Moon Marked by the Goddess

Three

The Alpha has called my family over to his apartment for lunch so we can discuss what's going on between both families.

I'm sitting on the edge of the black leather sectional, the Alpha, and the Beta are sitting on the two matching recliners. The Alpha female is sitting on the other side of the leather sectional near her husband. We are waiting on their son to arrive from training. The Beta female was unable to come because their son is running a fever, so she stayed home to watch after the 6 year old.

"Paul do you know when your son will be here? Training should have ended about 30 minutes ago." The Beta, my father says.

"I linked him a few minutes ago. Training was held over. He should be walking through the door any minute now." The Alpha, my uncle responds.

I'm really nervous about this whole situation. Jackson, the Alpha's son, who is next in line for the title, has always been polite to me. I just have always had a feeling that he doesn't particularly like me. When we were young I remember him asking my father why he would take in a stray when they didn't think I was around. He's never said anything like that to my face. The conversation they had that day has made me feel a bit out of place since.

The front door rattles, and then opens. Turning to see who is coming in, I see Jackson.

He's wearing a sweaty charcoal grey tshirt that clings to his muscles, and loose fitting black basketball shorts. My breath catches in my throat as I take in his appearance. He's about 6' tall. His umber skin is glistening with a thin sheet of sweat. Black dreads are pulled back into a ponytail that almost reaches his shoulders. His eyes look like pools of honey. He has a strong jawline that isn't hidden by the stubble he has growing.

He makes eye contact with me and let's out a low growl. "Mate." Comes out of his perfectly kissable lips.

Why am I thinking like this? I've never paid that much to attention to him, or any of the other boys in our pack.

He is slowly making his way to me, and the most intoxicating smell hits my nose. He smells like pine trees, and apples. An itching feeling breaks out across my skin, and I want to change. My wolf begins a low rumble in my chest almost like a pur. I stand up and start walking to him, to meet him halfway. I need this, I need him like I've never needed anything in my almost 16 years of life.

Then like a bucket of cold water being poured on me. Hands wrap around me from behind and pull me down onto the couch. I turn seeing my father holding me.

"Well it seems this will complicate things." The Alpha says with a chuckle.

I look back to Jackson, the hungry look he had, has been replaced with one of pure disgust and he runs down the hallway, I'm presuming to his bedroom.

I can't be mated to him, he's practically my cousin, that's way too weird. My wolf seems to disagree, she seemed very happy with the pairing. Which would make sense, he will become a very strong wolf, taking over the title of alpha from his father.

While I'm lost in my thoughts the adults around me are talking, but I'm too distracted to hear what they're saying. I feel someone staring at me, and look up to see Jackson standing at the edge of the hallway, leaning on the wall. He's changed out of the sweaty tshirt, now wearing a loose fitting black tshirt. He hasn't changed any of the rest of his clothing. His eyes look intense, though I'm unable to tell the reason.

"What in the h*ll is happening? She is too young to change, I shouldn't be able to feel her wolf until her first change. This can't be right, is this a sick prank?" He all but screams at us.

"Son." The Alpha starts, but is cut off by Jackson.

"Not to mention she's my cousin, I can't do that I have to reject her. That's disgusting!"

My heart sinks. Holding my chest I can feel actual pain with each passing word. Tears begin to form in my eyes. Its weird sure, but the Moon Goddess paired us, so it has to be right, right? He's glaring at me, and I quickly wipe my eyes. "Look at her, she's obviously too weak to be a proper luna. I refuse to go through with this."

A strong aura flows through the room. "Jackson, I've had it with you smart*ss mouth! Rylan will be treated with respect at all times. I understand this is a shock, to you, h*ll it's a shock to all of us, but I will not have my child acting like a man child!" The Alpha bellows. I look over to see Jackson, my father, and the Luna compelled to bare their neck in submission to the Alpha. While I can feel his alpha aura, I don't have the compulsion to submit, which is unusual, I've always had to submit to it in the past.

The Alpha pulls back on his aura, and they are able to regain their composure.

"It seems you are no longer forced to submit to my aura." My uncle says with a hint of a smile. "Looks like you may be giving Jackson a run for his money as future alpha of this pack."

"No... I... I don't want that. I don't even want this." I stammer, pointing to all of myself. "These last few days have been too much, I can't handle that stress too. It's all his."

The Luna quirks a perfectly arched eyebrow at home. "Paul you've been vague in describing what's going on. I know Rylan shifted early but you've left it at that. What exactly is going on."

The Alpha, then explain to Jackson, and the Luna, what has happened the last few days; our talking with the Moon Goddess, my wolf currently being the size of his, moon markings, and Elder Rupert being here to help to (leaving out that Rupert is moon marked as well.)

The Luna sends worried glances my way during her husband's recap. Jackson sends me look of awe, disgust, and anger at times. It seems he currently battling his own feelings against the mate pull.

"Rylan, I'm sure you've heard it a million times by now, but you changed very young. Do you feel any strange side effects now that it's happened?" The Luna asks with worry on her face.

"Uh, well I don't know. I don't know what I'm really supposed to feel like. I think I feel a bit stronger than I was before, and my hearing is better." I cough casting my father a slide glance. His cheeks get a slight rosy glow and he ducks his head. "Other than seeing Jackson I've felt fine. Seeing him was weird. My brain felt foggy, and... well... uh." I stop myself.

The adults let out a chorus of laughs, I can see tears in my uncle's eyes. "Yes, we've met our mates, we understand." He says after he gets his laughing under control.

"I don't understand how it happened. He's my cousin." I say.

"Ry, you know we adopted you when you were just a few days old. So you have no actual blood relation to Jackson. This is a bit strange, but the Moon Goddess made it happen, so it's the right thing to do. You're both very strong wolves, and will make the pack better." My father says.

"I couldn't agree more, Bryce." My uncle says in agreement.

"I don't want her to be my Luna. I would be the laughing stock of Olisis mating with my cousin. That would make the pack look like inbred mutts, I refuse." Jackson says looking directly at me, anger rolling off of him in waves.

Who in h*ll does he think he is. I'm not thrilled about being mated to him either, but if the Moon Goddess set it up, who is he to say no. "I don't want to be mated to you either. You're not exactly sunshine and rainbows buddy, but if the Moon Goddess set it up, who in the h*ll do you think you are to mock her plans? As a wolf, and an Alpha your first allegiance is to the Moon Goddess, the second is your pack." I'm shaking with anger, but trying my hardest to keep my voice even. I can feel tears stinging my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I feel like if I don't calm down and quick, I'm going to shift.

"I'm the future alpha of this pack, so I have to decide what's good for it, and you aren't it!" He says with so much venom in his voice.

A growl escapes my throat, then I'm changing. The numbness takes me over, and I'm standing in my wolf form just a few feet in front of him a moment later. I feel so much pressure building in my chest and I let out a deafening roar. Jackson falls to one knee, and bares his neck to me. I see nothing but hatred in his eyes, as he stares back at me. A lone tear falling from his right eye.

A hand touches my back. "Ry, you have to calm down. It's okay. I'll cover you in a blanket. I need you to change back dear." The Luna says to me, the compassion in her voice breaks through the anger and pain clouding my mind.

I'm sorry.

She smiles at me and turns to the couch. She grabs a blanket from the back of the couch, and covers my wolf form with it. I envision my human form, and begin the change back. I make sure to wrap my body in the blanket, only leaving my head exposed and sit back on the couch.

"I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, Jackson. My chest hurt, and it felt like I was outside my body watching." I offer up weakly, unable to look him in the eyes.

He just stands quickly and leaves the apartment through the front door.

"Rylan, wolves are emotional creatures. We have to try our hardest to keep ourselves in control, because our wolves can at times take over and leave us as spectators in our own bodies. I know listening to your mate say awful things about you, could take anyone into that same head space. You don't have to apologize. He needs to pull his head out of his butt, and get ready to do what the Moon Goddess has called him to do." My uncle says. "I've always loved you as a niece, so it'll be a bit weird but I'm ready to love you as my daughter. He will come around."

"Ry, let's go home. We have some things to discuss with your mother." My father says, getting up and heading toward the door.

"I'll bring your blanket back in a few minutes after I am dressed." I call over my shoulder as I leave the Alpha's apartment with my dad. The door closes behind us with a click.

My father pulls me in for a hug, and assures me things will be okay.