Luna On The Run!

Alpha Zane’s POV

“We’re going to war with them! What are these humans thinking?”

My fist hits my desk hard, causing a crack in the wood. Everything on it falls to the floor, but I don’t give a damn.

“I’ve been patient with them for too long. We chase them away, but they keep coming back. This ends now, we kill them all now”. My face is twisted with rage. Eric has just informed me that he has caught two humans on our territory. They claimed to have lost their way after a picnic.

But I damn well know they are lying. They are investigating massive gold deposits that run from neutral territory through Gorgio’s pack to Midnight Moon. The humans want the gold to enrich themselves, nothing is more important to them than their own gain. Ignoring the warnings and reprimands of the border patrol, they continue to try their luck.

“Kensley, mobilize the warriors. Anyone who comes within a yard of our border will be slaughtered. It might stop after the first two deaths,” I roar.

“We have a peace treaty that lays out the procedure for settling disputes, Zane. And killing is not one of the rules,” Kensley, my head warrior, reminds me.

“Exactly. Remember, the humans are in the majority. And their army is not only bigger, but their weapons are far more sophisticated than ours. A war is not the solution here,” Eric adds. “Alpha Gorgio has a good system to keep them away from his pack. We could ask him about it,” he suggests.

The very name of my rival makes my blood boil. My anger rises as I look at my Beta. “Do you think I will call Gorgio and tell him of my impotence against these weak humans? Do you think so, Eric?” I bite at him. I will be the last one to contact Gorgio. The man is really waiting to laugh in my face now that my relationship with his mate is going downhill. Of course, the two of them are in contact through the mind link and he knows that Ariel is slipping further away from me each day.

My breath picks up as I think back to the day of her arrival.

No marking, no mating, her own bedroom and personal space. God forbid, her conditions of being here with me are decidedly intolerable. We argued vehemently and the romance of the evening was lost. In the end, all I could get her to do was drop her demand for a private bedroom.

Not that it matters much. She turns her back on me every night. When I try to put my arms around her, she pulls them away and hints at our arrangement. This has been going on for about a week, and my blue balls are real.

And my mood is no better. The only people who still dare to come near me are my best friends Kensley and Eric, and my father. My temper is unpredictable and no one has the courage to deal with me. Worst of all, I know what’s happening to me, but I can’t do anything about it. I am so frustrated. All I want is my mate, but she clearly doesn’t want anything from me.

Every morning when I get up she is still asleep and later in the day Kensley tells me she is busy with the women. Everyone is eager to work with her, the pack has never been so motivated.

“It has nothing to do with lack of ability, but more to do with sharing knowledge. That’s part of our agreement with them,” Eric sighs. “I think we should schedule an appointment with the human Mayor and remind him of the peace treaty we have with them. He must keep his kind out of our territory, he has committed himself to that,” he stresses.

I know he is right. But I want war, to fight my personal battles with an innocent third party. Ariel is beyond my reach, so I need a victim to vent my frustration.

Before I can even open my mouth, Eric shakes his head.

“No, Zane, no war. You’ve turned into a homicidal maniac and you want revenge, but in the wrong way,” he sighs. “Your relationship with your buddy sucks and you want to take it out on him, but war is not the way. I know that for sure.

I stared at him with bloodshot eyes, how dare he talk to me about my relationship? My claws extend and my razor-sharp fangs burst past my lips. I am so ready to show my beta his place. But he keeps staring straight at me, not in the least intimidated by Claw.

Kensley rushes between us. “Listen, I agree with Eric. We have to use the extreme means outlined in the agreement first, Zane,” he explains fearlessly. “Leave it to Eric and me, we’ll deal with the Mayor. You just go back to your quarters and try to communicate better with your mate. It will be difficult at first, but you will get the hang of it”.

I turn to the Head Warrior, the threat still radiating from me.

“I’m serious, Zane. Take her out on a date. And when she relaxes, show her your feelings. Tell her openly what you want from her. She is your mate, your welfare is her priority.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Kensley’s words soothe me. I manage to ease up again and he grabs my shoulders. “Don’t give up, man. She is here in Midnight Moon and that proves she feels something of the mate bond after all. Maybe she still has to get used to this new situation, I think all this is hard for her too,” he tries to calm me down.

“You know what? Eric and I will schedule an appointment with the mayor to discuss the matter of his people trespassing on our land. Take her with you so she can get used to all of us. Besides, we are her protectors. Perhaps then she will feel free to unburden herself to one of us. And then we will know exactly what to do,” he suggests.

“She should feel free with me. I am her mate, she should be able to talk to me about anything. But she closes herself off from me,’ I growl in pain and shake my head.

And as I look past Kensley’s head, I see Eric, his eyes closed as he seems to be meditating..