Luna of Mine (34 page)

“
You
should not watch this, Luna,” Ion urged her.

She shook her head. “I
have to. He is my mate and to look away when he has been victorious
would show weakness on my part and could be interpreted that I did
not approve of his actions. I will not give either impression to
our pack.”

Both wolves looked down at
her and she felt their admiration. She could not respond because
her eyes were glued on her mate who was doing exactly what he
promised. He had ripped Serghei’s other arm off and the wolf was no
longer struggling, only screaming. Blood flowed from his body like
a river and she knew he would be dead in a matter of moments. But
her wolf was not done. He took Serghei’s head in his hands dragging
his body up from the ground as if it weighed nothing. Then Vasile’s
eyes met hers. His wolf stared back at her and she felt her wolf
responding. She was in awe of their mate―in his ability, his power,
and his confidence. He stood before them with his prey at his mercy
and yet he was waiting for her approval. Alina looked at the man
who had killed her parents, touched her in a way no man other than
her mate had a right to, and even bitten her, stealing her blood
and leaving her skin marred for life. She looked back up at Vasile
and knew that whatever she chose he would concede. Even in his fury
he kept control. She thought about the consequences of both―whether
he tore Serghei’s head from his body or simply broke his neck. Some
would find the latter as weak. The Canis lupis considered their
females precious, and to touch the true mate of another was an
action for which mercy was not given. Alina knew that in order to
lead dominant males, in order to control their beasts, it was
imperative that they have a healthy fear of their Alpha. That fear
allowed them to keep their wolf in check, especially those without
mates. It gave them security and peace, both of which were needed
for a thriving pack. Decision made; she nodded.

No sooner had he ripped
the wolf apart, Alina saw a glint of silver moving fast behind her
mate. She screamed both through their bond and out loud for him to
move but it was too late. Emilian had plunged a dagger deep into
Vasile’s back.

V
asile heard Alina’s gut wrenching scream just before he felt
the air rush out of him and the cold steel bite deep into his back.
His wolf howled, enraged at the cowardly action of his enemy.
Vasile could not have stopped his wolf from taking over at that
point even if he had wanted to. He phased, jumping out of reach of
his opponent at the same time, and though the knife was pushed out
by his power, the wound was still bleeding and badly enough that it
would take some time to heal.

As he lowered his body,
his muzzle pulled back in a deadly snarl revealing canines over two
inches in length, he met Emilian’s eyes. He too had phased to his
wolf. He foolishly believed he had a chance now that he had injured
the larger Alpha. Vasile knew better. Vasile flew at the cowardly
wolf in a rage, running straight at the Alpha and plowing his head
into his ribs. Emilain’s claws dug into the ground, attempting to
stay upright so that he didn’t end up on side with his vulnerable
soft stomach exposed. He managed to keep his feet and bent his head
around to clamp his powerful jaws on Vasile’s shoulder. Vasile
immediately dropped and rolled. The unexpected move caused Emilian
to release him. They circled one another, now both fully aware of
the other’s strength.

Vasile watched Emilian
step slowly to the right, his ears pinned down tightly to his head
and his fur puffed up to make him appear larger. He could tell that
the traitor was weary and probably would not be able to fight much
longer. And as Emilian lunged forward fast and hard, Vasile knew
that the other Alpha’s plan was to attack as hard as he could
moving with quick in-and-out motions in hopes that Vasile would
somehow make a mistake. He dodged the snapped jaws and whipped
around just in time to take Emilian’s claws on his flank instead of
across his ribs. No sooner had Vasile lowered himself to the ground
then the usurper was coming at him again. This time when Emilian
lunged, Vasile was ready. With lightning quick speed, Vasile jumped
under Emilian’s snapping jaws and clamped down on one of Emilian’s
front legs with bone crushing strength. He released it just as
quickly and jumped out of the reach of Emilian’s own muzzle. The
traitorous Alpha stumbled as he tried to put weight on the broken
leg and quickly pulled it back up. Vasile’s wolf sensed victory as
his prey weakened. It was time he show Emilian why he was the
rightful Alpha for the Eastern Romania pack. He drew on the power
of the wolves who had sworn fealty to him―something only an Alpha
with a loyal pack could do. It fueled his own magic and strength.
Then he felt something he had never felt, his mate’s magic and
power flowing into him. It was warmth and light and goodness. He
imagined that if he could see inside of himself it would appear as
if the sun was shining brightly, chasing away the
darkness.

Emilian sensed the change
and Vasile saw the cowardice in the other wolf’s eyes just before
Emilian turned and started to run. He made it two steps before
Vasile landed on him his back, crushing the other wolf’s spine.
Emilian collapsed and Vasile latched onto his neck and in one
smooth motion jumped off of him and turned him so his stomach was
exposed. He met the wolf’s eyes and as soon as Emilian dropped his
gaze, Vasile buried his teeth in his neck and ripped his throat
open. He waited to see if his prey was indeed dead, and then he
threw his head back and howled.

A
lina fell to her knees along with every wolf present as her
mate declared his victory over his enemy. The howl that he sang out
into the silence called to each of them. They joined him in one
accord as they sang together. As the howl died she watched Vasile
turn in a slow circle regarding his pack as one by one they bared
their necks in submission. Finally, he was in his rightful place.
He was where he needed to be in order to help their species thrive,
to become the mighty wolves that the Great Luna desired they be. He
met her eyes last and she alone among all of those kneeling could
hold his gaze.

“
Come to
me.”
His voice was gravelly, the wolf
still in control.

She obeyed, standing and
walking through the crowd. As she walked she heard the murmured
words of her pack as they addressed her, accepted her.

“
Luna.”
Over and over it was repeated until she reached Vasile’s side. He
looked at her, and she saw the adoration burning in his
eyes.

“
You
must address our pack now, Luna of Mine.”

She turned and looked out
over them. Some she knew very well, others she had yet to meet, but
for every single one of them she held love in her heart.

“
Vasile
has taken back what was his by right. He is our Alpha. I am his
mate and his Luna. Today we vow this to you as your Alpha pair.
Never again will you live in fear. Never again will you be
unprotected. Those of you who are dominant, never again will you
battle with your wolves. Your Alpha is strong enough to control the
beast raging inside you. We are pack; we will love each other,
support one another, sacrifice for those who need us, and we will
stand united. Declare your fealty to your Alpha and let us once
again thrive under his care.”

Vasile released them from
his power and the howls and cheers were deafening as they rejoiced.
From here they could begin to heal, to grow, and to face a future
as a united pack with an Alpha ready and willing to do whatever was
necessary to see them thrive.

Romanian Proverb #
21

Începutul e anevoie,
urma vine de la sine.

A good beginning makes a
good ending.
 

“
I
understand why you did not want my
help,” Anghel told Vasile as they stood in library of the Eastern
Romania pack castle. A mere twenty-four hours had passed since
Vasile had retaken his pack and yet it already seemed like a
lifetime ago.

“I could
not prove myself as capable and strong if I had to have your
assistance, not for claiming the Alpha title.”

“
True,
but I feel responsible for what has taken place, and I am sorry for
all that your pack has suffered over the years.”

Vasile patted the Alpha
and longtime family friend on the shoulder. “You are not
responsible for the actions of another. You know that. Emilian
would have found another way. He was determined to lead a pack,
thinking that the position itself would give him power. What he did
not understand was that the power must come from within. To hold a
pack together, to be able ensure that the dominants obey and that
everyone is protected, requires true strength bestowed by the Great
Luna. Attempting to do so, without such strength, is like trying to
fell a mighty oak with a butter knife.”

Anghel smiled. “Your
father would be proud.”

“I hope
so,” Vasile admitted.

“I hear that you have
something quite important happening tomorrow, some might even say
life changing,” the Alpha teased.

Vasile did not attempt to
stop the grin that spread across his face any time someone
mentioned his mate. “It might change things a little.”

“
Treasure her, Vasile,” Anghel’s tone had become serious.
“Things will not always be easy but what joy she will bring you.
And what an amazing chance you have to live sacrificially for a
female whose heart beats solely for you.”

T
hat night Vasile lay in his bed alone, not by his own choice
and definitely not happy about it. His wolf was even more
displeased, but it was what Alina wanted because tomorrow they
would be bound as one. She had attempted to reason with him, and
when that did not work, she simply told him that he could grumble
all he wanted, but her bed would be occupied by only one for the
final time that night.

“
It will
be good for us to spend our last night unbounded apart, so we will
remember just how empty we are without the other.” Her words echoed
in his mind as he growled into the empty room. It was not quite as
satisfying to grumble about something when no one was there to
listen.

“
I do
not need to be reminded, Mina. I assure you the four years without
you are thoroughly engrained in my memory. You will sleep with me.”
He thought that would be the end of it. He supposed now, he was
being taught a very important lesson as he began his life with his
mate; she was not one of his wolves to obey his commands or submit
to him without question. She was his equal maybe not in strength or
speed but in every way that mattered, and that gave her the right
to question him, argue with him, and perhaps occasionally put him
in his place.

As he slipped into her
mind he smiled to himself. He thought it only fair that she should
learn a lesson as well. He did not like to be denied, especially by
her, and a smart wolf was a patient hunter. It knew that often the
best time to engage your prey was when they were not expecting
it.

“
As the
dutiful mate that I am, I wanted to make sure you were not
lonely.”
He dropped his voice to a deep
purr and felt her immediate reaction. He pictured her in his mind,
imagined his fingers stroking her cheek, his lips pressed to her
neck, and his breath on her flushed skin.
“I would be remiss in my responsibilities if I did not meet
any needs that you might have.”
He paused,
listening to her breathing increase, feeling her desire for him
grow.
“Is―is there something you need,
beloved?”

“
Vasile.”
His name was a plea on her
lips and it touched him to his soul.

“
Yes,
Mina?”

“
I
need…would you,”
He loved that he had
affected her so and loved even more that she needed him enough to
ask. She was quiet for a moment and he thought his heart might beat
out of his chest as he waited for her to ask him to come to her, to
hold her, and to ease the ache he knew they both felt. Finally she
continued.