Filed To Story: In the Shadow of the Past Luna (Lily & James)
My mother stood up and approached me. “Stephanie, darling, are you okay?”
“It is James!”
Jane stood up. “What about James? Is he okay?”
I smiled as I started jumping up and down. “Yes! He is on his way home! He just texted me! He will be here on Friday!!!!”
“Oh, that is amazing news! I am so glad! Finally!!!”
my mother exclaimed. She then turned to Jane.
“See, Jane! I told you that they were mates. Why else would he reach out to Stephanie before any of us?”
“Maybe because you are the one who texts him 50 times each day,”
my wolf said in annoyance.
Ignoring my wolf, I explained the crisis situation to my mother. “There is a problem, though, Mom… I have not been able to leave the packhouse, so I have not been able to get my hair done, or my nails done, or. even get a proper waxing. And what am I supposed to wear if I cannot go shopping?!?!?”
My mother thought for a moment. “Oh, dear. Well… perhaps we can ask the werewolf council for meet your mate! What do you think, Jane?”
Jane scoffed. “I think Stephanie looks fine the way she is.”
I felt hurt by Jane’s words, and so I gave my mother a look.
“What Jane means, dear, is that you are so beautiful already that you already put all the other she-wolves in the pack to shame. Isn’t that right, Jane?”
Jare scowled at both of us.
My mother waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever. You can ignore Jane; she is just sad that James did not text her. Now, let us talk about how get that pass for you—“
“-And for me, too,”
Sheila piped up.
“For you? Why for you?”
I asked, annoyed.
“I am the future mother of James’ heir, I should look the part too, Stephanie.”
I glared at her, ready to attack. “Sheila, if you say one more time that you
“GIRLS! Stop it,”
my mother scolded. “We have already talked about this. Stephanie, even though the pup is in Sheila’s womb, he or she was conceived as a result of the love that James has for you. When the pup is born, you and James will raise him or her. And until then, we will treat Sheila with respect and include her as part of our family.
I growled but reluctantly agreed. I was still not comfortable with the fact that James slept with Sheila. No matter how many times my mother told me that James only cheated because he believed Sheila was me, it did not feel right. He was mine, and our first time together should have been with me.
I also could not get over Sheila’s betrayal. Even if James thought he was sleeping with me, Sheila clearly knew who she was sleeping with. Urgh. I may be pretending to play nice now, but once I am made Luna, I will have to come up with some way to punish her.
“So you will get the pass for both Stephanie and me?”
Sheila asked my mother in excitement.
“Of course.”
“Another issue, Mom…. I know we have been working on the plans for my welcome home and engagement party, but that is still a ways away… I know that James and I are going to want to celebrate on Friday night as well. We all are! The future alpha and luna will finally be reunited! Do you think we could do a small get together on Friday night as well? Just close family and friends?”
“I do not see why not. We would not need to accommodate more than 50 wolves, right?”
“Maybe 100?”
I suggested. “I don’t want anyone to feel excluded.”
My mother smiled: “Of course, my dear. 100 should not be a problem.”
“What about your son, Stephanie?”
Jane asked.
“What son?”
“Jackson. You know, the one that you had with that human? Is he going to be invited?”
Urgh. Seriously. Why do people keep bringing Jackson up?!? Jackson was part of my past. James is my future.
“Jackson is with his father.”
“But you are his mother.”
“Not anymore. His father is more than capable of taking care of him.”
“Don’t you care about your own flesh and blood?”
“URGH. SHUT UP ALREADY,”
I thought to myself.
I needed to figure out how to close this little chapter once and for all. The last thing that I need is the topic of Jackson and Antonio interfering with my relationship with James. I had been thinking for months about how to solve the Jackson/ Antonio problem, but I had not had any good ideas.
But then, the solution hit me. Right when I needed it the most. Granted, the solution was a bit cliché and at bit overused, but who was going to have the guts to challenge me on it?
I covered my face with my hands and forced myself to start crying.
“Are you okay, honey? What is wrong?”
“Mom, it’s just… Jackson…. it is so hard for me every time someone brings him up.
someone brings him up. I… I have been trying to ignore it because I did not want to tell any of you this… but… Antonio…
I kept crying, making myself sound like a whimpering mess. Antonio was right when he said a few years. ago that I should have been an actress. I was actually offered a couple of parts in a couple of movies, but I had to turn them down because I was worried that someone from the werewolf community would recognize me.
“Honey, what is it? You can tell us anything.”
“I… I don’t like to talk about Jackson… because… the night Jackson was conceived…. Antonio r-r-r-r-raped me.”
“Oh my goddess,”
my mother, Sheila, and Jane said at the exact same time. My mother sounded shocked and sympathetic. However, Sheila and Jane sounded frustrated and annoyed.
Whatever.
“Are you
“Are you seriously going to play the rape card?”
Jane asked. “Are you going to pretend like the entire pack
I removed my hands from my face and stared daggers at Jane. My mother turned and did the same thing.
After a minute or two of silence, Jane relented. “Fine.”
My mother turned back to me. “Oh, honey, I am so sorry that all of that happened to you. Why don’t we make Friday night’s party even bigger? A big celebration to celebrate your new and safer and happier life?”
“I would love that! Thank you, Mom!!!”
“How much is this party going to cost us?”
Jane asked bitterly.
Seriously, what is wrong with Jane right now??? She was never like this before. I wonder what has changed. Could it just be menopause? I mean, Jane would be pretty young to be going through it, but I cannot think of any valid reason for Jane to be this bitter or angry with me.
I am going to have to talk to James about Jane when he gets back. Whatever the problem is, he will have to help her fix it. I do not want to spend the rest of my life with a horrible, bitter mother-in-law. Antonio’s mother was tough enough to deal with.
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?