Star-crossed Luna

Chapter 2

MARCELLUS

The setting sun sprawled orange yellow light across the desk, illuminating the room in a soft glow. My fingers thrummed restlessly against the desk’s hard cool surface as my frustration grew and patience wore thin. I signed, leaning back into my chair. What the hell am I going to do if they don’t respond? I turned my chair around to gaze out the window at the setting sun, its yellow and oranges now melting into pinks and purples over the horizon. It has been two weeks since I sent my letter with no response from Alpha Galen. I knew suspicion would arise from the sudden desire for amity, but it was unlike him to not respond promptly, whether it be to agree or disagree.

I turned back to my desk, cluttered with various documents addressed to and from other packs I had also reached out to as well. Most had been eager to end the fighting my father had perpetuated for decades, while a small few remained dubious and untrusting of my new leadership. Some are even hostile. I couldn’t blame them though, but I still had to try to right the wrongs of my father, and I had to do it fast. We were on the verge of another war.

After some rummaging through the mess of papers I found the copy of the letter I had sent to Galen and read it over. They had been trying for the last several years to agree to peace or even a truce. Only recently had my father stopped sending battalions to their territory when the last one came back severely beaten, though purposefully left alive. They wanted peace, not war but would still defend themselves, and did so very well. It was only then my father agreed to a truce, though an official document was never signed because he kept making changes and adding demands.

I ran my fingers through my hair. Maybe this was a stupid idea, not that I would admit that to my Beta, Zane. He had thought it was a bad idea from the beginning, but I have to earn their trust somehow and thought having a liaison stay here to witness first hand our change in nature was the best way. Zane thought sending someone from our pack to talk with them would be better, but I disagreed, feeling that it would appear hostile or aggressive in nature. If we let them come here, it was all on their terms.

A loud intruding knock sounded on the door and I internally groaned at the interruption.

“What?” I ask gruffly as Zane opens the door, not waiting for a response before entering.

“You’re still in here?” Zane asks, “You’ve been in here all day.”

“I have work to do, this is what work looks like,” I say sarcastically, “maybe you should take notes.”

“Looks more like brooding in a dark room,” he responds, deflecting my banter. I sighed, he knew me too well.

“So what if I am?”

“Just take the night off, you’ve been going at it nonstop for days,” I finally looked up to meet his gaze.

“No,” I said flatly, “I’m fine.”

“Come on, at least take a break,” he insists, making his way over to my shelf of liquor. He looked it over, checking every bottle I had which ranged from vodka to wine, then bent down to check the mini fridge as well. After a moment of consideration he stood back up with a bottle of coffee brandy in his hand. My favorite. He grabbed two bourbon glasses and filled each one then splashed bailey’s into each before handing me my glass.

Reluctantly I took the glass and took a sip, the delicious sweetened coffee flavor making my taste buds dance just before the burn hit the back of my throat.

“Thanks,” I said as he took his first sip.

“No problem,” he shrugged, “you need it.”

“If you say so,” I sighed, taking another sip.

“And you should really talk to Bianca, or at least send her a text, she’s been harassing me about you,” Zane said annoyed, making me groan.

“She's been clingy lately, why I have been avoiding her,” I admitted.

“You know, she’s not your mate, you don’t have to stay with her,” Zane’s voice became more serious again.

“I know, but we’ve been together so long and I never found my mate and neither did she. With so much history with her it just seems obvious to stay with her,” I admitted.

“But you aren’t happy with her,” he said gently.

“I’m not happy, period,” I scoffed. Zane looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

“I’m just saying, maybe it’s time for a change?”

Almost as if on queue the office doors flew open and Bianca stormed in. Anger raged in her eyes.

“I’ve been waiting to hear from you for two days, what the hell!” she yelled at me before looking at Zane, “and YOU. You said you didn’t know where he was.” Zane put his hands up in mock surrender.

“Only following orders,” Zane says plainly. Bianca’s rage grew with that statement, “Orders?! What does he mean by orders!” Her anger suddenly directed at me again, sparking a rage of my own, “Did you tell him not to tell me where you were?”

“Do not take that tone with me,” I warned.

“I’ll take whatever f*****g tone I want,” She spat. The anger began to bubble up inside me. A low growl escaped my throat.

“Watch. Your. Tone.” I gritted out, “Last warning.”

“If I’m going to be Luna, you have to respect me.”

That was the last straw. I stood from my chair and was standing in front of her in only a few strides. Looking down at her I could see the sudden fear in her eyes.

“I said watch you f*****g tone,” My alpha voice boomed, forcing her to her knees in submission, “I am you Alpha.”

“I’m sorry,” her voice was quiet, “I just wanted to spend time with you.”

“And I told you I was busy, I have an entire pack to run now Bianca, I can’t drop everything at any given moment for you anymore,” my voice was still rough, and angry.

“When I become Luna you will,” she muttered under her breath. A snarl ripped from my throat.

“The f**k did you just say to me?” I could have banished her just for the blatant disrespect alone,”You are not the Luna, and right now, how you are acting, so selfishly when I am trying to prevent an all out war, I don’t know if I want you as my Luna.” Those last words I knew stung deeply in her.

“Get out of my office.”

She scrambled to her feet, tears in her eyes as she fled the room. I suddenly felt guilty for using my alpha dominance on her, which I’d never done before. My patience for her was running thin.

“Marc,” Zane finally spoke, “You need to break it off, it's not fair to either of you. She thinks she’ll be Luna for crying out loud.” I took a deep breath. He was right.

“I know,” was all I could manage. I rubbed the back of my neck thinking of how I would officially break it off with her, if I even could. She wasn’t my destined mate, but I still loved her. We’d been partnered since we were teenagers, more than ten years of history together. Now that I took over as Alpha, I couldn’t give her my undivided attention anymore, revealing an unbecoming side of her that I really did not care for. I told her she may not hear from me much these last few days because of rising tensions at the southern border, yet she felt the need to seek me out and demand attention.

Suddenly my cell phone rang. I strode over to my desk and looked down at the screen. I didn’t recognize the number. I hesitated before answering.

“Who is this?” I ask curtly.

“Hello? Is this Alpha Marcellus?”

“Yes, who am I speaking to,” I ask again.

“This is Paul Grant, Beta of the Aurora Borealis pack.”

“Oh,” was all I could say, “I was expecting to hear directly from Alpha Galen.” There was a long pause before he spoke again.

“Unfortunately that will be impossible, Alpha Galen Dellarae is deceased. His younger brother Alfred is in the process of taking over as Alpha. I am calling in regards to the letter you sent.”

“Oh, I, I am so sorry to hear that,” I paused awkwardly,”so you have an answer for me?”

“We will send a liaison. They plan to leave early tomorrow and be there before afternoon.”

“Wonderful,” I say, relieved, “I have a room prepared for them. Who will be coming? Name and rank.” He paused again, almost unwilling to answer.

“Amora. She is a strong and well respected warrior,” was all he said about her, “I’ll let her know you are expecting her.”

“Thank you for allowing me to share my home with her.”

“Have a good night sir,” and he hung up the phone.

“They’re sending someone?” Zane asked.

“Yes, she’ll be here tomorrow,” I said, still surprised they accepted my offer.

“Who is coming? The Beta? An officer?”

“No, a female named Amora, just some warrior, supposed to be highly skilled, but at least they’re sending someone,” I answered, rather disappointed that they were not sending someone of higher rank. Hopefully this warrior's word carries weight amongst her pack.

Before I could enjoy the weight being lifted off my shoulders another knock sounded on the door.

“Yeah,” I said, allowing them entry. It was my Gamma, Azriel.

“This a bad time?” He asks.

“Is it ever a good time?” I countered. His face was serious.

“It’s the southern border. There are Eclipse shifters lined up there demanding to speak to you directly, and threatening to invade if you don’t comply.”

“Fuck.”