The Rejected Luna’s Prince By Aurora Archer
Chapter 71 – New
(Willa)
Oh my G.oddess, my hands flew to my open mouth.
This was everything that I could have hoped for. They would be so good for each other, balance each other perfectly.
“Where have you been?” Jack growled, pulling back and looking at Rachel, “Beautiful,” His wolf pushed forward.
“Italy,” Rachel looked into his eyes, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
“Can I come?” Jack asked, and Rachel pulled back, placing her hands on his chest.
“You’re the Gamma here,” She said, her brows tugging together.
Jack shrugged, “I know I don’t know you, but I know we were fated for a reason, I’m happy to follow you anywhere.”
Rachel breathed, and I held mine.
“O-okay,” She said, “But we can talk about it. I don’t want you to give up everything for me.”
“You can’t leave anyways.” Nolan cut in with a dark laugh.
“Don’t ruin the moment,” Cali crossed her arms, taking a step towards the newly mated pair.
“Who are you to speak to me like that?” Nolan said.
Cali raised an eyebrow looking him over, deciding he wasn’t even worthy of a response.
“You’re my Gamma. If you choose to accept your mate she will live here, help out with your duties.”
Jack turned to face Nolan setting Rachel down but grabbing her hand.
“Nolan, I say this as a friend, but I do not think I can stay here if my mate doesn’t want to. Actually, I know I can’t” Jack said calmly, “If it weren’t for my family line, I might have left a while ago.” He said a bit quieter.
“You’re not serious.” Nolan scoffed, his eyes darted to his Gamma and then the crowd still standing there watching the interaction.
“You wouldn’t give up everything, your legacy, your title, just because you met your mate? Act like a man,” Nolan seethed.
“I am,” Jack took a step in front of Rachel, “I am protecting the most important thing in this world, the mate bond. Not all of us see our mates as lesser, as supporting roles, and I won’t see her-.” Jack looked at her.
“Rachel,” Rachel smiled at him, her face full of adoration, “My name is Rachel.”
“I’m Jack,” He said, squeezing her hand before turning back to Nolan, “I won’t see Rachel as anything less than what she deserves, and I know that she won’t get that respect here.” Jack held his ground.
Nolan’s mouth gaped.
Camilla was still on the ground behind him, her hand over her heart, looking up at the interaction.
“We need females here to pick up Camilla’s slack,” Nolan boomed, “And you haven’t even asked what she wants. She should be glad to take up a ranked position.”
Jack looked to Rachel, who shrugged.
“I’m happy with my life, but I wanted a mate more than anything. I understand that we live two separate lives and we will both have to make sacrifices. I had never really cared nor a*s*sumed I was mated to anyone of rank, but again, that doesn’t matter.
I will say that what I have heard and seen from this pack is not one I would like to be part of. I won’t go as far as to say that it can’t be turned around, but under the Alpha you have, I don’t see how much change or progress can be made with a man with such dated and archaic views.”
Nolan took a step towards Rachel, and Jack moved to him, pressing his chest into his Alpha’s.
“You will not threaten my mate,” Jack growled. Everyone was silent.
“I, Jack Levine, Gamma of The Blue Ridge Pack, hereby step down from my role as Gamma and cut ties with The Blue Ridge Pack.”
To his credit, Jack barely flinched, and I know that must have impacted him severly.
Nola took a few steps back, almost tripping over Camilla, who was still kneeling.
“Welcome to Crescent Moon,” I whispered to Jack, and he looked at me with a wide smile.
“Thank you, Luna.”
Nolan let out a howl of pure pain and rage, shaking the door of the packhouse.
“You couldn’t just let me go,” Nolan stormed up to me.
Caspien stood by my side, his icy ancient aura unleashed.
Nolan flinched f*orc*ed to step back without Caspien even making a move.
“The fact you think that has anything to do with you is truly a credit to your delusion.” I jutted my chin out, studying him cooly, “I have nothing new to say that I have not told you before.
For the sake of Blue Ridge, I hope you find a way to come to terms with the consequences of your own actions and not think that everything that has happened to you is based on my rage from half a decade ago.”
I was exasperated, and I knew that I wasn’t going to get through to him; it was exhausting repeating myself. I wished he understood for his sake, and for the sake of Blue Ridge, I hoped he took responsibility, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud.
“Then why?” Nolan said, his voice hard.
He really wasn’t going to drop this? He had an audience, and he was making himself look like a fool.
He’s grasping at straws – Iris growled.
I took a breath and addressed him, my voice thankfully not giving away the annoyance that I felt, “Why is Camilla stripped of her title? Because she went against what the leaders of our territory decided on.” I met his brown eyes.
“Why did Jack leave? Because he found his mate and was sick of you running this pack into the ground. What else do you want me to explain? I let Theo have the title, even if it rightfully belonged to my son.” I took a step toward him.
“As for being mated to Caspien, ask the Moon Goddess.” Caspien’s large palm wrapped around my waist, and Nolan’s eyes darted to it.
“I have nothing to atone for. I never have. These are your consequences. Instead of looking to place blame elsewhere, act like an Alpha and own up to your part in all of this.”
He opened his mouth to say something, rage still contorting his features. I placed a hand to silence him.
“I wish you the best, I really do. I hope that you can be a good Alpha for the pack that I grew up in, that I still have so many amazing memories at.” I glanced toward Lola so he knew that I in no way was thinking about my time with him. Lola smiled up at me rea*s*suringly from the front.
“I don’t want you to fail, you are an allied pack, and we will help you if you ask.” Nolan scoffed at that, “No hard feelings,” I offered.
“If there is nothing else,” Caspien said.
“We don’t even know that her son is mine,” Nolan said.
Griffen handed Caspien a folder, and he pulled out two pieces of paper, handing them to Nolan.
“He was fathered by you, just as Theo was,” Caspien explained.
Nolan’s mouth hung open, “How? This is a violation of privacy,” He held up the papers, bunching them up.
Griffen shrugged.
“Now, son, I think we let this go.” Hugo came up and grabbed Nolan on the shoulder.
“Get off of me,” Nolan brushed off his hand, looking and sounding like a petulant child.
Hugo took a step back and shook his head.
“If any of you have questions, Holden, Cali, and I will stay here to address them,” Griffen said, drawing attention to him.
“Want to help me pack?” Jack asked Rachel; she glanced back at me.
“We won’t leave you.” I told her smiling, “Go, I’ll link you when we’re heading out; we can send for the rest of your things.” I told Jack.
“Congratulations,” I beamed at them.
Jack took Rachels’s hand and tugged her into the packhouse.
“That went just about how I expected,” I sighed, leaning into Caspien. He moved his hand from my waist and wrapped me into him, placing a kiss on my hair.
Everything else around us fell away. The murmur of the crowd, the anger rolling off Nolan, the annoyance I felt moments before washed away.
It was replaced by my mate’s comforting scent, his warm, familiar embrace, and an almost overwhelming sense of finality and peace.
He stroked my hair, and I felt a wave of emotion crash through me. I felt light, leaving this behind me even though we were still there, standing in front of most of the pack.
“Thank you,” I murmured, reluctantly tearing myself away from Caspien.
“For what?” He frowned, pushing a strand away with the back of his finger.
I shrugged.
For everything that he did and didn’t know that he did for me.
For showing me what true partnership and love were.
“I think our job here is done,” Caspien held out an arm to me.
I wanted to say goodbye to Isaac and Nolan’s parents; we didn’t need to foster more hostility on our end.
“I hope you’re happy.” Nolan glared at me; Camilla was standing behind him, looking at the ground.
“I am,” I shrugged, “But not because of anything that has happened today.” I brushed my hair over my shoulder.
“Alpha Nolan, Camilla.” I nodded at them politely, and Caspien gave them a grave nod before we turned our backs on them.
_____
Back in the car, I felt good, more than good.
Relieved. It was the last thing we had to check off – for the moment, at least.
Emmett fevers, a*s*sa*s*sin part one two and three, The Conference, Alpha Jasper, Caspien on death’s door, Camilla, and passing cla*s*ses, well, barely passing.
This was the last part of it, and I felt like we would never get here. There was always a long list of things we had to do and millions of steps in between each of them.
But we did it.
We came out the other end better for it. I couldn’t have done it without every single one of them.
Cali was whispering to Holden, Griffen was ferociously texting probably Nolan, and Rachel was pulled onto Jack’s lap.
Our group, my family, was growing, and I felt so full.
“Stick around for the royal ceremony?” Caspien asked Rachel and Jack.
I fought my mouth from hanging open, that was the most civil and normal I had heard him speak to Rachel, and I appreciated it.
“We wouldn’t miss it.” Rachel smiled widely at him.
“Then Italy?” Jack asked excitedly.
“Do you want to?” Rachel turned to him, “Really want to?”
“H*ell yeah, I do,” Jack said, “We can figure out everything else later, I have enough savings, and I think I deserve some time off.” Jack crossed his hands behind his head.
“I’m sure we can find you a job within the pack or company.” Caspien said, “Possibly as advisors, as well. Both of you.” Caspien said.
“I would really like that,” I accidentally said out loud.
“We can talk about it later. Today has been,” Caspien sighed, running a hand through his midnight hair.
“It’s been a f*uc*king day,” Cali said.
“That,” Caspien gave her a smile that was becoming more and more normal for him, “It has been a f*uc*king day. A long string of f*uc*king days.”