Luna Queen's Fury

11 Oranges

Peter is only too eager to switch topics and walks over to the patio set, taking in the vegetation as he walks. "You did this?" he muses, tapping a budding orange with his fingertips.

"I had help," I reply with a laugh. "Mostly I just let the light in and nature took over."

Peter pauses and tilts his head as he narrows his gaze at me. "Is that the story you're going with? You just nudge things in the right direction and let nature take over?"

His words carry an unspoken accusation as he keeps his skeptical gaze locked on me.

Clearly, he read something else into what I intended.

I take a seat and open the tray sitting on the table, revealing an assortment of mixed fruit. My eyes instantly fall on the bright orange wedges in the center and I laugh at the irony. Peter almost looks amused as I pick up a slice and pass it to him.

"Can I just have my lecture upfront now?" he huffs, dropping down into the seat across from me.

"What lecture?" I ask, arching a brow. While I wait for his answer, I grab a strawberry and take a bite, savouring the tart, sweet flavours.

"Jess," he sighs, caving and eating his orange before grabbing another.

"Seriously, what lecture?"

"The one you called me here for," he deadpans.

"Do you need a lecture?" I counter. Suddenly, the orange slice he holds requires a lot of peeling as he avoids my question. "I missed you at the coronation and meant to invite you to dinner the following night, but I became a wolf kebab and that kind of kiboshed that..."

Peter flashes me a pointed look and shakes his head. "That's not even funny. Your mate is going to go grey in a year with you. I was there though, was a fitting ceremony, pretty and um..."

"Pretty?" I scoff.

"What do you want me to say Jess?" He sighs.

"Why do you think I want this or that? Is something wrong?" I ask, trying to get to the root of the problem.

He's always been so in control, could Lena throw him this far off-kilter?

"Everything's fine," he clips. "The territory is stable, the neighbouring packs have all signed treaties and everyone's doing fine. Pack's even growing some, a couple found mates or had family come, have some pups on the way, it's all fine."

"Say fine one more time," I groan, giving him a pointed look.

"Fuck," Peter groans, palming his forehead and gets up, shifting restlessly. "How'd you find out?!"

His accusation is laced with a strange mix of fear, annoyance, and disbelief. Coming from an Alpha it's peculiar to say the least and takes everything in me to keep from laughing.

"Christ." He sighs, giving me a skeptical look before shaking his head and shifting uneasily.

"Clearly something's bothering you," I say, hoping he'll open up on his own.

"I know you know!" he snaps, gripping the back of his chair so hard his knuckles turn white.

"I know a lot about a great many things," I reply flatly. "The inner workings of your mind is not one of them."

He purses his lips and nods. "That makes two of us... You look good though," he adds, changing the subject.

"I feel good, most days," I admit. "Flashbacks come less and less often and I'm actually looking forward to the future, whatever that might be." Subconsciously I cradle my stomach.