Chapter 13

Third Rejection

******************Luna POV***********

Getting rejected twice by Nero had me at the last limit of my patience, and now that I have played the bond card, I waited eagerly for him to take the bait.

My mother was right all along. Killian is my mate. I felt it last night, even though I tried to dismiss the feeling by getting angry at him and striving to feel hostility toward him.

But not in a million years will I admit it. That I have been bonded with a lothario. Also, he was not that desirable in wealth and appearance, and no matter what, I deserve the best, which is Nero.

"Are you going to say something?" I asked, pouting at Nero because it had been a while now and he had not answered my question.

Suddenly, a young man appeared out of nowhere at our table and happily intoned, "Welcome to 'hotshot cafe.' How can I help you two?"

"She will be ordering," Nero said, staring at him.

The waiter gazed at me, and even though I could feel his eyes on me, I maintained eye contact with Nero and asked, " You don't feel it, do you?"

"Feel what?" Nero uttered as though his brain didn't register what I had said, and that pissed me off.

"This strong bond between us, almost like electricity dragging us closer to each other?" I told him, describing exactly what I felt when I saw Killian last night.

"I do. I do feel it!" Nero said, his eyes flared with excitement.

Shock clamped my heart, and  I mumbled out loud without thinking, "You do?"

Then I hastily smiled and said, "You do! Oh my, I'm not the only one who feels it!"

It's like the universe was precisely bowing down to my wants and giving me exactly what I expected, despite all odds.

"But I can't claim you or mark you just yet," Nero said, fixing his eyes on mine with a look of sincerity in his eyes.

"What? Why?!" I blurted out.

It's like my world came crumbling down on me when I heard those words, and I could feel the wealth and fame slipping out of my grip.

"Because I can't just claim the daughter of the Alpha of the Dark moonlight pack without gaining his acceptance and trust. It will be disrespectful of me to do so." Nero said with a straight expression.

Everything I craved was now at a standstill because Nero wanted my father's approval. I would think it was sweet of him if Karen wasn't itching for him, and I didn't know that Killian is my mate.

"My mother likes you, and so do I. Shouldn't that be enough?" I mumbled, giving him a weak smile.

"That's more than enough. But if I am to be the mate of the next Luna of the Dark moonlight pack, I need to make sure that our being together will not become an obstacle to your leadership." Nero said, taking my hand in his as he gave me a soft smile.

Even though I felt reluctant to admit it, Nero was right. My father still had the respect of the pack members, and if my father didn't approve of him, half of the pack wouldn't trust Nero.

A sigh escaped my lips as I watched his thumb caress against my hand. Then I gave into my sense of reasoning and said, "Okay. But once my father gave his blessing?"

"You will be mine. I promise." Nero uttered, and there was a steady calm in his eyes.

After our little conversation, I had a cup of coffee with a sandwich, and Nero wanted nothing and simply watched me eat.

Once I was done, we got back into his car, and he drove us back to my house, stopping his car in the yard.

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" I asked, hoping that I wasn't going to get the third rejection of the day.

But a sense of disappointment ran through me when Nero said, "I can't. My sister is coming home today, and I need to pick her up."

Then I finally got a glimpse of clarity on why I have been rejected three times.

"So that's why you can't come to the run with us during this full moon because of your sister?" I asked, hoping that my assumption was right and it wasn't something else.

"Yes," Nero uttered, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me.

"Okay then. Thanks for the lift." I said, reaching for the door.

After grabbing the handle, I slowly lost my grip on it and turned around to gaze at Nero.

Immediately, I gave in to lust, leaned towards his face. But he didn't pull back. Instead, he leaned closer, meeting my lips with his.

My heartbeat went wild as Nero kissed me, not gently, but passionately as though he wanted to devour my whole lips, nipping on it.

His tongue slipped inside my mouth, and my fingers grip his hair, pulling him. But he leaned back, making me draw in closer to his face and inhale his warm breath. It was nothing like I've ever experienced.

This was pure lust, and I knew it. But I didn't wish for it to end. I craved him, all of him, even though that wasn't what I truly wanted in my heart.

After our lips finally parted, I gazed into his eyes and realized that this was all I needed to know that he was mine, even if I wasn't his and that I was already bonded to someone else.

"That was," I mumbled, feeling a sense of shyness from the way he kept staring directly into my eyes.

"Intense?" Nero mumbled, giving me a half-smile.

"Yes."

"Mmmh."

After getting out of Nero's car, I waited for him to drive off before heading to the mansion in front of me.

The moment I entered the house, my mother grabbed my hand and led me upstairs with her, holding onto my wrist a bit too tightly that it hurt a little. But I said nothing and followed her to her bedroom.

After my mother shut the room door close, she and I kept silent for some time as she stared into my eyes.

"So did Nero agree?" My mother asked, her eyes glowed as she spoke.

"No," I said, keeping my expression neutral.

"What! Why?"

"Because his sister is in town, and he can not make it that night because of her."

"What kind of stupid excuse is that!"

Her eyebrows snapped together as she threw me a hard look and lashed out, "He and his sister could have joined the run with us! That way we can know his family!"

Although I was annoyed by my mother's sudden outburst, her words made sense, and I grew frustrated at myself for not asking Nero that instead.

"Call Nero now and ask him!" My mother said with this eager look in her eyes.

"That will make me seem desperate!" I told her.

"Ain't you though!"

"Mother!"

A steady, hostile gaze appeared in my mother's eyes, and she uttered, "Killian came here today after you left to see Nero!"

Anger burst through me, and I clenched my fist as I lash out, "What was that as Why was he here?!"

"To tell your father and me that you are his mate, and he wants our blessing to claim you." My mother said, her voice sharp with annoyance.

"Mother, I can not get mark by Killian! I am just going to be one of the many women in his bed!"

"Are you saying this because you don't feel the bond between you guys, or it's because you hate his guts?"

"Both, mother. It's both!" I said, lowering my gaze from my mother's eyes.

Silence took over the atmosphere, and I could feel my mother's gaze on me. It was clear to me that she knew that I was lying. But I kept hoping that she would take my side and stand by me on this.

"I did more research on Nero, and except information about his success, there's nothing about his personal life or this sister that he speaks off." My mother said in a lifeless tone.

Raising my gaze to meet her eyes, I frowned and uttered, "It's the Internet. No one wants their life out there for everyone's eyes.".

.

It grew silent after my remark, and I studied the movement of my mother's eyes, wondering what she was thinking.

"You are just like your mom, sacrificing it all if that means you get to the top." My mother said, smiling at me. "It's no lie that Nero's wealth is powerful enough to make him a compatible mate for you."

"Okay, so" I asked, trying not to get too excited.

"If it's him that you choose, then go get him and stop at nothing until you do. Mother has your back."

"I plan to do so."

Now nothing could stop me from claiming what I want, and before the next full moon, I will make sure that Nero is mine.