3 THREE

Veronicas POV

My body was coming in and out of consciousness. I felt like there was something lodged in my throat that wouldn't let me breathe, and my body felt like it was thrown into a shredder. I could feel the worry, sadness, and anger radiate off Xander as he ran the pack house, carrying me. Before completely, I set my hand on his chest, then everything went black.

———

"Ronnie..." A voice called out as my eyes were putting up a fight to open up.

"Baby." It then said, softly resting a hand on my arm.

"Wake up." It said and when I fully awoke and snapped forward, the aching wounds on my body came in full force.

"Ah... God dammit!" I growled as Xander softly laid me back down.

"Take it slow my love." He said, not breaking eye contact.

"The doctor said your wolf should already be healing your injuries, and that you'll be ready to go home by mid-morning tomorrow." Xander said while stroking my hair and twisting it in his fingers.

"What even happened? I don't remember anything from being in here and on." I said, adjusting myself to sit up on my forearms.

"....You don't remember last night?" He asked and I watched him raise his eyebrow.

"No, no, I remember last night. Just not anything after that." I said which made him relax.

"Alright, good" he said before pausing as if he was thinking.

"My dad, was a little bit ah- alive.... and not happy.... you were too.." He said, the last three words a mumble.

"Not happy what?" I asked in a demanding tone.

"Fucking hell.... I knew I had to tell you eventually but I didn't think it'd be this soon." He growled before dropping down onto the chair beside my bed.

"We've been together since Freshman fucking year. That makes 11 years Xander. What. Is it." I said. You'd think that being mates since we were 14 would mean he'd think he could tell me things but nOoOoO. He just has to keep being secretive. And we're 25 years old, he should be able to trust me.

By the way, in our pack, the way we do out first shift and find out who are mate is determines our roles. If you're to be the Luna, or Alpha, your first shift is at 14 and you can find your mate at that time too. If you're going to be the beta or mate of a beta, your first shift is at 16, but, you can't find your mate till 18. And everyone else in the pack finds out at the normal time.

"Fine. You want to know? Then get ready Luna."

———

Xanders POV

I watched Veronicas face contort from annoyance to fear in a matter of seconds. Now she knows why I was so worried about having James in the pack boundaries. I then remembered the last thing I almost forgot to tell her.

"And, James is still Alpha..." I whispered, hoping and praying she hadn't heard me.

"He's what?" She said, abruptly sitting up.

"Still Alpha. And, unmated since my mother died at the hand of Rouges. Which means-" Veronica had cut me off, finishing the thought.

"The mate of the Alphas son has to be brought up as the Luna....Oh god, no!" I watched her eyes well up with tears and her body curl up. Then a knock sounded at the door.

"Hello my boy. And, my mate." He growled with a devilish grin across his face. Veronica scrunched her face with disgust and when I went to reach out and pull her towards me, she was suddenly gone. I looked up and James had her in his arms as she wiggled and kicked trying to break free from him. I went to step at him and a couple of guards came in pulling me back.

"What the hell? You can't seriously want to listen to that!" I growled and watched James' hands wonder MY mates body. Veronica had gotten away with a slap that stunned him for a mere second before she was then knocked onto the ground and my wolf was threatening to wipe out this whole room.

"No mate mark? Xander, how stupid are you?" My dad said and I had been praying that he wouldn't look to see if she was marked. Yeah, that failed.

"No.... I, Veronica Malia Snow, reject you, Alpha James as my ma-" She was cut off by the speed of my dad going behind her, and sinking his teeth into her marking spot and I watched as my former mate froze with fear and turned white, before collapsing onto the floor and start wiping away tears that had spilt over. I felt my connection to her start to fade and my whole spirit just collapsed. James smirked with satisfaction at what he'd just done before turning and walking out the door. I watched Veronica crawl over to me and get up on her own two feet, and reach her hands to my face. She had let a growl I'd never heard before and harshly slapped both of the men that had stayed in the room.

"That man right there, is the only one you should bow to. You neanderthals had best leave this room right the fuck now and if you so much as think to lay a hand on Xander, Alexi, Becca, or my kids, I will rip your throats out faster than you could blink and as your fucking Luna you can bet this is a promise, and oath by the Moon Goddess." She growled out and her voice was filled with something I'd never heard from her, nor thought she was capable of. Her Luna voice was strong, scary, and demanded attention from everyone in a room. The two looked at each other with a "we need to get the fuck out of here" expression and nodded their heads before scramming.

———

Veronicas POV

I brought my gaze back to Xander's, trying to relieve the cauldron of anger boiling in my body. My hands landed on Xander's cheeks and his aura wasn't as bright as it used to be. He wasn't the same... I watched his eyes move to my mate mark and the sadness in his eyes pained me. He burrowed his face on the other side of my neck, and wrapped his arms around my waist, picking me up. When James marked me, it hurt. His canines dug into my flesh and penetrated my skin. The mark looked more like a bruise then a mark anyways. I suddenly yelped out in pain when canines dug into the same spot, but on the other side of my neck, as I now wore two mate marks. Xander set me down and when I looked up at him, his arms tightened around my waist. James burst through the door fuming.

"Why does MY mate bear TWO MARKS?!"