Lunar

Chapter 04

**TW** There is very very brief mention of suicide in this chapter. I understand that this is a very heavy and sensitive topic and have indicated the beginning and end of the paragraph where it is mentioned. Yes, it is only about seven words that this occurs and it is not in detail at all but there is never such a thing as being too safe. Please, read at your own risk and take care of yourself. With love, B

Henry and I stood there awkwardly while Lilly and Alec – as the other pack members told us – greeted each other. We went over to stand with the small crowd who eventually realized we were of no threat to them and lead us to their outdoor dining hall where they were holding a cookout, just like Henry said they would be.

"You caught us on a really good night," one of the mothers said, "Alpha West and his little brother, our Beta, are out running some errands plus we all just ate; any kind of conversation or negotiation will probably go over well."

Just like we, mainly Henry, who was chowing down on his third hotdog, planned.

And their gamma just found his mate – who also happens to be my best friend.

Which we did not plan but I guess we'll take all the luck we could get.

"So, tell me a little bit about your Alpha, Mrs. Williams," I asked the nice woman.

"As long as you promise me you won't tell him what I think about him."

"You have my word, ma'am."

"Sometimes he shoves his head a little bit too far up his own ass and gets carried away with the title he's been given. He's twenty-one years old and tough as can be – one hell of a fighter, I'm telling you. He definitely cares for his pack, though, and nobody means more to him than his brother."

Wow, he's so young. I mean, I guess I don't really have much room to talk but, still, I wonder how old his brother is.

And, answering my thoughts – which happens kind of often to me, now that I think about it, Mrs. Williams said, "His brother, Ryder, is our Beta. He's only seventeen and Alpha West is so protective over him that he doesn't really let him do much on his own. He's really the whole reason why Alpha picked our pack up and moved out here – things were getting kind of sketchy back home and Alpha wasn't taking any chances on Ryder's safety."

"What about your Gamma?" I ask.

"Oh, Alec? He's basically Alpha's right-hand-man; they've been best friends for as long as I can remember. If our Alpha wasn't so good at what he does – no matter how rude he can be – Alec would make a great leader, but he's very happy in his position, anyways."

I wonder why their alpha is the only one that she addresses formally.

Deciding not to ask that question I skip to what I'm most curious about, "What about the former Alpha and Luna?"

"It really is a sad story," she begins, her whole demeaner immediately changing, "they were wonderful leaders, they really were, but Former Alpha West got mixed in with the wrong type: rogues. It started off as a simple contract between them, they could use our amenities free of charge – like our clinic and diner, that stuff – if they promised to not bother our pack like they were the others. It was selfish, yes, but I guessed it backfired on him later. He ended up getting so involved with them, all right under our noses, and somehow got caught in the crossfire when he wouldn't agree to an attack on another pack."

**

Taking a short break to take a breath and move her lose strands of hair behind her ears, she started again, "Our Luna, Erica, was so depressed for so long over the loss of her husband and how involved with the wrong people he got, she ended up taking her own life. Our Alpha was only sixteen when it happened. He was so close to his mother, that poor boy, it really turned his world upside down and he hasn't been able to forgive them since. He hates to talk about it, though, so nobody mentions it around him."