6. Sunset Waters

                                    

                                          
Jasper Orion Deveraux 
                          
Luci had been sleeping for about an hour now. Jasper had continued to drive after their tryst, the feeling of foreboding and guilt building with each mile. Orianna weighed heavily on his mind, he fought himself on how exactly to come clean with her. Ryzen couldn't seem to care less. We found her. Our true mate. She is what matters for the rest of our lives, Jasper. I have told you from the beginning that The Claiming was a waste of our time.
                          
Luci's Claiming felt like moons ago, but it had only been a night since his little mate had run for her life. He felt a pang of sympathy in his chest for her, reaching over to gently caress her face. No matter the amount of guilt he harbored, one look at her face and he was instantly relieved. He was truly at home with her. She stirred at his touch, blinking softly before her gaze drifted to him. A smile crept onto her face as she reached up to feel his hand, her soft skin grazing his knuckles. 
                          
"Hi..." her voice was soft as she turned her cheek slightly, brushing her lips against his hand. That familiar jolt of electricity sparked and Jasper could not help the feeling of elation and peace he felt. 
                          
Withdrawing his hand, he responded, "Hello, Luciana."
                          
She straightened, looking out the window. Her gaze wandered back to him and he glanced over to meet it, "We're still about four hours from your pack... Have you... thought about what you will say to them?"
                          
Luci shook her head, "Honestly, no... I don't know what will happen. I don't want to be a disgrace to my parents." A heavy sigh left her lips as she looked down at her hands, "I spent all morning thinking I made a mistake, that I should have just done as I was told and went through with The Claiming. But now..."
                          
Jasper nodded in understanding. Now it was much more complicated. In a perfect world, them finding each other would have meant this trip home was a celebratory one. Surely they would have been able to hide her desertion if she had come back with Jasper's mark. He likely would have been able to persuade Alpha Ivan and the rest of Astral Twilight to keep it to themselves as well. But Jasper was mated and he did not know how - or even if he was able - to break it. All he could do was reach over and hold his small mate's hand, squeezing with reassurance. They would find a solution. They had to.
                          
Luciana Faith Moore
                          
Returning to Sunset Waters territory made Luci's skin crawl with unease. As they passed her familiar border, she was awash with a turbulent mixture of relief and fear. Relief that she was home, an inkling of hope that her parents would still accept her with open arms, and an insurmountable amount of love for the man who sat by her. But fear of the consequences of her actions, empathy and jealousy for Jasper's claimed mate, and the pricklings of guilt that despite all of this, she still held onto his hand tightly. 
                          
"Turn right up here... that's the pack house." They had arrived late in the evening, the sun already setting and the houses lit with families settling down for dinner within. Her family lived in the pack house with the Alpha and Beta families. As Jasper parked outside, her legs refused to move. 
                          
He inhaled a deep breath, "Alright, let's get this...over with." Luci bit back a whimper as he released her hand, wishing more than anything to cling to his broad chest and hide behind his strong presence. He opened his door and stepped out, walking around the truck to open hers. She hesitated before jumping out, crossing her arms over her chest. She wished she was wearing something other than Orianna's clothes. 
                          
A flash of movement caught her eye and she immediately turned. She was not ready for this. But a familiar voice met her ears, one that she was relieved to hear.
                          
"Luci!" 
                          
The Gamma daughter turned and threw herself into a hug with the owner of the voice. It was her best friend, Bianca Camden, Alpha Clark's daughter. Luci squeezed her close, "Oh, Goddess, Bianca, I am so glad to see you."
                          
Luci was practically trembling, taking Bianca's hands and gripping them tightly, "Bianca, I have no idea what to do. I wasn't thinking and I ran and I have no idea what's going to happen-"
                          
"Whoa, slow down, Luci, take a breath." Bianca's brow furrowed, clearly confused at her best friend's shaken state. She almost didn't notice the towering Beta at her side. Circling an arm around her friend's shoulders, Bianca began walking towards the pack house, "Come in. I made some tea, you can tell me what's going on. Do you want me to get your parents?"
                          
"No!" Luci stood firm in her place, eyes wide, "I-I can't face them right now. Bianca, please, can we just... go somewhere else. I'll tell you everything, I promise." 
                          
Bianca nodded, finally looking to Jasper, "And you are? Her mate?"
                          
Jasper opened his mouth, closing it with a bit of a grimace, "I'm Jasper Deveraux, Beta for Astral Twilight Pack. I came to escort Luciana home."
                          
"Jasper, please, just stall with Alpha Clark and my parents," Luci bit at her bottom lip, her wide eyes pleading as she looked up at him, "I will tell them. I just need to get my head on straight. Just tell them you are making a courtesy call to tell them about The Claiming."
                          
Jasper exhaled through his nose, pursing his lips before nodding, "Alright... Don't take too long."
                          
The two parted ways, Jasper heading into the pack house and Luci and Bianca scurrying in the opposite direction. Bianca led Luci to the edge of one of their pack's lakes, sitting at a decaying wooden picnic table, "What's going on, Luc? How was The Claiming? Why...why aren't you marked?" When Luci hadn't returned to their land last night, Bianca just assumed she had been claimed and taken back to her mate's pack. 
                          
Luci gulped before pouring her heart out, telling her best friend everything from Jeffrey's creepy behavior to being mistaken for a rogue and right up to her mate's true identity. Her words came out like a tumble of water and there was a bit of silence as she finished. Bianca's mouth hung open as the story came to an end, eyes wide with surprise and disbelief. Luci nibbled at her bottom lip, "And I don't know what to do, B."
                          
Closing her mouth, Bianca inhaled sharply before gently taking Luci's hand, "But you're sure, Luci? About Jasper being your mate?"
                          
"I know it, B," her tone softened, love shining in her hues as she spoke of her mate, "I can feel it in my very core. I'm drawn to him in a way that I can't even explain. Every time we touch, my heart explodes and all I can think about is being with him." 
                          
"And it has nothing to do with the fact that he looks like a literal god?" Bianca wiggled her eyebrows, drawing a laugh from Luci. She was glad she was able to make her feel at least a little better. 
                          
Luci shook his head, "That's just...a cherry on top. He could look like a troll and I know I would still feel this way."
                          
Bianca nodded, running her thumb over Luci's hand, "We've been raised our entire lives to find our true mates, Luci. Goddess knows that nothing trumps that love, especially not a forced bond as he has with this Orianna person." 
                          
"But..." Luci began to protest, all sorts of logic and reasoning on the tip of her tongue.
                          
"But nothing, Luci." Bianca said sternly, determination beginning to climb into her eyes, "You will go there and introduce Beta Jasper as your mate. You will make no mention of running from The Claiming. No one here needs to know this, no one here even knows about Astral Twilight's royalty. They will not question you. And then you will return to Astral Twilight, Jasper will need to confront Orianna, and you be a Beta's mate."
                          
Luci's eyes brimmed with tears. She wanted so desperately to believe her, even Eve seemed to whimper with agreement. She inhaled sharply, "But what if someone says something? What if Astral Twilight doesn't accept me? What will happen to Orianna?'
                          
Bianca drew her best friend in for a hug, laying her head on her chest and stroking her blonde hair, "Shh... destiny finds a way, Luciana Moore. I promise everything will work out. I promise."