The Second Mate | Spin-Off ✗

chapter 9

a.n i seriously need to get my shit together, i'm sorry for not being able to update. i'm lazy and i've gotten writers block

"Hi," Alpha James breathed out slowly, his breath was stolen from the innocent look his mate had gave him as she opened the door. Her scent invaded his nostrils and twisted his stomach into knots, her pale face and big doe-like eyes had shook his entire body. He held a small bunch of flowers in one hand with a sheepish smile plastered onto his face. He was determined to make her trust him and earn some sort of bond between them. He felt a stab in his stomach as he saw the nervous, yet fearful expression in her face, her pores leaked unsureness and her fear for him was evident in the air. His expression dropped slightly, but he still remained hopeful.

"Hello," Opal replied timidly before a burst of giggles echoed through the room, easing the tense atmosphere of the house. James' eyes snapped to the toddler who was outstretching her arms towards him, a wave of uneasiness swept over him as he eyed the little girl with a confused expression. However, the toddler would not stop moving and burst into small spurts of screams. He noticed Opal's eye flashed with uncertainty and fear, but he heard a heavy sigh.

"Hold her, she wants to be held by you," she murmured softly. James noticed her soft voice, one that sounded tired and nervousness. But, it was a big step for him, he felt his heart warm up and hope swirling within him. She trusted him to hold her child, albeit, the child would not stop asking for him, but it was a step he was willing to take. With a confident nod, his arms positioned out to hold the tot, as Opal's hand brushed against his whilst she passed the toddler, he felt sparks dance across his arms and shoot down his spine. His eyed widened, but smiled brightly, Opal, however, recoiled and quickly handed the toddler.

The smile grew smaller.

His felt dejected but showed nothing of it as the toddler curled into his chest and placed her tiny head on the crook of his neck. James looked very uncomfortable, his wolf telling him that the child was not his, and he struggled to fight the urge to give her back to the mother. He won eventually as he sat on the couch and breathed in the scent of the child who smelt vaguely like the mother. It calmed his nerves. Trent, who had finally noticed, sat across from him, his eyes shifted back and forth between Opal and him, analysing the situation. James felt uneasy at his gaze and shifted in his seat before looking over to Opal to glanced occasionally. In a stranger's eyes, you would think there was a love triangle as the tension was thick between the three.

But, little Gabrielle had eased some of the tension by wrapping her hands around James' neck before asking her mother to hold her. Opal shifted slightly where she stood, eyeing the spot where James was sitting with distaste, she refused to go near him. But, the begging child had continued to coo, almost wailing in her high pitched screams and it made Trent's face scrunch up in annoyance.

Alpha James was the first to recognise the child's needs.

"Come sit here Opal, I swear I won't hurt you," he whispered to her softly, his eyes showing his truth as he looked at his mate with a broken heart. He softly patted the spot next to him, gesturing her to sit down. Opal noticed the soft look in his eyes but felt something tighten against her chest at being so close to him.

"Go on Opal, it's just sitting down. Gabrielle wants you," Trent encourages her, his hand waving to the crying child who an uncomfortable James was holding. Opal looked over at her friend who smiled in reassurance before she slowly made her way towards the couch. Her fear present in the air as her fingers twitched in her lap. Alpha James had sighed in relief as her small frame sat next to him. In an instant, Gabrielle and already to moved to her mother and was enveloped in her arms, the baby was finally content.

James could feel her presence, her scent taking over his senses. It had been a while since he was this close to her, his hands twitched in his lap, he stopped himself from going nearer. But the distance felt like miles, a few centimetres away felt like yards between them and he desperately wanted to close the gap. He told himself sullenly that it may take years before she was comfortable in his arms.

-

"This is our pack's training field, we pride ourselves on having a diverse range of warriors. Short, tall, men, women, whoever they may be as long, of course, they are in age range. We don't believe in having the bulkiest warriors, we believe in showing that anyone can do something if they put their mind into it. In our pack, we have warriors and the elites. Of course, you'd all know the difference between the two," Alpha James spoke with pride as he showed off his packs defence to his mate and friend. Opal stood timidly next to Trent, but couldn't help her eyes wander over the women who were training.

They looked so fierce, ready for battle, something that Opal knew she was not, but deep inside it's what she wanted to be. There was a sense of longing within her, a wish embedded inside of her just from looking at these she-wolves fight with confidence. A part of her wanted to join it. Another wanted to hide away from it.

James noticed how her eyes held that feeling, seeing her long for something wanted him to give it to her. He knew she was stronger than what she believed in, he wanted to help her. As if she knew he was staring, her eyes connected with him, bright green eyes looked at him innocently, but before he could say anything, she hid away behind Trent. Rejected, he answered the questions that Trent had asked him about the warriors, the young male wanted to join.

"Of course you can join, we always have room for a new warrior. Later today I will introduce you to our trainer, she is separate from the ranks, a rank of her own. She will see what you're made of before you start training" James told a confident Trent who seemed to be excited for this new path.

"Did you hear that? I could be a warrior here! Isn't it exciting?" He bumbled on to Opal who gave him a small smile. James wished it was for him.

"I'm happy for you Trent, really," Opal replied to him, patting a napping Gabrielle on the bum to ease her sleep.

"Do you want me to carry her for you? I don't mind," James asked her softly, she had been carrying Gabrielle for the past hour and he was worried that her arms were beginning to hurt. Opal looked almost shocked at his request, she was sure he didn't like holding her child. She glanced over at Trent who nodded slowly, tilting his head to the side towards James. She took in a breath and nodded.

"Okay, thank you," she whispered quietly, her nerves wracking in her stomach as she slowly handed Gabrielle to him. James gave her a bright smile, his dimples showing as he outstretched his arms. Uneasy, yet feeling slightly jittery at his smile, Opal gave him Gabrielle. Like all cliche stories, their hands touched briefly. James felt sparks shoot up his arm at the contact, almost beaming at it, but one look at Opal, who had taken a few steps back, knew that she did not feel the same. Rejected and upset, he glanced at her and looked away with a frown.

"L-let's continue on with the tour," he spoke again, stumbling at the start. Opal and Trent nodded and they were off once more.

"One tiny step at a time James, one step at a time," he told himself.