"Maya, baby girl I'm so-"I cut him off with my lips and hug him tight.

"Don't ever apologize for marking me." I whisper against his earlobe before greedily pulling it through my teeth. Though it wasn't exactly the most ideal way to get marked, this entire situation between Josh and I isn't ideal.

So in some weird way it is almost perfect for us and our situation. "You-You aren't mad?" I shake my head and grip him tighter.

'But now you're stuck with me' I quip through our mate link. As long as we don't have a wall up we can read one another's thoughts and speak in one another's minds.

I can feel relief flood my body, but that isn't my emotion that was Josh's. "I wouldn't and couldn't live without you Maya." I keep my legs and arms wrapped around him as we saunter inside. This is definitely going to take some getting used to. Separating his thoughts and mine, his emotions and mine and then putting up a block so he can't read my mind whenever he pleases. "Awe but I love knowing what's going through your pretty little mind."

"A barrier is going up as soon as possible but my story will be a lot easier if I'm as open as a book right now." We start going upstairs, the entire top floor is ours, which is great… but all the stairs are more than tiring. It was designed that way to make it more difficult for intruders to get to the Alpha male and female. "I think your parents should-"

"No." He states, "Me and you first. I want to know everything Maya. I want this to be our moment, we can explain everything to my parents later since my dad knows about you." Nerves wash over me as we get closer to our bedroom.

"MAYA!" I instantly jump out of Josh's grasp and move towards the distressed voice of Riley. Before I can even ask her what's wrong she grips my hands, "He'll know." I furrow my brows and try to decipher what she's saying. "Sorry Alpha but this is important. Maya he has to know now."

"You are speaking in riddles." I state slowly like I'm talking to a child. Her eyes meander to Josh and then back to me, I can feel Josh's anger. He knows we're hiding something, "Speak freely. He's about to know everything anyways."

"Alpha Kermit more than likely knows your alive now. You severed your family bond when he marked you- which congratulations by the way Alpha." Sneaky little thing she must have been watching. I guess we were out in the wide open spaces.

I shake my head, I never severed my ties with the pack because I wanted my rightful spot as Alpha but I haven't felt their presence or my father's in years. When I join this pack, then he'll know. "No I left the pack 6 years ago. I haven't felt a family bond-"

"ALPHA KERMIT IS YOUR FATHER?!" Okay so I was just kind of waiting on that. "HE DID THAT TO YOU?!" I glance at Riley and she sprints off in the opposite direction. I hug Josh's shaking form while he grips my hips.

"Breathe in." I whisper in his ear in hopes my scent will calm him. The anger that is flowing through our mate bond is forcing my wolf to surface. "Josh please calm down." I kiss all over his face before he stalks towards his office leaving me behind. Well, we all know what he's doing right now. I lean against the banister as he releases some frustration. I hear splitting of wood from the new desk, the tearing of the leather couches and the growls.

Alpha Allen saunters towards me, "Your mate is sending waves of anger through the pack link." I nod my head and glance at the door. "Alpha Kermit is your father." Again I agree even though it wasn't really a question and glance at my feet, "Is that what made him mad?"

"More or less." I whisper, "There's a lot you don't know about my relationship with my father Alpha. And we will need your guidance on one thing in particular, but I need to tell my mate first."

He stands there calmly as his son is doing the exact opposite. His eyes are calculating and clearly intelligent. I wish I would have been in this pack, he seems fair and kind. I shake the memories away and notice the amount of growls from my mate are dwindling down. I'm thinking he's run out of things to destroy. "Maya." I gaze at the Alpha who crosses his arms, "My female and I are very proud to have you as Josh's mate." I bow my head, "We are also very proud to have a strong Alpha Female leading this pack now. Amy has started planning the pack initiation." I should have figured that was coming, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

I glance at him, "I want Josh." I whisper.

"What about your old pack? You are the rightful leader. You should have already taken over."

"There's a little hitch in that part, and coincidentally that's the part where we will need your help." The office door opens and Josh grips my wrist and pulls me away from Alpha Allen. I give him an apologetic smile and practically jog to keep up with him. I decide to keep quiet until we get to the room, he's obviously still mad and he's put up a block to where I can't read his mind. I don't know if he's mad about me being an Alpha. Me being abused. Or the fact the abuser was Alpha Kermit.

The door slams shut as I sit down on the bed. Josh continues to pace, well Jax is definitely in control right now. "Jax." If he wasn't a wolf I'm sure he'd get whip lash. I stand up cautiously and approach him, "Talk to me." I grip his hand and kiss his palm.

"Your father is an Alpha." I nod and kiss his wrist, "You were abused by your father?"

I take a step closer towards him and wrap his arm around my waist, "Yes." He growls again but I wrap my hands around his neck.

"How long?"

"Josh-"

"HOW LONG?"

He shakes his head clear and I can feel the regret for snapping at me so instead of yelling at him I brush it off. "Since I was 5." He tries to break free, I'm sure to destroy more stuff but I won't let him, "look at me baby. Look at me in the eyes." His amber eyes flash up to mine and his heavy breathing begins to slow to a normal pace. "There's more to tell you but I can't tell you unless you calm down." I say in the most peaceful voice I can muster. He nods and I gently move him to the bed, "Okay so I'm going to just tell you everything quickly, like ripping off a Band-Aid and then you can ask questions. Sound good?"

"Please tell me that's the worst of it? That your abusive son of a bitch father is the worst of what you have to tell me." I bit my lip and hesitantly shook my head, I know that he's going to be more pissed at the arranged marriage. "Fucking fantastic."

"Okay so you know about my father, Alpha Kermit. You know he was abusive, and that I'm next in line to take the Alpha title for the Crescent Moon pack." He growls and nods his head, I don't even want to know what he's growling about. I'll figure that out later. I pace around the room, my hands nervously rubbing together. "So technically, my father wasn't going to give me the Alpha position. He uh-Shit this is hard to tell my mate. When I was eleven, I was introduced to my betrothed at my birthday party."

"WHAT?!" Josh stands up, his chest heaving with the thin thread of control slowly dwindling.

"He-Alpha Thomas-"

"Alpha fucking Thomas. I'm going to snap his fucking neck! YOU ARE MINE!" And now our bed is broken, damn it. "MINE MAYA!"

He reaches for the dresser but I grab his hand and pull him into me. "Josh and Jax please calm down. I'm yours, and you are mine. I left. I'm here in your arms." I'm trying to think of anything to assure him that I'm here, "You've marked me. I am forever yours." That seemed to work as his tense frame relaxed into my embrace.

"My mate." He whispers, "My Luna. My Maya. My baby girl." He nuzzles my neck and kisses my mark. An involuntary moan escapes my parted lips. Wow, I had heard that the mark is a sensitive spot but that's an understatement.

"I'm yours." I reassure him. He lifts me off the ground and sets me on the couch since our bed is broken and our mattress is flipped.

'Continue. I'll try to remain calm.'

I giggle and kiss his cheek, "Good your temper tantrums are getting expensive."

He grumbles underneath his breath seemingly annoyed. "Alpha Thomas lost his mate when he was 19. So, my father arranged a marriage between us for an alliance. I had refused to do so, saying that I wanted a mate." I release a humorless chuckle remembering that day vividly, "I mean you think I wouldn't backtalk the man who had been abusing me for 6 years but according to him I 'never learned my lesson'. The party was over at that point, m-my mom couldn't protect me anymore. He-Alpha ordered everyone to leave while glaring at me. Alpha Thomas stayed as long as he could, I-I think he knew. But I wasn't his mate, and even if I was my father still dictated what I did since I was so young. He even tried to get my dad to drink a little and relax saying it wasn't a big deal that I was just young and didn't understand. He didn't know that drinking only made things worse." Josh's body is shaking, or is that me? I think that's both of us.

Difference being mine is from pure fear. I will always be afraid of that man, he haunts every part of my life. "3 days." I whisper and wipe my tears, "I don't remember a good portion of it, I was unconscious more often than not." I gulp as my ear piercing screams shake me even to this day, my pleas for help from anyone going unheard. "Riley and her father took care of me. Like they always did. They found me lying on my bedroom floor once he finally let me go. My back torn to shreds, dried blood all over me, bruised face and broken bones. So much-So much pain." I inhale deeply trying to force out the mental images flashing through my mind.

"Stop." Josh has his eyes shut, what's he saying stop to? "Maya please stop. The images-you're sending them into our mate bond. I can't see you like that baby girl." He keeps shaking his head, hoping to shake out the memories while I think about anything but that part of my life. "Please." I hear him sob and I force myself to try harder. Once a sigh of relief escapes his parted lips he looks up at me with a tear stained face. I gently wipe his tears away and kiss his cheek, "I can't-"He takes a few shallow breaths in an effort to calm down, "I won't ever be able to un-see that. Baby girl I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I'm so sorry-"I cut him off with a kiss to his voluptuous lips and wrap my arms around him. "I love you Maya."

I pull away and stare into his eyes, "I do. I love you and I know that this is the worst time to tell you but I love you more than life itself and I am never letting you go. I'm going to kiss away all your pain, and hold you through all of your nightmares. I love you for you."

My small grin forms into a gargantuan smile, "I love you too Josh."

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I never quite understood arranged marriages in this world. In our world where you are specifically designed for a certain human… or wolf, whatever you'd prefer. Even if- knock on wood- something happened to your mate there are always second chance mates. They are rare, but it isn't unheard of. Either way, you aren't even whole till you meet your soul-mate so when I was told at 11 years old that I wouldn't even get the option to meet my mate that was devastating. I was always told that mates are the most amazing thing in the entire world, though I never understood how my father could treat my mother-his mate that way. It's crossed my mind that they weren't truly mates but I have no proof of that other than the fact my father was all on board for an arranged marriage with me.

'Business. Life is all about business and power.'

My beatings were business. My mother's death I'm sure was business. The arranged marriage, business and power. Kermit is a selfish bastard and always has been. He instilled those 8 words into me as much as possible. But then my mother would creep into my room at night and cuddle with me in my bed. Her scent of honey enveloped me and it didn't take long for me to fall asleep. She'd sing and talk to me about love and my mate. How a mate would be the greatest thing in the entire world that I should never stop searching for him. She'd apologize that she couldn't protect me and I'd dismiss it because I couldn't protect her either. Until I got the courage to take her place.

Everyone from school and pack members thought my father was rough with training me and that's why I had so many bruises all the time. They all thought he was molding me into the future Alpha female, and for that we were both commended. Me for working so hard, and father for 'pushing' me so hard. The only ones who knew the truth were Riley and her parents Cory and Topanga. I wasn't going to put anyone at risk and the only reason they knew was because I was going there for healing.

In a way I should thank my father, in a really effed up way. When I left my pack to become a rogue, I was young. Goddess I was so young. Every time I encountered a rogue or I felt like I couldn't get through the winter months, I remember everything I survived through that evil man and knew I could do it. "Maya?"

I glance at Alpha Allen and wipe my face dry. I'm so sick of crying damn it! "Yes?"

"Are you with us?'

Honestly? "No. Caught up in my past."

Josh pulled me into his lap and kissed my cheek. His hand grazing my arm while the other holds me tightly against him. "First, this arranged marriage. Did you sign anything?"

"No. My father did." I whispered, "After I was fully healed I left 2 days later."

"Well then that gives us some leverage. You are 18 now, you've been marked and found your mate. It would be easier if I could get stipulations from the contract. In most arranged marriage contracts they require them to marry and mate within the first 24 hours of them becoming of age. Minimizes the risk of one or the other finding their mates." He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, "Once you two mate and the induction ceremony is held, I don't think Alpha Thomas can take you away."

"HE WON'T!"

Allen rests against the desk calmly while Josh grips me impossibly tighter. "If you are challenging me I expect a perfect effort." He retorts and grins at his snappy son, "It took me 4 years to beat my father son, don't overestimate yourself." Josh growls and kisses my forehead. "Next order of business. Maya you are the rightful heir to the Crescent Moon pack. Arranged marriage or not it doesn't matter since Alpha Kermit doesn't have any other heirs."

"Because the bastard murdered my mother." Though it has happened before there is like a 1 in a million chance you'll get pregnant if you have sex with someone other than your mate. It's considered 'punishment' from the Moon Goddess for- first not waiting for your mate and secondly for going against fate. Having pups is a big deal, like a huge deal so I don't understand why rejecting your mate is even an option.

"Though there is no evidence supporting your theory Maya, I can't necessarily say I'd put it past him. That man is despicable." He takes a swig of brandy, "What's your plan?"

I smirk and rise off of Josh's lap. "Well I figured I'd challenge him for the position of Alpha. I've been training for 7 years. Once I kill him, that would make the contract null and void. And then I thought we could combine the Crescent Moon Pack and the Twilight Pack. Josh and I could run the pack together, but seeing as it would be such a large territory we'd have to work leadership out." I bite my lip and glance at Josh who has a huge smile on his face. Pride flashes through his eyes as he rises off the couch.

"You'd trust me to lead your pack?" Is that seriously a question? "I love you so much." His lips collide with mine and before it really gets good Allen clears his throat. I growl lowly and remove my hands from his hair. "Father I have a proposition."

I furrow my brows, my plan is effing full proof. Aside from me possibly dying when I challenge my father. "Let's hear what you have to say and then I'll turn to Maya."

I bet he was a great Alpha. "I'll challenge Alpha Kermit."

"NO!" I yell and shove him back, "He is mine!"

'Why would mate say that?'

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET HURT!"

I growl, "There's a reason I have trained so hard. A reason why I stayed in my wolf form for 6 months to be able to completely rely on my senses. A reason why I spent a full day shifting from human to wolf over and over so within seconds I can shift." I take a step forward and continue my speech, "I will myself to punch faster, hit harder, run faster. EVERYTHING I do, has a purpose Josh! That man RUINED my childhood. Absolutely destroyed it and took my mother away from me. You WILL NOT TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME! HE IS MINE!"

"Maya." I flip my gaze towards Alpha Allen and growl, "Put your wolf away." I look at him straight in the eye, "Look away little wolf." He warns, but I don't. The nickname that should taunt me doesn't. I'm still fuming at the fact that Josh is trying to take my kill away.

"MAYA STAND DOWN!" Josh yells at me.

I shut my eyes and focus on my breathing. Something I did a lot as a child. I feel a pair of warm arms wrapping around me, sparks against my skin inform me it's Josh. 'I love you Maya. Please know I love you so much and after seeing some of the things he did to you… I just-I can't see you that way again. You have to understand where I'm coming from.'

'I do Josh. I do. But you have to understand where I'm coming from. I can beat him. I can and will.'

I press my lips against his and turn towards Allen, "Sorry Alpha. I can't seem to get control of my emotions here lately."

He smirks and waves it off, "Don't worry. You'll need it if you intend to beat Alpha Kermit."

"All due respect, I don't intend to do anything… I will."

"Very well." His eyes glaze over and a smile approaches his lips, "Your initiation and Luna introduction is next Saturday." My eyes widen with realization, "All of our allied Alpha's are going to attend. And that includes both Alpha Thomas and Alpha Kermit."

Shit.

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Let me know what you think lovelies.