Chapter 2. Love You More

Still in a state of euphoria, I say goodbye to the she-wolves at the daycare around ten o'clock. Few bother to return my greeting, but I really don't care.

Right now all I'm thinking about is my date with my mate. Two hours ago, a large part of the pack departed en masse for the sacred cave.

From the loud howling I conclude that the animal sacrifice to the Moon Goddess has been accepted by her. And then preparations are made for the hunt and Jasper will watch that the rules are read correctly by his Beta.

The hunt starts with a ten-minute lead for the she-wolves, after which their mates start looking for them. When they find their fated, the forest turns into one big party of mating wolves, the cries of ecstasy increasing the couples' sex drive among themselves.

The moment the first cries are heard, I know that Jasper is on his way back to the packhouse to meet me.

Many she-wolves have tried to seduce and mate with him in hopes of giving birth to his heir, but my faithful mate consistently refuses.

He is absolutely loyal to me.

This makes me so proud of him. The first year of our mating I participated in this festival but when it turned out that I wasn't pregnant the following year and my wolf hadn't showed up either, the Elders decided it was better if I stayed behind. In addition, it was difficult to participate in the run or hunt without a wolf.

In good spirits, I now wander into the packhouse, but as I approach the elevator, I hear voices behind a closed door. This is our entertainment area where unmarried pack members often watch movies or play indoor games. But the voices I hear there belong to the Alpha family.

I sharpen my hearing and hear Jasper's mother muttering, but I can't quite make out what she's saying. But then I hear my name and I walk closer.

"We have a pathetic human for a Luna. If she had only given birth to a single pup, we could have tolerated her not being able to shift," my mother-in-law complains agitated. "Now she just eats our food but is worth zero. She only costs us money but brings us nothing".

"If only we could find a way to get rid of her, Jasper could be given a second chance. Much better, get a chosen mate. Then we won't have to wait long for a pup, the successor to our Alpha," I hear Louise, Jasper's sister, add. "A barren Luna. Bah!" she lets out disgustedly. "Why didn't her parents push her to death at birth? She's nobody!"

Tears well up in my eyes as I listen to the harsh words.

I knew the Alpha family wasn't happy with me, but for them to hate me to the point of wishing me dead is heartbreaking. The pain that shoots through my heart almost suffocates me.

Slowly I walk to the elevator to take me to my residence. Tears are streaming down my cheeks now. I step into our apartment, in the bedroom I fall on the bed. I feel myself falling into a pitch black pit from which I can't crawl out. The tears keep coming, I now hold my chest tight and try to clear my mind. But this time it doesn't work. This raw rejection is hard to come by.

And then I know: I have to get out of here. I must free Jasper to find the Luna he needs.

His family is right, I'm not helping the pack. Everyone here hates me, there's no point in annoying them any longer with my presence. Jasper and the pack need pups to continue the bloodline, ensuring the survival of Storm Forest. And I can't give that to them.

Jasper loves me, but I can't be selfish. Tonight I want to be with my mate and then it's time to go. I know he won't let me in so I have to find a way to leave without him stopping me. And I already know how.

I get up from the bed and go back to the bathroom.

This time I'm in the shower until I come to my senses. However, the cruel words of my in-laws will not spoil the evening with my mate.

Back in the bedroom, I put on the dress Jasper had prepared for me and put the necklace around my neck. As soon as I have my make-up in order, I check the result in the mirror. No matter what everyone in the pack says about me, no one can deny that I have a distinct beauty. My features are striking, and my long black hair cascades down my back like a waterfall. My greatest treasures, however, are my almond-shaped large silver eyes and thick eyebrows in a slightly tanned face. Many spend thousands of dollars in beauty salons to have all this. Mine are all natural.

I feel two hands on my shoulders and from the sparks running through me, I know that Jasper has arrived.

"You are gorgeous. I thank the Moon Goddess for pairing me up with you, Rain," he whispers in my ear. "You are so pure of heart. No one can be like you and you are mine". I look at his reflection in the mirror and I see the sincerity in his eyes. Happily, I stare at him.

"Not you, but I am the lucky one here. So many she-wolves dream of mating you, but you chose me. I love you, Jasper".

Slowly he turns me to face him so I can look him in his amazing blue eyes.

"I love you more, Rain."

He takes my hand and places it on his heart.

"Without you, breathing is not possible for me. You are the reason my heart beats, my mate". He leans forward slightly and his lips brush over mine before kissing them tenderly. And when I parted them to give him access, he deepened the kiss. A shiver of pleasure runs down my spine and I lean closer to him.

"Come, let's go. Otherwise, we won't get out of this room tonight," Jasper whispers to me. And then I notice that he has already changed and is dressed in a nice tuxedo.

"My mate!" I exclaim. "You're so handsome!"

And with our arms around each other, we step out of the apartment toward the packhouse exit. ...