The Mating Rules

My gaze finally left where the five council men and women had just exited to look down at the table in front of us that is now covered in various sandwiches, cakes, and drink options.

Gasping, I glance at my two mates who are both looking at the spread in surprise.

Turning toward Hadley, my heart starts to ache as the words I said in my interrogation replay in my head. I didn’t mean that I didn’t want to be Mrs Carrington Star, though that is what Hendrix seemed to be trying to get me to say for some reason. I just really had thought that as Luna I would get Caden’s name as my own, sort of a unity in the pack type of thing.

‘Hadley’ I call out softly as the warrior turns toward me, his fingers tightening around mine.

‘It’s OK Sweetheart’ he cuts me off, smiling, ‘don’t feel bad, you said nothing wrong.’

I shake my head, ‘no’ I reply worriedly, ‘I did, I mean I didn’t, I . . . I didn’t mean what I said in the way that Hendrix guy was trying to say I meant it’ I finally blurt out.

‘Baby, it’s fine, Hadley understands’ Caden says from behind me, rubbing his hand on my back in soothing circles.

‘No, he thinks I don’t want his name’ I try again, ‘that isn’t what I was saying, that man just kept twisting . . ‘

‘Sweetheart’ Hadley releases my hand only so he can grab my waist and lift me out of my chair and onto his lap, nuzzling his face into my neck. ‘I know what you were trying to say’ he murmurs into my skin, kissing it as tingles zap through me. ‘You thought that as Luna, you would take Caden’s name, not mine.’

I nod, ‘but I do like being Jamie-Lee Carrington Star’ I whisper, ‘I really do, I don’t want you to think I don’t.’

The warrior chuckles, his warm breath bathing my neck, causing a shiver to run down my body. ‘The moment you put that d**k in his place and told him to address you formally as Jamie-Lee Carrington Star, any doubt I might have had was gone.’ He pulls back, gazing into my eyes, ‘but I never had any doubts Lee, I can feel you, I know you want us both and that you like having both our names tied to you.’

I give him a small smile, pecking his lips, ‘I really do’ I agree softly, ‘I like being Mrs Carrington Star, it makes me feel like I belong to both of you completely.’

Hadley growls, kissing me back, ‘because you do’ he rumbles, ‘and we are never ever letting you go.’

I giggle as Caden clears his throat loudly, ‘umm, two mates?’ he reminds me, pointing to his own lips as I shake my head with a grin and hop off Hadley’s lap to press my lips to the possessive Alpha behind me.

‘You only did that to distract me from being upset’ I accuse the Alpha who smirks down at me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

‘I’ll never admit it baby’ he winks, ‘maybe I just don’t like not getting what Carrington gets?’

I shake my head, but snuggle into his chest, absorbing the warmth of his body for a moment before pulling back and eyeing the table.

‘Do you think it’s safe to eat?’ I ask dubiously.

The warrior picks up a chicken drumstick, sniffing it cautiously before sinking his teeth into the white meat and tearing off a chunk. Chewing, he bobs his head side to side before swallowing, ‘tastes OK, doesn’t smell funny, I think it’s safe.’

I pull away from Caden, striding the few steps to Hadley and swatting his shoulder, ‘what were you thinking? It could have been poisoned!’ I growl.

Hadley grins, ‘well if I fell down dead, you’d know not to eat it sweetheart, but I’m still here so all’s good.’Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I huff loudly, plonking myself back down into my chair and grabbing a sandwich, ‘i***t man’ I grumble to myself, biting viciously into the bread, ‘let’s test for poison by eating the damn food! Could have bloody died!’

An arm wraps around me and I’m pulled into a chest, which I allow despite my mutterings. ‘I was pretty sure it wasn’t poisoned sweetheart’ Hadley murmurs into my temple, kissing my hairline. ‘But the only way to be certain was to eat something and I’d die a thousand deaths if it kept you safe.’

I try to remain angry, but the damn man’s words make me go all gooey inside and I’m pressing myself instinctively into his embrace.

My gaze finally left where the five council men and women had just exited to look down at the table in front of us that is now covered in various sandwiches, cakes, and drink options.

I release the warrior and we all pick up one of the plates at the edge and grab some of everything before leaning back in our seats to eat.

‘How long do you think they will be?’ Hadley asks through his mouthful.

Caden shrugs, ‘hard to say, if they are anything like Alpha meetings, they’ll sit out there having a damn coffee and waste time just to try and keep us on edge.’

‘Is that what happens?’ the warrior questions curiously, turning to the Alpha who nods, swallowing his bite.

‘Goddess yes’ he grunts, ‘you go to try and make a treaty, they gotta kick you out of the room to discuss it with their Beta despite the fact they’ve been discussing the whole thing for weeks before you arrived.’ Caden rolls his eyes, ‘my dad does it too, it’s all bloody mind games, trying to show everyone that you don’t need their damn help and try to convince them that you are doing them a favour by even considering an alliance.’

Hadley snorts with laughter, ‘man, Alphas are egomaniacs’ he mutters.

I snigger, drawing a raised eyebrow in my direction, ‘you agree with him baby?’ the Alpha growls, placing his plate on the table.

‘Um, no!’ I reply quickly, ‘I was choking on my sandwich, it went down the wrong hole.’

‘She agrees with me’ Hadley smirks as I gape at him, he did NOT just throw me under the bus! What about Hoe’s before Bro’s, though as we are mated, maybe it’s Maters before Haters? My rack before his pack? chicks before d***s? wives before guys?

As I’m busy trying to work out an appropriate term, I’m hauled out of my seat and onto Caden’s lap as he grabs my plate out of my hands and places it beside his own before gripping my wrists and pinning them behind my back.

‘We are in the court room!’ I argue, glancing toward the door that the members left through as if they are going to burst in and catch us.

‘But you laughed at me Leeway’ my mate replies, trailing his tongue up the outside edge of my ear. ‘I can’t just let that slide, you know that.’

I wriggle, trying to get away, ‘I never said I laughed’ I sulk, ‘he did, he said it, I didn’t agree with him!’

I jerk my head in Hadley’s direction who is watching us with open amusement. He holds up his hands, ‘I was just telling the truth sweetheart, your little snigger was an agreement that Alphas are testosterone filled, stubborn, a*****e egomaniacs.’

I stare at him, ‘I did NOT agree with that!’ I protest loudly, turning to Caden beseechingly, ‘I didn’t babe, I swear’ I add.

The warrior laughs loudly at my attempts to win over the Alpha who just presses his lips to my temple and squeezes my sides. ‘I’ll let you off Leeway’ he murmurs as I relax, ‘for now’ he adds wickedly.

Letting me go, I scramble off his legs and head toward the door that the enchantress said would lead to a bathroom. Crossing the room, I pull open the door and gasp loudly, the area that had looked like a corridor when our warrior stepped out of it was now a small room with two stalls holding toilets. A sink was to the right along with a mirror and vanity.

Glancing around the walls, I try to find another entrance but there is nothing, not even a window. A shiver runs through me and I gingerly step inside to do my business, hurrying as much as I can so I can get back to my mates and the safety they make me feel.

Outside in the courtroom once again, we finish off our food, drinking some of the juice that’s is available to us before settling back in our seats.

Hours pass and Caden has taken to prowling around the room muttering darkly to himself. He never did like to wait and the Council are pushing him beyond his limits.

‘All rise!’ suddenly a voice booms from behind me and I jump with a shriek, spinning around to find the man from earlier standing by the rear door. I didn’t even hear the door open let alone him enter!

Caden returns to my side and the three of us stand, waiting silently as the five Council members file in, taking their seats as Chandra waves her hand at us to do the same.

Peeking over my shoulder as I sit, I find that the man has once again disappeared and I try to shake off the eerie feeling that coats me. I don’t like this place and I feel uncomfortable with the people in front of us.

The enchantress rises to her feet, perusing us quietly for a moment before beckoning to Caden.

‘Please step forward Alpha Caden’ she intones softly.

Pushing back his chair, Caden does as he is asked, walking to the spot in front of her, his hands in his pockets.

‘Alpha Caden’ Chandra speaks, authority in her voice, ‘for the crime of failure to inform the Council of a double mating, we hereby find you guilty. Your punishment will be a fine of ten thousand dollars to be paid to the Council treasury within fourteen days. For the crime of a double marking with intent, we hereby find you not guilty. The Council accept that your wolf would have struggled with the need to mark his Mate. As an Alpha wolf, he needs his Luna and requiring he wait a full moon phase was short sighted by the Alpha of your pack who should have known better.’

Caden nods, bowing his head slightly, ‘Understood enchantress, the money will be wired to the Council treasury within the week, thank you for your and the Council’s understanding’ he replies properly.

I let out a breath, the knot in my stomach easing slightly. A fine, all he got was a fine, we are going to be OK. I sneak a glance over toward Allegra and note that she is unhappy with the result, I smother the smile that wants to light up my face.

‘Luna Jamie-Lee’ Chandra calls out, snapping my attention to her, ‘please step forward.’

I scramble to my feet quickly, hurrying to the spot that Caden just vacated and wait nervously, twisting my fingers in front of me.

The enchantress looks down at me grimly, ‘for the crime of failure to inform the Council of a double mating, we hereby find you not guilty. As a lower ranked wolf, it was not your responsibility to inform us, that was the job of your Alpha and is why Alpha Caden has been sanctioned.’ I swallow thickly, my knees almost giving out on me, not guilty! She said not guilty! ‘For the crime of a double marking with intent,’ Chandra continues, ‘we hereby find you not guilty. The Council accept that you were marked without permission as your wolf took over and submitted to her mates, we cannot in good faith punish you for a decision that your animal side agreed too.’

‘Th . . thank you enchantress’ I stammer, blinking rapidly, ‘I um . .appreciate the Council’s understanding’ I add, pulling on what Caden had said before me.

Taking my seat again, I grip Caden’s hand tightly, feeling his fingers tighten around mine slightly, we are going to be OK, just a fine.

‘Warrior Hadley, please step forward’ Chandra orders and my other mate stands up, placing a hand fleetingly on my shoulder before striding out in front of us and taking his place facing the Council.

‘For the crime of failure to inform the Council of a double mating, we hereby find you not guilty.’ I want to jump up and scream at the enchantress’ words, a smile spreads across my face and I risk a look at Caden, who gives me a wink. ‘As you are also a lower ranked wolf, it was not your responsibility to know of the need to inform the Council or to in fact give us the information.’

Hadley nods in understanding, ‘thank you enchantress’ he replies, licking his lips to wet them.

Eyeing him, Chandra continues, ‘for the charge of double marking with intent, we have listened to your testimony and that of the other wolves questioned. We do not feel that your words were sincere and believe that you did knowingly allow your wolf to push forward and mark your mate to make sure that you wouldn’t lose her. Therefore, the Council find you guilty, you are hereby sentenced to five years in our maximum security supernatural prison. Please present your wrists for cuffs, the bailiff will escort you to the holding cells immediately.’