I froze, the shock of realization stealing the breath from my lungs.
A shiver of fear ran up my spine when I noticed Alpha Farris catch a scent on the wind. He sniffed at the air and pushed everyone away from him.
He began to turn, taking another long whiff. I knew he’d smelled me. His eyes began to scan the crowd. Just before they were set to lock with mine, I turned and ran.
I put as much distance between myself and the pack house as fast as I could.
I didn’t stop until I reached my cabin and slammed the door shut, locking it securely behind me.
If I’d thought my life was bad before, nothing could compare to this. I was mated to the wolf who probably hated me more than anyone else.
My mere existence was a constant annoyance to him. His father had raised him with a distaste for mutts—especially me. And even after his father was gone, he’d continued to treat me poorly.
Alpha Farris was going to be livid when he discovered we were mates. I’d be lucky if he didn’t murder me on the spot.
Alphas required an heir. It was one of the most important things in an alpha’s life. He must ensure the future and safety of his pack.
I couldn’t imagine the look on his face when he realized that his pups would only be three-quarters wolf.
The whole pack was going to blame me for this. They’d say it was my fault that the alpha couldn’t continue the Elwood bloodline.
I’d be even more of a pariah than I already was. The pack would probably request my banishment.
I’d be a rogue.
My breathing quickened and my heartrate rose. I fell against the door, clutching at my chest. Tears began streaming down my face as I slid to the floor.
It was bad enough that I was going to be rejected by my soulmate, the one wolf who was supposed to love me above all others, no matter what. But now, I was likely to lose the only home I had ever known.
Where would I go? What would I do? I’d never been beyond the borders of this land.
My anguish engulfed me like a tight blanket. I curled into a tight ball on the floor and cried myself to sleep.
The Moon Goddess had really screwed me this time.
My nose told me my mission was a success. I had found my mate.
She’d been trying to hide from me. I was sure of it. But she wasn’t fast enough to escape my notice.
I watched her retreating figure, angry that she’d run from me. I almost chased after her and demanded she explain herself.
But before I could take a single step, reality struck me like the ringing of a bell.
I was mated to the mutt.
I excused myself and left the festival early. Instead of following my instinct to track down my mate and claim her, I returned to my room. I needed time alone to think.
I’d spent my life looking forward to finding my mate and having the kind of love my parents had shared.
Now I wasn’t so sure.
My father had hated mutts and despised having one in our pack. He’d seen them as a burden—a watering down of strong, pure wolf bloodlines.
He believed they would eventually be the end of the wolves. And he had taught me to think much the same.
What was I supposed to do?
How was I going to reconcile what I’d been raised to believe with the fact that my mate was a mutt? That my children would have mixed blood?
I wasn’t sure how I could undo a lifetime of intolerance and accept this fate. And after the way I’d treated Mysti over the years, I had to wonder if she would be willing to accept me.
I awoke the next morning to someone pounding on my door. I couldn’t imagine who would possibly be here this early after last night’s festivities.
“Mysti, open up!” Alessa’s voice crept in through the closed door.
“Should have guessed.” I chuckled under my breath. I was just glad it was her and no one else.
Feeling groggy, I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I let out a groan as I stretched, my body aching from lying on the cold, hard floor.
“Mysti! Hurry,” she cried out again.
“Okay. Okay. Hold on.” I grunted as I reached up behind me to unlock the door.
As Alessa pushed her way inside, I stood up, straightening my dress. I wished I had at least taken a moment to get out of this outfit last night.
“Oh my Goddess, Mysti, you’re never going to believe it,” Alessa exclaimed as she saw me, clearly not noticing the state that I was in. I was grateful for that.
“What happened? Did you meet your mate last night?”
“I did, and you’re never going to guess who it is,” she squealed, her excitement bubbling over.
I was surprised that she’d come alone after meeting her mate. Mates tended to be inseparable when they first found each other.
“Who is it?”
“Beta Deene!”
“No way,” I breathed. It came out sounding like I was excited. In reality, I was devastated. Beta Deene was Alpha Farris’s second in command and his best friend.
I hadn’t interacted with him much, but I was certain he wouldn’t want his mate hanging around a wolf as low in the pack hierarchy as me. Especially not after the alpha rejected me. But I wouldn’t be selfish. This wasn’t about me. This was about my best friend’s happiness.
“Congratulations, Alessa. I’m so excited for you.”
“Thank you! I can’t believe I’m going to be the beta female. It’s like a dream come true,” she continued gleefully.
I happily listened to her, wanting to bask in her joy and celebrate with her while we were still allowed to talk to each other.
“Goodness.” She suddenly stopped and brought her hands to her mouth. “I’m sorry. What about you? I was so excited, I totally forgot to ask what happened when you found your mate.”
My smile dropped instantly, and I fought the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes.
Alessa noticed and stepped forward to give me a reassuring hug. “What happened? Who is it?”
“Oh, Alessa, it’s awful. I don’t think anything could be worse than this.”
“Oh no. Did he reject you already? Tell me who he is, and I’ll go kick his ass,” she proclaimed, jumping into a fighting stance.
“Alessa…” I wanted to laugh, but given the circumstances, I was hard-pressed to find the strength. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing, “I am m-mated to A—Alpha Farris.”
Alessa’s mouth fell open in shock. She stared at me wide-eyed, processing the news. Suddenly, a smile spread across her face. “This is great!” she announced.
“What?” I responded, surprised that she’d failed to understand the gravity of this situation.
“This is the best thing that could have happened. I’m mated to the beta, and you’re mated to the alpha. We’re going to be the top two females in the pack!”
“You don’t know that, Mysti.” She sighed, exasperated. “Things could change when he finds out you two are fated to be together. You could change the whole mindset of this pack. If a mutt is mated to the alpha, then they would have to treat all half-breeds better. No other family in this pack would have to go through what yours experienced. You could change everything!”
“That’s a nice thought, Alessa. But it’s never going to happen.”
“So, what are you planning to do then?”
“I’ll hide here and stay out of the alpha’s way for as long as I can. Once he finally figures it out, I’ll just pray that he rejects me in a kind way—preferably with as few members of the pack watching as possible.”
“You know…,” Alessa started with some hesitation. “If you’re really eager to get this over with…you could always try scheduling a private appointment with him in his office. At least it would just be the two of you there.”
It was an interesting option. I had never attempted to meet with the alpha before. I wasn’t even entirely certain how to go about it. Though I was sure Alessa could help me figure that part out.
“I’ll think about it. It would be nice to have the rejection done quietly.”
“Or to have some privacy when he jumps on you and rips your clothes off,” Alessa teased with a wink.
Alessa suddenly grew quiet and started staring off into space. I waited patiently, knowing she was likely receiving a mind-link.
“Well, you better make your decision soon,” Alessa said casually.
“Why?”
“Deene told me that Alpha Farris scented his mate last night at the festival. He knows that it’s you, Mysti, and he wants to speak to you.”
“Great. Just freaking great.” I cringed internally.
This wasn’t going to end well.
