Chapter 4 Another chance

Right after that, she had disappeared, and the life I lived now had begun.

The argument my wolf and I had had dragged on for some time.

“That was our mate,” Max warned. “You need to go after her. If you do not, we are too young to die. This pain will tear us. You fool! She told you as much. Why did you have to reject her? You couldn't even do it gently!”

“Did you feel her wolf either? You liar. You want me to bear the blame for all of this like you made things any easier. She had no scent. How was I supposed to believe that she was my mate?” I asked through gritted teeth, still crouched on the floor.

“Perhaps I didn't feel her wolf, but you should have suspected. You should have known. She wasn't crazy. You can't discard people simply because of a lack of scent, Jackson, we don't work like that?”

“Even if I had perceived her, had known her scent, I would still have rejected her. She didn't look like a potential mate! Did you even see her?” I asked, angrier than ever.

“In what way, shape or form did she look like someone that I would accept, that deserved to be marked by me, be my mate? Even if I had known in advance, been shown a picture and a name, I would still have rejected her.”

With a hiss, Max had rolled his eyes and left me to my own devices, annoyed that I was seeing reason from his point of view.

Present day

If anyone put it to me to defend my actions all those years ago, I would tell them that it was my wolf's fault; he had been restless, and I had taken to sex to calm him down. He had been insatiable, and that was the only way I could get him to act right.

I had not expected that lowly, bottom rung Omega to be my mate. I had assumed she had been lying, like the rest of them had. She was not the first person to show up and imply that we were mates, and I had rejected many of them before.

Then again, something about her had been different, had it not? The sex had been better, the sensations amplified. I had enjoyed it, but that was all I could tell.

The pain that had rang through me at the rejection had been sharp, and as she had run off, it had felt like my chest was being sliced into half on either side. It had filled me with anger, probably misplaced, yet. How dare she cause me so much pain only to disappear? Nobody would have believed that she was my mate. Not only did she have no scent, but she looked like she was beneath me.

How was I to know the moon goddess would okay such a cruel joke?

It made me angry. “How could that even have happened? How could the moon goddess have decided that the way to go for me was a lowly maid like that?”

Worse still, was the fact that her curse had actually manifested, her words coming to pass. I had been trying to find all the prior pleasure in other women, in sex, but I was always comparing things to how they had been with her. I had had the best experience with her, and it constantly rang in my brain, no way anyone else could compare. The fullness never arrived, and on occasions, I had sent people out in the middle of sex, disgusted by them, and the entire thing.

Five years had passed without any true pleasure for me, and I tried everything, from women with similar hair colors to faint scents, all to no avail. The pressure from the pack had mounted and doubled into something I could no longer control, which was why I was currently in a meeting with the elders, discussing the possibility of my marriage with Sylvie Lamont, the daughter of one of the elders.

The meeting was happening without him, in my mansion, and I sat at the head of the conference table. We had had quite a few of this, with me rejecting every other woman they had suggested to me. I had picked everything apart, from appearance to social class to nose shape.

If I didn't agree to Sylvie, the choice would be made for me. “Can I have a picture of the girl again? I think I have met her a few times, and we had an easy conversation.”

A lie, but enough to get them off my back for now. Besides, marriage to Sylvie would have its advantages. It would increase the pack’s wealth, and she had the perfect image.

“Perfect, he has made his choice. Summon Elder Lamont and inform him that his daughter Sylvie is set to wed Alpha Jackson,” they said to the messenger boy who stood at the edge of the room, and he nodded, taking off immediately.

It was a blur the way time passed, and a few weeks later, Sylvie and I were searching for the wedding dress she would wear to the wedding.

“Tell me what is wrong with this dress again?” I asked, watching her twirl in the dress. I was bored with the entire activity of it, but I had managed to squeeze out of it for quite some time, and any more avoidance, and the elders would make it into an even bigger thing.

My Beta, Calvin, laughed behind his hand, and I shot him a nasty look.

Immediately, he straightened his stance.

“It’s too frilly. It makes me look like I'm a pompom, and the shade is really not for my skin tone,” nagged Sylvie, enunciating each word in a sickeningly slow drawl.

“We can adjust it,” tried the shop attendant. “It really won't take a lot of work, and we have it in other colors and-”

“No no,” muttered Sylvie, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “At this point, we have tried every single fashion designer in this pack. I don't like it.”

She started to shuffle over to the dressing room to take off the gown, yelling over her shoulder. “You all need some new inspiration. All the dresses are too ordinary, how do you expect to style fashionable brides like me?”

Rolling my eyes, I gestured over to Calvin. “Man, what do you think we should do? She doesn't like anything, and I honestly have had it to my wits end.”

Nodding thoughtfully, Calvin agreed. “Why don't we try shopping elsewhere? Perhaps it's time to go into human society. They usually have some pretty bizarre, advanced things. I'm sure your bride-to-be will find something that she at least likes?”

“I agree!” exclaimed Sylvie, already planning out what she would say to the shop attendant. “I’ll ask them for a dress that will make me the prettiest bride that the pack has ever seen!”

“You and Calvin have fun, that doesn't sound like a good time,” I had no interest in being around the humans and all the life that existed outside of the pack. I had so many things to do, and none of them involved listening to Sylvie’s shrieks on loop.

Bending over to my shoulder, Calvin cupped his hand to my ear. “The shop I have in mind has one attendant, and she designs dresses that look like they came from dreams. And the best part is that-”

“What are you whispering without me?!” shrieked Sylvie, interrupting.

“She matches the description you gave me of your mate, the unscented wolf. Aria.”

I stopped breathing as I stared at Calvin.

“Are you sure?” I asked, almost breathless.

He nodded in affirmation. “Shall I lead you there?”

“Immediately.” I turned to follow him out of the shoo when Sylvia grabbed my hand and whined.

“Are we leaving already now?” She asked , her voice shrilly.

“Yes, Silvie, follow Calvin now.” She rolled her eyes and bounded forward, catching up with Calvin swiftly.

I forced myself to follow them, my chest thundering.

How would she receive me? Would she forgive me? What do I even say to her.

My wolf had piped up in excitement at the thought of meeting our mate once more. He had been distant from me, only speaking to me and conversing with me on the full moon.

He’s never forgiven me for cutting ties with Amanda. And neither had I.

I had a new chance now, a chance to be a better alpha and a better mate.