Fuck it, here's another update. SMD.
"Where the hell have you been?" Sebastian asks me once I return back to center of the party, hoping not to run into the mysterious man again. My "mate", allegedly.
"I had to use the little Gamma's room," I respond sarcastically, and Seb snorts.
"Speaking of Gammas, seems like you were getting along famously with the Blood Lake one," Seb winks, and I roll my eyes.
"What can I say? He looks like he would be fun," I smirk, and Seb pretends to gag. "Although, I can't say the same for his Alpha."
My words pique his interest. "The Blood Alpha? You met him?" He asks, his eyes widening, and I nod, taking a glass of champagne from the table, downing it, and grabbing another.
"Unfortunately," I mutter.
Seb is about to ask more questions, when the sound of a knife against a glass rings throughout the party, silencing everyone as we turn to see the speaker.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I groan as the man who saved me from the Blood Alpha stands at the top of the staircase, all eyes glued to him. Please, please don't be the Alpha.
"Thank you to everyone for coming to the annual Mating Gathering. I feel incredibly lucky to get to host such a wonderful event. The Mating Gathering is a chance for love, for hope, for new beginnings. To those who found their mates- congratulations. To those who have not met their other half... Well, I'll see you next year," He says, his voice loud, commanding. His words left me with no doubt that he was the Alpha of Blue Moon. Thane.
Chuckles resounded through the room, and many of the wolves looked at him in respect, admiration. "So- a toast. To those who have been blessed with the opportunity to meet their True Mate...Including myself."
A few people gasp, and I can see some wolves clapping and cheering, no doubt wolves from his pack, excited their Alpha met his Luna. "I wish you all the best, and a lifetime of joy and prosperity," He concludes, and raises his glass. His eyes are locked on mine as everyone raises their glass, except for me. He doesn't break his gaze as he drinks, and smiles knowingly at me when I glare daggers at him.
"Ares..." Seb says slowly, looking between the Alpha and I. "You're not...Oh my God...You're his mate, aren't you?"
"No!" I quickly deny, but Seb grins.
"You are," Seb laughs. "Oh, this is hilarious. Definitely not a tracker then. Good luck trying to control this one, Ares."
I clench my glass so tightly it shatters in my hand. "Fuck," I mutter, throwing the glass into a thrash can, glaring at any wolves bold enough to look at me in curiosity, and they quickly avert their gaze at the murderous look on my face. I walk outside, into the cool night air.
"I'm starting to think you're a masochist," A voice says from behind me, and I grind my teeth before turning to face him.
"I could say the same thing about you. Surely, you know I could tear you apart," I threaten.
He laughs, his eyes twinkling. "I'm an Alpha, darling. You couldn't if you tried. The threats are cute though. You look adorable when you're trying to figure out how to kill me."
"We are not mates," I hiss, taking a threatening step towards him.
The Alpha laughs, and instead of moving away, he takes a step, closing the distance between us. I flinch as he puts his hand on my cheek, sending a million volts of electricity through my skin. "How easily you ignore the sparks," He murmurs. "Perhaps it has something to do with your wolfsbane consumption, no?"
I inhale slightly, and jerk my face out of his hand. "I don't know what you're talking about."
His grin widens. "I think you do, Reaper. I can smell it coursing through your veins. Tell me: How long have you been drinking it? I'd wager years, considering how heavily concentrated it is."
"Y-you don't know me," I stammer out, taking a step back, unnerved by how much the mysterious Alpha seems to know about me. And I never get unnerved, ever.
He takes a step closer, and places his hand on my face one more, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "No," He admits lowly, and his voice turns husky. I can't help myself from leaning into his touch. "But I would love to."
"Stay away from me," I whimper, unable to tear myself away from both his touch and his gaze. What the hell is wrong with me?
His eyes turn slightly sad. "I will do anything in the world for you, my little mate... Except for that. Anything but that."
"I-I can't be your Luna," I whisper, hoping he can see what I see. I am no Luna. Lunas are kind, nurturing. Subservient.
"Then don't be my Luna," He says with an indifferent shrug, and I exhale slightly in relief. "Be my Alpha Female. My equal. You submit to no one."
His words nearly take my breath away, I'm stunned by his proposal, and I'm at a loss for words. Alphas aren't supposed to be like this. They're supposed to be stubborn, hot-tempered... Dominating.
"Give me a chance, Ares," He pleads, and I'm shocked when he gets down on both knees, grabbing my hands in his. His position is one of submission, lowering himself... for me. "Stay with me in Blue Moon. Get to know me, my pack. If you still want to leave after that... It will kill me, but I will let you leave... If it is what you truly desire, I will not stop you."
"One month," I surprise myself by saying. "I'll give you a month, and that's it."
***********************************************
I gasp as I jerk upright in bed. Cain immediately awakens, placing his hand on my lower back, rubbing circles soothingly.
"Bad dream, pup? Your heart is racing," He murmurs, and I'm thankful it's too dark for him to see my face.
"Yes, nightmare indeed," I say quietly, excusing myself to go to the restroom.
I stare in the mirror, and my eyes are glowing silver, my cheeks stained red. I wash my face, trying to calm my breathing and heart rate.
A week had gone by since my last dream, and I had begun to forget about Thane's intrusion into my subconscious. But tonight... He had returned, plaguing me with visions.
Visions of what? Obviously not the past, since I had never gone to the Mating Gathering. Definitely not the future, since I apparently don't know Cain in them. Was I seeing visions of some kind of alternate reality, one where Cain and I weren't mates, but Thane and I were?
If so, why? Thane obviously is not my mate, my wolf doesn't recognize him at all.
"Is everything okay in there, pup?" Cain calls out from the bedroom. "I can feel your anxiety through the bond."
"I-I'm fine," I stammer out. "Be out in a minute."
"Hurry up, okay? You're making me nervous," Cain says the last part quietly.
I breathe in deeply. Calm the fuck down, Ares, I tell myself. It's just a dream. It means nothing. You already have your mate and the life you want. It. Means. Nothing.
As I walked out of the bathroom, I couldn't stop myself from wondering: What if it did mean something? If it was an alternate reality, does that mean Thane means something in my current reality? No, no that is not the case. All of my feelings for Thane are purely platonic. Were platonic, since I now considered him an enemy.
Anyways, its not like there is any reality in which I would willingly agree to stay with an Alpha. Before Cain, I loathed Alphas. I tried to kill Cain when he tried to take me to Blood Lake, for fuck's sake. There was no way I would have agreed to stay with one.
But he submitted to you, I can't stop myself from contradicting my own thoughts, my mind is so scrambled. He explained, was rational, offered you a position as an equal. Didn't try to kidnap you and force you to submit.
"Shut up," I hiss, clutching at my skull to stop it from splitting in half.
Cain rushes to my side, wrapping his arms around me, and it's the only thing that stops me from completely shattering. "Oh pup, what's gotten into you? These aren't your normal nightmares, are they?"
I can't help the tears that flow freely from my eyes, unable to fight in the battle against myself. I have to tell Cain, alleviate my guilt, I need him.
"Cain, I have something I need to t-" I start to say, but I'm interrupted by the sound of Cain's cell phone ringing.
"For fuck's sake, who would be calling at this hour?" Cain snarls, stalking towards his phone. He looks at the name on the screen, and pauses before answering it.
Obviously, it's not someone from the pack, because they would have mindlinked. "Who is it?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"It's Thane," Cain says quietly.
"Don't answer it," I plead, not fully knowing why, only knowing that I want Thane completely out of my life.
"I have to," Cain says. "He wouldn't call unless if it was an emergency."
He answers the call, but before he can speak, Thane is shouting into the phone.
"What the fuck have you done with my mate?"
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