The Unmarked Mate

Chapter 20

James

"It's getting dark, what time is it? Goddess, it's nine! I'm starving." I said.

"Shit! We're supposed to have a banquet to welcome you and we're not fucking there. We should go, I'm pretty sure the King wants his brother beside him and I spent my morning helping organizing the damn thing and I'm not even there to enjoy the spoils!" We headed back to the packhouse walking fast. When we arrived, there were tables in the square for the rest of the pack, and tables inside. Everybody had started eating.

"The prodigal children return to the table at last!" yelled Malcolm when we tried to sneak in the dining hall. I was blushing as if I was ten again. I turned to Elestren for support but she was laughing at me for my reaction.

"You're cute when you blush!" I heard her voice say in my head. I was confused for a second when I remembered Arthur talking about her being able to talk to anyone, as few Lycans can do in human form to a different pack member.

"Let's see what you'll say when your Luna will scold you cause she's coming!"

"Shit!"

"What do you want, Karma's a bitch!"

"Dahlia where were you? You know we were worried right." Luna Orithya was scolding her, she was actually worried, and she made her feel it. "After what happened today you can't just run off to have a three-hour conversation with the King's brother, King who incidentally wanted to have him by his side while talking to Matthew. I didn't want to link you because I was worried you just needed time for yourself, and then I see the both of you strolling in the streets, I called you, you know! Check your bloody phone! You can't disappear! Somehow you were so busy, I couldn't open a mindlink! Now James I believe your brother is expecting you and Dahlia you will come with me at the other side of the table."

"Yes mom!" she said in my head. I giggled like a high school boy, and the Luna gave me a dark stare. And we split off. I joined my brother's side of the main table. Elestren the other.

Dahlia

"Sorry, Ori..." I made jokes, but I felt how worried she was. She was my Luna, and even though I was the one who swore to protect her, her job was to protect everybody. She was my friend and she cared.

"I know James is cute, very very tall, with his huge muscles and his messy auburn hair, I'm sure you like his deep voice telling you stories about Goddess knows what, but after this morning I wanted to be here for you, we all did. And you chose a complete stranger to comfort you." She was hurt about this; I felt a pinch in my heart. Ori had been more than my Luna for all these years, she was a friend, a true friend, someone important to me. I had been selfish. That was true James was very handsome, very hot, but this wasn't it.

"Ori, I really am sorry. I think it's precisely because he's a fucking stranger that it was easier. We've no past together, it was simple. He knew the situation before meeting me, no revelation, no guilt, no lies. I don't feel guilty around him about lying all these years. The truth is not something I owed him, it was a given. He ain't the mate of someone I fucked or the mother of someone I saved. Orithya you've learnt terrible things today, but as I wrote to Kenna, I don't want any of you to feel sorry for me. I'm glad you know, I'm glad the truth is out, it was time. But nothing's changed, I'm still the grumpy friend who shags any willing pretty boy, or girl, who refuses to be mellow, who enjoys pissing off Otto just for fun and who wears plunging necklines dresses so that people don't look at the rest."

"This one really shows good cleavage, I'm surprised he managed to talk to anything else but your boobs. Come on, let's get drunk!" she had forgiven me. And we joined the others, Olivia, Damian and Lucia were still feeling awkward around me. But I joined Oliver, Andrew and Orithya in getting so drunk that would not matter.