Sofia had forgiven me a lot easier than I had expected her to. I had been about to mark her without her permission. And that, in many cases, would be seen as forcibly marking, whether she was my fated mate or not. I could not rid myself of the sickly feeling within my stomach as guilt flooded my body. But, the urge from my wolf had been overwhelming. Combined with the need within myself. It was hard to describe…
I am just glad she had stopped me when she did, and that she seemed to be so forgiving about it. I wanted the moment we mark one another to be perfect, like she had suggested, and I had been so close to ruining that. Marking her in the treeline of the northern forest of the pack was never going to be perfect...
But, no matter how forgiving my sweet girl may be, I, however, am likely not to be so forgiving of myself. Although, right now, I had the bigger worry of meeting her family, and apparently her Papi, would want to kick my ass, and that is before he
I saw the fear within Jared’s eyes, and I began to worry that this was all becoming too much for him. Yes, my Papi is more than a little protective, but I did not want him scaring away my fated mate before I had a chance with him! Had a she-wolf ever been rejected because of an overly protective father? I could well be the first if my Papi continued along this path I feared...“Papi!” I warned him. “Can you stop? You are embarrassing me. Yes, this is my fated mate, and I would appreciate you stopping giving him a hard time. We would have come to find you sooner, but he was on duty.”A light appeared within my father’s eyes, before he turned to Jared. “You chose to work today?” he questioned, and I saw a small smile teasing at my Mum’s lips.‘Ah, don’t think I don’t know what you were doing.’ She mindlinked with a chuckle. ‘That will impress him, and you know it.’Dammit, I had hoped that might go unnoticed… it certainly seemed to have gone unnoticed by my Dad, who right now is deep in
Today had gone as well as a funeral and a memorial service could be expected to go. Everyone had been respectful, and the patrols were going well, so the pack was well guarded. We had had no issues with visitors from outside packs, not that we had expected any. Beta Trent was well respected, and they were all here to pay their respects and say goodbye to a good man. As we all were.After that brief moment we had shared in our seats, I had barely seen Cleo. In truth, I didn't know how I felt about that, but she had been swept up in time with her family and her friends, I had assumed, and time with them was likely what she needed right now. Time with me was not. I did not need to mess with her mind any more than I already had. She needed this time with her family.I had said what I needed to, to Daxton and Kaleb, and I hoped they would do me the honor of joining me here to run the pack when I took over as Alpha in the near future. I was in no rush for an answer from them, but I could no
The day had been a long one, and I had spent a lot of time with my friends, and my aunts and my mum. So many people had come and spoken to me, offering their condolences, many of whom I did not know in the slightest. But, I did as was expected of me and smiled, nodding in agreement, thanking them for their kindness. Wishing I could return home now. I did not want to be here any longer, surrounded by the reminder of the loss of my grandfather. I think it was beginning to hit me harder than ever.“Come on CC, let us go and find your Dad, we will be heading home, I think.” Mum spoke, alongside my Grandma.I looked towards her with confusion. While I would love nothing more than to curl up to hide within the comfort of my own bed, I had assumed we would be staying with my Grandma for a few days still. There were still things to be done. “We aren’t staying with Grandma again?” I asked.Mum stood a little straighter, like she was struggling with things a little and was preparing herself to
I went from feeling good about everything to my whole body tensing in a matter of seconds the moment my wolf picked up on the scent of our mate. The scent that was so beautiful. Alluring… tempting… yet a scent that was able to make my heart feel like it wanted to shatter into a thousand pieces. I knew without raising my eyes that Cleo had to be on her way up here to see her father.It would not be me she had come to see. There would be no reason. But, I raised my eyes all the same, unable to resist the temptation, and Dex became excited, knowing she was close. My heart rate increased instantly, and my grandfather gave me a knowing smile. ‘Have you decided yet?’ he questioned, and I simply shrugged.‘Lan.’ He sighed. ‘What do you think that man next to you would say if he knew? The faith he holds in you. It took all the strength within me to hold myself back from telling him the additional connection our fami
Our day at River Ash had come to an end. A difficult day for so many. We had said our goodbyes and were headed to the cars. My Mum had decided to fix the cars home so that ours was just me, her and my Dad. I knew what she was about to do, and I did not know that I was ready for that. Isabella had headed off with Aria, and her family, which was unsurprising, they loved her even more since they discovered the two of them were fated. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Aunt Indie loved us all like we were her own children, but she was beyond happy to discover Aria had been fated for my sister, and I have to say I was happy too.I knew she would be cared for and have that support from them that she needed as well as from us. Jorge was staying with some of the guys to help clear up. They likely didn’t need to as River Ash would have warriors, and other pack members arranged to do it, but some of our younger warrior team decided to do the decent thing and hang back to help. Jorge being one. Ever th
I stepped ut of the car to join my Mum, but before I had the opportunity to say anything, my Dad had joined us. He smiled down at my Mum with the affection and care he forever had for her. “So, mysterious girl, what is the big secret?” he asked, and my Mum grinned up at him.“You are weird, do you know that, Guapo?” she tapped him lightly on the nose. “You will see soon enough.”And with that she gave me a knowing look, with one brow raised, like she expected me to know what she was referring to, before we began walking toward one of the coffee shops on campus.‘Mum?’ I mindlnked, but found her link blocked, just as I had done to her earlier. She was playing me at my own game, much as she had done many times when I was growing up. She used to tell me when I had gone to her, angry about her not replying to my mindlinks, that two can play at that game, and it soon stopped me putting the block on my mindlink to her half as often as I had done. I think it had worked equally well with Isab
The call had taken me by surprise, but who was I to turn away the opportunity to make things official with Liliana and meet her family? Her Mother had somehow learned of our matebond and decided that they would call into the campus on their return to their pack and meet me. I was not about to turn down the chance, for I knew that this could bring the time closer that my mate and I would be together. I just had to face the daunting prospect of her father first…And from everything Liliana had warned me, he sounded fearsome. Protective, as a father should be. My father was not like that. So I did not understand that, but I had witnessed it from friends within pack…And now, here I was sitting opposite the man who was warning me that if I hurt his daughter he would kill me… I liked to think he was joking, but the look within his eyes told me not to be so sure. He was every bit the fearsome warrior Liliana had described. I could understand why he was as respected as he was within the pac
My body froze as my Mum’s words registered. A cold chill spread over my body. This was not what I wanted to happen. ‘Mami, no.’ I mindlinked her, only to find the link blocked once again. She was determined. She wanted revenge on the man standing next to us.“Erm, I do believe I have things to do, actually, Mrs…” Luka began, but my Dad stood up suddenly, interrupting him, gripping him by the front of his shirt, and Luka’s face was swiftly pale.“I think you had come here for a reason, so you had some free time, and that free time is about to be used to chat to us. Or more specifically me.” My Dad snarled, telling me that my Mum had already broken my trust and told him everything that she knew.Dad maneuvered Luka to the seat he had moments ago stood from and sat him down, maybe a little forcibly, while Alexis stood to grab another table from a nearby table for my Dad. I was trembling by this point, so aware of the curious gazes that were coming our way. I think it would be hard for t
I could feel the disapproving eyes of my Dad upon me as I began to walk toward my parents, but I felt Finn's fingertip gently stroking at the hem of my tank top where it sat upon my waist. When he had so confidenlty slung his arm around my waist he had taken me by suprise, but I think I liked it. I felt I could take on the world with him by my side. I felt reassured with him there. And, his words had told me he was willing to do what he could to being me to be with him. I just hoped my parents did not humiliate me right now.I had not come here today expecting to meet my fated mate. But, now that it had happened, it seemed us coming here as infrequent as we did, had led to the meeting of Finn and I at this specific time, and it felt just right. The way fate intended. I did not want to be apart from him now I had found him, and could only hope he felt the same. The emptiness I had felt as he left me to go and sit with his family had taken me by surpirse, and now I knew that fa
The event was well underway, or perhaps I should say, the celebrations were well underway. That is what most people attend these sorts of events for. The formalities at the beginning were merely that, a formality, despite them being of great importance, the high percentage of guests here had come to socialize. It was rare there were events where so many groups from so many packs in one place at one time. So, when invited, people took advantage. Usually, I would have been one, having friends in a varying number of packs through my Gamma training, and the family business; but today was different. Today, I had things I needed to do.The moment the ceremony had completed, and Landon, Cleo and the others had made their way from the improvised stage set up beneath the gazebo at the head of the training field and guests began to disperse, I made my excuses, to many a curious gaze from friends as I began to seek our Nori and her family. I needed to make a formal introduction. I hoped
Camilla was so close. Her scent overwhelming. And I could feel her lips so delicate… almost touching mine… and I panicked. I stumbled away from her, mumbling an apology as I did. Only as I did, did I see the hurt within that sweet girl's eyes. I had hurt her. She had already been through enough pain, yet my fear and uncertainty, and that damn guard around my own heart had caused me to hurt Camilla further….I steadied myself on a nearby tree, waiting to watch Camilla turn and walk away, a sinking feeling within my gut that I had ruined any chance. But, to my surprise, she walked over to where I stood. As I leaned against the cool bark of the tree, she looked over at me, her cool eyes taking me in. “I am sorry.” She whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. Though in truth she had nothing to be sorry for.“No…” I began, but she put her hand up as if to silence me, instantly causing me to halt my words.
Jorge turns to me with a warm smile. “If it is too busy for you, I can take you somewhere quieter?” he offered, and my belly filled with nerves. He was incredibly sweet.I raised my brows at him. “You know this pack?”“Of course, we came here a lot growing up. Aunt Lilah and Aunt Indie grew up here, so we came to visit all the time with them. So, I have spent hours exploring over the years. Don't worry, I am not going to get us lost. Besides, I am a warrior, I think I can direct us around.” He teased. Speaking to me without so much as a pause. There seemed to be no ulterior motive in his suggestion either, not like some of the the guys you get around. Besides, all I have heard about Jorge is that he is a genuinely nice guy. Not that I have been asking or anything… well, not much…“But, I don’t want you missing the celebrations.” I said, knowing if he was taking me somewhere where it was quieter
I sat trying to digest everything Kai had just said to me with an inexplicable ache in my chest. That sweet girl had lost her mate? I had no idea… She had never mentioned it. Though, I suppose she had no reason to. I thought rejection was pain enough, but losing your mate must be agony on another level. Yet she was here, pushing through. Continuing as if she was fine. Beautifully strong. So young to have lost a fated too...My pain seemed almost irrelevant now. I could not take my mind away from the suffering the beautiful she-wolf must have gone through. And my thoughts could not help but ponder if that was how she found herself in the role she had been in before comingn to our pack... Oh, I am so glad that Uncle Knox, and Kai had gven her the chance of freedom when she came to be with Bella. She had been through enough as it was. My heart ached for her, and could only hoped that her time her could be the fresh start she deserved.I found myse
I sat alongside one of my oldest friends and I hated the pain I saw within his eyes. Today was a day for celebrating. Celebrating my brother and my sister and their next steps in life. But the pain I was seeing in Jorge’s eyes was reminiscent of the pain that had been there in the early days after he had been rejected. He was doing his best to hide it, but it was there all the same. I hoped he had dealt with the pain, but it made me reailze the rejection never went away... it always sat in the pit of his heart eating away at him...I knew him too well, and hated seeing him in pain. He was a lot like Uncle Gabe, very much the joker of the group. Always wearing a smile. Always there for everyone else. But when it came to him, he didn’t know how to accept help. It was hard for him taking support when he had been rejected. And, it was hard for him to speak up when he was suffering. Now appeared to be another of those moments.I offered him one of the beers I had brought across with me, a
Rico had wandered off and left me, likely in the hunt for a beer, that was his usual tactic, though as I glanced around the party, now in full swing, I was sure I noticed my cousin with a girl in his arms on the dance floor. That was another of his tactics. Charm. Much like his Papi in his younger years apparently. Rico would be making the most of the opportunity of many new she-wolves to work his charms upon, I was sure of it. Goddess help each and every one of them!No doubt we would all be hearing about it in the coming days. I rolled my eyes in disbelief, settling back in the seat in which I had found. The friends I had been sitting with had all dispersed now, some for food, others because they had seen people they knew. That was the thing about large multi-pack events such as this, there were so many people, and so much chance to run into people you had not seen in a while. Too many opportunities to need to catch up. Or meet new people. I, however did not have the energy to be so
I think a small part of me hoped that finding my mate may be a smoother path than that of my parents. Than that of my aunts and uncles too. It seemed fate had certainly put obstacles in their way. Yet, each one of them would say that the obstacles were merely there to make them appreciate what they had. But, it did not stop me believing that maybe the next generation maybe that little luckier with their destiny. Some had been blessed with an easier path, others, sadly not. It seemed fate liked to have a twisted plan all of her own. One we were not to learn of until it was our time. And, hope as I may, I did not know if it would make any difference to the plan fate had for me, but I had hoped all the same...However, as I looked at the confused expression of my fated mate’s face, I was beginning to question that the younger generation would be blessed with more luck. Yet, I had found myself smiling, as I added “This where you tell me to piss off?&
Thankfully I had an understanding father. One who accepted me for being me. He had often told my Mum that his past had made him see that some people needed more freedom. More understanding, and more time to be themselves. I never fully questioned what it was he meant, but I always appreciated he wasn’t too controlling over me. Yes, he could be protective, but find me a werewolf father that wasn’t.I had chosen to go travelling for a while once I had finished my studies, and despite my Mum’s initial concerns, my Dad said he thought it may do me good. So, that is what I had done, and I was on one of my short visits home when it was the Alpha ceremony. I felt it was only appropriate to attend, despite never liking large pack events, having missed Beta Trent’s funeral.Plus, my brother, Jared’s new mate, Sofia had become a new friend, or she was certainly attempting to be, bless her. I don’t think she realized quite yet, that I tended to