Falling In Love With My Mate (A Lunar Wolf Novel #1)

Keeping Up

Writer's Note: Thank you for hanging out with me! If you like the content, please vote and comment. Today's song is My Never By Blue October

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Jace

I ran through the damp forest floors with Reign hot on my heels. She was fast. I still could not believe she was the wolf in my dream. I guess I really did meet the girl of my dreams. Crazy right? She was even more beautiful in her wolf than in my dream. But, I do have to admit her human side is just as gorgeous. How had it taken me so long to really see her?

I am knocked out of my thoughts when she caught up and nipped at my tail. She wanted to play. I boosted my speed a bit, but she was able to keep up with me. At that very moment, she shot past me with a speed I had rarely seen a wolf have. I stopped in shock, and she looked back, coming to a halt.

I mind linked her, "Your speed is amazing. You are incredibly fast, faster than me, I think."

She just huffs and starts running back towards me. I laugh in my wolf head but then get concerned. She's not slowing down. Next thing I know, she hops and lands directly on me, playfully tugging at my ears. But with that small jump, she was able to take me down, and I am a strong wolf, an Alpha. She is certainly Alpha as well. All these years she lived as an Omega, and she was forced to hide her aura. She had to have been suffocating in those years. Alpha power is difficult to repress, especially at a young age. I was quite impressed by her.

Reign did a quick side flip, slinging me with her. She is powerful, fast, and beautiful. How had I always underestimated her. She was always strong but able to pretend weakness. When she slung me, I landed on a pointy tree branch ripping into my skin. She smelled the blood right away and released me. I rolled away from the branch, and she inspected the wound, and began to lick it. As she continued, the wound tingled but began to close immediately. She healed it. Another power discovered.

I shifted, and she quickly turned away in embarrassment. I run behind a tree and grab a pair of basketball shorts to slip on from one of the little bunkers we keep throughout the territory, just in case. I grabbed her a shirt and tights. I returned to her and gave her the clothes in her mouth. She trotted behind the same trees, shifted and dressed. When she reappeared, I couldn't help but laugh. The clothes swallowed her. Way to big, but it was cute. Then I noticed her expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She kept her head down and softly spoke, "We should go ahead and get the rejection out of the way."

My mouth hung open in shock. Rejection! What rejection? I would never reject my fated mate, especially since I now knew that she was mine to protect.

"There will be no rejections made, my sweet mate. We belong to each other, body and soul." I say, and she looks up in shock.

I stride over to her, take her small hand in mine, and raise it to my lips, kissing her palm, then whisper, "I will always protect and love you until my last breath."

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Reign

What just come out of his mouth? And what is it with all the tingles I am feeling everywhere in my body. I pulled my hand from his gently and started walking slowly back towards the Pack house with my brain in a flurry. Jace is walking just as slowly, a few feet behind. I think he knew I needed a bit to think.

How could the person who tormented me the most be my fated mate. Yes, the past few days he had changed, but I think it is because the mate bond started pulling him to me. He was upset I brought up rejecting each other. But I truly thought that is what he would do. Thoughts were swirling in my brain, and I was so confused. I felt the bond, already so strong I just wanted to wrap myself around him, but could I look past the last ten years of abuse? Could I do that?

"What are you thinking about?" He queried.

I remained silent another few minutes to formulate my answer. "How? How can it be you. You have hated me since we were children. I can't understand how the moon goddess would pair us. Not only did you hate me, but made sure everyone else did as well. You allowed them to taunt me, beat me, and isolate me. I had no one but the Alpha and Luna, and I never told them about any of it because I knew it would only get worse if I did."

"I'm so very sorry. More sorry than I could ever explain. I never hated you, you just always frustrated me. I was always so drawn to you and just wanted to be with you all the time when I was young. As I started getting older, I didn't understand these feelings. So, I withdrew and started treating you badly. When my friends saw me treat you that way, they thought it was fine for them to do it too. I never stopped it, and I should have. I didn't know they were abusing you to the point they were making you bleed." He said emotionally.

"I understand you were confused, but so was I. I loved you so much as a child. I know I clung to you. But they didn't just make me bleed. They broke my ribs, my arm, my nose and constantly told me if you found out, they would finish the job and end me. That is the life I have lived because of you and your actions, and now I'm supposed to accept you as my mate?" I said in a sour voice.

I stopped and faced him. He had an expression of being defeated on his face. He was shaking a bit, not sure if it was out of anger. He raised his head so I could look in his eyes, and I saw the tears staining his skin. It took me aback.

"I know I have no right. I know I have hurt you, abandoned you, and isolated you. I can never expect you you to forgive me, but I want to try to make it up to you. All I can feel now is the incredible need to love you and protect you. No one will ever hurt you again. I won't allow it. You are mine. I am yours. We are made to be together. I know you will need time, but I'm willing to wait until you are ready. It is taking everything I have to keep Jinx from marking you, but we will respect your wishes until you are ready. But, I will announce you are my mate. It's the only way to start protecting you." He states.

I think about what he said. He can claim me forcibly if he wanted too, but was willing to give me time. Time I needed to sort all of my emotions and fears. Can I trust him enough to do that? Then my mind slips back to the memories of when we were close. When he loved her so much and spoiled her. Yes he was a child when all this started, but the resentment he carried all these years towards me was unfathomable. I always thought he would never be mine. Can I get past this?

"Okay, we will give it a shot by dating, but we will take it slow and at my pace. I wish you didn't have to announce it, but I understand why. Can you respect that?" I ask.

"Yes, ma'am. I will do everything I can to make it up to you. I will do my very best not to outpace you. I will have to go to school with you tomorrow and explain it all to all the Pack members. Then I will hold a pack meeting for everyone, and do the same. But I will stay with you all day tomorrow to make sure they know I'm serious. I know a certain person will try to bully you. I won't let it happen anymore." He says.

While I don't like all of those things, I know it's what has to be done. The thing is, I could have stopped the abuse long ago, but had to play the Omega part. I was always stronger, but they never knew and I had to keep it that way. It will be no secret tomorrow though. The seers spell only lasted until my eighteenth birthday. It was gone now and my aura radiated.

I took a long look at him, and studied his expressions. I just nod my head, turn around, and head home. He follows me like a little lost puppy, but we remain silent along the way.