Broken Luna

Awkward Introductions

~~JUDAS POV~~

What the f**k was I thinking asking Bran to bring me back here? Clearly I had finally lost my mind. I was mental. Anxiety was gripping me at the thought of him confirming that he loved someone else. That if it wasn’t for a fated bond he’d never consider me. That he would begrudge being tied to me through it.

School would have been so much easier. I could have focused on my work. Or maybe figured out another idea. We had gotten back and Bran had said he was going to talk to Jem first. Promised to knock out a few teeth (though I’d told him to please not do that regardless) if I was right and he was wrong.

I was pacing in my room with a frown on my face, heart racing in my chest. This was stupid. Silly. It wasn’t as if I should have expected anything else…

The door opened. But it wasn’t Bran, and it wasn’t Jem. I could sense that right away. Whirling around I saw her.

Zyanya bristled and growled in my mind. I cast my eyes down instantly expecting the worst. Feeling inferior to her. She had the most gorgeous skin, like milk chocolate. And her eyes stood out in their pale blue green, outlined in a thick fan of black lashes. Her black kinked curls pulled back in a tight pony.

“I heard you saw me and Jem earlier. I asked him if I could come talk to you first,” her voice wasn’t harsh. Nor bitchy like I’d admittedly expected. It was calm, I even thought it sounded almost - apologetic…

What did I say to that? About what I saw? What I heard? My wolf wanted to fight, accuse. I suddenly felt exhausted. My shoulders slumped.

“I wanted to explain…” sighing, “I am sorry to have caused you any distress.”

“You’re better suited, I’m sure,” my voice was quiet, I pained, “it would be silly to think some magical bond would be stronger than a relationship that was built over time…”

The woman shook her head, “not silly. It’s simply how it is for our kind. I’m Rain. Most people just call me Ray,” I looked over at her wearily.

“He loves you, though,” I reminded her.

“We do love each other. But not like the mate bond. I’ll be honest we’ve been - uh -” she blushed - “been intimate. But we always knew when he found his mate, he’d be with her. When he found you. We’ve been close friends for a long time. I was visiting my old pack. I just got back late last night and he wanted to make sure to talk to me first,” she gave me a little grin, “think he forgot about having to do that until Talon reminded him I was coming back last night.”

Anya didn’t like the idea of another female touching her mate. But I quieted her, telling her because of what I was - or had been I guess - literally have no room to judge. “Oh.” That was the only word I managed to get out. Frowning.

“I know it’s not really any she-wolfs idea of an ideal meeting. Real awkward on my end here,” she gave a nervous laugh at that.

I snorted lightly and actually had a momentary smirk at that, “yeah this is awkward…”

“Really just what I wanted to say, needed to say to you - is I am genuinely happy for you both. Bran was getting restless, worried he’d never find you. And I’m glad you both have found one another. And I hope despite everything the two of us can still become friends!” Was it really all just me having jumped to conclusions? The more pessimistic side of me felt weary over the chance she was trying to cover something up. But another part of me felt like there was a sincerity in her voice.

“You had been friends with benefits… Now just back to friends?” was it really that easy?

Rain cringed, “yes,” I wondered if it was just because of how awkward it really did feel - “ I promise. Just friends. I believe in the mate bond, I’d never stand in the way of it.” There was something almost sad in her voice at the end of it.

“Have you given up on finding your mate?” I regretted asking almost as soon as it left my mouth. I could see the sorrow in her eyes as she looked at me.

“Oh. Second chance mates aren’t common. My mate was his Gamma, one of our mutual friends. We’d all grown up together. My pack alpha and his father had been friends and have always done events and s**t together,” her smile was sad, “it’s been five years since I lost Elliot. Jem kept me as Gamma after. I’m not sure I could love someone as deeply as I loved my mate.”

Even my wolf felt her pain. And at that Zyanya instantly lost whatever feeling of threat she’d had with Rain before. My own heart ached at the idea of losing someone so important. I tried to play down to myself how much Jem effected me. How important he was becoming. The idea of him being with someone else was agonizing. But the thought of if I’d lost him to something so final as death?

It made me want to weep.

Once more I don’t have words. This wasn’t how I envisioned my conversation with Rain. But now here I was moving to give her a hug of comfort. She seemed surprised. Before seeming to relax and return the hug.

“Thanks. I needed one of those,” she laughed, “but I was supposed to come here and comfort you!”

“You kinda did,” said with a mix of compassion and amusement, “but I would love to be your friend.”