Zara’s POV
“Oh, that’s nice,” Luna Mary sneered when she saw me coming down the hallway with Luke. She is Luke and his brothers’ mother, as well as Alpha Jack’s mate.
Luke’s expression twisted with rage; he froze in place, not exactly thrilled to see her.
“You are being rude, mom,” he said, before she could continue and say anything more.
I have never received much affection from Luna Mary, and when she found out that Luke and I had dated for a while, her demeanor only became more icy.
“I am not being impolite,” Luna Mary became enraged and threw her long blond hair over her shoulder, her eyes turning emerald green. “A she-wolf should not come around at this hour, especially if they are-”
“What time is it?” I interrupted her by asking.
“After 2 am,” Derek answered.
“Gosh,” I muttered. No wonder Luna Mary appeared annoyed that I was here at this hour. “My apologies, Luna; I have lost track of time.”
“Looks like you have lost more than just your sense of time,” she barked. “Look at you, covering up with my youngest son’s shirt. I would feel embarrassed if I were you.”
My cheeks turned red, and I tightly clamped my jaw to try to hide my humiliation. The decision to wear Kevin’s shirt was not mine.
“Mom!” Luke balled his hands and let out a cry of terror.
“You are some chosen…” Luna Mary hissed.
“Enough already!” Alpha Jack’s voice startled me, and Luna Mary fell silent.
I turned around to watch Alpha Jack walk down the hallway. The six-foot-four silver-headed wolf stopped between Luna Mary and me, acting irritated. His posture was stonecold.
“I was just stating the facts,” his mate stated sweetly. “No harm was done. It is clear that she has no business being here.”
“Mom,” Luke snapped, glaring at his mother. “I asked Zara to come here, and I gave Kevin the order to lend her his shirt. This is my doing!”
“So, at the time that we are preparing for war, you are to blame for bringing her into my home?” She snarled. “She is this pack’s enemy, not its ally. She is the cause of the war! We do not want her here!”
I lowered my head in embarrassment and shame as my cheeks burned. How was she able to paint me as an enemy? This was not my doing; I did not mean for it to happen.
“Mary, enough already!” Alpha Jack growled. “Zara is welcome here, always. She is our family.”
“Family, do not start a war!” Luna Mary argued. “Moreover, refrain from tearing friends and family apart! She is going to put our entire pack in danger!”
“It’s not her fault she doesn’t know.” My focus turned to Andrew as his voice resonated in my ears. I had not noticed him joining us.
“That is enough!” Alpha Jack silences everyone.
Tension was rising between Alpha Jack and Luna Mary as they gazed at each other intensely.
“Alpha Jack appears enraged,” murmured Kaya.
“So does Luna Mary,” I replied. “I find it offensive to think that I am the cause of their disagreement.”
We all had different opinions, so arguments between mates were not unusual, but eventually their mate bond would force them to set their differences aside and forgive one another.
“Know what, exactly?” I asked as I turned to Andrew. “What are you talking about? What do I not know?”
Alpha Jack turned tense. It seems that he hoped that I didn’t read much into Andrew’s words.
“Andrew, please escort Zara to my office,” he said, sounding emotional and worn out. “I will be there shortly.”
Kevin walked casually to his mother’s side, while Steve, Derek, and Luke suddenly tensed up as if they were in trouble.
I turned to look at Luke for a moment before Andrew grabbed my arm and began to drag me toward Alpha Jack’s office.
Was it wrong of him to have brought me here?
“It is okay, Zara,” Luke reassured me. “Go with Andrew. My father and I will meet you there.”
I gave a nod and silently trailed behind Andrew to his father’s office.
Just like any other Alpha office, Alpha Jack’s was roomy and luxurious.
Andrew led the way to the little seating area and motioned for me to take a seat.
My eyes strayed to the wall portraits, and I sighed.
Only once, two years ago, did I step inside his office, and everything was exactly as it had always been.
As I waited for Alpha Jack, my mind kept going back to that particular day.
Luke and I were only dating for a few months, nothing too committed. Though we had not shared more than a kiss or two, we were aware that it might not last. However, we did hope that it would.
After learning, our parents expressed their unease about the relationship. They cautioned us against continuing the relationship until we had our wolves, but we disregarded their advice. We relished each other’s company.
As Luke’s eighth birthday approached, we grew enthusiastic and optimistic that perhaps his wolf would reveal to us that I was his true mate.
However, we were summoned to Alpha Jack’s office twenty minutes prior to the ceremony for shifting. The fact that we were not sure what Alpha Jack wanted to talk about when we were called in worried me. But when we entered his office, his eyes were a clear reflection of worry and concern. Like he had some inside knowledge. Like he was already certain that we were not meant to be together.
“Zara, Luke,” Alpha Jack said. “I want you two to understand that tonight might not work out the way you two want it to.”
At first, I was confused and wasn’t sure what Alpha Jack was going on about.
“What are you saying, father?” Luke inquired with the same confused expression.
“That you might not be fated mates,” Alpha Jack explained. “I know you two like one another and have dated a couple of months, but don’t get your hopes up too high. Most wolves date to eventually find out they are not fated mates.”
“We understand,” Luke said, cutting his father short.
Luke took my hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. We have talked about it.
“Alpha,” I said, trying hard not to have my heart break before we were certain. “Luke and I have discussed the matter beforehand.”
“And both of us came to an agreement,” Luke said, his eyes gentle.
“That if we were not fated mates,” I said.
“We would make a clean break and give each room to fine our fated mates,” Luke added.
“But if we do not fine our mates in five years,” I went on.
“We will accept one another as chosen mates,” Luke finished our agreement.
Alpha Jack was astounded by our words. It required a few moments for him to genuinely utter words.
“I am happy that you two made a wise decision,” Alpha Jack said, impressed.
“Want some coffee?” Andrew suddenly asked, making me jump in fright and clearing the old memory from my mind. “It’s freshly brewed.”
“That would be lovely,” I said.
Andrew gave me a mug, and at the same time my stomach growled.
“I guess you haven’t eaten?” He asked, concerned.
I shook my head.
“I’ll order-”
“It’s not necessary.” I tried to stop him, but Andrew’s eyes glazed over, linking someone.
“Luke will kill me if you starve,” Andrew said, taking a seat opposite me.
Andrew was different from his other brothers. He was more a bookworm than anything else. His knowledge stretches from basic things to more complicated things like politics and science, and I always found him interesting.
Where Andrew was highly intelligent, he lacked social skills. I was lucky enough to be someone he enjoyed talking to, which surprised even his mother.
“He reminds me a lot of Beta Ronan,” Kaya commented.
“Except Beta Ronan has social skills,” I said. “He could easily play a substitute Alpha if the need arose. I am pretty sure that Andrew wouldn’t know where to begin.”
“You would be surprised at what Andrew can and cannot do,” Kaya argued. “I think if he was put to the test and in that situation, he would easily take over and lead. He is born an Alpha. Just a very shy and aloof one.”
Andrew would be taking the Gamma position someday and would offer his services on battle strategy to Luke.
“I wouldn’t say that I agree,” I said out loud, replying to both Kaya and Andrew.
“You don’t know Luke,” Andrew argued. “He has changed ever since…”
My heart skipped a beat and jumped to my throat. I didn’t want to hear what Andrew had to say. I didn’t want to know what had happened.
The office door suddenly opened, cutting Andrew’s thoughts off, and Alpha Jack and Luke appeared-they both seemed frustrated about something.
Was their frustration because of me? Or was it more than I could ever imagine?
****