Fuck You, Mate

XXIV

Peyton's POV

I woke to an empty room. It's been this way almost two weeks and I was losing it.

I was snapping at everyone, pushing people harder in training and doubling the she-wolves' training time.

"Alpha."

"Hey, Adrian, what's up?"

"Got a minute?"

"Yeah, sure," I put my pen down and rubbed my eyes. I've put too many hours in at this desk lately. I wanted to have everything ready for when Alice got back. Because I'd be taking at least a day off. She was going to be mine for at least a day.

Assuming her wolf needed me in the slightest and didn't push me away.

"I take it you haven't talked to Luna."

I shook my head. She has her wall just as high as when I met her. "One message. A few days ago."

"She's fine."

"I know." That's what bothered me. She didn't need to talk to me, didn't need to be near me, didn't need my touch or me at all. Other than not dying, we were basically strangers.

"She'll come around, she agreed to be Luna."

"No. She allowed me to stay Alpha. And I'm very thankful for that, but it's not the same."

"I know."

I glanced out the window at the young boys playing football in the clearing.

"So what did you come in for?" I asked Adrian and he got quiet. I wasn't going to like this conversation.

"You've been testy this week. The pack is really noticing."

I looked back out the window. I was grouchy because I didn't have a mate before, and now I'm grouchy with a mate.

"I know she's been gone, but the pack shouldn take the brunt of it."

I sighed, "I know."

"I know you do, but I think you need to hear it too."

"Adrian, she's fiesty and that's great. You're right. I wasn't going to get a mate that rolls over and submits to everything. But fuck."

"She's a handful."

I nodded. "But I'll do better. I promise."

"When are you telling the pack about her?"

"I figured a week after she gets back. Council wants to meet her first, my parents want to meet her, and I don't want to do it all in one day."

"Give her time for questions. To adapt. To take it in."

"I'm going to do what I can. Council is already down my neck. If they knew she wasn't on pack land I'd probably be having my title revoked. And two weeks! They don't trust that she's not from a pack. They want her to assimilate. To act like other Lunas."

"I want to see her face when they tell her that."

I chuckled, "It's not going to work. I was fooling myself. There's no way she can be Luna and take on the responsibilities like usual and act like other she-wolves. She doesn't understand why we don't live like humans. In towns instead of pack houses."

He nodded, "Well, you've had it rough, but you've toughened up the pack. I think you've done well for the pack, and I don't think we're done needing you. So I hope she stays. For our sake."

"Yeah, me too."

I heard a motorbike come up the drive and stood, but then sat when I realized it wasn't her scent.