The Unclaimed Human Luna
Chapter 75

Conner POV

Conner stepped into the hallway, pushed his father out the door before him. He was annoyed with the man’s attitude already, couldn’t just smile and say hello. Be happy that they were all home for a single moment and leave everything else off the table.

He himself now understood what freedom felt like, his father had controlled every moment of his life, all his life and being off on the other side of the world, even though he’d been desperately searching for El, he’d not had to answer to that man once. All decisions had been his to make, there was no constant pressure.

He also knew that his semester here had been deferred, as had his entire units. They now all had six months off, and to be honest, they had all just sagged with relief, knowing they were finally getting a break from the constant study that was forced upon them all. The four of them were just going to enjoy being part of the pack. Spending time with their Mate’s.

It did make him happy to know they were all now Mated. His entire unit had found their Mate’s at the same time he had, or roughly so, that was a good thing, he thought, would make them all stronger and the pack stronger when it came time for he and El to take over. If he could get her to agree to stay here in the pack, she’d just told his father she would stay until her sibling was born and then see.

Perhaps it was a good idea for he and his unit, all their Mates, to get out of the pack for a few years, experience true freedom of choice, then come back after they had all studied abroad, what they wanted to study. It might make them better leaders for the pack. He knew El really did want to study over there in Italy.

“Please don’t fight with Eliza, it took me a long time to replace her, and her aunt could have killed me for the way Atlas marked her. She fought it.”

“You marked her without consent?” his father frowned right at him, disapproval written all over him.

“Atlas had to, she couldn’t shift, was stuck it seemed, her body wanted to shift and she was in agony because she couldn’t. She actually needed us to mark her to let her beast be fully realised. She and I still weren’t getting along at the time. Are now but you,” he stared right at his father pointedly, “Need to let up on her, she hated it here because of the rules you had laid out, the way you trapped her here and locked her in.” he sighed, had called it a prison on more than one occasion, also now knew what it was like to be inside another pack, Juliana’s pack was so relaxed and open, even he’d been happy there. Hadn’t once felt threatened or even uncomfortable inside that pack. “only agreed to come back because of her mother’s current condition, otherwise she wouldn’t be here at all.”

“Well, she’s here now, Conner, and here she will stay.”

“Good luck getting her to stay.” Conner muttered “You’re not going to be able to control her father, she was more than willing to stand up to you as a human. Imagine how it will be now that she is not human. Is a shifter and with alpha b***d at that.”

“I am still the Alpha, she will learn Conner. Perhaps you need to explain the chain of command to her.”

“Oh, she understands just where she fits in, that is a given. Her Aunt Juliana, made sure she understood that.”

“Then she’ll fall in line like all shifters do. Or I’ll.”

“You lay a hand on her, and I’ll lay hands on you.” Conner snarled right at him, Atlas right there on the surface as well. They knew he was going to say ‘punish her’. It’s what he did. Even Conner had seen his fair share of punishment growing up, when he’d fought back against the constraints of his father’s rule.

He saw his father look right at him but say nothing, no Mate liked another threatening to hurt their Mate. Certainly not an Alpha Wolf, even if it was their own father who was the current Alpha, he nor Atlas would be standing for it.

“Calm down Conner, just keep her in line is all I’m saying.”

“I want El to be who she is. Petal is very free spirited, likely due to her linage, I doubt controlling her is going to happen, even for you. So just let up or she will be gone once that pup of yours is born, and father. I will be going with her if she leaves, likely take my whole unit as well.”

Stood and waited for the explosion he knew was coming, could see the anger in his father for the defiance he was now displaying towards his own Alpha. Could actually feel that anger coming off of him in waves.

Having Brittney in the pack’s hospital and away from him, his constant worry about her condition, which he should be, she looked bloody terrible in there. Even to Conner, it looked like death was knocking at her door. His old temper was shining through. If Brittney didn’t make it, his father was going to be back to that mean domineering Alpha, instead of just a strict domineering Alpha. Perhaps that man needed to go and spend some time in Juliana’s pack himself, see just how it should be. With happy, comfortable pack members. Not having the entire pack bending to his every whim at every given moment, allowed the freedom to choose their desired career path in the human world or in the pack, for that matter.

Heard the door open behind him and then heard the snarl that ripped out of Petal as she was hit by his father’s waves of anger. It was pure Alpha aggression, he felt her Kitsune aura roll right off of her and his father’s head whip round as he realised just how strong she was.

“It’s alright Petal, just a father-son dispute.” He slipped his hand into hers, turned and looked at her, smiled gently at her, her amber eyes were glowering right at his father. She wasn’t taking kindly to the threat to her own Mate, it seemed.

Reached out and touched her face gently, drew her attention to him, saw those eyes move to his and smiled, such a brilliant shade of amber, so very beautiful to look at, such a complete contrast to El’s silver-grey.

She moved into his arms, and leaned into him, though snarled again at his father, “Let’s take a walk huh, let you have a look around.” His eyes moved to his father “We’ll catch up later.” He told him and then turned and walked her away from him before all hell broke loose.

“What’s his problem?” El asked as they stepped outside.

“I dare say he has the same concern you voiced about your mother.” He sighed “She doesn’t look good, El.”

“I know.” She murmured softly, heard sadness in her voice and hugged her reassuringly “Our doctors will do everything they can to keep her safe and comfortable.”

“Are your doctors the same as human doctors? Do they understand human biology?” she came to a standstill and looked up at him worriedly.

“Yes, El. They all actually study out in the human world as well as learn here in the pack. Have human degrees in medicine.”

Saw relief wash over her, “She is in good hands, but that pup she’s carrying is growing at a fast rate, that is what’s causing her pain,”

“Can she deliver early, like maybe have a caesarean to help.”

“It is possible.” Conner nodded “It’s also likely the pack doctor has already brought this up, father, I can see is stressed out. When he is completely stressed, he becomes angry and is more aggressive with the way he handles things in the pack.”

“He’s mean Conner.”

“He can be.” Conner nodded, “Come on, let’s walk and let Petal look around.”

“She wants out to be with Atlas.”

“How about we settle in first, give it a few days, then let her out.”

“Are you keeping her from your father?”

Conner chuckled “Yes I am.” Smiled down at her “I thought you could get a little pay back of your own, he’s going to want to see her, likely today. Photograph her for the packs data base. Just say no, tell him Petal doesn’t want to show herself.”

She looked up at him. “Are you trying to tick him off?”

“No, I’m trying to make him understand you’re not going to bend to his will. In fact, El, you don’t have to. Did you see the way he and his wolf stare at Petal, they already know your beast is stronger than his.” He chuckled “I want to see what he thinks he can do about it.”

“This is not the Conner I know.” She murmured.

“Hm, you’ll see shades of him. I’m certain he’s still a right a*****e. But to be honest, El.” He smiled right at her “I’m happy, I love you and that makes not just me happy but Atlas as well.” He stopped walking and tilted her chin up, leaned down and kissed her softly “I want to show you, our suite.”

“I have a room and last time I was here I wasn’t allowed down your end of the pack house.” She muttered.

“Well, we have a whole wing to ourselves now. The entire west wing of the top floor, it was always mine, and my units, where we would all live once I found my mate and took over. I have a whole suite down the end of the hall from you.”

“Oh, which room. I’ve been in most of those.”

Looked right at her surprised by this revelation. “Really?”

“Hmm.” She shrugged as they walked along again, “There wasn’t much I was allowed to do and roaming about freely of a night when everyone was asleep, was something I did. Nothing around here is locked. So, I wandered is all.”

He laughed softly, as they climbed the pack house’s front steps, “It’s the one at the far end, that takes up the entire western side of the pack house.”

“Oh, that is massive. Got a nice view of the forest too. I liked it in there actually, spent some time wandering about in there, lots of rooms. But mostly stood or sat on the balcony and stared out at the forest. It’s really pretty.”

“All those rooms are for all our Kits.” He murmured softly. “I love the view to.” He smiled and was happy that she liked it, didn’t really surprise him that much, knowing she was his Mate. They seemed to like several things that were the same. “Might need a few more bedrooms from my understanding.” He chuckled, thinking about what he’d learned about kits and their litters.

“I’m too young for that, Conner.” She shook her head.

He completely agreed with that statement, was only eighteen, but according to Juliana, it wasn’t up to them was up to Petal herself, and her kitsune was thinking about kits. He, however, was happy to just spend a few years with El, enjoy her, every damned inch of her.

Headed up the stairs, he didn’t have his access card to the elevator right this minute, and would definitely have to get her one, saw Marlo coming down the fourth floor hallway, “El?” he called out.

She turned and looked at him. Conner pulled her right into his side. Pure instinct on his and Atlas’s part, couldn’t help it. A full display of his ownership for that young wolf to see.

Watched Marlo see it and blink, saw him look from El to Conner and then back to her, “It’s good to have you back.” Saw him tilt his head and blink as he realised she smelled different, could smell Conner’s mark and now knew she belonged to him.

“Hi Marlo.” She nodded.

Watched that boy bow his head ever so slightly “Luna.” He murmured “I’m glad you’re well.”

Conner heard the actual disappointment in the boy’s voice, nearly smirked at him, held it in. He didn’t need to rub it in that she belonged to him. Knew that Marlo had been more than interested in her before, hadn’t liked it at all, but he didn’t need to be an a*s about it, part of him wanted to be, but refrained himself.

“I am.” She nodded, sounded a bit stand offish to Conner. He was still not sure what had happened between them, hadn’t thought to ask her when he’d finally found her. His only concern had been trying to obtain her for himself, get her to see he really did want her.

“Marlo.” Conner greeted him.

“Alpha.” Was the greeting in return, “I’ll leave you, sorry to disturb you.” watched him turn and walk away from them both, down the stairs.

“You can still be friends with him, you know, with anyone you want to be.”

“I doubt his group of friends want anything to do with me.” She shrugged.

He frowned right at her “What happened, between all of you? You seemed to be getting on well.”

“I thought so too.” She murmured “but..” she shrugged.

“But?” he pushed her a little, wanted to know what had happened, he’d seen Willah go after her, heard Willah’s jealousy.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged “I didn’t want to date him, wouldn’t let him k**s me at that music concert and he got mad at me. I asked to come home and he was different after that.”

“Hooked up with Willah.” He nodded, he’d seen it. “After that, Willah and you, something happened, I know that much. The day I chased you around the woods.” He smiled to himself “that was fun for me.” He hugged her “I’m going to do that again, a lot.” He smirked down at her.

Saw El shake her head, “Is that all you think about?”

“Mm a good 80 percent of the time, yes.” He laughed softly “Now, back to Willah before that 80 percent takes over.”

“I don’t know Conner, she came at me about staying away from Marlo, her and her friends. I told her I wasn’t interested, and I wasn’t, was trying to deal with you and our, whatever the hell it was. But she didn’t believe me and then suddenly they were all ignoring me. I realised, I guess they weren’t actually my friends. So, I just got up and left. It wasn’t a nice feeling to be honest. I thought I had made friends, but it was all just Marlo’s doing, I guess. Told them to like me or pretend to.” She shrugged. Watched her stop at her room and go to open the door.

“Not your room anymore.” He murmured and tugged her down the hallway to their suite.