His to Claim (Published)

A Mate for A Lonely Protector

It felt wrong to be separated from Noah and the pack. Every mile that pulled us further a part was like another knife in my heart. Ryder sat silently driving the car while Christa slept in the cramped backseat. I let out a small sigh and leaned my head against the cold glass window. 

"I want to tell you that I don't agree with Noah sending you away." Ryder finally speaks. I turn my gaze towards him but don't attempt to move. I didn't really have the strength to lift my head at the moment. He keeps talking, "I told him that the Luna's place is with her pack and her mate. He's been too long without Claire that he's forgotten how important it is for the Luna to be with us. The Luna provides us with the strength and calm assurance and is the very heart of the pack. We've been too long without our heart, that's why you're being with us is so important." I notice his grip on the steering wheel tightens before I look back to the road in front of us. His words make me grit my teeth as I recall the pain of my rejection, perhaps their pain felt like that. If so than I wanted to keep them all from that pain if I could. 

Yet, while I didn't agree with Noah's choice a strange part of me feels the need to explain his decision, "I agree with you Ryder, but perhaps thats the very reason Noah is doing this. He understands how important it is that his pack has been given another rightful Luna that he's afraid what will happen if you were to lose that yet again." 

"You mean what would happen if he were to lose you." Ryder corrects me and calling my attention to him again. I give him a weak smile, "Yes and that too." I reply softly. 

Ryder sighs, "I want to apologize to you Luna—" 

"Scarlett." I interject my name. 

He gives me a sideways glance before rolling his eyes and focusing back on the road, "I want to apologize to you Scarlett. For the other day in the hallway—when I said all that stuff to you." I feel a little surprised by his words but keep my mouth shut and let him finish, "I meant what I said about how badly you were treating Noah and that if you didn't think you could handle being with him that you should leave but—I think I should have acknowledged that you've suffered as well. So apologize for being too hard on you." 

I couldn't help the tiny bit of warmth that I felt at his words, "I accept your apology, though it's not necessary. You were right. I've been a brat and completely unreasonable at times. Though in my defense Noah does not make it easy for anyone." I joke a little.  

Ryder let's out a small chuckle, "No, no he doesn't." 

I sleep for the rest of the trip and don't wake up until Christa is lightly shaking me, "We're here Scarlett." She whispers calmly to me. I blink a couple times before I wipe the sleep from my eyes. I yawn as I let myself look around the area outside of the car. It is similarly secluded just as Noah's pack house but not as large in size. Ryder was already at the trunk gathering our bags together as a woman and a man approach him. I watch them both with curiosity before Christa calls my attention again, "So Alpha Noah gave me this before we left—" She pulls a folded envelope from the pocket of her jeans and holds it out towards me. 

I stare down at it hesitantly for a moment before I reach forward and take it from her, "What's it say?" I ask. 

Her eyes widen, "I didn't read it!" She exclaims loudly with a look of horror as if I'm trying to catch her in a trap. Which makes me chuckle a little, "I wasn't trying to say you had. I thought maybe he'd told you what was in it—relax. I'll look at it later." She lets out a small sigh of relief as I shove it into the pocket of my jean jacket. 

"Come on let's get out of this hunk of junk!" I turn in my seat and pop the door open. Christa follows my lead and gets out of the car behind me.  We aren't even out of the car a minute before the female pops her head around the back end of the car where the men are discussing in low tones. Her hair is red, long and she is smiling at me, "You must be Scarlett." 

I stare at her in confusion for a moment not sure how she knew me, "Uh—yeah?" I look to Christa who is looking over the woman with a skeptical expression. She approaches us with a slight pep in her step, "I'm Clarissa. I'm Alpha Harvey and Luna rose's daughter, or as I like to call them mom and dad." She winks playfully. The realization of her words makes my eyes widen slightly, "Oh hello!" I say. I hadn't realized that Claire wasn't an only child. 

She continued to smile at me, "My mom wasn't kidding when she said you are really pretty." My cheeks heat up at the compliment and I quickly want to turn the attention away from me, "This is Christa Randell, she is my protector." I say motioning a hand towards Christa. Clarissa turns her smile towards Christa and puts a hand out, "Nice to meet you! You're Alpha Randell's daughter right?" 

Christa shakes her hand briefly, "Yeah—" 

A awkward pause falls between us with Clarissa smiling back and forth between the two of us as if was a kid in a candy store. Christa and I exchanged a look of uncertainty before Ryder and the other man came towards us from the back end of the car. My attention turned toward theme happily and Clarissa followed my gaze before skipping over towards the man beside Ryder who bore a striking resemblance to her. 

"Knox, this is Scarlett! Scarlett this is my older brother, Knox." She grabs his arm and pulls him away from Ryder. Knox has red hair just like Clarissa but he his face looks much more like Alpha Harvey from what I could remember of him. His expression is much more serious as our gaze's meet, "It's nice to meet you Luna Scarlett." He addresses me formally and I try my hardest to keep from frowning. 

"Just Scarlett please—" I say with what I hope is a friendly smile. He gives me a questioning look and I feel the need to explain myself, "I'm not the Luna here after all. I think for everyone's sake it would be better just to call me Scarlett." He inclines his head forward as if to say he'll respect my wishes. 

His gaze than turns to Christa and I watch as surprise take place over his serious expression. Clarissa seems oblivious to her brother's reaction, "Oh sorry! And this is Christa Randell. Scarlett's protector!" 

I notice that Christa is looking at him with a similar expression of surprise before a smile creeps onto her face, "Hello..." She says. I look between them for a moment in confusion before my mind connects the dots. They're mates. I catch Ryder's gaze for a moment and he gives me a knowing smile before he looks away. 

Knox clears his throat and shakes his head slightly as if pulling himself back into reality, "We were asked by my father to escort you to his office once you arrived." He becomes serious again and I notice the way Christa's shoulders sag a bit in disappointment. I tilt my body towards hers leaning my shoulder lightly against her arm, "Please lead the way." I say cordially. Knox gives Christa one more quick glance before he turns away and starts heading back toward the house. 

Clarissa bounces from foot to foot cheerfully, "You're going to love it here!" She exclaims before she turns and runs to catch up with her brother. Ryder groans softly in annoyance before he grabs our bags and follows after the duo leaving Christa and I by the car. 

I can tell Christa is confused and unsure because of the way her mate reacted to her, "Don't worry Christa. He might be in shock at the moment—I am certain he will come around okay?" I say to her in hopes of reassuring her. 

"Perhaps..." She says before she moves away from me to follow after everyone. I watch her go knowing she doesn't believe a thing I said and honestly with everything going on in my own love life it's hard for me to believe them too. I release a heavy sigh before looking up towards the grey sky over head as if searching for all the answer to the questions in my mind. When I get none I sigh again and look back to the other, following after them.