The Unwanted Luna

-POV Conri-

The mundane chatter of our leaders made my whole world agitated. I am too tired for this. Edon gave us one update last night. One. He's been home for two days and all we get is one update following his supposed night to remember. This has been the longest weekend to remember. Now I have to sit here while he gets to enjoy all the fun. "Alpha Conri." Kevin, the Beta of the Green Leaf pack walked up to me with his whole 'professional grin' there and accounted for.

I turned my icy stare his way. That's what everyone was used to. The eldest of the Alpha Triplets, cold as ice. "Beta Kevin." I replied sternly. He pursed his lips into a grin and held out his hand. I shook it and he ushered me to a table. It looked like his Alpha was there. I wonder what he wanted to discuss.

I entertained his request and followed his lead through the crowd. "Alpha Conri, pleasure, please take a seat." Alpha Lucas proclaimed.

I obliged, already regretting the boredom it took to bring me to this table. Dude is loud and I could tell it was for good reason when his...outburst drew eyes our way. "How can I help you?" It wasn't like they didn't need my help with something. Packs always do. This was a regional summit and even some of the eastern and southern regions are here. The west tends to steer clear of the cooler weather.

"Oh, right to business, great method, I always say." I love it when the older alphas like to act like I'm nine years old. It reminds me that ever so often it's a good reminder to place the fear of the goddess in them every once in a while. Remind them I'm not the protégé type. I let my eyes darken and his wrinkled ones winced, shifting in his seat. "Anyway, we would like to visit Bodhi Cora at the end of the summit. We have to request some queries to be made about some rogues in our territory. We cannot get them to break and they are proving to be the most challenging gaggle of misfits we have come across." So, he sees me as a child but he needs me to achieve his goal. Ridiculous.

"And you would like to request the Fae's help." It wasn't a question. If a pack needs more intervention, they have to get it approved by my packs first to gain access to Bodhi Cora. That requires unanimous approval from myself, my brothers, the beta, gamma, and head warrior. Charlie almost always says no and when he does, he has no problem breaking the unruly bunch that were too hard to handle according to the alphas, too lazy to break the rogues themselves.

Alpha Lucas cleared his throat and nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. I'm not too sure what they are after, but they are trained and calculated. It's not like they are out for vengeance or blood anymore. They are organized." He raised his brow as if this would be new information to me. Puppets my informant calls them. The million dollar question was who was pulling the strings. However, I'm positive Alpha Lucas doesn't have that answer for me.

I leaned back in my chair. "Vince. We have another one."

"Again!? That's the third alpha this weekend! There is no way the Fae are going to approve this. Hell I won't approve this!" Vince growled.

"Neither will I, but we made a pact that we would hear everyone out." I agreed with our gamma, who grunted irritably, but he didn't respond.

It's important for unity on all fronts for us to at least pretend to try. I folded my arms and nodded towards my waiting audience. "This is something that we can work through. There are two other packs that need assistance and they will travel with us back to our territory. I will inform my Head Warrior of the new faces. Your pack is to do nothing without a conclusion on this matter. If you decide to take it upon yourself to do otherwise, the respect given will be null in void. It looks like our convoy of two additional alphas is now three. Any additional questions you have for this voyage will be directed to my gamma. Good day." I stood to my feet and walked off, completing the same dissertation I had given to two other packs already, thankful this day was almost over. One more night wishing I could see her petite form to calm my stewing lycan, and I'd be free.

I reached out for a glass, freezing at the thought regarding our mate. I guess she has finally rubbed off on me.

"Brother." Vilkas said, walking up to me and swiftly placing a glass in my hand.

I adjusted myself from hovering over the libations, turning to my fickle, and youngest brother. "Vilkas." We were doing our best to keep our worry under wraps, but every so often Vilkas or I would need help from the other. I'm glad he was looking out at the right time. I was doing so well so far.

We made our way to the patio and thankfully it was quiet. I know he wanted to talk to me since the night we arrived, but after I received a raving mad mind link from Vince shortly before I made it back to the suite, I didn't want to get involved. Vilkas is an interesting one and I don't think his relationship with Ayame is going to change more than where it stands now. The two of them, bickering like school children. I don't know if that is their dynamic or if she just enjoys being bratty towards him, but the two of them would put cats and dogs to shame. With Edon, she is soft and shy. Her cheeks are permanently red and her eyes light up like he is the most important thing she has ever seen. When she is with Vilkas, they can't be in the room with each other for more than five minutes before he does something or she does something that gets on each other's nerves. It's almost as if they crave the confrontation, but it brings out the feisty side of her. The confidence she will need to be the Queen Luna of our territory. The confidence Vilkas thinks she lacks.

Then there is me. I don't know what she thinks of me, but I don't know what I think of her. I never had to try this hard and when I did, I just defaulted back to Adolpha. It was easy with minimal stress. Relationships are exhausting. Adolpha is expendable.

In a month, my whole thought process made a shift. Now, I have to be secured in an eternal relationship with my Goddess-given mate, while I share her with my brothers. I'm not jealous or anything about our circumstances, but I feel like everything is much more taxing than just allowing us to go around and...enjoy life. Separately.

When Edon left to go console her, I wanted to tell him that he had responsibilities here, but I couldn't. I never thought I would be speechless. So desperate to know if someone was okay that I would leave protocol completely out the door. I guess you are never too old to learn something new about yourself.

The chatter of yet another dinner droned on while Vilkas and I were leaning on the patio railing with a drink in hand. He sipped his slowly and so did I while the moon rings danced around it's center. Illuminating the darkness around it. "I messed up...big time. I enjoy fighting with her. I enjoy the stupid smirks she has when she thinks she's won or the little pouts when I ruffle her feathers, but...." Vilkas started.

"But what?" Why does it feel like he is begging me to make the decision for him? I cannot. It is between him and the goddess. If he doesn't think she is worth it, then he should reject her. I will never go against what I was given. I might be surprised later on by unknown gifts I was not prepared to find. But that is my decision. We may share her, but we are still three different people.

"Vince punched me, but it's nothing compared to how I feel about how I came across with Ayame. I...I don't think she is weak, I just don't want to see her hurt again. Those nightmares.... Her screaming.... Dammit, I'm not making any sense." He spit out quickly as if he would lose his nerve if he tried to hold it in any longer.

I turned, shifting my weight towards the other railing, letting my body lean over the side and my glass dangle in between my fingertips. "I know it is hard to watch those you love in pain, but if you really want her, you are going to have to stop fighting her. I know...brattiness is your thing and you crave it, but you are also subconsciously driving a wedge between you and her. You need to tell her why you are like this or she won't understand. Build trust first."

"Oh, yee of so few words has a lot to say today!" Vilkas grumbled and plopped his forearms down next to mine. "I don't know how to say it. She's already been through an abusive relationship. What is she going to say when I tell her I get off on submission? I need a sub. What if she doesn't want to do that after her literally scarring experience with the imp from hell." He sighed and rubbed his face.

"Will you hit her?" I asked poignantly. No need to beat around the bush.

"The hell?! No! I'm not a sadist!" He looked at me in pure shock.

"Will you ignore her safe words, pretend she is okay when she needs you - and the scene - to stop?" I was a dom myself, but I didn't need submission as much as Vil did. He needed it in all that his partner was. He enjoyed the bratty side just as much, but he also wanted her to love and submit to him unconditionally. Voulntarily.... Place her trust in him without question. Build a relationship the exact opposite of what he is doing now. Me, I just enjoy the submission in the bedroom. Then, there was Edon.... He's a whole other story. "Of course not! That is my number one rule! Stop means stop. Period." He added curtly.

"Then what is there to worry about? Talk to her instead of building up all of your emotions." I added.

"I don't see you holding any conversations with her." I froze. He wasn't wrong, but that's not my thing.

I am the shadow that will make sure she is always safe. Never having to look over her shoulder. I am the triplet that will make her feel calm even when I'm not there. Like I said before, Edon is the jovial one and Vilkas is the hardheaded one. Someone has to fill in the middle ground. If all three of us were as animated as those two, she would be overstimulated from dawn till dusk. "It's not needed." That was all I said before heading back in to sit through another several hours of debate, politics, and rescue work.