at her again, admiring her sleeping form.

He sighed. “It’s fine, Remy. I’m a little testy today, is all.”

He nodded. “I understand. It has been a challenging day.”

“Remy,” Gabriel flashed a glance in his direction, “Have you ever heard of this before? A human mate?”

Remy nodded. “It’s rare, but it happens. There’s been a few cases of it in the history of our pack, but not very many.”

“The elders are my biggest concern. And the acceptance to her that they will or won’t give.”

Remy shrugged. “The elders believe fated mates are just that— fated. If the Goddess gave you a human mate, it’s because that’s what you needed. I don’t think they’ll make a huge stink about it.”

“Having a human mate and having a human mate that is destined to be Luna are two different things.”

Remy’s eyes flashed over to his face, studying intently. “What will you do, if they won’t accept her as Luna? Will you reject her?”

Gabriel growled, a menacing, protective sound. “No,” he snarled. “I won’t do that.”

Remy focused his eyes back on the road. “You know as well as I do, being Luna has nothing to do with being a wolf. It has everything to do with being a mother figure, a caretaker, a peacekeeper. If she fits into the role, they won’t raise a stink. Although,” Remy’s eyes flashed back to my sleeping mate. “I think it may be a while before she’s ready for that.”

Gabriel nodded. “I know. But I can’t leave her behind, and I won’t rush her. You know what being my mate will mean for her. She won’t ever be left unguarded again.”

Remy’s eyes looked at him knowingly. “I will help you protect our Luna, Alpha. I give you my word.”

“I wonder..” Gabriel started. “If human mates feel the mate bond at the extent of their wolf partners.”

Gabriel looked back at Lily. Her face was relaxed. Her full peach-colored lips were slightly opened. The innocence in her face ate him alive— he desperately wished he didn’t have to pull her away from her home. But he had no choice.

Remy frowned. “I’m not sure. You may want to have a conversation with Adelaide when we return if you want to dive into that. I’ve only heard a few stories of wolves having human mates— and I’ve never heard of a human not reciprocating those feelings, even if it isn’t as intense as a mate bond for them. Which, in theory, it could be. I’m not sure.”

Gabriel glanced down at his watch. “You’re going to want to speed up. We’re still an hour out and I do not want her waking up in the backseat of this car.”

The sound of the accelerator almost tuned out the buzzing of Gabriel’s phone.

He quickly pulled it out, watching the name of his Beta flash across the screen. He quickly answered.

“Tobias,” he answered. “What is it?”

The firm, strong voice of his second-in-command came over the speaker— warm and familiar. “Checking your arrival time, Alpha. I had the clothes delivered to your home in all the correct sizes you asked for.”

Gabriel sighed in relief. He hadn’t had any time to pack any clothes for Lily; and what she had seemed to be worn and tattered. He’d sent a list of what he hoped were correct sizes to Tobias— he had sent one of the higher ranking she-wolves out to shop for her.

“Thank you, Tobias. We are about an hour out. Have the guards ready to open the gates and scan the surrounding woods outside of the pack border, just in case,” Gabriel paused. “I assume you’ve kept this quiet?”

“Yes, Alpha. The only people aware that our Luna has been found are myself and the elders. The rest of the pack is on a need to know basis for now. No public statement has been made and everything has been kept very discreet.”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed in worry. “And the elders? How did they take the news?”

“They are.. confused,” Tobias’s voice was very uncertain. “But most seem thrilled— thrilled that you have found your mate. Only a few will need more convincing.”

Gabriel sighed. “Alright. Thank you, Tobias. I will be going straight home. I don’t want to be stopped for any reason. Make sure they know that.”

“10-4.”

Gabriel hung up the phone.

Gabriel stared out of the windshield, admiring the moon peaking over the trees in the distance.

As beautiful as the night was, his mind was troubled. He had no idea what he would say to the sleeping girl in his backseat when she woke up.

And he only had less than an hour to figure it out.