BLACK

(8) Heirs

EDITED

I couldn't imagine having all of my mates in the same house. It would be utter chaos. Each would fill with jealousy and be at each others throats every time I payed attention to just one.

I told myself I loved them equally, yet I have no control over that aspect. The string that strangles my heart and connects me to my soulmates, wasn't for love. I was the only Luna deemed fit to lead there packs, and the ties stopped there. The more time I spent with my mates, the deeper a satisfaction I grew from being with them.

Lucan did as promised, taking my mind off of everything. When with Aris, I might not think to favour Lucan, but when I'm here with him I don't even think of anybody else. The warmth grows stronger next to him, my admiration flourishing the more time I spend with him. Our rope bringing us to each other thickened with fibres over the time I was with him, yet I'd only known Lucan for nine months.

He had the shortest bond with me, and was the youngest of all my mates, but it was like I told him. I wouldn't let anything come between us. The purpose of my existence was to feel a connection to his pack, to take responsibility and direct their wrongs into rights. It was with him, leading beside him I would grow to like him more and more.

Lucan was pissed when I first met him. More so than Aris to see the titles that his Luna claimed another mate. With Lucan, he wasn't expecting his other half to of already been mated. He wanted to sweep me off of my feet, move me in and possess me forever. He was in denial when I told him I couldn't, that I had to return to Aris. No one wants the whore Luna for a mate. Lucan kept saying he didn't believe it, that I was lying. That the others weren't my mates, and he was my only. To top it all off, I'd just had Ajax and it was a month after Jonneth's death. He started yelling at me that I was in the wrong for having another man's baby when I was his mate, and that it wasn't fair. That I was supposed to be his, and his only. To say the least, it scared me. I already dealt with a possessive Aris at home, except now with Lucan, he would actually touch me.

And yet because of the bond wrapping around us and forcing me to stay still, I couldn't run away from him. I was to spend an eternity with him, and his violence.

"Noire?" I roll over on the bed to face him, surprised with his sudden serious tone.

"Yeah, Lucan?" I ask, gazing into his green eyes.

Lucan lead the pack of Vardousia, northwestern Phocis in Central Greece. I stayed late with him into the night because the flight home to Mount Oeta was only an hour, and I'd be back in the morning just for Aris. Both had the golden skin of their homeland, but that was where the similarities stopped. Aris was dark, with midnight hair and shadowed eyes, his gaze made me flinch. With Lucan, his hair was a light shade of brown, eyes such a soft romaine green. Aris was thick and bulky, because of his age and stamina. Lucan was three years younger than me, and had a lot to learn to lead like Aris. He had a soft sloped nose, and Aris' jutted out. His lips were fuller than Aris', and his jaw became narrow where Aris' widened. I still felt more comfortable next to the large, scarred Aris than I did a young shifter like Lucan. I couldn't flee, not yet. It'd only been nine months. It'd been nine years with Aris, I could learn. I had to learn to love Lucan.

He's been quiet through my thoughts, and I try to lighten his tone with a small smile. I comb my fingers through his soft, bright curls. "What's wrong?"

His hand touches my wrist, to my jaw, sliding down to cover my waist. His touches have the same, ecstatic sparks all of my mates share, but they are only physically pleasing. They do nothing to soothe my emotional war. I was trying to teach Lucan to be gentle, something he didn't quite understand. We'd had it rough in the beginning, and I had a lot of talks with his mother to try and figure him out.

"Nothing," He tilts his head to kiss my wrist as I continue skimming through his hair. "It's just, I've been imagining our future a lot lately, and I think it's about time we took our relationship to the next level."

My brows furrow, hand slipping from his hair. "What do you mean?"

"I want us to start a family, Noire."

I bolt up, ripping my body from his hands. The warmth leaves me, but I don't believe it. The comforting tingles have always lied to me. I try not to glare at Lucan, but I know a mean stare is left in its wake. He sits up too, but I'm thankful he doesn't reach for me. A family? I've only been with Lucan for nine months, and most of it was screaming or crying.

"But I— I just had Ajax," I move my gaze to his shoulder, knowing I can't trust myself to look at him.

"A year ago, Noire." The recklessness seeps back into his voice, reminding me he doesn't really care for my wants.

When I spoke with his mother, she told me he was the typical Greek man. Full of pride and beauty. That it was the same way for her with his father, having to belittle herself to gain his attention. That the Greek male sees a girl as no more than a prized possession. For Lucan, I was to keep things organized and carry his shifters. Though she told me once I had him addicted to me, I could burn his house down and he would still love me.

"I've been giving it a lot of thought," He says. "And I really think we're ready to bring a baby into our lives."

"We've only been together for nine months," I voice my thoughts.

"I know, but we're ready, don't you think? I'm happy, you're happy," He falsely accuses. "Besides, you've got seven packs to provide heirs for. I don't want to have to wait for ours. I waited enough."

I know he means Ajax. I'm positive Lucan wanted to mate me as soon as he found me, and it must've killed him to wait for me to recover from his birth. Even if just nine months. Without J, I'd probably be expecting right now.

"What do you say?" He looks at me with hopeful, gleaming eyes.

"What if we have a girl?" I try to keep my voice from wavering, try to keep the fear out of my head.

"Then we'll try again," Everyone knows shifter genes only run in males. A daughter would do no good to lead. In Lucan's head, I was only good for one thing. Mating. The only thing daughters of shifters could do was birth the gene. A human could not.

"But it's like you said," I swallow. "I have seven packs to provide new leaders. I can't just keep trying for a boy for years with you."

I try not to flinch as a venomous growl emits from him. "It'll be a boy, or we'll try again!"

"Okay," I speak softly to calm him. "Okay."

The hitch in my throat escapes as he leans forward on the bed, threatening my lips with his.

"Now?" I ask.

"I've waited enough," He growls and wastes no time in lying me down on the sheets.

I felt rushed to do this, despite pleasure pumping my blood as he sucked on my neck. I felt like I should ask for someone's permission, in hopes they'd say no and stop Lucan. I was his Luna, in his eyes this was the job of the Luna. I'd known Jonneth for four years before we mutually agreed to have Ajax, and even then it took several months to finally conceive. I hadn't told Aris of my decision, and he got more pissed when he smelt the change in my hormones than the time he figured out I gave away my virginity. It was Aris' own fault, taking me so young and refusing to touch me, it was only a matter of time before they happened with someone else. When he confronted me of my pregnancy, I was shocked. I always showered away the smell of Jonneth's lust before he woke up so he wouldn't be as mad. Yet Aris had to of known, not all of my mates practised the same amount of self control as him. Had to know all of them desired my heir, except him.

I shouldn't need Aris' permission. I shouldn't even have to warn him. If I couldn't live with all of my mates at once, living them separately was supposed to be better, right? Closing my eyes, I prepared myself for the next nine months Aris was going to ignore me.