Page 108 of My Only Luna

Elijah

We arrived home late last night and although we didn’t get much rest after discussing the move and merger of the two packs with Dad, we did squeeze a few hours in. I called a mass pack meeting for this morning.

There are some people exempt from it, mostly those in mourning.

Although Dad wants to know the reason behind the meeting, I’ve refused to say anything.

We are sitting around the kitchen table, the sun barely up in the sky. Being back home makes Liam’s loss hit harder. Right about now he would be training the first group of warriors. He was meant to be my Delta. Fuck.

Scarlett wants to visit his parents, as well. I told her to go for it, she’s not needed at the meeting, anyway. I think they’d appreciate her visit. I’ll be going too, but I need to somehow figure out my own emotions before I do. I have to be strong for them.

I look over at her. The pain of his loss is hitting her harder than I thought it would, and it confuses me a little. They weren’tthat close. That kiss… I push the surge of jealousy away, knowing I’m being irrational.

“I’m going to go shower. I’ll be right back,” Scarlett announces, standing up. She’s barely eaten.

She bends down, cupping my jaw, kissing me, and I kiss her back, but it’s fleeting as she pulls away and leaves me alone with Dad and Jessica.

“Dad, as you know, we need someone to oversee things with the Desert Storm Pack and we can all agree Scarlett suffered the most there,” I begin, cutting right to it.

“I understand that,” Dad agrees.

“So, I think you and Jessica should do it. It’ll only take a few months. I’ll handle things down here while you’re gone.” I look at Jessica, knowing it will be a little hard for her, but she may even feel better knowing she can do something to help them now. “Would that be alright, Jessica?” I ask.

She nods. “Yes. I know going there is going to be hard, but if Scarlett can, so can I. It’s the least I can do for the pack I abandoned, regardless of my reasons.”

“Great. So, Dad? It’s good, right? I think you can at least do that much for all the shit you gave us,” I remark, looking at my father, a frown on my face.

Dad frowns deeply, knowing I have a point about Scarlett, but he does not appreciate the rest of my comment. He sighs heavily, gritting his teeth, knowing I am right.

“Fine. I get it, I messed up. You two are mates. I’m not against you two being together now, so you can drop the snarky comments, Elijah,” he says, frowning at me.

“You mean we aren’t against the two of you, right? You’re not doing us a favour here. We are the ones who are fated mates,” Isay coldly. Dad massages his temples.

“Okay, I’m sorry, alright?” he says in defeat, looking at me. I frown but give a curt nod.

There are still things that we need to fix between us, but I don’t know how. Not after everything.

“I’ll accept it for now, but you should go up north. The pack, knowing Jessica as well, might help a little,” I say curtly. “And since you are the Alpha, start initiating them into our pack.”

“Is Scarlett waiting until everyone is settled, then joining again?”

“Yeah. She gets that she can’t just break the link to her pack when they’ve already been through hell. And until they’re initiated, we can’t risk a mass pack of rogues on our hands,” I explain. Jessica nods.

“That makes sense, but she’ll feel each snap of a pack member leaving the Desert Storm Pack,” she says, concerned.

“I’m a strong woman, Mama. I can handle it,” Scarlett says, re-entering the kitchen. Her sweet intoxicating scent hits me, strongly mixed with her body wash and shampoo. She smells beyond divine.

I pull her into my lap, taking in how gorgeous she looks in her oversized black knit dress. Her wet hair is left down and she’s not wearing makeup, still looking as breathtaking as ever.

Her heart races and I tug her down, cupping the back of her neck before running my tongue along her lip, and then claiming hers in a passionate kiss, doing my best to keep my tongue behind my teeth and keep this kiss tame as Dad and Jessica are here.

When we part, she wraps her arms around my neck and buries her head in my shoulder to calm her erratic heartbeat. Ismirk. My hand slips under the hem of her dress and I stroke her thigh, which only makes her body heat even more. Anymore and I know I’ll have her turned on.

“Well, since that is sorted, I will go pack. We will leave right after the funerals,” Jessica says, smiling at the two of us before giving Dad a firm look.

He nods, and she leaves the room. Just the reminder of the funerals makes Scarlett lift her head, the mood becoming sombre. We will be having the combined funerals the following day, and she is dreading facing every one of the lost pack members’ families.

“Care to share what your meeting today is for?” Dad asks again, in a clipped tone.

---