12. September

Chapter 12

September

NIKA

After the rogue attack, Thorin and I shut ourselves away in the office after we got back to the pack house. He told me everything he and Warren had learned from Miriam while she was under the Alpha’s command. It was hard to watch Thorin’s heart break as he recounted how his father had apparently been unfaithful to his mother. She had grown sick and unhealthy as a result, which probably contributed to her death. It was a shame that she had to meet the same fate as her moon-blessed, considering he was the source of all her pain.

That was the reason I grew angrier with the gods and goddesses. I always believed that they looked out for us and wanted only the best for their creations. The more I learned, the more it felt like we were just some sort of sport or game to them instead. If Miriam was to be believed, there was another goddess involved in the mix and she was hell bent on creating chaos through the destruction of Selene’s moon-blessed bonds as well as the deaths of prominent figures in the shifter community.

The other thing we learned, after Thorin managed to track down his Aunt Alicia and throw her in the cells, was that his aunt had not been a willing follower of whomever this mystery goddess was. She had some sort of sigil implanted in her right shoulder blade. She must have been fighting whatever magic it held because there was an angry red mark around the site that made it easy to find. Once it was removed, she explained to Thorin that she thought the woman had done the same thing to her son, Viktor. It was just a feeling she had though, as she had never seen the woman who claimed to be a goddess with Vik.

The shifter council was still busy trying to sort out what went wrong with my old pack. There was some sort of scandal with Aiden and Avery’s parents that we only heard whispers of. While I wondered if they were also the victims of bored gods and goddesses playing games with their lives, it wasn’t sometime we mentioned to the council yet. It had been three weeks since Miriam’s admission that she had been working with a still unnamed goddess.

We were no closer to finding out who the goddess was, what she wanted, or why she was so determined to remove Thorin and his family from ruling the Grasslands Pack. We didn’t want to speculate that the same thing happened to my former pack because the circumstances there had been very different. Then again, that might have been the difference between their pack not having someone as completely unhinged as Miriam to make the plays. My thoughts were interrupted as someone knocked on the door to my room and then opened it before I could respond.

“Are you ready?”

I turned to see my best friend in the doorway. She tracked me down in the room we used to share. Janella had been given her own space and I asked that Thorin move me out of his rooms until we officially mated. So, he placed me back in the space I occupied with my friend when we first arrived at the Grasslands Pack. It felt a bit like going backward, but there wasn’t any way to deny that the separation of Thorin and my personal space helped.

“Just about. What are you up to?”

Janella kicked at the area rug on the floor. “I just wanted to wish you good luck. Is that a thing for dates?” She almost seemed startled, or maybe worried, that she had done something wrong.

“There is nothing wrong with wishing someone good luck on a date. I think it will be okay, considering Thorin isn’t exactly a stranger.” She must have sensed something in my tone.

“Why do you sound so unsure then?”

“I don’t know what he has planned, and while I’ve been doing better with learning to trust most of the pack again, I’m not sure I’m ready to be under a microscope with them either. What if Thorin takes me out and the pack disapproves of something?”

Janella shrugged her shoulders. “I think you need to forget about that. You are going to be their Luna. It doesn’t really matter if they disapprove of something you do. Technically, you can make it a rule that they have to like whatever it is.”

I laughed at her. “I would never abuse my authority like that.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about, Nika. Seriously, most of the pack already likes you and the ones who didn’t were under some sort of spell.”

“How are you handling everything?”

She shrugged again, but I could tell by the way her body wilted inward that things between her and Viktor had not improved yet. He might have had the sigil removed from his back, but he continued to disappear and go to the woman we all knew he was seeing. Thorin wanted to give his cousin the benefit of the doubt, since he seemed adamant that he was not involved with whoever this goddess was that had put him under the power of her sigil. Still, it hurt my friend to know that he was no longer under that spell, or whatever it was, and yet he chose to keep going to whoever he had hidden away off the pack’s lands.

“I can ask Thorin to force his hand.”

Tears welled in Janella’s eyes as she shook her head. “If a person has to be compelled to be with me, then I don’t want them.”

“I’m so sorry, honey.”

She waved me off. “I wanted to check on you and see if you needed help getting ready. The movies I’ve watched since we have been here all show friends getting ready for things like dates together.”

“I suppose that is true for humans. Most shifters don’t date, they…” I stopped myself there.

“They have moon-blessed mates they feel an immediate connection with?” Janella finished for me in the form of a question.

“Yeah, that.”

“Well, that’s not true for me and it wasn’t really true for you in the beginning either. So, I think we should make our own traditions.”

“That sounds lovely. What do you think of this outfit?” I stood and spun so that my friend could weigh in on whether the red, knee-length, form-fitting dress I picked for the occasion was a good choice or not.

“You look amazing in that. Don’t be surprised if Thorin tries to seal the deal with you tonight.” Janella waggled her eyebrows at me in a very comical over exaggeration of the gesture that made me laugh.

All thoughts of best friends, evil pack members, goddesses, and issues with moon-blessed mates went out the window the moment Thorin walked up to the door. Janella had already moved inside and even she seemed to appreciate the way he looked. His beard was trimmed close to his face, hair cropped just short as the first time I met him, and his smile was just as enchanting as ever. It was the black dress slack, slick shoes, and button down shirt that hugged his form in all the right places while his sleeves were rolled up his forearms that really gave my mate the wow factor.

His normal attire was more in the realm of jeans and t-shirts or something that was work friendly for whatever the pack needed help with. It was rare to see him dressed up and it made me smile that he put in the effort for me.

“Hey handsome,” I called out.

“I would ask if you’re ready, but you can’t improve on perfection, so I assume so.” Thorin winked as he delivered that equal parts swoon and cheesy line.”

“On that note, I’m going to head to the movies with some of the girls.”

“Have fun, Janella.”

She smiled back at me and then took off out the door before Thorin could speak to her. “She still thinks I’m going to become an inquisitor,” He lamented.

“I know it was necessary, and so does she, but it didn’t sit well that she was the one who had to answer questions about your cousin-”

“Her mate,” Thorin cut me off to interject the obvious.

“Her potential mate - the same man who rejected her,” I corrected back. “It didn’t sit well that she was made to answer questions about their interactions when it should have been him who you questioned.”

“I know. If we could have found him first, it would have been.”

“That doesn’t change the facts, Thorin. Now, you have to deal with the consequences. She doesn’t trust you as much as she did in the beginning.”

My mate sighed. “I think I’m doomed to lose the faith of the women in my life.”

“At least it is in a rotation and not all at once,” I offered in a teasing tone.” Thorin guided me out of my room and down the hall. “Where are we going?”

“Out to dinner in Andersonville.”

“A human town?” I gasped.

He smirked at me and then swatted my hip playfully. “Yes, a human town. We don’t have anything that compares to their candlelit dinners in restaurants that require you to have a reservation to be seated.”

“Oh, so you’re pulling out all the stops to get on my good side?”

“I’d do anything to get, and stay, on your good side, Nika.”

I ducked my head to hide the pleased smile on my face as we made our way out of the pack house and over to the car that waited for us.

Once we were tucked inside the car and on our way, Thorin reached over and plucked my closest hand from my lap and wrapped it into his own. “I know you are still wary of my pack, Nika.” He must have noticed me flinching, because immediately he changed tack a bit. “Maybe that was the wrong way to approach it. I don’t blame you for being wary of them, or anyone, at this point. We still don’t know who this goddess supposedly is, what she wants, or why she targeted my pack or my family specifically.”

“I’ve honestly thought about how maybe she was summoned by that vile bitch you are still holding in the cells.” I shivered again. “While there is nothing to fear from Miriam herself, if the woman managed to summon a demon or even a demigod to do her bidding, then we might be in real trouble. If there truly is a goddess on her side, how long will it be until there are reprisals for keeping that woman locked up?”

“I’ve had the same thoughts.”

“You have?” There was no need to hide the shock in my voice.

“Of course. I’ve even gone so far as to have the majority of the pack searched for the sigil we saw embedded in the skin of those who were helping Miriam and whatever the hell she has been working with.”

“So, you don’t believe it is a goddess either?”

Thorin gave my fingers a quick, reassuring squeeze. “I don’t know and not knowing is what makes me question everything. Why would a god need to embed a sigil inside shifters to get them to do their bidding?”

“Selene told me that despite the plans the gods make, we still have the freedom to choose our own paths. She said the fact that anyone rejects their moon-blessed mate is evidence of that. What if they only hold so much power and the rest is up to us?”

“It still wouldn’t explain any of them getting into bed to do Miriam’s bidding.”

I shook my head at that. “I don’t think that is the right way of looking at it. Miriam is the one doing this woman’s bidding - whether she’s a goddess, demon, or something else. Unlike the others, there was no need for her to be forced into anything because Miriam already had an agenda that made her susceptible to go along with whatever plans had been hatched.”

“Now, that I believe. Miriam was never one to be clever enough to have almost overthrown our whole pack. It does make me wonder how far back this supposed goddess’s influence went.”

“Your father?”

Thorin nodded. “He was so staunchly against those who would choose a path that led them from their moon-blessed mate. Everything he did was to discourage the use of Mirage Island, and to make sure that on the rare occasion someone chooses differently, that the innocent party who was left behind wouldn’t be punished for the other’s decision. It doesn’t track with a man who would willingly cheat on his moon-blessed mate.”

“Maybe your father was also under the influence of a sigil.”

“In that case, I’d say it had to be the work of a deity. Nothing else could have ripped a man from his staunch belief in moon-blessed unions.”

We sat thoughtful for a few moments as Thorin continued to drive us toward Andersonville. “Sorry, I know that was a heavy topic and not really date night approved.”

“We said we would be honest with one another about what is on our minds,” I reminded him. “I think it’s okay if that honesty takes place during date night too. It’s not like either of us can really turn our position within the pack off. There will also be a bit of pack business, family business, or whatever else that will bleed through into our private time.”

“You keep trying to tell me that you aren’t perfect, all the while showing me every single way that you are.” I giggled. It was something my mate continuously tried to convince me of.

“No pedestals. I don’t want to live up to it and you will only be let down in the end.”

“Doubtful, but I will try to find your flaws if it makes you happy.”

I rolled my eyes as we pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant. “Wow, this place looks amazing.” The exterior of the building had the appearance of a log cabin sitting atop a stone foundation. It almost looked as though someone magically grew the place right out of the backdrop at the foothills of the mountains. Considering Thorin’s pack was located in what was the flattest portion and base leading into the foothills, and we hadn’t traveled that far, it felt as though the scene had moved to meet us in the middle somehow.

“This place doesn’t even seem real,” I mentioned again and Thorin nodded along with me.

“It is at the very edge of Andersonville, so a bit further abreast from the heavy human population.”

“I feel other shifters here.” There was at least one Alpha amongst the few shifters whose presence I felt. I turned to look at Thorin and he nodded, while also looking worried.

“I didn’t think about the fact that other shifters tend to frequent this place as well. It is neutral ground, and no one is allowed to shift here. The owner is human, but has a close connection to the shifter community somehow.” Instead of getting out of the car, Thorin remained seated and continued to hold my hand. “We are not fully mated yet,” He finally voiced his major concern.”

“The may be true, but I am still your moon-blessed. There is no way someone in there could possibly tempt me away from you. Let’s go before you lose your nerve and ruin our date by making me sit in the parking lot smelling the delicious aromas coming from that place without ever being able to taste it.” I tossed a teasing smile his way as I moved to open my door.

“No you don’t.” He hopped out and sat back to wait for my mate to come open my door for me. It was a sweet gesture, but also one of possessiveness. In case anyone was inside watching us. They would see an Alpha who was determined to care for his woman, whether we were fully mated or not. I had to give Thorin credit for his chivalry as he took my hand and gently helped to ease me out of the car.

The man’s eyes never left my own and the warm brown in them seemed to melt as something between us clicked into place. It felt as though our bond strengthened as stared into one another’s eyes. He pulled me tight to his body and leaned in to kiss my lips, caught up in the same trance I had fallen under. “Sorry,” Thorin whispered without moving away. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“All is forgiven.” While I meant his hesitancy to get out of the car and the kiss he thought he stole from me, it felt like my forgiveness extended to everything else too. To be fair, I had forgiven Thorin, and his wolf side, for the way he had marked me. In my eyes, that was the only thing that required forgiveness and only because he couldn’t offer it to himself. I truly understood.

While I knew those three words meant far more to Thorin, it became evident rather quickly when he stole another, far more heated, kiss while we stood there in the parking lot for all to see. My heart melted a little more for the man who had been through too much to come out the other side with such a sweet disposition for his mate.

It was during that date that I knew we would be okay, no matter what.