Lana Love's Lovers

Chapter Two: Misery

Nodding to thee guards, they open the doors to my fathers office. Bowing to both my parents i find them standing in front of my fathers desk.

"Hello father, mother." They nod in acknowledgement.

"sit down Lana." My mother says as she guides me to the siting area by the lit fire place parallel to the desk. Taking our seats, my father follows us yet maintains his strong stance - standing by the fire in front of me.

"I am sure that you know what tonight's meeting regards Lana." my father begins, i don't dare to say a word as the thought alone of the moment that i will be provided with the title of 'Luna' by my parents - the leaders of the most powerful pack in western hemisphere, causes my heart to palpate.

"After a moment of deliberating and of thinking, it is time to announce to you that it is not believed that you are fit enough, nor man enough to rule over this pack alone." He finishes.

My breath catches in my throat, and i forget all that i have ever known. But what have i ever known? All i have ever said, all that i have ever done, all that i have ever thought, was would enable me to be strong enough and more than capable of becoming Luna. And not just any Luna. The Luna of the Vengeance Pack, the strongest pack in the Western Hemisphere.

Falling back to earth, i take a deep breath and look to my mother in bewilderment, then to my father - scanning their faces more more answers and explanations. How could this be? Yet, all i receive are monotonous expressions.This cannot be happening! Shooting up from my seat, i exhale a deep growl, struggling to keep Xiana from breaking free of my human host. I need answers - in fact i need more than that. I need my-damn-title.

My father scowls at my reaction but i have no care for 'his feelings' or 'his opinions' at this moment. That's all i have lived by my whole life and it doesn't seem to have gotten me anywhere. Look at the predicament i am in right now.

"Why?" i question.

"A female - yet alone a young woman, cannot rule alone. If she does ever assume the tile of Alpha female, and i mean ever. Then she is to stand behind her Alpha." Explains my father.

I have no words other than the ones to fail to escape from my mouth as it hangs from my jaw. What kind of ancient thinking is this? I know we live for centuries, but its 2019! Accepting my current fate, i inhale and exhale before finding the courage to talk.

"Father, if this is your final decision, then i will accept your previous offer to join my fellow warriors in competition against the other other packs. I will fight to defend not only our packs name, yet our family name. However, i wish to go to university if i will not be assuming a new position within the pack." I state.

My father nods in agreement, "On the condition that you use this trip to not only provide our pack with glory and honour, yet to find your soulmate."

Before i can even respond in anger i excuse myself from the room.

Outside the office i find Nate leaning on the wall with a look of pity. He heard the whole conversation. Scoffing, i storm off to my room to pack my things as he hurries to follow me. Hot on my tail.

"Lana i am so sorry, i did not mean for this happen. I really did not." He apologises.

"So what are you saying? Your being forced to go back to wherever you came from?" I stop to question."

N-n-no" he stutters.

"Well that's what i thought. We were supposed to spend the whole summer together, turn 18 in July. Make the most of the month we have before that - before we're old enough to find our mates and get ripped away from one another, but no. You did that all on your own." I spit as i leave him in the hallway. Speechless.

-

I found it hard to sleep that night. I tossed and turned as my mind was plagued with 'what if's?' and thoughts of what it would be like to live a Nateless life. It's currently seven am and i've been up since five - trying to finish my packing in an attempt to fill the empty void within me. The team is leaving for our first competition in New york in an hour and a half. We live in the north end of Connecticut - where our ancestors of the native american Quinnipiack tribe resided - and wont be back from our tour until the end of the summer to get ready to go off to university.

America - or the United States is not really made up of 50 states as the humans have been lead to believe. In fact, it is made of twenty-five packs - ours being the largest of course. And due to this fact, this is where the finals will be held at the end of the summer. This is why is it so important that we win - we cannot lose on our own turf. On our own land.

I've decided to got to Yale to become a doctor. It is a respected profession, and i have a passion for being there for those who need help. The only good outcome of not becoming Alpha is that i will get a degree and with this old fashioned thinking from my father, and for my mother to just go along with with it... i am surprised that he is letting me get my own experience of higher education.

-

Pulling my luggage down the stairs of our front porch, i find Nate leaning against the pack bus. Flamingo-ing. Can't this boy stand straight?

As i approach the driver to pack my luggage in, under the bus Nate nods his head in the opposite direction. This cant be good. I am noticing that if he cannot say what ever he wants to say - especially in front of people we don't socialise, yet alone associate with - pack or not, then whatever he has to say is probably not that good.

Following him to the side of the house i fix my shades - pushing them up on my nose.

"Lana..." He starts. I don't respond, i have nothing to say to him.

"I know that your upset but there is no need for this silent treatment - even if you have no crown." Oh that is it!

"You have no place to talk about how i feel! How i should feel, or what i need to feel Nate!" The shock on his face is apparent. I didn't even mean to go off on him that much. No matter how much we have argued or gotten upset with one another have we ever shouted - yet alone screamed in one another's faces.

And there it is again. The look in his eyes. Pity, self-shame, and a bit a judgement.

"I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you like that - even if you do make up a part of it. I was wrong." I apologise.

"It's okay" he sighs. "No it's not" i tell him. Why is he so forgiving?

"Look Lana, i will be back before the end of the summer to see you. I don't want us to start the new chapters of our lives like this."

I nod in agreement with him, before sharing a long tight hug with him.

"Goodbye Nate."

"Later Love."