Chapter 39 A Battle Won, A War To Win

Chapter 39 A Battle Won, A War To Win
Everything had went wrong. Kian hadn’t expected to return, believing she would’ve stayed at the cottage for the day and night. He had planned to break the news of the World Council’s demands and they could figure it out together. It wasn’t supposed to end up like this with Raina running desperately into Rogue Territory.
He knew she knew the way. Many didn’t, only several wolves that weren’t rogues.
The moment Meri told him that they had took the gap where the wall had yet to be completed that he knew exactly where she was heading. He remembered the moment that Meri frantically entered his mind telling him that she told him that she knows and that she saw Mia’s stuff in her Luna suite. His heart twisted and dread dropped, causing his stomach to pitch in nausea.
He and Sebastian had ran to his bedroom, but she and Mia were already gone. His heart clenched as a scent he never smelled before filled him. Everything in his body sharpened — his mind, his body, his heart, and his soul. The smell of chai and honey embraced him and he felt his entire world crumble. She had stopped taking her scent suppressants.
She had accepted it and found out the worst possible way that Mia had moved into her Luna suite. 
He followed her scent, running after her. He knew that she had transformed into her wolf because her scent had become stronger as he chased after her. She was faster than the both of them and had a head start. Sebastian and him continued running, knowing the way into rogue territory. He wondered if he would be attacked or if Mack would let them through. 
That was when Raina’s mournful howl pierced through the stillness, devastating him with her pain as he came to an abrupt stop. He had stood frozen, feeling every bit of her pain and despair coursing through his veins. Sebastian had pressed his wolf to ground, whining at the howl before it cut off.
He looked over at Sebastian and they continued on the way deeper into Mack and Jacqueline’s territory. No matter how he was welcomed, he would move through fire, ice, water, and any obstacle to get to her. He continued until Mack and Samson stood before him with several other wolves in their wolf forms keeping watch. Jacqueline must be tending to Raina and Meri, because she wasn’t there. They cautiously approached, anticipating any negative reaction.
Samson tossed down some clothes at their paws and it was only then he relaxed.
“I need an explanation, Kian,” Mack growled out. His rage barely kept at bay as he stared him down. “I need it right now and you better have a fucking good one to why my sister’s entire world crashed and burned.” His eyes flashed menacingly. “If you’re not coming here for my sister to love her and honor her like you fucking should, you best leave right now before I kill you myself.”
Without a second thought, he transitioned back into his human form, grabbing the offered clothes as he rose to his feet. Sebastian followed suit. They both tugged on the spare clothes as Mack stood with arm crossed, glaring daggers at him.
“What happened?” Mack asked, growing impatient.
Kian sighed, reflecting on all this chaos. “I needed more time. The World Council ambushed me today and forced my hand. So I accepted Mia as my Luna to buy more time so I could talk to Raina tonight. I have no intention of making Mia my Luna or claiming her. I would’ve forfeited my rite as Alpha if Raina wasn’t ready yet.”
Mack’s eyes continued to study him, trying to decide if he was telling the truth. He shifted his weight back and forth as if his rage was boiling over, causing him to fidget from the emotion. 
“Let’s say I believe you,” he said slowly. “Why exactly is the World Council inserting themselves into individual pack affairs?”
Kian’s eyes held Raina’s brother’s eyes before he finally gave in and confessed to someone other than his inner circle. “Because the entire Amato bloodline is treasonous. I’ve been tricked by them since I was sixteen years old.”
Mack’s eyes widened at his confession and he glanced over at Samson. Kian noticed they looked entirely too happy with what he said. He frowned, wondering why that could elicit such a response. Samson nodded his head and Mack looked back over at him.
“Finally realized the truth?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “Good. This will make it easier then.”
Sebastian frowned. “What will make things easier?”
“That can be discussed much later on,” Samson responded, dancing from Kian and Mack. “Right now, this needs to be remedied. Raina is suffering from mate withdrawal…” he trailed off for a moment before he nodded his head. “She’s fairly close to starting her heat. This needs to be settled or she’ll be in a tremendous amount of pain.”
Kian’s focus returned to Mack as he studied him for a moment. Why was he helping him so much? Yes, at one point, Mack was one of his trusted Gammas. He was a damn good one too and Mack had been proud that his sister outshined him to become his female Beta. Mack had been one of the Gammas to train her as well. If Sebastian hadn’t been his best friend and one of his trusted warriors, he would have chosen Mack as his male Beta.
It was almost as if Mack could tell what he was thinking, because a wry smile crossed his face. “She’s my sister, Kian. I want the best for her and you are the best. Nobody will deny you are one of the strongest Alphas out there.”
“They don’t know you exist out here,” Kian reminded him.
“Well, I’ve already claimed my mate,” Mack chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t swing that way either. I love my sister, but not like that.”
He mirrored Mack, crossing his arms over his chest. “She’s my fated mate,” he confessed and Mack’s eyes widened in shock. His mouth dropped open. “No, I didn’t know until a couple months ago. She’s hid it from me for years.”
“How-How long has she known? Do you know?” her brother asked cautiously.
Kian bit his bottom lip before he sighed. “You’re not going to like the answer.”
“Tell me.”
“Since she turned eighteen,” he told him.
A wildfire blazed in her brother’s eyes as he erupted in a dark storm of swears. Her brother’s watery eyes lifted to him, shaking his head.
“Stubborn fool,” he growled. “She could’ve…” He trailed off angrily. “Make this right, Kian, before I break something.” His body trembled. “I never want to see her that broken ever again. I’m counting on you to fix this.”
It wasn’t that simple though. Would Raina even accept his explanation? Would she think he was only playing games? Had her trust in him fully shattered finding out that Mia had moved back into the Luna suite?
One battle was won, but not the war. 

Raina had felt his presence immediately. She was too exhausted to run anymore. She knew he’d hunt her down if she tried… and she had run out of options. No other pack would risk Kian’s anger or desperation to get to her. She knew why he had followed her. She was still in fact his fated mate even though he was going to claim another to be his Luna… to be his future.
This had to be goodbye.
If she faced rejection, she rather stay here in Mack and Jacqueline’s territory. Her entire soul felt weak and vulnerable. She felt numb, chilled to the bone. The warmth from the fireplace did nothing to warm her. She felt like her entire home had been decimated inside of her.
How could he have lied to her? Why had he made her think she was enough when she obviously wasn’t? Tears escaped, slipping down her cheek. She brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She pressed her face against the tops of her knees as she cried.
She breathed in his addictive scent before he even set foot in the room. She swallowed hard as the doorknob turned and the door squeaked open. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to keep her breathing even, but it was a failure she had to accept. The door shut with an ominous thud, warning her that the end was near. The moment his familiar heavy footfalls echoed in the room that her fear rose up within her.
Instead of facing him, she just stayed still. All the fight had left her. How could she fight for someone who didn’t fight for her, who didn’t want her, and obviously didn’t need her as much as she need him? 
Tears wet the material of her blanket draped over her until she finally looked across the room.
“If you’ve come here to reject me then just do it,” she gasped through her tears. “Stop delaying the inevitable, Kian. Stop playing games. Stop toying with me.” She broke before him as she pressed her face against her thighs. “Please I can’t take anymore of this.”
She felt the bed dip and his warmth surround her. When he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close, she tried to struggle against him. She tried to fight him off, but he tucked her into his embrace, pinning her to him. Her tears wet his shirt as she cried into his chest.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered to her and it only made her cry more, because it just confirmed her fears. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way.”
She squirmed against him. “Just reject me! Just fucking reject me!”
“Never,” he growled, holding her tightly even though she fought against him. She didn’t want this if it was just fake. She didn’t want his pretty words if he didn’t mean them. “I’m never rejecting you. Raina, I’m not taking Mia as my Luna.”
She hissed as she shook her head. “Stop lying to me! I know what I saw! I saw her things there already! I’m not stupid, Kian. I saw exactly--”
His mouth crashed down on hers, silencing her for a moment. She struggled against him until she melted into his kiss. Her body greedy for his comfort and affection. She hated how much she needed it. His kisses, a temporary balm over her heart, as his mouth kept her busy, trying to distract her from the pain, until he pulled away.
“I know what you saw,” he told her as his eyes met hers. “But I had no intention of her actually becoming my Luna. I had to make them think everything would go with what they wanted.”
She kept silent, trying to process what he was attempting to explain. Her entire body felt like she was shattering, just like her heart and soul even though his touch was both heaven and hell, healing and breaking her all at the same time.
“I had to buy us some time. The Word Council was forcing me to chose a Luna,” he continued before pausing for a moment. “They didn’t accept you as a chosen candidate. They pointed out that it was well pass the time of when most Alphas claim their Luna. The only way I could buy you more time is telling them I’d claim Mia tomorrow.”
“Buy me more time?” she repeated in confusion. What did that mean? Why was he trying to buy her more time? How was promising to claim Mia tomorrow buying her time? Was he only trying to distract her?
“They would’ve forced me to claim her tonight,” he told her softly and her body tightened at the visions starting to cloud her mind. Unimaginable pain burst through her and he groaned as he pulled her flush against him. She let him comfort her, letting his closeness heal her. “But I needed time to talk to you so I’m throwing the World Council members a feast in their honor to feed their egos and promised to claim Mia tomorrow. It was the only way to give you time.”
She shook her head, still not understanding what he was saying. “How is that giving me more time--”
“The World Council can’t intervene if it’s a fated mate bond, Raina,” he interrupted with a reminder and her eyes locked on his. “If I claimed you, they wouldn’t be able to punish us.”
She frowned, still not understanding what the problem was. He just needed to claim her as his mate and everything would be fine, but he didn’t want to claim her now? She didn’t understand why he wouldn’t reject her if he had no intentions of claiming her either. 
Tears filled her eyes. “You-You don’t want to claim me?”
“I do want to claim you,” he argued back. “But I didn’t want to force you into it. I didn’t want the World Council to force you into claiming the bond.”
“And what if I don’t allow you? What would happen then?” Her questions were merely out of curiosity, because she had no intention of him claiming anyone but her if that was what he wanted. How would promising to take Mia as his Luna help her with giving her to time?
He sighed in defeat. “If you weren’t ready then I’ll do what I need to do.”
“Which is what?” she asked him. Her heart thudded in her chest. Did it mean he’d take Mia as his Luna then?
“I’ll forfeit my rite as an Alpha.”
With that, her entire world froze. Her body tensed. Her mind blanked out. Her heart clenched. Her soul finally breathed and she couldn’t believe what he had said. He wouldn’t do that. He couldn’t do that. He was an Alpha. He was born an Alpha and he was one of the most respected Alphas. 
“You-You don’t mean that,” she stammered in shock.
He chuckled sadly. “I do mean that. If you’re not my Luna then I have no intention on taking a mate that isn’t you.”
His eyes dulled for a moment and she realized he was being mindlinked. She watched his expressions change to irritation. He growled lowly before his eyes cleared. She watched his eyes come alive. His desperation in his eyes as they quickly flicked about her face as if he was trying to memorize her features.
“I have to go back,” he whispered. Her panic resurfaced, but she tried to keep it at bay. “They’re looking for me and I can’t let them know my intentions. You’re in danger and you’re safer here than in Crimson Moon right now.”
When he started to rise from the bed, she grabbed his arm, preventing him from leaving. His eyes met hers for a moment before she yanked him down into a deep punishing kiss. He swept his arms around her body. Her hands had a mind of its own. One hand slid down his muscular body to cup his growing thickness in his pants. Her hand quickly slid beneath the waistband of his sweatpants to wrap around his dick.
“You're trying to kill me,” he growled against her mouth.
Her hand circled him tightly like a vice, pumping him assuredly until he was thick and heavy, ready to drive her wild. He wasn’t going to leave here before he claimed her and she claimed him. She knew he couldn’t be too long, but she refused to let him return without her bite hidden beneath his shirt.