Capítulo 37

"Is that a challenge?" Phoebe benignly smiled, her gray eyes shimmering again.

Camilla hesitated, her wolf cowering. The rumors swirling around the new Luna in front of her were enough to make most lower their head in shame, so Phoebe's confidence was unnerving. Her rejection was no secret, apparently, and as far as her being wolfless... Camilla had only confirmed that no one had seen her wolf.

Camilla forced her doubts back. She couldn't afford to be intimidated, not now. Forcing some bravado, she said, "I for one wouldn't wait for a fated mate when there are better options standing right next to you."

William sighed, not meeting Jason's pensive frown. He had been seeking his fated mate almost as long as Jason. While the latter had foregone any relationships, wanting to be faithful to the mate he had yet to meet, William was no stranger to sharing his bed. Camilla was by far his most consistent companion, and she had been pressing him to take each other as chosen mates. She was so convincing and earnest he had almost complied numerous times.

"I find it sad," Phoebe's gaze reflected her sorrow and pity. "Searching for your fated mate certainly may seem arduous, but you should never forget they are searching for you too. Perhaps they have been looking even longer. Perhaps their first mate ripped their soul apart with a rejection and they have hidden themselves from the pain, still desperately craving someone to make them whole. But to think you would give up the search and them, breaking the link that binds you together before either can even feel it... and abandon them to their pain when you could have been the one to save them. Jason has made me feel more complete than I ever thought was possible. He may call me Angel, but he is truly my guardian angel. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't found me when he did."

Jason's embrace tightened. He bowed his head, nuzzling her, as both he and Lobo were overcome with love for their mate. Jason would never stop telling her how special she was or making her feel loved.

'Our Mate loves us!' Lobo practically howled.

"I love you, Angel," Jason poured all his devotion into their link.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Emma said, skipping up to them and grasping her hand. "Blake and me found something! Wanna see!"

"Of course," Phoebe smiled. "Let's see what you found."

She gave Jason a loving look before she let the pup pull her away. He was reluctant to let her go, but they would have plenty of time together later. Phoebe was glad to get away from the other she-wolf who was far too irritating. She worried that William would make a very poor decision if he took the other as his chosen mate. But Phoebe wasn't sure it was her place to speak to him. He was Jason's friend, not hers, and they had only just met.

"See mommy! Look!" Emma said, as they reached a rather quiet corner and pulled her mind away from her dark thoughts.

There, several pups had gathered to avoid getting underfoot of so many Alphas and Lunas. Though it was unlikely any would reprimand the pups too harshly while on Blue Moon's pack lands, the presence of so many dominant figures made the pups inclined to be on their best behavior. Only Blake and Emma retained a boisterous nature due to Jason's Alpha blood intermixed with theirs.

The pups had gathered around an old, scuffed upright piano. The front panels had been carved with a woodland scene with wolves, showing that at one time the piano had been a centerpiece, though it was now relegated to this corner.

"Well, look at that," Phoebe gently pulled out the bench and sat down. She noted the dust before lifting the protective cover over the keys. "How long has this been here?"

The pups gathered around her shrugged. They had never heard it played in their lifetimes.

"That's a shame," Phoebe tapped a few keys to find it still in tune. "You know, instruments need to be played, or else they slowly die. But this one still has some life in it."

"Play something, mommy," Emma said. "Please?"

"What would you like me to play?"

"Something bouncy!" Emma declared. "So we can dance!"

"You want to dance? Something bouncy... oh, I know."

Phoebe placed her hands on the keys.

"So... your mate," William cleared his throat. "She's something else."

"You have no idea," Jason smiled, his gaze slowly leaving her retreating form. "I can't count the number of ways she's surprised me."

"She doesn't seem all that special," Camilla scoffed, earning a warning glare from Jason she ignored. "I mean, she was already rejected once."

William nudged her, trying to link her to be quiet, but she seemed oblivious. Now that Phoebe had walked away, the influence she had also waned, and Camilla was eager to shed the last of her internal shame. "Who in their right minds would give her the time of day?"

Jason struggled to control himself as Lobo raged. His eyes shifted and his hair bristled. Was this she-wolf really so oblivious? Did she have a death wish?

Before he could answer, the sounds of someone plucking piano keys reverberated through the room. It was followed by someone running their hands down the line of keys before hitting the strong beat of Elton John's "I'm Still Standing." The stunned crowd turned as one toward the long-forgotten piano in the corner.

There they saw Phoebe expertly playing the rousing eighties hit while the young pups happily danced around her, hopping to the beat. Even the teenagers who hovered around the outskirts gathered close and grooved to the song none had heard before. Phoebe hardly seemed aware of the gathered crowd, laughing lightly at the pups' antics as her head swayed with the energetic song.

Many looked to Jason for explanation, only to see him staring in wonder and pride. Dimly he recalled the piano in her cottage and her confession that her mother had taught her to play. He had forgotten, but even with that knowledge, he hadn't expected her to play like this.

"Did you know?" Luke nudged Jason, bringing him out of his silent reverie.

"I knew her mother taught her to play," Jason said, but he had no idea she played this well.

Phoebe ended the song with a flourish and laughed as the pups applauded and giggled, their faces flushed from exertion. The gathered Alphas and Lunas suddenly broke into their own applause, startling her. Phoebe blushed, averting her gaze. She had never played for such a large group before, or any group, as she only played at home.

"That was great!" Ben declared as he and Lucille moved closer. "Can you play 'Never Gonna Give You Up'?"

"Really?" Lucille scoffed.

"Why am I not surprised?" Phoebe chuckled at the Gamma.

"I thought you'd be an eighties fan, just like my dad."

Lucille gave her mate an exasperated look even as Phoebe turned back to the piano. Placing her fingers on the keys, Phoebe began to play the opening chords to Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" to the crowd's surprise and delight.

Ben's expression lit up recognizing the familiar tune and, much to Lucille's horror, began to sing in a voice horribly off-key: "We're no strangers to love, You know the rules and so do I, A full commitment's what I'm thinking of, You wouldn't get this from any other guy, I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling, Gotta make you understand, Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you, Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you."

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, cringing in embarrassment. Luke chuckled, shaking his head. Both wished they could say the Gamma had been drinking, but he was definitely stone-cold sober. The rest of the room tried to hold in their laughter, even as Lucille flushed red because of her mate's antics.

As Ben finished the chorus, a new voice picked up the song for the second verse. Mouths dropped as Phoebe sang in a clear, strong voice that even made Ben sound better when he joined her for the chorus: "We've known each other for so long, Your heart's been aching, but you're too shy to say it, Inside, we both know what's been going on, We know the game and we're gonna play it, And if you ask me how I'm feeling, Don't tell me you're too blind to see, Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you, Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you."

Lobo was practically rolling in ecstasy at the sound of their mate's voice. Jason was finding it hard to contain himself as Phoebe and Ben finished their impromptu duet and earned stunned applause from their listeners. No one in the room had expected such a powerful voice from such a petite body.

Lunas were the glue that bound a pack together. Thus, many Alphas focused on finding a strong Luna, but there was more than one kind of strength, and many forgot that a Luna's character and heart were just as important, if not more so. Phoebe was proving just how important those factors really were to winning hearts and minds.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Camilla scoffed, earning several disgruntled glares and more than a few growls.

"Perhaps you would prefer the classics," Phoebe amicably said, glancing at the other female.

She turned back to the piano, playing Beethoven's "Für Elise" with ease. The gathered Alphas and Lunas looked on with approval. Like humans, werewolves appreciated skill, and their sensitive ears could pick out even the slightest nuances, which made it difficult to please them unless the player was truly a master of their craft.

"Luna, how did you learn to play like that?" a pup eagerly asked.

"My mother taught me," Phoebe smiled. "It's easy, but you have to practice a lot. Right, Blake? Come here and play with me."

Phoebe stopped playing to encourage the nervous pup to join her. Hesitating, he climbed onto the bench. Blake fidgeted as Phoebe placed a hand on the keys and played a simple melody. Still nervous, Blake nevertheless set a finger on the higher keys and played with her. Phoebe maintained a slow pace, making it easier for him to keep up, as it had been some time since they last played "Heart and Soul."

They ended together, and Phoebe hugged him as the pups cheered.

"Can you play too, Emma?" a pup asked.

"I can play Twinkle Twinkle," Emma proudly declared. She wasn't quite as studious as her brother, but with a new batch of admirers, Phoebe wondered if she would take it more seriously.

Phoebe changed places with Emma so she could sit on the bench and tap out the familiar rhythm. The younger pups watched closely, eager to learn. Phoebe chuckled. Perhaps she had just gained a new group of music students.

"I have lesson books if any of you are interested in learning," Phoebe said. "We can turn the room next to the daycare into a music room for all of you."

"Yeah!" the pups cheered, not only eager to learn but eager to spend time with their kind Luna who never talked down to them.

"But first we should give this piano some attention," Phoebe said.

"You mean clean it?" a pup wrinkled his nose.

"I do. It should be cleaned, polished, and tuned. It's important to take care of things that are special. It makes them stronger and better."

"Sounds like work," another pup said.

Phoebe laughed. "Well, of course it is. Anything worth having is worth working for... but work is easier when we do it together. Promise."