42

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

"Lucas, would you like me to drive?" Damon offered sensing the other wolf had concerns about Gem. The pack bond wasn't as clear as a family or mate bon, unless you were the alpha.

"Thanks, nah I'm okay." Lucas looked at Gem and Damon knew instantly they were communicating. Gem continuing to reassure her mate who had his hands tightly clenched on the steering wheel. He took a deep breath and Damon watched him release one hand to now hold Gem's on his lap, his other hand loosened slightly as he turned, and while looking at her he addressed their alpha. "Ok, we good to go Thorn?"

"Get us home Luc."

***

Thorn looked at Luna. He couldn't believe how close he had been to losing her. "Please wake up Luna. We're going home. Please wake up." He gently wiped a lock of her hair back from her face. "You're safe now baby. We've got you." He watched her face carefully but detected no change.

"Thorn?" Gem turned in the front seat to look back at them.

"She's fine Gem. I'd know. Wouldn't I know?" Thorn raised his eyes and looked at Gemma. His question shaking her a little when she realised he was actually worried Luna might not be okay after all.

"I'm sure you'd know. Besides, she is Mother Luna. Maybe she just needs a bit more time. She will have to think about everything that happened, and feel the pain when she wakes up. At least at the moment she isn't suffering. You've done all we can and I'm sure your mum and the pack doctor will meet us back at your place."

"Her colour is good. Her heart rate is steady." Damon offered his support.

"I'll contact mum. She will probably beat me senseless when she knows this is all my fault."

"Mum, you probably already know but we've had a bit of drama and Luna needs you and the doctor."

"I know son, we're already at the lodge. Alex came too. We weren't sure if you might need some help. Thorn, don't beat yourself up too much about this. You have to realise just because you are mates doesn't mean you won't ever make mistakes with each other. She knows you love her. She just wanted to prove herself to you. So don't be too hard on her either."

"Mum can you hold off on the pep talk at the moment."

"Sorry. Rose is on her way too. I'll see you when you get here."

"Thanks. By the way I heard you."

"You usually do."

***

"Luna, honey I don't know if you can hear me, I am so sorry. Please forgive me."

"It's all my fault. I was acting like a little brat. I'm such an idiot Thorn. I think a twelve year old would have behaved better."

"Luna?" Thorn wondered if her being able to hear him was a sign she was coming around. "Baby?"

"I'm fine Thorn, just too embarrassed to face everyone."

"Luna, Gem is worried about you, and Damon really wants to meet his sister you can't hide forever. Besides everyone is well aware this was entirely my fault. We are mates, equals. I should never have said you couldn't be with me when I apologised to your brother."

"Rubbish. I'm not stupid Thorn. I could have outsmarted your plan to shut me out. Remember when we met Michael. All I would have needed to do was stand my ground and walk in. Instead I sulked and threw a two year old tantrum and have now been well and truly punished for my stupidity. Has he changed me Thorn?"

"I don't think so. But I can't be sure. Mum and the doctor are meeting us at the lodge."

"Shit. Way to impress the family. Too embarrassed to meet my brother. About to face up to your mother who will be so disappointed with me."

"You aren't up to a spanking right now but you better watch yourself baby. Now be brave and wake up."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes honey, you do, now."

"I am sorry Thorn. I swear I'll do better."

"Me too baby, me too. Now wake up so I can see those beautiful eyes of yours."

Luna opened her eyes her heart rate picking up slightly as a light pink tinge stained her cheeks. "Hi."

"Welcome back baby."

"Sorry to ruin your day Gem. Sorry Luc." She turned her head slightly. "Hi Damon. This wasn't quite how I thought we would meet."

"It was already exciting to find out I had a sister, you didn't need to add the extra drama. How are you feeling?"

"Other than foolish?" She gave him a gentle smile, "I'm okay. It is nice to have a brother."

Gem piped up from the front seat, "You better make the most of meeting him LJ because your brother was only in the house moments before he met his mate."

"You've met your mate? At the house?" Luna smiled at her brother. "Guess you're definitely staying then."

"Well I think we can worry about my mating sometime tomorrow, or the next day, or a year from now."

"Damon is a little worried about the mating. You can work on that with him while you recover." Thorn spoke quietly, drawing her eyes back to him. "Are you in much pain Luna? We don't really have anything we can offer you but we could stop at the hospital here rather than waiting till we get back to the house?"

"Please, just take me home." Luna looked at Thorn as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I really need to know if he changed me."

"Luna, I meant what I said." He growled lightly hearing where her thoughts were going. "No matter what. You are mine."

"Yes Thorn." She said meekly. He wasn't distracted enough to not realise her meek response was a concern.

"Don't pull that shit with me baby. I know you're feeling guilty and you are in more pain than you are admitting, but don't play the meek and mild card with me. Be my strong and brave mate. Fight me or set me straight. Swear to me, forever and always, but please don't fob me off with timid agreements you don't believe."

"And there's the Thorn we know and love. Thought we had lost you there for a moment." Gem clapped her hands. "Luna, pull your head out of your butt and listen up, you fucked up, but we all fuck up now and then. The Luna I know wouldn't just give up like you are. If he changed you, do you really think that means you are his? Look at me and tell me you believe the wolf that changes you owns you."

"Of course the wolf that changes you doesn't own you. Nobody owns you."

"Has a right to you? Does the filthy dog that changed me have rights to me?"

"No."

"So if he changed you, what changes?"

"Nothing. Nothing changes." Luna had tears running down her face as she came to this truth. "Thanks Gem. You okay?"

"With my mate beside me, my alphas behind me? Of course I'm okay."

"Liar." Luna grinned. "But guess we all pretend we're okay sometimes." Luna paled slightly as she turned back to Thorn. "How far?"

"A while still."

"Then I think I may zone out because the weak little human is feeling every single inch of her body right now."

"Hospital Luc, now."

"No, just get me home. If you take me to the hospital there will be too many questions and they won't let me go home." Luna stopped speaking. Her eyes going wide, "Thorn something is out there. I can feel it."

"We've got you, you're safe."

"No, it's out there Thorn, close." Luna closed her eyes. "Closer." She paled further.

"Luna?"

***

Luna felt the darkness swirling around her. That horrible sense of evil. How many times in her life would it nip at her like this? She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her instincts. She was about to ask them to stop the car when she felt the vehicle come to a stop.

"Thorn, we have company." Lucas spoke calmly from the driver seat. "Car blocking the road back to the highway."

"Help me up Thorn." Luna spoke firmly despite her condition.

"Luna, you can't expect me to let you..."

"I need to see who it is."

"I know who it is. My old alphas. This isn't good Thorn. Luna we need to keep going. Luc drive." Damon's voice was filled with his fear.

"No. We can't keep running this day had to come." Thorn moved Luna over to lean against her brother. "Damon you keep her safe for me. Neither of you get out of this bloody truck."

"Gem get in the driver seat as soon as Thorn and I get out. If things look bad you floor it, you hear me?" Luc stared at Gem who was already shaking her head. "I mean it pet. You stay in the truck and if you even think things look bad you split. Got it?"

Her low growl vibrated through the vehicle until his growl made her stop and lower her head.

Luna had moved enough to see out the window. "Him, he's the man from the van." Her hand clutched at Thorn. "You can't go out there. Not just the two of you."

"He ordered your attack?"

"Thorn you can't go..."

"Shh, I'm going to end this Luna. I've summoned some help. We will be on our way again soon."

Luna sat up as much as she could and her eyes followed Thorn as he stepped around the truck and towards the couple waiting for him. Luc at his side. "They aren't alone Gem. I know it."

"What are you saying Luna?"

"You need to wait and when I say you need to be ready."

"They both ordered us to stay in the truck." Damon was working hard to control his fear.

"Yeah sorry, but that can't happen. Gem, and you are going to have to get out there. I'm thinking if I go out there it will distract him a little so Gem and I can get out the passenger side and while he isn't paying attention you get out and go around on the blindside so to speak."

"Oh you're just going to walk out there are you?" Gem laughed at how deluded her friend was. "Honey you wouldn't get upright before you passed out."

"That's our men out there Gem. Don't you be so sure about what I can or can't do."

"Oooh someone's feeling feisty."

"Thorn and Lucas have only just accepted me there is no way I am letting you two ladies bring back the death glares and venom."

"Damon, two things you should learn really fast. They will know we were to blame, they'll probably feel sorry for you, us two "ladies" leading you into trouble and all. Secondly Gem will tell anyone, she isn't a lady and Luc prefers her naughty." Luna laughed as he started shaking his head. "Don't go getting hurt Damon, we need to spend at least five hundred years together."

"Fuck who's that?" Gem noticed another male had joined the group.

"Dad." Damon reached for the handle.

"Dad?" Luna grabbed Damon's hand. "Not yet Damon."

"But, shit, fine ... I'd still have a family bond with him I think." Damon's tone showed he wasn't sure and wanted Gem's opinion.

"Give it a go. What would you say?" Gemma raised the question.

"Hi Dad, how've you been?" Luna grinned. "Okay maybe not a good time for a wee catch up."

"How about I just take the punt and tell him the truth?"

"Fuck, I don't know. Is he a good man Damon? The aunties told me he was but they don't "know" him."

"He's a good man Luna. He loved you and Keira."

"And you?"

"Yeah, he loves me too. I know he does."

"Then tell him and then we can use him as our inside man."

"Aren't Thorn and Lucas the inside men?"

"No way if we communicate the plan with them the plan will be dead before it begins."

"So just to be clear I am pissing off a man that has hated me for quite a long time and totally defying the orders of my alpha. My very brand new alpha. Who is capable of killing me with one hand tied behind his back?"

"Yeah but Luna will protect you from Thorn. By the way Lucas is totally capable of killing you too. But he'll be too busy tying me up somewhere."

"Then once your tied up he'll come kill me. Oh goodie."

"Hurry up and fill our father in. Or we'll run out of time."

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

"Okay so Dad is furious and I had to convince him not to go wolf the second I started speaking. We are going to use the element of surprise but a little differently than you planned."

"Oh look at you thinking you can tell us how this will all go." Gem teased.

"No just the bit that our father needs. He needs to kill him Luna. We need to help him, avenge the death of Keira. The lives we have both suffered. The life he has suffered."

"He can't kill them both."

"No but he has to kill him. Who kills her doesn't matter. As long as she dies."

"She's as evil as him?"

"Seriously, she could be even worse than he is."

Gem was watching the meeting closely. "Okay so you and your father take him out, and as soon as we are on the move I'll tell Luc and Thorn to take her out."

"Yeah and we need to make our move now." Luna gritted her teeth and moved to the door. "Come on Gem."

"Yes bossy britches." Gem grinned at her friend and they opened their doors almost in synch.

"Do not turn around Thorn. I am fine. I am not approaching I just want to distract them for a bit. That man is the guy that planned and ordered my rape. He is the reason Damon suffered all these years. He is the reason my sister is dead. But that woman. That woman is worse. She set the whole thing in motion. She took my father. She enjoys the suffering of many. I want you to kill her Thorn. I know you worry if I see your wolf like that I will freak. I know I've been freaking regularly for weeks now. But I need you to kill her Thorn. Or we will never be able to move on. This darkness will keep coming."

"You got out of the bloody truck? How are you even standing? Are Gem and Damon both dead? Because if not how the hell did you get out of the truck?"

"Focus on her Thorn. Gem is beside me, probably giving Luc enough reasons to tie her and beat her for the next week, but she will protect me if I need it, but the truth is I know they won't get a chance to get near me."

"Luna..."

"Damon and his father. My Dad, the other man there in case you didn't know, are going to kill him Thorn. They need to kill him. This is the way it is supposed to be."

"I will kill her Luna. I will help your father kill him. Then we are going straight home."

"Thank you Thorn. I love you."

"Luc is pissed but he's okay with what needs to happen." Gem spoke very quietly but it was enough to draw the eyes off the target.

"Looks like we've got their attention. Big mouth." Luna teased her friend.

"Yeah the scent of all your sweet blood and your overactive hormones wouldn't have made them aware of us." Gem rolled her eyes and stepped forward slightly so she was in front of her friend and alpha.

"I can't bloody see if you stand there. I want to watch our team kick ass."

"You sure you can keep standing and watch a wolf fight?"

"I'm going to be a wolf Gem, it is time I saw more than just the happy loved up long life stuff."

"Okay, and it looks like you might be just in time."

"Oh there's the girl we came to collect. Luna, sweetheart it is time to return to your family. Your father here has missed you." The evil grin as he dangled her father as bait made Luna's hair stand on end.

"My father? He could be anyone. I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you."

"Come and meet my wife and your dad, and then we can take you home. You look like you've had a hard day."

"Not really. Same sort of crap I've endured most of my life. But my family will look after me now." Luna stood straight. "My mate, and his family have given me what I have never had. Something that was stolen from me."

As she spoke her father quietly changed behind the man she conversed with and went straight for his throat. As he attacked the grey wolf came quickly from the front. The two wolves quickly taking control. Her father tore the creep's throat out and she fought the urge to close her eyes.

It was only when his fate was sealed that she realised neither Luc nor Thorn had moved on the woman.

"Why haven't you...?"

"This could be an opportunity to learn a few things."

"Thank you so much for freeing me. I've been forced to be his mate for all these years. John, I knew you'd realise we were meant to be together." She watched the wolf turn back into a man and then stepped towards him.

"Was it when you took me from my daughter that you knew you loved me? Or when you drugged me and raped me for years, trying to breed her replacement? How about when you organised the brutal attacks on our two children. Keira and Damon? Could it have been when you laughed in my face after Keira was killed?" John growled.

"Oh John, you can't believe I wanted any of that. I had no choice."

"Oh my God. I know you." Luna yelled out as she had a flash of memory.

"Luna?" Gem stepped aside a little more as Luna began moving forward.

"It was you. You all along? You're the evil bitch that planned every "foster home", you're the evil bitch that put me in a home with people that it turned out were known sex offenders 'Oh Luna, you can't believe I knew about this?' You took my father and then made my life hell. Why?"

"Because it should be me. I should be the female alpha that has the power and the gifts you have. I should be the bitch the history books are filled with. I should control the largest pack in the world. Me. I am more worthy than a little human runt."

"You really think any of this would have happened without you? You are so stupid. If you hadn't taken my father. If you hadn't set me up to be raped and attacked time and time again. If you hadn't forced me to flee the home I grew up in ... I wouldn't be about to become Mother Luna. The wolf you wanted so desperately to be. I wouldn't even know werewolves exist."

The howl of anguish built and then Thorn changed his hand alone and with the slash of his hand severed her throat. Lucas turned fully and removed her head.

"You can change only certain parts of your body?" Luna leaned heavily on Gem. "What else are you holding back from me Mister?" She smiled at him and then Gem felt her falling and grabbed her before she hit the deck. "Thanks"

"How about we get you back in the truck?"

"Either that or just let me lie down here."

"That bad?"

"Yeah, don't tell Thorn but there's a good chance it is way worse than it looks."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Gem turned to Thorn who was already joining them as she was lifting Luna. "She said it was worse than it looks."

"Fuck you Gem. Sisters never rat each other out." Luna moaned as Thorn moved her again. Taking her from Gem. Then she slipped back into oblivion.

"It can't be worse than it looks. I checked her out there were no signs of major bleeding, maybe a broken rib or two but nothing else."

"Why the hell didn't any of us ask her where the worst pain was?"

"It may not be where the worst pain is that is the biggest threat. Maybe it's internal."

"Fuck let's get her to the hospital. I know it isn't what she wanted but we can't risk this."

"I'll help Dad clean up here and then we will drive back to the lodge. You should take her to the lodge Thorn. It is her best chance. What would humans know about wolf injuries?" Damon ran up to join the group.

"She isn't a wolf."

"I am well aware. If she had already been changed she wouldn't be unconscious right now."

"You don't understand how much I regret that right now but we had our reasons." Thorn growled at the younger man sensing he was blaming him for her injuries.

"Stop the pissing contest. For fuck sake, she's human, she's hurt. But, she is ours. We take her home to the lodge." Gem stalked towards the passenger side and opened the door. "If you don't get in this truck right now Thorn I will take her home myself and you can be on clean up duty." Lucas grinned at his mate as he walked around the front of the vehicle and jumped into his seat.

"You know she's right. Let's go."

"Fuck Gem I said a bit of respect. Give it to me straight but with a bit of respect. I can barely think." Thorn turned to Damon. "Listen, get what needs to be done sorted then get you and your father back to the lodge. She's going to want to see you both."