Chapter 74 — Planning for the Future

Tatum's POV:

"Come in." I say flatly.

"Hey, I came to check on you." Kali says quietly.

"I'm fine Kali." I replied.

I could feel Kali staring at my back as I finished gathering my things.

"If there's something you want to say, say it." I replied.

"Can I catch a ride with you?" Kali says in a hushed voice that catches my attention.

I turn to look at her and I can see from the way she's looking at me that there's something she needs to tell me away from others.

"Let's go." I say as I head out the door and down to the parking garage.

Once in the car Kali breathes a sigh of relief.

"I overheard mom and dad talking." Kali says quickly as I head towards home.

"And?" I ask impatiently.

"Dad wants you to take the rest of the week before the wedding off. He…" Kali says before pausing.

"What is it, Kali?" I ask.

"He thinks you're too distracted with everything right now and wants you to focus on helping Luna through this new process." Kali replies.

"Damn it!" I shout as I slam my fist against the steering wheel.

"Why are they doing this! She's not a criminal!" I say through gritted teeth.

"I know she’s not and so do they. I think it's because the council has never known of a being that was able to wield the powers she has." Kali replies cautiously.

"What does that even mean!" I shout.

"From what I overheard, Luna is the only being that can use multiple powers all at the same time. Most beings can use one or two, maybe even three but Luna...she's different and can wield as many powers as she wants before exhausting herself." Kali responds.

"So they are afraid of her because they don't know what she's capable of?" I ask.

"No. They know her powers like the back of their hands but not how she's able to wield them the way she does." Kali replies.

"Great so she's their little guinea pig while she's up there." I say with a sigh as I pull into the garage.

"I don’t know what is going on up there but I’m sure if something was off mom would tell you. In the meantime take her advice. Get some rest. You don't want to look ragged on your wedding day and you don’t want to stress Luna out more than she probably is. Trust your mate, she will be fine." Kali said with genuine concern.

Kali and I got out of the car just as Seth pulled up to pick her up.

"I'll see you in a few days." Kali says as she waves goodbye.

I walk into the empty house and mindlessly head to the bathroom to take a shower. After my shower I am sitting on our big bed staring into space. Kali had been right about my father wanting me to take the next few days off because he had texted me as soon as I had gotten out of the shower. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes when I suddenly heard Luna’s voice calling my name. I quickly jump up and run to the living room to see her standing there.

"How did you get here?" I said as I put my arms around her.

Luna held up her hand to stop me from kissing her so she could speak.

"This isn't the real me. Well it is but, it isn't." She said as she looked down at herself.

"What do you mean?" I ask in confusion as I let her go and back away.

"Well this is just a projection of myself so to speak." She replies.

"But how? I can feel you, touch you, hold you." I reply, reaching out to caress her face.

"This is apparently the latest power I have been able to tap into." Luna says, taking a step back and twirling.

"But how? Mom said you were resting." I reply "Time works differently here, remember." Luna says and she smiles brightly putting my mind at ease.

"Days are actually weeks and weeks are months." She says as she looks off to the side somewhere.

"I came to check on you. Your mother told me that your father wants you to take time off before the wedding." Luna says as she walks closer towards me.

I sit down on the couch and wrap my arms around her and rest my head on her chest.

"I can't smell you." I reply as I squeeze her tighter.

"I know." She replies as she gently strokes my head.

"I just want you back home. Every minute you're there I get more anxious." I reply as I pull her onto the couch with me.

“I will be home soon I promise and we can finish up wedding plans.” She replies with excitement.

"And then after the wedding we can start a family of our own." I say and place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I didn't know you wanted children." Luna replies as she looks up at me with happy eyes.

I want everything life has to offer as long as you are by my side." I replied.

Luna lets out a happy sigh and then stands up.

"I have to go back now but I will be home before you know it and I will be sure to work as hard as possible so that I don’t have to keep coming up here for training. We also need to update Drew and Amelia so they don't get worried." Luna says quietly.

"Ok. I'll call them soon." I reply "I'll be home soon I promise." She replies with a smile.

"I know princess." I reply and Luna evaporates into thin air.

I grab my phone and shoot a message to Drew and Amelia. Like me neither of them are happy with the current situation but given the circumstances we couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Drew and Amelia agreed to carve out time each day before Luna's training in purgatory to spend with her to help teach her to control the powers she possesses as well. They agreed that the only training she was receiving couldn't be just from the council and that she needed to learn the dynamics of her powers with the help of her kind.

After several days I begin to get excited about the upcoming wedding and finally being able to have Luna home permanently. Luna and I have counted the days down between training and wedding plans and now we are just hours away from the wedding ceremony.