His Blessed Luna Found at Last

Chapter 9. Marked

Elia

Her words stung so badly. I know I shouldn't have reacted. I know I should just trust Zane, but my heart can't. All men are the same. They lie to your face and rip your heart out. That's why I believed her. The only reason.

'But what if she's lying just to hurt us?' Artemis asks. I know she was affected by what she said as well. She was pretending not to be, which I'm thankful for, but I can't think straight.

I run as far and as fast as I can, deep into the woods surrounding the territory. 'She's probably not. I thought Justin would be thrilled for us to have been mated, but I was wrong! He didn't want me. And... he's just like him. He'll probably want to screw me until he gets bored and then we'll be cast aside again,' I tell her. She whimpers in my head, and I stop to lean against a tree.

My body was shaking, and I couldn't stop the hot tears that fell from my eyes. Sobs threatened to escape, but I managed to keep those in. Zane won't love me. I know that and the sooner I accept it, the better.

I remember vividly the pain of rejection. I don't want to feel that again. Why has the Moon Goddess cursed me this way? One mate was bad enough, but two? A scream claws its way from my body and I sink to the ground.

'Even if he does reject us, you still have me. We've been through this already. Besides, I don't think he will,' Artemis comforts, but I can't bring myself to speak to her. My heart and soul hurts too much. 'Have faith in our mate, Elia. He loves us.'

I sit there until my tears stop and my throat feels raw. And that's when I smell him. The sweet scent of pine and jasmine wafts around me and I feel tingles as Zane picks me up. "I'm here... I'm not going anywhere, I swear," he whispers close to my ear. A new wave of tears washes over me.

"I know I'm stronger than this, but I can't help it," I say softly. He just hugs me tightly, sitting against the tree I was just sobbing with. Zane kisses my temple and turns my head to look at him.

"You don't have to be strong for me Elia. I'm not leaving and I'm not rejecting you. I've waited way too long to let you go." I look into his eyes, searching for some kind of security. I see his wolf near the surface. "Do you want to mark me?" he suggests.

Everything in me screams yes and I just nod slowly. A small smile plays on his lips and he turns his head, bearing his neck for me. I feel my gums tingle and my canines slip out, but hesitation seeps into my bones. "Are you sure?" I whisper. My fangs disappear and I glance at his face.

Zane looks at me and I can see determination in his eyes. "Why wouldn't I be? You're my mate. The person that was made for me, Elia. I don't know what that prick said or did to you, but I'm happy to have you. Ecstatic even. Unless you don't feel the same–"

"I do," I blurt, cutting off any doubts he may start to have. I want to be with him. And something tells me, this is where I belong. "I... I want to stay... with you."

"Then do it, love. Mark me and claim this alpha as yours, forever and always." He smiles and kisses my cheek. I take a deep breath before allowing my teeth to elongate again and pierce the flesh of his neck.

He gasps and clutches at my waist when it happens, his emotions starting to bleed into my own. The first thing I recognize is his desire to be with me. The second? His longing for his mate. I pull my teeth out and lick the wound so it would heal. "There..."

I lay my head on his shoulder, biting my lip as I contemplate if I made the right decision. If he rejects me after the bond is solidified, it's only going to hurt even worse. "Feel better?" he asks, rubbing my back.

"A little. I just don't... I don't want to be rejected again," I admit. I can't bring myself to look at him as he sighs.

"I belong to you, Elia. I'm 100% yours. If I reject you without marking you, I'm only hurting myself more than anything." I nod and just lay there with him, curling up in his lap and letting his scent surround and comfort me. "Do you want me to mark you?" he asks after a few moments of silence.

"I dunno." I wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face there too as I feel everything start to come crashing down.

"Hey, hey, hey... we'll be okay. I promise." He stands up, picking me up along with him. There was one arm on my back and the other was under my legs. I can feel his legs move as they connect with the ground. I don't know where he's taking me, but I don't care at this point.

Soon I hear other voices and I realize he took me back to the packhouse. "Is the Luna okay?" someone asks.

"She will be. She just needs some rest. Can you send our lunch to our room, please?" Zane asks. I don't hear a response as my mind drifts away to that woman.

When I pull my face away, we're back in the bedroom and his scent is everywhere. I take a chance and glance up at his face to see him concerned and staring down at me. "I'm fine," I manage to croak out.

He nods and sets me down on the bed and sits next to me. I can't help the urge that tells me to lay on his lap, and I do. The mate bond seems to have gotten more electrifying since I marked him. 'Why can't he mark us back?' Artemis whines in my head.

'I don't know if I'm really ready for him to do that just yet,' I admit. His hands start running through my hair and electrifying shocks go through my body.

I hadn't touched Justin on the night I found out we were mates but something tells me that it wouldn't have felt like this.

The shocks seem to fire up every nerve and with his scent filling my lungs, it was like an aphrodisiac had been injected directly into my brain. I can slightly smell my own arousal as I curl up, trying to put out the small fire Zane had started.

I'd never been with another man because after Justin, they'd kinda left a bad taste in my mouth and I wasn't eager to be discarded again, nor did I want to subject someone else to that same pain.

My eyes peek up and I see Zane tilting his head back with his hand covering his nose and mouth. Something tells me he could smell me getting turned on just from him running his fingers in my hair. I wonder what else he could do with those strong, slim fingers...

'I could show you,' Artemis perks up. I shake my head before she can start doing anything. The bond was already working on me and it had gotten worse since I'd marked him, like fate was trying to get us together so he could solidify his half. 'Spoilsport.'

"Elia," Zane calls. I sit up, looking at him, but as I can't see his face, move to straddle his lap to get a better view. "Unless you want me to complete the mating process, I suggest you back away for a bit. Between your desire, your mouthwatering scent, and the sparks from the bond, I have every urge and instinct to pin you to this very bed, tell my staff to stay away, and make you scream my name for the rest of the day."

Heat flares in my cheeks and I move off of his lap, opening the nearest window, thankful the air started to flow in. "Is that better?" Zane nods a little before he's able to look at me again.

There was a knock at the door before it opened and an omega came in, pushing a cart of food. My stomach growled at that point and Zane laughed a little. "Thank you," he says with a smile and a slight nod. The omega nods back and walks out. "Hungry?"

I chuckle a little and nod. "Maybe a little..." I admit. I open a couple more windows to get air circulating in the room. Deep down I wanted to complete the bond with him, but something was holding me back. I move to the bed with him as he grabs the food and sits down. It was chicken alfredo with fresh broccoli.

My mouth starts to water as I breathe in the smell of it. I lift my fork and take a bite, a happy moan leaves and I want to scarf down the rest of it. "I think I know what your favorite food is now," Zane says with a chuckle.

I look up at him to see him watching me. my cheeks get warm and I finish the bite I took before licking my lips "Well it's pretty tasty. I've always been one for Italian food, pasta especially." He nods and starts digging in to his plate as well.

It wasn't long before the food was gone. I wasn't nowhere near full, but I was satisfied so that was good. Zane stretched a little before kissing my forehead.

"Gotta get back to work, love," he says. I nod as he stands and puts the dishes back on the cart and takes it out into the hallway. I lay back on the bed and sigh.

The ceiling was nothing special to look at, but I did feel a bit of drowsiness start to wash over me as the breeze from outside drifted in. I smile softly and close my eyes, as sleep starts to take me.

"Elia...? The pack doctor is here about the omega triplets," I hear. I sit up and rub my eyes, glancing at a clock on the wall. I'd been out for maybe an hour.

My gaze sweeps the room and I see no one. I knit my brows in confusion before getting up and walking downstairs, just at the doctor comes in. "Ah, there's the lady in question," she says, smiling gently.

"Hi. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I ask, returning her smile.

"I heard there was a woman who delivered yesterday?" she asks. I nod my head. "Ah. I am here to check on the pups."

"Alright. I was told a makeshift nursery was set up for them. I can take you to them," I state. The doctor nods and we head back upstairs to the room of the triplets.

Daniel was already in there, playing with the babies, along with Sadie who was currently feeding one of the boys. The doctor gets to work, weighing them, measuring them and making sure they're healthy. I sit back and watch, taking in a bit of the information.

The doctor puts her equipment away and turns to me. "All three are perfectly healthy. And all three will grow to be strong. It seems they have alpha blood in them, not beta."

"What?"