Alpha and Luna Rising

Chapter 7

June 19, 2025

The Next Day

Avalon’s POV

After a sound sleep, I sit up and rub my eyes. I pick up my phone to turn off the obnoxious alarm loudly coming from the speakers. I notice a text from Jaxon, and my stomach flutters. I jab at the message in my rush to read it. My mouth falls open as I read the message.

Jaxon: Good morning, Av. I hope you slept well. I’d love to meet your family sometime soon, if that is okay with you. I’d also love to extend an offer to them to join my pack.

Avalon: Good morning, Jax! I slept well and I hope you did as well. I’ll ask the family at breakfast and get back to you. Is there a day that works best for you that I can suggest to them, as I don’t know how long you were planning to stay?”

Jaxon: I slept well, beautiful! My plan has changed from leaving tomorrow after making sure Pay is all settled in, but I extended my stay a few days and will now leave Sunday morning. I wanted to give you and your family a chance to consider my offer.

Beautiful! Did he really call me beautiful? No one has ever called me that before. Not even Garrison called me that. Is it too fast for pet names? I mean, we haven’t even had a chance to hang out one-on-one yet. Maybe it was a slip, and he didn’t mean it. Maybe it's best to ignore it for now.

Avalon: Is there a certain day that works best for you to come over and meet the family? Why did you extend your stay?

Jaxon: I extended my stay to spend more time with you. Does Friday night work for you?

Avalon: I’ll ask the fam about Friday and get back to you. Just a warning, Fridays are pizza nights for us.

Jaxon: Pizza sounds wonderful, beautiful.

There is the endearment again. Again, it feels too soon. Is it just the bond speaking, or could he really see me as beautiful? How should I respond? Should I call him handsome or another term of endearment? Why not use handsome? Star says

Doesn't it feel too soon for pet names? I challenge Star back.

Just say it and see how it feels. Star encourages.

Avalon: I’ll text you their decision after breakfast, handsome.

I dance to my dresser and carefully pick out my outfit for the day. After choosing my outfit, I spring to my bathroom and take a little more time getting ready for the day than normal. After skipping to the stairs, I rush down the steps and hurry into the dining room.

"Wow! What has gotten you all excited?” Tessa asks.

I show Tessa Jaxon’s message from my phone. She squeals before saying, “That is such a sweet message. I'm bummed that Garrison didn’t have dinner with us.”

"I know, but we wanted to avoid the pack finding out and meddling. They still found out and meddled. I don’t regret giving Garrison a chance or trying to avoid the pack politics. We also grew up with Garrison, so there was never a need for me to see how Garrison would fit in with us.”

"What's this about Garrison fitting in with us?” Aura asks as she enters the dining room looking all fashionable and graceful.

"I got a text from Jaxon this morning, and it made Tessa and me compare him to Garrison,” I say to explain the conversation with our little sister.

Before Aura or Tessa can say anything, Dad comes into the room and interrupts our conversation by blurting out, “Who texted you, Av? It better have been a friendly text.”

"Roy," Mom scolds as she slaps Dad's arm.

"Can we all just sit down to eat and I’ll explain everything,” I say, trying to get my family to sit and talk.

At that precise moment, Will and Jameson walk into the room while jokingly shoving each other. Shaking her head and entering behind my brothers is Will’s mate, Lorraine, who is shaking her head. It takes several long, frustrating minutes before everyone settles in. Once they are quiet, I stand up and clear my throat. “As you all know, I found my second chance mate yesterday. He sent me a text this morning and he would like to meet you all and join us for dinner Friday night. How do you all feel about that?”

“My vote is yes,” Dad says.

Mom takes a moment to think before saying, “I agree. I want to meet this young man of yours.”

“I’ve already met the dude,” Will says smugly.

Lorraine slaps his shoulder and says, “Whoever has put a smile back on your face is worth meeting.”

Aura, “I should have known you found your first mate by smiling all the time. I never want to see it fade away again. Of course, Jaxon can come over.”

“I agree that Jaxon can come. I never want to see you in pain again,” Tessa says.

Jameson says, “It’s my duty to make sure he is good enough for my big sister. Of course, I want to meet him.”

Will says, “Jameson, I’ve already started doing that job as the oldest sibling. Ava, I'm not going to stop you two from getting to know one another. Let him come.”

“Thank you guys, and I'll let him know,” I say before stepping out of the dining room and going to my room to send a text to Jaxon.

After hitting send, I sit on my bed, my heart rate starts increasing, and I start struggling to get a decent breath. My body starts rocking back and forth. I don’t know how much time elapses before I feel a warm pair of strong arms around me. I look up and see Aura, who doesn’t push me to talk. She offers silent support and lets me calm down. “I don’t know if I can give Jaxon a chance. Just the thought of opening up to him and getting hurt again petrifies me,” I say to Aura when I’m calm and able to speak.

She nods in understanding before replying, “I would be scared if I were in your shoes. I know the situation with the pack and Garrison’s parents played a factor in your pain. Just take it one step at a time. I’ll run interference for the family on Friday. That way you can get some more alone time with him and get to know him better.”

“Thanks for being here. I don’t know how to trust again.” I say

Aura takes my hand and squeezes it before saying, “You are the strongest person I know. Just talk to Jaxon and keep talking to him. Build a friendship and see where that leads.”

“You have a point, Aura, but what if I move to another pack and they don’t like me? Then I’m stuck in this same situation,” I say as my body shakes.

Aura thinks for a moment before saying, “If your worst fears do come true, you make moves to leave and go attend Stanford. Both Yale and Stanford are incredible schools. No matter where you end up graduating from, you’ll be a wonderful doctor.”

Aura makes herself comfortable, while I tell my family through the link that Jaxon will be coming over on Friday. For the rest of the night, I end up watching reality TV with Aura, and Tessa joins us halfway through the first episode. They keep it fun and the topics light. If I go quiet, they don’t pressure me to speak. They let me think and be. They end up falling soundly asleep. I end up tossing and turning all night long. I’m unable to calm the fear of more pain tugging at my mind.

As the sun begins to rise, some form of clarity settles over me. It's not my sister or anyone else in my family who could help me get rid of this fear. I need to talk to Jaxon, so I grab my phone and send Jaxon a text.

Avalon: Hey, can we talk later today?

Jaxon: I’d love to talk later.

Avalon: I don’t have anything planned for today. So, what time works for you?

Jaxon: How about after dinner, beautiful? I typically eat around 7 pm so let's say 8 pm.

Avalon: 8 pm sounds perfect. I look forward to getting to know you better.

I feel odd about not meeting in person, but Star reminds me it's about taking one step at a time. The day passes quickly as I'm busy prepping the pizza dough, chopping a pepper and an onion, and going to the store for other toppings we don’t have in the pantry. My mom and sisters come to the store with me to help keep the pack away from me. We quickly gather what we need and pay to head back home. Dinner is unusually quiet and less chaotic. Before I know it, I’m in my room trying to kill time before my call with Jaxon.

My phone rang out across my room and I answered it with slightly shaky hands. “Hey beautiful, how was your day?” he greets.

I pause before answering to figure out how I want to respond. I end up saying before I’m aware of the words coming out of my mouth, “Hey handsome, it was good but busy with prepping for tomorrow night. How was your day?"

“It was good and busy between business with my pack and making sure Payton is settling in alright. The point of the call is I want to get to know you better,” he replies.

I take a breath and nervously stumble out, “What would you like to know?”

“No need to be nervous, beautiful. If it helps, I’m nervous as well. I lost my mate to a rogue attack two years ago and I made a promise at her grave to carry her memory and love her forever. Now that I’ve met you, I'm worried about keeping that promise.”

“To be honest, I know I said I would give you a chance but I didn’t realize how scared I am of being hurt again. It has nothing to do with you personally or your pack. It has everything to do with what I’ve experienced here.”

There was a pause in the conversation; it wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, more like trying to decide what to say next. I swallow and it feels as if there is a lump in my throat. “Where do we go from here?” I whisper.

“How about we try again but in person? How about after dinner tomorrow night we go get ice cream together?"

I sigh and my shoulders slump from the release of tension I didn’t know I had developed. “I like that idea, handsome,” I find myself replying without really thinking.

“I look forward to seeing you, beautiful,” he says before we end the call. I went to bed not knowing how much tomorrow night would open my eyes and heart to Jaxon.

Jaxon’s POV

I’m on the phone with my gamma, Terrance, checking in on my pack. My phone pings, letting me know I got a text. I place Terrance, my gamma, on speakerphone and pull up the text to see Ava’s response to a text I sent her last night.

Avalon: Good morning, Jax! I slept well and I hope you did as well. I’ll ask the family at breakfast and get back to you. Is there a day that works best for you that I can suggest, as I don’t know how long you were planning to stay?”

A smile graces my face that she got back to me. George, my Beta, smiles his knowing smile. He says in our link, your mate must have texted back.

I link back, “I should never have told you.”

He chuckles before linking, “I’m your best friend, dude. I noticed a little difference in you as soon as you got in last night. I can’t believe I wasn’t invited to that meeting yesterday. I would have loved to have been there to see your face when your mate walked in.

I shake my head and Mav chirps, "Let’s text our mate back. We should call her beautiful again.”

"Isn't it too soon for that?" I counter back.

Mav shrugs his shoulders before telling me to think of it as either complimenting her or testing to see if she might be more accepting of the bond.

Mav and I draft up a response together, and before I can chicken out, I hit send. It read:

I slept well, beautiful! My plan has changed from leaving tomorrow after making sure Pay is all settled in, but I extended my stay a few days and will now leave Sunday morning. I wanted to give you and your family a chance to consider my offer.

I start pacing and George laughs and shakes his head before saying, “I haven’t seen you like this since Haley. It's nice to see, buddy.”

I don’t have a good retort to respond to him, and to prove his point, my pacing stops when my phone pings in notification of a text. I look at my phone and see that Ava got back to me. I feel a little jolt in my stomach, something I haven’t felt since the first time I saw Haley. My heart rate increases as I panic about forgetting Haley and what that jolt could mean. After a few deep breaths to slow my heart, I read the following message:

Avalon: Is there a certain day that works best for you to meet the family? Why did you extend your stay?

Mav whines in the back of the head. Clearly sad, she didn’t seem to respond to our use of the beautiful endearment. Maybe she isn’t ready yet, I say in an attempt to cheer him up before asking his opinion on how to respond. We decide to be honest and together we draft the following message:

Jaxon: I extended my stay to spend more time with you. Does Friday night work for you?

My pacing resumes, and I hear George laugh again before he tells Terrance that he is missing quite the show. I send George a death glare, as I hear Terrance ask what show. I sigh before telling him that I found my second chance mate and how I’m also her second chance mate. He whistles before saying, "No wonder I seem distracted." He reassures me that the pack is fine and that my dad is helping to keep things running smoothly. Terrance tells me that he is happy for me. Before we hang up, I ask him to let my dad know that I will be calling him later tonight. My phone pings, and I read Ava’s response.

Avalon: I’ll ask the fam about Friday and get back to you. Just a warning, Fridays are pizza nights for us.

Mav and I battle about calling her beautiful again. I relent so he will shut up. I end up sending this message.

Jaxon: Pizza sounds wonderful, beautiful.

Avalon: I’ll text you their decision after breakfast, handsome.

After a couple of minutes, her response comes and in it, she calls me handsome. I feel the same jolt I had earlier. I feel a pang of guilt for that jolt. Could I let myself love another and keep loving Haley? Does this mean I never loved Haley? “What’s the matter, man?” George asks.

I shrug before saying, “I’m scared this means that I never loved Haley. I don’t want my kids to feel as if I forgot their mom. I never want to forget Haley or the memories we made and I’m afraid I will if I accept Ava.”

“Haley wouldn’t want you to be alone and unhappy, man. My recommendation is to talk to your mate and come up with a way together that honors Haley and keeps her memory alive,” George responds. He doesn’t pressure me to meet Ava or keep the conversation going. He allows me to think in silence.

By nightfall, I pick up my phone and call my dad. He picks up on the second ring. “Hey Dad, thanks for helping Terrance run the pack,” I say in greeting.

“I have a feeling that is not why you called,” he said.

Before I can stop myself, “Payton is doing okay, but Dad, I need some advice. I met my second-chance mate last night and I don’t know what to do.”

“Take a step back and start from the beginning, son,” Dad says.

I go on to explain that Garrison’s ex-mate is my second-chance mate along with how she is skittish of the bond as well but is willing to give it a chance. I talk about how she wants to become a doctor. I don’t mention the TS or the bullying, in the hope of keeping some of her story for her to tell. My dad is silent for a moment before saying, “She sounds like an incredible lady, Jax. Is the fear you're feeling really about Haley or is it about not wanting to repeat losing another loved one?" Dad says.

I sigh because he always has this way of seeing through me and right to the heart of what is really bothering me. "Possibly, Dad. She is a small she-wolf, Dad, and I’m not sure how well she has been trained,” I admit.

"Well, get to know her, son. Don’t let the fear dictate what happens. Go slow! It will help build a strong foundation, and then we'll see what comes from that foundation. I’ve always told you and Payton the mate bond is only as strong as the work you put into it,” he advises.

“Thanks, Dad; she seems hesitant about expecting the bond as well,” I say without really thinking.

“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t scared after going through a rejection. I feel as if there is more you're not telling me about her,” he replies.

I respond, “Not my story to tell, Dad, but hoping in time you will get to hear it from her.”

"Okay, son, I look forward to seeing you Sunday and hopefully meeting this young lady soon,” Dad says as he ends the call.

I didn’t get full clarity from the call with me or from the talk with George. Then I realized it wasn’t them I needed to talk to; it was Ava herself.

I somehow managed a restless night's sleep. I woke to the sun shining through the windows. The smell of coffee gets me to sit up. I grab my phone from the nightstand and see I got a text from Ava not too long ago. She would like to talk later today. I reply stating that I also would like to talk, and we set up a time for the call. It feels weird not to be meeting in person, but maybe we can do a FaceTime call. Maverick tells me to relax and take it slow to build a strong foundation.

Most of the day I end up discussing pack issues with George and Terrance on the phone. I try not to worry too much about the phone call later. The day goes by in a blur and I find myself sitting on a chair in my room trying to decide what I want to say, along with things I would like to know about her. Before I can decide where to start the conversation, the clock tells me it’s time for the call. I dial her number and the call connects in a couple of rings.

Before I can stop myself, I find myself spewing out my fears to her. She tells me her fears and my heart sinks before she clarifies it has more to do with her current pack than with me personally. I have to think quickly about how to salvage the conversation when the silence falls between us and she whispers, “Where do we go from here?”

My heart squeezes and I rack my brain for a solution. It's too late to do anything tonight and I have dinner with her family tomorrow night. Then it hits me: who doesn’t like ice cream? So I respond by saying, “How about we try again but in person? How about after dinner tomorrow night we go get ice cream together?"

I can hear the same brightness in her voice that she had when she told me about wanting to be a doctor when she agreed to get ice cream with me. As I lay down to sleep, I couldn’t have predicted a scene I would witness that would open my bond up to trust and to new possibilities.