The Full Moon Effect

Chapter 20: Mirror Image

sometimes we don't

want to heal because

the pain is the last

link to what we've lost.

             JmStorm

**********

Nothing was as satisfying as watching Leyton's face morph into shock. All those hours of searching had paid off. We'd finally gotten ahead of him.

Her dark hair was long, it hung to her waist, straight as the pine needles on the land where I'd last seen her. Her eyes glinted mercilessly as she made her way to the front line. There was no love in her eyes as she looked to her mate, the one she'd chosen anonymity over.

Behind her, Connell, Asena, Amar, Ty, and the rest of the warriors of our pack gathered, lining the edge of the forest. My chest swelled knowing my back was protected by the people I loved most. Confidence and peace flooded my veins more than my own blood. Amar caught my eye and winked. Jones, whether because he saw the wink or felt a shift from across the bank, tugged me back around.

"Xena." Leyton's whisper carried over to our side of the creek. It was the most tender I'd heard his voice since childhood. But he seemed to shake himself out of it and his eyes darkened, along with his tone. "You've finally crawled out from under your rock, huh?"

She ignored his jab. "I came to untangle the mess you created."

"The mess I created?" Leyton's eyes were alight with fresh fire. "None of this would've happened if you hadn't faked your own death! All of this death, all of this pain and sorrow is because of you!"

Xena didn't even flinch as she took another step forward, tilting her head. "There you go again, pawning off responsibility onto others. You haven't changed one bit, have you? You still can't take ownership for your own incompetency."

Leyton immediately shifted, seemingly surprising himself. He stood stock still on all four paws as if embarrassed at his lack of self control.

I looked to the Luna and her face said it all. She knew exactly what she was doing. The corners of my mouth turned up as I realized what she'd done. She came in and said four sentences and had rattled Leyton to his core.

Jones wrapped his arm around my waist, displaying his own confidence at what Xena had accomplished. I looked to him briefly, enjoying the way his brown eyes twinkled in the moonlight. When he met my gaze, I basked in our solidarity. Xena and Leyton proved that all the intimacy mates had could be bottled up and weaponized, but Jones' love was safe and honoring. We didn't expose our weaknesses publicly, but confronted each other with love and respect.

That's how mates were supposed to uphold the other. It's what Leyton failed to do, and it's what led us here today.

Xena's next words sealed the deal. "A real Alpha doesn't have to claw for power; he earns it. Your power-grabbing is pathetic."

Leyton let out a roar, but he didn't charge. Not with the numbers stacked against him and doubt rising from the wolves with him.

Having proved her point with Leyton, she turned to the other wolves, her eyes searching them. "Ulric?"

A pang went through my chest. She didn't recognize her son in wolf form. But faster than a flash of lightning, he was back in his human skin. Beside me, Xena's breathing caught. They were like mirror images of each other, standing opposite of the creek, pain evident in both their eyes.

"Ulric, stop this."

He stared at her for a moment then his nose crinkled in apparent pain as he asked, "Why didn't you choose me? You chose me when you left my father, but when it came down to Connell and I, you didn't chose me. You chose him. You raised him. He had years with you and I had the seconds after my birth. Why didn't you choose me?"