Chapter 9

The gentle night breeze whispered across the field, stirring the leaves of the distant woods. It was the only sound accompanying Rayne and me as we sat amidst the expanse.

Above us, the sky brimmed with countless stars, resembling a vast tapestry studded with glittering jewels. Leaning back against Rayne, I absorbed the breathtaking panorama, my eyes aglow with awe, indifferent to whether he noticed.

“It is quite a sight, isn’t it?” Rayne whispered in my ear.

“It’s incredible. I never knew there were so many stars. They’re like a tapestry of diamonds,” I whispered back.

“You were raised as a servant since you were a child. Were you not allowed to come outside to look at them?” Rayne inquired.

“No.” I relaxed against him, enjoying his embrace as much as the view. “Servants like me were not allowed outside after nightfall, though I did look out of my window as often as I could.”

“I’ve always loved the moon and stars. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I used to dream of flying away and reaching those stars as a little girl.”

“I don’t find it silly at all. The stars are so beautiful that of course, we would wish to be closer to them and touch them,” Rayne told me.

I looked back at Rayne as we sat there on the soft grass. He had been so laid back since we’d come out there.

No, longer than that. He’d seemed quite relaxed since right after our last intimate session.

Yet even though it should’ve been nice to see him feel that way, I was still a bit concerned about how much I had affected him. Even if he claimed that I couldn’t harm him because of what he was, I couldn’t buy that one yet.

“Are you still feeling all right, Rayne?” I had to know.

Rayne chuckled, still thoroughly amused by my concerns. “I am fine, Luna. I wasn’t bluffing to you when I said that you could never hurt me. I do not need to bluff about anything.”

“I would imagine not,” I relented slightly. I turned my head to the side to rest my cheek against his chest as I changed the subject slightly.

“Out of curiosity, did you come out to fields like this to look at the stars when you were growing up?”

“I often did come out to see the stars with my brother, though we usually did so at our home. Our father would sit with us on the roof of the palace late at night, and there were also times when Edifel or Vishu would take us out there,” Rayne answered.

Those were names he hadn’t mentioned before. “Oh, are they servants of the palace?”

“Well, Edifel was, but she passed on when Rin and I were five years old. She was killed in the attack on our original home,” Rayne admitted.

“Oh.” I felt a bit guilty for asking. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“There’s no need for you to apologize for asking, and even if it still aches a bit, I have many fond memories of Edifel. She and Vishu helped take care of us from the time we were born, and they were very good to us.”

“It’s made me wonder if female spiders have more of a nurturing aspect than many realize,” Rayne responded.

I wasn’t expecting that one. “You were raised around female spiders? Is that why you’re so fond of Spinel?”

“Could be,” Rayne admitted with a slight shrug of his shoulders. “I cannot say that I have much reservation about any creatures that I have met, and neither does my father or brother. Not even my mother if I think about it.”

“I admit that I’ve always admired my parents’ views of the world. Every creature has its purpose in it, whether good or bad, and all balance it out.”

“It’s a good way to look at it, and we shouldn’t be judging others simply for what they were born as. I personally do like Spinel. She’s very pleasant and sweet to me each time we see her.”

“But you also feared her a bit at first when you realized what she was.”

He had me there. I had been slightly afraid when I’d first seen Spinel. Yes, I had reasoned that it was because she was a spider and I’d never seen one before, but it wasn’t really an excuse.

“I did, and I regret that. Every creature deserves to live peacefully and not be prejudged, and I speak from experience, even if mine hasn’t been so bad when it comes down to it,” I lamented.

Rayne hugged me, kissing my temple.

“You know, Luna, my father once told me that there are more stars in the sky than grains of sand in this world. If they were all the same, then what would make them so spectacular?”

He was right. Even though the stars all looked so beautiful, they all shined differently. Some were distant and some looked closer, while others were brighter and some dim.

But in the end, they all painted a beautiful picture in the night sky.

I smiled as I let this sink in. “Yes, he is right. We should embrace differences, not fear them.”

“That’s always been our hope, and what we’ve tried so hard to get others to see,” Rayne went on. He kissed the top of my head as he held me tighter.

“I’ve never cared much if someone is different from most others. I grew up with a human mother and a Fox twin brother, and that was very natural to me.”

“My father never treated me or Rin any differently from each other, even though Rin was technically born from another alpha.”

“Did you know Rin’s father?” I asked.

“Not that well,” Rayne admitted. “I met him a few times when we were little, and I can remember back then. He didn’t come around that often, but we knew who he was when he decided to visit.”

“I recall that he was very powerful much like Father. I always thought as a child that he was beautiful too. He was a nine-tail Silver Fox, and it was fun to play with his tails when we were very small.”

Rayne chuckled at the memory. “I think he enjoyed such things too. He was quite kind to us, much like my father.”

I smiled, picturing that in my mind. It sounded so sweet, and even if he wasn’t able to be around much, I was sure that Rin’s father had been a good alpha at heart and only wanted the best for his son, and probably for Rayne too.

“I know you have your reasons, but I’m curious; will I be seeing Lord Jekia soon? I would like to meet your father and the rest of your family,” I told him.

“I know, and I do intend for you to see them soon. I just wish for a little more time with just the two of us,” Rayne answered.

“Is that the reason you’ve avoided what I asked?”

I was startled by the sudden male voice, and Rayne immediately stiffened, his ears perking up. Suddenly, I could feel the presence of someone incredibly powerful.

Yes, they’d toned themselves down, but that aura was definitely there.

Rayne gently let go of me and stood up. I stayed seated next to him, turning around.

A man stood roughly five feet away, his white hair, ears, and tail gleaming in the moonlight. I was struck by the strong resemblance between him and Rayne.

“Lord Jekia…,” I whispered to myself.

“Father?” Rayne quickly pulled himself together. “I thought you would be home this time of night with Mother and Selenia.”

“Normally, yes, but there was an issue I was called upon to look into, so I came out to take care of it, and I was heading back when I noticed you out here. Not that I blame you. It is a beautiful night,” Jekia responded.

“It is,” Rayne agreed. He looked a little less tense now with how pleasantly his father was speaking to him.

“I apologize for not coming by with Luna as you requested. I have had something important that I’ve been trying to do, and I was intending for Luna and I to visit once I had finished.”

I quickly stood up beside him, bowing my head politely.

“I have wished to come and meet you, my lord. We simply have not had the right opportunity yet,” I added.

“You need not be so formal, my dear. As Rayne’s beta, you are part of our family, even if we have not had the opportunity to meet you in person yet. Please, lift your head,” Jekia requested.

I did as I was asked, standing still but trying not to be too tense. He was right. I was supposed to be part of Rayne’s family, so I didn’t need to be so worried about meeting him.

Jekia moved closer, observing me intently. His striking golden eyes were a trait that Rayne had inherited.

“You certainly are beautiful, just as I expected. It is enough that you were born to a higher-ranked Willow Faerie, but combining you with an incubus has made you almost surreal,” he commented.

He looked thoughtful as he stood straighter and rubbed his chin with his fingers. “Yet I also sense that you are quite gentle at heart, along with being very insecure. No doubt the latter has come from how you were thrown away by those who judged you even before you were born.”

“I cannot deny that you are correct, sire. I am working on myself as well now that I am here with Rayne, and I will admit that it may take me some time to become completely comfortable with my place here and who I am,” I responded.

“Do not stress yourself with such things. It will all come in time, and I have little doubt that you will fit in well with our family,” Jekia assured me.

He then turned his attention back to his son. “However, I would like for you to not keep putting us off, Rayne. Your mother and I have been waiting very patiently for you to bring Luna to see us, as have your sister and brother.”

Rayne lowered his head. “I know, and I’m sorry that I haven’t brought Luna by yet. I swear I will as soon as I am able.”

“Please do keep your word about that. While I know you only mean well for her, your secluding her will only bring her troubles. You’ve already seen how that happened with your brother and his beta,” Jekia reminded him.

That perked my ears, reminding me of what Hailia had alluded to. Whatever had occurred before certainly appeared to be reverberating still.

Oddly, Rayne’s expression became a little harder.

“I will not make Rin’s mistakes with such things, nor do I intend to keep Luna away. She and I will come to the palace as soon as we are able to,” he swore.

I don’t believe that Jekia bought that, but he let it go.

“Very well. Then I will let your mother know and look forward to it with her. For now, I must return home,” he told him.

“All right.” Rayne nodded, now looking more like himself.

I gave Jekia a polite bow.

“It was very nice to meet you. I look forward to doing so again and meeting the rest of your family.”

“We will look forward to that as well.” Jekia smiled at me, then began to walk away, though he stopped after a few steps and spoke one more time to Rayne.

“I mean what I say too, Rayne. It is easy to become too confident, and always better to take what is extended to you.”

I didn’t understand what he meant at the time, though there was this twinge of fear in the back of my mind for the future. There was something more worrying Jekia about the relationship that Rayne and I had formed, something he was trying to warn him about.

Rayne let out a long breath once his father was gone, looking a bit put out.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting him to be out here tonight. It’s been rare that Father’s needed to handle something so late,” he muttered.

I turned to him, wringing my hands in front of me.

“I am glad that he appears to accept me, but I must ask what he was referring to by you becoming too confident with me.”

“It is nothing for you to worry about. Father simply has a habit of considering every outcome, though it is a good one to have,” Rayne answered.

“I suppose, but what happened in your family before? He spoke of your brother making a mistake with his beta, and I know that you and Emelio carry deep scars. Were they from that event?” I pressed.

“There is no need to speak of that. It has been over and done with for a while now, and there are no more repercussions to worry about. It is simply lingering trauma, that’s all,” Rayne assured me.

“But…”

Rayne put a finger to my lips to hush me.

“Ask no more about that, and there is no reason to keep bringing it up. I will be taking you to the palace one day soon as he’s requested, and the past does not affect us here now. Okay?”

I didn’t want to give in but felt like I had no choice. I was also beginning to reason that it may have even been dangerous to push this. Not that Rayne would harm me, but that speaking of the truth could bring back trouble.

“Very well. I will let it go then,” I conceded.

Rayne caressed my cheeks, kissing me between my eyes.

“Please don’t think bad of me, Luna. I will tell you the story of what happened one day, but now is not the right time. Let us continue building our life together first,” he whispered.

I nestled into his embrace, feeling a bit more at ease. He was right.

We needed to focus on continuing to build our relationship. I believed that he would soon take me to the palace to meet the rest of his family.

Everything would be fine. I belonged with him, and nothing would change that.

Or so I thought.