His Luna’s Already A Luna
Chapter 78

Lucinda

POV

Making Nick think that Lindy was coming to stay, threw him completely off guard. It was clear that he didn't want her here in his pack. Made Lucinda smile, she really liked Lindy, she was a tough and no-no-sense woman when it came to pack matters, but then fun

and devious like Corey when she wanted to be.

Lucinda had been close with her since moving to their pack. Lindy and Gabby had taken it upon themselves to be there for her and try to help her through her most difficult time in life. Most likely at first because she was the same Rank as Lindy. But it had blossomed into a good friendship over the years. She had hung out with Lindy and Gabby and her own women and children. Close with all of them.

She did intend to apologise to Nick at some point today, but first, try and lighten the mood. He looked really ticked off right now. She knew she had annoyed him and he was likely worried over her comments about Samantha. But she wanted him off guard to surprise him completely.

She made herself coffee after agreeing with Jeremy on the suite for Samantha and her Mate Frank. It was on the opposite side of the Alpha floor to their suite, and she had agreed with Jeremy, after looking at half a dozen suites with him, that it was one of the largest rooms and well maintained. That the one near the elevator was the most suitable for her, his. Their new mother. It was at lease three times the size of the house they currently lived in. a sprawling suite with nice furniture already in it. Currently neat and clean, from not being used. Samantha and Frank could change it as they saw fit once they moved in, even bring their old furniture if they wanted to. Paint and decorate as they pleased.

Lucinda doubted Nick would object at all. From what Jeremy had said, this was definitely something Nick had wanted for a long time.

Told Jeremy to leave the door open, in case she needed a quick exit for herself, if she played her cards just right, she would need to run from this room and likely hide from him. The thought amused her completely. She was going to play with her Mate, really play with him for the first time. She was a little bit excited to be honest. She knew he liked to play with her, every damned day. It was time for a little bit of pay back.

She had stopped trying to ignore him and their bond over the last few days, having him come and visit and have lunch with her every day. She had liked it. Liked that he smiled at her all the time and seemed to want to take time out of his busy day to spend time with her. Even liked that they went to bed at the same time.

Had gotten much closer to him, her bond had flourished and she wanted to be around him, to tease him the way he had been doing to her. Now that she was all healed up, there was a bit of a worry about how much longer she could hold out on him. She knew it wasn't likely going to be much longer, even just watching him sleep, she couldn't help but smile. What on earth was the Goddess thinking creating a man so damned good looking? Even when sleeping, it was bloody hard to look at the man without her heart quickening. Ky'ra didn't want to wait anymore.

Lucinda sat herself on the edge of his desk, all casual and calm, and sipped her coffee, while watching him. He still looked annoyed with her, got more annoyed when he heard Braidy laugh, it seemed. His dark blue eyes turned on hers and they sat staring at each other for a full minute.

Trying to word her responses to his questions and keep him in the dark about Samantha moving into a suite on the Alpha floor was a little difficult. Hopefully, he would appreciate all her effort and the gesture later on when he found out.

He did not like the idea of Lindy on the Alpha floor at all. Well, she thought, tapping her lips thoughtfully, Lindy was his other Mother. Where else would she put her, when she did come to visit...directly across the hall is where, she thought to herself, thoroughly amused now. She could already picture Lindy, leaning on the door frame from the room across the hall, staring him down. Ah, such a funny thought.

It was really hard not to look at Nick right now, she could feel his eyes were on her, even knew he was focused on her mouth, like he couldn't look away. It was her intention, but damn, it was hard not to turn her eyes on him and see just how much he wanted to kiss her, kept herself focused on the ceiling.

She knew he had not fought their Mate Bond at all, and was way more affected by it than she was, but she really wanted to see his reaction to her, playing with him.

His words gained her full attention, not being able to stop herself. Her eyes turned to him now, couldn't help it, heard the desire in his tone. His voice betrayed him more than the actual words he'd spoken, had become deep and sensual. The way it always was when he wanted her, a shiver of pleasure rolled through her.

Goddess help me to play this game. Resist him for now. She actually sent a prayer to the Moon Goddess herself. Heard Ky'ra chortle in her mind, and felt all excited that she was willing to play this game with him, their Mate.

Her heartbeat had increased with the sound of his tone, she half smiled at him, he couldn't do anything to her, his oath would stop him. Lucinda walked slowly towards him, registered his blue eyes darkened with desire, as she strolled towards him, he'd likely see and hear the changes in her body language as well.

Slid her hand down his arm, felt those electric tingles in her finger tips, knew he felt it too, all the way down his arm, never took her eyes off of his. Watched him for his every reaction to her touch, she was going to get in so much trouble at some point. Touching him had been fun over the past few days, but now she was all healed up, he could touch back.

Her hand trailed all the way to his wrist, she turned it over and tapped his oath "Mm, this might stop you." it would stop him from Marking her, but not seducing her. She probably should have added that in she realised, to late now.

"You're playing with fire," he growled at her. She could smell his desire now, he wanted her and she knew it, and she was starting to really want him too.

"No, I'm playing with you." she shook her head slightly, and she was, wanted to. He'd tormented her nearly every day. It was her turn to torment him back now. He could use a little pay back for certain.

Admitted, in all honesty, to help turn him on fully. That he could seduce her and make her beg for him to touch her. It did the trick almost instantly. Gained his full attention, he turned his chair to face her, his desire for her, she could smell was very strong now. His hand slid soft and gentle curling around her hip and pulled her between his legs.

Oh! she was in real trouble, she realised, needed that exit and quickly.

Her heartbeat doubled as he stared right into her eyes, and slid his hand slowly up her back and into her hair, grabbed a fist full of her hair and brought her mouth so close to his, nearly moaned out loud, bit her lip to stop it escaping her her. "but?" he growled full of nothing but desire now he was surely going to kiss her and it was going to be her undoing. And she knew it.

Sucked in a deep breath trying desperately to regain control of herself, she wanted him now it was too much, kissed him softly, touched her mouth to his, unable to stop herself. 'Mate.' Ky'ra growled at her.

Pulled her right to her senses, looked at him, he was smiling at her, knew he was winning, knew she wanted him right this minute, relished in knowing it. "But...the door is open." she giggled and then pulled herself from his grasp, it was only light thankfully and was not expecting her to run from him either. Ran for dear life from his office giggling, praying he wasn't going to come after her.

Heard him, with her wolfs hearing, mutter 'bloody woman.' and, thankfully he didn't chase after her, had been playing on that one bit of knowledge about him hating mating balls because it meant wolves openly mated out in the open, something she knew he hated. Playing the card that he wouldn't do it himself to her.

Goddess only knew what would have happened if he had chased after her.

'Mating! Ky'ra piped up excitedly.

'You'll keep. Nicks' voice practically purred down the line at her.

'Oh, so will you.' she giggled, all amused. She had really enjoyed toying with him, nearly lost herself completely to him, but somehow that prayer to the Goddess had helped, she thought, or maybe it was Ky'ra's thought about mating him. She didn't know which but was thankful. Didn't want their first time to be in his office chair or on his desk.

'Come back here and finish your game. Let's see who wins.' he was teasing, but she heard the challenge in it.

'Nope!' she told him, she would loose and she knew it. Her heart was still beating inside her chest.

'Are you afraid, Lucinda? You won't be able to resist me?' he sounded very amused. He knew she wouldn't, had barely escaped him.

She was a little afraid, ah more than a little bit. 'In your dreams!' she told him, like she'd always done to his teasing, and closed the link to him. Needed more than a minute to compose herself. Headed off to the pack-house dining room to have some lunch herself. Found both Jeremy and Braidy sitting at the Alpha table, both their eyes moved towards her and she couldn't stop the blush that spread to her cheeks under their watchful gazes. They both started to laugh, could likely smell her damned arousal, not to mention Nicks scent on her.

"Have some fun with Nick, did we?" Jeremy smirked right at her. Didn't even care who was about to hear him either.

"In his dreams," she said, but smiled. Couldn't help it.

"Did you keep your secret at least?"

"I did." she nodded, got food and sat down "So he thinks Lindy is coming." she chuckled softly. "Made me realise when Lindy does come, I need to put her in the room right across the hall from us." Jeremy and Braidy both laughed now.

"You know there are four rooms, not being used in the Alpha Suite itself. You could put her and Corey in one of those." Jeremy smiled right at her, his eyes full of gleaming mischievousness. "Goddess, Jere's. He'd kill me." Lucinda laughed back.

"Awe, I think not. Just be real grumpy. But I'm sure you could cure that too, wouldn't take much. A few less clothes." he grinned right at her, and then winked too.

"Hmm," she giggled at him.

Braidy chuckled softly "you two are going to drive him bonkers."

Both she and Jeremy nodded, "Yes we are." they said at the same time. Made all of them burst out laughing.

Half an hour later, fully recovered from her own toying with him. Lucinda walked into Nicks' office taking him his lunch. He'd not yet left his office to come and have it. He'd taken lunch with her while she was on bed rest. Couldn't hurt to return the favour. She found him still sitting at his desk, looked up at her as she walked into his office, a smile spread across his face, turned into a knowing smirk as she leaned across the desk to put the tray down for him.

Lucinda was not going to do it from his side of the desk, nope. Didn't trust him or herself for that matter. Her actions did not fool him at all, he knew why she was on the other side of his desk. Was thoroughly amused by it, she thought, by the way he was looking at her.

She took the opportunity to apologise to him for her behaviour this morning and told him she had also gotten him a gift. That his mother would bring it and give it to him. Lucinda had no intention of telling him what she had set in motion.

She knew Jeremy and Braidy would also keep her secret. Samantha could tell him herself. Well, show him, she guessed. Hopefully he would really like it. Told him it was a nice gift. That she thought he would like it.

Then she brought up the lock down for this pack-house, explained why she wanted to see it and asked to be shown the secret exit. Only to be told there wasn't one. She didn't like that there wasn't one, she wanted one. So told him there needed to be one. She would insist if it came down to it, but she was hoping he would just agree to put one in.

Nick didn't seem to understand the need for one. Not like she did. Probably didn't think there was a realistic need for one. But she did. It had been the only thing that had saved her and her women and children, from all being burned alive that horrid day. Her eyes had moved to the whiteboard, to Darwin's name. Pain touched her chest. How was she going to explain this to him? Why she needed it? Felt that it was necessary. She got up and walked over to the pack map. Looked at her pack that was darkened out like a black shadow on the map, like it didn't exist anymore. Reached out and touched it, felt saddened that it wasn't, couldn't be recognised as an official pack anymore. She was still here. So were her 60 women and children. "Because of this," she told him, and heard the pain in her own voice couldn't hide it. "You know the story Nick." it came our as a bare whisper, her heart ached so terribly at the memory.

Lucinda felt his arms slide around her, hug her from behind. Comforting her. Tried to tell her it would never happen here, that this pack. Their pack was much bigger and stronger. She knew all that, the words 'from all accounts.' left his lips and she corrected him. "400." she nearly sobbed, at the memory of that bloody s*******r that flooded her as she recalled it took 340 lives in less than a day. They had been a small peaceful pack, only a hundred trained to fight properly, not enough to save them from the invading force that had come so unexpectedly.

He turned her to face him and she looked up at him. Tears blurred her vision. He was trying to reassure her but the words fell from her mouth, unable to not say them "If your dead, you can't stop it." felt her tears spill down her face. Alpha Jude and Matthew, she knew, had defended with their very lives, but their deaths had weakened the Luna, her too, for that matter.

Again he tried to reassure her and tell her he wouldn't let that happen. He even tried to use Ky'ra to support his words.

"To be burned alive Nick, inside while that pack-house was in lock down, I don't want that to happen here." and she did not. Never wanted to have to go through that ever again.

Again he was trying to comfort and reassure her, but he couldn't, nothing could. She had to have a way out for her people. Not only her with access to it, maybe Samantha or even Kevin's Mate. Two or three others so they could get away while Lucinda dealt with the fall out. The pain and loss that would come with Nick's death.

She knew how it felt to loose a Mate. Could deal with it under extreme circumstances, but she didn't want to live that way again. Didn't want to have to live without him. Couldn't she would fight to her own death while her women and children got away. It would be better that way. Die like he would protecting the pack.

She told him "there needs be," and leaned into him, needed him right that minute, the comfort she could feel just being close to him, her thoughts were becoming too painful to deal with.

"Lucinda, do you know what happened to that pack?" he asked quietly.

"Yes." she answered honestly, nodding her head. She would never be able to forget that day. It was burned into her very soul. "I don't want to talk about it." she murmured, and really didn't, just thinking about it. She could recall the sounds of the battle that had raged outside the pack-house, the smell of all that blood and death around her, remember the tearing of her own heart with the death of each of her family members of her Mate. The pain of having to kill her own Luna to save her from a monster, the smell and sounds of the pack-house burning above them as they hid, praying to survive.

A sob erupted from her, unable to contain it anymore. The pain was too much to handle. "I want to go home, Nick" she almost pleaded with him, knew he would not understand her words, but couldn't keep them inside. Too many memories.

She tried to pull away from him, hit him when he refused to let her go, didn't want him to see her like this, needed to run away home, but he wouldn't let her, held on to her, didn't even try to deflect her hits, just stayed there and took it. Had no idea why she was this way, but held on to her and tried to tell her this was her home now...but it wasn't. He didn't let go and eventually she just stopped struggling against him, and tried to pull herself together. His voice was soft and gentle, filled with concern. " You can tell me Lucinda, whatever it is."

But she wasn't ready too. Had probably already said too much, she now realised. Removed his arms from around her, wiped away her tears and apologised to him for her actions. She had lost all control of herself and her emotions. "Don't be, just tell me. So I can understand." he encouraged her.

Lucinda could not look up at him. Would probably just make her cry all over again. Didn't know how to explain away her sudden emotions or tears and begging him to let her go home. "I just need more time." "Okay, when you're ready," he said softly.

Lucinda knew he meant it. She looked up at him still full of sadness over the memories of her past, and didn't want to think about that happening here. Loosing him too.

His hand cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing against her cheek "When you're ready," he reaffirmed to her, making sure she understood he was not going to push her to tell him.

Lucinda nodded her head in acknowledgement and then walked out of his office, to go and be on her own.

Would go and call Lindy to see how her women and children were doing. Made her way to their suite and sat herself in the remaining pod chair to make the call.

Lindy answered on the fourth ring "honey how are you."

"Sad." Lucinda answered honestly, "How are they Lindy?" she asked quietly.

"They are all safe, I promise."

"Did you and Corey talk to them?"

"We did. It was unanimous, they all want to go where you go."

"Are they mad? That I left them behind?"

"No honey. It was explained to them. They raised many questions and concerns but Corey asked them to be patient. Give you and Nick a couple of weeks to sort things out. They agreed... How are things going?" "Better," she admitted.

"Then why are you sad honey?"

"I miss home," she said sadly.

"Okay...so you and Nick are doing okay then?"

"Yes, we still fight but we're okay."

"Honey, that's because he doesn't know. If you tell him, Lucinda."

"I can't...I nearly did...But!"

"But what?"

"I don't know if I should. It's not just me Lindy!" she said honestly. "Your pack. Will trust you. Tell him and everything will be okay." Lucinda leaned back into the pod chair. "He's looking into Darwin." "Worried about what he saw, with you and Darwin. I imagine." "I know."

"When you tell him. We will organise for your pack to come to you."

"You promise...all of them." Lucinda bit her lip. The twins were part of her pack.

"All that want to go." Lindy answered, "Now honey. Go and rest and try not to be sad."

"Okay." Lucinda nodded and ended the call.