"...At last, my love has come along...my lonely days are over..." As the beautiful tone of Etta James played inside the hall, I stood outside on the balcony, sighing with content as I looked over the dense forest, finally feeling free for the first time in a long time.
Jonah had disappeared somewhere and wasn't around to bother me, Fiona and Jada had found some single wolves to dance with and my parents mingled with the other Alpha families, strengthening bonds and all that other important pack stuff that didn't concern me.
As I stood in a place of pure serenity I wondered if this is what life was really like – not having to look over my shoulder, not having to nurse a bruise or fear when my next attack would come. I could just stand here and exist and enjoy existing. I didn't have to hide away tonight and I felt a little lucky to be here.
I let out a small squeal of surprise as a pair of arms crossed over on the balcony. Stumbling backward from the railing I eyed the strange male whose outfit was surprisingly unkempt for the event. His crisp white shirt was crinkled and rolled up his arms, roughly tucked into his black dress pants, his bow tie not even tied up.
"I wanted to see what was so interesting out here," his voice broke the awkward silence of me just staring at him. He rotated and leant back on the railing, staring at me with an odd expression. I became so lost in his face that I barely cared how he looked at me.
That face.
He was handsome to say the least. His jaw was strong and it looked as if it had been chiselled to perfection. His lips were full, only his lower lip seemed to be slightly fuller than the top. His nose was sharp and shaped to his face nicely, and his eyes...a girl could get lost in those shining brown orbs, heck I was lost.
"I also wanted to see if you were who I thought you were." His words snapped me out of my haze and I blinked at him. He let out a laugh, "I'm glad to say you are."
"Um..."
My eyes widened as he took my hand in his, and I secretly marveled at the feeling of his rough palm encased around my own. I nearly shut my eyes. What was happening?
"I can't believe it's you," his voice was wondrous as he got off his position on the balcony and I watched as he seemed to get taller. Suddenly I felt awkward, coming up to his chin and having him still holding my hand.
This was strange and frankly shouldn't be happening.
He was a wolf, I knew that. I could identify one quite easily – their teeth gave it away.
"I'm not sure – You seem to think you know me, I've never actually been h-here before..." as I slid my hand out of his I crossed my arms behind me and took a couple of steps backward so I could clear the cloud forming in my head.
He frowned a little, looking surprised. "You don't know what we are do you?" I cocked my head in slight confusion, not following. "I know you're half-breed, I can smell it...I didn't realize your wolf was so dormant."
I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment and I looked away.
"Sorry, that was rude. That isn't a bad thing or anything. I just thought you'd still have wolf qualities."
"I have some," I quipped, suddenly feeling the need to defend myself.
He smiled again and the air nearly left me.
Don't faint.
"What's your name?" He asked as he took a step closer to me.
I bit my lip and took a shaky step backward, "Evelyn."
"You came with the Idaho?"
I could only nod as I felt dazzled by – just by his presence.
"Well, Evelyn, seeing as you don't know," he took my hand again and my mouth dropped open in surprise. "I knew it was you just by your scent, but now I know for sure. Evelyn...we're mates."
No, not this again.
Did they really think I'd fall for it a second time? Now I knew why Jonah had disappeared, he'd found another wolf to concoct this plan with. I could feel my mouth turn down and I pushed the urge to cry away.
This was the cruellest thing they could do, or had done. I had believed it the first time, even though I hadn't felt the amazing connection they all spoke about. I had been told it was because my wolf was so dormant, until they had me really believing them, did they pull the rug out from under my feet.
I wouldn't fall into that trap twice.
"I'm not doing this again," I whispered, mainly to myself. Taking my hand from his roughly I went to walk away, only he grabbed my arm and stopped me from doing so.
"Pardon me?" His tone was disbelieving. "Again? Do you already have a mate?"
"Stop, I'm not falling for it. I don't have a mate, I'm not supposed to have one," I felt smarter this time, an attack I could finally deflect. Maybe they'd hurt me later for not playing along, but it hurt more when I did.
"Evelyn, we are mates, I can tell just by your scent." He took my hand again and I felt electric shocks run up my arm, my skin breaking out in goose bumps. "Do you feel that?" His tone sounded breathless, "I'm not lying to you."
"Stop," I put a hand on my forehead, feeling my head spinning as I tried to decipher my thoughts.
"I could mark you if you need proof."
"No!" I gasped as I snatched my hand out of his. "T-this is too much." I don't have a mate, I repeated over and over in my head. I had accepted that. I was going to move on with my life, I was going to get away from the wolf pack drama and hierarchy. If this was real then I'd be stuck in it for the rest of my life – did I want that?
Breath was coming short and my stomach felt like it was heaving and a few voices called out in our direction before darkness fluttered over my eyes and I was falling into oblivion.
∞
"...She thought I was lying to her, why would she think that?"
"I – uh I – I'm not sure...Evelyn has always been a strange girl...her blood status led us to believe that she wouldn't h-have the qualities to find mate." The voice sounded like it belonged to Jonah, but my mind felt so disconnected it could have been anyone saying it.
Someone snarled and I could feel myself coming into awareness as I heard the conversation.
"She said not again, has she – has she had a mate before?" the familiar male voice choked the words out.
"N-no. Evelyn believed a f-few years ago this boy was her mate...practically stalked him to be honest. It took a lot to convince her she wasn't his mate." Jonah's voice was earnest, and even I nearly believed it.
"No," I croaked out at the lie, dragging my eyes open.
"Evelyn?" The man from the balcony was by my side again and I looked at all the faces crowded around me, most staring in contempt, minus my mother who looked at me with pure elation.
"Where am I?"
"You fainted sweetheart; you're at the pack clinic." I looked at the doctor beside the bed who was taking my blood pressure. "Gave your mate quite the fright."
My eyes immediately flashed to the man beside my bed who was holding onto my hand with both of his, a relieved smile on his face. "My mate..." I slowly drew out.
"Can we have a minute?" He asked the room, who looked like they wanted to do anything but leave me in a room alone with him. Grudgingly they left and I was once again alone with the liar.
"Gosh," I rubbed my temples as I calmed myself.
"I wasn't lying. I'm not lying," he whispered earnestly. "I promise you, I swear on my life and my pack – my status- I'm not lying to you. We're made for each other; my soul job in life is your happiness and protection Evelyn."
I wanted to believe him. I really did. I wasn't sure I could take two rounds of this kind of humiliation though.
"Did you really stalk another wolf?" He asked.
Anger rose up in my body, as it always did when those people twisted a story of abuse on me. "No I did not." I snapped, surprising myself. "They all convinced me he was my mate; they told me I wasn't feeling the sensations because my wolf is dormant. So I believed them. He was going to mark me, until they all came clean right before it was all planned." It was nothing but a cruel joke.
I heard his growl and I quickly backtracked as I realized how I had just talked back. Jonah beat me for less. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? I know Idaho had a blood purity thing going on but I didn't know they messed with half-bloods this badly." He looked supremely pissed; his fists were clenching and unclenching.
If he was reacting like this, just to this story, then there was no way I'd tell him the rest of my treatment. A knock sounded on the door and the doctor popped her head in. "Alpha Aiden, your parents and sister are here."
I felt like I just swallowed a lemon.
Alpha Aiden?! What? Oh no, this was a whole other ball game. I quickly climbed off the other side of the bed, straightening my dress.
"What are you doing? You need to lie down, you just fainted."
"You're – you're," I quickly lowered my head. I had been staring him in the eyes constantly, somebody knocked at the door and I nearly fell over when I saw who walked in.
Alpha James came in, followed by his Luna and then his daughter Alpha Grace who was wearing a small grin on her face, I quickly averted my eyes to the floor.
"Dad," Aiden said, relief coloring his tone. "I found my mate."
"Yes I believe we heard your jubilation son," Alpha James' voice held a hint of humor.
"And then you fainted, poor thing, he wasn't boisterous with you was he?" The Luna slid her arm around my shoulders and I looked at her in shock as she sat me back on the bed. "Aiden better not have gone caveman on you. I've taught him better than that."
"I didn't," he protested.
"He d-didn't," I said quietly.
"She won't believe that I'm her mate."
The room was silent and I continued looking at my hands, too afraid to look up at all this Alpha blood in the room.
"Evelyn, why don't you believe my son is your mate?" Luna James asked gently as she sat beside me.
That surprised me even more. The Luna of my pack had barely acknowledged my existence. I had to answer – an Alpha was asking me a question after all, but how was I to explain it? In as few words as possible.
"I'm not supposed to have one," I murmured as I played with my dress material. "I'm half-blood, my wolf doesn't – doesn't exist. So I don't have one."
"Who told you that?"
"My pack."
The room was quiet for a moment before a new voice jumped in. "Well that's ridiculous. How do you explain wolves that are mated to humans and have half-human pups? You are definitely not the only half-blood in this world," it was Alpha Grace, who looked at me shaking her head.
"My pack doesn't have any half-bloods beside me...and none of them are mated to humans. All wolves."
"Yes, we know about Idaho's purity ideals," Alpha James said, disapproving. "We've heard stories, unable to prove them of course, that they've kicked out members who found themselves mated to humans – or any kind that isn't werewolf."
"Her pack also led her to believe she did have a mate, and then told her at the last minute he wasn't. They ought to be taken to the council dad, they break so many laws it's a joke. Misleading a wolf, that doesn't know any better, that her mate isn't what the Moon Goddess destined? It's blasphemy."
"Calm down Aiden," Alpha James ordered.
"We can say for sure, sweetheart, that Aiden is indeed your mate. We saw the bond through his mind-link. We know for sure it's real." The Luna smiled at me and stroked my arm, looking into my eyes; I couldn't hold her gaze and I dropped mine. "As Alpha's it would be improper to mislead you on this, as you would be the future Luna of Oregon."
I don't know how that news made me feel. Nauseous maybe?
On one hand I felt good I wasn't being lied to, but on the other, I realized this meant I was going to be stuck in pack life for the rest of my life. I didn't want that. Then a new thought occurred to me...if Aiden was indeed my mate I'd be given the option to stay here...I'd never have to go back to Idaho again.
What was to say all this niceness wasn't just an act though? Would I be treated the same here as I was in Idaho? At least in Idaho I had my mother, who would I have here?
"Do you believe me now, Evelyn?" Aiden was crouched in front of me, his hands on my knees, sending those little jolts of electricity once again through my body. He seemed genuine...I felt my face heating up as I was once again ensnared in his warm gaze and all I could do was nod like a mute.
"Good," he sighed out, like I had just taken the weight of the world off his shoulders.
"I think we are going to need to have a meeting about this whole situation...I believe Alpha Hess was under the ludicrous impression that his daughter would be your mate Aiden."
Aiden's nose curled as he stared at his father and I held back the smile that so desperately wanted to creep onto my face. Then the urge left as I realized Fiona would quite possibly want to tear me limb from limb right now.
"The party is starting to wind down," Luna James said. "If you want to sort out the meeting I'll see our guests off."
As the Alpha and Luna left the room along with Grace, I could hear my family on the other side, demanding to come in.
I hoped they didn't.
"So you believe me then?" Aiden asked, still in front of me.
Blinking back into awareness I looked down at him, not sure how I was to gauge him. I had stopped trusting people who were nice to me a long time ago, usually it was just to lead me into a false sense of security and then to toss me to the side once they had their laugh at my expense.
His family had confirmed that he was my mate, okay, I could take that. I knew by Moon Goddess law he could never physically hurt me, it went against the grain of any mated couple, but deep down there was this nervous twinge in my stomach, that all of this would fall apart.
"Evelyn, you in there?"
"Sorry...I..." I simply stopped talking, not really sure what to say.
He smiled and I looked away again. This felt awkward, what was I supposed to say? Do?
"So your pack mate thought I was going to be her mate?" He asked as he stood up, going to the sink and getting a cup of water.
"Yeah...she was planning the wedding on the way here."
He let out a snort as he turned to face me. "You didn't think we'd be mates? When you found out we were coming?"
"No. I w-was under the impression I'd never have one. Saves getting your hopes up."
The room was silent as I toyed with my fingers. I tried thinking of things to say, often opening my mouth and then shutting it again.
"It's a little awkward isn't it?" Aiden asked with a nervous sounding laugh. "So many different feelings all at once? I feel like my head is exploding."
"I only feel the feelings when you touch me," I admitted.
"How many wolf traits do you have?" He asked as he sat down in a chair.
"Not a lot...I have good vision and I can run as fast as a wolf in human form but really beside that...nothing. No super-fast healing, no sickness immunities."
His face paled at that, like he feared I would die from a cold, before a resolved look graced his features. "I'll just have to take extra care of you then."
My face went red and I looked down at my hands, trying to control my breathing.
No one beside my mother took care of me. No one offered or stated so simply they would – is this what the mate bond is? Overlooking all flaws and aspects of someone's character and accepting them straight away? Not needing to change anything about them?
He seemed so easy with it, so comfortable; I was still coming down from the shock that I actually had a mate.
"You have strange eyes."
I looked at him in surprise, "I do?"
"Yeah, almost wolf-like really. But not. They're brown, but you have a really pale ring of amber around them, strange for someone with a dormant wolf is all."
"I've never noticed it..." I thought my eyes were brown...I would have noticed an amber ring surely. Then again I avoided mirrors like the plague.
The room was silent – in a partially awkward way, before someone knocked on the door and a familiar face popped in.
Grace smiled. "It's time for 'the meeting', what do we even have to discuss?"
I thought the same, but I wouldn't be surprised if my pack tried to stop this. Alpha Hess would already be furious that it wasn't Fiona in the mating.
I widened my eyes in surprise as Aiden outstretched his hand and I hesitated nervously, before the look of nerves on his face had me sliding my hand into his and following him from the room, with a looming feeling in my stomach.
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