The Unwanted Luna

-POV

Ayame-

At some point during the car ride home, all I felt was safety, as not one of them removed their hands away from me. Vil rested his on my leg, Conri held my hand and Edon buried me in his chest. It was almost as if they knew exactly what they needed to confirm I was safe. I needed

them. I didn't care to what extent.

When we finally made it back to the territory, they didn't even go to the pack house. We were directed straight to the hospital and the doc saw to me first, even though I told him to work on the others. The other prisoners had it much worse than I did. Especially my dad who was placed into a drug-induced coma to allow his body to heal. They were going to pump him with nutrients for a week and see how that would fair. Even magic couldn't help him at this point. He...he seemed totally fine when he was eating at the house. "What are you thinking little one?" Conri asked once the doc finished healing me and left the room for the guys to help me put salve on my back wounds. They wouldn't let the doc anywhere near me after a certain point. It was actually quite adorable. "Is he like this because he knows his wife is gone? He survived years of torture and now...." I started to fiddle with my freshly calloused hands, immediately regretting the conversation dad and I had when we met in the waiting area, and Vil rested his hand on the pair of mine. "Losing a mate is the most terrifying thing to witness and to feel. We were praying every night that we wouldn't feel the bond snap between us. For our sanity and for the safety of those around us. When Chaz took you... he used Fae magic to suppress us. I... we couldn't move an inch. Once the spell was lifted, Vince and Kyle had to lock us in our room for four days before we were allowed out." Vil shook his head with guilt. "I wish we got our shit together sooner then you wouldn't have had to go through all of this in the first place." His hand tightened but not enough to hurt me.

I took a deep breath and pulled my hand away to rest it on Vil's cheek. "I will always fight to stay alive. I promise." I felt those words. I knew those words. I told them to myself every night we were apart. I screamed them in my mind when I was tortured. I made myself a better woman knowing I had these three to come back to.

Conri smirked dryly. "It will be much easier when you are a wolf yourself."

I nodded in agreement. "I can't wait." I sighed in relief when Edon tied my gown back together again and laid me down. I didn't remember how nice a bed felt. I guess I had just reverted back to my old ways. It's really quite terrifying to see how I can be placed into submission so easily. I didn't even try to fight it.

"Neither can we, but we need to make sure you are okay." Conri slipped his hand through my hair and I leaned into his touch, missing the sparks that flew from his fingertips into my skin more than I thought possible.

I felt my lips tremble as my wall started to crumble after every caress and soft kiss from my triplets. "I was so scared." I cried as the tears fell. I had to force them down for so long. The servants immediately turned to me for strength when one of the guards told me I wasn't a Luna anymore. That is when they started talking to me too. I... became their hope, but all I wanted was our freedom. I continued to cry and Edon and Conri slipped into the bed next to me while Vil cut the lights and closed the door.

We stayed like this for the rest of the night and after, they only left one at a time to deal with some pack business. At least two of them were with me every day I was in the hospital. On day three, I was playing cards with Vil while Conri and Edon were talking about transfer paperwork. I felt my ears perk up to hear what they were saying. "No eavesdropping, angel." Vil hummed.

I blushed and looked down at my cards again while Edon plopped on the bed next to my feet. I still might not be marked, but I can easily sense which is which now. I guess being away from them for almost a month does that to a person. "What are we listening in on?" Edon asked with a raised brow. "Do you need more work to do?" He added with a smirk.

I pouted at Vil and he smirked playfully. He didn't have to say anything. I rolled my eyes. "I'm just wondering what's going to happen to the people who were in the dungeons and um...those who surrendered." I definitely didn't need more work. Since I was able, I have been doing my best to distract myself with paperwork regarding orphans, the injured, and some other Luna duties the guys thought I could start with. They were apprehensive at first, but now, they seemed proud. However, they still glanced at me waiting for me to break again. It almost seemed like second nature to them.

Edon nodded. "That makes sense. Many of the people in the dungeons were taken from elsewhere, so we are arranging travel for the healthy ones. All of you are in the hospital right now. Only a few are from our territory and there were many we had to identify and bury. There are only four rogues and they chose to stay within our territory. They will have to go through a rigorous vetting process, but they should be alright."

"Vetting process?" I asked curiously. Like the warriors did at the werebear kingdom? Why do they have to do it twice?

Conri shuffled some paperwork and leaned back on the couch. I'm sure this isn't the most comfortable place to work. "Yes, every rogue that would like to live within the territory or become part of our territory has to go through a vetting process. We do not take kindly to spies, little one." I nodded slowly in agreement.

"O-oh. I guess that makes sense. Um...I have another question." The three of them looked up at me with furrowed brows.

"Yes?" They called.

"When...um...when can I leave? I really want to see dad and I...I'm not a huge fan of hospitals." Every time they left me, even for a second, my mind flashed back to the days where I had to wait on my mother and watch her fade away. I...I don't think I can do that anymore. "We will talk to the Doc when he comes in to assess tomorrow. You have been eating, which is good, and to be honest, you look a lot better and you aren't waking up in the middle of the night anymore. I think you are physically and mentally getting better, princess." Edon promised. I nodded, regretting the times I startled them awake so badly that Vil almost fell out of bed once. "Thanks for asking them. I...I want to go back to our room." I whispered. Vil grabbed my hand gently and Edon kissed my cheek.

"Soon, little one. As soon as we can." Conri confirmed.

Three more days went by before I was finally released and the minute I was brought back into the pack house, a huge party and a surprise hug was waiting for me. "I'm so happy you are okay!" Emily shouted. "We kicked ass at Chaz's estate. Wish I could have been there though." I shook, hearing his name again, but suppressed the fear almost immediately. "I'm glad you did."

She nodded dramatically and the guys went to go shake hands with the pack members who joined in on this party. "So, I heard about your dad. How is he?" She whispered.

I sighed and my mind went back to the shell of a man resting on his hospital bed. "He's heartbroken." I whispered back. I may be his daughter, but nothing can replace the love he had for my mother. She was his world.

Emily nodded and we walked to the kitchen. There were fewer people in there and I didn't really feel like dealing with the fan fair of a war victory right now. After what we went through...I don't feel like any of us won. "Now, are you okay?"

"I am. I don't know what happened to my mental state while I was in there, but I decided that I wouldn't allow my pain to dictate what I did next. I needed to stay focused. I wasn't going to allow another man to break me." I recalled all the times he tried to force me into his room. Force me to break...no more.

"That's what I want to hear. You are our Luna. You are nobody's plaything." Emily growled.

I laughed at that one and nodded. "Not anymore." After I cried in their arms the night we came home, I'd made it a point not to do it again. I can see their concern, but I knew if I didn't get it together now, they would see me like they did before. I...I don't want that. I want them to see me as their mate and Luna. I don't want to be the whining child anymore.

She joined in and she filled me in on the last month at the pack. Apparently, the guys took my opinions to heart and they banished their sister, mother, and Adolpha from pack grounds. Papa Oden rejected Luna Mother Donna as well. According to Emily, she said that was a long time coming. The challenge still lies though. After my time with Prince Chaz, I've noticed how dangerous it can be to let sleeping bears lie. Yeah...I said bears. I'm more worried about their mother over anything. Malerie and Adolpha wouldn't concoct on their own. At least...they wouldn't concoct anything worth worrying about on their own. Their mother, however, is a completely different story.

"There you are." Edon said, as if he was looking all over the house for me. He scooped me off of my stool and slipped me on his lap. "Here I am."

"What were you two talking about?" Kyle asked, slipping his hand around Emily's torso.

"Oh, so many things. She's been out for a while so I want to make sure she hasn't missed anything." Emily added.

I smirked. "What are friends for?"

She nodded and Kyle kissed her cheek. "You know it." She said.

I turned a bit to stare at Edon. "Thank you for taking my thoughts into consideration with those girls and your mother."

He blinked, trying to register what I had just said and shot daggers at Emily. "We did. They are being watched though, just in case. Any wrong movements and I don't know what we can do in that situation."

I nodded slowly. "I will have to agree on that one." I confessed bitterly.

"Wait...seriously? I thought you would be pissed if you found out we were watching them." Vil said, leaning against the kitchen island.

"I don't know...there is just something that is telling me your mother should not be taken lightly." I didn't go much further into it, but every fiber of my being is telling me she should be watched.

-POV Donna-

I quietly sipped my tea while I looked across the table at the one woman who I'm sure would hate Ayame much more than me. Once the smile on her lips grew, I knew I'd made the right choice. "So, you are telling me you can get all the charges dropped?" Tanya asked. I chuckled lightly. My husband might have rejected me, but my family has their own money in their own right and let's just say I haven't spread all my wealth. The girls and I are sitting pretty in Boston and that seemed like a good place to...stay. "Of course, dear. We can make this all go away."

"Then what will happen when he gets out?" She asked, clearing her throat. I know all about Ayame's past now that I've talked with Tanya and that makes me even more inclined to get that gold digger away from my boys. No one messes with a mother's pups!

"I will make sure she is there, waiting for him to give him whatever outlet he needs. You will never be harmed by him again." That last part may be a stretch, but that's more of a her problem than a me problem.

Tanya sighed in relief and, in that moment, I felt like I could too. That my banishment won't be forever. All I have to do is remove that girl and my honor will be restored. I may not be allowed back into Bodhi Cora for now, but there are many who are still loyal to me. I will make use of those connections. "Thank you Ms. Donna. I appreciate this. Really...I do." Tanya slipped her phone out of her pocket and clicked her teeth. "Especially since the man I hired to do this job in the first place is stupid enough to deny my request." She huffed irritably and clacked away on her phone with her manicured nails.

I chuckled lightly. "It's alright. I always have a plan." She grinned hesitantly, but nodded in agreement.

This will be...fun.