Chapter Seventeen - Soulmates?
It's now mid-January after Scarlett was banished from the pack and life has been much more peaceful since. Scarlett's family was furious over the decision and had also left the pack with her to relocate somewhere else. However, news got back to Atticus that she didn't stay there for long and left her family within a few days of joining. This was really concerning but Atticus had already anticipated this and tightened security.
Atticus and Bastian had also investigated and found that a guard who was regularly on duty at the Alpha house was hooking up with Scarlett at the time. When she found out that my parents were visiting she had slyly made the guard reveal what happened that night. When guards are assigned to the Alpha they must swear to keep all matters and discussions that occur in the Alpha house to themselves. Because this guard revealed everything to Scarlett he was punished severely for breaking a rule and demoted from his rank.
I was quite upset but eventually let it go because my past was bound to be revealed at some point. It's not like I could have hid it forever. So the fact that he was punished accordingly for his actions is good enough for me.
Despite the new security measures, the Bauer Pack went all out for both the Christmas and New Year's celebrations which I thought really helped to loosen everyone up after what happened. We all had the best time and I even went back home to visit my family after Christmas. Atticus had also joined me for my week-long trip and we re-lived some of our old memories of where we used to hang out in Quebec.
We have become closer than I thought possible and I know I've fallen for him all over again. Over the Christmas holidays we started feeling a bond between us that seems stronger than the usual bond between an Alpha and a pack member. We've made an appointment with the elders who reside in the city to see if they know anything about this or if it has happened to people before.
Other than that, I've been stopping by to check on the younger pack members who were bullied by Scarlett. Jake, someone who has just graduated university, runs a support group in the pack because he had been through this situation when he was younger. I encouraged the younger kids to join by signing up myself and now we all attend once a week.
"Hey, Olivia." Savannah greets me with a grin as I enter the training grounds. "You're up early."
Savannah was accepted into the Bauer pack right after new years as she wanted to spend Christmas at home with her family. Leon was more than happy to leave the pack house and they now reside in one of the standalone houses scattered across the territory to the east. They're so cute together but of course, Emilia and I take every opportunity to tease him about their relationship.
I roll my eyes playfully at her teasing tone. "Sadly, I couldn't go back to sleep for the extra fifteen minutes I had."
"Aw, poor little – ow!" She shrieks dramatically when I swat her arm. "Grumpier in the mornings I see."
I smirk before joining the other pack members who are on the morning schedule. When Savannah moved to our pack she took up her previous post of a warrior female and now trains the eighteen to twenty-year-old range. Unfortunately, because I have school I'm always on the morning schedule which starts at six a.m.
"I better have time to do my makeup and hair." Emilia grumbles as she sidles up beside me with her hood shadowing her face.
"Fuck that." I mumble after a big yawn before looking over at Leon. "You're drooling, Leo."
Emilia and I burst out into quiet snickering when he makes an embarrassed sound and wipes his mouth only to discover that I was lying. He glares at us playfully through narrowed eyes as we tease him for being head over heels for Savannah and not being able to take his eyes off her as she leads the session.
"You guys are so annoying!" He huffs as we all start doing push-ups.
"Of course, you'd think that. Now that you've got Savannah every other girl seems ann – ah!" Leon shoves Emilia which causes her to bump into me and makes us lose our positioning.
"Emilia and Olivia, you can talk later!" Savannah shouts from the front.
"She didn't even say anything to Leon." I whisper before screaming when he tackles me to the ground.
Emilia joins in and jokingly tries to save me while Savannah merely looks on with an amused smile on her lips. It's safe to say that Emilia ends up attending school without her hair and makeup done.
***
Atticus and I are on our way to meet the elders and he's explaining who they are and the sort of questions they may ask. I feel quite nervous since this will be my first ever interaction with people who work for The Council.
But as we're halfway there another car comes barreling out of an alleyway and hits straight into us. I cry out and Atticus grabs me as the car spins before hitting the corner of a building. Armed warriors immediately surround us and I watch as some of them chase the rogue that had jumped out of the car and shot down the alleyway. The others approach the car to inspect it and come back with a recording device. Atticus takes it from them and plays it but the familiar voice makes me stiffen.
"Did you think I forgot about you, Olivia?" Vincent chuckles darkly and the coldness in his voice sends shivers down my spine. "This is just the beginning. Sleep with one eye open because I'm coming for you!"
The recording ends after his maniacal laughter and I swallow harshly. My entire body is trembling from shock over the accident and now this. As Atticus guides me to another car I'm numb throughout it all until he pulls me into his comforting embrace. I sag against him and clutch onto the lapels of his coat tightly. The driver starts the car before we're back on the road again.
"Well...at least he's responded." I sigh heavily when I eventually pull away.
"Don't worry. We've caught that rogue and we're going to try and get information out of him." He caresses my cheek with a reassuring look. "Let's focus on meeting the elders for now. We'll take it one step at a time, yeah?"
I nod before focusing my attention on the passing scenery. Eventually, we reach the tall building situated on the outskirts of the city. I take Atticus' hand and bite my lip hard as a shiver runs through my body from his touch. But when I glance up at him I can tell that he's affected too with the way his eyes have darkened considerably. I try my best to ignore the flurry of emotions wreaking havoc inside of me and step out of the car.
We make our way inside and to the very back. The front of the building is leased by another company to put up a front for the elders so that they remain hidden in plain sight. The receptionist tells us to go ahead and we follow her instructions before ending up at two, black double doors.
Canada's elders comprise of two men, called Calvin and Otto, and two women called Ruby and Edith. Their exact age is unknown but there are rumors that they're more than five hundred years old. However, when we walk in and greet them they don't look a day over forty. Ruby has deep chocolate skin, black hair with cat like eyes that make her appear wickedly dangerous whereas Edith is quite pale with platinum blonde hair and light grey eyes. Otto has an olive complexion with Asian features and brown hair whereas Calvin looks like the golden boy with blonde hair and bright green eyes.
"What brings you here today, Atticus and Olivia?" Ruby asks in more of a drawl as she gestures to the two seats opposite them at the oval shaped desk.
"We both found our mates but faced rejection. My mate was already married with children and Olivia rejected hers for the way he treated her. However, recently we've been feeling something stronger than just a bond between an Alpha and a pack member. Olivia describes it as a mate bond." Atticus explains and immediately catches the interest of all four.
Otto summons a few books from the large shelf on our right which land on the table with an echoing bang. I jump slightly and Atticus rests his hand on my thigh in reassurance. It's completely silent as the elders read through the books while asking us questions about our history and delving deeper into why I rejected Vincent. They were also stopping to discuss with each other in low, incomprehensible murmurings before seemingly reaching a conclusion.
Otto folds his hands before him on the desk before looking at us. "Because it has happened before and what you both described matches, we believe that your souls recognized your compatibility and intertwined to form a second mate bond."
My breath hitches in surprise and I stare between them and Atticus with wide eyes. Atticus looks back at me in adoration with the biggest smile on his face which I probably mirror. It feels like this was intended by the Moon Goddess. We've been given the chance to feel a true mate bond that I had lost and that he had never gotten a chance to experience.
I take his hand and intertwine it with mine before giving it a squeeze. I bet he can feel how happy I am over this news. He grins before turning back to the elders and asking if they know how long it'll take for the mate bond to fully develop.
"The more time you two spend together the faster it'll develop." Calvin explains before Edith adds in, "However, if you two wish to complete the mating process you can do so as your souls have already intertwined."
The way Edith states it so boldly with a teasing smirk has me blushing fiercely at having such a private matter discussed in front of people I barely know. Atticus and the elders notice and break out into chuckles after glancing at my pink cheeks. But the way he bites his bottom lip and his eyes darken in lust leaves me feeling flustered and wanting to get out of here.
"Thank you for your help, we really appreciate it." I smile as I turn back to them.
"Of course, and we're glad you sought us out. Pairings like these are quite rare so it's interesting to hear how the Moon Goddess works." Otto smiles gently before everyone stands.
We bid them goodbye before returning to the car. As the driver merges back into traffic we turn to each other with bright smiles. Atticus pulls me into his warm embrace and presses a firm kiss to my temple. I rest my head against his chest and instantly feel giddy when I hear his heartbeat speeding up.
"I guess we were always meant to be." He chuckles and I join in with a nod.
The rest of the car ride passes by in a blur and soon enough we're walking back into Atticus' room. But the second I step in I'm picked up as the door slams shut. I burst into a fit of giggles as Atticus twirls me around in joy. He looks so happy and smiles widely up at me as I cup his face.
I press my lips to his and he responds eagerly before laying me down on his bed. Our lips meet again and I shudder when he swipes his tongue across my bottom lip before biting down on it harshly. He growls huskily when I tug on the ends of his hair and pull him closer. Hot desire courses through me and shoots straight towards my core which makes me whimper in need.
"Atticus!" I gasp before biting my lip hard when he nips and sucks at the skin of my neck and jaw.
He bites my earlobe before peppering kisses down to my collarbone. My back arches in response as I grasp his shoulders tightly. I feel him smile against my heated skin as his hands slip under my shirt. Oh my...is this really happening? Are we going to go further? I wonder to myself while desperately hoping that we do. I don't know if I would be able to stop myself now.
"Do you want this?" He murmurs lowly as he kisses the corner of my mouth before meeting my gaze. "Do you want me?"
Involuntarily I let out a soft, breathless moan. Goddess, this feels so right and all I want is to feel him on me skin to skin. I've never felt more ready and because of that I find myself nodding confidently in response.
"Yes." I pull him down to meet my lips before hooking my legs around his waist. "Take me, Atticus."
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