Chapter 4 - André

I don’t even know how to begin processing this. I was elated when I smelled my mate on that battlefield. Even more when I realized he wasn’t from Mandonie. I hadn’t felt this type of happiness in my life. And I thought I was over the moon when papa found Crista. 

Finding my mate eclipsed it all. Or at least it did until that look on his face. I’ve been given that look plenty of times in my life. It’s what happens when you come out as gay while in kindergarten.

Other kids were struggling with tying their shoes and learning the alphabet while I was dealing with the judgment of even adults for the way I am. 

The last person I thought I’d ever had to be judged by was my mate. Yet here I am. Being judged by the person who should love me. I will not let my mate break me.

And I will not let anyone realize I’m hurting. I clenched my fists as I headed for papa’s car in the town hall parking lot.

“André!?” Crap, someone who can see right through me just called my name. I take a breath and force a smile on my lips as I turn to greet my cousin and future Beta, Alexander. 

“Ciao, cugino. You missed all the fun. How are the wounded? Is Piero going to be okay?” I peppered my cousin with questions, being sure to keep my usual upbeat tone. If I can fool him, I’ll be safe to drive home where I’ll have to fool papa and, worse, Katrina. 

Alexander sighed, shaking his head, running a hand over his blonde hair. He’s really far too handsome for his own good. He’s accepted my sexuality since he was old enough to understand what it meant.

Too bad he couldn’t be my mate. I mean, it’s not like we are actually cousins. There are no blood ties between us. And it would be so much easier. Tragically he’s not my mate and as straight as they come.

‘We don’t need anyone else. We have a mate. We don’t know his name, but we have him. He will come around. Crista came around for your father and Chesed.’ Duilio encouraged.

‘You’re right. I am my papa’s son. And if he could get someone as stubborn as Crista to succumb to his charms, I can certainly get my mate to do the same.’ I nodded in agreement. 

“Only you and Zio Chesed would call a war fun. The wounded will all recover. Piero will have to keep his arm in a sling for a couple of days while he heals. He had wolfsbane in his system, so it’s slowing the process.” Alexander sighed. 

I could see the tiny spark of judgment. Alexander knows I’ve been screwing around with Piero for a while now. He’s never called me out on sleeping around. He knows I wasn’t going to hold my breath for a mate.

The pot shouldn’t call the kettle black. My cousin is far from innocent. I know a few she-wolves that have stumbled out of his bed.

Always to the disgust of his mother, who doesn’t like him sleeping around. We won’t tell her that Zoe isn’t a virgin either. That’d go about as smoothly as telling papa Katrina isn’t. 

Though I keep a mental list of every male Katrina’s slept with. So if they ever piss me off, I tell papa they slept with her and watch the chaos. Okay, I’m a twisted person. But well, I am the son of the infamous Alpha Alec. 

“Hmm. I will have to stop by and check on Piero.” I winked. Alexander simply rolled his eyes at me. 

Duilio growled in my head. ‘Like hell we are. I turned a blind eye to you screwing around before, but I will take control from you and not give it back if you think for even a moment we are touching another.’

‘I’m not actually going to. I mean, I might check on Piero, but I wouldn’t do anything with him.’ I insisted. Duilio huffed and curled up in a corner, wrapping his tail over his snout yellow eyes watching me.

‘I’m serious. I wouldn’t do that. At least not without a formal rejection from our mate.’ I assured

“Heading to the villa?” Alexander nodded to the car. “Yes. We managed to very easily stop this attack. So I want to go bring Isis back for her mate. He will be happy to see her. I also need to let papa know the Bloodmoon wolves have arrived.” I nodded. 

“Well, he already knows. Four trucks arrived with some of them. Mamma and Zoe got them set up in rooms at the town hall. One of them will be fine in the morning.” Alexander shrugged. I arched an eyebrow, then burst out laughing.

“Oh, tell me. Come on. You don’t get to tease me with good gossip and not deliver.” I shoved him. Alexander laughed, rubbing his arm before sighing.

“I don’t know which wolf it was. I just know one of them was ballsy. He slapped Zoe on the ass and thanked her for showing him to his room.” Alexander was laughing so hard he was leaning his head on my shoulder.

I was cracking up too because I can just imagine the look on my cousin’s face as she turned the handsy American into a statue. My laughter faded as the enticing smell of my mate filled my nose. Duilio raised his head, taking interest that our mate was near. Looking over Alexander’s shoulder, I spotted him.

He walked with Kurt and another handsome male with thick black hair and blue eyes. His distance from Kurt was respectful, probably acquaintances at best. But they were standing very close with the other man’s arm across his shoulders with the other male. 

My heart started to beat faster with the annoyance of someone touching my mate so familiarly. Only when the male turned his head to Kurt did I relax.

There very proudly displayed on his neck was a mate mark. The male is mated and therefore not a threat. Not some lover, my mate, came here with.

I froze as my mate’s head turned and his Caribbean eyes locked on mine. I felt a chill run through me as his eyes narrowed, looking away from me to Alexander, who was still laughing leaning on me. ‘Get him off us! We don’t want our mate thinking your Beta is more.’ Duilio shouted.

It was too late. I saw the way his nostrils flared before he turned his head away and went inside with Kurt and the other Bloodmoon wolves.

FUCK! Come on! Can’t I get a break? What did I do to anger you, Goddess? Is this somehow your punishment for sleeping around? 

I groaned and playfully shoved my cousin off me. “Priceless. Get a pic for me. I want to show Katrina. I’d say I would show papa, but he might kill the boy.” I grinned. 

“Yeah, I should. I want to keep that for blackmail later. In case the shithead needs a reminder to not fuck with a Petridis.” Alexander smiled.

“Go get Isis. Tell Zio Alec and Zia Crista hello for me. I’ll make sure the Bloodmoon wolves are settling in and not pissing my sister off.” Alexander waved as he headed inside.

I sighed, slipping into the car driving home. Should I take it as a good sign? I mean, he was jealous. Granted, unjustifiably since Alexander is my cousin. But jealousy can be a good sign. If he’s jealous, it means, on some level, he wants me. I can work with that.

“I’M HOME!” I called out, cupping my hands around my mouth. Did I need to announce my arrival to the whole villa? Probably not. But if I didn’t, then I just wouldn’t be me. And I have to act like nothing’s wrong. 

Crista and papa poked their heads out of the study. While my sister and the girls wandered out of the media room. Once again, this attack wasn’t close enough to require everyone to use the shelter in the basement. 

I glanced at my father and his mate. To the untrained eye, everything looked normal. But I smirked as I saw his fly still unzipped and that her dress wasn’t entirely laying right in the back.

‘Papa, your fly’s unzipped, and you should fix Crista’s dress. It’s pretty obvious you took her from behind.’ I winked at them as I sent the link message.

Papa rolled his eyes but discreetly zipped his fly, followed by a tug at Crista’s dress to cover her adequately. I snickered as she blushed, realizing how close she was to more than just me noticing her dress was out of sorts. 

They are too adorable for words. And so damn horny, but Crista’s in heat, so there’s that. Round of applause to my papa for getting laid multiple times a day at his age. Don’t tell him I said that, though. Pretty sure Chesed would come out and kick my ass. 

“So you’re back. What happened? I already heard the Bloodmoon warriors arrived.” Papa questioned, folding his arms as everyone had now circled up in the foyer. I grinned, now the center of attention. I do love being the center of attention.

I began talking with my hands almost as much as my mouth. “Yes, they did. Not that their help was all that necessary with pushing back this attack. Icky Iggy is either dumb, has untrained warriors, or fucking with us. Because these wolves were as easy to rip through as a tissue.”

“Well, I can attest to the fact Mandonie has strong warriors. No weaklings could have massacred our pack.” Persephone snorted, glancing up from her phone. I’m not sure what she’s doing on it. But if she’s playing a game while I’m regaling everyone with my tale, I’ll be pissed.

“He’s being strategic. He sent his Gamma and a unit of strong wolves to attack the coven. Now he’s sending weaker wolves to throw at us. He’s hoping to weaken our warriors, tire them out before he sends his stronger warriors.” Papa mused.

I smiled because, of course, my papa would see through such tactics. “That makes the most sense. This was the third wave since I left the villa this morning. He’s prodding at the different points of our territory.” I nodded in agreement. 

“He’s got encampments being built ten miles outside your territory along the border.” Persephone stated. The middle Fayte is a curveball of a girl, so you never know what she’s going to do or say. Everyone’s attention went to her.

“What? I’m tracking using satellite images. Icky Iggy can use witches and old-timey shit all he likes but a heat signature is a heat signature.” The blonde spitfire looked up from her phone and blinked those green eyes. 

“A satellite? How do you have access to a satellite?” Papa questioned, folding his arms with that stern papa look in his eyes. “Persephone Adelaide Fayte, did you hack the government again?” Crista demanded, all saucy, putting her hands on her hips. 

Persephone merely shrugged, and I broke out laughing. “Oh… Oh, I do love you Fayte females. Never a dull moment. Persy, can you send that…” I pointed at her phone. “To my laptop back at town hall? I’m sure Zio Damon and I could make good use of that.” I questioned.

“Yeah, sure.” Persephone shrugged, going back to her phone, her fingers moving nimbly. “I did one better. Check your phone. You can then connect your phone to whatever computer you want to access it.” She smirked, pocketing her phone. 

“You’re terrifying. But okay, so that’s the status of things. And since things look all clear and Kurt is an adorably miserable wreck without his Isis to snuggle. Let’s go, girlie.” I waved for Isis to come with me.

The sweet girl blushed as I called her out for snuggling her mate. The fact Kurt and Isis aren’t doing more than making out is a testament to their control.

If my mate hadn’t looked at me the way he did back there, I’d have been fucking him against the nearest tree. But I often lack impulse control. 

“I’ll keep you updated, papa.” I gave a mock salute before guiding Isis to the car. “Did anyone get hurt today?” Isis shyly questioned. 

“A few but nothing life-threatening. And no one from your mate’s pack was hurt.” I assured her with a bright smile. I don’t want her to worry about her mate. She seems the sensitive and sweet sort. A lot like little miss Delilah. 

“That’s good. I hope this war can get settled quickly.” Isis sighed. “I mean, I’m grateful for the hospitality and that Persephone was able to ensure even my family couldn’t track me.” She quickly tried to reassure me.

I chuckled. “It’s alright, sweetie. I get it. You want to get to your mate’s pack. I heard your aunt is there, and she has a way to help your wolf. Which is wonderful news. And I hope for all our sakes we end this war quickly.” I assured her as I parked.