The Luna of Lunas

Chapter Seven: Welcome Home Alpha II

[Dominic’s P.O.V.]

Imogen has been getting stronger. It feels as if she has an aura now, a powerful one. I saw her in the sparring circle with Hannah and tried not to laugh at my son’s panic. I doubted Imogen at first, but I have total faith in her now. She has healed me, my family, and even our pack in ways I could never thank her for. I have no doubt she was meant to be here, and no doubt today would be the day she will finally beat Hannah.

-

“You’re next Beta.”

I look over to see Gavin taking care of her. I already know this won’t go over well, but seeing how Duncan is reacting to her, I’m almost positive my theory is correct.

“Imogen.” I hear an involuntary whisper coming from Duncan. When they lock eyes, I’m more than positive my theory is correct. What I wasn’t expecting was what came next.

-

[Duncan’s P.O.V]

“Imogen”, I step toward her. I feel like I’m seeing a ghost, but if this is the afterlife, I’m happy to be here. I never thought I’d see her again.

She takes a tentative step toward me. Before I know it, she’s in my arms, legs wrapped around my waist, kissing me. She’s so fast I have no time to think about how the people surrounding us will react. When her lips touch mine it’s fireworks. My hands snake around her waist, eventually making their way to her a** holding her up. She’s kissing me passionately, fiercely. This isn’t the reunion I ever imagined would happen, but it is everything I’ve dreamt about.

As suddenly as she was in my arms, she is out of them. I feel cold, empty, I miss her even though she’s just a few inches in front of me.

‘SMACK’

A red-hot sting spreads replaces the heat from her lips. She slapped me. Gasps erupt from the crowd, taking my attention for just a second, but in that second, I see my warriors step in.

“Don’t…” I start before I am rendered speechless by the sight in front of me. They weren’t stepping in to apprehend her, they were stepping in front of her. Were they protecting her? Why would they protect her from me? Why would they step in front of their Alpha for a human?

“Stand down.” My father orders. “Son, we have a few things to talk about.”

I follow him, still holding the cheek she slapped. I spare a glance over my shoulder and see Gavin glaring at me. What’s his problem? He immediately runs after her, my Imogen. Anger rises in my chest.

“Not now son, just follow me and I’ll explain everything.” I look at my father and know I have no choice. She is living here in this pack. I’ll find her later.

-

[Gavin’s P.O.V.]

“Imogen wait!” I call after her. I’m running now. I hate that she’s so fast.

“Leave me alone Gavin, I don’t want to talk about it.” She yells, speeding up.

“Just talk to me.” I finally catch up to her grabbing her hand. She rips it from me, glaring at me. “Is he the one?” I don’t need to elaborate. She told me the full story a while ago. She loved someone in college, she gave him everything, he left suddenly, and he never came back for her. I never imagined the guy she told me about was my own brother. Figures, he gets everything.

“Yes, he is. He’s the one who hurt me. I got over it and found my place in the world and then it was taken from me again. Now he is here to take this from me, the one place I have felt good since I left… there.”

I knew something happened to her when she was working at her last location, and it was bad. Bad enough that she left her job entirely and took off to trek around the USA. My father and I were told in the hospital that she was tortured, and we have seen the scars with our own eyes, but she never talked about it directly, using words like ‘there’ and the ‘incident’, I couldn’t push her. Hearing that she had finally found some peace here and my brother took it away from her, and not for the first time, enraged me.

-

“I just need some time” she sighs.

I’m worried she’ll take this time to leave. As if she is reading my mind, she says “I need to shower Gavin. I need to get the kids ready and them seeing me covered in blood probably isn’t the best for their little psyches.” I see the faint trace of a smile on her lips as she talks about the orphans. I doubt she'll run off before their performance tomorrow night. She wouldn't break their hearts that way.

“You still going to be my date?” I ask.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world” she winks at me.

I still want her, but after seeing her with my brother, I know she needs a friend more than anything right now. I’ll wait. She’s p****d at my brother and so am I. I hate that she kissed him. I hate that she gave herself to him. I hate that she still has feelings for him. If I can’t beat him for her affections, I can at least help her get revenge. I mindlink a close friend my idea. She’s all in and starts looking for what I need right away.

-

[Imogen’s P.O.V]

UGGGHHH!! Why is he here? I’m running back to my cabin.

“He’s the Alpha, you i***t. He’s supposed to be here.”

Perfect. Just perfect. That voice has decided to make her intrusion into my life yet again. A thought hits me and I stop. It’s been explained to me that wolves and humans can speak to each other in their heads. I’m not a wolf, but maybe if I try speaking to it…

“Finally human, speak to me.”

“What are you?”

“Can’t tell you right now.”

“Who are you?”

“Still can’t tell you right now, but I can tell you, my name.”

“So, I can’t know what you are, who you are, but you’re okay with me knowing your name? Why do you have a name?”

“You know why I have a name, and it’s Saoirse, by the way. Nice to finally meet you. I’ve only been hanging out here for seven years.”

Ironic. Her name means freedom, but she’s acting like I've been keeping her in captivity. “If I ask why you have been with me seven years, are you going to answer?”

“Nope.”

“Well then you can’t exactly blame me for that.”

“Touché.”

“Any parting words of advice? I do need to go shower and get the kids ready."

“Kill him with kindness, knock him dead”

Okay, maybe I like this voice in my head. Being around others who hear voices in their heads and can then shift into giant wolves makes me feel a bit more comfortable. I still have the question of who or what I am. I’m not a wolf, or at least I think I'm not a wolf. I can’t deny this voice thinks like I do… which I guess it should. I mean, it’s a voice in my head, but is she really another part of me waiting to be set free?

-

[Dominic’s P.O.V.]

“Why did you never tell me her name!” Duncan roars, shaking the office walls.

“Why should I have?” I answer coldly. Seeing Imogen’s reaction to him, I know my theory is correct, but I’m less enthusiastic about being correct now. He hurt her. “Duncan, you never told me you found your mate.”

“She’s not my mate. I wanted her to be but she’s not.”

“Then why did she react like that!?” I roar back at him. I know there’s something he’s not telling me.

“I loved her. I dated her in college when I was in Ireland. We basically lived together for a year and a half.”

“That doesn’t explain her reaction.” I push him. I need all the information.

“Mom died.” He has his head in his hands, speaking to the floor, maybe it’s easier than speaking to me. “Mom died and I came back here. I left her.”

“That doesn’t explain…” I try to interject.

“I didn’t know you would be such a mess! I thought that I would come home and somehow find a way to take her with me later, but you were just… gone. I had to take over the pack. I CHOSE THE PACK!”

“She expected you to come back?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore.” He is back speaking to the floor after his outburst. Did I really ruin my children’s lives so much, first Sarah and now Duncan? “Can you salvage this?” I have to ask.

“She’s not my mate, what’s the point? The council will never accept a chosen human mate.”

Duncan is right about that. The council would never interfere with a fated bond but a chosen bond with a human, particularly for an Alpha. It’s something they would never accept.

-

'I can feel you again my love, what’s wrong? Were we wrong?’ Clara mindlinks me.

'I honestly don’t know. They have met before, but they aren’t mates. I can’t explain it.’

‘There’s something else… do they have feelings for each other?’ How Clara is always on point never ceases to surprise me.

'Feelings yes. Imogen has a little bit more than love for Duncan though. He hurt her, badly, maybe irrepidly.'

'What did she do?’

‘Jumped into his arms, kissed him like no one was watching, then slapped him so hard I can still see the mark’

‘That’s our girl’ Clara cuts the link and I know she’s off somewhere laughing to herself. She raised strong daughters. She admires that in Imogen.

“Dad?” Duncan breaks me out of my thoughts. “What exactly is going on between Gavin and Imogen?”

Well f**k.