Chapter 20 - Rayla
“Bye, Mom, I’ll see you later.”
Abel ran up to her enthusiastically, carrying a small, black duffel bag. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and offered her a big smile she couldn’t help but return.
She looked him over. They had not been here for up to two months and yet, it seemed like he had grown in the time that he spent here.
Rayla was grateful to Xander and to the pack for the transformation she could see in her son. Everything about him had changed since they were there. The best of all was that he was happier.
Now that Abel had his father in his life and the male guidance she could never provide for him no matter how much she tried, he was no longer angry.
There was no one to bully him here, instead, he was given the respect that every alpha deserved. It did not matter that he was yet to be the alpha. Ever since the day that he transformed and the Elders accepted him as their own, effectively accepting her too, the two of them had been well-respected in the pack.
What’s more, he had friends. Friends who had no ulterior motives for wanting to speak with him, who did not try to slander Rayla or try to push him so they could get a reaction out of him. That was what she had always wanted for him and now, it seemed like such a long time ago when he was back in the village and people could never just let him be.
Rayla was happy to see that he had put everything about the village behind him. He always seemed angry each time they had conversations about the people of the village but now, things were different.
The last time they spoke about it, he had smiled and even laughed, although he did not have much to say nor did he want to dwell on the topic, which was completely fine by her. If only it was that easy for her to let go of all the years of pain and rejection from the villagers and her parents.
She smiled. She could not toss aside the progress she had made either. While she still hurt every time she thought about everything that happened leading up to this moment, things weren’t as gloomy as they once were. She could now revel in the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Let me take a good look at you, my beautiful boy,” she said, pushing his hair away from his face and glancing into his light brown eyes.
Abel frowned and pushed her hands away. “You’re going to mess up my hair.”
She laughed as he groaned. “Oh, am I?” she asked, still laughing. “I thought you didn’t care how you looked. I can’t count how many times I have heard that from you, my sweet boy.”
“Well, things are different here. Everyone is much nicer. Besides, I’m seeing dad’s friends today so I have to look my best,” he said, raising the duffel he had in his hands.
“Oh?” Rayla played along. “Is that what the bag is about? And here I thought you had decided to leave poor old me.”
Abel’s lips turned up in a smirk. “I will never leave you, Mom. You’re stuck with me forever.” He copied the maniacal laughter he’d watched in movies and Rayla laughed with him, unable to stop from joining in.
Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. He was so very different. So happy and vibrant. She’d always considered him to be her ray of sunlight and now, he truly was one.
She hugged him close, expecting him to pull away and make a comment about wrinkling his clothes but instead, he wrapped his arms around her and played with her hair. Rayla melted into his hands. Her baby boy had become exactly what she wished him to be—happy.
She sniffled slightly and he pulled away, staring at her with concern in those beautiful, brown eyes.
“Are you alright, Mom? Did I say something wrong?”
His concern for her was refreshing. It was the one thing that hadn’t changed about him. Even when he had been an angry kid, unsure of who he was, he had always put her first just as she had done for him. They were a perfect pair and now, they were a perfect trio.
“No, no.” She rushed to dry her tears before smiling at him once again. “You’ve just grown so much and I’m so very happy that you finally found a place where you fit in and can be yourself.”
His smile returned, brightening his face and crinkling his eyes. “Me too, Mom. I’m happy that we’re here and that things are working out better between you and Dad.”
She stared at him in shock. She hadn’t thought that he noticed the tension between them, especially since she had always tried to be cautious around him so he wouldn’t feel like he had done something wrong by choosing to be here with his father.
“Yes. I am happy, too. Your father and I are.”
She kissed him on the forehead just as she heard Xander’s footsteps coming down the steps. He picked up the basket she had prepared for their picnic and kissed her on the cheek.
“Having a meeting without me?” he teased, ruffling Abel’s hair.
Much as he had done with her, he pushed his father’s hand away and frowned at him. “Stop messing up my hair.”
Rayla laughed. His little pout was so adorable.
“Funny, I don’t hear you complaining whenever Articus does it,” Xander retorted, jokingly reaching out as if to touch hair once again.
Abel laughed and moved out of range of his father’s hand in a blur. Rayla would have missed it if she wasn’t so focused on the two of them.
“That’s because Articus is so cool.”
Uh-oh.
Xander turned to him with a mock hurt look, placing a hand on his chest with as much drama as he could muster for a man who had been so serious almost all his life.
“And I’m not? Is that why you don’t let me touch your hair?” he asked.
Abel kept silent, wearing a smile as he mimed zipping his lips shut.
“Oh, that’ll do it. Come here,” Xander said, reaching for him.
Abel’s eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He turned to run but it was too late. Xander’s huge arms wrapped around him and he lifted Abel off the ground.
“You have one chance to unzip those lips and tell me I’m the cooler one or these hands will be on your head,” he threatened.
His hands moved at the pace of a sloth as he gave Abel the chance to tell him what he wanted to hear.
Abel’s wide eyes turned to Rayla, taking on a pleading note. “Mom, please help me!” he shouted through his laughter.
Rayla laughed and raised her abandoned mug to take a sip of her coffee. She grimaced as the cold coffee that had sat forgotten touched her tongue and forced herself to swallow it before pushing it away from her.
She raised her hand and grinned at Abel. “I think I’m going to have to stay out of this one,” she said. “Besides, I don’t get to touch your hair either.”
Abel’s mouth opened and he stared at her comically. “Traitor!” he screamed once again
“Well, Abel. You only have seconds before my hands are on your precious hair. What’s it gonna be?” Xander asked him once again.
“Fine. You’re cool too,” he admitted as his lips quivered from the effort it took him to not laugh.
Xander set him down and frowned as he looked at his palm.
“Hmm… Now that my hands have no hair to ruffle, I suddenly feel quite weird. What do you think I should do about that, Abel?”
Abel stared at him for a moment, genuinely confused and then his eyes lit up as his confusion gave way to understanding.
He turned to Rayla and grinned before lifting his hands to point in her direction.
“Do Mom’s,” he screamed gleefully.
Rayla’s eyes bulged. “What? What did I do?”
“I don’t know, Babe. You failed to come to the boy’s defense when he called for your help.”
The two of them advanced toward her. For a moment, all Rayla could think was that they looked like predators stalking prey. They were so much like their wolves in that instant that she marveled at them.
“Guys… you don’t want to do this,” she said as she slowly slid off the chair.
“Why not, Babe?” Xander asked, still approaching her slowly.
“Yeah, Mom. Why not?” Abel repeated after his father.
She turned around to run but only took two steps before her legs were off the ground and she was wrapped in Xander’s arms much like her son had been only moments ago.
“No!” she screamed through her laughter as they tickled her and ruffled her hair.
“How does it feel now, Mom?” Abel giggled as he continued his attacks while Xander held her to himself with one hand and tickled her with the other.
She laughed so hard that her ribs began to hurt and she could not take it anymore.
“O-okay guys, I think i-it’s time t-to s-stop,” she said, completely winded from her laughter.
Xander’s hand stopped moving and he hugged her tight, signaling Abel to stop. He turned her to face him and pushed back her orange hair that had snapped from its band and spilled everywhere, covering her face.
His smile knocked out what breath she had left in her lungs and he leaned in to kiss her gently on the lips, pushing the nail into the coffin and forever dooming her to breathlessness.
He pressed another peck to her lips and gently set her on the floor, holding her until she was steady and her legs had begun to work again before letting go of her.
“Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” Xander asked, his brows furrowing in a way that made him more handsome.
She sighed, utterly in love with this beautiful man in front of her.
“Yes, I’m sure. I want you guys to have fun and not have to worry about me when you’re there.” She reached up to push back strands of black hair that had slipped down his face but thought better of it when she saw just how good he looked like that.
Lord, I’m a mess.
“You don’t have to worry about me. Besides, I already have some plans.”
“Oh?” Xander cocked his head to the side. “Please do tell, Luna.”
Luna. It was not the first time he had called her that, however, every time she heard him say it in that deep and sultry voice, it sent tingles running down her body from her head down to the smallest toe.
“I wi—” she started, then paused to clear her throat, looking behind at Xander who was looking through the basket on the table.
Now was not the time for her to be so horny and yet, she was. She bit her lip, hoping the sting would distract her from the heat between her legs.
Xander’s eyes zeroed in on her lip and darkened with lust. He reached down with his thumb and rubbed it against the lip she’d bitten.
“Don’t do that unless you want me to stay,” he said, his voice as croaky as hers had been only seconds ago.
Rayla’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment, but she quickly opened them as she remembered where she was and the audience they had, although he paid them no mind. It was a very tempting offer, but she couldn’t do that to her son.
He was always so excited each time they went to hang out with the other alphas; she knew he would be torn up about this if she took Xander up on his offer.
She shook her head with resolve. “N-no. You should go. Abel is waiting for you.”
Xander nodded and pulled away immediately as though he’d had the same thought.
“What did you say your plans were?” he asked.
“I have a lunch date with some of the women. We planned it a while ago and they have all been so excited to have me, so I cannot bail on them now.”
Xander nodded. “That’s a great idea. I’m glad you are taking the time to get to know these women.”
Rayla grinned. “Of course. I’m their luna, after all. It would be good to get to know them. Besides, they are an important part of your and Abel’s life, so they are important to me too.”
Xander opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Abel spoke from the background.
“Dad, can we go now? The others must be there by now. We can’t be late.”
Rayla laughed at the desperation in her son’s voice. She understood what it must be like for him, to feel like he didn’t fit in anywhere and that something was wrong with him as he lived in a world where everyone else was normal and he was not.
Seeing people who not only knew how he felt but also had different powers that made them even more special must be a treat for him.
“Alright, here you go. Out the door,” Rayla handed Xander the basket and shooed them.
“Bye, Mom,” Abel waved as Xander conjured the shadows.
He stepped in after his father and the two of them quickly disappeared, leaving her alone in the house.
Rayla heaved a sigh. She wished it had been possible for her to say yes to Xander and not disappoint Abel. She ached for him.
She picked up her cup of coffee and poured it down the kitchen sink before heading upstairs to get ready for her day. Rayla was excited as well.
It had been a month since she was taken by Ralph and beaten. A month since she thought she was going to die without seeing her family again. But she had been given a second chance at life.
After their love confession, Xander had confirmed that she had absolutely nothing to worry about with the villagers. Not only had he wiped their memories of the event, he’d also made sure to be rid of every device in Ralph’s house that could have copies of the video, as well as his silly obsession for Rayla.
To the villagers, she was now just a random person who had stayed in the village and had moved out when she decided she’d had enough of being in such a small place. There was no more animosity toward her.
Rayla was glad to know that everything had worked out fine. However, she did not care that they no longer held animosity toward her. She had no plans of ever stepping foot in the village for any reason, not after what she had been through.
They were terrible people whose only means of change and redemption came from having their memories wiped. She was glad to finally be rid of them and would not miss anything about her life there. She and her son were happy and that was all she cared about.
Rayla had not allowed herself to get close to the wolves when she arrived at the pack because the threat of blackmail hung over her head. Every time she looked at them, she had been reminded of just what her refusal to tell him about his son just because he hurt her had done to them.
She was not invalidating her feelings or her right to make her decision from a place of hurt. He had rejected her and she couldn’t have vouched in that moment that even if she had told him about her pregnancy, he would have accepted her and her child and fought for them to be accepted as members of the pack, especially not when they weren’t certain that her child would carry the werewolf bloodline.
However, her decision had not only cost the men in her life, but it had almost cost the whole pack, so how could she sit and laugh with them when she felt like she had betrayed them. She hadn’t even allowed herself to be free with the man she loved and had withdrawn from her son as a result of her guilt.
She smiled. Now, things are different.
It was so different to the life she’d had before. The pack had been patient with her and hadn’t taken offense at her avoidance of them. She wasn’t certain if it was because they expected that it would take a lot of getting used to since she was a human and they did not wish to overwhelm her or they had allowed her to be because she was the luna.
Either way, none of it mattered. In the past month, she had spent the time not only making up for the weeks she could have spent with Xander, building a stronger relationship and fixing what had broken in the past, but she had also been there for the pack, allowing them access into her heart just as they had welcomed her into theirs.
And how welcoming they had been. The women, old and young alike, wanted to hear and speak with her and they relished listening to her share her experiences. They found her humanness intriguing just as she found their wolves intriguing.
They welcomed her to try things and never laughed or left her behind when she made mistakes or was unable to keep up, instead, they showed her how, eagerly and patiently.
Although she was not yet married to him, the pack had taken to calling her luna and, while it had been weird at first to have so many people deferring to her and seeking her opinion and approval on different matters, they had made her feel so at ease that it was only a matter of time before she got used to it and them.
Rayla often enjoyed walks around the pack with several of its members. She enjoyed how everything here seemed much more beautiful than it had outside and just how natural they kept things.
They used their cars mostly when they had to leave the pack, although not many of them did, satisfied to maintain a life separate from the human world.
Rayla stripped off her robe and the sleepwear under and headed for the bathroom on bare feet. She turned the knob, allowing the water to cascade down from her full hair down her back and to her feet. She enjoyed the sensation of the warm water that reminded her of the lake the ladies had taken her to.
It was a week ago. On the very first stroll she had taken with the women on a hot afternoon, they had told her of the lake and how they loved to visit on hot days so they could cool themselves and socialize.
Rayla had been excited at the opportunity to bond more with the woman and also see the lake. It was as beautiful as they had described it to be. The path to the lake had been cleared, however, the rest of the surrounding area was like a dense forest.
She had been so taken by the lake that it had taken her a minute to realize that the women were silent. She’d turned around only to see them taking off their clothes.
Rayla gasped and turned away, covering her eyes. Her face turned bright red as the women laughed in jest. They encouraged her to get in with them. It was normal for them to see each other in the nude and not one of them thought much about it because they embraced their forms without shame.
Rayla had felt a little self-conscious as she stared at bodies built like the Amazonian women. Still, she swallowed her shyness and insecurity and slowly began taking off her clothes.
The women had been such angels, turning away until she was completely covered by the water before they looked at her. Their eyes shone with approval as though she had done something quite wonderful. Rayla had never felt more seen than she did in that moment and it was not in the way that would have sent her scampering for her clothes.
She turned the knob and shut off the water, wrapping a towel around herself as she stepped out of the bathroom.
She was happy here. She was happy to see Abel and Xander building an even closer relationship. She liked to watch them bond as she had done this morning. She also liked to watch Abel explore his wolf side now that there was nothing hidden from him. He knew who he was now and he embraced it, a far cry from the scared child he had been during his first shift.
Rayla returned from her lunch date with the women happy and quite full. If there was one thing she had come to realize as she spent time with the werewolves, it was that they loved to eat. There had been a mountain of food that day and they ensured that Rayla’s plate was full despite her protests that it was too much.
She sighed as she turned on the light. It was late evening and, unlike the werewolves who were quite capable of seeing in the dark, she had to rely on the light to see.
“Ah!”
Her feet slipped as she began to fall backward from shock. She closed her eyes, preparing to hit the ground, but hands caught her before she could.
Xander. She clutched him tight and steadied herself.
“You really need to stop doing that,” she said, smacking Xander lightly on the chest.
“Sorry,” he said, although the smirk on his face showed that he was not in the least bit apologetic. “I just missed you so much.”
She smiled, melting into him before a smirk formed on her lips as well.
“Aww, I’m sure you did.” She patted his cheeks lightly before delivering her next words. “Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of me.”
Xander’s mouth fell open as he stared at her in shock. “What? How could you not miss me? I was gone for hours.”
His eyes bulged as he struggled to grasp the possibility of her words.
“Well, if you must know. I had a very wonderful date with the ladies and I suppose there was just no time to miss you.”
She struggled to bite down her laughter, but Xander also started laughing.
“I’m sure the ladies were good company. However, they cannot have been better company than I am.”
“Tsk, tsk. How proud you are, Mr. Alpha.”
He grinned wide, revealing his pronounced canines. “And I urge you to remember that every time, dearest Luna.”
She laughed and hugged him, groaning. “Gosh, I’m so full. The ladies ensured that I ate a lot.”
Xander smiled and rubbed her bulging belly. “I can see that. I suppose that ruins my plans.”
She looked up at him. “What plans?”
Xander took her hands in his and pressed a kiss to each of her fingers.
“The one where the two of us went on a dinner date. I take it there is no space in your stomach for any more food.”
Rayla groaned and raised her hand to mouth. “The thought of taking another bite of food makes me want to barf.”
Xander tossed his head back as he let out a hearty laugh that shook his shoulders. He stared at her lovingly with eyes that twinkled.
“How about a drink date instead? Can you manage that? I just want to spend some time with you away from here.”
Rayla had been poised to say no, but his words changed her mind. She nodded.
“Yes, just let me go get changed.”
She hurried to the bathroom for a quick shower and got dressed in a green satin dress that went perfectly with her orange hair. She paired it with some simple jewelry and short heels before hurrying down the stairs.
Xander let out a whistle. “You, madam, look ravishing as always,” Xander said, pulling her toward him.
Much like her, he had changed into something more appropriate for their date. He was dressed in navy blue pants and a button down shirt tucked neatly into his pants, folded at the elbow and with a button popped open to tease her with a tiny peak at his strong pecs. His silver jewelry tied the look altogether.
She blushed as she took him in. I really need to get laid.
“Had your fill, babe?” he asked with a naughty grin. “I could get out of these clothes later if you would like to see more of me.”
She reddened even more, turning away to hide her flaming cheeks from him; however, his laughter confirmed that she had already been found out.
“Can we go already?” she asked.
Xander chuckled and offered her his arm, leading her out the door.
“Beautiful night for a date with the most beautiful woman in the world.”
She followed his eyes and looked up at the sky littered with stars. It had been a while since she saw a lot of stars in the sky. Even in her small village it was quite difficult but here, everything just seemed to be better.
He was staring at her now when she looked at him again.
“You really do look so beautiful tonight.”
He twirled strands of hair close to her ear that she had curled up while the rest of her hair stayed in an updo and then he opened the car door and shut it after she sat.
Xander took them to a restaurant outside of the pack, to one of the human villages, although in an opposite direction from her former village.
She hadn’t realized he had planned the date until they were immediately ushered to the roof where they sat facing the beach. The sound of the waves crashing was like soothing music to her ears. She ordered a cheesecake and wine while he had a full dinner with some ribs, mashed potatoes, and a side of vegetables.
She ate slow because of being full yet she was eager to eat her cheesecake. It melted in her mouth, leaving a delicious taste of strawberry as an aftertaste.
Xander made quick work of his food and sipped his wine. She fed him a piece of cake and bit back a groan when his eyes closed and he pulled the cake into his mouth, savoring it.
Their night was filled with laughter. It was one of the best nights she had had in a while and she was glad she came out even though she’d been very tired.
“Before we leave, there is something I want to ask you,” he said, pulling her thought back to him.
“What is it?” she asked with furrowed brows.
Xander got up and took her hand in his, pulling her to her feet.
“I know you haven’t spoken to your parents in a long time and I am certain you don’t want to.”
She nodded slowly as dread filled her.
“But there is something I wanted to do and so I asked the only other important man in your life and I am glad to say that he agreed to this.”
Xander let go of her hand as she stared at him, still confused by everything that was happening. She gasped as he lowered himself to his knees in front of her and dipped his hand into his pocket.
“Rayla, my Luna. I’ve thought so much about what I would say when this moment finally arrived, and I assure you, there have been a lot of torn papers as a result of my frustration. Not because there are no words to write but because words are not enough to explain the hold you have over me.”
Rayla let out a choked sob.
“You’re my world, Rayla. When you left, everything was gray. There was no color in my life and I became a machine, a slave to the rules that governed my position, governed me. The rules that kept me from telling you the truth.” He paused, took a breath, then continued. “The truth is that nothing matters without you. The past month has been the happiest I’ve lived in thirteen years. Finding our son and finding you could not have happened by chance, and I am grateful for the shadows that brought him to my room and took me to you. I want to be in your life more than anything else.”
Xander laughed and shook his head, looking down at the floor.
“I suppose I’m talking too much for a man who says words fail him.”
She laughed with him even as her heart beat fast in my chest and her breath caught in my throat.
“Ask me,” she said through a closed throat. “Ask me.”
He looked up at her with eyes that told her more than any words he could ever utter would say. His eyes promised her a lifetime of love and happiness, of understanding and care. His eyes told her he would always be there for her and that she did not need to ever be afraid. His eyes sang a song of love and devotion.
“Rayla.”
“Yes?”
“Will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife and my Luna?”
“Yes.”
He rushed to his feet and yanked her off mine, wrapping her tight in a hug as he spun them around.
“Thank you. I love you so much, and I promise that I always will.”
“I love you too, Xander.”
He set her down and slid the ring on her finger, kissing it.
Finally, everything is as it should be.