Fighting Free

Ch. 5: The Claim

“What did he say to you,” Jane, Samantha’s mother asked, a frown fixed on her face. Sam was still trying to control herself, but her body shook with quiet sobs and the gaping hole that was once her heart ached excessively.

“How do I stop it from hurting,” she pleaded, clutching her chest.

“Oh, Sam. We need to get you back home.” Her mother looked around to see how far their apartment was, trying to calculate how she would drag her daughter back home. Piece by piece, she thought.

“Mama,” Sam bawled. “He walked away.”

“I know, baby. I promise he won’t leave Asher territory without making this right, but right now, we need to get you home.” Her mother placed an arm around her and began leading her down the walk way towards their apartment building.

She had never seen Sam so distraught and it worried her. Jane had heard of Mates being rejected, of how detrimental it was to both wolves, and she didn’t want to see her daughter wane away because of this.

It happened so suddenly. One minute she was right behind her, getting ready to enter the reception hall and the next Samantha was walking across the room to talk to the man that was dressed like the Moon Luna. Melissa, not missing anything happening around her, had gotten her attention and asked why Sam was talking to the Moon Luna’s brother.

The Moon Luna’s brother.

Her daughter’s Mate.

And he rejected her. How could anyone reject Sam, Jane thought, glancing at the broken girl she was currently carrying back home. Sam was intelligent and headstrong. Sometimes too much for her own good, but only because her heart was too large to fit into pack life.

Jane grunted, anger seething under her surface. Her daughter would not be tossed aside by the more powerful. If her place was by that man then she would either be next to him or she would be compensated properly.

“Sam,” she said softly, “what did he say to you?” But Sam didn’t say anything. It was as if she was watching her daughter slowly slip away from her, right in her arms.

Sam didn’t speak again that night. Not after her mother walked her through their apartment door. Not after her mother led her to her room. Not after she laid Sam down on her bed. She didn’t utter one word as she quietly cried herself to sleep and spent the rest of the day a shell of who she was, but Jane was not going to let her daughter wither away.

As soon as she knew that Sam was safely at home, she marched right back to the reception hall, stopping at the doorstep of the room to scan and look for Ashley, the Luna’s assistant. She spotted her standing off in a far corner, iPad in hand, watching as the brunch was beginning.

Jane stomped directly towards her, ignoring anyone in her way. “Ashley, I must speak with the Luna.”

“Um, I’m sorry,” Ashley laughed, not believing that Jane spoke to her so forcefully or that she was doing it without lowering her eyes.

“The Luna or the Alpha. I need to speak to one of them. Now.”

“Well. They will be unavailable,” she said as she looked down onto her iPad and scrolled, “until two weeks from Monday. I can set an appointment for then.”

“No. That won’t do at all,” Jane mumbled. “It’s an emergency. I must speak to them now.”

“You can tell me and I will make sure they hear about it as soon as they can.” Ashley pasted on a fake smile, annoyance peeking through the edges of her facade.

“No, Ashley. It’s about my daughter. If I don’t speak with them now, the Asher pack will lose a pack member.” Ashley’s ears perked up at the clue Jane offered then her eyes roamed the expanse of the room.

“Your daughter seems to be comfortably seated over there,” she pointed to Olivia sitting at one of the decorated tables, face glued to her phone as she furiously moved her thumbs on the screen.

“Not that one,” Jane snapped. “Samantha. The school teacher.”

“Oh, the quiet one.” Ashley gave her a bored look. Jane was losing her patience with this haughty assistant.

“Look. If I don’t speak with the Alpha or the Luna right now, I will walk over to the Moon Luna and deal with this on my own.” Outrage fueled Jane as she shoved a finger in Ashley’s face. Ashley’s eyes widened. If this woman made a scene and embarrassed the Alpha and Luna while Eliza was here, Ashley would pay dearly and she had worked too hard to get this position to lose it because of this crazy woman.

“Fine. Go wait outside and I’ll have the Luna come find you.” Ashley’s nose lifted up in the air before walking away and heading to the front of the room. She carefully stood behind her Luna and waited until she was finished with her conversation. She crouched down low and came up behind her to whisper.

“Luna, one of the pack members is demanding to see you immediately. She says it’s an emergency and if she doesn’t speak to you then she will go to the Moon Luna with her issue.”

Alondra smiled politely to the others at the table. Her husband, the Asher Beta and his Mate, the Moon Luna, and her brother. “If you will excuse me for a minute,” she said sweetly, “It looks like something has come up that requires my attention.”

“Of course,” Eliza beamed. “Pack needs never stop. I understand that all too well.” Alondra smiled before impatiently stalking out a side door.

"What do you think that's about," Metztli leaned over and whispered to his sister. She smiled and shrugged.

"Enjoy the food. It's delicious," she said, warning tinged her words. Metztli understood. It wasn't the time or place to discuss anything. The conversation would have to wait til later. He nodded and began to let his eyes roam around the room.

His gaze seemed to be searching for something, but he wasn't sure what it was that was making him look. He’s eyes settled on a head full of snowy colored hair, but he found himself upset that it wasn’t golden. Metztli wasn’t sure what he was expecting or why he felt that after looking around the crowded room, something was missing from it.

He looked down at his plate, suddenly noticing he had lost his appetite. Something was very wrong and he couldn’t put his finger on what was going on. It had overtaken him slowly, like gray skies lazily rolling through the sky. He let out a soft sigh and looked over at his sister. He wanted to lean over and say something, but she was preoccupied with an animated conversation with the Alpha.

For the next half hour, he grappled with the odd feeling that was pushing him to leave, to get up from the table and go find… Something. He couldn’t understand it. What was he supposed to go find, he thought. It reminded him of that feeling of leaving the house and anxiously worrying if a candle at home was put out or if the stove had been snuffed. It was suffocating him, nagging at the edges of his mind, driving him into a quiet insanity.

“Excuse me,” the Asher Luna said as she stopped at the table, surprising Metztli. He must’ve been distracted by his thoughts to not hear her.

“Yes,” Eliza asked, noticing that the Luna wasn’t sitting and was looking directly at her.

“It appears that we will have to cut this event short. I respectfully request your audience, Eliza, and that of your brother’s.” She turned to her Mate, “Charles, I believe it would be a good idea to have you join us as well.”

“Of course,” Eliza said, her brows knitted together. She flashed Metztli a quick side glance before standing up. “Please. Lead the way.” Metztli and the Alpha stood up.

“Go on ahead. I will be with you all in a moment. I will just address the pack about our early departure,” the Alpha said kindly to the group. Everyone nodded in return and began following the Luna through the side door she had left out of earlier in the morning.

The Luna and her assistant led Eliza and Metztli outside, to a small green room across the hallway from the reception hall. Waiting in the room was an ash blonde woman who looked to be in her late forties. Neither Metztli or Eliza recognized her and they turned to each other, wondering what was going on, but the woman stared daggers at both of them.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your meal, but there has been an incident that needs to be addressed immediately,” Alondra said coolly, like a perfect Luna.

“OK,” Eliza started, “but how does this involve the Moon pack or my brother?” Hearing this question, Alondra turned to the angry woman.

“This is Jane. She is one of my pack members and has told me something rather troubling. I would very much like to have this all sorted out as soon as possible.” The Asher Luna sat in one of the fluffy chairs in the room.

“How can I help you, Jane,” Eliza politely asked. Jane let out a ragged sigh.

“Your brother, Luna, is my oldest daughter’s Mate.” Eliza choked on air and Metztli took a step back like he had just been leveled a blow to his head. “He has rejected her.”

“Is this true,” Eliza asked Metztli, panic bubbling in her words.

Was it true? Was she really asking? Of course not, he thought. He had seen the intense pull between his sister and Dakota. He had never felt that with anyone. The way wolves talk about, speaking like it was some reverent, all encompassing calling, he was sure he would know it, recognize it the moment it sprang from him.

“No,” he confidently said. “I have not felt a Mate’s pull or rejected anything from anyone.”

“Is it possible your daughter is mistaken,” Alondra asked Jane from her seated position, annoyance clearly written on her face.

“No, I’m her mother and I know.” Eliza’s eyes soften at hearing this. She understood this sentiment. “She is heartbroken beyond comparison.”

“Jane,” Eliza said softly, reaching out to take the woman’s hand. Jane was startled. Never had a Luna touched her or spoken to her with such warmth. “I’m sorry your daughter is hurting so much. I can’t imagine what she is going through right now. How can I help?”

Jane stared, her mouth slightly ajar. This was the strangest Luna she had ever met.

“Eliza,” Alondra said standing up from her seat. “You waste your kindness on those too low to appreciate it. It’s obvious that her daughter is just an upstart and is looking for a way to bring her family rank up. Jane, here is known to be fixated on that.” Jane lowered her eyes and physically shrank at the Luna’s words. “I wouldn’t give them two more thoughts.”

Before Eliza could answer Alondra’s spiteful words, the Alpha opened the door and entered. The small room barely able to contain all the people within it.

“So what’s going on,” he asked.

“Jane claims Samantha matched with Eliza’s brother and Metztli refused her,” Alondra’s voice was cold as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Metztli claims it’s not true and from what I can see, he’s telling the truth. He would have torn us apart to get to her if Jane was to be believed.”

“Jane,” the Alpha’s voice boomed with authority. “Explain these lies.”

“Alpha,” Jane whimpered out, her eyes closing, too scared to look at anyone in the room. “I- I…”

Metztli looked at Eliza. Both siblings gave each other heavy glances laden with worry for the woman.

“Alpha,” Eliza quickly jumped in, “can I offer a different perspective?” He looked at her and waited for her to continue. She could see his hands open and close, flexing his hand like he was preparing a hit. “Is it possible that they are Mates, but Metztli, being full blooded Ixchele, might not feel the pull the same way we do?”

All eyes looked at Metztli, even Jane risked a peek to glance at him. He could take the angry stares, at least better than the older woman, so he didn’t flinch under the pressure and said, “Sure, it could be possible.”

“So,” Eliza quickly continued before another breath was taken, “maybe Jane is telling the truth… With your permission, Alpha, and your’s, Luna, if Metztli is allowed to talk to the girl and maybe talk to some people she is close to, we can assure ourselves if they are Mates or not.” She looked brightly at the Ashers. “We can go from there once we know for sure.”

The Alpha looked down at Jane, disgust blowing off of him in ugly waves. After a few seconds, he looked at Eliza and answered coolly, “Metztli may speak with the girl and anyone close to her. As soon as he is sure, I am to know.”

“Of course,” Eliza smiled sweetly.