Moon flower

Chapter 5. Midnight.

As he left an emptiness took over me, enough to make my body shake as the cold air of the night seemed to seep into my bones. The patch of skin he had been touching on my wrist was still alive and I held it for a moment with my other hand as I felt the tingles fade away. The wind picked up from across the water and lifted my hair in the breeze. Causing some of my auburn locks to fall across my face. I stood there alone by the lake for a few moments, trying to gather my thoughts and make sense of this situation. It was him, the one I had been waiting for my whole life. My mate. Jacob. Just thinking his name caused my heart to flutter and I closed my eyes, slowly letting out the breath I hadn’t realised I was holding. Why had he walked away from me? This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. When mates find each other they are meant to be filled with longing and lust, to be filled with the need to be as close to one another as possible, to never want to be apart.

Had he not felt the same way I did? Had the electricity between us not been mutual? Did he not want me? All these thoughts crashed over me at once and my breathing started to come quicker. His neck had not bore a mates mark so he was not mated to another, I couldn’t understood why he had just left me. He had even called me mate before he left. He had acknowledged that he knew we were mates. The memory of his voice uttering the word “mate” was enough to cause a stir within me, and a tingling sensation between my legs. The warmth there radiated outwards, and I could feel a blush creep up my chest and onto my face.

I took a moment to try and compose myself, Jacob was inside and I would have to see him again tonight. If he didn’t want me I would face him with dignity and not reveal my true feelings for him. I bent down to examine the seedling still in its pot at my feet. Jacob’s reflexes had been lightning fast and not a dot of soil had been misplaced from the pot. I carefully held one of the small leaves between my thumb and forefinger giving the plant the gentlest of touches.

“What am I going to do little one?” I asked my moon flower in earnest. I had always talked to the plants in my care. Although I knew they had no ability to understand me, much less return the conversation, it was nice to be able to speak your soul to the world without fear of judgment or repercussions from your words. I scooped the pot into my arms and stood up straight, trying to draw confidence I knew I didn’t have at that moment. I looked over the lake at the glistening moon.

“What are you laughing at?” I asked the moon mother, frustration plain in my voice.

“You’r the reason I’m in the mess.” I glared up at the moon’s perfect, pale and shimmering face waiting for the response I knew would never come. Who knows what the moon mother has in store for us. From the moment we are born into this world she guides our steps along paths who’s final destination is known only to her. Some wolves claimed that they had heard the moons voice in times of great need, but I have never been so lucky nor did I expect to be.

Entering the pack house I found myself scanning the mass of people. Searching for a face that was now trapped in my mind forever. I saw him at the front of the crowd that was now gathering around the raised platform at the end of the room. His tall and broad frame made him easy to spot among the throng of people. As my eyes were glued to the back of his head it didn’t escape my attention when he looked over his shoulder for the smallest of moments, locking eyes with me across the room. My heart rate picked up as I was caught in his penetrating gaze, but no sooner had he looked at me did he turn away. As if I was simply a face in the crowd. I felt the blush creep across my cheeks and my eyes began to sting with tears I did not wish to fall. I chose to look down at my feet, in case Jacob looked back and saw the effect he had on me. If he was going to act as if I meant nothing to him then I would try and do the same. Although acting had never been my strong suit, so I doubted I’d give a believable performance if he were to talk to me again this evening.

My stomach was a mess of churning snakes and I very much regretted drinking that wine Becca had given me earlier. The room began to swim, there were too many people, too many conversations, I couldn’t think straight and my breathing started to come in short sporadic breaths. Oh gods what was happening? Just when I thought my legs were about to give way I felt a hand on my arm, snapping me out of my head and back to reality. Slowly, all of my senses returned to normal and I was able to focus on the very concerned face of best friend stood before me. Squeezing my arm I could hear Becca asking if I was alright, I couldn’t manage more than a small shake of my head. She opened her mouth to speak again but was cut of by Alpha Rikard taking his place on the raised platform and beginning to address the crowd.

“My dear pack members, family and friends.” He began in his great booming voice. “It is my honour to announce to you all today that the Silent Lake Pack will be, from today, in alliance with the Pack of the Dark Mountain. It is my great hope that this new alliance brings prosperity, trade, friendship and life long luck between both packs.” Rikard’s voice rung out across the sea of people, carried by waves of whispering from the audience which turned to cheers and whoops of support once he was finished. The room was a buzz with words of encouragement and well wishes shouted out by each member present.

The smiling Alpha Rikard raised his hand to quieten the crowd and again a hush fell upon the room, as the pack waited for the next words of our Alpha. “It is my wish to now introduce to you the Alpha of the Dark Mountain Pack. A man I am sure most of you have already seen among you in the crowd tonight. Let’s show him just how welcoming we can be Silent Lake! Please Alpha Crain, join me!” A huge cheer erupted from the crowd, as I watched Jacob step up onto the platform, clasping hands with Alpha Rikard and shaking firmly. Rikard placed a hand upon Jacob’s shoulder and smiled, looking out proudly over his pack. I stood there, mouth slightly open, unable to comprehend what it was I had just heard. Alpha Crain. Jacob Crain. Alpha Jacob Crain. My mate was an Alpha wolf. Well s**t.