Second Chance Luna (Phoebe and Jason) novel Chapter 31

“Jason…Jason!”

He grunted jerking awake as the voice intruded. Beside him Phoebe slept. A half-moon shaped mark on her neck was still red and slightly inflamed. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jobnib.com. Visit Jobnib.com to read the complete chapters for free. It would heal quickly leaving only a perfect pink scar. Jason leaned close breathing deep. Her lilac and sage scent was stronger than ever but now also carried an undertone of dogwood. Now that she was marked she would carry his scent regardless of how often they were together. She was truly his and only his.

“Jason.”

He sighed, “Yeah, ma.”

“Finally! ‘ve been calling and calling.”

“I was asleep. It’s not even…six yet.”

“Yes and you are usually up by five.”

“So I slept in a day. I’m entitled.”

“That’s not the point. I almost woke Phoebe to find you.”

“Don’t. It was a big night.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ll tell you when I see you. Are you in the kitchen?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

Jason slowly disengaged from Phoebe careful not to wake her. He stood and stumbled suddenly light-headed. Placing a hand on the wall he paused as he regained his equilibrium. His mind was swirling. It almost felt like he was drunk though he hadn’t imbibed a thing except her.

Lobo remained oddly silent as if in a deep sleep, almost as deep as when he was still dormant.

Making his way to the bathroom Jason splashed water on his face to try to drive the vestiges of sleep away. Relieving himself he ducked into the closet for sweats before stepping out. Phoebe still slumbered as he checked her once more burying his nose in her thick mane of brown hair and breathed deep before stepping out and heading to the kitchen where his mother enjoyed her customary tea.

“Mom.”

“Morning sweetie. What’s that?”

“What?”

Norah was on her feet in an instant pulling his arm and turning aside his head to get a good look at the red mark on his neck. Jason grimaced.

“You’re marked!” she exclaimed.

“…Yeah. That’s what mates do.”

“Jason! You were supposed to wait until the Luna Ceremony! It’s tradition!”

“A tradition I never liked,” Jason leaned against the counter.

“Other mates mark themselves in private but I’m an alpha so it has to be a spectacle?”

Norah frowned. Jason had always been private by nature.

Though everyone knew of his longing for his fated mate, no one knew the lengths he went to ensure that when she was found she would never feel insecure or wonder about his devotion. From the way he organized the closet to the way he arranged for a private room for her to explore her hobbies whatever they might have been, everything was made ready for her.

Currently that room was undergoing renovations to be turned into a library a fact that everyone struggled to keep secret from Phoebe. Jason sacrificed a lot for his pack but his dedication to his Luna was not something he would ever compromise.

“Besides, you know Phoebes self-conscious about all of this.”

“Yes, I know.” Norah sighed.

Phoebe was everything Norah hoped for in Jason’s mate.

She was intelligent, kind, strong and gentle. But she also bore deep scars from her rejection. Whether Phoebe knew it or not she had built walls to protect herself opening up to very few. Jason patiently scaled those walls and was now busy taking them apart brick by brick. Norah couldn’t be prouder with how much care he showed his Luna. And part of that stemmed from his desire not to repeat his father’s mistakes.

Jackson had been a strong alpha and a devoted mate, in his way. He never betrayed her once they were together but their first meeting was not an image she could forget.

What hurt more was the fact he kept the she wolf around While Norah usually remained at home Blanche traveled with Jackson when he attended meetings. Whenever she brought it up hed only shrug and said Blanche was a good warrior. She never felt the pains of betrayal so she knew he was faithful despite the fact Blanche flaunted their private time together.

There certainly was no shortage of she wolves vying for his attention. Females were naturally attracted to strong males.

Jason turned them all away. Jackson worried his son was Tonus.

He was putting too much pressure on himself, and Jason did not appreciate his advice. Just as there was a disconnect between Jackson and Norah there was also a disconnect between father and son. It was a wound neither managed to heal before Jackson’s inevitable passing. Jason hadn’t even bothered to say good-bye. Norah and Lucille attended Jackson’s final moments without him.

Lucille had been torn apart by her father’s passing.

Jackson doted on her like a princess so they shared a strong bond. She probably still didn’t understand the gulf that existed between Jason and their father.

* **

Norah sighed pushing away her thoughts. Jason was pensive and probably thinking over the same memories as she was. He had waited so long to find his mate but from what Norah saw Phoebe was worth the wait.

The pack had been reluctant to accept her fearing a repeat of their previous Alpha and Luna’s tepid relationship. Norah was quite certain Phoebe had no idea what the reason was behind the cool welcome if she noticed at all. Regardless she quickly won the hearts of her new pack with not only her motherly tendencies but her fiercely protective nature.

Her first day with her new pack Phoebe ran to help an omega without hesitation. She leapt to the other’s defense retaliating against Katrina in spectacular fashion. Whether the pack realized it or not, in that moment they were officially put on notice: their Luna was among them.

As much as the pack tried to remain aloof her influence seeped into their bond. A new sense of calm and reassurance pervaded their wolf souls. It was like a shift in gravity. Instead of revolving around a single star: their Alpha, they now revolved around two.

Norah sensed and saw Phoebe’s insecurity though she was good at hiding it. Perhaps due to her low rank in her former pack, or maybe her rejection, Phoebe doubted her ability to lead despite being a natural. Norah saw it again when Phoebe visited the daycare. She helped the she wolves reorganize supplies and the space to create areas for certain activities: reading in one corner, arts and crafts in another, a place for schooling and a mat for games and napping.

Prior to her arrival the she-wolves largely let the pups free-play with occasional attempts to educate them using workbooks some ten years old. Phoebe created a daily lesson plan for the she-wolves to follow. The pups now had designated times during the day when they would follow lessons, reading time, snacks and nap time, as well as free-play. She ordered new, up-to-date workbooks with various ages in mind as well as requested a set of computers and educational software.

Even without her Luna authority and influence Phoebe’s higher education and expertise would have given her all the necessary clout to make the changes she desired.

Werewolves didn’t often seek education beyond primary school but Norah had already heard several now discussing the possibility applying to the pack for financial aid to allow them to attend college courses.

Jason was going to have to put serious thought into some sort of scholarship program and standardize a method for pack members to apply for educational funds. Norah knew he had been playing with the idea for awhile but if he wanted to keep up with his Luna he would have to implement it soon.

Human financial aid was unavailable to werewolves, vampires, fae and other supernatural species, another reason wolves generally didn’t seek higher education.

Though packs were often quite well-off individual wolves rarely had more wealth than the average human a fact most humans didn’t understand. However, that also meant there was plenty of opportunity for packs to support their members and there was no reason not to aid their educational goals.