Jolene
“That went well…”
I snapped my heard toward Samuel. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey! Don’t look at me like that. I came to give Lancelot some reports of our warrior performances. I heard all the yelling and decided to wait here. It is not my fault that you didn’t close the office’s door.”
I rolled my eyes. “You know what, I don’t care. Just go after him. Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid and mindlink me once he looks like he might want to talk to me again.”
Samuel chuckled. “I wouldn’t worry that much if I was you. He might still act like an idiot, but I swear he did change.”
“Just go!” I pointed in the direction Lancelot had run off.
“Nobody ever warned me that being a Beta included babysitting my Alpha.” Samuel sighed and strolled toward the woods.
Once Samuel had left, I sighed and plopped to the ground. I should’ve told him about the rules. A council member can’t occupy a high rank in a pack. So ridiculous. I closed my eyes and lied down. I gripped the grass under my palms and took deep breaths. I need to calm down and decide.
I am such a hypocrite. I planned to fight that rogue alone, but I know I would give Lancelot hell if he ever tried to do the same. He wants me to depend on him, but how? I’m my own person. I’ve always been on my own, even in my pack. Alex always allowed me to decide and act as I considered appropriate. But, my brother is not my mate. Lancelot is different.
What if that monster hurts our pack. However, my not being here is hurting everyone as well. Also, Lancelot’s wolf would go feral or die if I die. Should I forget about everything and leave, or really forget about everything and stay?
My eyes flew open. The blue sky came into my line of vision.
Lancelot is my mate.
This is my destiny.
We are literally made to be with each other.
I stood up and dusted off my clothes. I need to talk to him. I mind linked Samuel. Did you find him?
“Yeah. He’s alright. He blocked me. Wait there.”
You are not getting my favor, Samuel. I walked back into Lancelot’s house. Where are Merry and Aaron? Lancelot hasn’t mentioned his parents in a while. I’ll have to ask him.
It was only 5:15 PM. I took a shower and put on some comfortable clothes. I lied down on Lancelot’s bed but couldn’t fall asleep. How could I? I decided to “explore” his house.
I walked down the hall. Most rooms were guests’ rooms, except the one beside Lancelot’s bedroom. That one was locked. Hmm… Not for long.
“Go to his office. The key is there.”
Larentia… How could you know that?
“Instincts, I guess.”
I went to Lancelot’s office, which was still opened and searched through Lancelot’s desk drawers. There was a key in the bottom drawer in a small pink box.
Is this it?
Larentia barked and I could tell she was waving her tail. I took the key and went back to outside the locked room. Please, don’t be a sex dungeon… Please, don’t–On a second thought, if he had prepared a sex dungeon, I would– “Open the door!” Larentia growled.
Woah. Chill.
I opened the door and stepped into the room. I turned on the lights and… it wasn’t a sex dungeon. Disappointment washed all over me.
The room looked like a small study room. Its walls were pink and there were beige couches by the large windows and a black desk near the door. Anthony would cringe at the mix of colors.
There were flowers everywhere. However, what caught my attention was the large square 8-cube organizer at my right. Hydrangeas, he said their name is.
I walked over to it. Each of the squares contained things that belonged to me. My scarf, my chicken plushy, some books I had left in my room at the pack-house. The pictures we took together were framed and occupied many cubes. Also, the two love letters I wrote for him were there. He even had the things I had forgotten in my office at the school.
After glancing at all my old stuff, I examined the rest of the room. The bookshelf near the couches was filled with every book I had recommended to him. I smiled and walked to the desk. On top of the desk, there was an open notebook. A diary? I picked up and read it.
This is definitely Lancelot’s handwriting. The date on top of the page is almost two weeks ago.
“It has been over two years of languishing and things have been steadily going downhill. I’m heading to a meeting in a couple of days to discuss the recent rogues’ attacks.”
What the hell is languishing?
“I have been pushing my warriors these two years and striving to make this pack stronger. Sadly, two months ago, we lost three of our most powerful warriors while fighting off a large group of rogues. Thankfully, the rogues were dealt with and the attack happened in no man’s land. Most of the pack members are not aware of this attack.”
So, his pack was attacked. Why didn’t he mention it?
“I am afraid of not being strong enough. How can I protect my people when I have no reason to live other than knowing that ending my life would kill Jolene? She is out there with the council, working. Her fame has extended through all the packs. The closest people to her are the strongest werewolves out there.”
And the silliest werewolves as well, don’t forget that detail.
“I’ve heard that she looks happy. She keeps saying that she will become a nun. I don’t think that she is coming back. All her friends are gonna be at the meeting. I don’t know what to–”
“I see you found the key.”
I closed the book, hid it behind my back, and spun around to face Lancelot. I expected him to be angry, but he had a small smile and a big bouquet of flowers in his hands.
“Sorry I took so long. I wanted to get you lavender, yellow, pink and red roses, red carnations, hydrangeas, hyacinths–”
“The flowers you once gave me.”
“The flowers I gave you.” He walked down to me. “Leave my diary alone and take this. There are many more diaries for you to read later if you want to.”
I smiled sheepishly at him and put the closed notebook on the desk. I grabbed the bouquet and sniffed letting the sweet smell envelop me.
He smiled at me and kissed my cheek. “I figured I was acting like an immature idiot right at the end of our previous conversation and got frustrated. I’m sorry.”
“I wasn’t fair to you either. I should’ve told you about the rules since the beginning.”
Lancelot shook his head, took the bouquet from my hands and gingerly placed it on the table. He rested his forehead against mine, his hands drifting up my waist. He looked into my eyes. “Don’t worry about the rules anymore. I will help you fight your uncle.”
The smell of orange blossoms was stonger than all the other flowers in the room. The smell of my mate. “What? But your pack–”
“I’ll give Samuel the title. He is as strong as I am, and we will help the pack more by getting rid of the Alpha of the rogues. I’m not letting you go anymore.”
“Lancelot, you can’t–” I stared at him. There wasn’t any hint of doubt in his expression.
He grinned. “I can–”
“But, you shouldn’t. I am going to stay by your side.”
“You deserve your position as a member of the council. You have gone through so much. What kind of mate would I be if I make you give up your life work to stay with me?” He smiled and kissed the tip of my nose.
“But our pack…”
“It’ll be in good hands.”
“No, you don’t understand.” It might be my instincts as a Luna but I can’t just give it up. I want this pack.
He lifted me up so I was perched on the edge of the desk, beside the bouquet, and positioned himself between my legs. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and kept his hands on my waist. “Jolene, I won’t lose you again and let you quit your job.”
“Lancelot…”
“Jolene…” His tone was as serious as mine.
I let out a defeated sigh. “We are staying together, but can we decide who gives up what at the end of my break?”
“Sounds good.” He smiled and pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss. Just when it was getting heated, he pulled away. We both were breathless. “Let’s visit my parents.”
“What?” I tilted my head.
“They are living at the pack-house. Let’s go so you can see other members of the pack as well.”
“Right now?”
He grinned and nodded.
“But we were kissing, and–”
He leaned in again and caught my lips with his. I ran my hands through his hair and he pressed his body against mine. I deepened the kiss but he pulled away again.
“Let’s go.” He extended both of his hands to help me get off the desk.
I huffed and took his hands. After getting off the desk, I hit him with my open palm in the back of his head.
“Ouch, what was that for?” He rubbed his head.
“I know what you are doing.”
He smirked and wrapped an arm around my back, pulling me against him. “What am I doing?”
I rubbed my forehead and temples to get rid of the frown I must be wearing now. This is my fault for saying he seduced me to get his way. “Nothing.”
He leaned down. His hot breath fanned against my ear. “Just wait until tonight. I promise that you won’t regret waiting all this time. There are so many things I want to do to you, if you would allow me, of course.”