Taya's POV
It's the day before the fight and I'm slightly sore. I had my last physical training session yesterday. Nick and Jesse decided that it would be best for me to rest completely today and give my body time to heal from all of the training before the fight with Jasmine.
Jesse knew I had met with Jasmine the second I cam home. Luckily I dropped off the basket in the territory before I came home so he still doesn't know that I gave her food. He could smell her on me the second I got into the house. He was upset with me and asked why I went down there. I told him about Jasmine giving up her womb for the witches potion and explained how bad I felt for her. He doesn't feel quite the same way, to say the least.
Today is supposed to be a chill day but of course Nick wants to go over the last little bits of strategy with me. I'm sitting on Jesse's lap and Nick is sitting across from us with a notepad.
"So you know your three main strengths, speed and agility and your wolf's innocent aura", he tells me.
I roll my eyes, "yes Nick".
"Don't roll your eyes at me Missy. I'm trying to save your life", he says playfully while ruffling my hair. His hand gets stuck in a curl as he is trying to pull it away.
"Argh! Ow stop it. You're so annoying move", I tell him then realize that his hand is stuck. "Okay wait-", I say but it's too late.
He rips his hand out of my hair taking a few strands with it.
"Ow! You jerk", I say to him. Jesse rubs soothing circles in my head and kisses it frequently.
"Okay well fine. We can be done", Nick tells me.
Tawny is in the kitchen finishing up lunch. She brings all of the food into the dining room with Max's help. We all eat dinner and Max leads a prayer to the moon goddess for my safety tomorrow. Jesse feeds me my entire lunch and I'm not nearly as embarrassed as I usually am. If I live through tomorrow I'm actually very content to let him baby me for the rest of our lives.
Tawny comes up to me and asks me to speak alone with her outside. I'm surprised because she hasn't really spoken to me much since the fight with Jasmine. It takes a little bit to convince Jesse to let me out of his sight though.
"Jesse, please. I'll be back in ten minutes tops. I promise", I say trying to get out of his lap.
"No. There is a possibility you won't be here by the end of tomorrow and I'm gonna miss those ten minutes", he says to me matter of factly.
"Jesse come on", I say struggling. "We'll make out tonight with a touch of dry humping for like an hour if you just let me go right now".
He lets me out of his lap but is still holding my hand. Obviously mulling it over in his head.
"An hour and a half at least and you've got a deal", he says to me.
"Fine", I say and peck him on the lips quickly and grab Tawny's hand, speed walking out before he changes his mind.
Tawny and I are outside and she is in a weird mood.
"What's wrong babe", I ask her.
"I've been such a bad friend to you. I'm so sorry", she tells me.
I laugh, "jeez way to scare me. You're fine. No worries. This affects other people not just me. I realize that".
"No, I've been giving Jasmine a tiny bit of food every couple of days. I feel so guilty and if you want to tell Alpha Jesse I understand and will accept any punishment he sees fit', she says to me.
I'm shocked a little but I'm not upset, "you're fine. I gave her food to".
She looks at me strangely, like she's frustrated with what I said. I don't understand why though.
"Stop being so understanding, you don't get it. I love her. Every since she came here we've been close friends. That's my girl and I want you to win but there is also a part of me that wants to see Jasmine come out of the fight alive tomorrow", Tawny says in a sudden outburst.
I don't know what to say, I look at her and she's crying.
"You're my Luna and friend and my loyalty lies with the Alpha and his people, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't love Jasmine", she mumbles under tears.
"Stop all of that crying. I'm just glad that you're not upset with me", I tell her. "I obviously want to win tomorrow and I'm going to try my damnest to do that but I promise that if I do Jasmine will get a proper burial and all of the respect and admiration at her funeral that she deserves. She's not a bad person, she just got lost along the way and I don't think anyone can help her find her way back", I tell Tawny earnestly.
Tawny hugs me and cries, "thank you, you truly are a kind spirit".
I let her cry for a few minutes then say, "we better go back inside before Jesse comes looking for me. Why don't you go to the bathroom and clean yourself up then come join us"?
She nods at me and then heads towards the back of the pack house. I go back inside and Jesse corrals me into his lap almost instantly. We hang around for a little while then go upstairs.
"I'm cashing in on that promise you made earlier", he tells me while kissing my neck.
We're swaying together slightly and he pulls away. I kiss his neck and he makes a sound that has me wanting more.
I feel the urge to let my wolf take over slightly. So I go with that feeling. Then I feel my mouth watering and my teeth elongating. I'm biting his neck and as soon as I hear his moans of pleasure I straddle him and kiss my way to his mouth.
"You just marked me back baby", he tells me. I smile against his lips and we kiss for a while. When we're both tired, he lays down next to me.
"I believe in you baby.. I know it doesn't seem like it with how many protective measures we've gone through but I just need you as safe as possible", he tells me.
I snuggle up to his side, "thank you for that bubs".
I'm starting to fall asleep as I hear his prayer to the Moon Goddess
Moon Goddess please give me the strength to take on the pain of my mate if need be
Please give me the strength to support my mate in any and all ways that I can
Please give me the strength to use my healing mate's touch if and when the opportunity arises
Please give my mate the strength to fight as well as I know she can
Please, Moon Goddess. I know that she is amazing and you'd likely like to meet her but please leave me my mate at the end of tomorrow's sunset.
I fall asleep even more in love with my mate then I've ever been.
YOU ARE READING
The Mating Rights
Werewolf"I'm not going to apologize for you being my mate because I would rather have no one else but I do wish you didn't have to deal with the hardships", I tell her, sincerely sorry for the stress she now has because of me. She puts her head down agai...
