I knew I had little choice now but to return home. Hearing Uncle Trent had died hit me harder than I expected. I knew my Grandpa had told me he had been ill, but I guess you kind of expect them to be around forever, and I had simply assumed he would recover. I had trusted the doctors at the pack hospital would be able to help him heal where his wolf may not... And, as I packed my things up in almost an automatic way, my mind wandered. Going over so many things. I realized then that I had been such a selfish dick. I had been so focused upon my own messed-up mind that I had stopped thinking of the ones I loved and cared for as much as I should, and I hated myself for that.I had looked at my Grandpa in the same way as I had Uncle Trent. I had naively expected him to be around forever. And because both him and Grandma had done so much to make me happy growing up, likely trying hard to make up for the things they feared I missed out on by losing my Mum
My eyes were drawn to the car the second I heard it approaching. My mind instantly went to the words of Uncle Grayson mentioning that Landon was on his way. Knowing we were going to have to deal with him right now was the last thing I needed. We were having to face saying goodbye to my grandfather. Cope with losing him, and now I had to see Landon too? The guy I felt was partially responsible for his death? My pulse rate was already increasing...I saw the strange expression upon Landon’s face the moment he stepped from his car. The thing was, I could not read what was going on with him. He looked uncomfortable, I knew that much. And so he fucking should. He avoided his home pack as if it had been infected with the plague for fuck's sake. This was his home. The place he was meant to belong. The place he was meant to be heir too, yet it appeared to be the last place he wanted to be.But, it was just that, I knew in truth he didn’t want to be here, so could that be the basis of why he h
The scent hit me like a wrecking ball the moment I stepped into the ever familiar packhouse. Completely throwing my senses out of whack. Sending my mind into a meltdown, and as for my body, it seemed to have lost the ability to function properly. I had frozen on the spot... and my wolf, Ama, was suddenly unsettled, pacing within my mind, an indistinguishable noise coming from him that I had not heard before. Somewhere between a purr and a whimper, I think…My eyes darted around the packhouse, so desperate to find the source of that scent. Because the reaction it was having upon me and my wolf could only mean one thing…“Grandpa. Who is in here?” I asked, seeming to take everyone by surprise. But I didn't care, I needed to know. I wanted to know where this scent was coming from. I needed to know…“I am sorry, son, what?” Grandpa stopped walking to look at me, looking more than a little confused. He had been doing his usual trick of marching on ahead and us trailing behind…“I asked who
I tentatively stood from the lower step, following my grandfather. Was I truly ready for this? That I wasn’t actually sure of. I have heard so many tales of meeting mates over the years, and yes, the majority of which sound truly amazing. But, I had seen first hand what not being wanted by your fated mate had done to Jorge, and it was hell. It had broken him.My cousin and I were incredibly close, and seeing him almost fall apart had made me feel useless, because nothing I did seemed to help him. We were all brought up to believe our fated mate is the one meant for us. The one we will meet and everything will slot into place. The one you hold all your hopes upon. And Jorge had done exactly that. I saw the excitement in his eyes as he realized who she was. And I witnessed that excitement turn to pain as she turned to him and said it was not to be. That she did not want him.I then had to see him slowly fall apart as he and his wolf battled with the pain and struggles of rejection. It w
I couldn’t understand why our art class was being disturbed. Especially by the former Alpha. It certainly put me on edge. I stood nervously by the window in the lounge area looking out to the beautiful garden where one of the gardeners was busy at work maintaining the flowerbeds. I decided to watch him as a distraction. I needed something to focus on as a way to occupy my mind.I could hear the mindless chatter of the other she-wolves that had come into the lounge with me, all discussing what they believed was the reason why we had been asked to assemble here, but none had come up with a plausible explanation. I just wanted to go home. Or at least back to the art class. I hated being put on the spot. Not knowing what was to come.I watched as the gardener neatened the borders of the flowerbed he worked upon, while Tala, my wolf, seemed to be napping right now despite my unsettledness. Though it was nothing she was not used to. I often felt unsettled and uncomfortable. Liking things do
Cleo had told her parents she planned to sit outside for a moment, saying she didn’t know if she was ready just yet to go in to say goodbye to see her grandfather. I didn’t know if that was the truth, or if that was an excuse, because she had just realized exactly what had just hit me like a fucking wrecking ball. But as Aunt Lilah agreed she should take some time, and join them when she was ready, and everyone wandered inside, I lingered outside. Uncertainty filled every part of my body. I did not know how to approach this...I had been unsure about returning home as things were, and knew that was going to be hard enough to adjust to, but now I had to face the revelation that Cleo was my fated mate. The sweetest and most adorable girl I think I knew. Somebody who deserved so much more than me as a mate. Why did fate have to be so cruel and play this card for us both? Especially for Cleo? I could not let this happen to her.I watched as she perched herself on the wall of the flower be
I needed some time to myself. Time to process everything in peace. So why Landon felt the need to come and join me I do not know. My heart already felt like it was shattered with having to cope with mourning the loss of my Grandpa, but to see the look of what was close to disgust upon his face when he realized I was his mate, felt like Landon had stomped upon the pieces of my heart and damaged them forever. Like he didn’t care in the slightest. It was an added pain I did not need right now. And it was not something my family needed either. My Dad and my brothers would hit the roof if they were to realize my fated mate did not want me...“Cleo.” Landon whispered from his space next to me, bringing my attention back to him. Surely he should have got the message I did not want to speak to him from the fact I had not acknowledged him? That I had looked away.I was still trying hard to compose myself from the shock of his touch. The effects of the matebond were so much more than I had ever
Shit. I kissed her. I kissed Cleo, and I hadn’t meant to. I truly had not meant to, but she was so close. So close, and her eyes were looking up at me. Looking so innocent... irresistible... and her scent was overpowering... She looked so beautiful. The scent of her took over my senses. I lost all sense of reality at that moment, and the only thing I could focus on was her. And that need to kiss her…As my lips touched hers, my whole body felt like it melted. I felt like I was on fire. My body surrendered to her, and I knew then I was in trouble, but I could not bring myself to stop. The tenderness of her lips on mine felt so wrong, yet so right, and when she kissed me back I felt like my heart would explode. I honestly expected her to slap me, or at the least shove me away. But she had kissed me back. Her kisses urgent. Maybe we were both in serious trouble…The pressure of her lips on mine built as my tongue teased along her lips, causing them to part to allow my tongue access to he