It’s Not A Contest
Emory
I’ve seen the mating process before, and it’s always fascinating to watch. The way they stare into each other’s eyes and that awareness they have of the other person in the room. It can be felt even before a shifter comes of age and meets their wolf. Years ago, when I met Kane for the first time, there was this pull between us neither of us could ignore.
If Coit and Lydia had met earlier before either of them came of age, they likely would have felt a pull. It’s more subtle and becomes stronger after one meets their wolf. There’s a sense of rightness deep in our bones, telling us who is the other half of our soul. I didn’t expect it to be a vampire I felt that pull to, but life can be funny like that.
Things with Kane haven’t been easy, but I wouldn’t trade what we have for anything. We fought for each other. We fought a war against common enemies. After everything we’ve been through, we’re stronger together than alone.
Things are simpler for my brother. His mate is a nice shifter girl. She’s the granddaughter of an ally. I don’t envy his easier path. I’m happy for him.
Coit has found his mate, and no one is happier than our mother. Mom has already met Lydia beforehand, so she embraces Coit’s mate with open arms. Alpha Gerard is ecstatic that his granddaughter has gotten picked. over the other Alphas‘ offspring, much to their annoyance. Everyone understands that mates aren’t determined by choice, but the older Alphas have a tendency to compete over the oddest of topics.
Mom is practically gushing over Lydia. “She’s a lovely girl. Pretty and smart. Coit couldn’t do better than her.”
“She’s the sweetest of my grandkids, but we were worried she wasn’t going to find her mate. She spends all her time studying,” Constance adds.
“I told you not to worry,” Alpha Gerald tells his wife. “I always knew Lydial was going to make a good match. And look at her. She bagged Colton Moonraker’s grandson. I say we drink to that.”
1/6
+25 BONUS
He waves over a server with a tray of champagne and hands all of us a flute. of champagne before taking one for himself. He raises it and declares, “To a bright future between our packs.”
“To a bright future,” I repeat, clinking my glass against his and everyone else’s.
We all take a sip of champagne. The conversation turns quickly to the wedding, and I try to drown out the talk by drinking more. Coit and Lydia are. somewhere outside, and I’m not going to check on them. Knowing my brother, he’s already trying to get to know his mate in more ways than one.
Besides, I’ve done my job. The Moon Goddess Ball is an astounding success.
Coit
“I resent that. You make me sound like a lecher,” I grumble. “We just talked.”
“Uh–huh.” Emory raises a red eyebrow at me. “You didn’t take any liberties? No hands wandered?”
I can feel the tips of my ears flushing red from embarrassment. When I brought Lydia outside for some fresh air, I fully intended to only talk and get to know her. Seeing my beautiful mate under the moonlight, with her staring up at me with those blue–gray eyes, I couldn’t resist. I wanted to know what her lips tasted like. So… there had been some kissing.
Kissing led to some touching as hands wandered, but our clothes stayed on. At one point, she’d sat on my lap. Lydia was flushed and pretty after all that kissing. My erection had strained against the zipper of that damn suit. It had been difficult to let her sit there much longer, so we’d broken apart. She sat next to me, but then nothing happened after that. Just more kissing with some talking mixed in.
pause from loading Emory’s luggage into the town car so I can glare at her. “You don’t get to judge me. You got pregnant before you even knew Kane was your mate.”
+25 BONUS
Emory flicks me in the ear making me yelp in pain. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that, Coit Moonraker. I’m still your Alpha.”
I clutch my ear then point at her accusingly. “You know what you did. You can’t deny it.”
“I’m not denying it. I’m not ashamed.” She crosses her arms over her chest stubbornly. “I wanted Kane, and I got him. What’s your point?”
“Nothing! I literally just met Lydia.” I give her a disbelieving look. “Do you want me to get her pregnant and then marry her within the year?”
She shrugs. “You’re not getting any younger.”
“I’m twenty–one!”
“And I was married with a baby when I was your age.” Stunned at this turn in the conversation, I wordlessly open the car door so she can slide into the vehicle. “Just try to get married before you get her pregnant, please.”
“Unlike you,” I tease.
Emory sticks out her tongue, being silly. This is all an act meant to remind us of when we were kids, I have no doubt. “Call me when something interesting- happens.”
“I call you every week.”
As much as we act like kids around each other, we take our responsibilities to the pack very seriously. I inform Emory about all the updates in Moon. Grove that she’s not here to see. We’ve had a system in place for years, and it works.
I close the car door so I can be rid of my sister and she can go back to Crimson Peak. She can go annoy everyone at Castle Graystone over me. I wave as the town car drives off. I love my sister but absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.
***
Emory
It is good to be back home in Crimson Peak. I practically smother Mikey in at hug when I see him. He eventually squirms to get away and runs off to go. play. Helga, who has been his nanny for years, runs after him.
My son has endless amounts of energy. He terrorizes everyone with his desire for attention. There’s not a single servant in this castle that doesn’t. cater to his every whim. I’m getting concerned he might grow up spoiled, but it’s hard to say no to his cherubic face.
His grandmother, Queen Agatha, dotes on him. Kane is the only person Mikey will listen to. It just takes Kane saying his name in a commanding tone and Mikey will cease the tantrum he’s about to throw. Father and son. have a special bond–Mikey fears Kane.
Scolding is the only thing that seems to work.
Kane greets me with a kiss, and the relief of being near him again makes me sigh. Even after four years of marriage, I still have a massive crush on this man. His handsome face, his dark hair, high cheekbones, and blue eyes never gets old for me. He is also a good person at heart, and that only makes him more attractive to me.
We haven’t seen each other in nearly a month, so we spend some time catching up. There are stories better told in person than over the phone. I tell Kane about the Moon Goddess Ball and Coit meeting his mate. Kane is genuinely curious about the Ball, and I tell him all the details I can remember.
“How does the mating thing work?” he asks. “Is it about compatibility or proximity?”
“No one actually knows,” I answer. “All we’ve been told is that our mate is supposed to be the other half of our soul, the perfect person for us. I don’t
I know if it factors in proximity. Otherwise, my mate would have been someone like Darius.”
Kane knows that, at one point in my life, I thought Darius, the son of my father’s Beta, would have been my mate. I’ve been dissuaded about that almost immediately after I met Kane. The pull I feel toward him can’t compare. I could only ever love Darius as a friend and nothing more.
Darius has met his mate. She turned out to be the granddaughter of Alpha Nigel of the Bluecrest Pack. They married two years ago and have a child of their own. I’m happy for them, and I’m glad everything turned out well in the end.
Kane’s eyebrows furrow. “If mates are supposed to be the perfect person for you, what about couples like your parents?”
I’ve thought before about my parents and their marriage. I know my mother. hadn’t been completely unhappy being married to my father, but she hadn’t been blissfully happy either. His constant infidelity and selfishness hadn’t made him a good husband. She loved him, but he never appreciated her at all.
I frown before answering. “Maybe this person is meant to be perfect for you, but you can still make bad choices? Berard made a lot of bad choices.
Kane takes my hand and guides us to the bed so we can sit. He keeps holding my hand, his thumb rubbing circles on my fingers. “I don’t think Bernard was capable of really loving anyone. He was given a gift of the other half of his soul and he took it for granted
“He took a lot of things for granted.
I know that better than anyone. I sacrificed myself to save Lola from being sold off as a feeder to Kane almost five years ago. Bernard let it happen. Everyone was disposable to him once they no longer had any use.
“I think my parents are more of the exception than the rule,” I declare, squeezing his hand. “Most mated couples I know seem happy. I’m happy. Aren’t you?”
He smiles. “I can’t complain.”
“That’s all we can hope for, really.” I tell him. “I’m hoping for the best for Coit. That poor girl has to be married to him.”
Kane laughs. “Your brother isn’t that bad.
“You haven’t spent enough time around Coit.”
“He’s not any worse compared to Lex. And Lex took his sweet time growing up.”
Kane’s younger brother, Lex, is now regent of Scarlett Thunder. After an exhausting war with the other kingdom, Lex married Princess Opal so their child could become the legitimate he to the throne. We don’t see Lex as much as we would like, but he never complains. The few times I’ve seen him, Lex has grown into a quieter but dutiful man.
I suppose fatherhood and ruling a kingdom can do that to you.
“I can’t wrap my head around Coit being married and having kids,” I confess. “He’s the same kid who used to eat dirt
“I heard some people grow out of that,” Kane quips. “And have a little faith in your brother. He could surprise you.”
“He already has
Coit had to learn how manipulative Bernard had been. He had to step out from our father’s shadow and become his own man to fight for what’s right. He is one of my steadiest support systems. I can’t imagine being Alpha without him there to help me.
“Coit is the least of our problems,” Kane tells me “Lola has been moodier than usual *
My little sister who used to be the sweetest little girl in the world, the one kid who never got in trouble, has evolved into a moody teenage girl who seems to hate everything.
I am included in everything
I have become the enemy. It’s as if overnight, a stranger has taken over her body and I can barely recognize this creature filled with teenage angst.
No one ever says growing up is easy
Parenting is no picnic either.
