The Reluctant Luna

Chapter 18

Louise walked into the pack house after school. There had been no issues with her food disappearing, which was all she really cared about. The teens from the pack still viewed her with mistrust, but their eyes would glance at her new "tattoo" and nothing else would happen. Now home, she found a burst of happiness assaulting her just before Luca came down.

Great, I'm glad someone's happy about this screwed up situation, because I'm not. His happiness faltered as he felt her spike of irritation.

"Still not taking this well, huh?" he asked rhetorically.

She shook her head slightly. "Having things get more complicated usually isn't my idea of something to 'take well.'" She paused a moment before adding, "And this 'connection' between us is doing nothing to help."

"Hopefully, with a little work, we can get it to full strength," he replied.

Louise leveled an annoyed gaze at him before she grabbed his hand and dragged him to his office. "Okay, what are you on about?"

"We can feel each other's emotions, so it occurred to me today that we should be able to strengthen the link between us with some effort."

"How about we try to break it, instead?"

"Because that would be counter-productive." He managed to sound so reasonable while spouting utter nonsense.

"Depends on what your goals are. Mine include, despite my better judgment, not causing problems for other people if I can help it. Having a mate link, however crippled, will bring you trouble. Don't you get that?"

"I'm aware. However, I need you as my luna, and that means I need our bond functioning as well as possible," he stated with conviction.

"You know I can't be a normal luna, right? I mean, they don't trust me. I'm not going to have your she-wolves coming to me for comfort. They're too busy being jealous of our relationship, or afraid of me."

"Trust comes with time. Janice seemed to have no problem with you."

"She's a guard. She understands force and protecting the pack."

"She's also one of my she-wolves. If we can get this bond stronger, I'll tell James to let you run solo. I should be able to act as a bridge between you and the rest of the pack."

Louise eyed him cautiously. He'll let me be useful, but only if I can get a normal mate link with him, which would put the pack in more danger. "You realize Broodmaster Dean has informants in all the packs near him, right?"

"Of course. Alphas allow that to avoid conflict with the broods around them. Vampires live on subterfuge. Letting them have it, rather than speaking simply, accomplishes what we all want: peaceful relations."

She sighed. "Except he views me as a threat. A stronger bond means the pack becomes a threat, by extension. This isn't a good idea."

"It's not your decision to make, Louise."

"We'll see." With that, she slipped out of his office and down the stairs, to the common room, and out the front door. There, she let out a single, long howl that would summon the entire pack. It was followed immediately by a surge of anger from Luca as he realized she was up to something again.

The pack quickly assembled, looking confused. Luca looked livid, but bit his tongue. Calmly, Louise announced, "I believe Luca is unfit to lead this pack. I propose he be cast out, and another chosen in his place."

The entire pack, including Luca, gaped at her in shock. Two things told her her idea wasn't going to work. First, she felt anger beginning to swell from Luca. Not the usual irritation she generated in him, but a true, boiling rage. Second, various members of the pack began to laugh nervously, clearly hoping this was some sort of joke in poor taste.

"Beta, Luna, in my office. Now! Everyone else, dismissed."

Louise turned to him. "I haven't heard their response to my proposal."

"You haven't heard why it's a stupid proposal. I'll explain why they cannot throw me out. Come." With that, he strode to his office.

"Come on," Michalis added with a shrug.

With a sense of confusion, Louise followed them to Luca's office, where he closed the door.

"What the hell was that stunt?" Luca demanded.

"It was a serious proposal. You marked me. That lack of judgment is putting this pack in danger. The way to mitigate it is replace you."

"She seriously doesn't know why that won't work, does she?" Michalis mused.

"What? It's a reasonable suggestion!"

"Do you even know what an alpha does?" Luca finally asked.

"Of course! He leads the pack."

"No, he is the pack. He forges the pack link bonds that make a pack a single unit. That's why packs are named after their alpha."

"So let Michalis do it."

At this point, Michalis commented. "I can't." She looked at him incredulously. "No, I don't mean I don't want to, I mean I literally can't. If I strained myself, I could form a pack about half this size, tops. Without Luca, this pack cannot hold together."

Louise tried to process that for a moment. "How does that work?"

"Humans would say we're psychic," Luca stated. "It takes a lot of power to hold together a few hundred minds. It's the same thing that powers the command of an alpha voice. Michalis' most important function is to reinforce my power in case I get injured, so the pack doesn't fall apart."

So if they somehow threw Luca out... there would be no pack. "So my proposal..."

"Was ridiculous on the face of it. If you were a werewolf, you'd know. I assumed you understood, since you've lived in a pack your whole life. Clearly, I was wrong."

"So that means I..."

"Just embarrassed yourself in front of the entire pack," Luca stated with finality.

Great. Just what I needed to be taken seriously around here. "So why is he in here?" she asked, indicating Michalis.

"Because having you outside the pack is becoming troublesome, and I need him to maintain the pack while I try to pull you into it."

"But I've already told you that's impossible!"

"We're mates. I may be able to use that to forge a link that others can't. I need you to focus on the bond between us."

"I don't know how to do that."

"Just focus on my emotional state. Try to be as aware of it as you can."

This is stupid, she thought, but complied.