4

JULY

After a long nap Jayce felt somewhat alive again. Not very, but something was better than nothing. Right? Jayce guessed it might have something to do with Mika. That girl... She wasn't with him, and though only a few walls separated them, he wanted her closer. He wanted more of her. To see her. To hold her....

Then again, he also didn't want her close. He pulled himself out of bed, and down the stairs. He felt people around, more specifically elders of the community. Groaning more than slightly, he went to the door, and answered before they had a chance to knock. "To what do I owe the pleasure gentlemen?"

They gave him a slight bow of their heads, and one of the oldest spoke up. " We were wondering who the young girl was.. the one that came back with you. " he stated. The old man was a former warrior of the pack. For the most part, he liked to pick fights and start shit. He was balding, and wrinkled, with a sickly fake innocent smile. Jayce hated the likes of him. Just his stench was enough to wrinkle his nose.

Jayce growled lightly. These old geezers were nosy as hell. What did it matter who she was? They were also cocky and disrespectful. They didn't have the right to ask about her! " She happens to be my mate. Apparently we have a Luna. " he shrugged softly, keeping his temper momentarily at bay.

They seemed shocked to say the least. The same man chuckled a little. " We never would have expected it. Seems the moon goddess is looking on us finally. " he smiled as politely as he could muster. It still sounded like venom laced through his voice. A snake waiting to strike. All of them were.

" So, get to the point old man. What else did you want?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest impatiently. Even if he felt better he is growing impatient for some unknown reason. Though, Jayce couldn't quite figure out why.

"Keen as always Alpha. " he replied a mischievous smirk planted on his face. Jayce frowned hard. With a tone like that they were up to something. Something devious. A distraction maybe? " We would like you to grace us by coming to the gauntlet. The boys have been in low spirits. You'd make a difference. It will give the Luna time to... Settle..."

" Yeah sure.. Anything to get out of here. " he muttered leaving the house and Mika behind. They were surely up to something. Maybe they wanted him to go be her space. See if she was going to run away just all of the other girls at mating age. To see if she would be killed. Just like them. He felt a pang of guilt as he left the house.

~~~~~~~

Jayce growled suddenly. It was ferocious, and even the fighters in the ring cowered. He glanced at them, " Keep the gauntlet going... I've got something to deal with. " He snapped before taking off. Clearly meaning to be left alone.

The elders who had come to get him smirked viciously. They didn't care for a Luna. They'd lived long enough without one. So why did they suddenly need one? Obviously they didn't.

He shifted soon after leaving sight, and took off after his mate. She had some nerve. She'd left his territory. She was his! She wasn't allowed to leave! She wasn't going to either. He snarled a little at the thought of having his Luna leave him. He simply wouldn't allow that. It left a bitter taste in his mouth that he hated.

So did she. Or rather a bitter feeling in his chest.

His people needed her.. even if she was just morale support. Even if he didn't care for her. She gave him a weird feeling, she was far too nice for her own good, and he'd probably already kill someone over her if he had to.

They had stopped to eat half way to his pack. She forced him to. Honestly, he needed food too, and was grateful for the break. She went to the bathroom, and he didn't protest. She wasn't looking like she was going to run. Plus the bathroom was in his sight line.

She was on her way back, and a little girl was crying. His mate stopped, and bent down to her level. They talked, and the little girl reached up to grab hold of her neck. He frowned, and started to get up. That was until he watched her walk over to the counter, and order the little girl a piece of cake.

She sat her down, and gave her the cake, took the girl's hand, and walked her around until she found her frantically searching parents. Jayce watched her in awe. Something stirred in him, causing him to end up much grumpier.

He huffed when she came back, but didn't let onto what he had seen. Dumb girl spent money on a lost little girl.. It could have been herself. Or him. But, her kindness was a sight to see. She was just too nice for her own good. Someone would use her in a heartbeat...

His lifestyle and his people would rip her to shreds if she wasn't careful. No one was that polite here. Or maybe it was he who dared to tread in dangerous waters. Into an unknown that he wasn't used to.

Her scent grew stronger and stronger. She was near. He bolted past the pack house, and into the woods that surrounded them. He wasn't prepared to see her though. Mika managed to bring him to a complete halt. She was carrying something on her really nice hip. . He shook his head. It wasn't the time. Was that the pack's dirty laundry?

"Uh uh.."

His frown deepened at the thought of that. He didn't want her touching such bloody and dirty rags. It was nasty.. and most of it wasn't even his. So she was touching other males underwear.. they're blood soaked garbage.

Wait, why did he have a problem with this? He was trying to distance himself from her right? Right? The thought of her doing this though. There was absolutely no way she was doing that... Not in this lifetime. He shook his head disapprovingly.

Jayce glared at her knowing she could feel him near. Hell, she could probably sense his anger and glare. Or at least she would soon enough.

She turned in a heartbeat, and he shifted just as quickly ignoring that he was completely naked now. She was his mate, he could care less even around his pack. She did her best to not look down, and meet his eyes instead. Mainly out of embarrassment.

Though she looked somewhat scared. He crossed his arms over his chest. Good. She should be right now. He was not happy with her. Dirty laundry, outside of the territory lines, and even the very scent that lurked around her... Oh, that wonderful, girly, beautiful scent.. it invaded his very being. Again.

He would have smirked at the blush playing on her cheeks if he wasn't so unbelievably pissed that she left the territory of course. " You aren't supposed to leave Little Runaway. " he snapped. " Go home. Now! " His words were harsh and sharp.

" I was just trying to-"

He walked towards her, causing her to back up into a tree, and drop the basket. " Don't talk back Mika. I'll get rid of that filth later. " He said looking down at the basket. " It's garbage anyway. "

She didn't look like she would budge, and he had a feeling she would try to reason with him. This wasn't the time or place for reason or talking. Rouges had a tendency to show up out of the blue. He felt off being out here with her as well. Something wasn't right here. His senses were on high alert. He felt.. Watched.

He grabbed her as gently as he could manage at the time, and threw her over his shoulder. " Enjoy the view Runaway. I'm taking you home. " he almost growled. In a way it was a warning to the prying eyes that he felt watching them. She would have just though, at the time, that it was directed towards her.

With her so close Jayce was ready to do everything running through his mind, but he wouldn't. He couldn't anyway. Way to many eyes watching, and waiting on him to dish out some kind of punishment.

Not today nosy people. Not today.

These emotions were just emotions. They changed, they were not something to rely on, or to be trusted. Jayce couldn't know if what he felt was real for this girl. Granted she was made for him. A girl carved in his image, made to his perfection, and just for him alone. As he was to her. If you believed in the concept of mates like that.

A part of him believed in mates, and yet he still wouldn't give into the concept. He'd seen it before, but it felt foreign. It felt pointless, and time consuming. These thoughts were poison his family had left in his mind.

She slapped him in protest, and he simply slapped her butt. Fairly hard at that. " Behave. " He muttered walking inside. Running a hand through his now rather messy black hair he took his time getting upstairs. Having her so close did calm him down a bit. That was nice, and also disturbing. He wasn't used to calming down so easily.

She gasped at the Ass. " Hey!" She snapped. Mika crossed her arms and huffed as he carried her inside. Her butt stung. He could have been easier with her. . But, at least he was touching her. It was more than he had done so far. Seriously, he hadn't even touched her really at The Run or in the car. He made sure to keep his distance.

He just threw her in a room, and left her alone. It was early summer time sure, hot and dry, but he still could have acknowledged her a little more. Instead of treating her like she had a disease. You know, not pretended she was revolting.

It had only been about two days since the run though Maybe it took more time to grow accustomed to being mates? Sure it did. But, pushing her away was still pretty annoying. It wasn't supposed to be like that. Every fairytale was wrong if this was how mating worked.

He had tossed her on her bed. Sad that the tingles and euphoria went away with her. His eyes were dark glimmers of amber as he locked with her bright beautiful blue and green stare. With a huff he turned and walked down to his room. If he didn't he couldn't say for sure he would control himself.

He took solace in the fact that she wouldn't be able to enter the room as well. Not yet. His door would only open for him. An alpha lock in place on it prevented anyone he didn't approve of or let in himself. Just like he liked it. His privacy was a necessity. Or at least it used to be. Before she came along.

Jayce threw himself on his bed, and laid his arms behind his head. He sighed deeply. She had an undeniable effect on him. He wanted to be close, and yet wanted to push her away. If he was going to get stuck with someone he had better know that person. He wished he wasn't so stubborn, and that she didn't captivate his mind.

This girl was beautiful, and had an attitude. He likes both of those things. She looked frail though and talked back a lot.. He didn't like that in the least. Especially when it could be ridiculed in front of the pack. They weren't known for being a nice big family pack. They were rough.

Not to mention her going against him in front of them would cause a lot of talk. He couldn't deal with disrespect in front of them without punishing her. He didn't exactly want to do that either. Or did he? Not really Inna bad way either. He bit his lip and sighed again.

His mind was a mess. It was both plagued, and graced by her. By his pack. By what he needed to do now. By what he should have done before.

~~~~~

Mika was in a plain guest room. The walls were a simple beige, white trim around the room. Her bed was soft, but the sheets were just a normal soft set. There was nothing special about the room at all. Except it was the closest to his.

If he listened closely at night, he would even be able to hear her breath as she slept. It still wasn't enough for him to get a decent nights rest. He needed to hold her to his chest. Have her tangled under his sheets with him. He almost felt guilty for giving her such a dinghy room, but she was still close enough he could feel and hear her.

She was safe, and that was all that mattered.

He would always make sure she was safe as his Luna. Jayce's room however was nice. Soft silky sheets, a large bed, royal blue walls. And dark carpet to match. The moon always shined nicely in here. The walls were decorated from members of his pack's past. It was a little to formal, but he hadn't ever been bothered to change it

He had his own bathroom with everything he needed. A mini fridge for snacking or drinks. It was mini paradise compared to everyone else's homes. The town in general was a giant rundown mess.

He changed into clothes after sometime, but he didn't feel like going back to the fights anymore. Something they did for fun.. If fun is what you called it. To him it tended to show where people lacked in skill. What needed improvement. What he needed to correct and fix. Just a simple training routine.

Jayce was restless, and he tried doing things around his room. . .

He showered. The feeling grew.

He tried reading from one of the many bookshelves. The feeling grew, but much worse.

He suddenly felt the need to be near her, stronger than ever. Jayce plopped down on his bed again with his arms behind his head. He growled in frustration and closed his eyes. He hated this.

Why was this happening?!

Maybe it was time to try to talk to her. Hia mind raced with thoughts of her. He could feel her anger at him. She had every right to be mad. He threw her over his shoulder. Yelled at her. Ignored her.

He could feel a turmoil of emotion behind her anger, but deciphering that would take time he didn't have or want to give right now. It was something he just didn't understand. Not at all.

He had to talk to her though. At least a little.. before she got to him too much. Before she completely drove him mad, and he couldn't stand being without her.

Hell, who was he kidding? She was already doing that. He was lovesick like a little puppy. He just didn't know it.