The Luna's Nerd

~Chapter 29~

I drop my bags on the ground and look around the room. It's quite big, and I'm glad grandma informed me of the empty room in the pack house. I don't know how I'll act being in the same house Titus and I used to be in. Sure, I'll have to go back soon, but not now. We're preparing the arrangements for his and Rose's funeral. It's hard to believe they're both gone.

It's best if I remain in the pack house for now. I don't know about being Alpha, but I do know if I want to survive out in the world I'll have to learn to control who I am and embrace all of my abilities. I still haven't told Nicole about anything I've been experiencing. She's going through enough already and I don't want to add onto her stress. After we left the hospital, Nicki left with her dad and brothers. I prefer if she is with me, but I'll let her have her space for now. "Alpha Tyler!" Farah knocks on my door with excitement.

I walk over and open the door. She looks behind me into the room in aw. I let her inside and she examines it. Has no one ever been in this room before? "Your room is amazing! I wish I could have a room like this."

"No one has ever lived in this room?"

She nods her head, "This room is for the Alpha. Alpha Titus lived with you, so he never stayed in here. It's all yours, now."

I grin, "Alright, thanks, Farah."

"Is my grandson here yet?" A crinkly old lady questions from the doorway. I recognize her as my grandma and I rush over and hug her. She's a lot more pale and fragile than when I last saw her. I was apparently out for 2 months, and it only felt like minutes.

"Grandma, are you okay?"

She forces a sad grin, "yes, I'm quite alright. How do you like the room?" Farah runs around and looks all over the place curiously as I help grandma in. There's first a small sitting area with a television and couches, followed by the bed area with another couch and doors leading to the closet and bathroom. I sit her on the large couch in the sitting area and Farah hurries to us.

She giggles, "This is sweet!"

Grandma nods, "Farah, could you ask your mother to fetch the Alpha and I some tea?" She requests.

Farah bolts out as fast as she came in and I focus on grandma. "Don't call me that, it's weird. I don't even know if I really want to be Alpha, anyway."

She furrows her eyebrows, "Ty, this has been your fate since you were born. I can't force you into the position, but I do know you'll be a very great Alpha, if not the best." She begins a hacking wheeze and bends over with a deathly cough.

I pat her back and frown. She doesn't look so well. "Are you sure you're okay?"

When she finishes, she glances at me shortly and then returns her gazes to the walls of the room. "Yes, I am. This room could use some color. Some of your drawings, maybe? Perhaps Nicole can add some spice in here. It lacks a feminine touch." She notes.

I grin at the mention of Nicole and I agree, "Yeah, I suppose." My face heats up and I scratch the back of my neck, "I don't know how she'll feel about living with me. Well, the pack."

"I would love to meet her. I'm afraid it'll have to be soon. I don't know how much longer I'll be on this earth, and I would like to meet the Luna-to-be."

I shake my head, "Of course, grandma. I'll have something arranged." She relaxes on the couch with more coughs, but not as bad as the first. There's so much I have to do, it's hard to keep up. It's a lot different than how everything was before. I guess Titus was good at playing my role, and he's probably done better than I ever will.

~•••~

I finish unpacking my clothes and I toss my bags into the back of the closet. I feel like I'm going on a temporary vacation. I toss my shirt aside and I grab a few candy bars. I'm relieved this bedroom has a balcony as well. I constantly like to go outside, especially at night. I enjoy gazing at the stars and the moon. When I open the balcony doors, the wind blows against me. I exhale and rest my elbows on the end of it on the railing. It's quiet out, and I can see the shadows pacing around the pack house. One of the men look up and wave at me. I wave back and continue to stare out at the trees.

I never imagined myself being here. Just last year I had no idea what an Alpha was, and now here I am being treated like one. 'I don't know if I'm ready for this, Dick.'

'You need to start calling me Henry, and ready for what?'

'Being Alpha, leading this pack,' I respond.

'You already are, Tyler.'

Before I can respond to him there's rustling in the woods, and a guard comes out with a naked man covered in dirt. I can smell him from here, and I label him as a rogue. 'Lingering on our territory, Alpha. What shall we do with him?' One of the guards mindlinks me, and I look down at the rogue with a glare. From my past experience with a rogue, I have a strong hatred for them.

'I'll be there in a minute.' I turn around and head back to the bedroom immediately. I don't bother to put on a shirt, but I grab a random pair of shoes to put on and hurry downstairs. I hurry out the back door and jog up to the group of guards holding up the rogue.

"Does he speak?" I ask.

"Why don't you ask me yourself?" He spits out at me. One of the guards punches him in the stomach.

He angrily shouts, "You will address him as Alpha or Alpha Tyler." He doesn't say anything after that.

"What's your name, and why are you here?"

His laugh is sinister, "I'm looking for the lovely Nicole Hanson. I figured she'd be around here somewhere."

Henry and I both growl, "Why are you looking for my mate?" I demand.

"She's such a beautiful one. I don't mind her bearing my children." I punch him before the guard that hit him before could. This time, he starts to bleed from his lip, and I punch him again.

"She's mine!" I continue to punch him as the guards hold him back. He wheezes in pain as blood covers my fists and I glare at him. "You will be punished by death, and I'll do it myself."

'Let him go.' I order the guards.

'Alpha-'

'I said let him go.' I growl more demanding and they drop him to the ground like a sack of potatoes. I punch him in the gut, and he spits out blood and attempts to crawl away on his hands and knees. I turn him over and punch his cheek. His head turns to the side, and I climb over him and continue to punch his face. "Do not ever speak of her in that manner," I growl as I continue punching him and blood gushes from his face.

"Ty-Tyler?" I hear someone call, but I ignore them. I'm beginning to see red, and I want him dead now. I want him to feel the pain of death. He's not getting out easily from threatening my girl.

"Tyler, stop!" Someone touches my shoulder, and I snap my head to face them. I growl at whoever it is, but I pause realizing it's Nicole. "He's dying!" She yells.

"He should have never said anything about you," I snarl and I can hear the shallow breaths of the rogue as he reaches his end.

"We don't suggest you be around him right now, Luna. It's not safe for-"

I give the guard a look, and he shuts up. Nicole sighs and helps me up. "Your anger is changing you," she whispers and leads me inside the pack house. We receive a myriad of stares by the nearby pack members. We silently walk up until we reach my bedroom door. She opens it and takes me to the bathroom. I put my hands in the sink, and she quietly squirts the hand soap on my hands. The blood rinses away quickly and my hands are still shaded a light red.

"Thanks," I whisper, and she still doesn't respond. "Nicole?" I call her name and she sits on the tip of the bed and covers her face with her hands. "I wouldn't ever do anything like that to you." I place my hand on her shoulder, and she pulls away quickly.

She pulls her hands away, and there are tears in her eyes. My entire world stops. "Tyler, I-I know. It's not you." I sit beside her and give her a little distance. "I came here because my dad has problems with me having a mate, and he doesn't even know you. He's still giving me a hard time and I'm... I'm so stressed! My best friend is going to be buried in a matter of time, and I-I don't understand anything right now." She begins to cry, and I can't help but put my arm around her. This time she lets me comfort her.

"I get it, trust me. If you want, you can stay here for the night. I'll sleep on the couch."

Nicki nods and stands up, "Excuse me for a minute," she excuses herself to go to the bathroom. I sigh and put my shirt back on. Everything so far will eventually sort itself out, but as for Nicole, she's all I need right now.