Chapter 46: Meeting Chasity's Gaze Felix Chasity was gone and I was freaking the f**k out looking for her. "CHASITY!!!" lyelled, running down the hallway, ripping doors open below deck.
"She's not on the main deck," said Alex breathlessly, coming into view.
"She slipped away after lunch," said Calix.
"Let’s try not to panic.
I saw her rushing off." "Yeah! To use the bathroom! Or so she said! So where is she?" Idemanded.
My mind and heart were racing.
"She's hiding in the captain's room," said one of the crew.
We had already sent half the crew looking for her when she did not come backfrom the "bathroom" after fifteen minutes.
We were now going on thirty minutes sans Chasity.
I growled, making the crew member jump though it was not directed at him.
I marched towards the the captain's control room.
The captain was there, steering the ship.
He was a huge werewolf with deep brown skin and a clean-shaven head under his hat.
"Rocco!" I said, grabbing his shoulders as Alex and Calix burst into the room behind me.
Captain Rocco quickly put his finger to his lips and pointed at an ajar door that led to a room where the captain took his break.
We sometimes called it the lunch room as it had a huge dining table and a sectional couch so many crew members ate there insteadof the actual crew dining rooms.
The Luna came in looking for privacy.
Sorry to alarm you Alpha! Seems like she's trying to surprise you.
Didn't want to disobey the little lass's orders, chuckled Rocco.
peeked into the room.
It was empty now with just a few scattered plates and napkins on the table and downto the very end of the table was Chasity, her eyes focused on something she was hiding under the table in her lap.
I smiled slightly.
I was just so relieved she was okay.
Alex and Calix peeked in at her too.
She could have told us she needed a minute, said Alex pointedly.
We need to have the Luna Safety discussion with her.
Aren't we already having the Therapy Discussion later today? Asked Calix.
Yeah, that might be too many discussions for one day, I reluctantly admitted.
I'll pencilit in for tomorrow, said Alex, taking out his notebook.
Ugh.
Alex was never without a notebook.
Why didn't he just type memos into his phone like a normal person?
Chasity looked up suddenly and we all instinctively ducked and hid.
I heard the sound of her little footsteps coming towards us.
"I know you're there spying," she said, arms akimbo standing in the doorway.
We slowly came out of our hiding places.
"You need to tell us when you want to go off on your own Luna!" Said Alex sternly.
I had thought the safety discussion was tomorrow! "You lied," I said.
If we were talking about it now, I figured I might as well hash it all out.
"No, I didn't," snapped Chasity.
"I peed before I came here!" Calix snorted with laughter at the mention of the word "pee" because he was somature as you all know already.
Alex took a deep breath.
He was going to list things out.
I could feel it.
Alex The list of search tactics we had already rolled out since she had been gonewent on and on.
Perhaps.
we had overreacted but this was a ship.
There was no time to waste if someone is missing at sea.
"Luna," I said sternly.
"We have stopped the ship mid-voyage! We have divers in the water already looking for you in case you fell overboard! We have half the crew looking foryou instead of manning the ship or doing their usual duties! We have...
"Alex just wants you to communicate with us so we don't stress any third parties out, ok, Goddess?" Interjected Calix, pullingChasity into him.
She wrapped her arms around his waist.
I sighed.
She looked up at him.
"Are you finished then? With whatever you were doing?" Asked Calix.
Chasity nodded slowly.
"I'm sorry," she said begrudgingly.
"Please let everyone go back to what they were doing before," she mumbled.
Calix nuzzled her making her giggle.
I mind linked several crew members to get the word out and get those diving back inside.
Now, I looked like the bad guy.
"Luna," I said hesitantly, making Chasity peep out at me from the safety of Calix's jacket.
Calix kept his arms around her securely.
"Being a Luna is like being a Queen or a First Lady," I explained.
She nodded.
"Women like that can't just disappear without a lot of uproar," I continued.
She looked at her feet.
I grasped her chin.
"Chasity, what I'm getting at is you are very important to the three of us on a personal level and to the pack on a...patriotic level,"I said.
"You’re their Luna." Chasity sniffed and folded her arms, removing them from around Calix.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.
"The pack hates me," she said, her voice trembling a little.
"You three hated me just three months ago, if that!" Abort mission! Said Felix in myhead right away.
I second that! Said Calix.
I sighed.
I pulled Chasity to me and she clung to my waist as she buried her head in my chest and dissolved into tears.
I wrapped my arms around her tightly.
Calix and Felix were rubbing her back and her shoulders.
My hands automatically ended up stroking her hair.
"Listen to me," I breathed in her ear, trying to hold back tears myself Alphas did not have the luxury of bursting into tears whenthings got tough.
"I have never hated you.
Ever! Not for one second.
Not for one moment, not for one split-second, despite what you might think.
And I know I can say the same for Felix and Calix.
Do you hear me?" || whispered.
She nodded, her face still pressed to my chest.
"Ok," I said.
"I have always loved you Chasity even before I understood it myself.
You don't have to believe me.
It's just the truth.
The truth does not beg to be believed.
As for the pack, they don't know you.
They didn't then.
They still don't now.
You're like a fairytale to them.
A little girl growing up cooking and cleaning and then poof, she's a princess.
If you used to look at them and they looked away, it was probably because they felt discomfort or pity.
If you look at them now, and they look away, it's because they know that you are the Luna of Winter Moon, and they should thinktwice before they meet your eyes," I said, tilting her chin upwards so that our eyes met.
She held my gaze.
I wiped her tears.
"Does that make sense to you?"l wondered.
"Just a little?” She nodded.
"Yeah, a little," she admitted.
I kissed her forehead and then the tip of her nose.
I nuzzled her.
"Ok, show us our prizes then," I said, sniffling, ready to change the topic.
"We love you, Baby," said Felix, stroking Chasity's cheek.
"Three months ago, I can't admit to it, you know.
Our wolves kept us in check.
You were jailbait then, you're a bombshell now!" "Eloquent, Felix, thank you," I said, annoyed.
"I have always loved you Chasity in one way or another," said Calix, drawing her to him.
She seemed to believe him a bit more than Felix and myself but I could notblame her.
Their history was different.
Our childhood was rife with instances of Calix sneaking around behind Mom's back to do something for Chasity.
"It's just a little something," said Chasity, showing us three bracelets made from tiny shells.
She tied them onto our wrists.
Felix grabbed her and planted an enthusiastic kiss on her.
"I do!" He said.
Chasity giggled.
"My Mom used to make bracelets for my Dad and me," she revealed.
"From shells?" Calix asked.
"From all kinds of things," she said.
"Bead, shells, flowers, anything..." she said, trailing off.
"Thank you," I said, putting my arm around her and leading her back above deck for some fresh air.
"We love them, Chasity," said Calix warmly.
After a mercifully uneventful afternoon, I put Chasity in my lap as the sun began to set.
I had already f****d up a bit today and I could not leave this therapy session for another day.
I had this rule that an emotional day should serve to work out all the kinks and the next day should be as lighthearted as possibleso I could not put this off.
"Don't be offended ok, my Luna," I murmured in her ear while she sat, leaning back in my lap, mesmerised by the sunset.
"Mmhm," she said absentmindedly.
The cool wind whipped her hair back.
The sunset was glorious but I had eyes only for Chasity.
It was now or never.
"Maybe you should see a therapist," I said as gently as possible.
"Well pay for it of course.
I want you to stop thinking of things like you versus us.
It's not like that.
You are a part of us.
You're our mate.
It's our responsibility to care for you.
You don't owe us money when we buy you things or take you places.
Those gifts benefit us too because it helps make you happier," I whispered, wrapping my arms around her from behindand gently rocking her side to side like we were swaying to music.
We should dance tonight.
"I'll go...I want to go," she replied suddenly.
My wolf and I rejoiced.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, ok," I said softly.
"I love you, Chasity," I reminded her in her ear.
"I love you, Alex," she replied.
pressed my lips to hers, coaxing her mouth open sol could explore her mouth gently with my tongue.
Her tongue caressed mine as her hands reached for my face.
She pulled away and looked at me.
She always made me so happy.
I grinned at her and she nuzzled me.
I laughed and nuzzled her back.
“You'll protect me from the Luna's wrath when she realises she's getting me as a daughter-in-law?” She asked.
"I'll protect you from everything and everyone that ever tries to harm you for the rest of eternity," / said, and I meant every word.
"Are you trying to take Calix's crown? He is the Drama king around here!" She teased.
"Hey! You've cut me deeply, my Goddess,"yelled Calix from his stool at the bar.
He was busy watching Felix as the chefs taught him a few culinary tricks.
Felix was passionate about three things: Chasity, being Alpha and cooking half-naked.
At least he was wearing swim trunks with his chef hat today.
I should count my blessings.
"Felix, aren’t you a bit overdressed?" Asked Chasity.
I snickered.
Calix burst into laughter.
Felix grinned.
She was the only person who could truly make him laugh at himself.
"I wish I could stay here forever," I heard Chasity say under her breath.
"I'll take you here once a year," I offered.
She looked at me.
"Really?" She asked eagerly.
"Yeah," I said.
“We can't stay here indefinitely but we can visit often.
You will have to spend some time in Winter Moon also.
You're the Luna there remember?" I chuckled.
"I remember," she said, pressing her cheek to mine.
"Do we have an agreement, Luna Chasity?" I said, tightening my arms around her as night fell around us and the stars came out.
"Yes, Alpha Alex, we do," she said with a smile.
Calix The yacht part of our trip was just as romantic as I had hoped.
Chasity said the words I had been waiting and hoping and praying to hear:
"I don't wanna leave," she whined, throwing herself onto thebed and hugging the pillows as Alex packed her bag.
She said the same thing the next day when we were packing up back at the hotel after our trip within a trip.
Dad was meeting us at the airport.
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