Heart of the Moon

Kieran’s POV ~

WOW! I look at everyone and shake my head “Well! We have a hell of a lot more to discuss than we first started out with! Peter, after dinner.. and before the pack meeting, perhaps the two of you need to have a long talk.. about Valerie.. and about what all this means for us, as a family.”

Alec says “Wait!? Valerie is who Cole meant? The same Valerie who betrayed the pack?” At my nod.. he says “Yeah.. Family reunions just got to be a whole Jerry Springer episode!” Cole and Simon start cracking up.. but I just glared at them.. and they stopped.

We got through dinner and the boys bathed. I was sitting with them, reading. Calista was in my room.. she had decided to move her things to my closet.. and wants the adjoining door from her old room closed off, completely. I am okay with that! It’s all bonus for me. We know we will have to eventually move the boys room.. but for now, where they’re at is fine.

We walked into the clearing beside the pack house and I took the stage. I looked out over my pack and spoke “White Satin! As your Alpha, I have always tried to be fair! I have treated all of you fairly. These last few months, have proven I have been lax on many issues. I am humbled.. because I have failed you. We have traitors among us! People who would aid rogues in the downfall of our pack. I am afraid I am being forced to do something I swore I would only do, in the event of an emergency. That emergency is upon us! I, Alpha Kieran Knight, command you to step forward if you are working with the rogues, in any fashion!”

I waited.. with my mate by my side. I looked out across the crowd of my people.. with a sense of dread. We stood.. and watched.. the weight of the command weighed heavy in the air. But! Not one person stepped forward.. and it felt like I could breathe again.

I thanked them all for coming.. and dismissed them. Now we’re in my office.. trying to decide what we are going to do about Valerie and Troy.. Agatha spoke up “Alpha, she is my daughter.. that is a given. May I suggest something, in lieu of execution?” I nod at her and ask her to continue.

She smiles at Peter, and he pats her hand “I think she and Troy be made to accept each other.. and mark each other, as well as mate.. I don’t think they should be given a choice. Keep them on house arrest until you defeat the rogues, then maybe banish them?”

While it’s not a terrible idea.. the thing is I don’t want her in my pack.. unless she remains under constant guard. Even then, it’s iffy.. and I said as much. Alec suggests “We can bring them to Dark Woods.. and I will place them in the stockade house.. with guards on them at all times. I am thinking of Calista, here. I don’t want that succubitch around my nephews either.. no offense, Aggie.”

I ran the vote around the room.. everyone agreed.. with Calista saying “I want it done tonight. Before my brother leaves.” I smiled at her and replied “Let’s go inform the happy couple!” And we all headed to the cells. Axel and Simon brought them both to the same interrogation room.

Once they were seated, I asked “Do you both want to survive this? Because what I am about to offer you, is a one time deal. You refuse, and the offer is off the table, and you will be executed at dawn!” Troy immediately said “I will do whatever you ask, Alpha. I didn’t want to allow that man on the territory, at all. Valerie promised to accept me.. and I was desperate.” I nodded at him and turned my attention to Valerie.

She sneered at Calista and said “You think you’ve won, don’t you! You think you’re better than me!” Calista slapped her and said “Stop it! Just fucking stop! You selfish, spoiled brat! Kieran isn’t some prized bull at a 4-H auction, you twit! He wasn’t mine to win! He was mine by my Goddess given right! You have a mate who wants you! You should be so grateful! But noooo, you want something you can’t have! You’re truly pathetic!”

She turned to me and kissed me “I’m going to Our Room.. join me, once the trash is taken out!” She walked out.. and Cole said “Snap! She told you!” Agatha said “Valerie, I am so ashamed of you! Your father would have disowned you! How you even dared to betray our pack! Betray a man you claimed to want as your own! Luna is right! You are pathetic! I have found my second chance.. and I am taking it! What you do from here.. is on you!” And she stood, with Peter following, they left.

I watched her for a moment.. then I said “By Alpha Command, you will accept each other.. and mark.. in front of the five of us here! Now!” Troy’s face lit up in a huge smile, as he readily said the words to accept her. She struggled against the command, but eventually accepted. He sunk his canines into her neck and she screamed. Axel said “Dumbass! Fighting it, makes it hurt! Why do you people not know these things!?”

She eventually marked him.. and as she finished, I said “Troy.. Valerie.. you are hereby excommunicated from the bonds of White Satin Pack!” Alec looked at them both.. laid a dagger on the table and grinned “Damn! That looked like it hurt! That bond breaking shit is painful, yeah? Now, you will both swear fealty to Dark Woods, until such time, as the Rogue King is eradicated.. then you will be free to do as you will.”

Valerie sputtered “I don’t want to change packs! This is my home! Why are you doing this?” And she started to cry.. Axel lost it “Your Home!? You betrayed your HOME! You don’t belong here, anymore!”

They both swore loyalty to Alec, and within an hour, they were packed and loaded up in the back of Alec’s truck. Good riddance to bad rubbish!! I told everyone good night and practically ran to my room.

I stepped into the room, and my beautiful mate was standing by the window.. wearing a beautiful diaphanous nightgown in ivory.. Her long blonde hair was hanging loose and she turned toward me.. the moonlight caught her perfectly and she whispered “It’s a full moon… traditionally, we could mate and mark each other, by the Goddess’s blessing. If you want, I mean.” I walked over to her and took her in my arms, kissed her slowly.. tenderly.. and said “Oh! I want! I want.. more than I could ever say.”