Chapter 33

The sounds of the ocean filled my ears as I sat near the cliff, looking out at the churning waters that seemed to stretch on forever. The sun was setting, bathing the sky in a multitude of colors and casting a golden glow all around us.

It reminded me of paintings I’d seen growing up. Though they honestly couldn’t compare to the real thing.

Rayne was sitting beside me, taking in the view as well. He’d been a bit quiet since we’d arrived, but his silence wasn’t tense.

It was more that he was enjoying the serene atmosphere with me. He didn’t wish to break the mood.

Coming here had surprised me a bit, though I certainly wasn’t complaining. I had wanted to see the ocean again, and it was sweet of Rayne to bring me back here to do so.

“The sunset here is beautiful. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen so many colors all at once,” I commented.

“It is,” Rayne concurred. He sat leaned back on his hands, taking it all in. “There were times when I was small that I’d get to see these sunsets, and you reminded me of it when you mentioned coming by the ocean the other day, so I thought it would be nice to see it again with you. It has been quite a while since I’ve been able to do so.”

“You make it sound like you were living as a shut-in for most of your life,” I teased.

“I feel like I have been in a sense. Ever since that incident with the Lycans when I was a child, it’s like I was a bit lost and tried to cocoon myself in a sense,” Rayne confessed.

“You and Rin were pretty young when that happened, weren’t you?”

“Only five years.”

“That had to be frightening, especially at that age. Of course it would’ve affected you more than you might’ve realized at first.”

“I believe it did,” Rayne acknowledged. There was a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke, like he was allowing himself to remember that time.

“I think Rin and I were more protected than we realized too, and it’s nothing we’d ever blame our father for. He lost all of those like him to those Lycans, and we’re all he has aside from our mother. I think he did everything he could to protect us, and he never expected an attack like that from them. Perhaps no one did.”

His words struck a chord with me. I had heard the stories of what happened to the Luna Dogs and how Jekia had been the only survivor.

I could only imagine the fear he must’ve felt when he almost lost Lana and his sons, and how it must’ve affected him afterward. He probably had become overly protective for quite a while.

“Your father’s been through a lot of loss, hasn’t he?” I noted.

“He has. Probably much more than most could handle. I have to admit that I admire him for how he’s been able to keep moving forward and be so strong-minded through it all,” Rayne admitted.

“Perhaps coming off as stoic and even a bit detached has helped him a bit with that,” I suggested.

“Perhaps, but I think you’ll see that he’s not always that way behind closed doors. I like to think that our family sees each other as we are far more than any on the outside. But maybe that’s a good thing too. We might have to keep face as superior alphas, but we can still open up to those close to us,” Rayne responded.

“That’s true. I feel like I’ve gotten to know you better than others on the outside. At least from what I can tell from the ones who’ve openly spoken to me,” I concurred.

“I think that’s going to be a lot better now, and will continue to get better once everything is settled, although I still don’t understand how it was able to go as far as it did. All alpha are allowed to make their own choices when it comes to their betas, and judging one simply for where they came from only proves ignorance.” Rayne scoffed.

“I know.” I wrapped my arms around my knees, staring out at the ocean. “And some of it is on me for letting things get to me and not saying anything. I’ve always felt ashamed of where I came from, and it let me believe those words even when I told myself I wouldn’t.”

“You do realize that most of that has come from jealousy. No matter how much pedigree they have, you top them in grace and beauty, not to mention your mental fortitude,” Rayne pointed out.

“I find the jealousy thing a bit out there, at least to me. I’ve seen plenty of beautiful females in these lands that could land the eyes of any alpha,” I contended.

“True, but you’re still a superior beauty and always will be, and they’re very aware of that,” Rayne assured me.

I didn’t fully believe his words, but I was willing to take them and drop the subject. We’d dwelled on it far too much anyway, and things were getting better.

Rayne remained content as we watched the sun sinking lower on the horizon. Even after all this time and everything we’d recently been through, it was still hard for me to believe that he was mine.

“Out of curiosity, was it my beauty that initially attracted you to me?” I continued after a few minutes.

I knew that we’d had similar conversations before, but I was curious as to what he’d say since we’d been having this conversation.

“I won’t deny that your beauty did captivate me and still does, but it was so much more than that. As I said, I’d met many females over the years, and I’d never felt such a longing as I did for you,” Rayne answered.

“So it wasn’t simply because I was beautiful?”

Rayne chuckled. “I can’t deny that part of it. I’d never seen such ethereal beauty before,” he conceded.

A gentle smile crossed his face as he continued, “But I knew from the moment I looked into your eyes that you were the one I was meant to find too. It almost feels like the Fates were at work that day, and I could never be more grateful for that.”

His words startled me a little. We didn’t speak much of the Fates, and that dream immediately returned to my mind.

The strangest feeling came over me as it did, and I looked down, trying to understand it.

Rayne noticed my distraction, moving closer to me. “Are you feeling all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I guess it’s just been a long, active day and has caught up with me a bit,” I reassured him.

It felt like a convenient excuse, not to mention I had this sense that I shouldn’t say anything about that dream to him. At least not yet.

I couldn’t explain why, but it felt like it might be dangerous for me to do so too soon.

“It has been a busy day.” Rayne kissed my temple, holding me close. “Do you want to head home? It will be dark soon enough, and I could get us back in time to avoid it.”

“No, not yet. It’s nice out here,” I answered, leaning into his embrace.

“If that’s what you want, then it’s fine with me. I have no issue with heading back in the dark.” Rayne hugged me a little tighter, kissing the top of my head. “Besides, it’s nice to have this time away with you and not have to think so much about everything.”

“You’re lovable this evening,” I teased.

“I like to think I usually am, although it is funny when I think about things when I was a kid. Rin and I used to become so embarrassed whenever our parents would show affection to each other. I don’t think either of us believed we’d grow up to fall in love like that too,” Rayne admitted.

“Most of us probably don’t think much about those things when we’re younger. I know I didn’t start thinking about these things until a few years ago, and even then, all I really thought was about how I hoped to find an alpha who would want and take care of me. I guess it was always hard for me to imagine that one could actually love me,” I confessed.

“You’ve always been hard on yourself, haven’t you?” Rayne guessed.

“I can’t help it. I grew up knowing what others thought of me because of how I came into this world, and I can’t deny that pull to that darker side of me at times. I know I’m the one who ultimately makes my choices, but it still scares me to think that I can be like that or my father could try to influence it,” I responded.

Rayne shook his head. “I can’t deny that it scares me a little too, but I also feel like you’re much stronger than that. You’re also very sweet at heart, Luna. There’s nothing evil about you, and I’m certain you’ll never become that.”

“You’ve always had so much faith in me, even when you barely knew me. It just feels strange when so many have feared what I could become for so long. I guess that’s also why the rumors felt justified in a sense too. They were just repeating what I’d heard whispered ever since I could remember.”

“Others can say what they wish. We’ll just have to keep proving them wrong,” Rayne reminded me. He closed his eyes and hugged me.

“I’d do anything to protect you too. I waited my entire life to find you, and I could never be without you.”

They were pretty words, and I was certain that they were spoken from his heart. Rayne would never abandon me or judge me harshly.

He truly did love me and would do anything to protect me.

We ended up spending another hour out there, watching the sunset and enjoying a bit of making out before heading home. Rayne decided that he’d carry me back so that we could move quicker, which I didn’t mind at all.

After everything that had recently happened, I did prefer us not to be away from home too late.

The glen looked as it always did when we arrived back. Rayne let me down as we entered, taking in the moonlit scenery.

“Today went much better than I expected, but I’m glad of it. We’ve needed a nice day out,” he was saying as we headed to the cabin.

“We did, and it was fun to enjoy that festival together. I’d also like the opportunity to spend the day with Felicity and her friends again. They were very nice to me and I had a wonderful time with them,” I told him.

“Trust me, I’m certain all three are biting at the bit for that. Not that it would be a bad thing. Rin and I have known them our entire lives, even if we haven’t seen much of them recently, and I know they’re trustworthy,” Rayne admitted.

The two of us became quiet as we reached the front door, both seeing that there was an envelope that had been taped to it. It looked like someone had left us a letter.

“What is that?” I asked as Rayne pulled it off and opened it.

A frown crossed his face as he read it. “She must be kidding.”

“What is it?” I asked, peeking at the writing on it. The golden cursive was very formal and fancy looking, and the parchment very sturdy.

“Lucille is requesting that you visit her house tomorrow,” Rayne answered.

“Does she know that they suspect her matchmaking house of starting those rumors about me?” I wondered.

“Not that I was aware of. Father wanted to keep the suspicions quiet, and I wouldn’t think that any would go against him on that request,” Rayne answered.

“Perhaps I should go then. It may arouse some suspicions if I turn her down, especially with how kind she was toward me when we met,” I suggested.

Rayne wasn’t so keen on this. “I’d much rather you not. If there’s any merit to the rumors starting there as we believe then they’re probably looking to take advantage of you and shield themselves. It would be better to simply turn her down,” he stated as he opened the door for us to go in.

I wasn’t willing to give in so easily this time though. Not when I felt like I had been doing so since I’d come there.

I needed to stand up for myself, and ignoring this meeting wouldn’t help anything as far as I was concerned.

“But wouldn’t that simply make things worse, Rayne? I can’t imagine any would try to do anything to me when you are aware that I am visiting with them. That would be like inviting the wrath of your family,” I contended as we stood facing each other in the main room.

“It could, but I still prefer not taking the chance. Not with everything that’s recently happened,” Rayne responded.

“Then perhaps I could have someone go with me. If they mean no harm then I’m sure they wouldn’t mind, and I’d imagine I could ask Selenia or Aurora,” I suggested.

“Why are you so insistent about this? You know what they’ve already put you through, and going to them could only invite more trouble,” Rayne countered.

“I can’t simply keep avoiding all of it, Rayne,” I reminded him. “I can’t show them fear, and declining their invite could do that. If I go there and show them that I have no problem with meeting them, then it should prove even more that I am the beta I’m meant to be, not simply an impostor trying to use you.”

Rayne crossed his arms, sighing. “You’re quite stubborn at times, aren’t you? You do realize why I’m saying that would be a bad idea. It’s not only the rumors. Someone has tried to cause you harm and it’s suspected that your father may be involved somehow. Do you not believe that’s a good enough reason to use at least a little bit of caution in these things?”

“I won’t live my life in fear, and I know how to be cautious in such situations. I grew up serving those like them, so I am well aware of how to act and what to watch for,” I assured him.

We fell into silence, both of us unwilling to budge on this issue. I knew Rayne didn’t like it, but I was now determined.

I needed to face those who may or may not have been against me, and this felt like the ultimate way.

“There’s no talking you out of this, is there?” Rayne finally broke the silence. He looked as exasperated as he sounded.

“Not at all. I think it would be the best way for me to confront them and show them that I’m not afraid to stand up to them,” I responded.

“Very well,” Rayne reluctantly conceded. “Then do as you wish. I did have something I needed to take care of tomorrow anyway, so perhaps I’ll meet you once your visit is done.”

He was upset with me, but I had expected as much. I didn’t stop him as he excused himself and headed to the washroom to clean up.

I was determined that I was going to do this, even if it might have been a bit dangerous. I needed to assert my place as his beta, and to prove to them all that I belonged here.

And I’d start by facing the ones who may have been my ultimate detractors.