27.

**Michael**

Three days.

It was happening sooner than I expected. Leaving the place I called home. Leaving my parents, my hyperactive little sister, and my ever so outspoken brother. My family.

Then there was Emma.

My mate, the only girl I would love for my lifetime. A new family will be made with her. She would be having a new family also, her birth parents, the king, and queen of the wolf kingdom. I'm still in shock but was coping with it well. When I dreamed of meeting my mate I never expected it would be like this, mated to a white wolf and also a princess. Not just any princess, the last royal in which the wolf kingdom hoped to be led into prosperity. Landon has done a great job in keeping the peace between all three kingdoms but their offspring was said to be the one to keep it so. More powerful than past royals.

I released a tired sigh and focused back on what was in front of me.

New ties were being formed to Dark Moon due to the current situation so I'm in the office with my father and his Beta. They asked me to stay back and help which I reluctantly agreed to after Emma suggested to stay and spend time with my father. I understood why she said that but I wanted to be with her.

I sounded like a lovesick puppy.

'Somewhat. It's the bond, its awfully strong. Soon our mate will go into heat. For now, you would be uneasy and irritable with your times apart' Zane explained.

Thinking about mating her had my thoughts running back to our shower scene. I love to see how her body reacts to my touch, my kisses, I wonder how she would react when I'm ......

"Michael!!" My father's shout interrupted my thoughts.

"Sorry," I quickly said sitting up in the chair.

He had an amused smile on his face like he knew where my thoughts were. Beta Samuel coughed trying to hide a laugh.

"We are nearly through here but you can go now son," Dad said grinning.

"Blessed moon spirits, thank goodness," I said rushing out the door in search of her.

The pull led me to the pool area. As I saw her clad in a dark green bikini bending over to talk to Mason who was in the pool already, I went full territorial. No man should see her like that only me. I rushed to her and quickly spun her around to me.

I heard the possessive growl escaped my mouth before I crashed my lips on hers. Every time I kiss her the taste was always new to me. Cherry. My arms were around her body, not wanting to let go, the sensation was too damn pleasurable. Mine all mine no one else's. Her touch was welcoming as her hands trailed up my arms all the way to my hair.

I don't know how long I was kissing her but I didn't want to stop. Someone cleared their throat behind me but I ignored them as I began to trail my kisses to her neck.

The person tapped my shoulder, "What?" I growled out turning to the person.

Behind me was my mother with her arms folded trying to hold back on a laugh. She motioned her head to the right and I looked in the direction.

On the other side of the pool were a few of Moon Dust pack members who were now openly staring at us with shock and some wore confused expressions. Noah and Jonah were grinning from ear to ear which was weird because I don't think I ever saw them smile openly beside Emma.

"Oh hey everyone," I said with a nervous smile. Well, this is awkward. My mate had her face buried in my chest, her laughter muffled leaving me to face the music for both of us.

"Good going bro. You were so close in mating Emma in front of her pack," I heard Maxwell said beside me. I growled his way in which he rolled his eyes at me and made his way to the Heather girl.

"Sweetie why don't you go change and come back to join us," mom said pushing me to the door.

"Yeah, " I said pulling Emma with me. She let out a squeal of laughter which made me laugh also at her silliness. She made me feel free and so happy.

"No longer than ten minutes you two," mom said as I picked Emma up in my arms, holding her tightly against my chest.

"Whatever you say, mom," I said over my shoulder loving the feel of my mate's body close to mine.

"I can walk you know," Emma said placing her arms around my neck.

"That's great so can I," I teased kissing her nose. She rolled her eyes at my statement. When we reached my room, I placed her on the bed and straddled her. The urge to make love to her right then and now was strong. Her hair was in a messy bun atop her head with few strands framing her beautiful pixie-like shaped face. Her olive-green eyes were shining with love and happiness as her pink now kiss-swollen lips parted slightly with an invitation for me to kiss her more.

Her body was phenomenal, soft palm-sized breasts, a tiny waist that gives way to slim hips, long creamy legs, my mate was fucking hot.

"Michael," she called out to me. Her voice was magical. She gasped and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. She looked down so I did too, I grinned. My arousal was pushing against my shorts rubbing her core, I gently started a motion to see her reaction. A moan escaped her lips, her eyes closed in pleasure as she arched her body for more.

"Damn it, Emma. I need you so bad" I said before claiming her lips. The passion and love that was in our bond were too much for me as I kissed her. I pulled back and saw that she felt it also, her eyes have glistened with tears.

Tears of love? Happiness?

"What is it, my love?" I asked stroking her cheek with my thumb.

"I just love you so much," she whispered. My heart soared as I pulled her up in my arms, how was I so lucky. Thank you Moon goddess for giving me this woman. For giving me a second chance to correct my wrongs.

"You're the love of my life Emma don't you ever forget that," I said fiercely in her ear. "Never," she said holding onto me.

I lowered us down with her in my arms and stayed in comfortable silence. No words nor actions could say how great it was to be with her.

'Our life. Our love.' Zane said in content and I fully agreed with him.



After lots of procrastination of getting up to join everyone at the pool, we actually made it down.

"I will be with my brothers okay?" She said tiptoeing to give me a kiss. I groaned not wanting to let her go, she giggled against my lips when I playfully pulled her back into my arms. "Behave, my prince," she said biting my lip before pulling away. I smiled as I watched her walked around the pool to her brothers. I saw her blush before she smacked Jonah behind his head, they were probably teasing her. Shaking my head I made my way to mom as she was talking to some of the older wolves.

"Michael. These are Sharon, Steve, and Harold, members of Emma's pack. This is my son the future alpha." She said proudly. I winced at the title. The thought of taking that joy away from her soured my mood. I turned to greet them but was met with cold calculating eyes. "Pleasure meeting you," I said with my most pleasant smile.

"Mom. I can't find the popcorn," we heard Madison shouted and mom excused her self.

"So you're Emma's mate," Sharon said coldly. I frowned as I detected her tone.

"Yes, I am" I stated.

"Why will you accept a wolf-less mate?" She asked disgustedly. The two men beside her sent disapproving glances at Emma's way. They didn't know she had a wolf. A white wolf in fact. She did mention how she was treated back at her pack but didn't go into much detail.

"The goddess chose Emma to be mine who am I to deny that gift. Wolf or not she was made for me" I said with little anger brewing. Is this how they saw their Delta's daughter? A reject?

"An alpha with your background deserves a strong capable Luna with a wolf much to say to help you lead," Harold said.

"So you're saying my pack will be weak once they have wolf-less Luna?" I asked.

"We are simply saying alpha that it may not be wise to have her as Luna. She won't be able to fend for herself your time would be spent protecting her and not your pack" Steve said looking at Emma. I truly looked around the pool and was instantly disgusted at what I saw. No one from my mate's pack made an effort to talk to her, all that was sent to her were scornful glares as they whispered among themselves. Emma was with her brothers and Mason who were awfully close to her like they were in defense mode.

From their own pack?

"Protecting her will always be my first choice then, my pack. I love Emma and I'm only putting up with your stupid comments because I don't want to spoil the day for my family. We took you in out of kindness and loyalty to Emma don't make me regret it," I grounded out.

With stiff bows and emotionless thanks, they left my side to join their pack members. That's why the boys always had her close. They hated her because she was 'wolf-less'. Dark Moon has a few wolf-less' members due to a parent being human but we saw them as family still.

I wanted to tell them all to leave but my family was having fun, Madison was talking to a boy her age while Maxwell sat next to Heather and a girl in our pack.

'Are you alright?' I asked Emma over our link.

'Were they able to dissuade you in making me your Luna?' She returned laughing but I heard the underlying hurt. She may not be able to shout to the skies that she was a wolf but the discrimination still pained her. I looked over at her, she was sitting quietly as the three I was talking too had her brothers in a conversation while Mason was being bothered by two girls from our pack.

'Come. You don't need them.' I said sitting on a nearby chair.

As she excused her self from her brothers the older wolves watched her in disdain. I growled at their looks ready to pounce on them but her touch took me out of that feeling. "I'm fine," she said sitting on my lap. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that," I said as she curled into a fetal position.

"Don't be. I knew who I was and had great friends. Let them live in their old ways. I know they are hating the fact that I caught the eye of Aiden now I'm mated to you but it doesn't phase me" she said calmly. It was great that she was strong about it but it wasn't acceptable by Zane and me.

We talked quietly in our own corner away from the pool, I felt the looks whenever Emma and I laughed harder than expected or her squeals when I teased her.

"Hey, do you want to go on a date with me?" I asked grinning.

The confused look on her face caused me to laugh. Kissing her nose I clarified to her, "I know you're not to leave the territory but I was thinking right out here, tonight just you and I ".

"It isn't a five-star restaurant but it will do," she said in a snobby voice.

I began to tickled her until she begged me to stop, I love hearing her laugh. What stopped me was my sister's yell.

"How dare you insult my sister like that." Her words of anger were heard all the way across the pool. I looked up to see her facing Heather as the girls from Dark Moon were behind Madison wearing very pissed off expressions. Everyone's attention was on them, I gently placed Emma on the ground and stalked over to them.

"What seems to be the meaning of this?" I demanded as I sensed my mate behind me.

"This blowup doll just called my sister a slut. Saying she slept with Aiden and Mason which makes our future Luna wolf-less attention-seeking slut," Maddie growled out. Growls erupted from our members, Zane wanted out. I grabbed the little mutt of a she-wolf by her throat. Her fellow members gasped and were begging me not to kill her. Heather was clawing at my hands to let go, fear rolled off her.

"I warned you mutt. Are you that clueless to disrespect my Luna? We allowed you, people, here for protection and this is how you repay us," I shouted, the dominance I held was heard in every word.

Maxwell and Madison flanked my sides ready to attack anyone who came in my way. My grip got tighter around her throat my claws made its way out. She was gasping for air but I wanted them all to pay for hurting my mate and treating her like last night's garbage.

"Michael ease off of her. It's not worth it." I heard my father said. "She disrespected my Emma. I won't have it,'" I shouted.

'Listen to your father. She really isn't worth it. Release the mutt' she said touching my arm. As always I relax under her touch and I released the bitch. She fell to the ground gasping for control of her breathing, someone came to help her and shot an angry glare at me. I let out a dominant growl at their lack of respect.

" I, Michael, the future alpha and son of alpha Angelo banish the survivors of Moon Dust out of this territory," I said with power rolling off of me. They all froze.

"We don't have anywhere else to go," one spoke up. No shit, Sherlock.

"You should have thought of that before your tongues led you to this." Mom shouted in anger. Our pack members rarely saw their Luna like this and flinched when her anger was felt through the pack bonds.

"You are not welcomed here. You can find help at any other pack but not ours," Dad said stepping forward.

I looked at Mason he was in confusion and disappointment. It was hard to choose between loyalty to a pack and a friend I felt guilty for putting him through that.

They all watched Heather as she got up and made the distance between her and me. "The king shall hear of this. Turning your backs on us in our time of need for a wolf-less girl." Sharon spat.

"Then I hope you tell the king everything because he won't take it lightly when he does know the truth," I said coldly.

The fear rolled of them in violent waves as they made their way out. "Beta Mason, aren't you coming?" Harold asked.

Mason stood next to the twins and looked between Emma and his pack. Everyone waited for his answer. Emma held onto my hand and focused on Mason. 'You're their beta that's bigger than you and I' she told him. I snapped my head to her, how can I hear them over their own link? 'No. I will not give you up for these spineless cowards. I'm loyal to the crown first then my pack.' He said with pride.

Emma tensed at his words and smiled.

"I Beta Mason of the Moon Dust Pack now and forever cut all ties from my birth pack," he said with a confident grin.

"What?! You're our beta how can you do this?" Heather shouted.

"Not anymore," Maxwell said chuckling.

Mason howling in pain pierced through the evening, I turned to see him clutching his chest in a fetal position on the ground. Emma rushed over to him and held him close to her tears in her eyes for her friend. Compassion.

"It's best you go now. Take what will suffice your journey then my warriors shall escort you all outside our borders" dad said to them as I made my way to my mate and her friend. The twins stood at there sides, eyes black as they watched the last members of their pack leave.

"The bond is breaking. It won't last long he'll be in a lot of pain." I said to Emma. She mutely nodded and held him closer.

He let out one long howl in excruciating pain then went limp in my mate's arms.

"Mase. Mason?" She called out to him shaking him to get up. "He blacked out, beauty. He's okay," Noah said as Jonah stepped up to take Mason away from him.
'Why is he so loyal to Emma I get the twins but this beta?' My father asked over our link.

'I don't know' I lied. I hated to lie to him but in the end, they will all understand.

We watched as the twins took him in and pack members idly tried to salvage what remained of the little get-together. The mood was truly ruined.

"Will they be alright? Out there?" Emma asked biting her nails. My family and I looked at her in confusion and awe. She still cared for people who thought nothing good of her, who basically shunned her, this girl was too good to be true.

"Yes dear, I will make sure of it," dad said proudly smiling at his daughter in law.

'She will make a great Luna' my family said to me all wearing proud smiles as they looked at Emma.

'I know' I replied pulling my mate in a tight embrace.

And a great queen someday.