Chapter 7

Carrie

I went here with one goal in mind, to use the alpha of Silverfang, Jesse Morris, to make my ex-boyfriend jealous.

Vera, my wolf spirit, was upset. She hid away in the depths of my mind, refusing to communicate. But I paid no attention to her. She knew me well. My inner wolf understood that I was determined and persistent. I always pursued what I desired, unshaken by my father or my overprotective brothers.

But one kiss changed everything. 

I am no virgin. I wasn't inexperienced when it came to kissing and pleasuring a man. I could proudly say that I shared all my firsts with just one man—Noah. This was uncommon for she-wolves, you see. We were expected to remain pure until we discovered our destined mate. We were supposed to remain chaste until we met them. That was the general expectation, but not mine. I had always been different. I rejected conformity and established my own rules. My body, my choice. 

Consequently, many members of our pack despised me for being so open-minded. I couldn't blame them, though. I always exuded confidence and remained unshaken by other’s opinions. I knew what I want in life.  Nothing could intimidate me. 

Except him. 

There was something in his eyes that made me lose myself a bit. When he inched forward and locked his eyes in mine, I knew what he was planning to do. It was a familiar expression, one I had seen countless times when Noah and I would passionately reunite after long periods apart. Yet, this time, there was a different energy emanating from him. It wasn't merely lust.  Rather, it was more of a deep sense of longing, as if he had found an oasis after years of looking for water in the middle of a scorching hot desert. 

Logic dictated that I should have taken a step back, creating some distance between us. I should have pushed him away, asserting my boundaries. However, against my better judgment, I remained rooted in place. I stood firm as he claimed my lips, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. It wasn't my first kiss, but it felt like it all over again. No, it was even better than that. Though it may sound cliché, the moment his lips met mine, it was as if I could hear the explosions of fireworks in the air. I was momentarily swept away, drifting into a world of my own.

Suddenly, his words pierced through my thoughts like a sharp knife, bringing me crashing back to reality. 

"Mine. All mine," he declared, his possessiveness hanging heavily in the air. How dare he lay claim to me as if I were some object to be owned? I am nobody’s property! Who gave him the right to own me as his?

Fury surged through my veins, and I felt an intense urge to slap him across the face, to make him understand that his actions were unacceptable. But just as I was about to unleash my anger, his mother intervened, sensing the tension in the room. With a gentle yet commanding gesture, she invited us to follow them into the kitchen.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to regain composure and not cause a scene. I studied his mother, trying to see past my anger. She appeared warm and welcoming, genuinely pleased to be connecting with my family. It was the first time I had witnessed my father so at ease in someone's presence. The Grand Luna of Silverfang certainly knew how to captivate and entertain their guests.

Perhaps, I should let go of my anger and try to forget about that unwanted and non-consensual kiss.

As we kept on eating, Jesse couldn't stop staring at me, and it made me feel self-conscious. I wondered if I had some crumbs on my face or if I looked foolish while chewing. It was really annoying! But I had to remember to behave like a proper lady. After all, I'm the daughter of our pack's Beta. I had to uphold my status and always act in a way that would give justice to my father’s rank.

Then, my dad turned to Jesse and asked him if he truly wanted to be my mate. Without any hesitation, he replied with those cheesy lines that made me cringe. Seriously, how could he promise eternity to someone he barely knew? Noah couldn’t even make me his Luna despite us being in a relationship so how did he manage to give away that position so easily? 

"And what about you, Carrie? Are you willing to give this relationship a chance? Do you want to see where it leads?"

That question caught me completely off guard. With a trembling hand, I reached for a glass of water, seeking comfort in its contents. Shit, my mind is all over the place. What should I say? The answer should have been obvious yet again, my tongue betrayed me. 

"Yes, Dad. I'm willing to give it a try," I stammered my heart racing. Oh shit, why did I say that? How could I be so foolish? I immediately regretted my words, wishing I could take them back.

"Well, maybe it's time you two had some alone time to get acquainted," her mom suggested, breaking the tension. I wanted to protest, to put an end to this charade, but I held my tongue. Instead, I decided to go with the flow, for now.

As soon as everyone left the room, Jesse turned to me, curiosity etched on his face. He asked me what had made me so disinterested in all of this. I didn't know how to respond; his question caught me off guard. Feeling at a loss for words, I bowed my head, searching for an explanation. But Jesse wouldn't let it go. He persisted, urging me to share my true feelings. His sincerity melted my defenses, and before I knew it, I made up my mind to tell him the truth.

"I wasn't expecting to meet my mate," I confessed, my voice trembling. Jesse's lips curled into a smirk, indicating that he understood. He also stated he felt the same so I felt compelled to clarify further. Maybe if I phrased it differently, he would grasp the depth of my emotions.

"No, let me explain. I'm just not interested in finding my mate," I elaborated, hoping he would understand the complexity of my situation.

He appeared taken aback, which was to be expected. So I continued, mustering the courage to unveil what was on my mind. 

"I mean, I'm not interested in finding my mate because, well... I'm in love with another man."

There, I said it. As much as I wanted to pull my own hair from saying it, what was done is done. Now, it is only a matter of time for him to reject me. Who in their right mind would want a mate whose heart belonged to someone else, anyway? Well, it doesn’t matter. After all, he was still a stranger to me so I wasn’t that affected. 

Vera's words echoed in my mind, reminding me of the consequences of playing with someone's heart. I should remain loyal to Noah. Using Jesse to win him back seemed like a terrible idea after all.

Just as I was ready to abandon this ill-conceived plan, the world shifted beneath my feet as Jesse uttered something that turned my world upside down.