I looked toward Kai, hating the hurt expression upon his face. I had warned him he would not like what I had to say. He was an upcoming Alpha, he had to know that arranged marriages still occurred. Especially when they are of benefit to packs. Sadly, when that was the case, fated mates meant nothing. Obviously, my soon-to-be husband didn’t have to consider a fated mate having lost his in an unfortunate accident, where she slipped on the stairs.
But, the fact they all knew I would have a fated mate somewhere out there had gone disregarded, without a second thought. And when I asked my father, I was told not to make things difficult for him, or mess up the arrangements for him or our pack. I knew then I would not get a say in any of this. I could not be seen to be disappointing my pack. Although now I had met my fated mate, I was beginning to wonder if I had made the right choice or not…
“What if we arrange a meeting?” Kai spoke, his face more de
My feet felt like lead as I walked through the hallways of college. It just did not feel the same anymore. The excitement I had once had for this place had all but gone. The anticipation for the course I was doing... gone. It had been everything I had wanted, to follow in my Mami's footsteps. But now, I was beginning to doubt if I was even capable of it all. All because of that man. All because I now knew his secret.Yet, I knew that this was my own doing. This was nobody's fault but my own. I had been swept off my feet by the charms of his handsomeness... his way with words... despite the fact I knew I should never have gone near a tutor. Maybe the forbiddenness of it all was part of the appeal. I just wish now that I had been stronger and had resisted. But instead, I had been a fool. I could only imagine my Papi’s words if he knew… after he had broken Lukas’s legs, of course. He would be sure to punish any man that had hurt his daughter... and damaging her heart was some of the wor
I could see his eyes boring into me from across the room. I did all I could to avoid looking in his direction. I could not believe how indiscreet he was being right now. We had done all we could to prevent being detected while we were together, yet here he was now we were apart, making things so uncomfortably curious to anyone watching on.I fiddled with my pens upon my desk once more to distract myself. Giving my head a shake internally to tell myself I was able to do this. I did not need this man, and he was not going to break me. I was not going to allow him to win nor walk all over me. And I was certainly not going to be the other woman. Especially not when they had a child on the way too.Suddenly, there were feet by my desk, and I slowly allowed my gaze to rise, up along the body I had once adored. A body I had imagined being with in every way… and our eyes met. His eyes filled with many emotions. Remorse. Frustration. Anger…Well, I had news for him. He was not about to get w
I was becoming impatient now. I had been told that my tutor would be coming to meet me to bring me to my first lecture, yet there was no sight of him. I had already been waiting half an hour, expecting him before lectures began, and yet there had been nothing. Now, I leaned against the wall of the office, wondering if he had in fact forgotten me. Because I am certain the lecture should have started by now. I had gone over all the information provided for me, and knew the lecture times well. I should be in my class now with my classmates, beginning my life here at my new university.I glanced down at my watch, contemplating going to speak to the moody bespectacled woman behind the desk at reception. But I would really rather avoid that if I could because she had already spoken to me like I was the greatest inconvenience in the world. I imagine anyone having the nerve to disturb her word puzzle would likely be an inconvenience. But she had looked at me like it was unimaginable that I w
I was still on a high from learning Aria was my mate. We snuck off at every given opportunity to spend time alone. Kissing her was the most amazing feeling in the world… everything I think I had envisioned it to be on the very few occasions I had allowed my mind to wander down that path. Aria was everything I had wanted in a girlfriend, but I was scared to allow myself to think of us together for fear of being hurt. Thinking she would never look at someone like me...So to discover she was my fated mate was mind-blowing. I could not believe the moon goddess had chosen to bless me with her for a mate. Nothing seemed to go right when it came to meeting mates for the majority of our families, so I had expected nothing less for myself. But, here I was with the most perfect choice for my mate. Happier than I think I had ever been before. Feeling like I was almost floating as I went about my day-to-day business. Cherishing every moment I was with her. And thinking of her every moment, I was
With his words still echoing in my mind, I turned to watch my Dad walking away, and even his posture seemed to show his pain. I hated that I was hurting him by struggling to talk to him. I knew he was desperate for me to open up to him. And, in truth, I was desperate to be able to finally open up to him... to my family. Stop hiding who I am. They are my family. I should not have to hide from them...“I found my mate, Papi.” I whispered.In an instant, he had swiveled on his heels to turn and look at me, his brows raised and a look of surprise upon his face. I think it was safe to say I had taken him by surprise. In truth, Aria had shocked me when she had told me, so I knew how that felt. “How? You haven’t come of age yet, Isabella. You would have no way of knowing yet.”I smiled. Trust him to think of it like that. I guess I didn’t have my wolf to confirm what Aria was telling me. But my heart and my gut were telling me she was right. I knew she would never lie to me. And, when we kis
We had returned to River Ash Pack as soon as we could once I had been so easily dismissed by the woman chosen for me by the moon goddess. I could not bear to be in the same pack as her, knowing she would soon be marrying another man. Another Alpha. It sickened me. I was struggling to grasp the concept of her not wanting me. Not in an arrogant way. Just in the fact that she was willing to so easily go against fate.I had hoped beyond all hope that in talking to her, I could convince her to consider leaving Lunar River there and then, and returning with me. Refusing the marriage that had been arranged for her, demanding the mate she was fated instead. But Bella seemed so unwilling to even put up a fight for me... for her fate... and that hurt. I was in pain, so that surely meant she had to be too? She was willing to cause herself pain for her own pack? It made no sense to me...“Are you going to stop tapping your feet on the floor?” Landon asked, sounding more than a little frustrated.
I could sense the fury radiating from Kai, and in all seriousness, I don’t think I could blame him. He was having his fated mate ripped away from him. And the option to fight, while there, brought risk to both his fated mate, and his own pack...Not to mention, I didn’t think it was what his family needed right now. They had so much to cope with, having just lost Aunt Lilah's father, and his looming funeral. Kai did not need to be going into the house full of fire and fury, ready to burst; because his parents would surely sense something was wrong. And as we pulled back into River Ash, the only thing I could think of was suggesting a run.“I know it will be hell, Kai. But, she is doing what she feels is right for her family. They made the arrangement for the sake of the pack. I have a feeling she will be in touch.” I told him.“I offered to try to buy them out of the arrangement.” He muttered under his breath, taking me by surprise. That would have been a lot of money, I would imagin
I had needed to get away the moment we stepped from the car. Landon's suggestion of a run had made sense. I did not want to be explaining the mess I found myself in to my family right now. Not in this state, anyway. I was ready to kill for Bella, and that was not the state of mind I should be in to discuss this with them. They had so much to cope with right now; the last thing they needed was to worry about my out of control temper or the possibility of me having lost my mate to another Alpha... I would calm myself, somehow, and find a moment where I could discuss things with my Dad and hope he had more ideas for a solution than me...Right now my mind was on the run that lay ahead, and Nyko, being Nyko, had seen Landon’s suggestion of a race as a challenge and wasted no time in pushing forward and urging me to shift to allow us to get the lead. My wolf did not like to lose. I knew Landon would see it as a direct challenge now too. He was an Alpha wolf, just like I was, whether he tr