Jared noticed the change, but couldn’t figure out the reason.“What’s wrong?” He asked as he touched her chin to make her look at him.“Nothing.” And yet she didn’t smile. That wasn’t reassuring.“It’s not nothing. Tell me.”This time, she smiled. “It’s really nothing. We should start.”They’re at the back of their house for her training with him.“Did someone bully you? What are their names?” He asked as he prepared some weapons they will be using. There were knives and ropes, which made her curious.His questions made her chuckle, though. “No one. What are those for?” She tried to sound upbeat, not wanting him to ask further.“Do you want to guess?”“Are you going to trap me with ropes and I have to use the knives?”His lip twitched. “These are separate exercises, but the first one is correct. You won’t need to use knives, though.”She immediately understood, “You want me to use my claws?”“You should try. It won’t be easy.”“I expect as much. What about the knives, then?”“I’ll tel
He grinned. “Fine. But since you didn’t succeed earlier, you already owe me one.”Her lip twitched. He likes to keep count, doesn’t he?“Alright. Come at me.” She wanted to go on defensive and assumed the proper stance.Jared squinted as he formulated a plan. First, he gauged how good she was with that knife and how much strength she’s exerting. It could never be as good as his, so there is that.To her credit, Polly did give it her best. She held that knife as tightly as she could.He felt a little helpless. “It’s a weapon. You’re supposed to use it!”She gritted her teeth at his reminder, somewhat embarrassed. “Fine!” She stopped treating it like a treasure to be stolen.Jared nodded at the change and sparred with her for a few minutes. Her reflexes are good, being able to deflect his attacks.“Now, try exerting more force.”She grimaced. Just how much more? Her body was sure to ache tonight, what with her limbs being stretched to the limit. Still, she heeded him.“Good, but you’re
When Polly came out of the bathroom, Jared was nowhere to be found. She called out for him, but she got no answer. She washed up and changed her clothes before setting up the table. She waited for him, but an hour quickly passed by.Then, she received Sab’s message. She was informed of the details.“I see. Is he being punished tonight?”“That, I don’t think so.”“He’s not home yet.”“I wish I could tell you, but I don’t know where he is.” Sab didn’t like lying, but that man probably needed to be alone for a while.“Right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to . . . I’ll just wait for him.”“Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”“Hmm. Thank you.”Polly stared at the food on the table. She doesn’t have an appetite but she forced herself to eat. It would be too much of a waste.She kept waiting for him. After a while, she was tempted to go out and look for him.“Where are you?” She felt even more sad. They only have limited time together and now he’s nowhere to be found. She felt like crying again. And
Jared called her but she was so mad and ignored him. He was rattled by her actions. She rarely shouts and she looked really angry. He wasn’t sure what to do.“Fuck!” He ran a hand through his hair, getting frustrated. What should he do? He stared at the food he was cooking and turned off the stove. He went out to go after her. He could tell she’s really mad and it was a first. His gentle and sweet Polly showed a different side to him. He wanted to admire it but now is not the time.She didn’t exactly run, so he was able to follow her. She seemed to be fuming as she went into her parents’ house. He didn’t dare to follow her inside. He waited from a distance. Heck, he’s feeling stupid. The only reason he followed her was to make sure she was safe. He was reminded of the time she walked out of Blood Moon and got into trouble. He knew she’s safe here, but still . . . He has no other reason for following her. Sighing, he considered what he could tell her. He’s sure she would remain angry u
Jared smiled at her irritated tone, “I’ll tell you.” He’s now more than happy to share whatever she wants to know.“Do you really like me?” He can’t help but ask as they neared their place.Polly’s lip twitched and she rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”“Just this once. Please?” The happiness that stemmed from hearing it was unlike anything he’s ever experienced.“Why don’t you tell me first?” She realized she couldn’t remember if he has directly told her that he likes her. Most of the time, he simply implied that in conversations.“I like you.”Damn, she was not expecting it to sound so . . . sincere. And heartfelt. She blushed despite herself and gritted her teeth to say it back.“I like you, too.”His lip twitched as it was apparent she sounded forced this time. He quietly sighed and brought her home, his hand remained on her waist and she wasn’t stiff with it.Fuck. Polly grimaced and felt terrible. Why did she sound like that? Should she say it again? Maybe an
“How about you? How much do you trust me?”Jared carefully chose his words this time, “I think you’re a loyal person. You’re loyal to this pack, to your family and to your friends. Though our relationship is not yet great, I don’t think you’re capable of betraying me. I think you’re innately loyal to me as your mate, no matter how annoying you think I am. I’m sure I can trust you with my life.”She raised an eyebrow at that, then frowned. Trust her with his life? What kind of situation is that?He lightly chuckled upon seeing her confusion. “I may not need you to help me in a fight, but I think if you’re able you would without needing me to ask you. Or something like that.”Her lip twitched. She can understand that.“I guess we still have a lot to learn about each other.” She concluded and he didn’t add more, simply staring at her and smiling.&ld
The next morning, Polly found him in the kitchen and asked him if he’s fine.He grinned at her, “Of course, I am. How’s your sleep?”“Uh, good. Aren’t I supposed to do the cooking today?” She felt a little guilty. Did she sleep in? She’s supposed to get up early. Checking the time, she lamented that she woke up an hour later than she should have.“I’m sorry.”“It’s fine. I wanted to cook something special for us. It’s a special day, after all.”Polly paused. It is? What’s the occasion? Shit. Was it his birthday? Wait, no. It isn’t. She already knew when his birthday is and it’s still half a year away. So, what’s special about today?“Uhm, what’s . . . what are we celebrating?” She sheepishly went to help him with whatever she could and immediately set the table.“Well, it’s technically yesterday. The day we officially confessed that we like each other. I’d like to celebrate it longer. I’m still happy as it is.”Fuck, why must he smile like that? It’s too bright! He looked absolutely g
Except for that one time, he never missed a training session, so she was sure he would come. She did find it odd, though, that he hasn’t appeared yet.“What’s going on over there?” Hana noticed some movement on the other side of the grounds.“Where are they going?” Ren stood as they watched the others.“Let me check.” Leo volunteered and left them for a moment.“There’s no attack, is there?” Gareth became visibly worried.“I don’t think so. The Alpha would’ve informed us all.” Ren reasoned and Polly nodded in agreement.They watched as Leo hurriedly returned to their side.“Oh, shit. I think it’s bad.” He looked at Polly guiltily.“What is it?” She became anxious because of his expression.“It’s Jared. A group of guys cornered him or something. I heard he was provoked again. Hey, Polly!”She didn’t wait for him to finish speaking and ran towards the gathering crowd.The others followed behind. It was only a short distance, so they arrived quickly.Polly’s expression darkened when she
The alpha king audibly sighed in exasperation. These kids! Why don’t they listen?Thankfully, Jordan didn’t react negatively. In a way, he felt relieved that he could tolerate her proximity now. He managed a smile, which she promptly returned. He looked more handsome when he smiles!When the guy Alex called showed up, Jordan tensed up again.“Just stay there for now. We’re doing an experiment.” Alex instructed.“Alright.”“You’re not looking at him.” Alex noted, wondering why the boy would display aggression.Jordan grunted, “I could very well imagine him looking this way. At her.”Alex sighed. So, the potion worked for his possessive tendencies, but not for aggression.Through the mind-link, Alex asked the other boy to move closer. Jordan growled in warning and Alex told the boy to go, thanking him for his participation.“Were you like this yesterday? It’s a wonder you haven’t brawled with anyone yet.”“The training helped in distracting me. Right now, there’s nothing to distract me.”
She sheepishly told her parents what happened and she didn’t like the look her father was giving her.“He already told you that he’s having difficulty controlling himself and you still went to corner him? What were you thinking?”She pouted as she explained, “I just wanted to see for myself what exactly he’s going through.”Alex sighed. “What would you have done if he lost control? You should be thankful he managed to stop.”“Why is it my fault? It’s his responsibility to control himself.”“But you went to him, triggering the bond further. In that sense, it was your fault.”“Still, nothing really happened. I’m fine. Why is it that he’s strongly affected by the bond? The others I’ve seen weren’t.”This time, it was her mom who replied. “It’s different for everyone. You should be glad you’re not as affected as he was.”Xandra took a deep breath. “Fine. I understand.” She’d seen it for herself, so what else can she say? She also became curious. Why is it that he’s feeling more compared t
Xandra sat on her bed. She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and doing her best to locate him within the castle. She can’t mess up and link to a random person. She’d done that before and it was mortifying.She pictured his face in her mind and called for his name. Jordan. She called him three times before receiving a reply.He frowned when he heard someone calling him, but he’s currently alone in his room. He thought maybe someone was calling from outside the door. Also, it was a girl’s voice. What’s a girl doing in the men’s dormitory?“Who is it?” Frowning, he got up and went to open the door. He saw a couple of guys further down the hallway but that was it.As he closed the door, he heard her voice again.“It’s me, Xandra. You know who I am, don’t you?”“Xandra?” He gulped, unsure if he’s hallucinating or not. They’re not mated, so how can they have a link?“Hmm, you know who I am, right?” She badly wanted his answer to that.“The younger princess.”“And?”Jordan took a de
A few years later, in the middle of the night . . .Xandra gasped as she woke up, her surroundings still shrouded in darkness. What is it? She asked in her head. She sniffed as she caught a faint scent in the air. It was faint but something she immediately recognized. Her mate! He’s here!She grinned as she hurried from her bed and went to her older sister’s room.“Kaia!” She shouted with much excitement.The older woman bolted from her bed and even managed to take out the knife she kept strapped on her thigh. Her expression was one of confusion, even so, she was ready to fight. “What?”“Do you still sleep with that thing? You’re inside the palace.”Kaia frowned, looked outside the window, and stepped off the bed. “What did you yell for?! The sun’s not even out yet!”Xandra jumped up and down in front of her. “My mate! He’s here!”“What?”“I can sense him! I think he just arrived!”Kaia grimaced. “Why are you excited? He might not even be someone you’ll like. Calm down!”Yeah, that se
The thing is . . . the guy she likes is a year younger than her. She was nervous when her eighteenth birthday came, hoping she won’t feel a mate bond towards someone else. She was both relieved and disappointed when she felt nothing, though. If he was her mate, they’ll only know when he turns eighteen. And so, they continued their training.As his birthday loomed, she couldn’t help the trepidation she’s feeling. Still, they remained close and for his part, he was somewhat excited. He already told her when his exact birthday was, as if it was important that she needed to know.“What’s this about?” Janelle accepted his invitation to hang out. The Royal Pack has a dormitory for all visiting trainees, but this guy was a nephew of the reigning royals. He has a room of his own, which was twice as big as a regular room in Red Rogues.“Your room is nice.” She commented after looking around.Austin cleared his throat. “Tomorrow’s my birthday. I’m wondering if you would care to celebrate it wit
“You fucked up.”Polly stated from behind Jared as they watched their son walking away.He sighed before facing her. “What do you think I should’ve done?”“You could’ve told him much earlier.”“It’s not as if it was a secret. Everyone knew we meant for Janelle to take over as alpha.”“He’s still young. He might have heard but he might not have taken it seriously. Still, you haven’t properly discussed this with Janelle either, have you?”“I’m waiting until she’s of age.”“Shouldn’t you do it sooner? What if she declines? You would’ve made your son upset for no reason.”Jared grunted before sighing. “Would she?”“From my observation, I don’t think she’s quite interested.”He sighed again as Polly stood next to him.“He’s as mature as his sister. And I think she understands that as they grow older, she’ll be physically weaker than him.”His lip twitched. It’s true that he initially planned it that way because he wanted to be unconventional. He wanted to show that he doesn’t care if his h
Jared was worried. He left his mate and their daughter home. Polly was sick and couldn’t come with him to the celebration. The Alpha King and Luna Queen will be officially recognized. He was reluctant to go but she convinced him that he must.“You’re an alpha now. Your presence is required.”When he didn’t look convinced, she added, “We’ll be fine here. Nothing would happen. Alex already confirmed that there are no more Lycans. No one would attack us while you’re gone. Besides, don’t you remember Luna’s words? We’ll have a son soon.”Her eyes twinkled, looking forward to having another child. She has waited for so long before they were blessed with one. The prospect of having another made her excited. She wanted to be a mother. She wanted them to have an actual family, complete with children.He sighed as he relented, “Fine. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”“I know. Try to have a little fun, Jared. The war is over. When you return, we’ll be able to focus on our own lives. I’d like to
He sighed, holding her tighter, “I’m not. I’m sorry I made you worried.”“I thought you were upset that I finally got pregnant and that you didn’t really want to have a child.” She finally aired her complaint, wanting to hear his reassurance.He seemed surprise by her assumption, “How could that be? I want this child. I want to give you everything you want, anything that would make you happy.”He bent down and gave her a long kiss, which was exceptional.“I want you to name her.” She implored him after recovering her wits.“Me?”“Yes. Please?”Damn. He’s feeling more pressure from this task than the possibility of becoming an alpha.“Wait. Her? How do you know it’s a girl?” He raised an eyebrow and looked down at her stomach. That’s a pity. He wanted to have a boy, an heir.She grinned at his reaction and knew what he must be thinking. “Luna told me. Didn’t she tell you we’ll have another child after you become an alpha? That one will be a boy so you don’t need to worry about an heir.
“It’s not about the baby. He loves you and he wants the baby as much as you do because he knew it would make you happy. I told him one other thing. Just like you, he probably didn’t believe me at first, but now that you’re pregnant, he must be thinking the other matter will also come to pass. It’s something he has already given up on, so he’s probably having a hard time accepting it again. He’ll come around. Just give him time and continue to support him. You two are made for each other. He needs you.”Polly was relieved to hear it, but she became curious, too. “What else did you tell him?”Luna pursed her lips. “It’s not my matter to say. You should hear it from him. I’m sure he would eventually tell you. Just wait a bit more. Don’t be hurt by his actions. He’s already struggling so just show him your support. You’ve done it before, right?”She gave Polly an encouraging smile and the woman was reminded by her words. Yes, she has done it before. Years ago, she told him to open up to h