Dead Luna
Chapter 77

Amelia's

POV

It was entirely my fault. Everything. I had been falsely blaming Leo all these years, when the truth was far far worse. He couldn't mark me, and I had given him the ultimatum to either do that or reject me. He never actually had a choice in the matter at all. And I

could hardly blame Leo for his anger.

I hear Leo tell my dad that he would like to be excused, and he leaves. I want to run after him, but DeeDee is suddenly there, patting my hand. "Don't worry dear, he just needs to let off some steam. He will come back once he's calmed down, and then we can finally get this mess sorted out."

I sit down in shock as I think about all the horrible things Leo went through, loving me through everything, while inadvertently I had been cruel at times, and neglectful. Sometimes even forgetting that he was always there for me, protecting me, anticipating my needs, even when the things I did must have been absolutely devastating to him. Kissing and hugging alphas in his presence. Even asking his opinion on potential mates for HIM! I recall how upset he was when I did that. Then once he became an alpha he humbled himself before me and begged for me to give him a good Luna to help him run his pack. Not for him, for his pack!

Ambrosia, after checking my old memories of when Leo rejected me, said that my father was right and I had used my aura inappropriately that day. But without having a clue of what I was doing, she also didn't blame me. But then, who really was to blame? She also noted that Leo was acting a little like a jerk at the time and had said a few things she'd like to whoop his a*s over, but considering what followed, he has more than made up for it since.

I feel so much shame for everything I did, and I apologize to moon goddess for ever having doubted her.

Mom is handing me a handkerchief now, and trying to soothe me by telling me it will all work out. I guess I've been crying, and I'm trying to dry my eyes, but to no avail. The tears keep falling silently down my cheeks.

Dad is ordering Glen to take me to my guest suite, and saying he will have a chat with Leo and get things sorted out. DeeDee tells the king that he will likely be found in the gym, where he apparently spends a lot of his time lately.

All around me, everyone is talking and everyone is moving, and I'm stuck in my own head, grieving for the time wasted apart from my mate. That month we spent together had been the best time of my life! We probably would have had a pup or two by now. We were so happy, and he was a future Gamma, a very respectable job within any pack. Why couldn't I have just been born a normal werewolf? Everything would have been so much simpler.

And then Jackson arrived, wearing nothing more than the shorts I had Glen give him earlier. And he had brought Danika with him. Glen leaves me to their care, and he goes to the king to apparently consult on what must be done.

I am concerned about what my father intends to "do". I'd rather go talk to Leo myself, but everyone seems to think that's a bad idea for some reason. But I know Leo would never hurt me. Not on purpose, anyway. Although, perhaps while tensions are running so high I should consider waiting until tomorrow to talk to him.

"So what's going on?" Jackson asks, sounding a bit out of breath. He must have run all the way from the warrior barracks. "You seem pretty upset..."

"You know how I've been blaming Leo all this time for being a jerk and rejecting me?" I ask Jackson, setting the scene.

"Yeah. And?"

"And it was entirely MY FAULT!" I yell in frustration, then explain everything about ordering Leo to do it, and why he had no choice. And I start crying anew.

"Come on, lets get out of here." Jackson suggests. And we head to the pack house kitchen. He and Danika apparently hadn't eaten dinner yet.

There were a few workers in there cleaning up and washing the dishes, but they were happy to assist us in making a couple plates of dinner for Jackson and Danika, plus a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream for me.

"I wonder what happened to Alpha Leo's hand?" The workers were gossiping.

"Wait? Leo is hurt?" Jackson interrupts them. "I hadn't heard that part!"

"He was in here a few minutes ago with the beta, and he was cleaning glass out of the alpha's hand!" A single wolf named Morton was saying. And it reminds me of why I know anything about him at all. Tomorrow is the mating ball. And I'm a princess in a room full of my subjects. Time to practice having a stiff upper lip.

"He was angry at me, and crushed the wine glass he was holding." I informed the room.

"Oh, sweetheart, I hope you guys can patch things up by tomorrow night." Jackson says, and I note that Danika looks less than happy at the term of endearment. And that Jackson was focused on me and not her.

"I'm sure things will work out one way or another," I say cryptically. "But what about you two? Already marked, I see! Congratulations! I'm really sorry if my problems got in the way of your special bonding time."

"It's ok," Danika says. "I'm mated to a Gamma, so things like this will happen. In fact, Alpha Leo had approached me about possibly being Gamma. Apparently Desiree is thinking to move to Cannon Beach along with her mate Ashley."

"You don't think you'll move to Winter Moon with Jackson?" I say in surprise. "I'm sure Alpha Derrick wants his Gamma back!"

"We haven't decided yet," Jackson says, noncommittal. "Maybe Leo will offer me a good deal to stay here?"

"You still want to be my Gamma after what I put you through in Wenatchee?"

"Ha! I knew you were planning to pick Leo!" Jackson crows. And then gets all embarrassed again about Wenatchee, and asking why I'd bring that up.

"Why?" Danika asks, curiously. "What happened in Wenatchee?"

Jackson looks panicked and is shaking his head no.

"That's a topic for some other time. My ice cream is melting." I say, and take a bite. "Derrick will have a Luna tomorrow, so the timing would be very bad for him to lose you."

"And you think I want to continue working for Derrick after he used me to get all that information on you?" Jackson reminds me. "I just don't know. He used to be my friend, but after the things we did that week, I question how well I really know him."

"You and I both know he's normally not like that," I say, touching Jackson's hand and looking him in the eye. "He was treating the task of winning my heart as a competition to be won at all costs. It won't be like that at all with his Luna. Besides, it might be hard on Danika to be the mate of a Royal Gamma, and have to deal with politics and court intrigues. I'm fairly sure my father would prefer my Gamma to be a Lycan anyway. Glen was telling me his son Jason might be appointed for the job." "Wait! What?" Danika sputters as she freaks out just a little. "Royal Gamma? Why would you be a Royal Gamma?"

"You haven't told her?" I ask Jackson, who looks a bit sheepish. "As much as I appreciate your discretion, you are allowed to tell things to your mate."

"We haven't had much time to talk..." Jackson says blushing.

I laugh a little at that, but it's cut short. I suddenly feel a sharp searing pain sinking deeply into my shoulder, and gasp out in pain. I see Jackson wince, then rub his shoulder.

"What just happened?" Jackson asks me. Then looks around the room, trying to replace any danger to me. "What's going on?"

I'm confused at first, too. And then I realize, my dad was going to have a "chat" with Leo. And I'm suddenly very afraid.

"Danika, where is the gym?" I ask her, desperate to get there immediately. "I think something must have happened to Leo!"

Jackson and I follow Danika, as we race towards the gymnasium, and I see my father and his officers leaving the building, laughing among themselves. They stop laughing when they see us.

Jackson and Danika head inside, while I confront my father.

"What the hell did you do to Leo?" Ambrosia says, coming forward.

"I did what I needed to do!" The King says, defending his actions. "If that wolf is too weak to survive turning into a Lycan, then he isn't fit to rule alongside my daughter!"

"You just overstepped your authority big time and interfered with with Amelia's choice!" Ambrosia informs the King. "Moon goddess ain't too pleased with your sorry a*s right now. There will be major consequences for you! I come forward again, and ask them all to leave Bull Run immediately. My father tries to talk to me, but I don't want to hear what he has to say.

Jackson mind links me that he and Danika are taking Leo to the pack medical clinic.