As the moon rises

Chapter 7

Sienna's point of view.

As we go back to the home, my logic returns, and I cast a glimpse at my companion next to me.

So, what will I do?

My friend is not only a member of the Black Mountain pack, but he's also their Beta, which means he's extremely close to the Alpha. I take a look at the tattoos on the back of his right hand and up his arm. and vanish behind his t-shirt, peeking out from the collar on his neck. He has many ear piercings.

My mother will have a fit if she sees him.

Or pass out.

Both are most likely.

It will be fascinating to watch which one comes first.

My gaze falls to his enormous hands, and a shudder goes down my spine at the notion that this guy has most definitely murdered someone.

How should I proceed? What if he turns me down?

My ideas race through my brain, making it difficult to concentrate. When we arrive at a spacious three-story home and Cade answers the door, he leads my friend and me across the hallway to the open-plan kitchen.

Fortunately, the residence looks to be vacant. I stand a few meters away from my friend, wondering how to interact with him now that my common sense has returned.

I always assumed that when I met my mate, he'd be fairly normal and everything would be OK from there. I didn't anticipate this, and I definitely didn't ask for it.

What on earth was the Moon Goddess thinking?

So you two are friends?" Cade asks quietly, but his narrowed brows and scowl indicate he is not impressed.

"Yes, we are," says my friend, whose name I still don't know.

Cade glances at me for confirmation, and I nod before opening my lips and making a worse mess of things.

"Do you know what this means for her?" Have you given her any thought?" Cade hisses between his fangs at my partner, and I assume "her" refers to me.

"Of course, but what are you expecting me to do?" What should I do?" He responds.

I stare at each of them, absolutely perplexed as to what is going on.

"You can let her go back to her pack, cade insists, it's better for her," my mate growls next to me.

"She is not leaving me?" he exclaims, and I shudder.

This problem must be resolved.

"She's right here!" I exclaim, drawing their attention to me.

"What the hell are you guys talking about? I'm so confused."

They both sigh in unison.

"He can explain it all to you, but I need to clear my head," Cade grumbled as he began to walk out of the room. I go up to him and grab his arm.

"Don't leave me here, tell me what's going on," I say, as Cade stares down at me with pity in his eyes.

"I'll be outside, come out when he's done talking to you," he says simply as he wrenches himself free of my hands and goes out of the room. The front door bangs a few seconds later. When I turn around, I find my friend staring at me.

This is going to be a lot of fun.

"I don't even know your name," I confess, and his eyes soften. causing me to unwind

"Jaxon, but everyone refers to me as a fax," he continues, and I agree.

Jax intrigues me.

"Would you mind explaining what you two were talking about?"" I inquire, strolling around to one of the couches.

My friend frowns and approaches to sit next to me, and I tighten up as his thigh brushes against mine.

"My brother and I don't exactly see eye to eye," he says, but I stop him off by raising my hand.

"Is that your brother?"" I squeal with delight.

Is Code his brother?

"Cade and I are brothers, yes," Jax answers with a grimace.

"He never told me that," I explain, and Jax's eyes narrow.

"Can you tell me about your relationship with Cade?" "You two appear to be very comfortable with each other," Jax says, and I narrow my eyes at him.

"He's just a close friend, that's all."1 defends me, and fortunately, Jax seemed to believe me.

"Anyway, my brother is having trouble accepting our pack." My father offered us both the role as Alpha, but Cade rejected, preferring to be the Pack Doctor rather than a leader."

"Right now, your father is the Alpha."

"Yes, I was supposed to take over his position next month, but now that I've met my mate, he'll bring the ceremony forward," he adds, twisting my stomach with dread.

"And what exactly do you expect of me?" I inquire, a little anxiously.

He frowns at me as if he doesn't understand the question, or, more specifically, why I'm asking it.

"Obviously, you'll move here and become my Luna," he says simply, and I take a long breath to settle myself.

"I'm not moving to your pack; I've only just met your" I rise up and take a few steps back.

"Of course, you're my mate, you're joining my pack," he growls, rising from the couch and closing the gap between us.

"No, I'm not! You don't understand, my parents aren't exactly accepting, this isn't going well," I attempt to explain, but he takes my hand and pulls me into his strong chest.

"You don't know me very well if you think I'll let your parents' opinions stop me from being with you."

"You're right, I don't know you very well." I respond.

I despise myself for surrendering in the face of Jax's penetrating stare.

My buddies have always been shorter than me, therefore I've always felt too tall. I have to look up with Jax because he can lay his chin on the top of my head.

"I don't care what they think," I say gently, and Jax throws his arms around me, pressing me against his powerful chest.

If I died right now, I'd die happy. Confused, but pleased.

My phone begins buzzing inside my purse before he can react.

I guess I've regained my signal.

"Excuse me," I say quietly. As I see my mother's face on my phone, I sigh deeply.

"Hi, Mum," I say cheerfully.

I look over to find Jax staring at me with an enigmatic expression on his face.

"Hi, sweetie. Are you still with Cade? Where are you?" she says, and I look at the clock; it's already three o'clock.

"I'm still with Cade; we just went for coffee, but I think we're going for a run; I won't be home until later," I tell her, frowning as Jae's chest growls.

"Okay, dinner is at seven."

"That's fine, I'll be home by then."

"Great, see you later, sweetie," she says.

"Bye, Mum," I say, slipping the phone back into my bag.

"I need to go, I need to talk to Cade," I tell Jax, who gives me a stern look.

"You're not going anywhere. You're not leaving, you're part of my pack now," he says, and I turn to stare at him.

"Excuse me, I am not a member of your pack, and yes, I am leaving," 1 says furiously as he tries to march by him, but he grabs my forearms and holds me in place.

"Princess, I have a reputation to uphold; if my pack finds out that I met my mate and let her wander off my territory unnoticed, it won't look good," he cautions, and I narrow my eyes at him.

"I don't care about your reputation, you're not marking me."1 hisses, attempting to wiggle free from his hands.

"Why not? You're mine," he says, much calmer than I am.

"No, I'm not!" I say, pulling myself free from his grasp.

As I see the enraged expression on his lovely face, I immediately regret my remarks.

"You are mine, whether you like it or not," he says, as I take several deep breaths.

"Look, you don't understand, this has completely thrown me. I never expected my mate to be the future Alpha of the Black Mountain pack. It seems like a lot is going on in your life, this just...it isn't going to work," I say gently, trying not to cry.

"You are not rejecting me," he shouts, pulling me back into his embrace.

"No, I'm not, but I just think you should understand that this isn't going to be easy, and you can't just shape your fingers and expect me to move to your pack."

"Tell them you've met your mate," he adds, as if it's that easy.

"Let me go talk to Cade, I promise I won't leave without telling you."1 Jax hesitantly agrees and lets me go.

Cade is sitting on the grass in front of the home, and he doesn't say anything when I approach and take a seat next to him.

"How come you didn't tell me he was your brother?" Or that your father is the leader?" I question, letting him know how irritated I am that he withheld that information from me, and he sighs and turns to face me.

"I warned you. I don't get along with my father. "He's the one who gives the Black Mountain pack a bad reputation," he says.

I take a seat and listen to him explain.

"When he offered Jax and 1 to be Alpha, I immediately denied. Not only do I not want to be Alpha. Dad would have expected Jax and me to compete for the post if I had said yes. Regardless of how much I dislike my brother. I don't want to go to war with him. Besides, he'll make a far better Alpha than me," Cade says, and I move forward to grip his palm, wanting to provide some solace.

"I never intended to include you in this. I'm sorry for missing you; I got caught up with my folks. I had no clue you'd been reported on our area. You're gorgeous, Sienna, and I believe you deserve better than my brother. There's a lot of tension in my family, and if you remain, you'll be caught up in it, which I don't want. That's why I'm upset with Jax; it's unfair to you, and he knows it."

I sit silently next him, listening intently to everything he says.

I'm not sure what he means by tension, and I'm not sure how I'm going to become involved.

"It's all right, Cade. "I'm just glad I have you to talk to."

Jax emerges from the home a few minutes later and approaches us; I rise up and pick up my purse.

"I need to get back to my house before my parents start worrying," I say.

I need some time to ponder, and I can tell Jax is going to disagree with what I wrote before I can.

"Look, I'd like to go home tonight." I'll tell my folks I'm going to stay at a friend's home or something and will return tomorrow, okay?" I offer, and Jax analyzes it for a while before grudgingly agreeing.

"I know we have a lot to talk about, but please give me some time to wrap my head around it," I tell him as I offer my arms for an embrace.

He draws me into his warm, firm chest for the ninth time today, but I'm not tired of it; instead, I luxuriate in the sensation of my mate's arms around me before breaking away.

Cade proposes, "I'll walk you to the border," and Jax growls a warning.

"For f***s sake, I'm your brother."

"Besides, you should go explain this to Dad," Cade says, and Jax knows he's right.

"Fine, but don't you dare touch her," Jax cautions.

Cade rolls his eyes in response, and Jax bends over and kisses my forehead before returning inside. I stop as the tingles sweep throughout my body.

"Oh, snap out of it," Cade teases as I shove him and we return to the tree line.

Cade adds nonchalantly, "So, today's been weird," and I roll my eyes.

"What do you think?" I was not expecting this today, Goddess."

I can hardly wait to go home and into bed.

"Jax is fine, he's just been through a lot," Cade says, and I simply nod, knowing that if I question, he won't elaborate.

We emerge from the woods, and I notice my vehicle, which I left there what feels like days ago; little did I know as I was entering the woods, I was going to meet my partner.

"I'll come pick you up tomorrow," Cade says as he embraces me.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." We say our goodbyes, and I jump into my vehicle, start the engine, and drive away.

My mind repeats the events of the day, and I sigh deeply, hoping to feel better about everything tomorrow.