Revenge served in a black dress (Nora and Jace) novel Chapter 61

CH 61

Jace

He had felt Nora come downstairs. He was trying to keep a feel for her all the time, to know when she left that room, so he could try and spend time with her, and to hear her talk to Zelda and agree to go and try on shoes to match her Luna gown. That was a bit of a relief to him. Her handing it back to him earlier hadn’t felt very nice at all.

He understood why she’d done it even; it had been over his comment about protecting Gloria even if she was to go to another pack. Something that was a full bone of contention because he’d always taken Gloria’s side. He had never punished her for attacking Nora that one time, not even punished her for causing Nora pains of betrayal. All the things Gloria would state out loud to have the pack see it as Nora was forcing him to do harm to her, and he knew that Gloria would state he loved her and not Nora and that was why he’d never punished her. She was more important to him.

That was even how it actually looked. He’d screwed things up completely and fixing them wasn’t as easy as just putting Gloria on the shaming post and lashing her. Which he was certain was actually what Nora wanted him to do. Publicly humiliate her and shame her, belittle her in front of the pack, all the things he’d done to Nora over the past few months.

She didn’t think he’d punished Gloria properly for what she’d done in pulling their bond apart slowly but surely, and he knew she thought that he wasn’t going to either, because he’d never once done it, even when she challenged him about it. He’d still not done it, so why would he now?

He knew he hadn’t punished Gloria, and now he could see the error of his ways. He should have announced she’d attacked Nora that day, that he himself had to save her from being stuck with all claws out; to the pack. But he’d not. She’d lost it completely within just a few minutes of leaving his office and Matt had completely freaked out at what he’d gotten from her.

Then to just see her attack the Luna’s Suite door and her own wolf rip out of her and destroy everything. He’d never actually seen bloodlust evolve before, but Matt was damned certain that had been what it was. He’d had to protect the pack, send everyone to their homes, and make sure they stayed inside. He couldn’t even lock the packhouse down.

Because of all those that had been in it, Gloria included, he’d thought about it, but Gloria had clutched at his arm. “She’ll come for me, if you lock her in here with me.” she’d shaken her head “Best to let her go outside.” He’d not been the only one in agreement with her either.

Everyone inside the packhouse had been told to stay behind a closed door and not move from where they were. The pack Gamma thought a bloodlust event was evolving with a wolf in the packhouse. He’d left Nora’s name out of it, so the pack wouldn’t be scared of her if she could keep from succumbing to it completely. He’d been too preoccupied after that to even think about punishing Gloria. He had been on a mission to get her to see he still wanted her here, designing with the pack builder her new study a place she could go when she was recovered.

He’d spent hours working with the pack’s builder and then had insisted they work on it aroun lock, The suite was sound–proof and no one would hear the noise bar himself. He’d gone into the city and picked out a desk, a rug, all the furniture, he had picked it all out himself. He had been there when in his suite helping to

paint the walls and trims in order to make sure it was ready. Not that she’d appreciated his offer dis

off the memory of her nearly being lost to him that first time.

He’d told her she would hold all the power once her Luna Ceremony was held, and the officially door sex to him. There was nothing more he could do until that very day. He had a feeling when it came so we seny banished, not removed to another pack, a place that he could come across her on any sunker of ocasions

which she’d laid out for him

There was no trust at all that he wouldn’t see Gloria and smile at her, go to her, and scend sine with her ther was what he’d heard in her words. But now to see her talking to Zelds and agreeing to go and sy on sides to match her Luna dress, that was a bit of relief to him. She was still doing things that showed him she was en considering regrowing their bond.

His offer to go with her, though, that had been shut down, and he’d wanted to push the subject, but took his queue from Zelda and realized in that moment of mentioning bling to her, he’d not even considered buying jewelry for her, though she didn’t wear any that he’d ever seen, and she was of no help

He thought about that, the way she refused to help him? She’d told him if he knew her at all, had loved her even for a moment, he’d know what she would like. He also had no bloody clue at all. She was trying to teach

him a lesson he thought. One he likely deserved, that he knew nothing about her. She wasn’t going to be easy on him and just roll over and tell him, like she thought he wanted her to

He was happy though that she had finally allowed him to eat a meal with her, though frowned as she sat not

at the Alpha table like they were supposed to. She didn’t even look at it, and he wondered when the last time

she’d sat there was. He didn’t bloody remember. But he knew he had eaten all his meals at that table with his unit and… he sighed internally.

For months now, she’d watched him and Gloria sit at that table and have meals, and she’d likely sat somewhere in this room, and the pack would have seen it as well. It likely looked to them that she wasn’t welcome at the table with him. He wanted to rectify that but didn’t know how. Without everyone here listening to their conversation and hearing her chastise him or outright state in that matter-of–fact tone, he couldn’t

deny. That she was his Mate and not his Luna, so she didn’t belong at the Alpha and Luna’s table.

He reached out to touch her, brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and she moved her head away from him, so he couldn’t and turned to look at him as if to say, ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing” And then she was just up and gone from the table before her meal was finished, his eyes widened, and he was about to say something, when her words from a previous conversation echoed inside his mind about her seeing him

do that to Gloria.

He’d just reminded her of the things he had done with Gloria, and she’d taken full offense to it. He sighed heavily and wondered just what else she had seen, that he was never going to be allowed to do with her,

because it was something he’d done with Gloria? He watched her walk away. No, it was more stalking than

walking

She’d told him he had no right to touch her, and he finally understood she actually meant that. She didn’t want him touching her, no matter how small the gesture, she had in fact told him not to today. That if he did, she would leave, that shot him to his feet. Was she leaving not just the room, but leaving

tried to touch her?

because he’d

He was gone after her. He didn’t want that. It was a simple reflex thing to do. He’d not even really thought about it, “Nora.” He shot in front of her, but made sure not to touch her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think, it was just

instinctual,”

“Move.”

“Please.” He practically begged her.

“I’m going to my room, I’m no longer hungry.” She stated flatly and walked around him.

He watched her walk up the stairs and away from him, just the thought of him touching her, and she was no longer hungry. They were so very broken, and he, right that very minute, didn’t know if he could salvage what

was not there.

He felt a hand touch him gently on his arm and slashed it away. “Don’t touch me,” he grated out, without even thinking about it. He turned to find an Elder, Faye, standing there, and she raised an eyebrow at his aggressive response. He saw her eyes go from him to Nora and then back to him and she sighed heavily.

“I see,” she murmured, and he knew in that instant she’d understood that Nora had felt the pains of betrayal,

and his reaction to her touch was because he was trying to salvage his bond with a Mate that he’d allowed to

feel that.

“I never knew she suffered them,” he stated softly.

“Difficult it will be,” she nodded “If you did not cause them, then who did?” Faye asked.

He had apparently, but unwittingly so. He didn’t think it was just the times he’d touched Gloria, but more than

like all the times Gloria had touched him, he wondered how many times Gloria had done that to Nora, when

she was standing right there to see it, feel it, and he’d not done a single thing to stop it.

“It’s complicated.” He muttered and walked to his office. She followed and closed the door.

“How often and when did it start?” Faye asked him.

“I don’t know and who the hell knows.” He muttered as he sat in his chair.

“So she dealt with it, and never said anything at all about it!” she mused. “Strong she is, likely waiting for you to realize and apologize to her. Get rid of the one who caused her harm. Gloria, I can only presume.”

He nodded, “I never picked up on it, because I never once kissed or slept with Gloria at all, just.” He scrubbed

a hand over his face.

“Loved her still, and so wanted to keep her by your side. You’d think, Jace, you’d have learned from your own

parents that doesn’t work. One will eventually kill the other, and then it’s you who will have to be–head the one

that survives for attacking and killing either your Mate or the Luna. You are just like your father, it seems, and

what happened to him in the end?”

Jace closed his eyes, “He died. He couldn’t cope with having to kill the woman he loved for killing his Mate. It destroyed him, when the pack called for it.”

“Yes, and now look at you. You’ve gone and done the very same thing. You of all people should have known

better. I believe all of us elders warned you about seating Gloria as the packs Luna when you wanted to do it.

That they had, but he’d not listened. He’d had a plan back then for when and if he ever came across his Mate. So he’d never turn out like his father. Gloria would just step down; he’d not planned on fall. That had just kind of happened, and that was what screwed everything up in the end, love versus a mate bond.

love with her.

CH 62