Chapter 2

Kris’s POV    

“Are you nervous?” Nathan asked me. It’s nearly midnight. We decided to spend the evening together, alone at my house. “Nothing to be nervous about. I have the best brother and an amazing wolf.”    

“And a dad you can almost tolerate,” he says, finishing my sentence. We both laugh, but he’s not wrong.    

Once we turn 18, our wolves can establish a mental connection with the pack. They will also have the chance to recognize their mate. Their soul mate. But the truth is, neither me nor Nathan are that interested. Yes, finding our perfect soul mate is important. Having our fated mate by our side will make us stronger. But what is the rush? We are barely adults.    

It’s a lifelong commitment, being marked. We want to enjoy a bit of life before it becomes too serious. Dad has already increased the pressure on Nathan to become Alpha. He wants him to take over in the next few months. Surely that is enough pressure for him already?    

Our birthday came and went. The only thing special about it was that I got to spend the whole day by my brother’s side. Dad organized nothing. But we never expected him to either. He never did. “When I have kids, every birthday will be special,” I told Nathan as we went to bed that night. He wholeheartedly agreed with me.  

The sun was shining when I woke up the next morning. “Fancy going to the lake? Just to chill out. Hang out with a few friends. Get away from everything? Forget about yesterday.” Nathan asked me. “Sounds great,” I told him. We both set about making a few mind links and phone calls to those of our friends who are under 18.   

We set off on foot as it was a good hour’s hike to the lake. We planned on stopping in town for some food for the day. This will make up for the crappy birthday that we had yesterday.    

We made our way to town, and headed for the bakery. Me and Nathan love freshly baked bread and cakes. Who doesn’t?    

The scent of the bakery hit us as we neared the shop. Not sure that there is a better scent in the world than that of my local bakery. I walked in, but Nathan rushed past me. “Your keen,” I shouted at him. But he didn’t stop at the counter. He ran through the employees’ door. “Where the hell did he go in such a rush?” I asked Siren.  

No one came out to serve me and Nathan never came back. I waited a good 20 minutes, but he still didn’t appear. Eventually, I had to investigate. I went through the door marked ‘private - employees only.’   

I wish I hadn’t. I wish I could burn the memory from my brain as I watch my big brother having sex with a girl in the work area of my favorite bakery. Their whole bodies were white with flour. I was so grossed out, but so happy for him at the same time. As I walked out of the shop, I flipped the open sign to ‘closed’ and made my way to the lake with our friends.    

“My brother has found his mate. I’m so happy for him. For them.” I told Siren. Who was as happy as I was.   

The sun was shining; the birds were singing, and I was so happy. I swam for hours before I headed home. I thought about how happy I was for Nathan. But all I could imagine was that last image of him having sex. Which led to my mom and dad having sex, which was worse. I needed to cleanse my brain somehow, so I arranged a sleepover with my friends as a distraction.    

I got a call from my dad two days later, telling me that Nathan hadn’t been home. That horn dog, I thought to myself. I would be an auntie in no time at this rate.  

I told Dad I would see if his friends knew where he was, trying to throw him off Nathan’s scent. Dad didn’t like the idea of the moon goddess choosing your mate. My mom was his fated mate, and he wasn’t happy about the moon goddess’ choice. He openly encouraged us to choose a mate, a strong mate. But our mom was amazing, and we were grateful to have had her, even if it was for a short period.       

As I went to the bakery, the sign still said closed. They couldn’t still be inside, could they? I entered the kitchen and found them sleeping on the floor. Fortunately, Nathan was faced down and all I had to see was his flour-covered butt.        

“Nathan,” I yelled, “Nathan.” He grunted. “Dad is looking for you. Get dressed and let’s get moving.” There were sounds of protest, but there was a movement at least. I quickly left the room to avoid seeing my brother in his full glory.    

A girl came out with flour all over her. I couldn’t help but notice the bite mark on her neck. Ah, he mated and marked her. I couldn’t help but laugh at the state of her though. Nathan also had flour all over him when he made an appearance. I nearly wet myself laughing at him.     

“This is Emily, my mate. She is the baker’s daughter.” Nathan tells me proudly. He has a huge smile on his face and looks so lovingly at her. I want to hug her tightly. She had made him so happy. But I can’t right now. As I will end up covered in flour too.        

“Come on you Nathan, we have to get you home. Dad has noticed you’re missing. Only took him two days.” He kissed Emily before we left. He promised her he would meet her back at the bakery in a few hours. I don’t care who she is. She has made my brother so happy. I am eternally grateful to her for that.     

We made our way to my house, where Nathan got washed and changed. He talked about Emily the entire time. As we left my house, we had to put our game faces on. We got to the pack house with not an ounce of humor between us. When we entered Dad’s office, he was going mad about where Nathan had been. Nathan simply responded that he had been busy. Dad demanded to know where Nathan had been, with his nostrils flaring and his fists clenched. “I am your father, but beyond that, I am your Alpha. Now tell me, where the hell were you?”     

“What a control freak he is.” Nathan mind linked me. In the end, Nathan had to tell him. He did it with such pride. “I was with my mate, making sweet, sweet love. I marked her too.”    

From what I saw, there was nothing sweet about it. I really need to get rid of that memory. It’s one I want to forget in a hurry. But I kept my facial expressions straight.       

Dad’s demeanor didn’t change when, hearing that Nathan had found his mate, he was still mad. Now he was practically demanding to find out who his daughter-in-law was. When Nathan told him it was the baker’s daughter, he went from mad to raging. “How dare you dishonor me by mating with a weak, low life?” He yelled at Nathan.       

How dare he? Emily has been gifted to him by the goddess herself. As well as that, it is Nathan’s choice. Who the hell does Dad think he is to dictate to Nathan who he mates with? But Nathan was the bigger man. “I not only mated with her, but I marked her. She is mine forever,” he said while grinning at our father.         

Dad walked up to him and punched him in the face. Nathan went down like a sack of potatoes. “I will not have another weak female as the Luna in this pack.” Was he referring to our mother? I was seeing red; I knew Nathan was seeing red. But Dad had the upper hand here, and we had to act with our heads, not our hearts. “You will either reject her and take a chosen mate, as leader of the pack, or I will disown you. The choice is yours, now choose.”       

Nathan got up from the floor, with a split lip and bloody nose. He stood up straight and proud. “I am sorry you feel that way, Dad. But I would choose my mate over death itself.” As he said that, he turned and walked out of his office. I stood there, looking at him in awe. He had something more special than being Alpha. He had love. I was jealous.  

“Dwight. Get me the paperwork and get rid of his stuff. He is nothing to me,” Dad yells at his Beta. Before glaring at me, “Get out.” He says icily to me. I didn’t need to be told twice. I know that tone of voice and I know he is serious.   

I rushed to Nathan’s bedroom, scooping up some of his important items and stuffing them in a bag. Then I threw the bag into my old bedroom, stashing it safely in the wardrobe. Which was just next door. I know Dad will hurt Nathan if he can. Which will be by destroying anything Nathan deems important.        

I grabbed another bag and ran back to Nathan’s bedroom. Time is not on my side right now. I don’t have to wait long before Dwight, dad’s Beta, turns up. Dwight looks at me as I shove more stuff into bags.    

“Some of it is mine,” I told him, so he wouldn’t question me. He knows what I am doing. He smiles at me and starts with Nathan’s clothes. Throwing them out of the window. It was not long before the room was empty. At least I got the important stuff, like photos and the stuff that belonged to our mom. If they were destroyed, it would hurt me just as much as Nathan. I should have taken them when I moved out.    

But we grew up in this house, where most of the pictures were taken. We could at least associate the pictures with the rooms they were taken in.   

 Nathan was at my house when I eventually got home. Emily is in his arms, crying about how she has ruined his life and how she doesn’t want him to give up everything for her. For the muscular man that Nathan is turning into, he is so affectionate and gentle when he tells her, “She is everything to him, so he is giving up nothing.”       

After an emotional evening, we all went to bed. “You two had best behave in my house. The walls are not soundproof.” I told them both sternly.    

I don’t know what time it is when the sirens wail. But I am up and ready within seconds. Nathan and I reached the top of the stairs at the same time. I took the stairs. He jumped over the banister. As we got outside, we shifted and got to where we were supposed to be.