Jayson POV
It was the best thing that happened tonight. Max was here. Goddess pardon me, your gifted mate will always remain my blessing but Max was my buddy. Diaper friends, no one can replace that dork.
"When did they arrive?"
Theo was beside me, he should have been informed before they actually entered the territory. Who the hell messed up?
"I don't know but your dad let them in."
He knew that I wanted to be there to greet them. The dawn was family for us. From generation to generation the ritual was repeated, the young alphas always became best friends.
I could finally see my dad in front of the pack house. With there was Morgan, the previous alpha of the hunter of the dawn but Max was nowhere in sight.
I didn't have to interpellate them that they turned around sensing me.
"Jayson! Boy, you've grown up so much."
Morgan took me in his arms. I was his family, his son.
"Couldn't say the same to you!"
The bulky man in front of me didn't change at all, in the past four years, apart from the lines that started to draw themselves near his eyes. We weren't the only one suffering a loss that year, Morgan lost his mate to a rogue attack. Till then, he never stopped tracking them. Last year he found a rogue pack messing with smaller packs and he knew it was them. They wiped them off. Two hundred of lone wolves died, and among them, children and women weren't spared.
They might have been innocent, we'll never know. Hence, it has been more than four years that I didn't saw them. Max was on the tracking team so there was no way to meet.
"Nor Max! That brat didn't grow an inch till you saw-"
Morgan couldn't finish his sentence and I knew why I could sense it behind me. The wind was blowing my way so the smell was fresh. I didn't have the time to turn around that Max was on my back.
"Jayssi!!"
F*ck that surname.
"Get the hell out off me! And don't call me that! You unchanged dork!"
I finally moved that dirtbag away. What a bother! Actually, I'm really happy to see Max. We shared so many things.
And that's true.
Same short hair, same height and the same amount of muscle; they're actually inexistent.
She didn't change at all.
We parted ways with these alphas and we were finally alone.
"Shall we play?"
That's why I like this girl, there was no one in this earth who'll have the same ideas as her.
Yeah, no one was as weird as her.
"What shall we bet?"
She started thinking out loud, saying this or that.
It was one of our rules. If we play, the winner has his pay and the loser has to pay.
Simple as this.
After thoroughly thinking she came up with an idea.
"Let's do this!"
She whispered in my ear, what we'll play at tonight.
"You didn't grow up, did you? And what about the bet?"
Come on man, I really didn't want to do this. What will I look like to my mate after this?
"Come on! Let's find a spot and I'll tell you before we start the game."
Gosh, excitement vibrated from her voice. It was nice to hear it.
She guided to the ideal spot.
The biggest three near the reception.
I hope, no one will see us.
"You sure?!"
I asked because I wasn't.
"We just have to climb this tree and jump down. The fastest get to tell one of his or her secrets."
Really, actually, it might not be that bad.
"You know that I'll win right."
She took her confidence pose.
"True but not if it starts now!!"
She scurried off to the three with impeccable speed.
F*CK! I was already behind.
I tried my best to follow her but there was nothing to do she was faster than me.
She had no weight, obviously she would be.
I caught up but she obviously was ahead but she made her first mistake.
She thought that she attained the highest branch and started climbing down taking the same route.
However, the highest branch was outside of the foliage.
Thus, I jumped and there was nothing to stop me from attaining the ground.
I saw her near me ten seconds later.
"That was unfair!"
She was the one spouting this nonsense. Come on.
"Since when, was it fair between us."
She gave up.
"You win! Come closer."
The secret was out.
...
I wasn't surprised by the secret. Just a little bit dumbfounded. Might as well be an other word to say surprised.
"I mean when?"
How was that possible?
"I think between ten and twelve. Somehow I just realized it."
Shame on me. I was completely mistaken.
"You know that I had a crush on you when we were younger right!"
Max smiled at this. It didn't make me feel any better.
I heard someone clearing their throat behind and I knew it was dad and...
"Guess you guys caught up quite well."
I turned around and I saw my dad with my mate.
She didn't look well. Her eyes were red and her make up slightly smudged. Did something happen?
Dad gave her a small pat and left to the dining table.
I was left here with both women confused.
I'll need to talk to Serah later.
But for now time for presentations.
"Serah this is Max. Max this is Serah, my mate."
I didn't know why but they seemed even more confused.
The confusion on Max's face transformed into excitement but I couldn't say the same for her.
"Oh my god!! Why didn't you tell me?!"
Max was overexcited I was about to answer but someone else had better to say.
"You didn't tell her that you had a mate?"
Her voice was nothing near warm but she wasn't aggressive just curious. This tone of her was scary.
"I guess I forgot."
Her eyes shot open for a second before turning back to normal.
I won't understand women anytime soon. Till Max hit me on the head.
"Did you just say that you forgot about your mate, girl you should dump him."
Max was joking but it was true. I said something stupid.
Serah laughed half-heartedly but something caught her attention.
"Jay your hair is a mess why do you have leaves..."
She stopped and her eyes turned to Max.
"And you too by the way..."
Her speech was slow and calculated as if she was thinking hard about something.
"We were just-"
I didn't want to be seen as childish in front of my mate so I cut her off by putting my hand over Max's mouth.
Serah didn't say a word with a tight-lipped smile she left us saying that she needed some air.
Something was weird with her since I saw her with dad. And since when, did she hang out with dad?
And after leaving us, I could swear that I heard her utter:
"So she was a woman."