Moon Bound

Judah

Marisol and I walk throughout the pack hand in hand. We haven't spoken a word to one another after she stepped out of the shower. Mostly because I know that she wanted to take a moment to enjoy the fresh air.

Many of our pack members rushed over to her when they saw her. She blushed as they all fawned over her, bowing and kissing her hand to show her gratitude for her actions.

I had to restrain myself as unmated males would show her their gratitude. My wolf was ready to tear them apart after watching them kiss the back of her hand and compliment her power, but I know that this will build her confidence in being their queen so I kept my jealousy to myself.

Our pack members didn't even do a double take at the change of her appearance, I am sure that Artemis laid down a serious threat to let everyone know that they would have to deal with her if they attempted to shame her for the way that she looked. I am glad that she is making a friend outside of Benjamin.

She pulled me closer to her placing her head on my shoulder. "Tell me about what happened to the South pack. Artemis was very sparse with her details."

I glanced at her through the corner of my eye. "I will spare going into detail with some things."

She squeezed my hand before pulling it away from mine after she stopped walking. "I don't find it very fair that you are the king and know everything while I am the queen and only get small details."

I stared at her in awe as she stood with her arms crossed. The determined look on her face let me know that she wasn't going to let me have my way without a fight. I couldn't find it in me to worry because I was too busy admiring her beauty.

"It is the job of the king to protect his queen, especially after she has dealt with something traumatic."

She sighed before slowly lowering herself onto the ground. I followed before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to me.

We sit in silence for a while, and I can tell that she is just trying to gather her words.

I prepare myself, this could potentially be our first actual argument.

"Well, I believe that we should protect one another." She states before she begans to gently comb her fingers through my hair.

I close my eyes as a warm sensation travels from her touch all the way down my body. "You have done enough to protect me and our pack. Let me protect you." I breath out.

She places a light kiss on my mark before sucking on the skin.

I contain my vocal reaction for the sake of the pups running around the pack, but squeeze her hip with one hand and attempting to extract her off of me with the other.

She allows me to guide her movements, until her legs are draped across mine and her the side of her head is on my chest directly over my heart.

"We protect one another. This isn't a competition Judah, if we don't know one-hundred percent of the situation then we won't be ready." She takes a deep breath and twirls some of the front strands of her hair. "I know how low the witches are willing to go to get what they want. They killed pups. I am not oblivious to all of the things going on."

I nod. "You're right. When we arrived to the South Pack the witches quickly fled. They assumed that you were with us and feared that you would do the same thing to them that you did to the witch at the coronation. Most of the wolves immediately went to the safe rooms and they were protected from the attack, there were a few wolves that couldn't be saved but they fought bravely."

Marisol leaned away from me so that she could look into my face. "What did I do?" She asked. I could hear the fear in her voice and the worried expression let me know that she didn't pay attention to anything other than the fact that the witches fear her.

"Cole had to interrogate an older witch for hours before she finally cracked. Apparently before Benjamin was able to knock her out you completely drained her of all of her magic, and the witches that were apart of her coven felt it."

Her mouth fell open slightly, the shock of her ability stopping her from forming a reply.

I brush my fingers through her hair, observing the new brown strands. "I know what is going through your mind and before you say it out loud no. You draining her of all of her magic may be the reason that you have partially lost your connection to the moon goddess."

I see her deflate at my words, her body sags into mine.

"Wouldn't it be worth it? I could save everyone without having to kill anyone. It is a win for everyone."

"A win for everyone who is not you. I will not let you sacrifice yourself anymore than you already have for others. There will be another way. There has to be."

We wrap our arms around each other and just hold one another in silence.

It was very convient that there was a way that we could stop the witches, but it would come at the cost of my mate.

I will have to have someone who can't be swayed by her to keep an eye on her at all times.

Artemis.

She is the only one who would be willing to disobey her queen for her own good. The rest of the alphas and wolves apart of the pack lands will fall in line and listen to her commands.

"I will do anything to find another way to end this Marisol. You won't have to sacrifice yourself for anyone." I say before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

I have no choice but to find another way.

"There has to be another way and you know it! You are sitting here laughing like this is a game and it is not!"

I overhear Artemis yelling and cursing before I even make it to the floor that holds the library.

As I make it to the library door I hear Ben's booming laughter at her.

I open the door to find them in the sitting area, with Artemis grabbing the front of his shirt with her two fists and Benjamin holding his hands up in surrender.

They both turned to me at the exact same time, Ben pleading for help while Artemis smirked.

"That is enough Artemis, you can manhandle him after I don't need him anymore."

She turned back to him with a smirk before releasing his shirt with a shove. She turned to me before bowing. "Our Queen wouldn't miss him too much if he were to disappear would she?" She asks.

"Unfortunately she would, trust me. I have been meaning to get her permission to atleast allow me some leway when it comes to harming him." I responded.

Benjamin's only response was to laugh which I knew would immediately rile up Artemis even more.

I grab her arm before she can react. "The three of us need to have a conversation, it is about Marisol's wellbeing."

The playfulness that was in the room only a second ago immediately evaporated. I am so grateful that they are able to put aside their differences in favor of Marisol.

I walk over to the sitting room and take a seat across from Benjamin. Artemis sits down as well putting some distance between the two of them.

"First, I am having all of the minor packs stay with the major packs until this war is over. It will be better for all of us, power in numbers. There is an exception, Artemis I want your pack to stay here with me."

She turns to glare at Ben. "Is there a particular reason?" She asked.

"Yes, I need you to protect Marisol at all times." This caught her attention, she turned back to me and nodded. "You are the only wolf in the pack lands that will disobey her in the name of her safety."

"Yes, I will protect my Queen with my life."

"Now that is out of our way you both are aware of the destruction that had happen to the South pack, only a few deaths. The witches immediately fled when they realized that I was there. I learned from the ones that we were able to capture that they feared that Marisol was with us."

Benjamin scowls. "They fear Marisol? I was the one who shut down the damn witch's brain, but Marisol is the one that they fear? I'm a little offended."

Artemis smirked, but she refrained from commenting.

"Try to be a little less offended. Apparently Marisol drained the witch's magic and the other witches apart of the coven felt it happen. They fear her because they know that she can do it to them as well."

"That seems good in theory, it could be useful. At the same time it also could be the root of why she has had the changes. She did say that she is losing her connection to the moon goddess." Artemis states as she leans back and lets out a whistle into her chair. "Using that on goddess knows how many witches? She will probably lose all connection to the moon goddess before doing it to half of them."

"She can't." Ben says firmly. "That has to be the reason why she is losing her connection. Blood magic is probably like a form of dark magic and messing with that probably damaged what the moon goddess did for her all of those years ago. If she keeps losing her connection to the moon goddess her body will not be able to sustain itself."

As I attempted to absorb what he was saying Artemis raised her eyebrow and turned to face Ben.

"What exactly are you saying?" She asks.

Ben lets out a sigh. "Marisol is a runt. Her parents were willing to do anything that they could to save her. My mother over heard about them and pleaded with my father to contact the moon goddess to help them and she did. The reason that she looks the way she looks is because that is what the moon goddess chose for her. She originally had tan skin, blue eyes and brown hair. The more she loses her connection-"

"The more chance that she might die." I finish for him.

He nods. "Runts aren't supposed to live past the age of two. She is only alive because of her connection with the moon goddess without it."

He doesn't finish the statement. We all know what this means. If the witches find out that she isn't able to deal with their filthy version of magic I am sure there will martyrs who will endure losing their magic if it means the end of my mate.

I step into the room that has been declared Marisol and I's for the time being.

"I was wondering when you would be back." She says as she stands from the bed. "I missed you." she wraps her arms around my neck before pulling me in for a kiss.

This kiss was different from all of the other kisses that we have shared in the past week. As her lips pressed against mine a moan immediately escaped my mouth. My hands moved throughout her hair twirling her beautiful tresses before pulling her closer to me. Her tongue moved slowly and lazily against mine. My body was fighting for air, but I didn't care I would allow her to kiss me as long as she wanted.

She pulled away from our kiss, and placed quick chaste kisses down my neck and until she reached the mark she left on the base of it. I felt her teeth scrape lightly against it, causing me to let out a moan.

She pulled away from my neck and stared into my eyes.

We observed one another for a minute before she pulled away. "It has been a long week for us, can we just get in bed and cuddle?" She asks as she climbs onto the bed.

"I need to take a shower, but you and I can cuddle for now."

She smiles and shimmies her shoulders at her victory.

"Judah can I ask you something?" She asks as I climb into the bed beside her.

"Anything."

She scoots closer to me, her legs tangling in-between mine as she turns to face me.

"Do you still think that I am beautiful even though I look the way I look now? I was looking in the mirror and I just look so we-"

She cuts off her words as I gently cup her face. "There isn't anything that can happen that would ever make me stop being attracted to you." I say gently.

She nods and I can see the tears well up in her eyes.

She smiles sadly at me. "Well when I look in the mirror today if I squint I think I would fit in with the rest of my family."

"Is that what you want?" I ask.

"It used to be." I wipe a rogue tear that falls down her face. "Then I met you and you helped me realize that I am perfect the way that I am."

I press a kiss against her nose. "I love you, Marisol. Just the way that you are. You are perfect for me in every single way."

More tears spill down her face. "I love you, Judah. Just the way that you are. If it wasn't for you I don't think that I would ever truly be happy." Her voice cracks at the end of her sentence.

She sits up and I quickly follow. She grasps my hands in hers tightly. "We will survive this. I know that as long as we have each other nothing will be able to stop us."

I know that she is right. As long as we have each other we will be able to do what needs to done to save of us.