Unrelenting Destiny

13. Dreamstate

Luciana Faith Moore

Luci hadn't seen Jasper since he disappeared into the basement to address Ivan and had spent her day wandering the packhouse. She hadn't even run into Orianna, who had departed to a friend's house soon after their talk. With the house off-limits per Jasper's orders, it felt like she was there alone. The sun had dipped below the horizon, darkness overtaking the grounds. Luci was making herself a sandwich for dinner in the kitchen, the small TV sitting on the counter filling the silence.

Footsteps drew her attention just as she was about to cut the sandwich in half. It was Beta Embry, "Oh, Luciana. I'm sorry, I honestly forgot you were here."

"I don't blame you." Luci chuckled half-heartedly as she turned back to her food, "It seems like I came at a...difficult time."

Embry nodded, opening the fridge and pouring himself a glass of orange juice, "You have no idea."

Luci turned, offering him half of her sandwich, which he took gratefully. They sat together, eyes on the TV screen as they shared a meal. As a commercial flickered on, he asked her, "Jasper told me you were banished from your pack for deserting The Claiming. Do you know what you're going to do now?"

The girl bit at her bottom lip, wanting desperately to voice what she wanted to do - to be Jasper's mate and live there with him. But she shook her head, "I've never been on my own like this. I would hope to have a place in Astral Twilight if Alpha Jasper allows it. But I supposed if he doesn't, I'll have to find my place somewhere else."

That was a difficult ticket. Rouges were not easily accepted anywhere, the whole point of banishment was to negate a wolf's existence in a pack. But since she had not really been banished, she bore no mark to say otherwise. It were these major holes in Jasper's story that Luci worried about. She had to be careful with what she said. Why did it feel like their entire mating was predicated on lying to others?

She excused herself to the guest room, getting ready for bed and lying in the unfamiliar room. Luckily she had brought some books with her, losing herself in the familiar fiction.

Luci was up late, the clock on her bedside table ticking just past 2AM. The sound of footsteps slowly crept to her door and she moved her gaze from her book. A small knock on the door brought her to her feet, hesitantly moving to press her ear to the wood as she whispered, "H-hello?"

"Luci, it's me." The familiar baritone caused her to quickly open the door, coming face-to-face with her mate. She sighed in relief as he brought his arms around her, hugging her as she sighed into his chest. They quickly closed the door behind them, standing in their embrace.

"I missed you," she breathed in his robust scent, invigorated once more.

"So much was happening today, I'm sorry." Jasper mumbled into her hair, placing kisses along the silken strands, "I'm sorry for lying to Orianna. I just couldn't deal with it all at once."

"I know, it's okay." Luci looked up, feeling the pull of their bond surging through her as she placed a kiss on his lips. Their mouths lingered together in a sweet lock, deepening as his grip on her tightened. Jasper lifted his small mate into his arms, prying her lips open with his tongue as he moved towards the bed. He fell backwards, her small frame straddling him as her hands cupped his face.

Her sweet little body pressed into his hardened muscle, making him groan as she nibbled at his bottom lip. He took hold of her waist, grinding her hips against his heightening bulge. She had been wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt and some boyshorts to bed, her slit becoming slick with pleasure.

Jasper trailed his mouth along her jaw and nibbled at the skin of her neck as he whispered, "It's so hard being far from you, my love. Through all of this, I can't help but think about you."