Chapter 37 Falling Into Place
Raina’s eyes widened as realization settled in around her. Her panic revved up when she realized she had forgotten to take them last night. They had discusses them, but she never took them. Her eyes scanned the area, locating the medicine bottle that the maid put on the coffee table next to the stack of books with a book weight on top of it.
She walked over to it and plucked it off the coffee table then sat down with Poppy plopping down next to her. She glanced down at the medicine bottle, eyeing the pills inside as she gingerly rolled it in her hands.
“He asked about them last night,” she whispered, glancing up at Poppy then to Meri, who looked surprised that she was being included in this conversation. “I told him the truth why I take them so he wouldn’t be forced to be influenced by my scent.”
Poppy swallowed, understanding exactly what she meant. “How-How did he take it?”
“Well…” She bit her lip. “He knows. He knows I’m his fated mate.”
Poppy’s mouth dropped open in shock. Raina glanced over at Meri, who didn’t look surprised by it, only smirked at that while crossing her arms.
“So, let me get this straight,” Meri chuckled. “He chose you as his Luna without realizing you were his fated mate?” Raina nodded her head. “You were always his choice by instinct and mental judgment.”
Raina opened her mouth to object, but he had said the same thing. His actions spoke louder than words, proving the truth behind them. He had indeed chosen her from the beginning. She remembered what he revealed about her training last night and he was right. He assessed the progress of training, but he rarely joined in on the actual training. He usually left that for his Betas and Gammas to train.
“If he knows, why are you so scared about revealing your scent?” Poppy asked, a little confused.
Raina glanced down at the medicine bottle. There was actually no reason now to use them anymore. He knew she was his fated mate. He had rejected her, but he hadn’t claimed her yet. There was a chance for both, but deep down inside, she knew they had gone well by the option of rejection. He had told her that he could feel her pleasure, which was a clear indication that he had accepted their bond on a soul level.
Why was she so scared of him scenting her? Was she scared that he would be turned off by her? Was she scared that he would scent her and it would confirm the truth? This was the last indicator that would prove that she was his fated mate. How he reacted to her when she wasn’t suppressing her scent would drive him in a frenzied state.
As an Alpha, he would mark her. He had to have known that, but he had still asked her why. She was afraid he would be forcing her, but she wasn’t certain she wanted to withhold her scent from him if he planned to claim her. A strong enough Alpha could stop himself from claiming their mate, but she had hidden herself for years.
Would she be ready for that? If he claimed her, the world will know the truth that he claimed her as a Luna. His reaction to her would show the world if she was his fated mate.
To everybody else, they thought Mia would be his Luna. Once upon a time, she accepted her as her Luna-to-be, firmly believing she was a the right candidate for him. The more time she spent intimately with him and the more secrets they spent sharing with each other, the more she realized she couldn’t give him up.
She meant every word last night.
He was hers.
“He’s mine,” she growled low to herself, but she knew Poppy, Meri, and the new maid could hear her. “Nobody’s going to take him away from me.”
Poppy smiled. “You know what you need to do then.”
Raina nodded, glancing down at the scent suppressants. She took a deep breath before she handed them over to Poppy, who immediately snatched them up. Even though there was still fear lingering and her heartbeat raced with anticipation, she knew that everything was falling in place as it should.
This was not how Kian planned to spend his time. He had a set amount of things he needed to deal with then he’d return to the cottage to see Raina, but the World Council showed up at his pack house gates, demanding entrance. He had every intention of sending them away until they properly followed protocol, but he saw their audacity when he saw Octavius sitting in his Porsche accompanying the entourage.
Kian growled at Octavius for his blatant disrespect disregarding his leniency. It was fine. He had just upped the timeline. He told Sebastian to get everyone ready to receive the World Council even though his eyes were on the foolish wolf sitting relaxed in his car.
The World Council had come in, making demands as usual. They, along with some members of his Elder Council that signed a petition, were here to force him to claim Mia as his Luna. He had sat there, just observing them. His parents and Sebastian had been the first to come to his defense, objecting against their involvement in pack affairs.
“Are these members on this petition not pack members?” Giles, one of the members on the World Council, droned, pointing to the petition. “Do they have no say in your pack affairs? They felt the need to ask for our assistance, because their Alpha wasn’t upholding their own laws and regulations.”
The rest of his Elder Council growled out at their displeasure over certain pack members going over their own Alpha’s head to force a decision. There was a civil war waging in the Council Hall and he had wished Raina was here to calm his nerves, because he was losing his patience. Some of his pack members demanded the pack members that signed the petition to be exiled due to treason.
The pack members in question that questioned his authority argued that Kian was overstepping his own authority to not answer to pack rules and regulations. They claimed they had every right to go above his head.
“Enough!” he roared, irritated over all this noise. His eyes sliced into the eyes of the members of the World Council, who were here to demand whatever they were trying to demand. It was never going to happen, but he’d placate them for a little while. “What is it that you want?”
Rowen, the second council member for the World Council, cleared his throat like the pompous fool he was. “You need a suitable wolf to be your Luna not this wolf that has been acting foolish. She isn’t Luna material. She will not do.”
These wolves were fools. If he murdered all the members of the Word Council in attendance, he would. Little did they know that they were insulting his mate and they would pay for their words against her.
“Who do you suggest would be the best fit to be my Luna then?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
Giles lifted his chin like the haughty snob that he was, believing he was above everyone else. “Mia has always been the best candidate to be your Luna. We had hoped in time you would stop this ridiculousness on your own. We’ve been very patient with your antics. You are twenty eight--”
“The age is thirty to force an Alpha to have an heir,” he grumbled, reminding them with an edge to his voice.
“Oh, we know that,” Giles shot back. His eyes flashed at being interrupted. “The age to choose a Luna is twenty six, did you forget that?”
Rowen sighed. “We gave you plenty of time to come to your senses to choose the most suitable choice. Now, we are stepping in.”
Kian’s eyes slid to Mia, who was trying to act all innocent and meek. She sat next to her brothers like before. Elder Richmond was next to Octavius with a smug smile on his face. His blood burned within his veins. He no longer wondered if she was an accomplice anymore. How long had she been a part of this rouse? Did she know since the beginning?
“I find it strange,” he finally spoke after a moment. “That the World Council is so heavily involved the affairs of a singular pack.”
Rhiannon, the last council member of the World Council, was the one to respond. “If it’s the best interest of all packs, we do what we must. Your pack, as of late, has been making waves, promising new methods and ways to skate around our traditions. We are here to uphold traditions and laws.”
“Fine then,” he growled, wanting to strangle all the pretentious council members. “It seems the only candidate you’ll consider is Mia, isn’t that right?” Even though the council members didn’t voice it, he already knew. His eyes sliced right into Mia with all his anger on display. “Fine, have it your way. We’ll have a feast tonight in your honor. Tomorrow, I’ll claim her and we’ll have a Luna ceremony.”