Moon Bound

Marisol

I was wrong, I couldn't even make it to the clearing. The throbbing pain that had started in my head spread throughout my entire body. I am surprised that I was able to make it out of the pack's territory without passing out. If it wasn't for Tati helping me majority of the way I would probably still be in the hospital wing.

Everything that I put my body through that day was just too much. Healing Scarlet and Alpha Wren was painful enough, but then Benjamin pushed me over the edge with teleporting me. I ended fainting as soon as I felt the cabin's floors underneath my feet.

I am not mad at Benjamin about it though. If it wasn't for him coming to save me I probably would've been slumped up against a tree the entire night.

No, if it wasn't for Benjamin saving me I would be with the Alpha King right now.

I have no doubt that it was him who I saw in the woods. He was the biggest wolf that I have ever seen. If I think hard enough I could still feel his presence, like he is looming over me.

He is also beautiful. I've only seen photographs of him not his wolf, and he is just so beautiful. His coat was a glossy black, and his wolf's eyes were an amber gold. I didn't see him from up close, but I'm sure his wolf towers over me. As much as I wanted to reach out and just touch him I am thankful that Benjamin was there to stop our encounter.

I finally open my eyes and the first thing that I see is Benjamin and Izumi standing over me. They both had smug looks on their faces. I'm just glad that they can't read my mind.

"Thinking about a certain Alpha King?" Izumi asked as she wiggled her eyebrows.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. There was no denying the fact that he was my mate, I felt him the second I stepped onto Alpha Wren's borders. There was also no denying the fact that I was thinking about the Alpha King, the blush on my cheeks gave that away.

"Yes, I was thinking about the Alpha King." I admit with a sigh. "But I was also thinking about what happened when I healed Alpha Wren and a witch named Scarlet. They were both in comas and having seizures. I know it happened to the alpha after defending his pack from being attacked, but I don't know why it happened to Scarlet. All I know is that after healing them it felt like my energy was draining from my body and being replaced with pain. I thought that I was going to pass out." Tears filled my eyes when I finished my rambling. I have never been one to have a high tolerance for pain, actually I can't tolerate any kind of pain. So to experience that was terrifying.

Izumi sat next to me and started to run her fingers through my hair. A gesture that is her go to whenever I need to calm down. She gentle untangles my hair with her fingers, starting root to end. The tangles in my head would be a nightmare for me because I haven't gotten out of bed in about two days. So I really appreciate her actions.

After two days I finally feel one-hundred percent, and I am in desperate need for a shower. I'm sure they can probably smell that I need a shower too. They are just too kind to me to say it.

Benjamin sat on the other side of the bed and started to untangle my hair with his fingers as well. "I overheard the Alpha King and two of his pack members talking, the witches had used blood magic on the Alpha. I'm sure you've grown tolerant to it now so if you heal anyone else who it's been used on it won't hurt as bad. I would suggest that you try your best to stay away from it just incase."

I couldn't even stand the thought of having to heal anyone ever again. "She threatened me. She dragged me to that pack after threatening me, and then she didn't even care that I was in pain." Two hot tears slide down my face. "She didn't care about me after I had finished healing Alpha Wren."

I feel even more tears fall from my eyes and run down my face.

Benjamin was quick to wipe them away as I started to cry harder. This is why Benjamin and the moon goddess always told me to be wary of who I helped. People will use you for what you can do for them and once you've done it you don't matter to them anymore. At least until they need you again.

"I know Marisol, we're here for you now." Ben placed his hands on my cheeks. "How about this. Instead of traveling outside of the pack lands let's go see your family. A little early birthday present." He suggested.

I eagerly nodded. I haven't seen my family in person in over eight months and I miss them terribly.

"That sounds like a good idea, first I need to shower." I state as I slowly climb of my bed. I need to move slow just incase my body hasn't fully recovered from interacting with blood magic.

"By the way when you're done with your shower I need to tell you all about how I met up with the Alpha King." Benjamin called out.

I was in the middle of grabbing my things out of my closet when I heard him. I couldn't feel anything and I couldn't bring myself to move.

He went to talk to the Alpha King.

While I know it's our job to help others with their mates especially when one is unwilling, I assumed that he would give me a little longer than the usual wolf to sort out my feelings.

I continued grabbing my things and decided that I was going to pretend that I didn't hear him. It's rude. I feel bad for not engaging with him, but for my sanity it just needs to be done.

I exited my closet just to be face to face with Izumi.

She beamed, her perfect smile taking up half of her face. "Marisol, you can try and ignore Ben I do it all the time." She said with a shrug. "But you know that you can't ignore me. I won't let you. I am just going to keep bringing it up." She taunted.

She's right. when Izumi wants something she is relentless. I usually admire her for her bold personality traits but at this very moment I resent it. I attempt to side step her, but she was able to follow and continue to block my pack. She was just too quick for me. She is always too quick for me.

I let out a sigh. "You went to visit him, you told him I was a runt, and now he wants nothing to do with me." There, I said it. What else did they want from me? I know how wolves operate. Their reactions when they see me. What they really think of me.

Benjamin rolled his eyes. "You know that's not true. Yes, I did tell him that you are runt. Guess what? He didn't care about that at all. All he cared about was finding you."

I feel my heart starts to beat a little faster out of excitement after hearing what he said. It can't be true, can it? "Did you tell him where I am?" I ask.

"Not yet."

I narrow my eyes slightly at him. "So you plan on telling him where I am?"

"Soon."

I have never wanted to actually hit someone before, but in this moment if I knew how to fight I would fight him.

Since he wants to force the Alpha King on me maybe I'll have him teach me how to fight, and then I'll fight Benjamin.

It would be so much simpler to send the Alpha King after Benjamin, but something tells me that I wouldn't be too happy with him afterwards.

Izumi wraps her arm around my shoulder. "I can see the wheels turning in your head. I hope you've just accepted that you are meant to be our Queen so Ben and I can bow to you, or if you prefer I can always do the curtesy I see some people do."

"Fine, I've accepted it but In the mean time I plan on taking a shower and then getting my stuff ready so I can see my family." I'm desperate to leave this conversation, and I just might stay in the shower forever if it stops us from talking about the Alpha King all together.

"I'll pack your stuff for you! We'll make it there faster that way. Ben can send a letter to your parents to let them know that we're on our way." Izumi called out. There's no point in trying to argue with her about it. She is going to do whatever she wants.

"Should we take the car? You know there's a trail we can ride on from here to the South Pack."

I want to immediately protest Izumi's question. I know she wants to take the car so we can all be trapped in a confined area so we can talk more about the King. Taking the car might be the most logical, but it also might be the way I end up ripping my ears off.

Benjamin picks up his own backpack and Izumi's duffel bag. "Yes that's a great idea especially since I don't feel like walking around with these bags."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Why not? You always carry bags when you travel."

"Oh would you like me to use my gift and get us where we need to be in under thirty seconds?" He asks.

I shake my head, the car it is. Every time he's teleported me, I always end up feeling sick to my stomach. Especially that last time, I ended up actually passing out.

Izumi clapped. "That's good! Now we can do some family bonding time. Ben drives and the two of us can sit in the backseat."

I groaned out loud. "I've already accepted that he's my mate. I will go to him soon. Then when he rejects me I'll go right back to doing what I do."

Izumi grabbed my things and started to lead me out the door. "From what Ben told me the last thing he's interested in is rejecting you."

I can't help but get a little excited at the thought that maybe my mate would want me after all. "What did Benjamin tell you?"

Benjamin cleared his throat. "We'll talk about that once we are all settled in the car." He interjected.

"Is this about when you went to go see him?"

Benjamin ignored my question as he started to put our things in the trunk. As much as I wanted to yell and scream to get his attention there was no point. He would tell me once we are all settled.

I went to sit in the backseat, and Izumi sat in the back next to me like she said she would.

She scoots closer to me until our thighs touch. "Listen, don't be mad at Ben. He was just doing what he knows is best for you."

I can't help, but smile at her. Benjamin and I rarely get into disagreements, but when we did Izumi was there to keep us in check. She never picked sides, just gave her honest opinion and it always helps us make up in the end.

"I know, but that still doesn't mean that I have to agree with what he did. You weren't there when I was with one of his warriors. She didn't like me because I was a runt, so how is everyone else in his pack going to feel about me?" I ask.

"What they feel doesn't matter, Marisol. Your feelings are the only ones that are important to Ben and I. He will protect you from those who wish you harm."

Benjamin got in the front seat and quickly turned to faced Izumi and I. "And if he doesn't protect you we'll stage a coup and overthrow him. We can take him." He lets out a chuckle. "Plus wouldn't I look dashing in a crown Izumi?" He asked.

We all laughed as Benjamin turned back around and started the car. The drive would only take about an hour, we've always lived close to the South Pack so whenever I'm free of visions I can visit my family.

I had a question running through my mind and I couldn't figure out how to ask it. I started to twirl my hair with both my hands.

Benjamin looked at me through the rear mirror and laughed at my fidgeting. "You only do that when you want to ask something Marisol what is it?"

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks, now I definitely didn't want to ask.

"So you said the Alpha King is going to accept me? Well I was just wondering if the two of you would move into his pack with me as well. Since you know I really rely on your advice sometimes when it comes to pairing wolves and-"

Izumi grabbed both of my wrists preventing me from messing with my hair. "You can just say that you'll miss us if we're apart Marisol. Just know that of course we'll move with you, we'd follow you anywhere. You'll have to be the one to ask the Alpha King though, I doubt he would do anything Ben requests."

"Why?" Most people see Benjamin and bend over backwards for him. I can't imagine anyone even the King not falling into that category.

"Ben might have taunted him a little bit. Even before he knew that you were his mate." Izumi rolled her eyes. "You know that he can't help his childish antics."

I couldn't help but sigh, I always forget that just because Benjamin is really sweet to Izumi and me, he usually likes to be an asshole to everyone else. Just because he can.

Benjamin scoffed. "Taunt him? I have done no such thing."

Izumi and I looked at each other and I put my hand over my mouth in an attempt to hold back my laugh.

Benjamin sighed. "Okay so maybe I taunted him a little bit. I mean it's hard not to. Plus he snatched me up! Before I even got the chance to really say anything!"

Izumi raised her eyebrow at him. "Oh yeah and what about all the times before that?" She asked.

Benjamin blushed a little while Izumi, and I continued to laugh at him.

I leaned forward and placed my hand on his shoulder. "It's fine Benjamin I'll protect you from the big bad Alpha King."

He let out a sigh before smiling. "I will be forever grateful for you, Marisol."