Filed To Story: In the Shadow of the Past Luna (Lily & James)
“HE DID WHAT?!?!?!”
I continued to cry and sniffle periodically. “Yes. And… and the worst part… is that… he even… denied… ever…. sleeping… with… me…… Margie rubbed my back sympathetically. “Oh, Sheila. I am so sorry. I do not know why James would do that. Everyone in this pack knows about his arrangements with you.”
I nodded. “But… Margie, this… this is the embarrassing part…”
I did not say anything for a minute or two, waiting for Margie to urge me to speak again. “What, dear? What is the embarrassing part?”
“It… it might be my fault that he thinks he never slept with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you sure you want to know, Margie? It is really embarrassing.”
“Oh, Sheila. Please stop worrying about me. Just tell me what is going on.”
1 I nod. T. I have let him pretend that I am Stephanie while we… you know. I have one of her dresses that I borrowed from her before she died, and I wear that for him. I also let him call me Stephanie when he is… you know… thrusting… Margie started to look uncomfortable, but I kept going. “At first, I thought it was just a game. That we both knew that we were pretending, and that was what he needed to you know…get erect. But after he accused me of lying about us ever sleeping together, I realized that he really believed when the lights turned off that I was Stephanie. Now I know that I… I should have told him earlier that I was not her, but I thought it was just pretend… and I loved Stephanie so much too… so I just… I let him continue. I swear, I did not realize he thought that I really was her.”
Margie looked at me sympathetically. “Oh, Sheila. I am so sorry. I did not realize that that what was happening. That makes so much more sense. Poor James… and poor you.”
Margie thought for a moment. “I can understand now why this would be a problem. But there is an easy fix. You can have your pup’s DNA tested…”
“NOOOOO!!!”
Ok, now time for the most difficult part. Please, Goddess, let Margie fall for this. “If we wait until the pup is born, my pup will not be automatically eligible to be James’ heir. Only pups born in wedlock are. And, worse than that, you know how conservative my family in Europe is. They might disown me if they find out that I got pregnant outside of marriage.”
“Oh, but sweetheart, they can test DNA in utero now. It happens all the time. We will simply get you one of those tests and when we get the results back, James will be forced to marry you and make you his Luna.”
I put my face in my hands and began crying as many ugly tears as I possibly could. “But… but Margie…. the doctor…. says…. that my… my uterus… is shaped in a…. strange… way. It makes me high risk. If I have any of those kinds of tests done, it could risk the pup’s life. I do not want to… to lose my pup, Margie. I could not bear it…”
I can feel Margie stiffen beside me. “No one should be forced by the Andersons to lose their pup, Sheila,”
Margie said in sort-of an eerie voice. “I will talk to Jane. James will accept responsibility for your pup, and the two of you will be married on Stephanie’s birthday, in honor of her.”
1 I glanced over at Margie, keeping my head in my hands. “Are…. are… are you sure? What if… what if James continues to deny that the pup is his? Or refuses to marry me?”
“Do not worry about any of that, Sheila. Luna Jane and Alpha Randall will make him agree. I promise you that.”
I dove into Margie’s arms and gave her a huge hug. “Oh, Margie. I knew that I could count on you. Thank you so much!!r Sheila: 1. James: 0.
(James POV) It has now been three weeks since I left Hawaii. Leaving there without Lily was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. Of course, letting Lily leave with Brady was even harder. Before you ask, the answer is yes: I know very well that Brady did not “drop Lily off”
on his way to Black Moon. Lily clearly has been staying at his pack. She is not the kind of she-wolf who trusts easily… not after everything that has happened to her. For her to trust and embrace both Brady and his security team, it could only mean that she has gotten to know them fairly well over time. As much as I want to hate Brady for hiding my mate and trying to steal her from me, I appreciate that he has been able to make her feel safe and valued. Lily deserves that and more. I hope to one day be able to provide that kind of environment for her myself. Until then, I want Lily to continue to feel safe and protected. That is why I pretended not to know where she was staying; if she was comfortable with me knowing that information, she would have told me. That does not mean that I am a saint when it comes to the idea of Lily being with Brady. I am anything but. In fact, I regularly fantasize about punching Brady to the point that he loses consciousness. I also pray to the Moon Goddess every d&mn day that Lily does not give up on me and allow Brady-or anyone else- to touch or mark her. J In case you were wondering, I still have not been back to West Mountain Pack yet. However, my father called me a few days ago and demanded that I return to the pack. Technically, he ordered me to come back within 24 hours, but his alpha command does not work over the telephone (it only works in person or over mind-link), so I have purposely taken my time. I figure I will come back at the end of this week, I like it assuming I have done what I need to do… and assuming that I… well, feel I am actually a little surprised it took my father two and a half weeks to demand my return. Once I told Joey to tell Sheila to go to hell and find her own way back to the pack, I knew it was only a matter of time before Sheila whined to Margie, and before Margie in turn whined to my parents. I can only imagine what horrible stunt my parents and Margie are going to try to pull when I return. I am sure it will have something to do with making Sheila my luna, because that was what my mother was obsessing over before I left Whatever it is, I will deal with it. My parents have far less power over me than they used to have. At this point, if they push too hard, I will simply walk away from the pack and my future position as alpha. Even if leaving the pack means becoming a rogue, it will be better than living without my mate. That is how In fact, I spent the first week after I returned from Hawaii exploring and staying in random hotels throughout human territory. I wanted to get a sense of whether a rogue life would be something viabl for Lily and I long-term. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that it would be fine for a few weeks or even a few months…..but it would be unfair to ask Luke or Rose to live that way for any longer than that. Wolves. need the ability to shift and be around other wolves. The second week, I went to Red River Pack to see Dr. Hyder again. ***FLASHBACK*** Dr. Hyder sat back in his chair, looking at me suspiciously. “To what do I owe the annoyance of this visit?”
I sighed. Dr. Hyder was always such a gracious host. Best get straight to the point. “I was wondering if you know of any packs that might be willing to accept me into their pack if I renounce West Mountain?”
Dr. Hyder looked at me curiously. “You would be willing to renounce your pack and your position as alpha?”
品 I nodded. “If it means that Lily might consider being with me, then yes. She does not feel comfortable at West Mountain, and I do not feel comfortable living my life without her.”
“You know my son has taken quite a fondness for her himself.”
I cringed, but tried not to let it show. “Yes, I am aware of that.”
“How does that make you feel?”
he asked. For what seemed like forever, I debated with myself about how to respond. I knew there were no right answers to that question; there were only wrong ones. At the end, I decided to just be honest.
“It depends on the day, sometimes the hour. I am glad that Lily has someone around her that makes her feel safe, but at the same time, I want to punch his lights out for even considering sniffing around what is mine.”
Dr. Hyder leaned back in his chair and smiled. “You surprise me, Son.”
“How so?”
“The wolf I knew six months ago was so far up his parents’ a&&, he could not see straight. The wolf who came here a couple of months ago demanding information about Lily wasn’t too much better. But something in you has shifted. I can see it.”
“You could say that. Do my feelings about Brady bother you?”
I asked. “Not at all. I guessed the answer before I asked. I just wanted to see how honest you would be.”
“So you were testing me.”
“Did you expect anything less?”
I shook my head. “So my question, Dr. Hyder.”
“Why are you asking me and not someone else? Your cousin Andrew is with a pack in Canada. Why are you not asking him?”
“This is a delicate situation, as you are fully aware. An alpha wolf renouncing his position and joining another pack could easily lead to political problems if not war. We both know my parents are not going to accept my decision without a fight.”
“That is not an answer. Why me and not your cousin?”
“Two reasons. One, my cousin is close to my mother, and his pack has strong ties to West Mountain. I do not think Andrew would be willing to help me leave, and I do not trust him to not tell my mother I asked. Second, you are already aware of the problems at West Mountain, and your political relationships have already been severed. You have less to lose.”
Dr. Hyder looked at me suspiciously. “How do you know Lily will agree to follow you even if you get into another pack?”
“I don’t. I can only pray she considers it.”
“I heard that you told Sheila to go to hell, and that you made her find her way back to the states by herself.”
“I did relay that message to her, but she had two security guards with her so she was not entirely alone. Who told you about it? Are you talking to my parents?”
“No, Son. I have sources in many places.”
“Why does everything have to be a riddle with you?”
“Next question.”
“Goddess, seriously? We are back to that nonsense again?”
“No. I just needed to keep you on your toes.”
“Do you have any suggestions for me?”
I asked, getting frustrated. “It depends.”
I rubbed my temples. I was getting a headache. “On what?”
“I still do not understand why you want to leave West Mountain.”
“The riddles are getting old, Dr. Hyder. I already told you, and I know you already know anyway. Lily does not feel comfortable at West Mountain. After what happened on the night that Stephanie died -and given all of the pack members who I turned against her afterward- I cannot blame Lily for never wanting to go back there again.”
Dr. Hyder looked at me confused. “The night that Stephanie died?”
Dr. Hyder’s confusion seemed sincere, as opposed to the “I am only asking you questions that I already know the answers to”
routine he had been playing up until this point. “Lily did not tell you?”
“No.”
“What? I thought that was what the whole riddle nonsense was about last time. You wanted me to figure out that Lily had nothing to do with Stephanie’s death.”
“Son, I think that you are still missing some important pieces of the puzzle.”
“So tell me what they are.”
“No.”
I stood up. This was getting me nowhere. “Good to see you, Dr. Hyder. Until next time.”
“Son?”
“You want to offer me another riddle? Ask me more personal questions?”
“No. I want to offer you a list of names. I suggest you talk to them.”
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?