MoonBound

LILIANA POINT OF VIEW

I dropped the book, noticing how dark it is becoming. I need to go home before it gets too dark, so I can make dinner, I am quite sure Mom will be out busy with work.

"Hi, Liliana." I hear, and smile at Dorcas.

"Hey, Dorcas."

My voice is low, and controlled, everything about me is controlled.

"I need to return this book, baby Cordelia spilled milk all over it. I know I shouldn't ruin the Library books, but pretty please." She smiles, and I am silent for a few seconds.

This is not a library, it is a bookshop. She borrowed the book three weeks ago, she didn't even pay for it, but I don't say any of that.

"Of course, there's no problem." I smile, taking the ruined book from her, the damage looks and smells more like Vodka, but it isn't my place to say something.

"Have a nice night, my regards to sweet Cord – "

She cuts me off saying "Could I grab Taylor Jenkins Reid latest book, I will just skim through, not much reading."

I stay silent for a few seconds then nod, taking the book and showing her the tag, despite knowing she wouldn't pay.

"I will owe you a dollar." She grins and walks away, leaving me with a smile on my face, one that feels more plastic by each second.

I spend the next twenty minutes packing all my books inside, with the flowers. It has always been my dream to own a bookshop, that is also a flower shop. I have been thinking of expanding, making it a cafe too, but that seems unattainable with every second that passes.

I am twenty-eight, and still live with my mother. I have enough money in saving, to get my own apartment, and revamp the bookshop, but I can't touch it, because I have to stay with her, she needs me, even if she doesn't show others.

The weather is getting a bit cloudy, and I know in less than thirty minutes it's going to rain, so I better move it.

I stare round the bookshop, making sure everything is packed, so I head to the door, about to leave, when I hear a familiar voice.

"Lilliana."

"Collin." I smile at him, his blue eyes gazing at me softly.

"Hey,"

I look behind him and see he is not alone.

"Oh, hey Raye." I smile, when it is the last thing I want to do, considering the huge crush I have on Collin and the rumor flying about him and Raye.

"Where are you heading to, it's getting pretty late." I say, bringing out my keys.

"Late? The night is just getting started, but I guess you have a curfew." She grins and I smile.

"We need some flowers and candles, there's a party few streets from here, you're welcome to come." Collin says, and I stare at him.

Collin is the Alpha's first son, and he has been my crush, the 'love of my life' for a very long time, we grew up together, we were best friends, until we grew apart.

"Oh, we are closed, come early tomorrow." I say, locking the doors.

"You are still here, Liliana." He smiles and I frown.

"Yeah, but I have to go. Like Raye said, I have a curfew." I smile, feeling pangs of hunger.

"Oh come on, pretty please. I will make it up to you."

I say nothing as I open the doors, and hand them everything they need. I pretend I don't see the pack of condoms he shows her, or the kiss he gives her.

I walk home, in the rain, and get home, soaking wet, just my luck.

__

"Jadyy." Mom singsong as I walk inside the four-bedroom Apartment I grew up in.

Our Pack – The Golden Claw Pack is a very calm Pack, and I grew up here, I have spent my entire twenty-eight years of existence within the border of this Pack.

"Hey Mom." I say, seeing her sprawled all over the couch, I pretend not too hide. see the bottle of scotch she is trying to hide, I just have to pretend to not see these things, no matter how glaring there are.

I ignore it till it goes away. It has worked for me for years, why stop now.

"Have you eaten?" I ask, pulling off my shoes.

"Yeah, ordered Pizza. There's some in the Fridge." She says and I nod.

Today was a normal day, just like every other day,

"Goodnight, Mom." I say, and head to my room, the room I used through my childhood, through my teenage years. I have outgrown everything here, but it is like I am stuck in time, I have to be here, I can't move, I am suspended in time.

My Dad died ten years ago. He was my favorite person, and the day he died was the saddest day of my life, he was angelic, a gift, the best man ever.

I pull off my clothes, lay on the bed, the toll of the day getting to me, and in a matter of seconds, I am out like a light, or not, because I am standing in an unfamiliar room. It feels weird, very odd.

"Mom?" I call, my voice echoing, like it bounces on the walls, like it reverberates.

"Oh, dear, do not call her, you do not know her."

I freeze, the words washing over me like a cold weather

"Show yourself." I snap, loudly, in a voice that doesn't sound like mine.

"All in due time, Child of Steel."

I inhale harshly, staring round the room, there's something vaguely familiar about it, yet strange.

"What do you want, who are you?"

"And, so it begins, the beginning of the end, with you, Lilliana in the middle of it all."

Violently, I wake, gasping for air, and in a second, I forget everything, having nothing but the distinct feeling that I am forgetting something important.

NATHANIEL POINT OF VIEW

I stare at the board room in silence, wondering what this meeting is for. We call it boardroom, because we can't as well call it a pack meeting. This is not just the Rhode Island Pack, but in a meeting with Boston's – the Golden Claw or something.

"Good day everyone, we are grateful you granted us audience." The Alpha says, but we keep silent.

I glance at our Alpha, my Uncle, Alpha Lucien, with his Wife, Rain. Everyone else is present.

"The Golden Claw Pack has brought an offer of partnership, we will like to extend our pack and merge with yours. We will be the strongest pack in America." Alpha David says, and I look at him with mild amusement, he is with his son – Collin, I think, and his Beta, and Omega, I also heard his wife died years ago, turned him into a stone cold motherfucker.

We have avoided the Boston's for so long, we like to stay on our lane, we do not go over the bay, and now, here he is.

"We are Lycans, we don't need anyone or any alliance, David." Alpha Lucien frowns, looking really confused.

"I know, but I believe there is a threat to both of our pack." He says, and I sit upright.

For decades, we have stayed out of the limelight, not because of fear, but because we have everything we need, we do not compete.

"Is this a joke, David. There are no threats."

"I have heard rumors of attack against my pack, Lucien. If you believe you face no threat, help us fight ours. We just need fighters, and we know you need land. We can help each other, this could be symbiotic. If the war is just mine, then so be it, we need your men to fight, but if the war is ours, nothing changes, we will still need the same men to fight."

"I will like to cut off the head before it grows, and plant more seeds. Help us, and we will make it worth your while."

"Our children and husbands are not mercenaries, David." Rain says, and I smile at her poker face.

"I know, Luna. We need your help, we will be forever indebted. Think about it, that is all we ask."

____

"What do you think?" Lucien asks me when we are alone.

"What do you think, Alpha?" I ask him, with a smirk.

"I think we should help them. I am unsure of merging our packs though, we have so much power and they offer practically nothing." He says, scratching his hair.

"I think we need to have a lot of people indebted to us, they need to owe us something, this way, we buy their loyalty, not like we could ever need it. We have had decades of peace, that doesn't mean it will continue, the world is getting darker."

"We draw a line in the sand, and stay on our side of it. We do not cross the boundaries we created. We help, and we leave. We check on them occasionally. They fear us. We are Lycans, they want to be us, we are superior."

"Easy there, Nathaniel, lest it get to your head." Luna walks in, and sits on her husband lap, but I don't bat an eyelid, they are embarrassingly affectionate, have always been.

"I do understand what you mean. I spoke to the women, I sent Roman to speak to the youths, the young men, and Lake to the young ladies, they all said the same thing. They are cautious though, they are growing, building families, and are scared that something will threaten all they've built."

"We protect them." I say, and they nod.

"Then it is settled, in a couple of days, we go to Boston, to the Golden Claw Pack." He says, and I nod, knowing he had the meeting with his board, and they probably reached the same conclusion, he just needed my input.

"You'll lead them." He says and I jerk.

"What? Do I have to?"

I know I sound like a child, and not the thirty-two years old Soldier.

"You already lead them here." Luna says, getting up.

"You should find someone to marry." Lucien says, as they walk away, leaving me alone. I should be mated, but you don't force things like this, so I wait, for someone that might never come.

___

"Are you okay?" Roman says, as we walk out, and I nod.

It has been three days since the meeting, and now, we are on our way to the Golden Claw Pack. We are moving in numbers, just thirty of us, leaving almost five hundred of us back home.

"Sup' losers." I hear and grin.

"You shouldn't be here." I say to Lake, she is the youngest of us, Roman and I little sister.

"Take care of yourself, be watchful and don't lose your guard, brothers." She says and I smile, hugging her, while she ruffles my hair.

I watch her speak to her actual brother in silence. I used to hope my parents would have more kids when I was younger, but they had just me, tried to give me a sister but nothing happened. I have Lake as my niece and sister, but sometime it is not enough, sometimes it is very lonely, that I don't have someone to call my own.

However, I am Nathaniel Christian Carter, I don't show that, if there's anything my parents has taught me, it is don't let them see you cry, because they will take advantage of my vulnerability. Happiness will find me eventually.

"Bring me books and flowers." Lake says, as she heads back.

"We will bring you your flowers, Persephone." I smile at her, then ordered my men to stop.

"Are we ready?"

"Yes." They chorus.

"We are heading far from home, let your guard be up, do not fucking flirt or dance around with any of their women. We are not fucking merging with them, we are just helping them, because they can't help themselves. If I catch any one fucking around with the rules, you're fucking done. Do you understand!"

"Yes, sir."

LILIANA POINT OF VIEW

There is something about this day, something I cannot pinpoint my hand on it exactly, but I can smell it in the air. The absurdity of the thought makes me laugh.

"Hello, Good morning, welcome, what would you like to get?" I say to the man who walks in.

"Some flowers and books for my sister." He says, and I beam.

"How sweet and perfect. What type of novels does she read?"

"Those disgusting romance, she has a whole lot of it at home."

"Well, make your choice." I say, and lead him to where the Romance collections are, the sweet types, and all, while Tems plays in the background.

"I should get some extra flowers." He murmurs to himself, and I smile.

He gets ten books, with six flowers, and leaves a huge tip.

"Have a beautiful day." I say, and he smiles, walking away, there was something off about him, like he is not from here.

__

I sit in the amongst the crowd, trying to locate my Mother somewhere, but there's so much people. The Alpha called an emergency meeting, so we are all here, trying to pay attention.

"Order." He commands and the noise dies down, and the chairs are arranged, no longer close to each other.

"We have some announcement and new development." He says, then gestures to Collin. I smile widely at his beautiful face.

"Good morning, amazing people of Golden Claw Pack. We have some announcement to ma – ." He stops, chokes, and my eyes widen.

What is going on?

He grunts, and as though drawn I fall forwards, so does her, until we are standing before each other, breathing the same air. It is happening.

"Mate." I grunt out, and his eyes widen, but he shakes his head making me frown. He pushes back, and shakes his body, making me frown, what is he doing, he doesn't say the word, instead, he fights the bound.

"I, Collins Backwood, rejects you Lilliana Sand – Steel."

Pin drop silence.

He doesn't even know my last name. I finally got mated, to Collins, and he rejected me, in front of everyone, how perfect.

I take a step back, the urge to run filling me, but I know that will only make me a coward, so I walk with my head up high. I get into my Car, and I drive, I don't stop driving, until I have left the Pack, until I see a Bar.

I turn off the car, and for a minute, I let myself to cry, because the humiliation, the pain. When you get rejected by your mate, there's a sharp pain that runs through you, like a thin thread been torn from your soul, like you are being torn into pieces.

__

I walk into the bar, and order my first drink in years.

"Here." The bartender places it down and I smile.

I glance around the bar, appreciating its décor and the people in here, they are all happy, but I know for a fact that no one is happy all the time, we all get something that bothers us, makes us sad, and as much as I want to say there are using this as a means as distraction, it is not just that.

"Hi." I hear, and turn my gaze to the man beside me. I stare at him, he is dressed in a grey top, and black trousers.

"Hi." I smile, looking at his blue eyes.

"I'm Christian." He says, and I smile.

"Lily." I say, then take a sip of my drink.

"Wana get out of here, Lily? I have a hotel room down the street." He says, and I choke on my drink.

Fuck.

"Shit, I am sorry, Lily." He says, rubbing his hands down my back, causing goosebumps.

"You're direct." I say, and he grins, so beautiful.

"Is that a Yes?" He says, and I look at him, biting my lips.

I have waiting years for a Mate, only to get one that rejects me, he seems to be in pain at the thought of us been together. For one night, my action has no consequences, I can do what I like.

"Only if I know what you taste like." I say, and his eyes widen, filling me with delight.

He grips my chin, and runs his tongue over my bottom lips, then kisses me so sweetly, when he pulls away, I whimper in need.

"Come on." He says, dropping the money for my drink.

The Hotel room is grand, fancy, but I am not here to admire it, maybe in the morning.

"You can change your mind, the door is right there, Lily." He says, and I smile.

"Don't give me that beautiful smile, Pretty Girl, tell me what you want."

I beam "I was hoping you could tell me."

He locks the door, sits on the bed, and I am grateful for that, I don't want someone barging in on us.

"Come, sit." He taps his thigh, and I oblige.

"Good girl."

I shiver in anticipation, as he helps me straddle him, he grips my ass, and tugs me forward, grinding me on him. Oh fuck.

Suddenly, we are throwing our heads backwards, as a surge goes through us that partially has to do with our bodies, but more with our mate bond. I have always heard of a second chance mate; I just didn't think I'll have one.

"Fuck." He groans, biting my lower lips, making me whimper. He kisses me thoroughly, while shifting me over his length, making me a trembling mess.

He pulls away, and practically tears my shirt off me, before feasting over my breast, his other hand tugging my skirt off me, my pant follows quickly, until I am standing naked before him. I don't like that, so I even the odds, and pull his shirt off him, then run my hand over his belt buckle, before I pull it away, making sure my finger grazes his length.

"Lily." He grunts in warning, but I am lost in heat.

He is tall, and I am short. He towers over me, I bite my lips and wait