Nate
“I have a presentation to start,” she says impatiently. “You should go and sign that contract. It was nice seeing you.” She moves to walk back.
“Sarah, please wait….” I finally say desperation etched in my voice.
I try to stop her from walking away by stepping beside her and catching her hand. Our fingers intertwine, and our eyes lock, maybe just for a moment, but I feel the world stop around us. She stops with me, unable to move until she shakes her head and tears her angry eyes from me to look at our hands, so I let her go quickly. The feeling of letting her go leaves my hand and heart with such emptiness that I have never felt before.
“Can I see you later?” I ask urgently, putting every hope I have in that and adding a tiny smile as reassurance that I have good intentions.
“Why?” that’s all she replies.
“To talk, … catch up, I don’t know,” I say, pleading. My palms are sweating as I shove them into my pockets. I already regret every word I said, but she softens up a bit. She is staring into my eyes, waiting for more. I have never felt this awkward. Speechless? Shy? I can’t even put a word to it. She makes me nervous and excited at the same time. I don’t know what to say, what to expect. “I haven’t seen you in years, and I don’t know... I just want to ask how you’ve been.”
I’m trying to put the brightest smile on my face, but my voice is shaking. She can’t say no. The anger disappears from her face, and curiosity takes over. This is so weird. I only barely remember her growing up on the edge of the pack. We didn’t hang out, study, or train together because she was younger than me, and I left for college before she was old enough to train.
Her reaction makes my smile brighter, but she is still waiting, thinking it through. “I only stay in town for a few days.” I lie because I intend to stay as long as it takes, but maybe if she knows I’m going home soon, she won’t be that threatened. “Just a coffee,” I add pleadingly.
“Ok,” she nods, and I restrain my arm from shooting up, pumping the air.
“I work until 5 pm. Meet me outside after that?”
“Yes, I’ll be here.” I jump waaay too quickly at that answer, but I can’t hide how excited I am. At least it makes her smile too. She shakes her head and walks away but with a smile on her face.
I catch up to her, walking side-by-side as I watch her smiling face unashamedly. She shakes her hands out and squares her shoulders before we reach the conference room. A quick look at me again when she opens the door to their conference room and whispers, “Bye."
“See you later,” I confirm with a dreamy smile and erratic heart rate. Dante is doing backflips in my head, praising me for sealing the deal.
The door closes, but I can see her walk back to her computer to continue what she was doing before I interrupted her. I’d stand here all day watching her with a crazy grin if I could. Gabriel realizes that and nudges me back to reality.
“Shall we?” the receptionist asks when I finally direct my attention to them. I follow them, still looking at my date (Yessss) as she stands in front of a room full of people to start her presentation. She doesn’t look at us, but I can see her smile reciprocating mine.
I can’t help it as my mind returns to my childhood memories. I remember seeing her at holiday events, but no other time. Her mums never found their mates, so they moved in together and raised the two girls they adopted. I have no memories of how she became an orphan, though.
I’m deep in my thoughts when Lissa asks me. “So, are you staying for a few days? I thought we would travel home together.”
“You can stay until Monday.” I hear Gabriel answering for me.
It seems like they haven’t even recognized Sarah. My Sarah. Dante is purring when I think about that. I didn’t even know he could do that.
“Who was she anyway? She acted as if we know her.” I look at her but don’t say anything, and luckily, we arrive back at the front desk, where the lawyers are waiting for us.
“Good morning Messrs. Blackwood, Ms. Shay.”
***
The meeting went well. Everything played out as planned, and although I'm excited to move forward with the plan, I can't seem to focus. We wait at the elevator; I stare at the corridor where I last saw Sarah. I want to see her again.
“Be patient.” My brother links me.
I look at him and then back in Sarah’s direction. He knows. I don't need to explain.
I remember when Gabriel found Lucy. He just stood there for a few moments, staring at her, and then they started moving toward each other. Everyone around them stayed silent. I held my breath till they reached each other.
They immediately reached out to hold each other’s hands while smiling like kids and walked out of the room. I knew instantly that they were mates. I think that is what I expected for myself.
I look back at Gabriel. “Let's get out of here, and we can talk,” he says, and I nod my head. That is all the answer I'm capable of.
“So, who was she?” I hear Lissa.
“None of your business,” Gabriel answers with an Alpha tone in his voice. “You'll go straight to the airport, and I'll meet you there later.”
“Yes, Alpha,” she bares her neck. We reach the park in front of the building, and Lissa leaves to get a cab for herself.
“Let's go get a drink,” Gabriel offers.
“I need that for sure.” I wipe my face with my palms thinking about the craziness of this situation.
“I guess she is your mate.”
“Yes, but I’m not sure. Dante says she is. But I didn't feel what I should feel with the mate bond. And she certainly didn’t feel anything at all.”
“Humans usually don't feel it,” he says nonchalantly, but I growl at my brother.
“She is not a human.”
He laughs at my protectiveness, then stops in front of me with his legs wide apart and arms folded—typical Gabriel. “All right, so who is she?”
“She grew up with Isabella and Amy. She is Avery's sister.”
His eyes widen in surprise. “I didn't recognize her. But now I understand why she was scared and even mad.”
“Yes. I think she was still in grade school when I left for college. But then, one summer, she was gone. I don't know what has happened. Do you know anything?” I ask him, knowing he was in college at that time.
“I think she left to study somewhere else. Dad was still Alpha back then, so I only heard about it after. She never had her first shift. I don't know if she has a wolf. What is Dante telling you?”
“Dante says she is our mate. But he didn't feel her wolf. Maybe she really is a human.” I don’t understand how Dante feels it, but I don’t. I’ve never heard anything like this.
“Everyone thought that she was. I guess that is why she left to study among humans.” Gabriel thinks further.
“That makes sense. Humans don’t feel the bond. Also, when I touched her, I didn’t feel the tingles I should feel with my mate.”
“That is weird. You should've felt everything just the same."
People go on about their lives around us, and we just stand here, thinking through everything we know about the mate bond. “When I let her hand go, emptiness washed over me. Which is like the mate bond, right?”
“Yes, definitely. I assumed she was your mate when you turned towards her and started walking like you were in a trance. That is how wolves usually behave when sensing their mate for the first time.”
“I just followed Dante's instincts. What is going on? I need answers.”
“I head home, and I ask her mums and the doctors about her childhood, and I ask father about how and why she left,” Gabriel says.
“Don't ask father. I have a bad feeling about it.” I reply quickly. I have no idea if she was forced to leave, but her reaction suggests something has happened. I want to figure this out before Father puts me down with his opinion.
“I’ll look into it and let you know. What are you going to do?” he asks me with a frown.
“Well, she agreed to meet me here, so I hope we can talk, and I’ll have some answers about her wolf. I need to learn more about the pull I feel toward her.”
“Are you going to tell her about the bond?” he raises one of his eyebrows.
Am I going to tell her? Should I tell her? She was reluctant to agree to a chat and coffee. How would she react if I just dumped this bomb on her? “I have no idea. Maybe that would scare her away even more.” I need to know first about her wolf and why she is angry at us.
“Yes, that’s possible. She was not happy to see us.” He chuckles.
“No, she wasn’t.” I sigh in defeat.
Sarah The whole day was crazy after Nate showed up. Focusing on work was a new challenge I’d never had before. He’s been gone for hours now, but I still flush when I think about how he smiled at me. How many times have I dreamed about him smiling at me like that? I can’t even count. My mind is full of questions, though. Why is he here? How is it possible that he looks even better? Are we really going to meet today? What am I going to say to him? Hi, you look sexier than ever. … Hey, long time no see… Hi, I’m Sarah, remember me?... Yeah, like any of that would lead to something good… It’s been like ten years since I last saw him, and I almost forgot how it feels to look into his deep blue eyes. With a flick of his smile, my well-built confidence disappeared just to transport my body back to that shy 14-year-old girl’s mind and heart. The memory of the last time I saw him floods my brain: While packing my bags to leave my home to study in a boarding school, I look out the window
Sarah The way he strides toward me shakes my whole world. The last shred of denial that it’s happening breaks when his smile creates a dimple on his left cheek, making butterflies flood my stomach. He is here. Here to meet me. To smile just at me. Even if the world exploded around us, I wouldn’t notice. My brain slows his movements like slow motion in a movie as he bypasses Britt to stand on the other side of the chair where I left my jacket and bag. My mouth has gone dry, and I can’t seem to form words, standing there stupidly with a bottle in each hand. “Hi, Sarah,” he says, and the gravity of his cheeky gaze slices straight through me, shutting up my thoughts. “Here’s a beer.” I croak out awkwardly, handing the bottle. “Thanks, I thought we were having coffee,” he says casually, with that cocky grin still present. It looks like he successfully woke up from the shock he seemed to have in the law firm when we talked. “Oh yeah, I hate coffee, but you can get one.” I mo
Sarah The afternoon sun emits its last rays, but we barely catch any between the area’s skyscrapers. Brit’s arm is still looped over my own as we walk, balancing our work- and gym bags in the sea of people rushing to catch the next subway or train. “So, tell me, how did it go?” Brit implores me ending our silent walk to the gym. “I don’t know. I’m still processing.” I sigh heavily as I wipe my face with a hand. She has no idea where I'm from, what secrets I have to keep, has to hide to protect others. “Ok, then tell me who he is," her voice jumps an octave at the end of that sentence as she inclines her head towards me. “Arrr. Why is he here?” I let out a growl in frustration. “Maybe if you’d talk to me, I could help figure that out.” She stops in front of me, blocking my way on the pavement. “Ok, ok. So, we grew up in the same town. I lived there till I was fourteen," I tell her the truth, keeping it as simple as possible. "He is five years older than me, and we never hang out
Nate I feel ecstatic about how our date went. It’s good that she remembers me positively because that is clearly not her feelings toward the pack in general. The way she stopped as our eyes locked was everything I had hoped for. Seeing her again was the best thing. She was way more relaxed, and we could talk freely. Her feelings were over the roof. I saw everything on her face, from happy smiles to unshed tears in her eyes. The few hours I spent waiting for Sarah to show up was torture. Topping that with the moment I thought, she stood me up. I have no idea what possibly goes through her mind. It was not the ideal way to meet her. If only I could stop myself and wait to maybe approach her, not at her workplace… But I couldn’t think; I just followed my instinct- more like Dante’s instinct. This was a complete intrusion into her life. I didn’t even knock on her office; I just walked in on her presentation. I couldn’t do worse than that. Making a simple conversation was hard when al
Sarah I’m in the forest. Running and running. This feels like the only thing I’ve been doing for a while. The surprisingly chilly weather already made my face sensitive and my feet numb. Running. The untouched nature in this forest would be dangerous for hiking, but I can safely travel on the ground full of leaves. Every color the fall weather can bring surrounds me as the seeds and leaves from the trees cover the ground. I love this season. Not as much as I love winter, but its beauty is undeniable. It is then that I smell wolves around me. I bend down to smell the ground, seeing my paws sinking into the leaves. How do I have paws? I look down at my body and my brown fur. Since when do I have fur? Then the realization hits me. I’m a wolf. I don’t even have a moment to think it through because the wolves I smelt have arrived. They surround me before I can blink. I look around, seeking an escape route. When I turn to run away, a silver-white wolf approaches me. His eyes lock wit
Sarah We sit in silence for a while, and I start eating again as a cover for my awkwardness away. He finally loosens up and continues with his food too. “Do you go to that gym often?” Nate asks, and I brace myself to look at him again. “Yes, I’m a coach there and take classes as well. I teach krav maga twice a week," I nod, and the memory of last night's encounter surges through my brain. Dante's angry growl, then his puppy eyes, before Nate's confusion. “That sounds interesting. How did you come to do that?” he puts his forearms on the table, keeping his gaze on me once again. Being his sole focus still makes me squirm in my seat. “I loved training back in Black River. After I left, I missed the exercise, so I tried a few different sports, and krav maga is something I really enjoy. I became a trainer two years ago.” His face lights up at my answer, and he dives in with questions about training and teaching. He obviously has much more experience in both but seems interested in
Nate “I think we should go. I have to take Abby home,” Sarah says while standing up. “Can’t you stay any longer? She is still having fun with her friend,” I reply. My heart stutters from her sudden coldness. “We have to get home before her mum leaves for her date," she averts my gaze, picking up her bag and searching in it. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.” My curiosity took things too far. She looked indifferent, not a tiny sign of hurt or anger, and I pushed forward with more questions. I know now that I shouldn’t have done it. She was clearly masking her emotions. “It’s okay. What happened has happened. We can’t change that. Plus, it is definitely not your fault. So, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ve been fine for years,” she says, slightly lifting her chin at the end. I try to look into her eyes, but she avoids my gaze successfully as she motions for Abby to come closer. “Yes, but I feel like I just tore up old wounds.” “Well, if you put it that way…” she sighs, and her shoul
Sarah As we step into the apartment, I glance from Nate to Eleanor and back, waiting for their explanation. “We are related – second cousins, I think,” Nate answers first, and Eleanor nods. “What?” I ask as my face scrunches up in disbelief as the thoughts this means storm my brain, rapidly increasing my heartbeat. Beth always told me that Eleanor doesn't know anything about werewolves. But she knows Nate. Was she lying? “My mother and Nate’s mother are cousins,” Eleanor clarifies, glancing from Nate to me from a crouching position in front of Abby. Words get stuck in my throat as I’m gaping for air. I turn around and step back to the corridor, closing the door behind me. What the hell? It can’t be a coincidence that I won a scholarship to the same school Eleanor attended. That means all my suspicions about the previous Alpha and Luna kicking me out of the pack could be true. They knew Eleanor’s mum. They are cousins. The clicking sound of the door interrupts my whirling thoug
Sarah My hands shake in the cold as I hide them in my hoodie’s sleeves. I’d say it’s my nerves because they are on the last thread for sure, but as I plan to undress and shift in a few minutes, I chose not to wear enough clothes. That was a wrong move on my part - the early morning of February day in Black River is freezing. Slipping on the frozen snow for the hundredth time, I curse at my clumsiness today. I’m heading to my childhood hiding spot to meet up with Nate. He convinced me to meet him there, as all I wanted to do was hide somewhere and go through my first shift alone. I don’t really know any other way to deal with things. I would’ve met him afterward, but I wanted to leave the bed before he woke up. Obviously, I failed with that attempt. The hurt I saw in his eyes when I told him about my plan washed over me, guided by our bond. I couldn’t leave him there. So, we settled on me shifting alone, but he’ll be on his way by then. So, here I am, attempting to shift at 25 when
Nate With Sarah’s embrace, the pounding in my ears disappears, and her words soothe me back to reality, where the only thing that matters is that she is beside me. More so in my lap, wrapping me in her intoxicating scent. She must have felt my sudden change in emotions because the featherlight kisses she was leaving on the top of my head, moved to my face and jaw. I couldn’t wait till she connected our lips. I took advantage of our proximity and swallowed her moan as I kissed her fiercely. My tongue searched hers, tasting the soft skin on it. Her hands glide down my chest slowly, teasingly, jumping over my belt to gently feel the length of my shaft, making it pulse. I groan with approval, searching her gaze as she separates us for a moment. A cheeky smile spreads through her face as she bites her bottom lip, and I dive back to capture them again. Yesterday she was adamant that I wasn’t healed perfectly for anything more than cuddling. I didn’t complain. Having her in my arms in m
Nate The pack meeting took an unexpected turn, leaving me seething with anger. Gabriel’s actions went beyond outing and humiliating Sarah when he commanded her in front of everyone. Each word he uttered fueled my fury. I had no idea I could be that mad at him. On top of my own emotions, I had to hold back Dante, who grew increasingly enraged as he sensed Sarah’s distress. He had always respected Gabriel’s wolf, but now, he was ready to attack him if he would anger our mate any further. "Was that really necessary?" I ask as I catch up to him. "Why did you use your alpha tone?” "Yes, it was necessary,” he cuts in, turning back to me swiftly before I could finish my thought. “She has to know I won't tolerate rogues on the territory." Won’t tolerate it? Where is his head at? Even if she was a rogue, that’s not enough reason to demand anything or humiliate her. I close the door behind me. I don’t want to have this conversation in front of everyone else. They already feel Gabriel’s ang
Sarah Being in Nate's house feels surreal. The place is simply perfect, with a cozy style in each room and warmth coming from the logs everywhere. Today, I was overwhelmed by the visits from many pack members. I was pleasantly surprised by how kind and friendly everyone was towards me. Many of them reminisced about our childhood and shared stories about our time together, whether it was practicing together or having something in common at school. Once inside, the world seems to come to a halt, and we swim in happiness. However, the moment we step out, I'm reminded of the other pack members, who are not happy with the recent developments. I see their scolding, hear their murmuring behind me, and I’m back to being the little girl who doesn’t belong here. Even with Lena inside me, I still feel out of place. Some even stop to ask Nate about his recovery, only to ignore me completely. Lena watches everything through my lenses and has her guard up, especially around Gabriel. She doesn’t
Nate Getting back home has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated. I'm concerned that climbing the stairs to my house may reopen my wounds. Leaning on Sarah for support makes me uneasy. This is not how I had envisioned showing her around my place. I’m unable to give her a tour, and even standing seems to be a daunting task. Although I manage to make it to the kitchen, I feel dizzy and realize I'm not as healed as I thought. I spy her facial expressions and movements carefully like a hawk. I want to know what aspects of the house she enjoys and what needs to be changed. Although I trust her honesty and doubt she would mislead me, I’ve been waiting for a long time to witness the genuine joy on her face when she really likes something here. "I love it; it’s perfect," she says, disappearing to look around in the bedroom. Just when Sarah comes back to the kitchen, the doorbell rings. With a bright smile, she gives me a peck on my lips and leaves toward the door, skipping on the w
Sarah This whole situation is absolutely unbelievable. They did everything we suspected. They deliberately wanted to separate us. I’m genuinely at a loss for words. How could any parent do this to their own child? What possible reason could they have? As I lean in to kiss Nate, he pulls me closer to his chest. The tingles rush through me with full force, and I’m speechless by how they spread through my body, waking up every inch and nerve. I find myself leaning against him in an awkward position, desperately yearning for his comforting presence. However, a surge of concern fills my mind, hesitant to get too close, worried that he may not be well enough for such intimacy. Despite putting up a brave front for me, I know his wounds must be causing him pain. Just in time, I pull away as my mum brings food for both of us. I hadn’t realized just how hungry I was. I missed breakfast and lunch, only having a few biscuits Mama packed for me. He whines throughout dinner that he wants steak
Nate The old chair creaks under me in my father’s office as I fidget nervously. We listen intently with my brother and Mark as my father, his Beta, and the pack’s head of security discuss border patrolling. This is the first summer our father asked me to join him and see what it's like to lead a pack. Gabriel has already spent his last three summers with him, training to be the next alpha. He is 14 years old, and I’m 11. As the second-born, I’ll never be the alpha of this pack, so sitting here is a privilege, as my father puts it. The head of security turns his head to the side. His eyes glaze over - the tell-tale sign of mind-linking. “Alpha, someone has entered our territory on the east of the forest,” he informs all of us a moment later. “Just one rogue?” my father asks with a suspicious face. “Yes, only one they could detect,” he answers, eyes glazing over again to get more information. “Who is in the area?” My father stands, and everyone follows. “We have three guards sur
Sarah I’ve never been to this part of the hospital—a long white corridor with many doors on each side. OR1, OR2, and so on. An opening door stops me as two people rush out, discussing a surgery. Then I cross to the area of recovery rooms, and it isn’t just busier; the walls are covered with paintings and photos, and the rooms are filled with chatting relatives. I follow Lena’s instincts to find Nate as our bond pulls me to him. Knowing that the bond is there gives me the greatest comfort and reassurance, strengthening my optimism that he will fully recover. Still, my palms are sweaty my heart is pounding as I quicken my steps again. I reach them just when they push the bed into a room. My heart is about to break out from my ribcage. When my eyes land on his pale face, I let out a huge sigh—probably one I’ve been holding for hours. I stand at the door, desperately waiting for them to set everything up and give me a sign that I can go in. Maybe running from the doctor was not the bes
Sarah It’s been a while since they took Nate for surgery, or at least it feels like it. I pace back and forth in the busy hospital's waiting area, receiving a few confused looks, but I'm too scared to look at anyone. The hospital staff hurries to help everyone, but the waiting area remains empty. The families are just about to leave the safe rooms, and I dread the moment when Nate's parents see me. I hear my name, and someone hugs me tight. The scent of lavender fills my nose, taking my mind back to a long-forgotten childhood, and I realize it is my mum, Amy. “Hi, Honey. I’m so happy to see you.” I feel myself easing a bit, and I finally hug her back. The care and love I received from her those years ago overwhelm me, and my brain is foggy again with all my emotions running through me. When she pulls away to look at me and I see her, I immediately start crying. I see her tearing up as well, and she hugs me again. “I heard from Daniel that you are here.” “Yeah, I finally met my b