The Phoenix Wolf and his Luna

Unknown pack

Fallon’s POV

I could see the understanding flash across Cillian’s face even through the mind link with Broadway. Then anger. Pure rage flowed through him.

“Your mate did this to Fallon?” He whispered.

Alpha- James just nodded. I didn’t have to call him Alpha anymore.

“Get her in here now.”

James’ eyes glazed over in a mind-link. A few moments later, Serenity slowly dragged her feet along the ground before plopping into a chair that James had pulled out for her. Her face was sullen and the glint in her eyes had faded into dull nothingness.

“Why did you do that to Fallon? Who are you to judge whom the Gods bless you with? -“

“Do you know my father? Who he was?” she cut him off.

He was less than pleased to be cut off but stiffened at the mention of the former Alpha. He nodded his reply.

“My father had already planned my life. From the moment he knew I was a female. I had only the best things. In short, I was spoiled rotten because I was his princess, and his one rule for me was I was to mate a man to bear his pups and bring our pack to glory.” She sighed.

Her father was a traditionalist. He wouldn’t accept anything but the ‘normal’ mate bond, and if not a ‘normal’ bond, then he would create one. A chosen bond. They weren’t as strong as a Gods-given bond, but they were enough to have pups with. In some rare cases, the animal would reject the bond, and slowly kill the human side.

“I love James. I do, but instead of following my wolf, I followed my father. When I turned 18, I had a feeling Fallon was my mate, but I didn’t want to admit it because it wasn’t natural. When my wolf pulled me to her… I heard my father through the mind link. He commanded me to reject her. So, I did, but it was my own weakness that caused me to mark her face.”

Cillian growled; his hands twitched in anger.

“After I banished her from the pack grounds, I made sure Freddie gave her the money to at least get an apartment and food. Freddie went above and beyond by giving her the number to the diner.” Serenity finally looked at me, “Fallon, I wish I could tell you how sorry I am. For it all.”

One thing I worked on at law school was forgiveness. I forgave my parents for abandoning me, Serenity for rejecting me and scarring my face, I forgave my siblings for never trying to contact me, and more importantly, I forgave myself for the years of hatred of myself.

Hearing her apologize for the second time in seven years did nothing to me. I felt nothing as I stared at her empty eyes. I could see her regret, and the many years that her guilt had weighed on her. Nat’s words came to my head. Apologies were nothing for the one getting them, but everything to the one giving it. Guilt was a terrible thing; it could eat away at a person. Sometimes the kindest thing someone could do for another is accept an apology, whether you meant it or not.

“It’s okay, Serenity. I forgave you years ago.” I stepped forward, opening my arms to give her a hug.

She curled into me. She was once taller than me, but she was shorter now. Her sobs shook our bodies as I held her. Her tears soaked my shirt before she leaned her face into my neck, rubbing her nose against it. I growled low in my throat.

No one was allowed to be near a wolf’s throat. It was the most vulnerable part of us. The one area where bones didn’t protect the veins and tendons necessary to live. The only other soul we trusted near our throats was our mate. Since Serenity rejected me, the bond between her wolf and mine was destroyed. My wolf trusted her even less than we trusted Frankie, or Sam. They were supposed to be my friends, but she was supposed to be the one person who would love me more than my parents. She betrayed that bond, and even worse, she made me weak.

James pulled Serenity from me, cradling her in his arms, nodding good- bye. Cillian pulled me into his arms, his wolf bristling at the information he received. His wolf rumbled, sending a vibration through his chest. It was very calming; my wolf quickly fell asleep with his wolf’s song.

“What is that?” I asked him, trying to fight the urge to close my eyes.

“My Mum used to do it for us when we were pups. It’s in a way a lullaby, I guess.” His voice was deeper, while his wolf continued his song.

“Mm. It’s nice.”

Cillian picked me up and carried me to his suite. It struck me that I was still in his shirt and my pants from the day before. I really needed to go to my apartment and check on Raelynn. Molly and Braydon would be coming in soon. They said they had very exciting news, and that was the reason they had to miss the ritual.

“I need to go home.” I whispered, hoping it wouldn’t upset him that I wanted to leave.

He stopped and looked down at me. His eyes went silver before turning to his beautiful, mismatched ones, “Okay. Will you need help?”

I guess it would make sense that I would be leaving Mercury to go to Titan with him. I should just pack my apartment up and send it there. I just felt wrong getting ready to pack up and move away when Raelynn lost the only parents she ever had. Vlad went from single bachelor, whatever the hell he was, to single father of an eighteen-year-old girl. Especially now that Noe was mated to Broadway’s brother.

I shrugged, “I just need my clothes and truck. Well, to sell my truck back really. I doubt I’ll need it to be a Luna.”

He chuckled, “Not that I don’t admire your tenacity, there is no real reason to have a truck near Titan. It’s flat forests. We can find you an SUV if you would like. Or even a sports car.”

I nodded. It was very mountainous near Mercury, almost everyone drove a truck or off roading vehicles. Only Serenity had an SUV and that was only due to the 4 guards James sent with her everywhere. I really hoped Cillian wouldn’t expect that from me. I wouldn’t mind one or two at the most, but four was just excessive. I also wanted to pick up training again. I had missed being around a pack so much, the excitement had my wolf shaking her fur out.

“What’s Titan like?”

Cillian’s face flushed, “Uhm... I don’t...”

“You don’t know what your own pack is like?”

He smiled sadly, “For me, Titan has many nightmares. Its landscape is beautiful, but I can’t remember the last time I spent time at the packhouse. We have a designated hall for large parties, such as shifts, mating ceremonies, weddings. When I became Alpha, I moved into one of the larger houses, and when DJ was left, I commissioned a larger home for us. I also own fifteen businesses. I spend more time at my office than in the pack. If there is an emergency, I have an in-home office that pack members will come to.”

“So where does Broadway live?”

“He has his own home. Though, since my sister moved, he has been staying with DJ while I handled negotiations.”

I nodded.

“I do wish to stay longer, but I will be leaving Broadway here, as James is not fully capable of taking care of his mate, pups, and the pack. I usually just leave the pack under the charge of the Alpha, but I also do not want to displace so many wolves. Not to mention, James mentioned something of rogues attacking the human town.”

“He’s gotten most of them out safely. A gas leak for those that don’t know who the supernatural is. There are some that refuse to leave, and Vlad has been running a patrol in the town.”

Cillian only turned to look out the window. I went to stand beside him. I could see Noe and her pups playing tag with DJ and Broadway. Her oldest was 5, almost six, the next was 2, and the youngest was human and almost 2, so he waddled around aimlessly. I hadn’t given pups a single thought in many years. Feeling as though I would never have the opportunity, nor get over Noe, but watching her and her family play, I grew somewhat jealous. I wanted that, but I had no idea how to be a mother.

My own mother only doted on Freya. She was her perfect baby, the one she really wanted. I was just an accident that no one really wanted. Especially being a first born female. She never explicitly said she regretted having me, but I didn’t need words. Actions spoke louder. My birthday, though the same as Frankie’s and Freya’s, was less celebrated. While they had a party and cake and many presents, I was on the training field with my father. There were no special dinners for me, nor did I get to pick a car out on my eighteenth. I could say they were terrible parents, but they never raised a hand to me. I was given my own room, an allowance, albeit smaller than my younger siblings. They never verbally abused me. I was just their burden and, as I look back at it, I would have put out on my eighteenth birthday regardless of who my mate was.

“I’m not a perfect father. I give into whatever DJ wants, or what I think he wants. I have no idea how to be a father. My own wasn’t a father but an abuser, a tyrant. With DJ, I am the exact opposite of him. If he were to ask for a car for himself, I would give it to him.” Cillian said sadly, “And that makes me a failure as a father. I have already missed three years of his life. I couldn’t imagine missing it anymore.”

“Would you want more pups?”

His head titled slightly before nodding, “DJ was such a surprise, not one I regret, but I missed his first everything.”

I turned away from the happy sight, looking for my clothes from the day before and my bag. It had my laptop and essentials. I looked over my phone, Vlad had sent me pictures of Raelynn sleeping peacefully on the couch of my apartment. My clothes and things packed already.

We got dressed and ready for lunch at the diner