Chapter 10

The pack house was unusually busy for this time of the morning but I guess it made sense since they did have a party here last night. So there were pack members still cleaning up.

"Hey, Max" one of them called he was carrying out a bag of trash "You missed one hell of a party. Lila sure looked bangin." he finished with a smile.

I felt Ivey tense up at the mention of Lila's named. She didn't know who she was but I remembered Damien saying in front of Ivey something about Lila was waiting and raring to go the other night. I smiled and leaned over to kiss Ivey on the cheek.

"She means nothing to me you know." I whispered into her ear softly so only she could hear.

"She better not." Ivey replied looking up at me with a twinkle in her eyes.

Was she jealous I thought. My wolf liked that thought. She was so cute when she was jealous. I smiled even bigger and stopped. I turned her to face me wrapping my arms around her completely.

"Ivey, no one means anything to me but you anymore." I said as I lowered my lips to hers. Bad moved she immediately stood up on her toes and reached her arms around me and I felt myself deepen the kiss.

Just then I heard a chuckle and also a throat clear. Crap that's embarrassing. My wolf growled softly at our intrusion as I broke the kiss and turned toward the stairs to face my dad, Jared and Emma and Damien. Dad had obviously won and kept my mom from coming down stairs so that was one less worry. Ivey was bright red but all I could do was smile.

"Lets go to my office where we will have some privacy." dad said as he shook his head and laughed.

I felt him tugging on my link so I lifted the blocks.

"Nice son, you can't wait till your in private to attack her."  he was laughing. I just growled out loud. Ivey looked up at my funny. I just shook my head.

"Seriously son she's beautiful, I'm so happy for you."  Dad said I could feel how much me meant that. 

I just smiled and returned "Thanks" as we all continued walking to my dads office.

As soon as well all got inside the room my dad shut the door and gestured for us all to take our seats. I figured introductions should happen first so when everyone else had sat down I let go of Ivey's waist and grabbed her hand so I could pull her into the middle of the room.

"Everyone before we go on I want you to me my mate, Ivey." I said grinning looking silly but we were proud of our mate. I turned to Ivey "Angel, you've met Damien." he winked at Ivey but nodded and said "Hey" 

"You've also briefly met Jared." he nodded "But this beautiful woman is Jared's mate Emma." They both said hey but Emma being like I knew she would jumped up and pulled Ivey into a tight hug.

"I know this is all overwhelming for you, but your not alone. It will be nice to finally have a girl around to hang with." Emma whispered excitedly as she hopped back down onto Jared's lap.

 I looked at Ivey before I continued and she had a look of pure fear on her face. Maybe Emma was to much I thought to my self. Oh well to late for it now. I shook my head and then I turned to my dad. "Dad, this is my angel, Ivey. Ivey this is my dad our packs Alpha Coleman, Dad or Mitch." I said with so much pride. Pride for my mate. But also pride for my dad. My dad closed the distance from us and gently took Ivey's hand. I figured he probably would have hugged her to welcome her to the family but she was giving off the vibe that she might just book it and run. 

So dad holding her hand eyes twinkling said "Ivey, welcome to our family. It is so nice to meet you." He winked "If he ever hurts you let me know and I'll kick his a*s." Dad said laughing as he released her hand and walked to the other side of his desk and sat down. 

At that Ivey let out a small breath and laughed. I put my hand on the small of her back and led her to the small two person love seat that was still empty so we could sit down also.

As soon as we were comfortable my dad cleared his throat. I was wondering if he wanted to start or should I but he solved that by speaking.

"Son, have you filled Jared and Damien in on what's going on?" Dad asked. I could tell there was something behind his eyes he was trying to cover. I tried to push through to his link but he was blocking me.

'No" was all I replied

"Maybe you should go first then then I'll finish by telling you my opinion and what I have found out." He said to me his eyes were trying to say something else but I just couldn't figure out what it was, maybe it had something to do with bringing Jared, Damien, and Emma into the fold but oh well to late now, so I just shrugged my shoulders and prepared to begin.

I squeezed Ivey's hand and then leaned over and kissed her on the forehead "Its all going to be ok." I murmured to her softly. Then I turned toward the room to begin.

"I guess you guys should let me talk first then ask questions at the end. I think that would be best." Ivey squeezed my hand. I knew she was trying to comfort me and give me courage and it worked. My wolf howled at the fact she was trying to help us. So I smiled back at her and kept going.

"You all know Ivey is my mate. When I found out I was shocked because I didn't think we could mate with humans." I paused to smile at Ivey. She was watching me but her eyes said to continue so I did. "Dad and I talked and decided we would both do a little research to see but we both wondered if maybe somewhere she had diluted wolf in her blood. That fact is seeming more and more like that may be what's going on. When we were in the claiming process I noticed Ivey had a mark, it was very faint compared to our marks but nevertheless it was there. When I asked her she told me it was just a birthmark but that her dad told her it made her special." I smiled at Ivey knowing this was hard for her I could sense her wanting to curl into a ball. She was so private and now here I was sharing about her out loud to people she had just met.

"I was starting to think dad was closer to his suspicions than we thought. Only I'd seen her mark before. Not in person but in books. Our archives. Zeus agreed and seemed to know more but is keeping his knowledge tightly sealed." I stopped and looked around. Everyone was leaning up listening. I leaned over and kissed Ivey on the head. My main concern was her and I was hating making her so uncomfortable but I had to continue.

"It was the Mark of the Crescent Moon Pack." I heard Emma gasp. I looked at my dad and he nodded to continue. I could see in his eyes he had a piece of the puzzle he was needing to connect some dots. I dropped Ivey's hand and turned to face her.

"Can you show them your mark please Ivey?" I could tell she was reluctant so I nodded and she pulled down her shirt so my dad could see it. "When I claimed her, her birthmark acted like a normal she-wolf mark and intertwined with mine." I said proudly. I really loved seeing my mark on her. My wolf started howling at the site of our Mark.

"That night after the claim," I started to continue "As we slept, Ivey had a dream. Only somehow she was able to push her dream onto me so I could see it." I looked at my dad because this one thing still baffled me he shrugged. 

"In her dream there was another wolf. I could sense the wolf was an Alpha, not just a normal Alpha either something much greater. Even if I hadn't sense his power you would have been able to tell something was different. I have never seen a wolf as big as he was." I actually shuddered at the memory and I could feel my wolf wanting to take control as I remembered the rest of the dream. Ivey must have sensed what was happening because she laid her hand on my arm and began running it up and down trying to calm me down. I shut my eyes trying to gain control when I heard her small voice beside me continue with the dream.

She began hesitantly her voice was just louder than a whisper but due to our hearing we could hear her. "I'd had a dream like it the night I met Max." she looked up at me and smiled. "So I didn't think anything of it when I felt a wolf presence beside me. I actually reached out and touched it." she shivered. "But when I looked I saw it wasn't Max." her eyes were filling up with tears. I started to take over but she shook her head she needed to do this so I sat back and began rubbing circles on the small of her back.

"The man shifted and he got really really angry at me. He grabbed my face. "With that I couldn't stop the growl that slipped out. She turned and gave me a small smile. And reached out and cupped my cheek. She continued staring at my eyes. "He questioned me about my mark and who had done it to me. I never answered him and he just got angrier. Then Max woke me up." she finished and she lowered her head. 

I couldn't stand it. I pulled her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her. She was shaking. I could feel her fear rolling off her. She buried her head in my chest as I stroked her head. 

I turned to my dad. "I think that man was her father, the Legendary Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, what I just don't understand is the how." I finished leaving the floor open now for my father.

My dad was looking at at me with the grimmest expression I had ever seen. He was a kinda greyish white color and his eyes were almost wild. I know that sounds odd us being wolves and all but it was the best way to describe what I was seeing. I looked at him furrowing my brow because I was really really confused. As of now Ivey and I had done nothing wrong. I thought to myself and my wolf agreed. We had just claimed what what rightfully ours. Deemed that way by the moon goddess. 

For some reason my dads face was making my wolf crazy. He began growling so much that I found it leaking out over my control. Iveys head snapped up to look at me. She gently placed her hands on both side of my face and pulled my eyes back down to hers. I was surprised she didn't get on to me for for the growl. She must have been sensing what happening and chose not to. Just looking at her was enough to calm down my wolf.

"I'm really sorry dad, I don't know what came over me." I said to him my voice filled with shame though I never took my eyes from Iveys. I couldn't.

He sighed, he seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in. "It's ok son, I understand why your wolf may have acted like that but get him under control. That won't solve anything at this point." he said shaking his head. His voice was filled with so much pain that not only I but everyone else in the room snapped up to look at him. His face was now filled with so much pain and torment I was concerned.

"Dad, what's going on?" I demanded not really caring that he was my Alpha, right now he was just my dad and I was really getting scared.

"Ivey, Maddox, like we talked about I did some research on if a wolf had ever mated with a human." He began slowly the pain was still there but his Alpha was ringing out over it.

"From what I came up with on my own and with some help from the elders, we began to suspect Ivey was not fully human. No one I've known about has ever mated with a human before." He stopped now to look at Ivey.

"Hunny" he said softly smiling at Ivey."How much do you know about your father?" he asked gently 

"Nothing" she whispered. Her eyes filled up with tears. There was so much pain behind those words in broke me and my wolf. What had happened to our angel for there to be so much pain I thought.

She slowly began again not looking up. Her hands were playing with the hem of my shirt. "My dad vanished when I was about 5. After that mom would not talk about him. She seemed to do everything she could to forget he existed and that included me. I don't understand why she hated me except that I reminded her of him." Ivey looked up at me her eyes pleading at me to stop this. She wasn't ready to talk about her past I understood that somewhat. She was being brave right now.

"It's ok angel you don't have to say anymore." I told her as I began to wipe away the tears that had begun to fall. I tilted her chin up so I could place a kiss on her lips. I only allowed myself to brush them because this was definitely not the time or place to loose control like before. She smiled I could tell she was thinking the same thing as she crooked one eyebrow up to me. I smiled back at her and winked.

"The timeline fits" was how my dad brought our attention back to him."Ivey would have been around 5 when the Crescent Moon Pack vanished." Dad had everyone's attention now. The room was so silent you could literally hear a pin drop.

"I need to make some more calls with what you have told me tonight to confirm all my theories but I will tell you what I know so far and tell you all the Legend of the Crescent Moon Pack." He was now in full Alpha mode this was totally business now not about feelings.

So he began to tell us everything methodically not wanting to leave anything out but also wanting us all to completely understand what we were going to be going up against. 

I snuggled Ivey down in my lap more we were feeling the intense need to protect our mate right now. From what I still wasn't sure but neither I nor my wolf liked my dad's tone or the way this conversation was heading.

"Legend states the Crescent Moon Pack was created by the Moon Goddess herself as a pack that would be a gifted pack. She entrusted each member of the pack with special abilities to which would rival even the strongest Alpha." he paused to take a drink. 

"They were meant to be enforcers of all other packs as well as the rest of the supernatural community. Making sure no one pack, coven or any group for that matter became to great and that every Alpha followed the rules. They were ruthless in there attempt in the beginning to control everything. After a time they seemed to concentrate mostly on only werewolfs feeling they didn't need to police the whole supernatural races. 

This essentially is what caused the great divide umong us now. By now all the packs were following the rules, it's said that there Alpha became bored, he had all this power and nothing to do with it. It's said he went out looking for wolves to punish for infractions that weren't really there. It was surmised his inability to control his wolf was the lack of a true mate. The elders told me that continued for a few years until one day the Alpha fell in love. Apparently this was a bond mate type love." Dad stopped and looked at Ivey."He fell in love with a human." Ivey and Emma both gasped.

I began to look around the room. Everyone's expression was pretty much the same. Shock. We all had never heard of enforcers. We all assumed the Elders were the governing group over all wolves.

"Ivey, I believe that human was your mom and Alpha Grey Turner was your dad." he smiled at her."Your last name is Turner, yes." he asked Ivey his voice loosing any Alpha and was just gently.

She nodded her head. I had not told my dad Ivey's last name. This is not good. I thought to myself and I could hear Jared and Damien's thoughts also through our link cursing. They all knew the rules. In order to claim someone from another pack you had to make the Alpha aware, and if that mate is the Alpha's daughter you must get the Alpha's permission before the claim. 

Otherwise the Alpha has the right to require your death unless you prove yourself worthy though the second rarely happens. This was bad really really bad. Usually this scenario was only in play if the Alpha's wanted there daughters to never find there mate because loosing ones mate was like loosing a part of yourself. It eventually meant death if the bond has been completed. If not the separation from the mate took a total of two years. This was also the same for a rejection. During this time the pain was great but if you could survive you would eventually live the rest of your life feeling like a void was where your heart was. It was a miserable existence.

Ivey interrupted all mind link conversations "I still don't understand why this affects me?" she said her voice filled with so much anger and hate it cause me to growl. "He vanished when I was 5. He let horrible, vile things happen to me. He has no say in what I do or who I do it with." she shouted jumping up from my lap. She was furiously. "How dare he think he can have ANY say in my life. He is nothing to me. I don't have a father or a mother I am an orphan." she said with such finality it cause me to shudder.

That last statement she said with so much hate I sucked in a deep breath. My wolf started howling. What happened to our angel as a child for her to hate her own father this much I looked up at my dad and forced my thought through to him. He quickly shrugged his shoulders and shook his head at me. His eyes were wide also. Mirroring the expression across the room. Like I said before family was everything to us so it was foreign to us to think of hating this much.

No one said anything for a minute. Ivey was pacing the room muttering to herself so fast even with my enhanced hearing I couldn't keep up. There was so much I needed her to tell me but I didn't know how to get her to trust me enough to tell me. Especially if I can't keep her safe. As it was looking grimmer and grimmer that I would be able to. That thought alone almost killed us. We knew the rules, but this was different my wolf was saying to me. He left her, abandoned her, he can't stake a claim on what was ours. Our wolf was willing to fight to the death for what was ours.

"Son take her to your room for a minute and calm her down well finish this up in a bit. I'll talk to Jared and Damien about what we can do. When she's calm well finish this."  Dads voice came through my thoughts. It was filled with sorrow and pain for me.

 "Thanks dad well be back."  I pushed back through.

"Ivey, angel. I need you to come with me." I said as I got up from the couch and crossed to where she was I wrapped my arms around her waist and nuzzled in her neck lightly kissing her mark. I reached down and picked her up bridal style and left the room. Carrying her to quickly to my room. Once inside I quickly shut the door and crossed over to the bed and sat her down then I dropped to my knees in front of her.

######

I felt Maddox pick me up and carry me somewhere but I couldn't focus. I was so mad. How dare my dad think he could have any say in my life so far. I know that Alpha Coleman hadn't come out and said that yet but I could see where he was going. I don't have parents I just kept repeating to myself. What kind of parent abandons their kid anyway. I know the kind that gives up all rights. I really didn't care what his reason was at this point it couldn't take away what had happened to me.

This is so not fair. Just when I thought maybe for once I could be happy now this. I know I'm going to have to leave. I can't cause Max any pain or trouble. That thought alone took my breath away. The thought of not being with him crushed me. I hadn't even begun to let myself think about the other part of what had been said. My dad was a wolf which meant I was half wolf maybe even more. How did I not know that. This was so unfair. I was starting to hear a loud noise I wonder what that was I thought to myself right before I felt Max's arms tighten around me. Oh hell that noise is me I thought. I had to get control over myself I kept saying as I felt the sobs rock my body. I couldn't stop them. I didn't want to leave Max I didn't want to know my dad. If what they were saying was true he was a bad man.

"Angel, I need you to calm down, and look at me." Max was saying trying to get me to focus on him. I couldn't I could just focus on the fact that my future was crumbling around me before it had even started. Why me I screamed in my head. Why does this stuff happen to me. I was still crying. 

Max was kissing my forehead my cheeks my eyes anything to get me to look at him. He kept saying over and over I love you I'll protect you I promise. The pain and helplessness in his voice was causing me to cry even harder. I couldn't stop I was crying for my future but I was also crying for my past. I knew I would have to tell him my story now a lot. Sooner the better. I had hoped but I knew I still had a little time. I needed to hear the rest of what Alpha Coleman was trying to tell me. So I gathered all the strength I could find and looked up at Max. I looked straight into his eyes knowing that would be what helped. His eyes were onyx now his wolf was close trying to protect me also. That made me give him a soft smile. I knew they bother loved me. I could take comfort in the fact that whatever happens at least for once in my life I knew what it felt like to be loved.

"Angel, I love you so much. We won't let anything happen to you , but I need you to calm down and try to stay with me." Max was pleading with me. I nodded at him I couldn't look away from his eyes. They were slowly returning to the beautiful blue color.

He knew what I needed so he pulled me into him closer so there was no space between us and lowered his lips to mine. This is what I needed what I had come to crave. That feeling of warmth and electricity that overcame my badly whenever he kissed me. I threw my arms around his neck pressing his head into me. I didn't even wait for him to ask for entrance before I opened up for him wanting and needing to taste his taste and he didn't hesitate. He plunged his tongue into my mouth setting me off like a firework. How can just a kiss do this to me. I wondered. He knew just how to move his tongue so it slide down every part of mine touching everything. God I loved this boy. My heart swelled with that knowledge.

His hands had been roaming up and down my back settled on my waist. Within seconds I lost all grip on reality. I quickly adjusted myself so I was straddling him. I was bitting on his bottom lip trying to forget. I felt his hands grip my waist tight . I felt his claws begin to prick into my skin. This was was I wanted I kept trying to tell myself. Please make me forget I kept trying to push out through our bond.

I felt his claws retract and he gripped my waist tighter and I heard him groan. He pulled himself away just far enough for him to lean his forehead into my lips. He was breathing hard. 

"Ivey, please we have to stop." he panted "You don't want this right now. Your not ready. I know I promised I wouldn't force you but I also won't let our first time be because your trying to avoid something painful." he looked up at me his eyes were full of pain "If I don't stop now I'm going to not have control anymore and do something you might regret." he shut his eyes trying to gain control. I could feel his restraint coming through our bond.

That made me snap. How dare he! I know this is irrational but right now I totally was. I pushed my self off of him and turned around. I could feel my tears starting to form. I knew what he was saying was the truth it's what I really wanted but at this moment it just felt like a cold hard rejection. That hurt. I didn't understand why I knew I should love him for stopping seriously how much did I think I could put him through before he snapped but everything's so messed up in my head right now I just couldn't think so I did the only thing I knew to do.

"Can you please leave me alone for awhile. I need to think." I choked out I could feel the tears starting to fall and I didn't want him to see how much what he did hurt me.

"Ivey, angel you know." He started, I could feel and hear his pain but right now I didn't care so I stopped him.

"Max, it doesn't matter. I just need to be alone. Please!" I whispered barely able to force it out. I knew I need to be alone to think. I still wasn't use to having someone to count on.

"Please Ivey, you don't want this right now. Please if I don't stop I'm going to something I can't take back. Please don't push me away. Let me help you. I love you." Max said quietly still breathing hard his voice full of pain and need.

I just shook my head. I heard him get up and he hesitated I thought he was going to speak again but then I heard the door open and close softly. Everything left me and I crumpled to the floor. What was wrong with me the only person who could help me I just threw out. What have I done. I began to cry. My whole body racked with sobs I just couldn't stop. This was to hard. All of this. I was a loner I had always been by myself now I had to worry about a mate, a dad that disappear, some legend about gifted werewolves, moon goddesses, a supernatural community  and there was more I knew but how seriously much more could one person take. So I shut my mind off and let the sobs take over before long I felt myself drifting off to sleep. 

######

As I stood there her back facing mine, my heart was breaking. What did I do, was all I could think. I knew I had done right but my wolf was growling at me and saying I was stupid and just give our mate what she wanted she was ours so mate her. But I knew deep down what she was doing and she didn't want this right now. I felt so helpless as I stared at her back so against what my wolf wanted I forced myself to walk out the door. 

That didn't mean by no means was I leaving so I sunk down on the floor right outside her door and put my head into my hands. Her sobs were tearing me apart. Each one was like a knife in my heart . My wolf had finally shut up he was so mad at me he had retreated for me to deal with the aftermath on my own work. Fine I thought I can deal with it I was right I tried to tell myself. But the pain was there.

After what seemed like hours I felt a hand on my shoulder I looked up to see Emma sitting next to me.

She's smiled smalley. "Max , what happened?" she asked. 

I just shook my head what did I do do I tell her the big Alpha turned down his mate for sex or what. I thought maybe Emma could help that though perked up my wolf who was still pissed. That is why you had Jared bring her my wolf sneered at me. Fine I growled back at him.

"I think I messed up." I finally sighed and looked up expecting to see her angry you know that whole girls stick together thing. I definitely wasn't expecting pity and understanding. She moved to sit next to me and just put her arm around me. She had always been the mothering kind to us three boys. So I let her hug me. I laid my head on her shoulder. I knew whatever I said would be kept between the two of us.

"I... I just don't know what I'm doing Emma." I stuttered. My voice cracked it was full of pain and uncertainty. "She has been hurt so much. More than I even know and I just didn't want to do something she would regret when she wasn't not trying to forget." I said putting my head back into my hands hoping she understood what I meant.

She just sighed and laid her head against my shoulder."She's just scared" she began "Think of everything that's just happened to her. Plus she doesn't understand what a mate truly is or what the bond is. I'm sure what she's feeling from that alone scares her." Emma stopped and smiled.

"You have to give her the space and time to process everything. She'll come around. And when she's up to it "I'll be there for her to help." she looked at me and grabbed my chin and pulled my eyes up to hers

"It will be ok. Just give her time. Let her know how much you love her and your not leaving. And it will fall into place. We are all here for you both. I'll try to help her as much as I can. I sense she's not use to other females so maybe it would be good for her to have a friend. When she's calm I'll speak to her if you'd like." she finished she leaned in and kissed me on the head, patted my arm and left.

I knew why she was good for Jared. We all loved Emma. She always seemed to know what to say. I noticed it had been quiet for awhile so I pushed myself up and went to the door. I took a deep breath before I opened the door. The site before me ripped my heart back open. There was Ivey curled up in a ball on the floor. Her face tear stained, asleep.

I moved to her and gently picked her up and laid her down on the bed. I shut the light off the climbed into the bed beside her. As I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close she breathed out and she mumbled ."Thank you max, I'm sorry..... I love you" and she fell back asleep. I snuggled down deeper nuzzling my nose I to her neck and fell into a deep sleep.

Author's Note

If I miss any grammarical errors please don't hesitate to point it out. I will try to update regularly. this is Book 1 of a trilogy so I really want honest opinions and any ideas you think could make the story better. all critism is definitely appreciated