AFRAID OF THE DARK

CHAPTER 27

"Jay," I moan. "We need to talk."

"About what, Angel?" He touches the new bite mark he left on me with the tip of his finger again.

We have been in his bedroom for a few hours now. He insisted to mark and mate me again now that we know we are mates. Then we mated again with our excitement of being officially mated. He wants to mate one more time before we join the others for the initiation barbecue, but we need to have the discussion I've been dreading.

"We can't have any secrets. We need to talk about our pasts. Even the stuff that will upset us." I frown when he stiffens. I can feel his fear and dread.

"Let's talk later. We have to join the others for initiation into the pack and shouldn't be upset." He breathes in my scent before climbing out of bed.

I squeal when he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I begin to complain until I look down at the view I have. How did I get so lucky to have such a hot mate? He fixes the shower then carefully places me down in it. We're both already naked so no need to undress. We also take advantage and make love once again. I'm going to be sore later.

"The happy couple has finally arrived. About time you leave your room." Beau teases when we join them.

"And can't wait to be back." Jaivan wraps his arms around me, but lifts his hand to touch my cheek when he notices by blush. "You look good in pink."

I blush deeper. "Can we get started?"

"Sure, Angel." He kisses my cheek.

Jaivan walks to a table where a bowl, a bottle of water, and an antique knife have already been placed. He grabs the knife and hands me the bowl with the water to hold. He then orders the crowd to gather and asks for those to be initiated into the pack to step forward. He does all of this while keeping a tight hold on my hand.

"You'll need this." His mother walks up with a cloth cut from one of my dresses.

The cloth fabric symbolizes nature and life. It is sacred tradition for a male to ask for a cloth from his mate. Not only is it a piece of her, but it contains her scent. The cloth of the Luna means love, purity, childbirth, protection, devotion, and powers of divinity. The Luna is mother of the pack. She will wipe the blood, sweat, and tears with her sacred clothing. My wolf stands proud over the pack, but part of my heart feels a forming crack as I recall the initiation process. The blood comes from the Alpha wolf and the cloth is from his Luna. That means Maisy had been the one to offer her cloth when Aidan had been initiated. Jaivan's wolf had been Alpha. Maisy had become his Luna.

"Did you know your grandfather would sometimes have visions?" Luna Betty asks me and I nod. "Sometime after Aidan's birthday, we had received a package from him. It contained a cloth and he only mentioned I would know what to do when the time comes. I didn't understand until the day Maisy was announced as Aidan's mate. They had not acted like mates until the day Stuart decided Jaivan was still worthy of the Alpha position. I had placed two cloths in front of Aidan that day. One belonging to Maisy and the other belonging to you. His wolf chose yours. You are his Luna. Our Luna."

I hug her in thanks after feeling better and foolish for my jealousy. She pats my back in comfort. I see tears in her eyes when she moves back. She says all is as it should be and I agree with her. Jaivan thanks his mother as well and pulls me with him to get started. I giggle at his anxiousness to finish the ritual and get back to the room where we can be alone.

I hold the large bowl as Jaivan pours the bottle of water into it. His eyes meet mine and I see his chest expand with the deep breath he takes. The feeling of love I feel after leaves me breathless and I have to take a deep breath of my own. He smiles when he feels that I return the love for him.

The crowd laughs when my mate cuts his hand with his knife and I become overly concerned at seeing him hurt. He lets his blood drip into the bowl of water. He then lifts his hand to show me he is healed and there's nothing to worry about. The crowd laugh again. I huff and tell him to continue.

Each pack member being initiated scoops the blood water of the Alpha wolf with their hands to drink. Every pack member claps when they feel the connection taking a place within their souls. Jaivan must have heard my thoughts. He laughs my way after I internally hope each of them washed their hands beforehand. Jaivan hands the new member the cloth of the luna to wipe the wetness of their hands with the scent of their mother leader. Jaivan is beaming with happiness with each of them. If he were to be given the Alpha role, this ritual would not have happened without his wolf.

"Would you mind if we did this with the rest of the pack?" Jaivan rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I know we already have the connection from my wolf, but I'm not feeling settled knowing it had been Aidan and Maisy to have done the initiation."

He relaxes when they all agree and the ritual is continued with every member of the pack. The connection we have with them becomes stronger. Jaivan lets his wolf howl loudly in celebration and we all howl back happily. We had been so lost in thought that we had not heard another on our territory. We stop our celebration when Jaivan growls and stands in front of me defensively. I then smell the scent of a Dark pack member.

"Congratulations." The familiar female claps her hands. "It's so honorable of you to welcome a bunch of filthy rogues into your pack. Hadn't it been your idea in the first place Alpha Jaivan? Doesn't it make you angry that your brother stole your role as Alpha? Took credit for your ideas? Stole your mate."

"Jaivan." I make him face me to make sure he doesn't fall for it. She's trying to anger him and place him under the dark spell.

"Aww, the little hero that's supposed to save us all. All you are is a two-timing slut. You lay in bed with your mate's brother and your first mate, but you want to pretend you are so innocent." She scoffs and looks at her nails. "Well, I guess you two were made for each other. You're not the only one to have had the pleasure of undressing your mate. I think the both of us know that he not only has the looks of a God, but the body of one. I'll never forget having my hands all over his body. And I mean...all...over."

"You dare touch my mate." My wolf takes over my body and reaches the girl in under a second. Her hands claw at my arms as I have her in a choke hold. I hear her mother begging me not to kill her daughter. My hands loosen, but tighten again when the girl laughs. "You touched a male that had not belonged to you."

"So did you, sweetheart." She cackles.

"No!" My wolf screams at her. "I was touching my mate. It was my mate I saw and not the worthless imposter."

Something stirs inside of me that I had felt the day I had been on my uncle's pack. There's a vibration in my hand and the dark mist flows from the girl's body. I let her go and she falls to the floor gasping for air. She looks up with confusion and tears. I notice her eyes are no longer hardened and her scent has changed. The darkness has left her.

Jaivan pulls me into his arms, but the fear coming from the others are weighing me down. They are going to turn on me just as my grandfather's pack and my uncle's pack. We need their help, but I ruined it. What have I done?

I pull away from Jaivan and run towards the house. I don't miss the fear in their eyes and their movements to back away when I pass the others. I almost trip climbing up the stairs. I turn back before going inside and see Jaivan trying to run after me, but his pack holds him back wanting answers to their questions.

I run inside, but pause at my decision on where to go. I can't go to his room. He and his pack must hate me now. I can't go to the room I stayed in when I first arrived on this territory. Jaivan had told his pack members to give it to somebody else. There's only one person I know that has been by my side through it all. Well, not at first, but he's there for me now. I run to his room and jump on the bed in tears. I wait in hope for Jaivan to come after me, but he doesn't. I let myself drift in exhaustion and feel my wolf take over.

I open my heavy eyelids when I feel my hair being stroked. A voice calls my name asking me to wake up. I blink my eyes to focus them and frown at the person smiling at me. It's not who I expected and not the person I had hoped to see laying beside me.

"Logan?" I sit up.

"I knew you would look hot waking up next to me." He says in a deep sultry voice and I raise a brow.