Kirsch's POV
I agreed to meet Jason about some missing wolf.
I thought that was his excuse to look for trouble. I didn't think he would actually come all the way to my border, only to retrieve a wolfless girl, and I surely didn't know she would be my mate!
"Mine!..." Rudy shouted to me happily when he saw Ethan talking to a girl in a red cloak, but then he changed into a confused tone, "Mine?"
Rudy was my wolf.
I swear at the moment I was both ecstatic and murderous -- murderous to Rudy because this was not the first time he shouted that at me!
A werewolf only has one chance to mark a mate, and I had marked mine, at Rudy's recognition!
[A werewolf has only one mate, you stupid huge dog! What's the matter with you?!] I growled at him feeling mad, but I knew that anger was directed at myself--
I also felt the pull toward the girl.
[I'm not sure...] Rudy calmed down a little from the thrill, [I FEEL like she's ours, but I'm not sure...]
Great. The very first wolf in history who couldn't identify its mate. Why was I stuck with such a stupid wolf who gave me the special confusing experience of being wolfless?!
[How could this even happen?!] I felt as if my brain exploded as guilt kicked in, [So you were wrong last time after all?! Is that why Taran couldn't mark us?!]
[No! I'm sure Taran is ours! We couldn't get a mark only because Cerberus won't mark us!] Rudy protested, lowering his head with a whimper.
Cerberus was Taran's wolf. He always hated me.
[Well apparently that's because Cerberus was the only one with a brain between you and him!] I was desperate right now, knowing that I marked Taran by mistake.
No wonder Crebreus hated me. That was actually why Taran let me mark his anyway. We both thought Crebreus was only denying their true feelings because he hated me.
But now I knew, Crebreus was right all along.
Rudy crushed into me, peeking out at the girl from my eyes: [I want her, but not as much as I wanted Cerberus...I'm really confused...]
No shit. I was, too!
[How could you want Cerberus when we are straight? So we do have a female mate!] I closed my eyes in frustration. I shouldn't have given in to the mate's pull when Rudy claimed Cerberus.
[The moon goddess paired me with Cerberus, I'm sure!] Rudy whimpered with a wronged face.
[How could you make me do this to Taran! We MARKED him for god's sake!] I seriously wanted to murder my wolf at that moment, [This is so fucking messed up!]
Maybe Rudy was confused because we already marked Taran before we met our true mate.
If she was my true mate, she would know when she turns 18 when her wolf recognizes me. Knowing someone was yours but cannot have them was the worst, it would drive one crazy.
I knew. I went through that. I tried to deny Rudy when he claimed Cerberus, but it was awful, and effort in vain in the end.
A mate's pull was irresistible.
I knew I had to let her go.
I couldn't put her through that. And this time, I couldn't mark her even if I want to.
A werewolf could only mark one.
My mate was mad that I wouldn't even listen to her appeal, but I couldn't explain. I deserved it. I doomed all three of us when I marked Taran by mistake.
I took Taran from his real mate who was still out there, and I took away my mate's chance at her happiness as well.
But then Jason came.
My mate was afraid of Jason. She would rather die than go back with him. It wasn't hard to imagine how horrible a life she had there.
She stabbed me when I stopped her from hurting herself, and the pain in my hand wasn't even near to how I felt when I took a glance into her miserable life.
All because she was wolfless?!
I couldn't believe what a horrible life she had lived, and not only did I have to reject her to my pack, I had to stand there, listening to Jason cursing her and swearing to hurt her.
I lost control when I heard about his son attempted to rape her.
It was such a burn in my heart that at the moment I didn't care about anything. Not the Code, not war, nothing. I wanted to tear Jason into pieces right there but I stopped only because I had to keep my secret from her.
[She's close to 18, no late boomers are this late.] Rudy chattered in excitement.
Thank god she was wolfless, so she would never know that I was her mate. At least she wouldn't have to go through what I suffered.
That was the sole reason I could keep her around. At least I could protect her. I couldn't let her go anymore, not just because of Jason, but because I was afraid.
I was afraid of her entering another pack that would treat her illy, and I couldn't be there. No one would care about her more than me.
I NEEDED to protect her.
[Do you think you can keep your distance?] I asked Rudy, [We can't mark her, so we could never let her know she was ours.]
[I won't say anything!] Rudy trotted around happily in my mind like a crazy dog. I doubted if he had even heard me.
I wasn't even sure if I could.
I had her wrist in my hand, and the touch was so luring that I never wanted to let go. I wished I could just tell her she was mine, and no harm would come to her ever again.
She burst into laughter when I punched Jason. Her smile was the most enchanting spell ever cast on me. I couldn't move my eyes away.
I taunted her and she stared at me like a scared kitten, though her foot was still treading on me.
My mate was fierce. I liked it!
I suppressed my anger toward Jason as I warned him:
"Leave, Jason. She's under my protection now."
Willa's POV "What the hell?!" Jason dashed toward us but stopped fast as he stared at Alpha Kirsch with fear, "Are you fucking with me?!" "Yes, I would like you to see it that way." Alpha Kirsch let out a short laugh as if heard a funny joke. Jason was furious. Jason pointed his shaking fingers at Alpha Kirsch: "You deny her to me, you insult me! And you don't want to insult me!" "I think I just did." Alpha Kirsch sneered with a shrug, his lips curving up, "My pack is the strongest among...well, all the packs that I know of. So what are you gonna do about it?" The only thing stopping Jason from attacking Alpha Kirsch right now was the fear of a war with such a powerful pack. "She's still in my pack bond." Jason suppressed his voice, realizing anger was NOT going to get him what he wanted, "According to The Code--" "Break it." Alpha Kirsch nodded at me. If I break it, I wouldn't be able to mind link granny! I hesitated b
Willa's POV The Gemini Crescent Pack was HUGE. Its territory was nestled in the hug of snow mountains, facing a large area of forest. But the best part was, the town's east end met a small woods, with the sea right outside! I got rid of the worry about Jason, the rogues, the new moon, AND I got the sea within my reach?! It was like the sun shone into my life all of a sudden. Ethan dropped us at a three-story house, modern style, nestling among huge woods, separating the house from the snow mountain. Inside of the house looked fresh new. It didn't look like anyone was living here. So it was just a guest house? It was better than most five-star hotels at popular resorts! I guess that was one of the differences between huge packs and small ones. Even the temporary guest house was fancy! "You can rest here and fresh up. Stay off the third floor. The Alpha will be back in a few hours." Ethan told us before he left. It was pr
Kirsch's POV Everyone has a deep, dark secret. Mine was Taran, a silver rogue I secretly kept in the pack. He was my Alpha and I was his only beta, until he turned rogue. He only shifted after he turned 15, but was instantly recognized by the pack bond as the new Alpha. He was a late boomer, and also the most powerful wolf I had ever known. But he was cursed. We had always known there was something off with his wolf. On the first new moon after he shifted, his wolf went rabid. I shifted for the first time on that night. I was only 12 back then. I fought him and we were both badly injured, but at least we kept the secret to ourselves. He went rabid on every new moon, and we had kept that secret successfully for a while, until I turned 18 and claimed him as my mate. I tried to fight it, but the mate's pull was driving me crazy. He had to let me mark him, but then him staying in the pack bond became torture to me because C
Willa's POV The Alpha had a sad look as he stood where he was, not moving long after we left. "Maybe staying in this pack IS a bad idea," Granny mumbled to herself. I couldn't believe granny said that. She was the one who wanted a home here! "Granny, why are you so upset about a rogue? There are always be rogues around packs." I panted as I tried to keep up with granny. She was basically running. "Do you think the Alpha is capable to defeat him? You saw how powerful that beast is!" Granny was shivering again. "It's not like the Alpha has to fight the beast himself. He got the most powerful pack." I laughed. Granny's steps slowed down. "What if the beast attacks us on the new moon?" Granny frowned. "Funny how you mentioned the new moon, it's in less than two weeks. If we leave, we would have to deal with it packless!" I shook my head in disbelief. I had never seen granny so shaken up, and we had faced rogues throughout our lives
Willa's Pov "I'm Natasha, the Beta of The Gemini Crescent. The alpha won't see you, and you are leaving the pack, right now." The woman claimed with a condescending look. "The beta"? Ethan was also a beta. Why did Natasha make such a weird claim? The smirky-looking guy from earlier was by her side. He grabbed our flask from the table with a despised look: "What the hell are you doing in here?!" "I'm just boiling some water, beta." Granny watched his move with cold eyes, but she didn't let anger take control. "Freak." James murmured, putting down the flask, "Pack your things and leave." "Get your filthy hand off the things in here!" Natasha came and grabbed my collar before I could leave the couch. She threw me on the floor with fury in her eyes. Now I WANTED to join the pack, just so I could annoy Natasha. "The Alpha promised to take us in. Can you tell us why are you suddenly giving a different command, beta?" Granny a
Willa's POV "Clean it up in here." The Alpha said coldly before he grabbed my wrist and led me to a room on the first floor. Granny and Natasha followed us. James got on with it right away while Ethan attended to the table. "Natasha, go and clean the mess you made," The Alpha turned before we reached the door of the study. "I have to talk to you," Natasha said in a haste. "I know what you want to say, and no, it won't change my decision. Now, go!" Alpha Kirsch Alpha Kirsch's eyes glimmered. I flinched at the sudden dominating vibe, and Natasha stiffened. He used the Alpha Aura. It inflict pain and no member of the pack could resist it. Natasha turned around stiffly and left. He opened the door for me, hinting me to go in. I hesitated and glanced at granny. She nodded. I followed the Alpha into the room, having no idea what to do now. I didn't have my potion. "Did she choke you?" Alpha Kirsch kept his distance th
Willa's POV I stared into his eyes in fear, couldn't get my head around. How could he even know visiting the sea was my plan. Could he really read thoughts?! "Yes, Alpha," I muttered, and in my head, countless plans of visiting the sea were already forming. "Good." He nodded, "Any other questions?" "Can you read minds?" I blurted, only to realize that it was dangerous of me to ask him if he was. But I needed to make sure my enemy wasn't telepathic if my sole plan was to hide things from him? He stared at me for a moment before he laughed: "That would be cool." He was really handsome when he smiled. He stood up and got an empty glass from a tray on the cabinet before he handed it to me with an apologetic look, "This part might be a little uncomfortable." I took the glass, feeling a little stunned. This was the part I hated the most in pledging. The alpha gets your blood into his system and completes the p
Willa's POV When I woke up it was already late at night. I was in a cozy bedroom. Granny was sitting on the chair by the bed. "Granny!" I jerked up in bed, only to have darkness consuming the world again. Head rush... "I asked him if we could live in the forest, but he refused." Granny came and sat on the bed, taking me into her arms as my head spun fast. Turned out the Alpha gave us an old two-story house downtown. Close to everything, furthest to the border. Granny wasn't happy because we always lived by the edge of the pack. It was easier to escape when cases like with Liam happens. Meaning if I let my secret out, we'd have the least chance to make out of the huge pack before they kill us. "The alpha gave you the first week off, to settle down." Granny stroked my hair and took away the glass. "From training? I can train, it's fine." I shrugged. I didn't want to get special treatment, because it only meant attention.