Chapter 1: Jayce

Of all the people to show up, Derek was the last person he wanted to see. After a strenuous night of the festival, Jasper and now waking up in the hospital due to his shifting, he wasn't in the mood to hear what his father had to say. All he wanted was to get home, curl up under the covers with his Mate, safe in his arms now that Jasper was dead. Yet here they all were, staring at one another in an awkward silence until Lily, bless her soul, cleared her throat.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Lily Thornstun." She proceeded to extend her hand out to him, but he only stared back at her. Jayce watched as her stance started to break down ever so slowly before his eyes, but then Derek stepped closer to her and shook her hand.

"Miss Thornstun, it's a pleasure of mine as well." He said to her. Jayce's growled tiredly.

"Lily, can you go get me discharged?" Jayce asked her. She turned back to him once their handshake was over, her eyes sparkled with worry.

"Are you sure? The doctor should at least check you first." She said, her fingers brushing his hair from his eyes. He grabbed her hand gently, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm fine. I'd rather be in bed anyways." He told her, stretching his back. Her brows knitted together, but she nodded.

"Okay. I'll be right back." She said to him before leaving the room. Derek looked after her as she closed the door behind herself. Silence filled the room again as Jayce pulled out the IV, watching his arm very slowly heal. It'll be awhile before his wolf was at full gear again.

"A human woman. I didn't want to believe it when your mother told me." Derek finally said, taking off his jacket and draped it over his arm. He was built similar to him, but he had a more professional appeal where Jayce was semi professional. Jayce got off the bed, suppressing a yawn.

"I'm getting that quite a bit recently." Jayce said dismissively as he left his room, his father walking just behind him. The gleaming white walls and tiles were nearly blinding under the fluorescent lighting. Jayce turned down another corridor, spotting Lily at the nurse's desk filling out paperwork. He admired his Mate from a distance.

"I received word that Councilman Helson was relieved from his duties yesterday." Derek mentioned.

"You're correct." Jayce said, continuing to stare at Lily as she conversed with the nurse.

"That's a bold play. His daughter would have made a good Luna." Derek said, walking passed him. Lily glanced up at Derek as he approached her. Jayce's hands balled into fists. Chelsea would only be good because she is a she-wolf. She knows the pack inside and out. Lily may be an outsider, but she had a heart of gold. She would treasure his people like they were family. He knew that, yet doubt tickled his mind. Could she handle it?

"Miss Thornstun, I will be meeting with my son later this afternoon. Be sure to have lunch ready by then." He said to her before walking away. Jayce watched Lily's surprised expression as she watched after his father. He walked up to her, her expression changing instantly to a soft, tired smile.

"You're all set. I contacted Damion to come pick us up and take us home. I also asked him to handle the wrap up of the festival in your place while you rested." She informed him as the nurse handed her the discharge papers.

"Lily, you're not my secretary." He told her, taking the papers away from her.

"I know, I just wanted you to take it easy today." She lowered her gaze. He lifted her chin so he could look into those green eyes.

"Thank you. Let's go home." He said, slipping his other hand down and linking their fingers together. Her smile widened a bit more.

"Okay."

He groaned as he turned over, his back aching more than he wanted to admit. Once they got home, they both crashed in their bed without a moment of hesitation and passed out. He managed to get some decent sleep in, but when he awoke, his back was killing him. Soft, warm hands ran over his back slowly, applying pressure in a few areas that made him sigh.

"Lay on your stomach." She said to him, and he obeyed. His back still ached, but not as badly as she straddled over his ass and started to massage his back. He groaned in response to her touch, the electric impulses jumpstarting his nerves in a pleasant way.

"I never knew you were a masseuse." He grumbled, his hands clenching the sheets as she applied a bit more pressure on his lower spine. A soft crack sounded and he let out a moan.

"I know how to give a massage, and I'm glad I was right that you needed it." She said, applying more pressure between his shoulder blades. Another crack, slightly louder than before. He grunted, but he felt a million times better than he did minutes ago. She continued moving her hands down his back in lines, in circles, pressing down whenever she needed to. He was melting beneath her hands, and before he knew it, he was asleep again.

He awoke an hour later, dazed and confused when he checked his bed and saw that Lily was no longer at his side. He checked his phone:

11:34AM

Shit, his father would be arriving in a couple of hours to discuss whatever he needed to. He forced himself out of bed, amazed that his back felt so much better and jumped in the shower.

After he dried his hair and changed, he heard music playing from the kitchen. He crept down the stairs, listening to swing music as he entered the kitchen. Lily's back was to him, her hair up into a ponytail with loose strands swaying against her face. She wore a blue and black plaid dress that stopped at knees, the long sleeves covering her scars. Her hips lined up with the music as she stood in front of the stove, sautéing what appeared to be a mix of jalape?os, diced onions and tomatoes. In another pan was three chicken breasts, seasoned and simmering.

Lily spun around and froze up when she discovered him in the doorway. She quickly turned off the music, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

"J-Jayce! H-how long were you standing there?" She asked nervously. He smirked as he walked up to her. He grabbed her hand and dipped her.

"Long enough to know that you need lessons in swing dancing." He said to her. She bursted into giggles as he pulled her back up, "What are you making?" He asked her. She turned away and flipped the veggies. A small fire flared out, but quickly settled as she lowered the heat.

"Grilled chicken breast with sautéed veggies." She said, her shoulders slouching, "Do you think your dad would like it?" She asked him.

"Is that what is bothering you?" He asked her as he went into the fridge and pulled out more ingredients to make a green salad.

"A few things are actually bothering me. I just hope he likes me." She said as she turned off the heat. She reached for the cabinets, struggling on her toes. He watched her proceed to climb the counter and pull down plates.

"What are you doing?" He asked her as she closed the cabinet and hopped back down.

"I'm sorry, I don't have the height of a basketball star, okay?" She threw back at him as she started to plate everything. He raised a brow at her sass. He moved up behind her, his hands on her hips as he pressed her against his raging bulge.

"Did you just sass the King?" He growled into her ear. She moaned, her ass pressing against him.

"And if I did?" She asked him, looking over her shoulder. He wrapped her hair around his hand, pulling. She gasped, his other hand reaching under her dress. His fingers traced her entrance through her panties.

"I'll just have to punish you then." He licked behind her ear as he unzipped his pants. He lowered her panties until they were around her ankles and he slipped into her sex. She moaned out, the walls expanding and constricting every inch of him. He held there for a moment, taking her in when he heard a soft click come from the foyer. He pulled out, covering her mouth as she moaned. He gestured to the doorway and her eyes widened. She lifted her panties back up as Jayce stuffed himself back inside just as Derek entered the kitchen. He paused for a moment, his nose flaring.

"Did I interrupt?" He asked, his eyes burning toward Lily.

"Nope. I just finished plating everything. Why don't you two go take a seat in the dining room and I'll bring the plates over." She said with a smile. She pushed Jayce toward the exit while she gathered everything.

"I did tell you I was coming to meet with you." Derek said as he set himself up at the table, draping his dark red jacket over the back of the chair. Jayce took a seat across from him, his temper high and his lust on fire. Getting that one quick insert wasn't enough to satisfy him. He needed more.

Lily walked in, setting the plates down in front of them. Once she set hers down beside Jayce, Derek let out a scoff.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her. She tensed up, looking over to him.

"I'm sorry, I'll go eat in..." she picked up her plate, but Jayce stopped her.

"You'll be eating with us." He said, his eyes leveling with Derek's. Lily looked at Jayce, slowly putting her plate back down.

"This is a meeting between two Alphas. She does not need to be included." Derek said to him. Lily looked down at her plate, unsure of what to do.

"She is my Mate, my Luna. She will join this meeting you called for." Jayce finalized, but Derek wouldn't allow it.

"A woman, especially a human has no right to be sitting with us." Derek challenged. Jayce snarled, his fangs bare. Lily rested her hand over his and he looked at her smiling face.

"It's okay. Derek wanted to speak with you privately." She said, standing and picked up her plate. She leaned over and kissed his cheek sweetly, "Enjoy your lunch." She smiled before walking over to Derek and picked up his plate.

"What are you doing?" He asked her as she removed his plate from the table.

"Oh, an Alpha such as yourself doesn't deserve my human style cooking." She said before walking away. Jayce watched Derek seeth at the end of the table. He wouldn't lie, he was shocked she even stood up to him that way. Jayce cut into his chicken, already salivating.

"So, what's it that you want?" Jayce asked him as he took a bite. Derek forced himself to settle down, adjusting his posture.

"It's about the winter soltice." He said. Jayce had a hinkering this was the topic.

"And?" He asked.

"As you know with tradition, you are to Mate and wed by your thirtieth birthday." He said to him. He knew this already.

"Get to the point of this." Jayce growled impatiently.

"Even though that part of the tradition will be met in time of the solstice, your... Mate... needs to know the full history of our race. Starting with traditions, every Alpha that's lead, previous Kings. She needs to win your people over." Derek said to him. Jayce sits back in his seat, twisting his fork in his hand.

"Lily has practically won my people over already."

"Right, I heard about her little speech at the festival, but that won't be enough." Derek stood up from the table, "I expect results the next time I come by. The other Alphas are... interested to know more about your Mate." He said distastefully. Jayce didn't know how to take that. Interested how? Because she is human? Because of her beauty? His protective instincts kicked in and he didn't want any other man near her besides himself.

"Lily won't disappoint." Jayce growled deeply. Derek put on his jacket and adjusted his tie. He shrugged before taking his leave. He sat in the dining room alone for a moment, staring down at his half eaten plate. Thoughts rolled around in his head. He had a few months until the winter solstice to get Lily on track. Would she be able to manage it in such a short time? That wasn't his only problem right now. His cock throbbed in his pants. He needed to settle another matter first.

He followed her scent into the garden, spotting two untouched plates on the table. His nose lead him deeper in until the oak tree came into view. She sat on the swing, just like she had the first night she was with him. She was playing with the edge of her skirt when he approached her. Her eyes went up to him, shining at the sight of him, but it quickly faded away.

"How did the meeting go?" She asked as she lowered her gaze. He went and knelt down in front of her. He pushed one of her loose strands behind her ear.

"Not as well as I hoped." He said.

"I guess winning your dad over is officially out of the question." She said sadly.

"I wouldn't say that." He said as he got back up to his feet and leant his hand out to her. She took it, following him back through their garden.

"I took his plate away and talked back to him. I don't think I can bounce back from that." She said with disappointment.

"I beg to differ." He said as he escorted her back inside.

"How? He doesn't seem like the type of guy that gives second chances." Lily told him. Jayce pulled her along still, walking upstairs, "Where are we going?" She asked him curiously. He scented her arousal spike when he made his way toward their bedroom.

"I made you a pinky promise, remember?" He reminded her. He stopped outside their room, facing her. She stopped abruptly before colliding with him.

"You remembered?" She asked surprisingly. He pulled her against him.

"I'm taking time off so we can have our time together." He told her, leaning down and kissing her feverishly, "I hope you're ready. I won't be easy on you." He said against her lips. Her eyes lit up at his aords, biting her lip.

"What are you going to do?" She asked him. He bent down slightly, picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder. She let out a scream, and struggled a bit.

"I'm going to show you how much I love you." He told her before taking her into the room and slammed the door behind himself.