Sixty Two

Chapter Sixty Two

Lucianna's POV

"We are so glad to have you here, Luna Lucianna." says Seth.

My eyes raised from what he said or maybe from what he called me. It was just me and Prime's Gamma who was left in the living room since Nick has to go to the Hall. I just finished calming my friend's nerve, Ashira is having it tough. And for two days, I think I'm too exhausted for everyone. I mean, I feel it all. Their sadness, their sacrifices, sometimes the feeling of them losing hope. And dang, I won't even start of what emotions I absorbs from Aiden.

I snorted. "Ash needed me. I should be here so no need to thank me, pup."

He chuckled. "Yeah, well, we are still glad, Luna."

"You can call me Luce or Lucy, you know. Its not like I undergo the ceremony or something."

The frown in Seth's forehead shows utmost curiosity. "Alpha Jacob found his mate and that's you. I don't think ceremonies are necessary to call you Luna, and definitely not necessary while your mate won't stop going around and telling people that you're his mate." he grinned.

My jaw dropped together with the loud thud sound of my heartbeat. What the heck did he say?

"Huh? He's going around telling what?"

I never heard Jacob go around and tell people about me.

"News circulates fast. Since Jacob left, he made sure words will spread that you're his mate, the Luna of his pack. If its a ceremony we are talking about, you might get it once you go back home."

A luna ceremony… oh god, I've been dreaming about that all my life but why does hearing about it right now just makes me shiver.? 

My lips parted but before I could ask, Seth continues.

"It has to be because of what happened at Chequer that Jake decided to let words about you travel. Can't say its a wise decision, though."

True, Jacob didn't liked the idea that the people of Chequer didn't distinguished that I'm mated with him but isn't this a bit too much?

"How did you know about what happened in Chequer?"

Seth shrugged. "Brent told Nick. They're kind of buddies."

That explains it. Gosh, these fast-running rumor thing is driving me crazy. Just how nosy these ranking wolves can be?

"Why did you say its not wise then?"

Seth pouted, looking far as if he's calculating the right words to say.

"Finally regretting that you called the Alpha of the Shadow pack 'unwise'?" I grinned as I tease his silence. He laughed hard.

"No!" he laughed again. "Man, you're a bad listener. There's no way I called Jake unwise, but yeah, his action is." then he shrugged. "You know, Alpha's are prone to enemies and as much as possible, it's not wise to show off their mates."

My brows raised. Seth has always been an asshole towards me. Well, not until recently but from how I hear what he said, I couldn't believe it.

The gamma is concerned of my welfare! Funny that I used--we used-- to bark at each other before.

A grin slowly crept on my face that made Seth frown.

"Well, aren't ya sweet."

"Oh, fuck off." he looked away but I saw how his ears turned a bit red.

I laughed hard and slapped my hand on his back hard that he winced.

"You slap like a man!" he complained.

"And you whine like a woman." I chuckled. "Seriously, pup, thanks for the concern."

He scoffed. "Now, I regret saying it."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have. Jacob knows what's he doing and I'm perfectly fine myself. I believe I can take a few harm and save myself."

"Greatest female fighter. Yeah, I get it." he rolled his eyes but grinned after. "But hey, what's up with you and Jake? Finally called a ceasefire, huh?"

A bark of laughter coming from me echoed the living room. "You high-ranks wolves are sure nosy."

He snorted. "You're one of the 'high-rank wolves', duh. But seriously. The last time I heard of you, you're dying to escape his grasp."

Few flashbacks from the past rolled in my head like a movie. I can't believe this Seth guy is one of the few who knew about Jacob and I's dark moments. And now, they are seeing how much it all has changed.

Except for Ashira because there's nothing she remember aside leaving the Regal pack fro the mapping and followed by the made-up fantasies of being stolen. Which sucks, by the way.

"Well, I'll say things have changed."

"Ugh. You're a boring conversationalist." Seth complained and I rolled my eyes.

"You better not hear the details, pup. Unless you're into well-detailed sexual intercourse--"

"Ugh! Ew. Fine, shut up."

I laughed. "There goes the asshole gamma. Where's the one calling me Luna, huh?"

Seth grinned sheepishly. "You drove him away, Luce."

I laughed hard and comfort envelops my chest that I start speaking from my heart.

"We are not the perfect mates, well, I don't think anyone is but Jacob and I kept on riding this wheel." I sighed, looked away and smile a bit. "We stand in opposite sides of this wheel and the lines just won't meet. We keep rolling. One second, we're greater than great and then the next, we are tumbling down hard and rough."

Seth listens and I appreciate how he tried to absorb and analyze the metaphoric phrases that I use.

"That's deep. So, in which part of the wheel do you two stand now?" he asked, careful.

I had to pause and think for the answer to his question. Jacob shares the same passion, care and love with me. I feel the same, too but not my hundred percent because of this Fhoxia thing.

I can't say we're in the doom side, but we're not in the greatest high, too.

"Middle, I guess." I mumbled.

Seth hummed as he absorbed my words again. "Then that's better than being smashed in the ground, right?"

My head nods slowly but my mind doesn't think its better. Well, whatever. There's no point discussing this yet. God, in my current situation, I hope I can talk with Ashira. Too bad she won't be too reliable to open up into.

Our talk followed by a few catch-ups about Seth and Ava, his mate and then we decided to rest.

**

I woke up on the third day with the thought that Jacob will come and fetch me from Prime to our pack. The thought couldn't tickle the excitement I should have felt, though. I feel like my stomach is turning upside down, like I'll puke because of nervous breakdown.

The sun is yet to peak out of the huge mountains surrounding the Prime. It's still dark with a light hue of the sun coming from the deepest of the East.

Jacob will probably arrive by noon or before the sun sets and maybe I'll come up with some alibi to avoid going home yet. Yes, I don't want to go back with him. Not now that I heard what Seth said, plus the echoing voice of Jacob and his sudden interest in having a baby. Sum it all up and I'll really puke because my heart seems to beat too hard.

And when minutes past and I can't seem to calm down the beating of my chest, I decided to stand up and head to the forest to walk.

Holding my change of clothing with one hand and a bottle of water, my feet walked to the wet ground of the forest. The cold breeze didn't made shake my already trembling with uneasiness body, if more I'm having cold sweats just from thinking about…

I sighed.

"Stop thinking and just run, you idiot." I murmur to myself.

My steps halted when I reached far enough and I placed my clothes on a huge tree root. With a sigh, I shifted on my wolf, letting my clothes torn apart from the process.

'Ah! This feels nice!'

The clear feels of blood rushing through my wolf's every vein hyped me up. I started to shake and tremble, cleaning off my fur for any sand and dust that came from transforming. This get messy, you know.

Inhaling and letting a satisfied howl, I started to gallop towards the east where the sun is slowly peaking up and giving rays of light through the forest.

All my inhibitions and distracting thoughts slowly faded and merged with the cold wind brushing on my face and fur. Damn, this is the nicest thing ever!

I placed full force on my feet, jumping high to land at the top of the mountain.

Shucks.

The view from up here is amazing! Its much better than the view up the Hill in Shadow pack. The peak has clean-cut grass like someone has been taking care of the place, and the view down the other side is a cliff with artsy formation of huge stones on the other side.

I can curse for hours here. Good kind of curse, yeah.

As I look around, I found there's no tree at sight. Not like its making the view less attractive but I slowly feel that I prefer the Hill more.

My mind wanted to enjoy the view more, find out what makes me longed for the Hill at Shadow pack than the mountain of the Prime pack. But all that stopped when I felt a presence coming from below the mountain towards my location.

With a swift turn, I looked behind and at the same time Roscoe flew from down below. He was in his human form and his feet halted with a thud. Now, we're standing face to face. My wolf form in his human form. Yeah right, no harm here.

'What are you doing here, Roscoe?' I said through the mind link. As I remember, he can still talk with the portal.

"Are those growls means you're talking to me in your head?" he said as if he didn't hear my question.

My teeth gritted. 'Don't play games, Roscoe!'

"Another growl. Alright, Lucianna, I can't hear you, okay? Jake pulled me out of the pack, I no longer belong to the Shadow pack."

What the heck?

"I need to talk with you and there's no time. Any moment and the guards will locate my location and the only option of escape that I have is to jump down the cliff behind you."

I growled inwardly. If he can't hear me then how can we talk?

"Oh fuck, right. You can't shift back or you'll be--" he sighed and slowly took off his black cloak then throw it in front of me. "Here, wear this and then we'll talk. I promise I mean no harm, Luce."

I wanted to yell and ask what right does he have to call me by my name and nickname but instead I picked up the cloak and looked at him again with narrowed eyes.

"Oh." he seems to get what I mean and turned his back so I could do my private shifting to my human form.

I waste no time and shifted, covering my nakedness with the cloak he gave with low growls still continuing to get out of my throat.

Should I be scared? No. I know I can protect myself but I also knew that he is right, any time now and the guards will locate him. And for Roscoe to take a risk just to talk, I believe this involves with Jacob and the dark messenger.

"What is it?" I asked once fully clothed.

He turned and sighed with relief. "Listen, you'll be performing the Luna Ceremony tomorrow and its not a problem for me. I just wanted to know what you're gonna do to avoid getting pregnant?"

My jaw dropped. "What?" I cleared my throat and my brow furrows. "What the hell, Roscoe!?"

"I overheard it, okay?! Jake talked to mother about something and he mentioned wanting to start a family with you. My mother is preparing some shit-drink that will make sure you'll get pregnant and I'm fucking worried you would!"

"I…I…" I am lost for words. Whats my escape route in this one? Did Fhoxia oversee this? Did she know that Jacob's mother will help me conceive?

"Listen, Lucianna. We still has less than two weeks before Fhoxia came up with something. We needed to wait. I can't mess this up, I wanted to make everything right and Jake's hurrying to build a family is not helping the situation!"

"Then let's just tell him about this!"

"No! You heard Fhoxia, we can't!"

There was a long pause. A deafening long pause and neither of us wanted to talk. I have nothing to say. All I know is I'm pressure as hell and I can't even think of any way to not get pregnant when I know I wanted Jacob as much as he does!

"You need to be far. Run away again, Lucianna. I'll help you, and after Fhoxia arrives at Chequer, we will have the answer and--"

"So you're the one who's messing with my mate's head." a voice said.

I feel my blood left my body and I paled and numb from hearing his voice. Jacob. Jacob is here!

He shouldn't be here!

Roscoe looked behind and just like me, he was pale as a ghost.

Jacob's eyes are deadly, its too emotionless that it was scary to even look at. I'm only thanking fate that those eyes are directed to Roscoe and not to me.

"So, what can't you tell me?" the corner of his lips rose and I trembled.

I fucking trembled.

Why?

Because I smell danger. Or worse, death.