Her chosen vampire mate

Chapter 3

Leia’s POV

I finished eating and raced off to training. I was only five minutes late which I think is a record for me. “Nice of you to join us princess.” I hear my father say.

I jokingly curtsy. I know he hates that I am never on time for training. He takes training seriously. Unlike some packs he wants everyone in the pack trained to at least be able to defend themselves if they needed to. I should be thankful he was not like the old fashioned Alphas that refused to allow women to train at all. He even had a few female warriors. Casey’s younger sister Joni, is actually training to be one of the pack warriors. I knew that in some packs she would not be allowed to. Yet here I was the Alpha’s daughter taking for granted my father’s forward thinking and acting like training was a burden. I really didn’t feel that way. I just was not a morning person. If my father would put me in a training class in the afternoon then maybe I wouldn’t struggle to arrive on time.

I run over to where Casey and Joni are standing and join them in formation as the class continues jumping jacks.

No sooner have I started jumping when we hear a car pull up. And 2 figures jump out. One is my brother. He is still in his tux from the mating ball last night though his tux and his hair both look disheveled. That is not what I am used to seeing from James. He is always so formal and put together. He is yelling at a tall blonde who must be his mate. “That isn’t what I meant, please hear me out!” He shouts.

I am not sure what to make of the scenario being played out before most the adults in the pack. My brother is always so calm. His mate looks like the “typical Luna” in many ways her hair is pulled into a nice formal bun, she is tall and attractive. She looks polished except for her clothes. They are not what I was expecting. She is dressed in shorts and a t-shirt that I know is from a heavy metal band.

“I told you I am not missing my first pack training and that if you think I am only going to sit around and look pretty and arrange tea parties you might as well reject me now” his mate replies back in a very calm manner. Man I like her already. She takes the open spot next to me in the back row. We have all stopped our jumping jacks to watch the show.

His mate turns to me and smiles “hi I am Jewel the mate to your future Alpha.” As if nothing had happened.

I hear my brother growl “Jewel let’s talk.”

My dad knowing this is not going to be resolved quietly walks over to him and says “look son let it go and seeing you are not ready for training why don’t you go to the pack house and get some breakfast.” James looks over at Jewel who just smiles at my brother’s defeat and waves. My brother begrudgingly heads towards the pack house. I have never seen my brother give in like that.

I turn to Jewel “1-0 your favor. I am Leia by the way, your stubborn mate’s little sister.” I point to Casey “and this is Casey my best friend and daughter of the Delta.”

Jewel turns red with embarrassment. “I am sorry Leia that is not the way I wanted to meet my new sister, but your brother made me mad. I came out wearing shorts so I wouldn’t miss training and he didn’t understand why it was important. I told him I was training to be a warrior and missing training was not an option for me. He clearly didn’t like that and told me I was the pack’s future Luna not a warrior. I told him I intend to be both and well you saw how the argument ended….”

I have totally misjudged Jewel. She is going to be one bada** Luna. “Well James can be a bit pig headed” I tell her as she laughs. I hear my father clear his throat to get our attention.

“Can we resume training now ladies” he asks us.

“Sorry” I say now it is my turn to be embarrassed.

“Let’s run 5 miles he says.” I groan but at least this way I know he has distracted the class from the scene we just witnessed.

Jewel, Casey, Joni and I all run together. As we run Jewel explains why she took off last night. When she met my brother she got scared. She never wanted to be a Luna. She wants to fight not arrange flowers. She hates wearing dresses and “looking the part of a Luna.” The more she talks the more I see her and I are very similar. I tell her I feel the same only I want to be a lawyer instead of a warrior. It doesn’t seem fair to me that the Alpha has a job outside the pack to raise money to provide for the pack why can’t I?

Jewel agrees “there is no reason you can’t” she tells me and I know I have found a possible ally in trying to get to move to town early. Jewel while she is willing to be the Luna of our pack because she is already connected to my brother via the mate bond she is supportive in me following my dreams.

I tell her that while my brother is stubborn I am sure he will come around to her being a warrior and I will help work to convince him if she will help me to convince my parents to let me leave for school early.

Jewel suggests that we go to town to buy her some clothes and that we take my mom. That while we are shopping we can work to convince her that it would be ideal for me to move into an apartment early so that I can be settled before school starts. I never would have fathomed my new sister would be the one to help me with getting out of the pack. Now I haven’t told her I plan to reject the mate bond if I meet my mate. Given she plans to stick to her dreams and also accept my brother I am sure she won’t understand I don’t feel I have a choice to have both. I can’t explain it but I feel like when I meet my mate I will be forced to give up my dreams.