His Mistreated Mate
Chapter 7

Time had seemed to slow down while me and Blake was enclosed within our own little bubble. It felt like I had been lying here, lovingly wrapped in between Blake's arms for days on end, but I knew we had only been gone for roughly an hour or so. I'd heard of post coitus bliss, but I'd disregarded it as a total myth, but as I lay here, letting the gooey satisfied feelings that oozed through me like wildfire, taking complete control of my body, I finally realized it was anything but. Ever since Blake had claimed me for his own, I felt more alive than I had ever done before. My senses had heightened to new levels that I didn't think was possible and my new focus in life had shifted also. It wasn't about getting revenge on those who had wronged me or just trying to live my life under the radar, but it was this man. This man was now the reason why I wanted to live, wanted to breathe, and fight. Everything I wanted or desired was now for this gorgeous man lying right next to me. My body no longer felt tired and heavy, nor did it feel battered and bruised, but instead, I felt a renewed energy flowing through me like an electrical current. I felt like I could rip up trees, smash down buildings and run for miles without ever getting tired. Happily, I inhaled deeply and snuggled deeper into the warmth of his embrace, pulling his arms tighter around me. Carefully, Blake shifted from underneath me and casually lay propped up on one arm, before smiling and gazing back down at me.

"You do know we have to go back downstairs and show ourselves to the rest of the family sooner than later?" Blake whispered carefully. "As much as I'd love to lie here with you for all of eternity, we've been gone for nearly two hours. It would be rude to keep them waiting any longer."

Sighing, I turned to look up at Blake, my eyes scanning over his body hungrily. "Yes, I know, but do we really have to?" I whined sadly. "I just feel so happy lying here in your arms. This is the only place I want to be right now."

"I know it is sweetheart," soothed Blake while stroking my hair gently. "But you're going to be their new Luna. It's your right and place to meet your Pack. Come on. I'll be right beside you."

Sighing once more as Blake pulled his arm free from underneath me, I watched as he stood up and began pulling his clothes back on, hiding his perfectly sculpted body from me once more. Chewing my lip thoughtfully, I too stood up and made my way into my closet and began selecting clothes at random before making my way back into my bedroom and pulling them over my naked body.

"Ready?" Blake asked gently, while holding his hand out towards me. "You will be okay. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I know," I whispered back confidently. "It's just surreal that one minute I'm going from omega handmaiden to Luna in waiting. It's like going from one end of the hierarchy to the other in 0.2 seconds. It just doesn't seem real! I don't even know anything about being a Luna."

"Granted. You do have much to learn," nodded Blake apprehensively. "But with me by your side and my parents, and Beta Alistair, you will be fine. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You can do this."

Smiling at his words, I carefully held on to his hand and felt myself being gracefully pulled across the room and back out onto the landing. Silently, we made our way back down the staircase towards the kitchen, where we knew a large crowd was waiting for us. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest nervously while my throat began to dry up with nerves and worry. What if they don't like me? What if they refused to see me as their new Luna? Finally reaching the entrance to the kitchen, I paused briefly, as my reflection in a nearby mirror caught my eye. Pulling my hand away from Blake's, I walked over and stared at my reflection in shock. Not only did I look older and more mature, but all my bruises, cuts and grazes had disappeared. My skin looked flawless with not a blemish in sight and a white silvery glow radiated all around me, just like it had with Marii. That's when I realized there was something else that caught my eye, and loudly, I gasped in shock. There, for all to see, on the side of my neck, where Blake had used his fangs to claim me, was the symbol for our Pack etched on my skin for all to see. The non-mistakable mark of a burning red sun, half hiding behind a silver cloud, was there, proudly on display, evidence of our coitus activities while we had been gone. The crimson red stood out against my pale skin and silvery hair. Gingerly, I lifted my hand and gently touched the area with my fingertips, expecting my skin to be sore from the recent injury, but to my surprise, the skin felt healed as if I had had the mark for ages. Blushing, I glanced back across at Blake who was stood there in amusement, patiently waiting for me. "That's the mark of our Pack and to say that you are mine," Blake explained. "You are a true member of the Midnight Sun now."

Grabbing onto his hand once more, we silently entered the kitchen and turned to face the kitchen table, where many pairs of eyes instantly locked with ours in awe and in silence. Slowly, all the pairs of eyes swivelled towards me and lingered on my neck, seemingly confirming their suspicions at what had taken us so long. Sideward glances and hushed whispers echoed out, before Marii stood up, with her husband Jonas and began walking towards us smiling gently albeit sheepish. Standing between the table and us, I realized the silvery glow that Marii always had around her had now vanished from sight. That's when I realized it was the same glow, I currently had swimming around me. Did this mean that the glow now made me recognizable as Luna? Without saying a word, Marii and Jonas dropped to one knee and bowed their head, the rest of the Pack members quickly following in their footsteps.

Arching one eyebrow curiously, I slowly peeled my eyes from the silent group and looked up at Blake nervously. Before I could utter a single word to my Mate, Marii and Jonas began to stand up, looking at us intently before beginning to clap loudly. One by one, the various werewolves behind them stood up until they was all standing and clapping wildly, causing my ears to ring with the loud wall of sound. Jonas eventually came forward, turning to face the group, with his back to us before coughing loudly and addressing the crowd, with a hint of glee in his smooth crisp voice.

"Everybody, the time has finally come. Meet your new Alpha and Luna!"

The room swiftly burst into a loud round of applause, clapping, and celebrating at my new status within the Pack. I wasn't sure if the members in front of me were being sincere and genuine or, just clapping out of politeness, but nonetheless, they were still clapping. I was vaguely aware of how many pairs of eyes eagerly scanned me as I was silently standing there, feeling bewildered being the centre of the attention. Sensing my unease, I felt Blake's hand snake in mine and squeeze gently, a silent act of reassurance. After what seemed an eternity, Marii and Jonas finally stepped forward and lovingly embraced us, before turning back to face the Pack members. The room came to an eery silence as they waited for their previous masters to say something.

"It's been a great few years leading this Pack under my command," Jonas boomed loudly. "We have had our ups and downs, our trials and tribulations. We have made many a great progress and many an error. I feel like I am leaving the Pack in good hands. Now that my son has found his Mate, he is ready to become the Alpha that this Pack needs. From this day forth, me and my wife, have now stepped down from our duties."

Gasping in silence at his words, I looked up at Blake nervously. If Jonas and Marii were stepping down from their duties, then it meant me, and Blake were now officially the new Alpha and Luna for the Pack with immediate effect. Was I ready for this sort of power? Where would I even start? I watched helplessly as Blake stood forward and addressed his family.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you all for the support you have given and shown me, while waiting for me to replace my Mate," he began carefully. "It is with great honour that I accept Alphaship of this Pack. I aim to lead with an open mind, fairness to all but with an iron fist. I will not let the standards of this Pack slip which my father has worked hard to build."

Once more the kitchen erupted into a wall of noise as the Pack burst into a round of applause once more. Feeling myself being pulled towards the table, I carefully sat down in an empty chair beside Blake at the head of the table, as I eagerly awaited my second breakfast of the day. Glancing across at Marii and her husband, I noticed they were both beaming across at me happily, which I returned with a gentle but nervous smile. It wasn't long before large plates filled with sausages, bacon, eggs, and garlic mushrooms was placed infront of us and, hungrily, I tucked in.

A soft voice gently coughed, and I looked up to see Marii gently smiling at me, with her head resting gently on her hands. Jonas had also stopped eating and began looking at me intently, only making me feel nervous under their wary stares. "Libby, I need to apologise to you," Marii whispered gently. "I am sorry for ever doubting you a worth candidate as a Mate for my son. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

"It's okay Marii," I replied gently. "You don't have to apologise to me."

"Well, we have something important to discuss as a Pack," Marii began gently. "We need to discuss what we are going to do about your stepmother and that abhorrent boyfriend of hers."

"Do we have to?" I mumbled quietly. "I don't want everyone knowing my past!"

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"You are our Luna now," Jonas murmured softly. "We are your family, and we are one in this Pack. You do wrong to one, you do wrong to us all!"

"Besides, what they did is inexcusable," Marii added firmly. "Especially now that you are a Luna. They can't be allowed to get away with this."

"I've already said that they have broken at least seven laws," Alistair loudly butted in. "You're looking at antisocial behaviour, child and domestic abuse, modern slavery, rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment!"

"All of which are punishable by incarceration," declared Jonas loudly. "We cannot let them get away with what they have done to you. All pups under the age of eighteen are protected by law. I believe you are eighteen next week, which is when your official Luna duties will start."

Our conversation had now begun to draw the attention of the others who were sat around the table, as one by one, I began to notice many pairs of eyes staring silently at us. It wasn't until Charlie, our Gamma, who was a tall slender man who had dark brown hair with a matching moustache, stood up and looked at us all gravely.

"Please, excuse me, my new Alpha and Luna," he began solemnly. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. As third in command, I vow to help punish those who have wronged you. Marii and Jonas is right. We cannot let them get away with what they have done!"

"Here here," a pretty redhead called out, who I realised was one of Charlie's daughters. "If we let them get away with it and word gets out, our Pack will look weak!"

"Everything we stand for will be tarnished!" agreed a Warrior loudly, thumping on the table with his fist.

"We need to know exactly what happened!" a second warrior agreed. "Please, Luna, tell us your story!"

Taken aback, I looked around nervously at Blake, who nodded reassuringly. "Go on. Tell them," he whispered. "You may as well. They won't let it go now!"

Gulping nervously, I quickly stammered "Where do you want me to start? It's not going to be pleasant, trust me."

"How about from the start," Alistair soothed gently. "Don't worry about getting anyone into trouble. We need to know everything so that we can process a legal case against them."

Nodding, I leant back in my chair and began to think back before coughing slightly. "Well, two years ago, everything was great. I had my Mum and my Dad, we lived in a big house right by the city and we were happy," I began. "Then one day, my Mum went to go out and attend her gym session. But she never arrived. Me and my Dad went out searching for her, we tried calling her but found her phone was switched off and we put posters up. That evening, we rang the police and reported her missing. The next day, her belongings was discovered on top of Hell's Mouth cliff, which was a notorious suicide spot in our territory, alongside a suicide note."

"Was her body ever found or recovered?" butted in Alistair loudly, looking at me curiously. "What about a death certificate?"

"I don't know about a death certificate if I'm honest," I replied shrugging. "I never asked my Dad about it as I didn't think it was important at the time. But no, her body was never recovered. We just assumed that the sea had claimed her body, so I guess there wouldn't be a death a certificate."

"There must be a declaration of a presumed death then," mused Alistair thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Carry on Luna!"

"Anyway, Dad went through a difficult time of mourning, and he turned to alcohol to ease his grief. Mum's death was a shock, something neither of us was expecting. But one day, he went to work and came back all smiles, like he was back to his old self," I continued before pausing briefly. "He met Julianne at work and quickly became besotted with her. Julianne was a best friend of my Mum's and she helped pull my Dad from his drinking tendencies and made him happy again. It wasn't long before they got engaged and then married and before I knew it, Dad had sold our house and we were moving in to Julianne's."

"Was she nice to you at the beginning?" Marii questioned. "Or was she always a bit of a bitch?"

"Yeah, she seemed all right," I shrugged. "Me and her daughter Louisa didn't see eye to eye but I guess she just didn't like sharing her Mum with me or my Dad. I was bullied for the way I looked at school and Louisa never stood up for me, but I guess it wasn't her place. Dad seemed happy and so, I was happy, until the arguments came."

"Arguments? What arguments?" Alistair grunted, looking at me questionably. "I thought you said they was happy together?"

"They was, until my Dad was promoted to Gamma, following the death of the previous Gamma," I replied. "Dad spent a lot of time helping to train our warriors, and so, spent a lot of time with one of the lead warriors, Iona. Iona was a beautiful woman with long brown hair that reached her buttocks. She had dark brown eyes, tanned skin and was athletic and had a body to die for. Julianne got jealous of the amount of time my Dad and Iona was spending together at work and accused my Dad of having an affair."

"Were they having an affair?" Jonas inquired, while folding his arms and leaning back in his chair.

"No! Well, my Dad said they weren't. I believed him as my Dad wasn't that sort of person," I smiled as I remembered how great my father really was. "He was kind, loyal and brave. He would do anything for anyone, and I was proud to call him my Dad."

"So, what happened next?" the Gamma's red headed daughter called out, impatiently. "You said your Dad died too!"

"He did," I nodded. "I went to school that day after my Dad had another argument with Julianne and when I came back, Julianne was waiting for me with the news that changed my life forever. My Dad had died!"