Chapter 25

HUNTER Once we got back to Phoenix, I had to take Lainey for a bit. I know she wanted to get started right away, but there was something we both had to handle before I talked to her about the moon.

If I want everyone to accept Lainey as mine, there’s one place I’ve been avoiding like the plague.

My pack.

As Alpha, I need to suck it up and face them. I need to tell them that this is how it’s going to go and if they don’t like it, they can leave.

Lainey is special and she’s important to me and us. She helped us and I need to make that abundantly clear.

But thinking it and doing it are two completely different things.

I sit behind the wheel of my car, staring at the front door of my own pack house.

“Hunter. We have to do this if we want to move forward. My hive accepted it, I’m sure your pack will too.” Lainey says.

I scratch my forehead. “I know, but these are Alphas and Betas. Not real big on clear thought.” I lean back in my seat.

“You can’t keep me a secret forever, Hunt.” She leans back and rolls her head to me.

I shut the car off. “I know.” I blow out a breath. I’m nervous as fuck. “Come on.”

We get out and walk to the front door. I grip the handle and hesitate.

Lainey leans to me and places her hands on my arm. “You can do this. I’m right here with you.”

I suck in my top lip as the heat builds in my body. I nod and open the door.

My hearts racing as I take off my jacket. Lainey’s looking around as she takes off hers.

“Ryan?!” I yell out.

I hear muffled steps from upstairs and then I see him.

“Hey, about time you showed up…” His steps slowed to a crawl and his face fell the moment he saw Lainey. His eyes met mine. “What’s she doing here, Hunt?” His voice was serious and dark. I can almost smell his fear.

I cleared my throat. “Don’t panic, Ry, ok. I just need to talk to you.”

He comes down. “No…No, you get her out of here.” He growls.

I stand between him and Lainey. “She’s not going anywhere.” I tilt my head to him.

He glares at me. His mouth is small.

“Sit down.” I order.

He shoots a look at Lainey and Lainey narrows her eyes. Clearly not affected by his challenge.

We sit down on the couches in the common room. I placed myself between Ryan and Lainey.

“Now. I know this is a shock. I have to tell you something and you’re not going to like it at first, but Ryan, I can tell you that everything I tell you is the total truth.” I look at him sitting in the chair beside me.

He still staring at Lainey.

I lean on my knees. “I going to start by saying, I’m not sick. You know that. I was in the beginning, but not anymore. Everything I feel is all me. Got it?”

His eyes flick to mine. “You’re dating her aren’t you?” His voice had anger behind it.

My face turns serious. “Yes.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” He shoves himself forward in his chair. “She fucking killed me, man!” He motions to Lainey.

I put out my hand. “I know! She was trying to get away from me. She didn’t kill you out of hate, ok. She needed an out. Your death is on me. I killed you, not Lainey.

“I’m sorry.” Lainey scowls as she crosses her arms.

“See…She’s sorry. Ryan, it wasn’t what you think.” I defend.

“I’m just supposed to accept that? What about the next time? Huh? Will it be an accident then? She can’t be trusted, Hunter!!” He yells.

“Yes! She can! I trust her with my life, Ryan. I can’t help how I feel! I love her and she loves me. As my best friend, I would die for you. I would support you in anything! You know I have your back. I need you to have mine.” My eyes show just how serious I am about this.

Ryan rubs his forehead. “Hunter, you know I would back you a hundred percent, but this? You’re asking a lot.” He looks at Lainey. “I’m sure, for your kind, you’re…um…a good person, but you gotta see how this looks.”

I narrowed my eyes. “This has nothing to do with what she is, Ryan.”

“Hunter, it has everything to do with it! She’s a fucking vampire, man! She so far from us, it’s not even funny. How?” His eyes bore into mine.

“Look, I’m not blind to what Lainey is, but you have to understand that she has already proven how much she cares about me, you and my pack. She helped us, Ryan. She found the key.” I hold my hand out to him.

“By fucking you up! How can you not see that?” He argues.

“Ok.” Lainey stands. She turns to him. “I get it. You hate me. That’s fine. I can hate you, too. But, don’t hate Hunter. He’s right. This thing between us? Both us knew what that meant. Both of us weighed the repercussions. You know what? We don’t care. But you? If you hold any love for Hunter at all…If you respect him as your Alpha and your friend…you will sit there and listen…Really listen to what he has to say. You will set aside you hate for me and listen to your friend. He needs you. Needs you…Right now.” She crosses her arms as she barked her words and glares at him.

Ryan looks between Lainey and me. I tick my head at him.

“So you expect us all to accept this?” He says quietly.

“No. Right now, I just need you to accept it. As my Beta and my friend. If you don’t back me, Ry, there’s no hope for the others. I walk away.” I shake my head.

“You love her that much?” He asks.

I nod. “I do. I’d give up everything for her, Ryan.” I pull Lainey beside me on the couch. “She’s smart, brave. She runs her hive like a tight ship.” I turn from Lainey to Ryan. “She’s freeing oppressed vampires. Ones born and tortured in the lower ranks. She’s giving them their power back. They love her and follow her so much, they signed on with the Alliance.”

“Seriously? The council knows?” He asks.

“Yes. They accept us and Lainey’s hive fights beside us. She’s committed to making this work between our species. I know not everyone will be happy about it, but I can’t walk away from her. I love her too much, man.” My face softens as I tell him how I feel.

“What like fated?” His brow arches.

I look at Lainey and she ticks her head. I turn back. “Maybe.”

“Is that even possible?” He looks between us.

I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess we find out in a couple months.”

“So, you’re going to do it. You’re going to stand under the moon.”

I look at Lainey and smile. “Yeah. I want to. You?”

She looks down then back at me. “I want to.” The corner of her mouth ticks up.

“A vampire for a Luna.” He rolls it over.

“She’s more than just a vampire, Ryan. She’s Lainey Spencer. The most amazing person on the planet and she’s all mine.” I smile. I look at her and grab her hand.

“Ok. So. That’s great. What are you going to tell them?” He points to outside.

****

What am I going to tell them?

For the next few days, we put out notices for a meeting with the Alpha in the park. It’s not really a park, more like the town square, but it’s the largest open space we have close to the downtown core.

I stood on stage with Ryan. As the square filled with men. It was actually nice to see everyone in close proximity to each other and not causing fights. The women showed up too which was even nicer since they’re such a small group.

I stand at the mic and suck in a breath. “Hey!...um thanks for coming guys.” I take the mic off its stand and walk to the front of the stage. “You’re probably wondering why I called this since it’s the first one I’ve ever done.”

I pace around. “This maybe presumptuous, but here it goes.” I suck in my breath. “I think I found my Luna.” I side eye them for reactions.

They look at each other, then the claps started. Followed up with whistles.

“A little about her. Guys, she’s beautiful. She’s loyal. She has so much heart.” I turn to them. She helped me figure out what was wrong with us and she fixed us. It was her. You feel better right?” I look out to the crowd as they nod and mumble.

I nod to. “Lainey…she’s amazing and I’m sure if you got to know her, you’d love her too.”

“Where is she?” Someone yells.

I hold up my hand as the voices grew.

My heartbeat sped up. “There’s something else. When I tell you this, I need you to put your emotions aside and have an open mind because…” I stop and sit on the stage. I look into the faces of my people. “Guys, I love her. So fucking much, ok. I don’t care that’s she’s different. I don’t care about any of that. I know she will care about this pack as much as I do. I need to know that you will accept her. The last thing I want is for her to feel unwelcome in my home.”

“Show us!”

I nod. “Lainey.”

During the afternoon sun, Lainey walked on stage and sat down beside me. I kissed her head.

The crowd immediately began to talk.

“Lainey, the pack. Pack, this is Lainey. The only woman in the world for me and for you as Luna.” I grab her hand as I watch the confused faces.

The grumbles started. “Ok. Ok.” I raise my hand. “Lainey is what we call, a Sunwalker. She’s a Lycan vampire hybrid.”

I heard the shock and the mumbles.

Lainey takes the mic and jumps off the stage.

She walks the grass. “I understand the shock. I understand all of it. I want to help all of you and the Alpha understand this better. So right now, I’m opening myself up to you.”

“Why should we trust you?!” a large man shouted.

Lainey sits back up beside me. “Short answer…you shouldn’t not one bit, but that won’t stop me from doing everything I can to earn that trust.”

“THIS ISN’T RIGHT!” A few shouted.

I took the mic. “You’re right. It’s not, but I can’t change what’s in my heart. Those in mated relationships. If I told you right now to walk away from your woman, could you do it?” I see the women look at their mates and their mates shake their heads. “I can’t either. I don’t know how this fate thing works guys, I don’t make the rules. All I know is, I thank the cosmos for Lainey just like you all thank them for yours. Please, don’t make me change. I’m still your Alpha. I will always be your Alpha. Lainey only makes me better. You need to trust that. You’ve trusted me with your lives this far. Don’t stop now.”

I lower the mic to my knees and wait. If they riot, I guess I have no pack.

The silence was deafening as they all questioned each other.

A woman walks up to Lainey. “Hybrid, huh?” She crosses her arms.

“Yeah.” Lainey mirrors her image.

“Can you fight?” The woman grumbles. This woman is all Alpha female and she’s challenging Lainey. I’ll watch and see how Lainey handles it, but if I have to I will step in.

Lainey narrows her eyes. “Not only can I fight, I can win.” She slightly growls.

The woman runs her fingers through her dark hair. Her tattooed bicep flexes. She studies Lainey. “Ok.” She turns and rejoins the pack.

Lainey looks at me and I shrug.

There’s more mumbling.

I lift the mic. “Do we have a problem with this? I need to know right now.”

“No, Alpha.” It wasn’t everyone, but it was still music to my ears.

“If you have a problem, do you agree to come to me personally?” I ask.

“Yes, Alpha!”

I nod. “Thank you. I promise you…None of will regret this. Have a good day.” I shut the mic off, gave Lainey a kiss and she jumped off the stage.

I walked to Ryan and clapped his hand.

“Well done.” Ryan says.

“I hope so.” I sigh, cross my arms and watch Lainey talk with some other members of my pack.

“She’s fitting in. It’s just going to take time, I guess. I’m still not completely onboard, but hearing Lainey today, I feel like I need to give her a chance.” He says.

We watch as some members shake her hand and laugh with her. I watch her have serious conversations. She’s just so smooth and committed. She truly wants to try. My heart swells as she talks with my women. She engages my men. I couldn’t love her more if I tried.

She will never fight this fight alone. I’ll make damn sure of that.