24

Chapter 24 – Truth
I was falling, falling into a cold dark pit. I crashed to the bottom of the hole laying in my own personal hell surrounded by darkness. My heart was racing, and I could taste the blood running from my nose. There was a stabbing pain in my stomach, and I reached for my baby. Cradling my little bump, I cried frantically. “Please be okay, please be okay.”
“Lucy, Lucy, wake up.” Someone was shaking me.
A scream escaped my lips and I sat up in bed, sweat was beading on my face and my heart was racing. I felt strong arms pulling me into the comfort of a warm chest. I was struggling to breath and couldn’t control my sobs. A familiar woodsy and musk scent hit my nose and started calming me.
“I’ve got you, you’re safe.” Diesel cooed as he rubbed circles on my back for a few minutes until I was calm enough.
“It was just a bad dream.”
“No.” I sobbed. “It wasn’t. It really happened; it was real.”
He looked down at me with pain in his eyes. “I want to know.”
I wanted to tell him everything, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t want to lose him. I looked into his searching eyes and my heart ached. I knew I had to tell him, he deserved to know.
“The night of my first shift, Ranger found me and discovered I was his mate. H-He took me to the cabin an-and mated with me. Then he rejected me.”
Diesel let out a low growl.
“H-He said I was weak and couldn’t defend myself. He said I was unfit to be L-Luna and he needed to pick someone who was strong for the pack, so he picked Miranda.” The tears streamed down my face.
Diesel pulled me back into his chest. “Ranger is a self-centered fool.” “That’s not all.” I pulled back and looked down sobbing.
“You can tell me.” He said.
I hesitated, took a deep breath. “After he rejected me, he tried to sleep with me again, but I refused. He wanted to keep me as a mistress for Rex, so the punishments continued because I wouldn’t give in. I had already planned my escape, but then Miranda burned an iron mark through your mother’s Luna dress and blamed me. Before I knew it, Ranger had carried me out to the hole, he ripped my clothes off and pushed me in.”
I looked up into Diesels eyes and could see he was struggling to control his wolf. He didn’t say anything.
“When he pu-pushed me in, he didn’t know that I was pregnant. I-I lost the pup—” I sobbed.
He pulled me into his chest and kissed the top of my head. I could feel his strong heartbeat drumming and anger pulsing through his aura. He placed his head down into my neck and inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself.
After what seemed like an eternity, he looked into my eyes. “I don’t know anyone who could endure what you’ve been through and still survive. You’re the strongest she wolf I have ever met and I’m lucky the Moon Goddess sent you to me.” He lifted my chin and placed a kiss on my lips. “You were born to be a Luna Lucy. My Luna.”
Lia happily yipped. “Mate still wants us.”
I threw my arms around his neck and cried tears of relief, tears of joy and tears for my pup. He pulled me back down under the blankets and I laid my head on his chest. We laid in silence for the next hour just breathing in each other’s scent. The sky started to lighten with the break of dawn on the horizon.
“I have to attend to business at the office today. Are you still feeling up to shopping? There’s a large mall by the office and a closet that needs to be filled with clothes.” Diesel kissed the top of my head again.
“I don’t want to disappoint Payton.” I looked up at him and smiled, my eyes felt swollen from crying.
An hour later, Payton, Elliot, Diesel and I, were all standing on the roof top of the west wing at the helicopter. Elliot and Payton sat in the pilot seats and placed large headphones over their ears. Diesel sat in the back and pulled me on his lap.
He put large headphones on both of our heads, and I heard his husky voice come through. “The headphones are so we can hear each other. If you get scared, you can hold tight to me little one.” He winked at me.
He was wearing a tailored, dark charcoal, suit and blue tie that complemented his smoking hot body. His muscled arms wrapped around my waist and he planted a kiss on my neck.
“We’re all cleared for takeoff Sir. We should arrive in Vancouver in forty-five minutes.” Elliot’s voice came through the headphones and he started the take off. Diesel instinctively rubbed circles on my back to ease the flight jitters. During the flight he pointed out landmarks, bodies of water and other interesting points below. The city came into view and we descended on the helipad that topped a tall building which read, LaRue Enterprises.
Diesel linked his fingers through mine and walked us towards the elevator. The office building was sleek and modern. We walked past his secretary, who was an older she wolf in her fifties. “Good Morning Sir, the files are all on your desk and your coffee is ready.” She smiled.
“Thank you. Pearl, this is my beautiful mate, Lucy.” He introduced us and she beamed back a smile.
“Welcome Luna! Is there anything I can get for you?”
“The keys to the Escalade please, Elliot is taking the ladies shopping.” Diesel said.
“Yes sir, I’ll be right back.”
We stepped into Diesel’s office, it had floor to ceiling windows with stunning views of the city. I walked over to them and looked out. Diesel sat down in his large leather chair. He pulled out his black card and handed it over to Payton.
“Come here.” He motioned for me to come over to him. When I was close enough, he pulled me onto his lap. “Now, I want you to go with my sister and do me a favor.”
“A favor?” I repeated.
“I want you to try and max out my black card.” He placed a kiss on my neck. “Buy anything you want, little one.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll help her.” Payton gave him a wide smile.
Three hours later and Elliot was making another trip to the mall parking garage to unload our bags. I can’t remember the last time I had anything new from the store and was nervous when Payton stacked arm loads of clothes for me at the register. We continued to shop and went into a boutique dress shop, where she forced me to try on casual dresses and formal gowns. “Diesel will love all of them on you.” She smiled and walked all of them over to the register.
We met Elliot back at the food court and ordered some burgers. I chewed on my burger and looked around, the mall was filled with humans shopping and the occasional wolf. I couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that we were being watched.
“Is there another pack in this city? I asked.
“The city is neutral territory, there are wolves who work in the city from other small packs. There are also lone wolfs who choose to live human lives
here.” Elliot said.
Maybe I was just sensing other wolfs nearby and Lia was on edge being in a new environment. She was missing the comfort of her mate. We continued eating our lunch and Payton filled me in on LaRue Enterprises.
The company developed security software and systems. Ranger managed the U.S. branch and Diesel managed the Canadian branch. Diesel had expanded his branch internationally a few years ago and held eighty percent of the shares in LaRue Enterprises as a result. He came into the city every Monday for meetings and handled all other business from home.
We continued shopping for two more hours and had bags full of shoes, coats, jackets, makeup, toiletries, accessories, and underwear. Payton bought herself a few items as well, including a new designer handbag.
It was late afternoon and Diesel was done for the day. Elliot had just finished cramming all the packages into the helicopter. Diesel lifted me up and placed me on his lap. A pink lingerie bag tipped over next to us and some panties rolled out. “Have anything special in there for me?” His eyebrows wiggled up and down and I let out a nervous giggle.
All the shopping was exhausting, I turned into Diesel and laid my head down between his neck and shoulder. I planted a gentle kiss on his neck and felt his chest purr and relax. He smelled delicious.
“Everyone all set?” Elliot asked and Diesel nodded his head.
“How was the shopping Delta? Did they give you any trouble?” Diesel asked.
“No Alpha, but they did threaten to have my eyebrows waxed at one point.” He said and Diesel let out a laugh.
“Oh, but I did run into Alpha Jordan at the mall when I was carrying bags out to the car, he sent you his regards.”
“Jordan Monroe? Did he say what he was doing so far north?” Diesel asked.
“No, he didn’t.” Elliot answered.
Alpha Jordan was nice to me when he visited Dark Moon, but he was also the cause of jealousy for Ranger. I was glad I didn’t run into him. I’d really hate for him to tell Ranger where I was. I wasn’t ready to be discovered yet.
Lia was on edge. “What’s the likelihood he would be in Vancouver, at the mall, at the same time as us?” She asked me.