Fleur was sitting on the bottom steps of the staircase, struggling to get into her shoes only using one hand. She had a nervous pit in her stomach as she was readying herself for her dinner tonight, and now as she could hear her mom and step-dad getting their things together, she felt downright sick.
Fleur had never been asked on a date. She didn't even remember anyone being seriously interested in her. Sure, in pre-school, there had been one innocent kiss at recess with a boy who smelt like barbecue chips. But never had anyone genuinely pursued Fleur.
And now this man...
No, she couldn't let herself go down this path again; she should at least try to follow her mother's advice and take everything one day at a time.
She had wanted to take a book to read on the drive but her mom had told her not to. Sabine had told her she should get excited for her dinner rather than spend the drive reading. Fleur didn't understand why she couldn't do both.
As she attempted to slide into her second shoe, a resounding knock could be heard from the front door.
"I've got it," Andrew called out as he made his way to open the door. Opening it slightly before exchanging words with the person on the other side before stepping aside to let them enter.
Fleur was surprised to see someone who looked exactly like Oliver, just a little taller with the dark hair atop his head, which Fleur now recognized as something all Deveraux men she had met so far had, styled in a neater fashion, walk in.
"Fleur the Alpha's nephew has just informed me that there has been a change of plans" Andrew stepped towards Fleur, who had now managed to put on her other shoe and was struggling to push herself off the stairs with just one hand at her disposal.
"What change of plans?" Sabine's voice rang through the entryway as she made her way from the kitchen to join her family and the stranger in the hall.
"Ma'am, my name is Jonathan Deveraux," Oliver's lookalike spoke, addressing her mother. "After the Alpha found the Luna today, a video of them was shared in the media, and now there are several news outlets parked outside the gates of the Alpha's house. The Alpha's main priority is to maintain the Luna's privacy. Him leaving his residence would attract too much attention, and the media would most likely follow him here."
As Jonathan informed the family, Fleur felt like her ears were ringing. There was a video of her falling and being carried off by the Alpha circulating in the media.
Her palms were growing damp as she clenched her right fist together in the coat pocket. Jonathan then turned away from her mother to face her. Dark brown eyes found her alert blue ones.
"Luna the Alpha has sent me to collect you in one of our cars because the windows will be blacked out, and no one will be able to take a picture of you."
Jonathan has talked to his brother extensively about Fleur as soon as it had become clear that the human girl was going to become their Luna but now, standing in front of her was a different story.
Oliver had told him how his wolf had reacted to her, and now even Johnny's wolf was cautiously flipping its tail so as not to startle the tiny thing in front of him.
Johnny took in the slight girl in front of him, her eyes held a dazed sheen over them, and he wasn't sure whether she was taking in what he was saying.
When Johnny had imagined who the moon goddess would have paired with his Uncle, he had imagined a strong, tall, hardened warrior female Alpha who would be a looming presence at his Uncle's side.
Never in a million years would he have pictured someone as delicate looking as Fleur. Not only was she short, even for a human, but her built was also slim. Johnny worried that worst case, the cold winter winds could even blow her away.
Snapping out of her spiraling thoughts, Fleur soon realized that all eyes were on her now, and she would have to agree to the demand the Alpha had made.
The other alternative of having her parents drive her would not only put them at risk but also inevitably cause her to get photographed again, which made her lightheaded. So weighing up her options, she wanted to do what was best for them.
"Oh, uhm, t-that's very thoughtful - thank you" She quietly agreed with Johnny's open-ended question.
"Right, well, we better be on our way! From what I understand, my Uncle is cooking for you, and I don't necessarily know how much I trust him around fire" An easy smile graced Jonathan's lips, and from the way his eyes crinkled, Fleur got the impression that he laughed a lot.
Sabine made her way over to her daughter, hugged and kissed her briefly on the forehead.
"Be good, Fleur - call me if you need anything! Anything at all" Sabine stared Fleur deep in the eyes. She didn't want Fleur to be stuck in any uncomfortable situation.
For all Sabine knew, Theodore Deveraux could have been Christ reincarnated; if her daughter wanted to come home and 'ditch' her mate, Sabine wouldn't hesitate to make it happen. With one lingering squeeze, the two women parted, and Fleur stepped out of the house.
A massive escalade was standing in front of her family's cabin, and Jonathan was holding the back door open for her. It was getting dark already, and the street lanterns bathed the lonely street where Fleur lived in a gloomy honey-colored light. It was still snowing, and Fleur took a second to breathe in and let the cold, piercing air fill her lungs with oxygen.
Then, trudging through the snow, she made her way over to the car. With a murmured thanks, she slid into the smooth leather back seat.
The interior of the car was all black, and aside from the overhead lights and displays being on in the front, Fleur was swallowed whole by the darkness of the vehicle. Nevertheless, she felt it was oddly comforting, almost like a lulling blanket of darkness.
"Ready to go, Luna?" Jonathan asked as he got into the front seat, buckling himself in.
"Yes, just uhm, please call me Fleur" It felt ridiculous to Fleur that anyone should address her with a title, most of all Jonathan Deveraux, who was roughly her age and was an actual Deveraux. If anything, she should be addressing him as Sir. Johnny sent Fleur a warm smile through the rearview mirror.
Although the Deveraux brothers were young, they carried themselves with such regal grace that people paid attention to them.
All Deverauxs were purposefully raised with the knowledge of their family lineage and what that meant to them and the wolf-shifter community as a whole.
Knowing this, Johnny hadn't called Fleur Luna to make her uncomfortable or mock her. It was more the case that Johnny was aware of all the implications of Theo and Fleur's meeting.
He was sure that Fleur was aware of who Theo was, and she might even think to know how this mating would alter the course of her life. But Johnny knew that Fleur would soon realize that life as she knew it before meeting Theo had ended.
"Alright, Fleur, but only if you call me Johnny" Fleur smiled back at that contently, proud of herself that she hadn't messed anything up so far. Maybe she was making this up, but she felt the pit in her stomach settle just the tiniest bit upon Johnny's kindness.
The car ride passed quickly, with Johnny telling Fleur many random anecdotes about Bennington as they drove through the mostly vacant streets. Johnny told her how the only people allowed to live in Bennington had to serve some administrative service to the Pack. Johnny pointed out different sights, attractions, and restaurants along the way.
However, they all blended into one for Fleur as she grew increasingly anxious the closer they came to the Alpha's house. She tried to combat her nerves by brushing her uninjured palm down the length of her skirt.
"We're just pulling up to the gate now. There will be camera flashes, and you'll feel like they're getting pictures of you but don't worry, their lenses can't get through the blacked-out windows" Johnny, and Fleur's eyes met in the rearview mirror as he sent her a reassuring smile.
His wolf was picking up on the anxiety that was radiating from the back seat, and he felt the need to provide what little comfort he could to Fleur.
Moments later, as Johnny had announced, Fleur could hear commotion as the car slowed down. Fleur could hear voices outside her window as she cowered together, raising her knees to curl into herself to provide more protection.
Although Fleur avoided looking outside, the bright flashing of the light blinded her as several cameras were shoved onto the window. Fleur felt like a dear in headlights, and her heart was beating so intensely she felt like it was about to fly out of her chest. She felt trapped in the tight, dark confines of the car. What if someone broke a window?
Fleur would be on display, ready for the taking for anyone who wanted to shove a camera in her face.
Outside, the atmosphere was getting more heated as the car had now stopped to be waved through by the guards, and the suffocating noise of the shouting of the news reporters, the endless clicking of the cameras, and the gradual pounding on the windows around her drew together in an all-consuming crescendo. Fleur forgot how to breathe at the raw aggression outside the car. How could people live like this?
It was only when the car started rolling through the gates and along the driveway again, away from the noise, that Fleur felt like her lungs could intake oxygen again.
"You alright back there" Upon Johnny's voice filling the car Fleur uncurled from her fetal position and sat upright again. "Sorry, that must have been a lot for you – I'm sure the Alpha already has the legal office working on cease and desist letters for the press."
Fleur was still stunned and couldn't formulate a proper response, and so only offered Johnny a stunted nod.
After smoothly cruising along a never-ending driveway, the car stopped in front of a large cabin much in the rustic style that all houses in Bennington were built in.
This one was taller than any of the other houses which Fleur had seen, but she liked the look of it. It was overgrown with ivy on the outside, and warm lights illuminated the heavy-set dark wood door.
Theo's wolf perked up when he heard the car come up the driveway. He could already pick up the soft electrifying scent of his sweet mate. His wolf let out a low growl of contention.
In a moments time, she would be here in their house where she belonged, and then no one could steal her attention from him.
Theo almost scoffed at himself; he was acting like a pubescent pup, crooning for female attention. But then, who could blame the Alpha? It had always been his deepest desire to meet his fated mate.
Now that she was finally here, he was going to fulfill her every wish and indulge in their mateship fully.
With a gleam in his eyes, he made his way to the front door as he heard soft footsteps approaching on the gravel. Before she could knock, Theo opened the door and was met with her cautious gaze.
"Hello, my little flower," Theo purred seductively, stepping aside to welcome his mate into his home. Shooting Johnny, who was sitting inside the car, an appreciative look, he closed the door behind them.
Letting his mate's smell settle deeply into his lungs, it was as if he could finally breathe again after being separated from her. He purred lowly as he stepped closer to her.
Fleur felt the looming mountain of a man come up behind her as his chest slowly touched her back. She wondered whether he had been able to feel her heart skip a beat.
"Welcome to our home" His warm breath caught in her ear, and Fleur couldn't help the warmth that spread across her face.
Being in Theo's vicinity earlier today had thrown her for a loop, but now actually touching him made her feel like she couldn't think straight. All her thoughts were him. Trying to gain some control of herself, she took a step forward into the cozy entry hall of the house.
A fire was lit in the corner, and pictures of the Alpha with Johnny and Oliver were placed upon it. There was a large wooden round table in the center of the room where a couple of folders were lying upon.
What caught Fleur's eye was the old oil painting of wolves fighting that hung on two of the room's walls. They were grandiose and violent.
Aside from them, the room was covered by a large circular woolen rug in a deep red tone. Fleur felt small in this house's looming presence, much like its owner; it made the pit in her stomach crap with nerves. Theo observed his mate taking in their home, her alert eyes glancing from one thing to the next before lingering on the paintings.
"Those are depictions of the first great war a couple of decades ago," Theo murmured softly behind her, his voice filled with pride as he continued, "One of my grandfathers, Caspian Deveraux, led the first Wolf Opposition."
"Wasn't it the first Wolf Rebellion?" Fleur breathed out quickly without thinking, turning around to face her mate, not really meeting his penetrating gaze, only briefly before looking down at her tightly interlocked hands. "Oh, uhm, Sorry... I wasn't..." Fleur rambled, embarrassed for having spoken out of turn.
Nobody liked a smartass; she had always been told in school when she brought things up from her own readings.
A deep, menacing chuckle filled the room as the Alpha took in her words. The Alpha was pleased with her comment and took in her flushed cheeks with a low rumble of approval.
His wolf thought she looked delectable, standing before him all flushed and nervous like a lamb ready for the taking. But as their eyes briefly met, they shone with innocence, and Theo cursed himself internally for letting his thoughts run free.
She was seventeen and by no means of a precocious nature. He needed to do this at her pace.
"Well, sweetheart, I suppose that depends on your historical source and whether it was human or wolf" He took a step towards her, and they were now so close that their chests almost touched.
Heat radiated between them, and although they were newly mated, the forcefield of energy between the couple couldn't be denied by either of them. It felt almost like a tangible pulsing between them, and it was vibrantly sweet and delicious.
Fleur was taken aback by this onslaught of emotions that invaded her body and mind, while Theo relished in its intensity. They held steady eye contact.
The moon goddess cast her light favorably on this mating. Theodore Deveraux had long danced on the thin line between light and dark. The soul of Fleur was all light and purity, a rarity. But with the power the Alpha Deveraux wielded, it was also a necessity.
"Can I take your coat? I've made some dinner for us" Theo gently grabbed Fleur's slim shoulders and turned her so he could free her of her thick wool coat.
After hanging it up, he places his hand on the small of her back, delighted by the tingles it shot down his spine, to guide her into the kitchen.
The moon shone brighter that night than it had prior as its goddess illuminated the night to celebrate the union of the Alpha couple. The beginning of a new age.
A/N:
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