Heart of the Moon

Crap on a cracker! Might as well get this over with. I walked over to Kieran and said “Please meet me in the study, in fifteen minutes..” When I turned to walk away, he growled “Gladly! You have some explaining to do!” I spun around and said “I am going to shower. Fifteen minutes! That is the amount of time you have to get a cap on that bullshit self-righteous attitude! I have nothing to explain! The conversation we are about to have is a courtesy! Not an obligation! You’d best get THAT in your head!”

I hurried through a shower.. dressing in a sweater dress and leggings.. slipping my feet into low heeled boots, I threw my hair up into a messy bun and headed to the study. This is something necessary.. but damnit! I wanted to do it on my terms.

I grabbed a cup of coffee.. and walked into the study. I took a moment to admire Kieran. He is tall.. probably 6’5 or so.. over a foot taller than me! His hair was pulled into a manbun.. dark brown.. his startling green eyes and dimpled smile! UGH! Tribal tattoos cover his arms.. and I remember the ones on his chest.. sooo well! Shaking myself, I stepped all the way into the room.

I asked if he would like a drink and he declined “No! I want you to explain why I have an heir and am only just now finding out!” I sipped my coffee.. deciding whether I want to be polite.. or just light his ass up. I’m leaning toward the latter!

I look him directly in the eye and tell him to sit down! “Let’s get something straight, shall we!? YOU don’t want your mate! YOU mated me.. then snuck away like a thief in the night! You couldn’t be bothered with rejecting me.. not with words. But you did! You rejected me, by your actions! In rejecting ME.. you rejected my sons! Do you know what hurt the most!? It was the realization that you took my innocence… robbed me of my virginity.. all the while knowing I was just another fuck to you! You had no intention of marking me! Of accepting me! You made me believe we would be mates.. knowing I would think that way.. you still fucked me! I was sixteen, Kieran! And so in love with the thought of my forever soulmate, I never imagined he would have a heart of stone!”

“So, don’t come up in here acting all put upon because I didn’t tell you about my sons! I owe you nothing! I will not keep Derek and Darius from you. We will work out a visitation schedule amenable to both of us. I will not tolerate them being around Valerie.. or whatever flavor of the month you’re fucking. It’s been almost three years now. I think you should just reject me officially, now. At least, I will no longer have to endure the pain of you screwing your whores, anymore. I commend you on slowing down a bit, since I have been back! When I was first pregnant, it was an every night thing.. and I nearly miscarried because of it. Now, my body is trained to only feel the twinges, until you’re finished!”

He had the audacity to look guilty.. he opened his mouth to say something and I stopped him “Don’t! Just don’t! I want to hear nothing from you that even remotely resembles an apology! Literally, you’d have to be capable of remorse, in order to mean it! I will formally introduce you to the boys, at their party in an hour. If you do anything.. Say anything.. that causes them pain.. in any way.. you will Never see them again! Not a threat, Kieran! A promise!”

He asks “Am I allowed to speak.. or are you going to continue your tirade?” I scoffed at him “Tirade? That’s rich! Are you saying I don’t have a right to be angry at you? Hurt by you? You went on living your best life… sleeping your way through the pack! My life was changed forever! I crammed four years of learning to heal into two! I learned six years of combat training in one year! All while taking care of myself.. and my two precious babies! So.. pardon me for being slightly resentful!”

He grimaced and said “Having a mate would weaken me! Why don’t you understand that!? I watched my father slowly dwindle away to nothing, after my mother died! He couldn’t run the pack.. Fuck! Most days, he couldn’t remember to wear pants! I took over the pack at sixteen! And I vowed to myself to never be as weak as he was!”

I laughed derisively “So.. going to blame it on anyone else. No, Kieran! Your selfishness.. thoughtlessness.. hatefulness.. that is all on you! Your father gave up, when his mate died! He. Gave. Up! That was his choice! My mother was killed when I was eight! Alec was ten! My father misses my mother every day! His heart yearns to be with his mate! But he fought through it! He chose to remain… to raise his children! You know.. if you had valid reasons for not accepting me.. I could live with that. But, all you have is excuses. And in your pious, self-righteous brain.. you believe your excuses are reasons.. they never are, Kieran! I will be quiet.. and please.. tell me whatever it is you need to.. I have a party to get started!”

He sat for a few minutes before he spoke.. “ I know you don’t feel any apology from me would be sincere. But, it is. I am very sorry. Had I realized being with other women would cause you pain.. I would have refrained from it. I never wanted to cause you injury. The night we met was all Onyx! No.. that isn’t an excuse. That is a fact. He feels the same now, as he did the first time he saw you! I’m not saying I am ready for a mate.. but I am asking for a chance to get to know you. To atone for some of the pain I have caused.”

I just stared at him the entire time he talked.. thinking does he even hear himself? This pompous ass acts like he would be doing ME a favor by spending time with me! Lenore is whimpering loudly in my head.. and my heart breaks for her. She needs Onyx.. and I sympathize. I will do this.. for her.. and for my sons. But, right now, I am struggling even trying to Think of being so much as this asshole’s friend!

I tell him “We will be spending time with each other. For our sons’ sakes! The first several times they come to visit you, I will be with them. There will be no overnight visits without me present. They need their father.. that’s a given.. but I will not allow them to suffer anything close to what you’ve put me through. So, consider them supervised visits.. until I know I can trust you with their tender hearts!”

He nodded and said “That’s fair! I completely understand and I guarantee I will change your opinion of me!” I laughed again “Yeah! Good luck with that! Are you ready to meet your sons?” He nodded again.. and Alec walked in with Derek and Darius.

I seated them both on the sofa “My wee bairn! Remember when I told you about your daddy? I told you he was a very strong, very brave Alpha.. and you would meet him when he wasn’t as busy.. conquering the world?” Alec mumbles “At least the she-wolf side of that!” I glared at him!

Darius asks “Is our daddy unbusy now?” I smiled at him and said “Yes, my sweet winky-blink! He is not as busy now. As a matter of fact, you spoke to him earlier.. before Mommy’s fight. Do you remember?”

Derek says “We spoke to Alpha Kieran. Is he our dad?” I grinned and replied “Yes… my smart boy! Kieran Knight is your father.. and he very much wants to meet you both!”

Kieran knelt in front of them both “I am so sorry it’s taken me so long! I’m here now! I will never leave you again!” Then he lifted them both, inhaling their scents deeply.. and I knew that was Onyx.. smelling his pups.

Derek looks at Darius and says “Who needs superheroes, Darry? We got a dad for our birthday!”