Mateless and Luna Bound (Self Published)

Chapter 17: Explanations

Sam looked like he was going to go on a whole half hour apology lecture on why he was sorry about not waiting up for her. Max normally would just walk out at this point, but he had to get all of this out of the way.

"I told Ed not to tell anyone," Max told her. She looked at him with an angry expression, but it quickly died when she looked at his tired face. She hugged him and started crying.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "You must be so in love with him. Liam is just stuck in his old ways."

Jeez," Ed rubbed his arm, "What is it with pregnant women?" he stopped talking when Sam gave him a low growl.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Max pulled Leah off him, "Liam's right. There's a good chance that the pack might never accept him. He's not going to be the only one who thinks that there shouldn't be a male Luna, let alone a human one. And, if my dad's waiting to take care of the rogues until the next Alpha gets the title, then I'm not looking at much time to convince them all."

"It didn't seem like he was trying to give you a deadline or anything," Leah said.

"Yeah, but there is one. Those rogues have been getting more confident. If we just stay back and only defend, they're going to keep trying to attack."

"Are you sure he's the one?" Tyler asked him.

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "I didn't realize it until last night, but he is my mate. I can't stop thinking about him; worrying about him. Even being this far from him is driving me insane."

"And his scent?" Ed asked. He gave an almost nostalgic smile.

"The most addicting smell ever."

"Yup," Ed nodded. "Reminds me of when I first fell for Emily."

"I still can't get over how he smells sweet," Sam said. "That's just so weird for a human."

"I can't get over how he made you laugh when we first met him," Ed elbowed him. "Now that was a feat."

"He made you laugh last night?" Leah looked up at him. She was much smaller in comparison.

"I'll explain that later, Love," Sam gave her a guilty smile.

"I can't get over the fact that you're willing to give up your title for him," Tyler said. All the light-hearted talk went right out the door. Tyler looked at Max almost like he had betrayed them all. Max knew that the pack was excited for him to take the lead. But it was then when he realized just how loyal the people who were under him truly were.

"Mates are the second halves of your soul," Max told him. "That's what we've learned ever since we were babies. Our parents told us that we will find our mates and, when we do, we will be complete with them," he looked at Tyler with sad eyes. "How am I supposed to reject the other half of my soul? I've been looking for three long years. Am I just supposed to marry someone else? Lead the pack and try and grow a happy family with someone that I can never truly be happy with? No. I can't, and I won't."

"But, the pack -!"

"If the pack won't accept Charlie, then they won't accept me!" Max yelled. This was the one time he would hold back his tears from his friends. They were always there to help console him. He was sure that Tyler saw it in his eyes though. "If the pack would rather accept you and Isabelle, then you have my blessing. But, for now, I'm going to do whatever it takes to get them to accept my mate."

There was some silence after that. Tyler looked into his eyes with a softened expression. As much as he had been trying to be the Beta for the pack, as he had always been trying to do nowadays to prove himself, he was still Max's best friend.