Our Luna, Our Mate by Linda Middleman
News Lasted 82

Chapter 82

Athena's POV

Today was it, today was the day of the Full Moon, as the last couple of weeks had all been nerve wracking as everyone trained preparing for a war in which we hoped would tip the fight in our favor but until we knew what we were dealing with, we had to keep our guard up as Ezra had gone quite during the months leading up to the Full Moon and many wondered if he just gave up and decided not to follow through only for one of our scouts to return prior to the events leading up to the full moon to let us know that they had spotted hundreds of Rogues all stationed along the packs border as if waiting for that moment to strike.

Worried for the safety of the women and childreh I had begun the evacuation of all them including those who could not fight as I began ushering them towards the bunkers, remembering my promise to stay with them along with Luna Gwen until either Eros or Ares had arrived to collect me.

"Hurry this way" I say as I continue to direct them towards the underground bunkers as the Mystic Shadow Pack had hidden bunkers stationed along the pack house for emergencies such as this and today was one of those emergencies.

With my attention on the children and the ones who could not fight I don't catch when one of the children rush only to fall and scrape their knees drawing my attention over to them as I move to check on the child. "Are you okay little one?" I ask softly not wanting to scare them even more as they move to hold their knee in pain as tears begin to fall.

"No, I have a boo boo" whimpers the child, a child who was maybe no older than five with short brown hair and warm chocolate eyes as he moves to look at me. Feeling my heart tug, I move to do the only thing I know of and that's to gently pick him up before cradling him within my arms.

"That's okay, we'll patch you right up sweetheart, is your mommy close by?" I ask hoping to distract him as I continue to talk to him.

"No... I'm one of the children who live in the pack orphanage, my parents abandoned me when I was little" sniffles the child causing me to bite my lip at his pain, for Ares and Eros had mentioned to me a while back that some packs often had orphanages for children who were either abandoned or unwanted by most and had no other relatives who wanted them.

Deciding then and there that this child was now mine, I move to keep him in my arms, the need to protect him growing. "Do you have a name, little one?" I ask again, hoping that his parents at least gave him a name.

"It's A-Adrian" sniffles the boy who was now known as Adrian, causing me to smile.

"Cute name for such a cute child" I tell him, smiling as I look at his cherub cheeks.

"No I'm not, everyone calls me a loser among other things" sniffles Adrian, not liking the way others treated him which pulls at my heartstrings.

"Tell you what, if anyone calls you a loser or any other mean name again, you tell them Luna Athena will personally speak to them for no one messes with a child especially one who is protected by the Luna" I tell him truthfully as I move to wipe his tears. Seeing him smile, do I move to smile as well, knowing I would have to talk to my mates about adopting him once this was all over, as I would then set up adoptions for those who were still in the orphanage for no child while under my reign would live like that for everyone deserved a home regardless of their history.

There's something special about this child' purrs Artemis as if sensing something that I couldn't.

'Special or not he's going to be our new son once this is all over with, I refuse to leave him all alone within an orphanage' I tell her back, my instincts to protect this child kicking in even though I had yet to give birth to my own set of pups.

Purring at my words, Artemis seemed almost happy with my decision as we continued to move everyone into the bunkers, Adrian still held gently within my arms until the last of them finally entered, the air surrounding the pack becoming thick as if you could cut it with a knife.

1/3

Chapter 82

Won't be long now before the Rogue King shows up, I muse my eyes shifting towards the sky that had begun to become dark for even though it was only mid afternoon, the presence of the Full Moon looming over us made the sky turn dark as if a Solar Eclipse was starting, sending the world into darkness.

Contacting my mates, I move to enter the bunker as well followed closely by Luna Gwen as we move to make sure those who were inside were all settled before locking the doors. 'Everyone's inside including me and your mom, please be careful,'

'We will love, just promise you'll stay in that bunker until one of us comes for you or one of your uncles, are we clear?' asks Ares over the pack link.

'Yes' I whisper back not wanting to argue with them as I knew they needed to be prepared for this, and me not being there to distract them would help them win this fight and finally end it once and for all

Turning my focus back to Adrian, do I move to speak, "Now then, let's get you all bandaged up shall we?" I question him with a smile, watching his reactions as I move to sit him on a bed, his tiny head nodding as I move to get a first aid kit before working on bandaging up his knee. Once done do I place a gentle kiss to his owie only to hear him giggle. "That tickles" giggles Adrian, a smile finally forming on his lips as he moves to watch us.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to tickle it, but you see my parents used to always kiss away my owies much like I just did for you and you know what?" I ask, His attention still on me.

"No, what?" asks Adrian now curious.

"It always helped" I finish with a smile, which in turn causes him to smile as well.

"There it is, such a cute smile" I murmur happily as I move to just sit with him, Adrian slowly moving to crawl into my lap as if he felt

safer there than on the bed.

"Can I stay here?" whispers Adrian trying not to show how scared he was.

"Of course you can little one, don't worry you're safe" I whisper back as I move to comb my fingers through his hair, hoping it would help calm his nerves, knowing that as children, they would be more afraid then that of an adult.

Still smiling, I continue to just play with his hair, the other children who lived in the orphanage moving to sit down next to me as I my eyes move to focus on the other 9 children a mix between girls and boys which only pulled at my heartstrings for even though there were only 10 all together which included Adrian, I still couldn't believe that any of them were considered unworthy of love.

'The poor souls' whimper Artemis as she watches them, fear etched on their faces as they had no parent to hold only each other while those who did have parents clung to them out of fear, another reason to adopt them out once everything was all said and done.

Y

'It'll be okay Artemis, I promise once this fight with Ezra is over with, will I move to focus on these little ones' I coo to my wolf my Luna side rising at the need to nurture and protect these children with my life stirred as a Luna was the heart, the mother, the one who nurtured above all else while the Alpha's protected.

Hoping to calm them, I move to sing them a song.

"Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember and a song someone sings once upon a december," I sing softly catching the attention of those within the bunker as everyone listens to me sing to the children.

"Someone holds me safe and warm, Horses prance through a silver storm, Figures dancing gracefully, Across my memory" I hum completely unaware of my captive audience as I move to continue with the song, a song I had always loved as a child and one my mother would happily sing to me when asked.