Warriors of Blue moon

I made my way to the Palace to meet with Heath and Adeena, as they were heading back to their pack tomorrow. It had been four months since they were last here and It was bittersweet that once again they were here because of a war. Heath was smartly dressed as usual in a grey fitted suit and navy tie with the pretty Adeena in her blue floral dress sitting next to him at the table in one of the Palace’s glass domes, eating their brunch with the sun beaming in, causing the tips of the red rose petals to glow. They greeted me with warm tired smiles as a maid laid out a fresh pot of tea for us all to share with baked scones and jams, the cooks and maids in this Palace are an absolute blessing with all the chaos that’s been happening around us, I thought as I thanked her before she left.

“So how are you both feeling this morning?” I looked to them as I started to pour the tea in each of our cups.

“Tired” Adeena responded with a yawn, just like them and probably everyone else in the pack, we had only gotten about four hours sleep and I’ll bet Layton hadn’t gotten any.

" We’re going to have an early sleep tonight and leave around 5am tomorrow so as were not gone for too long from Silver Pack”. Heath informed me while he dug into the scones.

“Well, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you both and your fighters for coming all this way again and helping us, I heard you lost a few of your men and women… I’m so sorry”

Heath stopped buttering his scone as he looked at me with a sadness in his eyes “Yes, we lost six men and four women, I have to say I am dreading delivering the news to their loved ones”.

“I’m sorry” I repeated… I was at a loss for words for their sacrifice and didn’t know what else to say.

“It’s ok Lelanna” Adeena sympathised as she put her hand over mine ”This wasn’t just the Blue Moon’s fight, The maven war has been bothering many packs other than yours… well It was only four weeks ago that we had several of their rogues attempt an attack on us one night. Luckily Yen was on patrol at the time with several others, so the rogues didn’t get past our boarders. They had injured them but not killed them and when they were bought in for questioning, the rogues gave up nothing even when they were tortured. The next few weeks, many of us went out each day trying to track where they came from, but they left no clues, not a single one. We knew they were working on behalf of someone else again and it wasn’t until Heath spoke to you and Layton that we found out who”.

“Why didn’t you call us and tell us any of this?” I asked astounded

"Well, we didn’t want to jump to conclusions or disturb you after the last battle” Heath answered ”and besides, we thought the Maven family had been taken care of. We had no idea it would be them behind it again”.

“No, I suppose not… unfortunately we thought the same, until Tina gave it away”.

“How so?” Adeena asked

“Oh, long story but Zara gave us the information we needed from her mum”

“Anyway” Heath interrupted “After I had spoken with Layton only a few hours after speaking with you, that’s when I told him about our little breach, and he informed me that other Alpha’s situated at the edges of the forest had experienced similar threats. One of the Alpha’s lost his best warrior. Sooo that’s why we all were so eager to come… don’t feel guilty Lelanna on behalf of the Blue Moon, this was a fight for all of us. Many Alphas were sick of their attacks and constant attempts to kill innocent people”.

I looked at them both stunned “I had no idea they were attacking other packs, I thought it was all just aimed at us”.

"Honestly Lelanna, I think they were trying their luck to take over any pack… it was all just a game of power to them”. Adeena added.

Our conversation subsided as we sipped our tea and scoffed down our food when I noticed something shiny and sparkly flash past my eyeline… my eyes shot to the source when I saw a pretty diamond band on Adeena’s marital finger, I gasped as I dropped my scone on my plate and grabbed her little hand.

“WOW" I squealed “You’re officially mated?”

“YES” Adeena shrieked happily with a little bounce in her seat as she moved her finger to allow the diamond to sparkle under the sunlight “we had our ceremony three weeks after we returned from here last time. We’d already dealt with so much together that we didn’t want to waste any time, so we whipped the whole thing all together as quickly as possible and bonded ourselves… It was THE most magical day” she beamed

Heath chuckled with love in his eyes as he wound his arm around her waist and kissed her soft pink cheek. ”It certainly was the best day of my life, my darling”,

I grinned widely at their love and the cute little smiles they were passing to each other ”I’m so happy for you both, its truly wonderful and speaking of bonding, Florence has found her mate too, with Alpha Greyson. It was actually the day before the battle they had met”.

“What?” Adeena looked horrified ”Oh the poor things, just imagine finding your mate and feeling all that love, to then be pulled apart a day later and not knowing if you’ll see each other again” she tutted ”that must have been scary for them both”

“Yes, I was with Florence when the rogues were coming, she was pretty panicked, but luckily they still have each other and, from what I know, they haven’t left each other since”.

“Speaking of mates" Heath chimed in ”When are you and Layton going to finally bond together?” he grinned

“Excuse me?” I asked in surprise.

"Oh, come on Lelanna… the moment he saw you were the mysterious spy of mine, I could see even then that he felt something for you… and I definitely know YOU do for him”.

"Annnd what makes you think I do?... hmm?”

“Uhh because it’s just bloody obvious. I know your hostility towards him wasn’t just because he banished you, it was as if you were dreading facing him again”.

I cleared my throat “well of course I was... He was a friend, he should have given me a chance to speak before casting me out”.

Heath rolled his eyes and sighed “ok, ok… I mean I think you’re both just dragging this out… but whatever gives you the jollies?”

“JOLLIES?” me and Adeena both looked at him and laughed

“Who says that anymore?” I asked while trying to stifle my giggles.

“Don’t change the subject” he said amused.

"Look Heath, Layton has never expressed having any feelings for me… he’s been kind, for sure, and really nice at times and other people have spoken about how he feels about me. But I’m not going to consider his ‘possible’ feelings for me, from anyone else but him...If he has something to say to me, then HE himself needs to say it”.

Heath was just about to speak up when Adeena put a hand on his forearm and spoke over him ”And that is perfectly reasonable Lelanna” she then looked at Heath defiantly. “You can’t expect someone to put their heart on the line for someone else that hasn’t ever spoken of love or feelings… and it seems as though Lelanna is happy here, I’m sure she doesn’t want to take such a risk and then make things awkward whilst she’s working with the Alpha so closely”.

I nodded with a smug smile ”Thankyou Adeena...it’s nice that SOMEONE understands”...“anyway I’m done with this conversation, tell me how is the rest of your pack doing?”

Adeena and Heath both went on to tell me how the pack have really taken to Adeena as their Luna and some of the changes they had made, and that Trey had met someone, and they had decided to become chosen mates.

When they both decided they wanted to take a stroll around the gardens, it was time for me to meet the girls and Florence upstairs in Florence’s lounge. We had decided to get dressed into our hospital scrubs and head there together for our volunteering shift.

We were split up as soon as we got there to tend to the warriors that had been badly injured and still recovering and to repack supplies and clean up. Although most of us hadn’t gotten much sleep, we knew the poor doctors and nurses here had been working nonstop since yesterday, but luckily, as hours ticked by they were all healing one by one and the hospital became much less crowded, which left only the ones whose wolves were still too weak to help heal their wounds.

After ten hours of our shift, we all headed back to Florence’s room to redress our normal clothes, then went our separate ways. I was just leaving the Palace grounds with Lola and Maisie when I looked to our left toward the Pack house when a little idea struck me. I bid goodbye to the girls and headed to Maz’s for a takeaway caramel coffee, a fresh beef sandwich and chocolate cake then headed down to the pack house.

I reached Layton’s office and I quietly tapped on the door as I began to open it, I heard a giggle and saw him sat at his desk and a woman with long blonde hair, a tight lacy black dress on who reeked of sweet perfume, sitting sideways on his desk giving him a view of her slim figure and long legs.

His eyes went wide as I entered, and she looked at me with a pissed off scowl. I stood there for a second feeling rooted to the spot when the sudden heat from the coffee in my hand snapped me out of my shock ”uh… Uh… Umm Florence just asked me to bring you this” I quickly lied, suddenly feeling like a fool, stood there with his drink and food in my hand ”She said she was concerned you hadn’t eaten” I quickly put it down on a little wooden unit that sat in front of a wall right next to the large doors then without wasting another minute I quickly turned to leave when I heard Layton calling my name.

I didn’t stop and got out of the pack house as quickly as I could, away from the stench of that woman’s perfume and her arousal… that’s right, that blondie was so aroused that even I picked it up...and I felt sick to my stomach and a little jealous! No let’s be honest Lelanna...A lot fucking jealous, like wanting to rip her hair out jealous and kick him in the dick jealous!

Two weeks later:

Over the last two weeks, Layton had been messaging me ever since, telling me what I saw in his office wasn’t what I thought it was and to let him explain, but I was still too embarrassed, and I didn’t want to be caught up in the middle of anything.

I had been avoiding Layton once again. Whenever I had tasks that I needed to do in the office, I’d only go there when I knew he was out. I kept up with my patrol shifts, but my volunteering at the hospital ended just over a week ago when all the patients were healed and healthy enough to return to their homes. So, with my little free time, I had visited Lola at one of Jackson’s hotels for lunch and been out for walks and coffee with Florence as she gushed about her new love with Kye, but as he was an Alpha he had to return to his pack, and it wouldn’t be long until Florence would be joining him to be his Luna, so we went out together frequently and also with the girls to soak up the little time we had left with her before she had to leave.

She was ecstatic, of course, but Nicholas and Mila were understandably worried about her health, but she didn’t let that deter her from her newfound happiness.

I had just returned home from taking Daisy and Lily to see a little ballet show that was being held in our city and made a little pit stop on our way home for ice cream. They were giggling and gushing about the elegant and poised ballets they had seen as we walked through the door. I laughed at their attempts to copy and act like grown-up famous Ballets, when my mum handed me a small package. “This was posted for you earlier honey”. I gave her a hug as I took it from her, looking at it confused…. I hadn’t requested any deliveries.

I took it up to my bedroom with a cup of herbal tea and dressed in my pyjamas. I opened the package to see it was a new CD, but with nothing on the cover, no picture or label. I took it out of its case and placed it into the disk drive of my stereo and as soon as I heard the familiar guitar strings, I stood stiff as my heart hammered in my chest and my mouth fell agape while goosebumps erupted all over my skin, all because of this song, but not just any song…. not to me, it was Nickelback’s - Far away!

The song played and my heart sank as memories flooded back… This was Layton’s favourite song when we were younger, since he was thirteen! It bought back our summers together when he would want to hide away from the pack and run to the field with me, we would lie on the grass together under the sun while he played this song on his phone, always sharing his earphones with me. But the most warming memories were those of our winters.

We would sit in the field huddled together under his blanket and, no matter how many other songs were played, he would always replay this one at least two or three times. I knew even then, at such a young age that I loved him.

The sweetness and innocence of our youth filled every part of my mind and body and the realisation that he still knew and loved this song just as I did. Does he think of me as I do him and all of our memories together when he listens to it?

When the song finished and I tried to regain my senses, I looked over to my bed and noticed there was a small envelope tucked inside the package. I rushed over and ripped it open in haste as it revealed a letter. As soon as I unfolded it, I recognised his posh, neat handwriting, it still even smelled of him.

“To my dear Lanna”… he wrote...

“I have been wracking my brain for months since your return on whether I should express my true thoughts to you… but the fear of you still feeling hate or anger toward me… well I suppose it made me choose to be a coward just as I had been once before with you!

In fact, I had been that for so many years… All the years I had known you, all the times I had wanted to tell you how much you meant to me, but I never found the courage, because to me you are too precious, so beautiful that you deserve an angel rather than a mere Alpha. But Lanna...my heart has always ached for you, even as a boy I had always wished that you were meant for me and, although destiny has not deemed that we’re mates, to me you’re the only one and will always be the one.

When I made you leave Blue moon, I felt as though you had taken my very reason for living, you had taken my very heart. Every day I was consumed with thoughts of you, and it taught me that I am only half a person without you, that nothing feels as good as when I’m with you.

I apologise with every beat of my heart for the pain I caused you and your family, for the weakness I have shown you and that is a mistake I will regret every day of my life.

I hope you listened to the song. I hope it gave you the memories I have always treasured. That song was always for you, even when we were kids. When you left, I listened to it all the time to give me a moment with you, even if it was just in thought.

I’d give anything to see you smile because of me, to hold your hand and keep you close to me and kiss you with all the love I have locked up inside all of these years, until my very last breath, I will Love you Lelanna and my heart will always be yours. I know there is a strong chance you don’t feel the same. If you don’t, then please forgive me for burdening you once again.

Always yours, Layton.”

I slumped on the bed, the letter still grasped in my hand as I tried to let his words sink in… he loves me...he.loves.ME....HE LOVES ME… WOW!

I felt my heart beat with happiness even as my head was still in a haze, deciding what to do, how to reply… but who was that woman… what do I say to him… do I go to him now? I could even feel my wolf jumping around in my head as it whimpered with love and relief, even though Layton and his wolf weren’t our mate, it was clear my wolf felt connected just as I did.

I curled up on my bed as I read the letter over and over, smiling every time I did, biting my nails with nervousness. I can’t believe all these years, all this time he actually loved me, he had loved me, and I had loved him!