As beautiful and desirable as Jenna is, she cannot be my mate. I break eye contact and turn to dismiss the crowd, determined to keep my distance from Jenna. As the crowds disperse, I begin to move towards the building, abandoned thousands of years ago by humans, a place that has become home. A shadow falls into step beside me, and I turn to regard them. It's my beta. Years older and more experienced, the beta had taught me all that I had needed to know after my father had been brutally killed in war. Even though he's my beta, I look up to him more than I'd care to admit. “The last thing I expected today was the announcement of a feast. I didn't know we had something to celebrate.” “It will be a small one,” I say, after I quickly turn. I am almost in my bedroom now, I have never been a prude, and I don't care that I am in the company of another, even though there's not a stitch of clothing on me. I move towards my wardrobe to make a selection, noting the dwindling collection in my closet. I really need to learn to shrug off my clothes before I turn, like the others do. “What shall we celebrate?” He asks, his eyes filled with curiosity. “The announcement of my mate,” I say, avoiding the wise eyes of my beta, a little afraid that if I were to make eye contact, he'd read the truth in them. “Your mate? Have you found her?” He asks, his voice tinged with excitement. “No.” I growl. I hate that I have to lie to my beta about this. But it's for the best. I am doing this for the pack. “Tonight, I, chose Violet as my mate
View MoreChapter Thirty NineVeronica's POVYou're right. I agree, realising how insightful the young woman is. Even though she is just a young adult, she'd had to grow up really quickly. What with the death of her papa and how she'd lost her mom at birth.She had turned out really okay, and her mate was really foolish to have let such a spectacular woman go. What she lacked in physical strength, she made up for intellectually. Jenna was a beautiful woman with intriguing layers. I was certain that there was more to her than met the eye. And I wished that she was more open. I sincerely desired to learn everything there was to know about her. I wanted to ask her about her mate to know what it had felt like for her. I wanted to know why I was feeling so conflicted about my feelings for Zephyr and my own chosen mate. I expected the bond with my mate to surpass the physical attraction I felt for Zephyr. So, why wasn't that so? “Veronica?” Jenna's inquisitive voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I
Chapter Thirty EightJack's POVViolet’s words are my final undoing. With a groan, I tear the clothes off her body, enjoying the gasp that falls from her puckered lips.Arousal pumps through me as I grab her again, pulling her against my body and allowing her to feel the evidence of my arousal.“Oh Jack.” She moans, “I have imagined this for so long... “ She whispers against my ear, her breathing laboured, skin damp with sweat.I won't lie and say that I have imagined this with Violet, because I have not. I have never imagined possessing her like this, touching her and watching her unfold in my arms. But in this moment, I do. I do want Violet with every fibre of my being. I want to soak myself in her essence, drown myself in her moistness. I kiss Violet again, allowing her to taste the extent of my desire for her. I move my lips to her neck and bite the delicate skin, enjoying the low moan that falls from her lips. Violet slides against my body, as if she's in need of more. And I w
Chapter Thirty-SevenJenna's POV“Veronica is right.” Zephyr voices finally. He doesn't get up and move towards me like Veronica did, but his eyes convey his pity. “It's his loss. You're exceptionally beautiful, any man would be lucky to have you.”Even though they're right, I know that deep down, sometimes what truly matters isn't the physical traits of people, but what they carry within. I wasn't strong and agile, and so I was unfit to be the alpha's mate. Jack had chosen the woman who possessed these qualities to be his mate. While I had been rejected, left to wither... “Thank you.” I mutter. “But I think his rejection made me realise that sometimes people look past our physical qualities.”“A lot of men usually reject their mate because they feel she's not as attractive as they would have wanted. Women, for a lot of men, are like prized possessions, kept for gazing, just like we do some items we loot from war.”Zephyr picks up his glass and dangles it in the air for emphasis.
Chapter Thirty SixJenna's POVZephyr joins us a moment later, clad in a beautiful robe that draws attention to the tight muscles of his shoulders and the broadness of his chest.“Sorry for keeping you waiting.” Zephyr apologises as he takes his seat. He looks different, with a shaven jaw and hair perfectly brushed back. I watch him smile in Veronica's direction, his eyes lingering on hers for a few more seconds. You demanded our presence. Veronica speaks as if she's conversing with a complete stranger, not her alpha, the same man she had conspired with to deceive me.I can't help but wonder whether anything had happened between them. The tension in the room is palpable. “Yes, yes. I've asked you to come here because we need to discuss something important.”“Then by all means, let's.” Veronica encourages. The alpha turns towards me, and my heart gives a start. He looks at me with a whisper of a smile on his face and a regret in his eyes. “I would like to apologise first to you, J
Chapter Thirty Five Jack's POV“I just want us to go back to how we were. It feels like agreeing to be your mate changed things.” She sobs against my shoulder. Guilt tears through me, and I shut my eyes, trying to tamp down the feelings of pain that rams through me. “I am very sorry, Violet.”Violet sniffles and pushes away from me, wiping the last of her tears and meeting my eyes, which are now red-rimmed. “I know that you're sorry, Jack. But what really changed? I need to know.”I shake my head slowly at her, turning away to look into the distance, lost in thoughts. Violet was right, something had really changed. And although I could not deny that Jenna's departure from the park had been the genesis of this change, I couldn't tell Violet so. I felt a lot different now. The activities that used to hold so much meaning for me no longer did. And sometimes I knew that these recent feelings had less to do with Jenna's absence in the pack but more to do with my state of mind. I had
Chapter Thirty FourJack's POVThe days pass by in a blur of activities that begins to feel monotonous. I settle scores between packmates and organise hunting to ensure that we have enough meals stored away for winter.But none of those activities seem fun anymore, even the sheer act of spending time with Violet leaves me feeling empty. As the days continue to go by, I begin to experience a level of sadness that I cannot shake. I begin to long for so much more than just the daily hunts and settling scores. I find myself wondering about Jenna and the kind of life she lives now. Because I have a certain conviction that she had somewhat lived. And the fact that a young woman, whom I barely knew, could consume my thoughts like this makes me want to smash my head against something.It's Violet that I should be thinking about. It is she whom I should desire, but why isn't that so? Why do I still think about the young woman that I had rejected? This morning, I am filled with the same str
Chapter Thirty threeJenna's POVThe next day, Veronica and I continue our training, and even though my arms hurt and I feel like I'm seconds away from face planting on the ground, I am determined to not give up.“You're doing great, Jenna.” Veronica breathes as she lunges at me.I slip past her, and having studied her movements, I predict what she is about to do next, which gives me the sliver of opportunity to elbow her in the ribs and jerk her weapon from her hands.With a scream, I push a shocked Veronica to the ground and straddle her, balling my fist and pointing it at her in a threatening manner.Veronica brings her hands to her face to shield it, and I smirk as I get up and dust off my soiled dress. Even though I am a sweaty mess and my hair feels damp from all the running and punches that I have had to block, I feel incredibly pleased and really accomplished.“That was a nice one.” Veronica says, getting up and mirroring my earlier movements of dusting off the dirt from her d
Chapter thirty-twoJenna's POVVeronica and I train until the scorching afternoon sun becomes unbearable, and my throat becomes completely parched.When I am almost on the verge of slumping to the ground from exhaustion, a very sweaty Veronica drops her weapon to the ground and moves towards me.“Let's take a break.”Totally on cue, I drop to the ground and pant completely from exhaustion and the sheer need to gather my strength once more.“Thank you.” I mutter, after I have gotten enough air into my lungs to say something without the risk of passing out.Veronica, who doesn't look in the terrible shape that I do, smiles fondly at me and says,.“Not bad for your first day.”I shake my head at Veronica, who appears distracted by the birds that circle the woods from the distance.“I get the feeling that you were holding back.” I confess as I sit up, studying Veronica, who has turned to meet my eyes.“It's your first day. And you did good. Though I'd say we're both in desperate need of a
Chapter Thirty OneJack's POVI spend the rest of the day in my room, away from everyone else, as I try to come to terms with the loss of Jenna.I do not understand why I still feel so strongly for her when I had in fact chosen a mate for myself.I am also plagued with guilt at the realisation that something bad happened to Jenna in the forest. It doesn't matter whether or not she had been taken willingly by some crazed animal in the forest. The truth remained that I had done something to push her out of the pack, and her leaving was and will always continue to be my fault.When the door raps once and then pushes open to reveal Violet's face, it distracts me from my thoughts.She pushes into the room without permission and comes to stand beside my bed, her eyes studying my frame thoughtfully.“Are you alright?”“Do I look like I am not?” I retort, fully aware that my tone is biting and that I am in no mood for company.I expect Violet to be angry at my rude words and to take leave imm
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