Solar Moon: Part 4

7

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Please don’t be true, please don’t be true…

“What-”

“I mean how is this even possible? No one has seen or heard from the old Alpha in… like … forever! He disappeared after the shield came down. Now all of the sudden you just pop up out of nowhere and I can’t seem to get rid of you?”

“Yes,” he said it so matter of factly as if something were written in stone she didn’t know about. She was now pacing, heart beating so fast she wondered if this is what a heart attack felt like, yet he just stood there calm and dignified.

God, she’d hoped and hoped for a way out of this place. Now, if this guy was for real (which he wasn’t because that’s insane right?) she managed to piss off not only the most powerful person in Lycan history but also the person who would take down the shields. And she’d probably be locked in jail by then for insulting him. No, it couldn’t be true, if he was who he said why would he be bothering with her?

“Come on really? Do you expect me or anyone else to believe that? I don’t know where you're from but impersonating an Alpha, especially the possible ‘Returned Alpha’, is a big deal. I doubt his subjects will take kindly to this act whatever your angle might be. Alpha Ander was once very loved by his people,”

“Once?” For a brief moment, she could swear she saw a painful expression cross over his face before it returned to his stoney stance.

“Well yeah. Some people think he’s not dead, that he is just outside the wall having fun while we're all stuck in here. At least that’s what some would like everyone to believe,” This guy may have gotten it into his head that since the current Alpha has also disappeared for so long he could just walk right in and declare himself in charge.

He hadn’t been the only one with such a notion over the years. However the previous would-be Alphas weren’t ballsy enough to claim to be a returned Alpha.

He had arrived with a band of men from the Tabbe. I don’t know how he could have fooled the people of the city where he had once lived. For centuries. Surely there were still people alive from the old times who would recognize that this was not Alpha Ander.

His jaw ticked and she could see the anger growing in his eyes. Humm not so in control after all. Wait, if he were faking then why would he have such a strong reaction to this news? He looked as if he was really upset about it.

“Some people may see it that way. The ones with short term memory, but those who know what they're talking about would never believe such things. They know the truth is quite the opposite,” he was seething now.

“I never abandoned my people, I've been here the whole time! Giving up my life essence for all these years to protect what's left of this kingdom. I left my brother in charge to become the next Alpha, in no way were you abandoned,” This guy was serious! Either he really was who he said he was or completely bonkers. The latter was the most logical reality.

“You must be insane! I mean men have delusions of grandeur all the time so it makes sense why you would believe yourself the returned Alpha,” Reason with him. Yeah, that’ll work. It always works when dealing with psychopaths…

“ Even if what you say is true what does any of this have to do with me? I’ve literally never even-” she trailed off as she heard a voice calling out some distance away.

“ Mara!” It was her dad. Well, adoptive dad as he’d made clear earlier. “Mara! Where are you? I know you can hear me,” Maybe so, but I’m still pissed at you so it's not like I feel the need to answer you now.

“Mara…” this time her name came from the drool-worthy lips of the man in front of her.

He seemed to be testing it out. As if to see if he liked the way it rolled off his tongue. She certainly did.

God help her, she couldn’t take her eyes off of his lips and wondered what they might feel like pressed against her own. The reasonable part of her was screaming: OMG snap out of it! You have no clue who this guy is or what he wants or what he's capable of doing to get it. The last thing you should be thinking about is kissing him! Too bad there was another part of her that recklessly wanted to explore this man in front of her.

They stood only a foot apart both expecting the other to say something. Neither did but it was only a matter of time before her dad - adoptive she reminded herself- found them.

She wondered why he was quiet though. Did he not want her dad to know where they were? If so why not drag her away as he proved he could easily do. Or did he want him to find them? Nothing that was going on right now made any sense and her brain was about to explode just thinking about it.

“You’re not going to answer him?”

“Nope.” She glared and then turned her head away saying nothing else.

Well, at least I’m not the only one she's obstinate with. Who was this man calling after her?

Heat began to rise through his stomach boiling into tension and fury that pounded throughout him settling in his fists readying them to strike.

Of course. She already had a male.

How could one as tempting as her not? Hell, she probably had scores of men ready and willing to do her bidding. No wonder she spoke to him without fear. She was used to looking down on men groveling at her feet. Princess.

No longer. He’d rip the head clean off of any man who thought to lust after her. Once she witnessed how quickly he dispatched this fool surely she’d change her tune. He’d make her come to heel one way or another.

Just the thought of another man after his mate made his instinct to mark her go into overdrive. The priority was claiming and marking her. He wouldn’t be able to focus on anything until she was officially under his protection and safe in his keeping. Away from other men.

His dick had already grown ramrod straight and was pulsating with a need to bury it deep inside her. He thought he could hold off long enough to get back home and claim her properly. However, a gust of wind flew through her hair and traveled to him smelling a million times better than the scarf he had found. For a moment all reason and sense escaped him.

Ignoring the overwhelming demands of his body would be easier said than done. Until she bore his mark every thought, reflex, and move would be relentlessly pulling him to make her his. It was enough to drive a man insane.

He could hear the rapid footfall of the man chasing after her growing louder, getting closer. She could as well. She began to step away but his arm shot out grabbing the back of her neck and then crushing her into him.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he growled. She hissed at him again but this time with an aggressive snap of her teeth like she might actually bite. He felt her tiny hands pummeling into his chest and stomach as she tried to get free but he hardly felt a thing and was not about to let her go even if he did.

“Stop it, you’ll only hurt yourself.” It was a simple truth but somehow enraged her further. He knew what was coming next and blocked her knee before it reached its intended target, his groin.

“Trust me, I am eager for your attention there as well but we're about to have company,” he dipped his head so that his words would be a whisper, vibrating in her ear. His lips barely grazed her as he blew softly down the side of her face and onto her neck.

Her body responded to him instantly. He felt the shiver he had created rolling down her body, rolling into him.

Finally having her in his arms so close to him felt amazing. Imagining that no clothes were separating them made him grow harder, larger.

She let out a gasp as she felt it and resumed her squirming. He simply reached his free arm around her waist holding her still to him.

He released her neck and threaded his fingers in her soft velvety hair making her scent waft heavily around them. The smell of peace and love. So opposite of the demeanor she currently displayed.

Still, he found himself relaxing, wanting to lose himself in her.

He lifted her face to feast his eyes on what he had been given. Long lashes seductively shielded her emerald green eyes as they locked onto his. Her high cheekbones highlighted her elegant features all leading down to plump and full rosy lips begging to be suckled. He wondered if they were the same shade of dusty pink as her other sensitive flesh he longed to suck on until she was screaming his name…

“My liege,” Ander snapped his head in the direction of the voice to find a man bowing before him.

8

The peace he had been feeling was now gone, replaced by seething anger rolling off of his now bulging muscles. This must be the one after the woman that is mine. He recognized him as the pack's Breva, the leader he had briefly met upon arrival. “ I beg forgiveness I didn’t realize…” he trailed off

“What do you want?” Ander barked in his direction then turned back to Mara to study her reaction. She had gone stiff in the presence of this man with her head turned away from them both as if she wanted nothing to do with him. Hardly the behavior of a lover.

“My sincerest apologies, I was told that Mara had gone to the woods. I simply wanted to find her and bring her back,” This earned him a death glare from Ander. What right did he have to chase his mate and take her anywhere?

“I-I’m not sure what happened but you made it clear you needed to speak with her. She should not have run from you. I assumed you were still back with your men. I-I had no idea you’d already found her,” the man finally stopped rambling long enough to take a breath.

He seemed to be expecting a response from his King but when he got none he continued. “Please I don’t know what she has done to call the attention of the Tabbe, or you King Alpha. Whatever it is I can assure you it was done in ignorance and without malice. She is very young and does not know much of the world outside our home,” that got an angry hiss out of her as she snapped her head in his direction.

But the look on his face was still one of concern. Whoever this man was to her he cared enough about her to recklessly interject in matters above his pay grade.

“And just exactly how young is she?” he’d known she couldn't have been more than a century old just by looking at her. If she was younger than that it could explain her disbelief in his identity.

Plus getting information out of her proved to be difficult. He might as well use this bastard for what he was willing to reveal before he dispatched of him.

“She’s naught but twenty-two,” Fuck. She's not even a quarter of a century. No wonder he’d not found her even though he’d searched for millennia. She hadn’t even been born yet.

“Please your majesty, take this into consideration.” The Breva made a plea to his King.

He must also be under the impression she was in some sort of trouble. Both of them had assumed this so readily he wondered just exactly how much difficulty she had caused in the past to earn such a conclusion at the first sign of displeasure from another.

The fact remained that although she wasn’t “in trouble” when he’d first arrived, she had managed to make her way there rather quickly.

“Please, if punishment must be dealt for any offense, I would ask that you allow me to bear it in her stead,” the second plea from the Breva of this pack.

Suddenly her hostility toward the Breva disappeared. She seemed to soften towards him at this offer.

Jealousy coursed through Ander outraging him further. The offer of sacrifice did not matter. As if Ander could ever harm her. He was born to protect her, care for her. Doing anything else would be against the very nature of matehood.

“ Why would you do that for her? What is she to you?” all he needed was for him to confirm his suspicions.

“She’s my daughter. I would do it gladly,” he’s her father? How could that be? He was a wolf and she wasn’t.

“How is that possible?” Ander demanded.

“Not biological, of course. My mate and I took her in as a babe and she’s been ours ever since,” With this explanation Ander allowed himself to calm down. Perhaps he had been a bit too quick to rule out all other possibilities.

Matehood had taken a stronger hold over him than he knew was possible. That didn’t mean he needed to let them know it. It might be cruel to her father to continue to let them expect a punishment, but maybe the threat of one would help put her in place.

Mara’s eyes shone with a delighted sparkle. He hadn’t abandoned me after all. She had had a clamp squeezing her heart with dejection until her father had said those words. Once she heard them, her heart grew so strong the clamp burst into pieces with the next heartbeat.

Of course, Ander had to ruin the tender moment.

“If you are to assume her punishment surely I should explain the transgressions you will be paying for,” He may be as pretty as a greek god but right now the look he donned made her want to rearrange his face. With her fist.

Her father closed his eyes solemnly fearing what he was about to hear next. She couldn’t have felt worse. As it turns out this guy might actually be the long lost Alpha King. Her father’s behavior had cleared any doubts about that.

Oops.

Even worse, he was now about to suffer at her expense. She couldn’t let him do that. Before she could interject Ander continued on.

“ Number one..” he declared, making it known there would be more to follow. He may be Alpha but he was still an asshole. He was taking pleasure from this! His stature straight with formality and his hands clasped behind his back he acted as if she were already on trial and he was addressing the jury.

“ I was spoken to as an inferior peon, given less respect than a cat,” He was mad about the way he was spoken too? What about those possession comments? He thought being Alpha meant he owned everything and everyone? She had to make it clear that this was not the case with her. She was simply informing him of that.

“Secondly, the feeble creature before us had the audacity to strike me across my face. A crime no one has ever even thought about attempting before,” Okay she could have refrained from slapping him, but she only did because he’d pushed her to it!

“Finally, she had the nerve to accuse me of impersonating my own self! What was it you said? Ah yes, that I must be having ‘delusions of grandeur’ to consider myself King.” He turned to look to Mara. He had a smile and cockiness in his eyes that could make someone melt. He might as well have said, “told you so”.

She realized then, that for whatever reason, he didn’t seem as mad with her as one would think. Most people would be expecting an “Off with her head!” order by now. In fact aside from keeping her from running from him, he hadn’t punished her in any way. He’d certainly had plenty of opportunity to. Weirdly enough he acted as if he… wanted her. She’d felt him grow hard as he had wickedly sent vibrations down her body.

He seemed more irritated than mad. He was probably just bothered that she wasn’t going to fawn over him like she was sure he was used to.

“ I'm sure it won't be her last offense at the rate she's going. Perhaps we should set up some sort of account to settle the debts of any future misbehavior,” Although her father was freaking out, she suspected he was bluffing. Only one way to find out. Push harder.

“What his Royal Highness Majesty the Alpha King forgot to mention,” she made sure her words were dripping with sarcasm,” Was how he treated me. How was I supposed to know who he was? Talking to me as if I was a piece of property he owned! Grabbing me about and not letting me go like I’m some kind of hostage! You are the one who should be punished!”

“Mara, please stop this now!” her father begged her, looking like he was about to keel over. She was trying to provoke him further, but he seemed more irritated than mad as if her objections to him were meaningless and her protests only annoyed him.

He let out an exasperated sigh, “I grow weary of this. I will have your father put in stockade for a week's time. Will you shut up now?” Her jaw dropped. He couldn’t do that. What was he trying to do? What did he want from her?

She had heard her father say he knew Ander wanted to speak with her, but that was before they’d even met on the roof. He hadn’t even known her name then. So why would her father think he was looking for her?

Whatever the reasoning, she would have to find out later. This had absolutely gotten way out of hand. She actually might just swallow her pride and plead for him to keep her father out of this. She couldn’t bear the thought of her father being humiliated in such a way. All because of her.

As if he sensed her resignation he finally took a step back and casually leaned against a tree. He picked up a small rock and began tossing it into the air over and over while he contemplated the situation he found himself in.

She would have a life here she might not want to leave behind. He had been confident that once he found his mate she would be ecstatic at the idea of an immortal King as her keeper. One who would provide for her anything and everything she could desire. All thoughts of what her life was, would be left behind when he told her of the role she would play in the deliverance of what was now their lands.

It was turning out not to be the case.

She stood strong with her hand on her hip and the other fussing with her hair. She was nervous and although it was adorable, he would have to try and control himself as much as possible. If he couldn’t make her comfortable with him then collecting her and returning home might be harder than he had planned for. And they didn’t exactly have all the time in the world.

She couldn’t be living in this realm and not know how wolves mate, so at least she’d know how things would go from here once he’d made his claim known. But it was obvious she didn’t realize that’s what was going on here. Since he couldn’t determine her species it would be best to proceed with caution. If his body would allow it.

It was finally happening. What he long gave up searching for, his mate to complete him was standing in front of him at last. Time to change tactics.

“Of course I could be swayed towards leniency,” she did not like the sound of that.