My Blind Love For The Alpha

twelve

I will love you unconditionally. There is no fear now. Let go and just be free ≈ Unconditionally, Katy Perry

"I should have just waited for Stacy to come and get me, it's not completely their fault." 

"Gem, you can try to defend them as much as you want, though I don't know why you would want to. At the end of the day, the Luna of the Pack is supposed to be protected, cherished, taken care of. Not pushed aside and forgotten about when a fight breaks out over some childish subject." 

I shrug, "They're just being kids." 

"You just don't want to admit that I'm right, do you?"

He's teasing me now, lightening the mood between us. I give him a small smile. "The day I admit you're right is the day I finally see again."

It's a joke, and he takes it as one but it leaves a bitter taste in the air. Blind jokes were funny before I had a soulmate whose face I will never see. I wonder if joking about it like this will make it easier or harder as time goes on. 

"Kyle? You wanted to see me?" I hear someone say, the door to Kyle's office creaking open slowly.

Kyle takes in a deep breath, his arm around my waist tightening. "Hey, Michael. Take a seat."

Michael. As in Michael-who-helped-me-earlier-in-a-room-full-of-fighting-Werewolves Michael? Noah's brother.

Michael doesn't say anything, but I think I hear him sit in the chair opposite us. I close my eyes and rest my head on Kyle's chest, not wanting to have to try to figure out which way to aim my useless eyes. 

"I would introduce you to Gemma, but I hear you're already fairly acquainted with your Luna." Kyle says, his voice not as light as I thought it would be. 

Isn't it a good thing that he helped me?

"She was lying on the ground and I helped her up. I thought it was the right thing to do." 

"Right," Kyle replies. "And that's all there is to it?"

A slight pause, then, "I'm her Protector."

I don't know what that means, or what it is, but it sounds important. It sounds like somethign that is special.

"Why didn't you tell me? When did you find out?"

"Only when I saw her on the ground. I just had this strong urge to protect her, to make sure none of them hurt her. You seemed pretty pissed off when you came in so I went for a run before coming to speak to you." Michael replies.

I lift my head to look in Kyles direction. "What's going on?"

"It's an old legend among Werewolves, that human Luna's are gifted Protectors by the Moon Goddess. Protectors are like bodyguards, there to protect you when the Alpha is busy or preoccupied."

"So... Michael is supposed to, what? Be there when you can't?"

"Or just be there, in general. Gem, he won't hurt you, he will always just want to see you happy. He is like a much less possessive mate that you don't feel attracted to." Kyle explains.

"Can you please leave us alone for a bit, so we can talk?" I ask Kyle quietly. He agrees, both of us standing as he gets ready to leave his office. After a quick kiss, he's gone. 

It's quiet for a few minutes. "I'm sorry," I can't help but say.

"Why are you sorry, Gemma?" He asks, a frown evident in his voice.

"That you're stuck protecting me."

It's silent again, but this time Michael breaks it. "On the first day of school, I remember Kyle and Noah telling me about their mates. How great they were. I didn't get much information. Then I saw you the next day and I knew there was something special about you. The way Kyle would stare at you from halfway across the room. He was never far. I put two and two together pretty quickly, sensing that there was more to this then I thought. Then I spoke to your brother, Ryan. He told me you were blind, and I knew then why you were so special. Because even though you had lost your eyesight, even though you had lost a part of yourself, you had not given up." 

I swallow the lump in my throat, his words causing a whirlwind of emotions in me. 

"And, today, when I saw you lying on the ground, with everyone shoving and pushing and shouting. All I could think about was protecting you. Keeping you safe. I was so angry, I could barely hold my wolf back. You looked so scared, so completely terrified. We - the Pack - knew that you wouldn't just accept us straight away. But it didn't matter, not to us. All we have wanted is for Kyle to find his mate. For our Luna to claim her place beside him."

I look down, where my hands are sitting in my lap. Well, where my hands, that I can't see, are placed in my lap. But I realise it doesn't matter. If a Pack of Werewolves can accept me, a blind human, as their Luna then why can't I accept them? Why am I so hesitant about being here, in the place where I belong?

"If you guys can accept me then I can accept you. Not for who you try to be, but for who you are."

**

I spend most of the day with Michael while Kyle does Alpha things. Mikey and I get along well, both of us feeling extremely comfortable with the other. He walks me around the house, not seeming to care that he's not the babysitter of a blind girl. 

If anything, he seems proud to be my Protector. 

"Let's get some food, I'm starving." Mikey suggests, leading the way. 

"Are you serious?" I ask as we walk through the kitchen door, "We had lunch not even an hour ago."

Noah's voice is the one that replies to my comment. "That's my little brother for you. He could eat a horse and still ask for seconds." 

Mikey let's out a sound of disagreement. "That is not true, I eat a normal amount."

I shake my head. "I disagree."

"And if the Luna disagrees, then I'm afraid you can't be right little brother." Noah says, his voice radiating a grin. 

The day passes by quickly, turning into the evening and late into the night. Kyle lets me know that Leah and Aaron apologised for not coming by today, but they will come to visit soon. Before I know it, it's time for bed and Kyle is leading me upstairs. 

"Did you have fun with Michael?"

"I did. We went for a walk and watched some TV. He eats more than anyone I have ever met, and I've met you." I tease.

"Hey! We're all growing Werewolves, don't judge us!"

When we're climbing into bed, I pull him close and let out a deep exhale. Sometimes it feels like I'm tensing all day, not letting myself relax. But then, finally, I get to lie down with Kyle. Skin to skin, heartbeats in sync. Me, wrapped up in the darkness and his arms. Him, warm and comforting and everything right in the world.

The man of my dreams, the love of my life. 

"Are you tired, Angel?"

I let out  a quiet hum, resting my head on his chest. His heartbeat thumps in my ear, reassuring me that he's here with me. 

"Goodnight. I love you, Kyle." 

"I love you too, Gem. I'll be right here tomorrow when you wake up."

And so I fall asleep, feeling as though everything is right in the world. I do belong here, in this house. Because this house is where Kyle is, where Michael, Stacy, Ryan, Noah are. This, this could be my new family.