Chapter 4

ALIA

I don´t know how I was able to hold myself together after the Claiming. It has been three days since that day and I felt like I was just a walking zombie. I ceased to exist.

Sooner or later the bond would weaken and I would be free from him. I knew now that he didn´t win the girl he wanted. So he was a free man.

One would think there would be a chance for us. But not in this case. He could do whatever he wanted with his life. And I would move on. And one day, the right man would come and claim me. And he would be forgotten.

Easier said than done.

"Are you even listening, Alia?" My brother´s annoyed voice ringed in my head, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Say that again?" I said, my brow hiked up. I was not even sure why he called me to his office. He rarely does unless I´ve done something wrong which I tried to avoid as much as possible to keep him from worrying about me.

I might be a brat, being the youngest and a girl which was spoiled by our father, but I loved my brother. And the fact that being a new Alpha took most of his time, I tried to help by not being a burden.

Well, I tried. Sometimes I couldn´t help it.

"I asked you why you run away from the men who were there to guard you last night?"

"I didn´t run away. They probably lost me in the bar. Not my fault, it was too crowded." I tried to reason out, but the truth was I did it on purpose. Who would want someone following you around when you want to have fun? So I led them to one bar, left them there, and headed off to the bar of my choice.

"Alia." Frustration on his voice.

"Caspian please, I´m doing my best here. Don´t worry about me. You have things you needed to focus on. Let this one go. It won´t happen again. I promised." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I´m going to the Black Shadow Pack tomorrow, they have a Union and Luna ceremony. I want to take you with me." He said immediately added even before I could stand up and leave.

"What? Seriously? Why? I would rather be home, Cas." I pleaded. My body had no more energy for traveling.

"The territory is too far from here. A day to travel and that means I have to be out for at least three days. I´m not leaving you here without me. It´s non-negotiable."

"Why do you have to go there? Can´t you just decline it?"

"They were the ones helping us with the warrior training and I was expecting them to send off another batch of trainers in the coming weeks. The least I can do is be present there since I was invited." He explained calmly.

"Do I have a choice?" I sighed in defeat.

"No."

"There´s the answer then. When are we leaving?"

"Tonight at midnight so we can reach their territory by noontime. The Union would be at 6 PM so we have ample time to rest."

"Wow!" I rolled my eyes. "Fine. But are we heading off as soon as the ceremony is over? I don´t think my body can handle too much traveling in one day."

"I was thinking yes but then you´re right. I´ll just have to take Alpha Jacob´s offer to stay overnight then we can head off early after breakfast."

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

The last four days just went by in a blur.

My wounds were healing but my heart wasn´t.

I looked at the paper I took from Alpha Jacob while sipping the bourbon in my hand. It was fucking 11 AM and I wanted to just drown myself from this alcohol to forget everything. But I couldn´t. Every time I closed my eyes, all I see was her.

My little lamb.

The paper had the list of all Alpha Females that were up for Claiming that day. And all of them were claimed. I was assuming she was one of them. Although the Alpha told me that all these females were 22 years old and older, I don´t want to fully believe that.

If she was here on the list, she couldn´t be 22.

She looked too innocent to be 22. She might even pass as 17 years old but not older than 19.

I don´t know why I was thinking about her age when I should be checking all the names on the list. I did check but for some reason, none of the names appealed to me.

None of the names here suited her.

I finally gave up and drank the rest of the bourbon before heading for a cold shower. As much as I just wanted to not fix myself and just slacked off, today would be Jake and Clair´s union and the Luna ceremony. I had to look presentable.

I just came out from my bath when the Alpha mind linked and informed me that Alpha Caspian had entered the territory and was now on his way to the pack house. I immediately put on my clothes and wiped the little blood on my chin from the cut I incurred while I shaved.

I grabbed my jacket and head off downstairs where the Alpha was already waiting.

As soon as I stepped out of the pack house, I saw Alpha Jake´s smile. He was pleased with how I looked. I bobbed my head at him in acknowledgment and stood beside him.

After few seconds, two cars approached the pack house, and together with the Alpha, we walked forward and stopped in the front of the first car.

Alpha Caspian stepped out of his car but I did not see his next move because my eyes shifted to the female that stepped out of the passenger side.

I never thought I would see her again.

The goddess must be playing jokes on me.

My mate, the most beautiful woman that graced earth just stepped in on our territory.

My breathing hitched, my hands automatically coiled into fists on my side as her scent swirled around me. Kurt howled in my head wanting to take our mate in my arms.

My jaw tightened when the realization hit that Alpha Caspian had claimed my mate.

'Gavin. Is she your mate? Focus!' I heard the Alpha in my head.

I cleared my throat and accepted the hand laid out by Alpha Caspian.

"Beta Gavin," I said coldly, my eyes shifted again to the female who was now approaching us, without any regard for me.

If she recognized the bond, it surely did not show on her face or in her actions.

She stopped in front of Jake and looked at him, a forced smile on her lips. "My name is Alia,

Alpha Jacob." She raised her hand and laid it in front of the Alpha.

Alia.

Her name was perfect for her. I wonder how it would feel if I say it.

Instead of taking it to kiss her hand, the Alpha simply put his hands over hers and bowed at her. "Pleasure to meet you, Lady Alia." He smiled and let go of her hand before turning his head in my direction. "My Beta, Beta Gavin."

Her eyes squinted and looked at me for a second, before returning his attention to Jake. "I know the ceremony won´t start until later, do you mind if I ask for a place where I can rest?"

I saw Alpha Caspian flinched on his spot, he wanted to say something but he kept his mouth shut.

"Of course, my Beta would show..." The Alpha was not done yet when she cut him off.

"I would rather be assisted by someone else, not your Beta." She said coldly, her eyes not moving away from him.

The Alpha nodded and turned to Matteo beside him. "Show Lady Alia her room on the 2nd floor, guest wing."

"Excuse me." She said without waiting for any confirmation from the Alpha and followed behind Matteo, not throwing a single glance at me.

My eyes followed her movement, focusing on how her hips swayed and her skirt rustled as she walked.

"I apologized for my sister, she can be demanding at times and unfortunately, I don´t want to leave her behind when I need to go far from the territory. I hope you don´t mind that I took her without any notice." Alpha Caspian explained, and the moment the word sister left his mouth, I felt my lungs start to function again.

In fact, all of my senses came back to life.

And for the first time since the Claiming, I found myself smiling. A real one.

Jake must have felt the relief I felt that he too snickered from Alpha Caspian´s words. "Women. You would never understand them. But I thought I saw her on the Claiming. Wasn´t she one of the Alpha Females there?" He asked the question I wanted to ask.

Alpha Caspian shook his head and stifled a laugh. "No. No. I would never place her there unless she wanted to. She just tagged along because I want to go there, you know hoping I can spot my mate there. Unfortunately, luck wasn´t on my side. Seemed my mate is still out there."

"That explained. But I´m sure you´ll find her one day. You´re still young. Anyway, let´s go in." Jake patted my shoulder and motioned for me and Alpha Caspian to enter the pack house. "We can go to my office if you want or I can direct you to your room if you want to rest." He told the Alpha.

I did not hear the rest of their conversation as I followed them inside the pack house.

My mate was unclaimed.

And she hated me. Of course, she would.

But it doesn´t bother me. Not at all.

She was unclaimed.

That´s all that mattered now.