Chapter 39 - She'll Make The Best Luna

Chapter 39 - She'll Make The Best Luna
Author Note – The song for this chapter in my head was one I’m sure you are all familiar with – ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ by Gotye & Kimbra.

Raine

Raine stood back stage, doing her best to stay out of everyone bustling around and enjoying herself watching as they buzzed about.

Joe was talking away with one of the light technicians while she observed everyone getting ready for his performance tonight. Joe was dressed in one of his best suits and was clearly ready to show his asshole Mate what he had missed out on. In comparison Raine was a hell of a lot more dressed down. Her hair was tied back in a messy, loose ponytail and she was sporting what she could only describe as a hermit, slob combo. This consisted of black flats, a pair of shorts which she doubled as pyjama shorts when she was too lazy to do laundry, a t-shirt that had the sarcastic slogan, ‘it’s a beautiful day, to leave me alone’ and a loose hoodie that was about three sizes too big for her but comfy as hell. To complete her hermit/slob look, she was watching everyone buzz about while casually munching down on a large bag of Cheetos and slurping from one of her coveted cans of ice cold Irn Bru.

It felt strange to be on the opposite side of the busy night, watching as everyone freaked out over non-responsive microphones and issues with wardrobe changes. But she knew she was probably best staying on the side lines. As much as she loved dancing and singing on stage with Joe, she was still drained and exhausted from having Maria make her appearance and knew she needed to rest. Plus she had to be on her toes after everything was over, there was a chance Joe’s Mate would try to get near him and it was Raine’s job as his best friend to play the bouncer and make his asshole Mate back the fuck off.

“Raine!” A voice suddenly called out to her and she turned to see Trevor, the sound technician for the VIP lounge calling her over.

With a grin, Raine eagerly walked over to him by the sound board and took the seat he offered her beside him. From here she would have a good view of Joe on stage, while still being hidden from the patrons on the other side of the curtains.

“You’re not on tonight right? Whatcha doing here?” Trevor quirked an eyebrow at her as his hands glided over the various switches and buttons on the sound board. Raine had absolutely no clue what they did but was confident the Trevor did.

“Nope, I’m just here to support Joe!” She grinned at him. “You know he gets lost without me!” She winked at him playfully which earned her a shake of his head and a deep chuckle from the older man.

She didn’t want to admit the real reason she was here, it was Joe’s business not hers and if he wanted others to know then he should be the one to tell them. Her gaze trailed over to him, he was standing on the other side of the curtained stage waiting for his queue to go on. He nervously fidgeted with the cuffs of his dress shirt and his eyes refused to settle on anything. Raine could feel his nerves all the way on the opposite end of the stage and she was just preparing herself to go over and give him another pep talk to get him through this but she was too late. A stage hand ran up to him before her butt could even move from the seat and Joe was given his queue to enter stage before they pulled the curtains. He did look up and lock eyes with her before he moved however and in lieu of a pep talk Raine gave him a firm nod and a confident smile and to her relief she saw him visibly relax as he nodded in return. He entered the stage and stood by his standing microphone, waiting for the curtains to pull and reveal him to the room of customers and to his Mate.

Without even thinking about it, Raine rose from her seat and glided to the edge of the wings curtains; right up to the spot that kept her hidden from anyone beyond backstage. She heard the crowd beyond the main curtains fall into a hushed silence and then the curtains were pulled and the show was about to begin.
Before she could scan the room and try to pinpoint who Raymond was, the guys backstage were too quick and the stage lights rose blocking their view of anything beyond the stage. Joe stood staring out at the unseen crowd, but Raine knew that with his enhanced eyesight he could probably see everyone out there…including his mate.

The music began and she instantly recognised it within the first three seconds and just knew that Joe had something to do with the choice in song. She loved his choice in song, it was definitely a huge middle finger to his mate somewhere in the crowd and Raine couldn’t help the devious smirk which crossed her face as she secretly watched from the wings. She wished she could see this Raymond’s face when Joe had started singing, when he realised the song was obviously about him!
But about mid-way she could tell something was wrong. She had been Joe’s partner for long enough to be able to tell when there was a change in his voice. He was breaking down! There was a moment in the song where the singer would pause anyway but she could tell that something was off. Joe was gripping the microphone hard, so hard she was afraid he might accidentally crush it with his wolf strength, he kept swallowing like he was trying not to burst out sobbing and he had closed his eyes; no longer looking into the crowd…no longer able to look at his mate.

She couldn’t stand to see him like this, it made her heart squeeze painfully and tears prick the corners of her eyes. She had to do something! She couldn’t let him breakdown on the stage and feel worse in front of his bastard mate than he already did! She had to save him!

Without a second thought, she kicked off her shoes, threw off her hoodie and ran over to Trevor. She grabbed one of the microphones and looked him dead in the eye.
“Trev! Turn on mic two and follow my lead!” She instructed, before gliding back over to the edge of the wings.

Raine took a deep breath and then went to save Joe.



Axel

The moment the music began and his mate appeared on stage Ray didn’t take his eyes away from the young man on stage; and Axel noticed. His Delta looked like he was in a trance and he couldn’t help but wonder if this is what he looked like when his own mate appeared.

When Ray’s Mate started singing he heard Ray take a sharp intake of breath and saw tears prick the corners of his eyes. Lunarr did have an impressive voice when he sang but it was clear that this was the first time Ray had gotten to experience it. He looked mesmerised and even more in love with him, if that were possible.

Lunarr was a wolf and obviously had enhanced eyesight like the rest of them; he was staring into the crowd, directly at Ray as he sang. He knew they were there and he was standing his ground. It was admirable, especially considering all that had happened and the fact that he had run from Ray before.

However, Lunarr’s choice of song was clearly directed at Ray and it was rather accusatory. He wasn’t sure if Ray had noticed at first but then he noticed the pain in his eyes and his fists balled under the table. He had.

It was the truth in song form and at first Axel thought Ray was the only one hurting from the lyrics but when he glanced back at Lunarr he also saw pain deep in the wolf’s eyes. When the song came to a pause where the music played for a minute by itself he watched as Lunarr squeezed is eyes shut tight and swallowed painfully. He looked like he was about to breakdown right there on stage.

When Axel glanced over at Ray he knew his friend had also noticed. Ray was gripping their table with white knuckles and he looked as though he were seconds away from storming the stage and rushing to comfort his hurt mate. Axel reached over to comfort and hopefully stop him when he himself heard something that made him freeze and his head whip around back to the stage.

An angelic voice he dreamed about every night since they first came to Runagate appeared through the speakers, continuing the song for Lunarr. Axel’s eyes searched the stage wildly but she was nowhere to be seen, where was her voice coming from!? Sigmund had said she wouldn’t be here tonight!

‘Mate is here!’ Leon hollered excitedly in his head. ‘Find her!’ He commanded Axel.

‘What do you think I’m doing!?’ He retorted back as his eyes searched.

He then noticed that Lunarr had relaxed slightly and reopened his eyes. He still looked sad but he had a warm smile spread across his face as Axel’s angel serenaded them all. Lunarr looked away from the crowd into the hidden depths of the curtains beside him and outstretched a welcoming hand to the wings no one could see.

That’s when she appeared and the room suddenly appeared so much brighter to Axel…until he noticed what she was wearing and he suddenly wanted to gauge out the eyes of every male in the room.

His naughty angel glided gracefully towards Lunarr with a mic gripped tightly in her tiny fist. She was only wearing shorts and tight t-shirt! She wasn’t even wearing shoes! Although he was very happy to see her long and slender legs in those short shorts; Leon too growled his approval; he was not happy that everyone else in the room had as well. They would have to have words about this…once he got her to actually speak to him that was.

Despite his unhappiness at her choice in wardrobe, he nonetheless couldn’t help but follow her every movement, consumed by her flawless beauty as she glided towards Lunarr and clasped his open hand singing to him.

He heard Ray growl under his breath when Lunarr and Raine held hands singing back and forth, which Axel growled back telling him to back off.

“Careful, that’s Luna!” Axel heard Oscar whisper to him, to which Ray whimpered.

Axel understood. Ray just watched a woman take his mates open hand and serenade him; he would have reacted the same if the tables were turned. But he didn’t want anyone showing any kind of aggression towards his mate, even if it was a misunderstanding.

Despite their exchange, he never once took his eyes off of Raine. He felt pride swell in his heart as she sung alongside Lunarr and helped him through an emotional time without making it obvious or making him feel ashamed for needing the extra hand.

‘She’ll make the best Luna!’ Leon purred in response to Axel’s thoughts and he couldn’t help the satisfied rumble that left his chest in agreement.

She was gonna make the best Luna for Orion Valley!