Heart of the Moon

I arrived at White Satin Pack with ten minutes to spare.. but Kiernan was at my door before I shut the truck off. He grinned hugely and held his hand out for me to take. I took it, enjoying the sparks and tingles for a minute. He helped me out, then turned to the boys’ doors. He lifted Derek down, after hugging him and saying he loved him.. then turned and did the same thing with Darius.

Kieran has texted me every day this week.. each one, an apology. I haven’t responded to any of them. I don’t fool myself. I love him. My heart belongs solely to him. But, he won’t know that… not unless he earns it. My biggest fear is opening up to let him in.. just for him to do the same thing!? It makes my heart hurt thinking about it!

We had finished breakfast and the boys were with their father down at the training field. I had just finished putting their clothes away in the room Kieran had readied for them. He had them in a room between the two of us.. with adjoining doors. His reasoning.. no one can get to their room without going through one of ours!

I met up with Cole on my way back downstairs to check on the boys. He walked with me out to the training field. We heard a blood curdling scream and I took off running. I saw a woman, trying to shake Darius’ little face off her leg.. and Derek on the ground.. as I closed in on the scene, I realized it was Valerie..

Rushing to Derek, I lifted him into my arms. He had a bloody nose and his cheek was swelling. I laid my hand against his face.. then handing him to Cole, I grabbed that bitch by the hair and slung her at Kieran’s feet.. glaring at him. I picked Darius up and Cole followed behind me with Derek.

I washed my baby’s little face and kissed it all over until he was giggling again. I sat down on the floor with them.. and I said “Tell Mommy what happened.. don’t be worried. Mommy already knows who she’s going to kill.. I just want to know how many times, I need to kill her.. And they both giggled.

Darius tells me “We was playing tag.. and I was IT.. Derek took off running and we askidentally ran into that mean woman. She spilled her drink and got so mad. She was scary and all her clown makeup is ugly! She was screaming and calling names and then wham! She back slapped Derek right in the face. He fell down. She hurt him and he was crying. I bit her.”

I smiled at him and ruffled his curls. “That’s Mommy’s Big Boy! I am so proud of you for looking out for your brother.” I tucked them into their little race car beds and just as they dozed off, Cole whispered “Kieran is asking for us in the office.” I sigh and nod.. If he even tries saying anything to me about that woman, all bets are off!

Walking in, I see Valerie sitting in front of Kieran’s desk.. with Axel leaned against the wall by the door. She was giving me the stank eye, and I muttered “Keep glaring, bitch.. My sons aren’t here to save your life now!” Cole choked on air while both Axel and Kieran stifled a laugh. I sat down and asked why I was there.

Kieran said “I invited you. I wanted your input on the punishment we are giving Valerie for abusing the son of a guest in my home.” I laughed “Seriously? You want My input? I would just as soon beat the hell out of her, as look at her. But she’s your pack.. I’m not the only one with a dog in this hunt!”

He nodded and said “You are so right! She has no clue the actual severity of her infraction. Is Derek okay? Darius? Did you have him brush his teeth? Gargle?” And I laughed! Shaking my head, I told him “They always brush their teeth before naptime. Darius did tell what happened, however. And said the scary, mean woman with the ugly clown face backhanded Derek for accidentally.. or ASKidentally.. running into her, while they were playing tag.” The guys laughed, while Valerie muttered something about ill-bred brats.

Axel was still laughing, when he said “I don’t believe I have ever heard you described more accurately, Valerie” She snapped “Shut Up, Axel. This isn’t your business!” And the growl Axel loosed, rattled the windows. UhOh.. big, mad, disrespected puppy fixing to go off!

He roared “I am BETA! You ever disrespect me.. or speak to me without my title.. again, I will order you be delivered five lashes with a silver tipped whip! It is my business when someone in our pack abuses a child!”

Kieran speaks lowly.. anyone could tell he was holding onto his temper by a thread “Let’s hear it, Valerie? Why would you backhand a toddler? A baby!? Especially.. Especially that baby!”

She whined “I acted without thinking Kieran. I was looking for you! I wanted to apologize for the other night and to let you know I am willing to try again!” He laughed and said “You are willing to try what again? If you are referring to anything to do with me, get it out of your head! You were a mistake I never plan on repeating.”

She yells “Why? You said you were going to choose me as Luna! Until Cole said he would quit as Gamma!” I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. And the hits just keep on coming, folks!

Kieran snarls “I NEVER said that! I made a remark in passing about considering a chosen.. that was before. This is now! What does concern me though, is… how did you know Cole said that, Valerie?”

She shrugs her shoulders and mutters “I heard someone talking about it.” He growled “Only four people knew, Valerie. My inner circle and Calista. I will ask one more time, Valerie. How did you know?”

Instead of answering, she whimpered “Why do you keep saying my name like that? Like it’s a bad word? Everything was fine, until you saw her at the diner.. after that day, you barely spoke to me!”

He said “Answer the question, Valerie!” She screamed she already told him how she knew. Kieran looked at Axel “Lock her in the cells. Maybe she will think about telling the truth.. before I find it.. and Valerie! I will find out how you knew something that was discussed in the privacy of my office! Trust and believe!”

They left and he turned to me “I am so very sorry. I never meant for that to happen. I know that doesn’t mean shit, in the overall scheme of things.. but, please, don’t take th..” I slammed my hand over his mouth and shook my head. His eyebrows raise.. and I grab a pen and paper.. I wrote “Office may be bugged!”

His eyes got huge.. taking my hand, he lead me downstairs and out to the back garden. He said “That would make sense.. but why would she bug my office? What would she hope to gain?”

I rolled my eyes and asked “Seriously!? What does she want???! To be Luna! Unless she is giving the information she gleans to an outside party. Have you noticed her acting differently? Suspiciously?”

He shrugs.. shaking his head.. Men are so clueless! “Think, Kieran.. has she done anything lately that made you think it’s odd?”

He said “Wait! She became more aggressive about calling attention to our relationship. The day of the boys’ birthday, she tried wrapping her arms around me.. trying to kiss me, in front of the pack. And made some remark about waiting in ‘Our’ room.. I told her flat out, there never has been an Our room.. and never will be! I have never allowed that! When I came home.. she was naked.. in my bed! I threw her out of the pack house. And burned the bed!”

I started laughing “Burned the bed, did ya? That’s a shit ton of red flags, there, Professor!”