7 - Second Opinion

~Lola’s Point of View~

I laid in bed, tossing and turning. Part of me felt like I’d humiliated myself, the other part felt that Drake humiliated me. 

Granted I was putting on a hell of a show, full on Oscar winning performance if I do say. But he rejected me. Yeah I guess I have no clue what it is to find your fated mate, clearly I haven’t. It’s likely I won’t, just seems like some fairy tale. Some mumbo jumbo.

There was a couple I’d met though, Ty and Bethany. They were fated mates and they couldn’t look more opposite. She was actually taller than him but together, they just fit and were totally adorable. Everything about their actions showed how in love they were. They had twin girls and another one on the way. 

A part of me tried to understand Drake’s logic, but the cold black part of my heart that was just desperate to go home didn’t really care. I had to be in my mom’s arms again, I had to feel my dad’s warmth and hear his laugh. My friends … did they miss me the same as I missed them?

I had so many dreams, I had a freaking scholarship to the university of my choice. I was going to make something of myself, do something big with my life. I wasn’t going to just abandon that to stay here and do laundry, make babies for the rest of my freaking life.

I convinced myself this was the way out. If Drake couldn’t agree to mate me, I was screwed. I couldn’t very well just turn around and throw myself at Jett or Dane instead. I didn’t know who the third Alphas was yet but that wouldn’t matter.

The next day I didn’t see Drake at all. Maybe it was paranoia but I was certain everyone was whispering. It always seemed like they were talking to each other yet they actually weren’t and I couldn’t figure it out. But it sure pissed me off.

I had asked someone where Belle’s house was and I wandered in that direction.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

From behind the door I heard what sounded like a ton of kids. Did she run their daycare?

“Hey! You must have heard my silent plea. The males had to go hunting today, we’re short on meat. Grab a kid and help will ya? I’m freaking losing it today,” she said, a baby in each of her arms.

They certainly favored her, and I couldn’t hold my tongue anymore. 

“Are they all your children,” I asked, picking up a toddler who was at my feet crying.

“Yep! All twelve,” she said, sighing.

My eyes practically bugged out of my head when I realized the pair she was holding were twins and there was another set at the table coloring. They had to be at least four. The kids were all different ages and races. Some were sitting quietly doing homework, others were straight up raising hell.

“How? Why? You … all … you…” I couldn’t even speak. I felt as though I was punched in the gut.

“Yeah, might as well tell you my business now. But only if you help me get dinner together,” she said, dropping one of the infants in a crib. 

I nodded, absentmindedly. She had a really nice cabin, one of the more modern I’d seen and there was a hallway with doors so likely at least three bedrooms. 

“Actually girl, I’m dying. I’ll tell you my business if you tell me why Drake didn’t mark you,” she said, sticking her hip out. 

This was a side of her I hadn’t seen, gossip Belle. She was normally quiet and kind of straight to the point. I made a face but I was actually anxious to talk it out with someone.

“You first,” I said, sitting in a recliner with the child still in my arms. She reached for a toy on a nearby table and played with it in my lap.

Belle sighed and deposited the other child on a playmat on the floor. She then washed her hands and began to chop vegetables at the kitchen island before she spoke.

“I was rescued by Alpha Jett about eight years ago now. I had my fated mate, my two oldest are his but they went on the hunt today. He was killed when rogues raided my pack and well, if I didn’t have Fallon and Henry I wouldn’t have made it. Jett found us a few days later, close to starvation. My wolf had been able to get some small game but it was nowhere near enough. Our situation was beyond dire and if a rogue had found us I can’t even imagine…” she trailed off.

I nodded, understanding. 

“Tell me about your mate, what’s it like,” I asked, unable to help myself.

A grin crept across her face like I hadn’t seen. 

“His name was Rylan. He was a lot older than me. I was only 17 when he found me, he was nearly 30. It was totally by chance. He was visiting my small pack to offer some security assistance and he caught my smell. It only took one look and I absolutely knew he was it. He was the love of my life and my everything. My whole body just came alive and after we mated life just was fuller, so much more. Anyway, our packs merged and became stronger. For about four years we had an amazing life and we were so happy. 

The night the rogues attacked it completely blindsided us. We’d just had a funeral for a pup that had been stillborn, everyone was so sad. Having a baby is the biggest blessing the goddess could give us, and to lose one is devastating to all. Without another generation to carry on our ways, to carry on our bloodlines we have nothing to look forward to. Anyhow, Jett brought us here and I didn’t find another mate. I really didn’t want to. I was just still so heartbroken. 

But the males here are just so sweet, so nice and incredible. They’ve all been so tender with me, so careful. I couldn’t possibly be more loved. So I couldn’t pick just one. I commit to one when I’m ready to have another baby and I stay with him until the birth and maybe after. I may still see some of the other fathers sometimes but it all works. If they get jealous they never show it. There are a few other females like me that opted for this kind of life and to not commit to one single male. For my wolf it was hard but she’s happy with it now. Happy we’ve brought so much joy to so many and given many males the chance of a lifetime, to be a father,” she said, looking down at her children scattered around.

A weird feeling washed over me. Regret. I was suddenly so annoyed with myself.

I hadn’t really made much of an effort to get to know people here, I told myself not to get attached. The goal was always to leave. But somehow I wasn’t totally sure now it was going to be that easy. 

I was also still having nightmares about the combat, about the other girls there. I don’t think I could live with myself never knowing what happened to them. 

“Are there other packs like Black Cove that are nice? That try to save women the way they do here,” I asked.

She looked sad and shook her head.

“Black Cove is like a beacon in the dark. In North America, it’s just about the last true pack, and certainly there isn’t another of this size. There are rumors of smaller ones in the south, maybe 50 members or less. But we have over 620 strong. We’re extremely organized and well trained. Even the way things are set up rogues would have to get through many miles and layers before they could get to the center. That’s why all the women and pups are in the middle, and all the electricity, the costly items we’ve acquired. If they get this far in, then there’s no saving us,” she said, still chopping away.

I gulped at that. I couldn’t really wrap my head around the size of this place.

“Why is it called Black Cove,” I asked, since she seemed so agreeable to answering questions.

“Oh you’ll see one day. We have a large coastline on the southwest end, it’s stunning. White sandy beaches and clear water. I haven’t been in awhile but I’d love to take the kids in the summer. The tale is that there was a big human pirate ship called “The Black” that sank half a mile off shore,” she said, as she moved around.

The girl in my arms was now asleep and I was afraid to move, but I got up slowly and laid her in another crib at the far end of the living room.

“That one is Junebug, she falls asleep so easily,” Belle laughed.

I washed my hands and got busy helping her. By the time I knew it, hours had passed and we’d made quite a feast.  She said she normally feeds about forty and of course males eat like dump trucks. 

“Even if they ate while they hunted they will have run off all the calories and be able to eat all over,” she said, as she led me into a dining room behind the kitchen. There was a massive table that could seat a few dozen. 

“You feed this many, every single day and care for all those kids,” I said, in shock.

She waved her hand like it was no big deal.

“I normally have at least two or three fathers to help me and my two oldest, but our freezers are pretty low. They needed to get a big haul today,” she said, as we laid out dishes.

As we got things together and tended to a few children she finally said, “don’t think I haven’t forgotten that you owe me a story.”

I grumbled.

“I literally did all I could, I mean … all that I imagined he would have wanted. But I’m not his fated mate and I guess that is the cold hard truth. What happens if he mates me and then finds her,” I asked, since I had certainly wondered that.

“Well you’re sunk. You won’t know it. If you mated him right now and his fated mate walked by ten minutes later there would be nothing. No attraction, no electricity. The Goddess severs the connection. She may find someone else, she might not. But he’d be with you and that would be that,” she said.

I fell into a chair and sighed, crossing my arms over my chest. 

“Look, you can't know because you've never fully seen it, the magic. But it stops you dead in your tracks. That feeling of knowing someone else's heartbeat is for you and only you, it’s the most precious thing. But waiting for that and having it never manifest can be pretty fucking lonely and miserable. You’ve got the whole pack by the balls as a female, the pick of anyone you could want. You have no idea how much power that is,” she said. 

Damn. That’s so heavy. Beyond heavy. I supposed I could see Drake’s point too, but still. 

I heard a commotion outside and some rowdy voices, the men were back. I had no clue if I wanted to stick around for all this or not. 

“Belle, what would you do in my shoes,” I asked, hoping I could have just another few moments alone with her.

“Drake is literally one of the best people you could ever want to meet. Don’t fuck with his heart. You’re either all in or you’re not. But if you want him, go get him,” she said, just as the door opened.

I stood and went back into the living room, trying to get out of the way as men barrelled in from all directions. I paced for a minute, a million thoughts racing through my head. Weird scents started to permeate the house and one in particular made me nauseous. I blew outside and took in the fresh air, coughing a bit.

I was instantly met with several large dead animals, strung upside down and hanging from a tree. My feet moved swiftly, in the opposite direction as I tried to get away, but I kept my head down.

THUMP

I grabbed my forehead, knowing it was soon to start throbbing. I tried to focus and realized I’d walked straight into a man’s back. My body tensed as I quickly recognized one of his tattoos. It was Drake. 

A naked, Drake.