The Unclaimed Human Luna
Chapter 23

Conner POV

They got the call from his father at 9 pm to state that Marlo had finally managed to get Eliza to pick up the phone, that she’d stated she was with some of her friends. Which meant she had to be in Santa Ana, California. A snarl ripped out of him, they had been waiting around all day here in Seattle for her to turn up at her Grandmother’s.

Everyone believed she was on her way there, including her grandmother. Eliza, it seemed, was good at deception. Atlas was furious, she’d run away from them and hidden herself away, he’d missed the opportunity to actually scent her out on the full moon, and now he was going to have to wait on the next one. Conner wasn’t overly bothered by that at all, but Atlas was completely furious.

Now his wolf was just mad that she was in another state and always had been, they were no closer to her than they had been yesterday, in fact, they were even further away now, than they had been yesterday. It was going to take a full damn day to get to her, 17 hours without breaks, the sat nav told him and Adam. Both of them were annoyed by this.

At least they had slept most of the day and were awake to start the drive, were going to have to stop for food and fuel along the way and sleep at some point, though one of them could sleep while the other drove. He did make mention to his father that the pack was actually closer to her than he was, right this minute.

His father had snapped, “You sent her away, it’s your job to bring her back boy, get your a*s down there and retrieve her.” Even Adam had been surprised by his father’s words. The pack was technically only a 13 hour drive if one didn’t stop at all, with exception for fuelling up, he could get there, hours head of them and have her half way back to the pack as well before they even got there.

Seemed that man had a bee in his bonnet about Conner fixing things with the girl and getting her to come back. No one understood just how bloody hard that was going to be for him to do.

They drove all night and he slept from 4am to nearly 9am and then took over the driving so Adam could get sleep. The man was out like a light after driving for 5 solid hours with no distractions. He pulled the car up to the address Brittney had texted him, for her friend Cordi, told him that she was El’s best friend, so was likely going to be there.

He got out of the car and stretched. It had been a long drive, Atlas was already up inside his mind smelling the air, though her scent was always so light that he doubted they would pick her up unless she’d been on the street recently.

His head whipped around at the sound of her scream. Atlas was tuned in instantly to the other voices that were going on, was off at a run the moment he heard a man saying ‘you won’t get away from me Eliza.’ Didn’t sound good and then another yelled for the other to get her. There were people trying to catch her.

Caught the distinct scent of wolf as he got closer, and both he and Adam were moving fast ‘Surround and take down.’ He mind-linked to Adam. There only seemed to be two, but as he rounded the corner of the back of the house, he could see three, two male, one female. He was on that man that just about had her, so fast it wasn’t funny. This was what his father was worried about, other wolves, getting a hold of her and using her against the pack.

The one he had on the ground was Beta b***d. He could smell it, and the only reason his head was still attached to his body was because Eliza was human, and she did not know what they were. Atlas was only keeping himself in check because he didn’t want to frighten her.

The man that shot in front of Eliza was Alpha Blooded but he was young, they were all young. Likely only 18 or 19 themselves. She was supposed to be with her friends and safe, yet here she was not safe, surrounded by wolves and being hunted by an Alpha and Beta themselves.

Saw that man snag her, as she tried to get to him. Backed away with her, Conner was trying to take it all in. He’d seen the way the Alpha and the female had put her right between them, almost like they were protecting her. He got up but kept a fierce grip on the Beta. If that man hurt Eliza, his Beta’s head, was coming off, regardless of her being right there.

Both he and Atlas were ticked off that she tried to help the Beta as he shoved him away, Atlas shot his arm out to get her, didn’t want her anywhere near that man, near either of them in fact. Put her right into Adams hands to keep her away from him when he stated she was his girlfriend.

Atlas was itching to rip that man’s head clean off now. She was not his girlfriend now, when she belonged to them. Was more than happy to fight him, he wouldn’t win. It amused both he and Atlas to think that a young Beta, would try and take him on. He was near twice the size and an Alpha at that.

Heard Adam shush her, and that man had no idea how right his words of, ‘it was a turf war,’ were. She belonged to him and Atlas, and this bloody Beta had better not have laid a damned finger on her.

Though he knew she’d never slept with this man. He himself had been her first. This man might have known her longer, as he claimed, but he’d never gotten her into bed, she wasn’t interested in him as far as Conner was concerned.

The she-wolf seemed to have common sense, and introductions were finally made. He knew he wasn’t in a pack’s territory, all hell would have broken loose if they’d crossed an unknown pack border. They would have been surrounded very quickly. It was likely this was the she-wolfs house, perhaps not always been a wolf, maybe human herself once. Introduced herself as the man’s fiancé, kept it to human terms, because Eliza was right there, made sure Adam went with Eliza and that she-wolf, he didn’t know them.

Looked at both of them “I don’t think you want trouble. I don’t think your father would want my father coming to your pack either. You will be handing her over to me.”

“I don’t think she wants to be anywhere near you Conner.” Collin commented, a smirk on his face.

“I don’t particularly care what you think she wants.” He grated out “Eliza will be coming home with me.”

“So, you can treat her like crap some more.”

His jaw was ticking now, as he stood staring at that man. “What is between her and I, is none of your business.”

“She has no secrets from Cordi. Trusts her completely. I know what is going on out there, Conner.”

Heard Xavier growl softly and moved his eyes to him, smiled right at him “Not yours anymore.” He stated.

“Isn’t part of your pack, doesn’t have a pack scent.” That man shot right at him.

“No, she’s not, hasn’t been there long enough for that, you know how it works. Takes time with humans. My father wants her to settle in first.”

“Really?” Collin stated “From what I heard, stripped her of all her rights. Took everything from her and all she wants is to come back here, and she is welcome here, trust me on that.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, your only young and I can handle both of you, while my Beta handles your Mate.” It was a deadly game that they were now playing.

Eliza, it seemed, had wolfen friends, and didn’t even know it. She was not yet part of his father’s pack either, she was an unclaimed human, by any pack right this minute. Fair game, so to speak, even though her mother was the current Luna to his pack. It also sounded like this young Alpha, Collin was more than happy for her to be in their pack.

“You touch her…” it was the Beta, Xavier.

“You do realise you take Eliza,” Conner cut him off. “Her mother is the Luna currently to my pack. It will be war. My father is a vicious man, will leave nothing alive to get that girl back to his Mate. I don’t want a war, you don’t want a war. No one really wants a war.”

“You can’t make her go with you.” Xavier snarled at him.

“Then let’s call our respective Alphas and let them discuss the current situation.” Pulled his phone out and did just that, called his father and apprised him of the situation. Got silence from him for a long moment and then rapped out “get me the number to that Alpha. Don’t touch the son for now.”

Collin did just the same, though his father seemed surprised by the turn of the events, he wasn’t all aggressive about it, was open to having his father call him. They both stood and waited, phones in their hand, for the return calls they would each receive.

Stepped in front of Xavier when he moved towards the house, “I wouldn’t, you’re only alive right now because she’s human. You go anywhere near her, my wolf is likely to rip your head off.”

Saw both of them staring at him. Yes, he was laying claim to her, Adam was inside and out of earshot, so it didn’t really matter so much to him. “You might want to treat her a bit better then.” Collin stared right at him.

“Eliza and I are none of your business.” He stated flatly. “What goes on between us is just that, between us.”

“You’re a cheating a*****e from what I hear.”

“I am not.” He stated, and he wasn’t, had portrayed himself that way, but wasn’t. He hadn’t f****d anyone since touching her, no inclination to at all. Likely Atlas wouldn’t let him either.

“According to her you are.”

“She is wrong.” He stated he did not need to explain himself to this young Alpha, even if he was her friend.

His phone rang as did Collins, smiled when his father stated that Collin and his Beta would back off and let them bring Eliza home. Clicked the line closed and looked from one to the other “we’re done here. I’ll go and collect my stepsister.”

“No one knows what she is to you, do they?” Collin shot right at him as he walked off.

“I have not scented her, she was here on the full moon, I believe. So, there is no need to voice anything now, is there.” He left those two in the back yard, could see the Beta was furious. He didn’t much care and headed inside the house, could smell her in here, followed her scent and found Adam leaning on a wall. He pointed to a room, “Girl talk.”

“Hm, both our Alpha’s have conversed she will be coming with us, to not start a war.”

“Wise,” Adam nodded.

She was so bloody stubborn, but he already knew that. Walked away from her and that she-wolf, to wait out at his car, ignored her comment about him not caring and hating to have to go back with him there. He’d pushed her to get rid of her. She’d actually gone and now he was having to bring her back.

That girl was infuriating. He was still standing out there an hour later, trying to contain his temper at having to wait. Mind-linked to Adam, to replace out what was going on, he said not much. They were chatting about nothing in particular, though it did appear that Cordi kept cutting off her sentences and so he didn’t really understand what was going on. It was clear to him that Cordi knew Adam was listening and didn’t want El to say anything.

Then they’d just stopped talking altogether and Adam had no idea what was going on. On the bright side, she’d not let it slip that they’d been sleeping together. Adam would have a million questions for him if she did, considering Adam knew his rules. The first being no humans.

She finally walked outside, was pulling a suitcase along behind her and carrying a backpack, looked to be some sort of hiking pack. He stood and opened the door to his car for her and saw her raise an eyebrow at him and then just turn away to move down the street.

“Eliza, where are you going?” he tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

“I’ll drive in my own car.” She told him and unlocked the boot to place her things in it.

He was certain she hadn’t packed to leave the day she’d left, so she must have been shopping while here, “Adam can drive your car, you will be going with me.”

“I’ll be driving my car.” She told him.

Conner took a long breath in and walked over to her, stopped her from opening her driver’s side door. “You’ll be coming with me Eliza, to be honest with you, I don’t trust you not to try and get away again.”

“I’m not getting in a car with you. Adam can drive with me if I need a babysitter.”

He heard Adam actually g***n, he was trying to be nice to her, not to fight with her, knew that everything he did was going to be reported back to his father. “Eliza please, Adam can drive your car, or I could hire a trailer and we can tow it if you like. But my car is much more comfortable for a long drive. And the driving for us to come and get you has been very long.”

Saw her try to pull the door open, put his weight into it and his strength so it wouldn’t budge. Got glared at by her and sighed once more, “Please Eliza, you don’t even have to talk to me, just ride in the car is all I’m asking.” After almost a full minute of her just standing there, a hand still on the car door handle and saying nothing, he huffed there was no winning this staring competition. Just knew she wasn’t going to budge, so stubborn “Pick you up and put you in my car it is then.” He commented and reached out for her. He knew she wouldn’t want that, saw her move and turn to walk away from him.

Smiled to himself, knew the threat of touching her would get her a*s moving away from him, looked at Adam and the car he was now to drive “Sorry.” He muttered. The man was not going to be comfortable at all in that Camry. It was not meant for people of their size.

Saw him just shrug as he opened the passenger side door for Eliza, she thanked Adam and handed him the keys to her car. He smiled at her and said “You should let Marlo know you’re coming home. He’s been texting me a lot about if we’d found you yet.”

Felt Atlas snarl inside his mind, had already to contend with one Beta being interested in her, didn’t need another, not only that, they were both her age and she seemed to like them as well. Walked over and got in his car, she didn’t even look at him. It was going to be a very long drive back to the pack and they were going to have to stop overnight somewhere.

He started the car and mind-linked to Adam before he moved off. ‘We’ll stay overnight in Vegas, it’ll be nearly 8 by the time we get there.’

‘I’ll book us into the Luxor.’ Came his reply. ‘How many rooms?’

‘Book a suite that will fit all of us in it.’ he replied and severed the link.

He couldn’t be alone with the girl, not with Atlas itching to be alone with her. He also wasn’t going to put her in a room with Adam. Atlas would not be having a bar of that, got snarled at for just thinking about it, and she certainly couldn’t be in a room on her own. Likely just run off once more and he didn’t need that right this minute.

But at least with her sitting in the car next to him, Atlas was calm and not prowling around inside his mind, was settled. Knowing she was safe and alright, away from the Beta Wolf, Xavier. He didn’t know what to really think about that. She didn’t know what they were, that much was for sure, they had all talked as if they were humans, because she was human and right there.

He wondered if Brittney knew that her daughter socialised with Wolves all the time. They did seem quite protective of her, it was also likely that Beta was looking to make her his Mate, had called her his girlfriend and gotten riled up over her. Liked her, knew when he got back Marlo was going to be right there as well.

He’d wanted to be with her on the full moon, but she’d run off. Looked at her now as she sat staring out the passenger window “How long have you known Xavier?” he asked casually.

“That is none of your business.” She stated without looking at him, sounded bored to him.

He couldn’t really blame her on that one, let it go. “We’ll stay the night in Vegas.” He told her, it wasn’t likely he was going to be able to get her to strike up a conversation with him.