Betrayed Luna's Fated Mate

-Celeste-

I appreciated that Brendon just wanted to look out for me, but it felt as if his personal problems regarding Zack were getting in the way of him seeing clearly. I wasn't sure how I knew what Zack looked like naked, but why would he act if he didn't know me when we met at the club if we had slept together? Even if it had been... against my will, or if I had been too drunk to remember, would he truly act as if we hadn't met? No, it seemed too strange. Nonetheless, I could feel this was bothering Brendon a lot as we went to eat with the others.

He would hold my hand and listen to the others, but he wouldn't actively participate in the conversation. It was obvious he simply struggled to let go of what we had talked about, and he had convinced himself that I had been hurt. I knew mates were fiercely protective of each other-both females and males-but I didn't want him to kill someone who didn't deserve it.

Zack might be a jerk or a player, but that didn't deserve death. I had to find a way to calm him down. I leaned closer to him, and he turned his head, noticing me coming closer. I was about to ask if he wanted to go for a walk before we both had other duties calling for us, but then my mother called out to me.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked.

"Better."

"Do you feel ready for tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Dinner," my father joined in. "With other alphas and lunas in the area, If you don't feel well enough, you can stay home."

"No, it's all right. I can go."

"I think you should stay home," Jason told me.

"Why?"

He glanced at Brendon beside me, who tensed and squeezed my hand so hard it hurt.

"Brendon," I called, and he noticed what he was doing. He loosened his grip and then brought my hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Celeste, stay home with me," Brendon suggested.

"Why? I feel okay. I will go," I said, focusing on my mother.

"Wonderful."

My brother didn't look pleased, and neither did Brendon, but I couldn't understand what their problem was. It was just dinner. But when we were done eating breakfast, Brendon pulled me toward one of the living rooms, not far from the dining room. Jason and his little group were not far behind, and all entered, making me feel quite crowded.

"What is happening?" I asked.

"I told you to stay home," Jason said.

"Why?"

"Because we are gathering alphas and lunas later tonight."

"I know. Mom told me."

"Zack will be there," Brendon reminded me.

"Oh Goddess, I thought we agreed that until I remember anything specific, you aren't going to jump to conclusions!" I yelled.

"I just think it would be better if you stayed home," Jason cut in. "While we have a chat with him."

"No!" I exclaimed and then pointed at the two big wolves in front of me. They might be my mate and brother, both people I cared deeply about, but I was not a lost little princess in a tower who needed rescuing, and they needed to understand that. They even seemed quite stunned by the power I used behind my words.

"You two will not dictate my life! None of you will!" I shouted, looking at all the powerful males in the room and wondering who would help my brother lead once he took over. It looked rather funny how they all seemed uncertain and a bit like lost puppies as I scolded them. "I can take care of myself, and should Zack ever have hurt me, I will hunt him myself if necessary. This is not the fucking 18th century. A woman can fucking deal with her own problems without needing a man to save her. She actually deals with it quite well on her own. There is nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned, as they say. So I will come tonight, and there is nothing any of you can do about it."

I crossed my arms to make my point clear and lifted my chin, and they all stared at me, unsure what to do. Naturally, they were more dominant, especially my brother being the alpha, so they weren't used to being the ones being given orders, but I was also a born luna. I may not have inherited anything since I was second-born, but I was not going to let these men coddle me, even though they meant well.

"Do you all understand?" I asked, and the guys looked at each other, waiting for one of them to surrender first. "Hey! Look at me!"

They did, and my brother was the first one to sigh and look down a little. "Fine."

"Good! Then I will continue with my day, and so can the rest of you," I told them, dismissing them, and I had to say that as I walked out, I felt quite good about myself.

***

"Oh, I wish I could have seen their faces," Simone chuckled as she lay on my bed, watching me try on different dresses for tonight. "Not that one."

I sighed. I had barely left the closet in a dark green dress before she told me no. I knew I could expect honesty from her, but I was getting tired of the many changes. "It did feel good telling them off," I chuckled.

"I could imagine. Though usually Brendon takes you to the bedroom when you act out."

"Shut up!" I called from the closet, and we both began laughing as I put on a dark blue dress this time and walked out.

"Spin," she ordered, and I did. "Oh, I like this one."

"Yeah? You think it's appropriate?"

"Well, Brendon might rip it off with his teeth later, but it looks good."

"This is an important dinner. Does it work or not?"

"It works, but it is tight. It covers you well, but it's tight, which is why I know he will rip it off later," she told me and winked.

I chuckled a little and then went to find some black heels, holding them up in front of her.

"Which pair?"

"Those," she said, pointing to a pair with small straps.

I put them on before I walked over to a little make-up table I had and sat down to get ready.

"Tell me, why are they all acting out so much about this dinner?" Simone asked.

I sighed, not sure how much I should tell her, but I knew I could trust her. "Brendon is convinced I'm experiencing some kind of trauma response."

"To what?"

"He believes I might have been touched without consent, and my brain is protecting me from the incident by not remembering, but now the memories are coming back," I explained. "And what do you think the reason is for that?"

"I don't know. I just don't think it's true. But Brendon is convinced Zack hurt me in the past."

"Zack?" "Yes."

"But we have never spoken to him, and when would you have been with him without me?" she pointed out.

"Exactly!"

"So, why would Brendon think anything happened?"

"Because... Because I sort of know what he looks like naked."

"Zack?"

"Yes," I replied.

"How?"

"I don't know. I just had this weird image in my mind."

"Well, maybe you accidentally walked in on him fucking someone else at a party," Simone suggested.

I shrugged. I couldn't tell her that was true, as I remembered him being in a bed. The memory was just confusing.

"I'm surprised Brendon hasn't killed him yet," Simone groaned.

"Oh, he wanted to, but I stopped him. I would rather not have a mate in jail."

"Well, if Zack did touch you, then technically, according to the old laws, he has a right to defend what is his," she told me and winked.

"We don't live according to the old laws. If we did, then Brendon had every right to take me the moment we realized we were mates, carry me to his lair over his shoulder, and impregnate me right away." "Hot!" Simone teased me, making me roll my eyes.

"Today we have pills and something wonderful called consent."

"As if that were ever a problem between mates. They wanted to be carried off like trophies."

"Most," I corrected her.

"All right. Fair. Sometimes the pairing wasn't perfect. But the old laws are still there, so Brendon can argue his case if he does kill Zack."

"As I said, I don't want a mate in jail," I said, and we both began laughing.