(Chase’s POV)
I left my dad’s office and headed up to the top floor to my room. I started to change my top but realised that the one I was wearing held my new mate’s scent. I wasn’t ready to let that go just yet. I checked in on my little sister, Ivy.
“Hey,” I called as I knocked on the door. I opened it to see that she was alone and tapping away on her laptop.
“What’s up?” she asked, pulling her headphones off. “Your meeting finished already?” I could tell by the bitter tone in her question. I knew she wanted more to do with pack business, but dad was very protective of her. He even declined her request for warrior training when she turned eighteen, which pissed her off for months. Dad was an old-fashioned Alpha and an Alpha’s daughter was the princess, and as such was treated as so. Even if she didn’t like it.
“Yeah, for now,” I said. I pulled the mobile phone that belonged to my mate out of my pocket.
“Hey, can you take a look at this,” I said handing her it, “See what information you can get from it,” I knew my dad now knew where Kaleigh was but I wanted to know everything I could about her and maybe try to speak to her first, despite being told to wait.
“Who does it belong to?” she asked. She pressed the home button, and the screen came to life showing my smiling mate and the blond girl. My heart jumped just seeing her face. Geez, I was already a hopeless case. I grinned at Ivy.
“My mate,” I said, and her eyes widened.
“What?” she exclaimed and looked at the home screen of the two girls. “Oh, my goddess Chase! Which one?” I pointed to Kaeleigh, and she grinned.
“Of course, a fiery redhead,” she said, and then frowned at me. “But why have you stolen her phone?”
“She ran away from me,” I said sheepishly, and she laughed.
“Goddess, I love her already,” she leaned over and pulled a white wire from her bedside table, “So you need her location, right?” she asked, and I nodded.
“Dad said he knew where she was, but wants me to wait,” I said and then took a deep breath and shook my head, “Seriously Ivy, I don’t think I can be that patient,” and she nodded.
“I get it,” she said sincerly. “Once you meet your mate it’s all or nothing,” I raised an eyebrow at her.
“Speaking from the voice of experience there?” I asked, and Ivy blushed and quickly shook her head.
“Of course not,” she said quickly, and I smiled. I already knew my sister had a secret. I also knew she would tell when she was ready.
“Anyway, give me an hour or so and I will have the information you need,” then she looked at me, “On one condition,” she said and I frowned, “Listen to dad, at least a little,” I raised my eyebrows again and she shrugged.
“You don’t think with your head when it comes to your mate, you think with your heart,” she then looked down, “Or so I’m told,” I nodded. Despite being my little sister, ten years younger than me, she was still the wise one of us.
“Okay,” I said, “But please let me know what you find?” I asked, and she nodded, “and please, keep it secret,” she nodded again. I went to head out of the room when Ivy called after me,
“Chase?”
“Yeah?” I looked back, and she had a big grin on her face.
“I’m happy you found her,” she said, and I grinned.
“Yeah so am I,”
I left my sister’s room with a grin. Now I need to go find and make things right with Jensen. I wanted to think that I could keep him away from Kaeleigh, and I wanted to blame my rage on him being with my mate, but the simple fact was, I was a dick who let his emotions and shit get the better of him. Ivy was right. I was thinking from my heart, or in this case from my dick, and I felt threatened that Jensen knew my mate more intimately than I did. I couldn’t even blame it on being worried or protective. Not fully anyway, even with the curse.
I hated that this blasted curse was ruling my life and all the decisions I made. I hated the Crimson Shadow pack, and their old Alpha Malcolm and even more their current Alpha, Asher Bowman. I knew that it was him who was responsible for the apparent rogue attacks on ours and neighbouring packs, and I knew that he was responsible for Iris.
That last part hurt. Really, I was responsible for Iris. I put her in that position. The last thing I wanted to do was put Kaeleigh in that same position, but I had a pack of over three thousand wolves who would be affected by the curse. The curse that had me needing to complete the mating and marking process before my 30th birthday or my wolf and the wolf of every pack member of the Dark Moon pack would die. We couldn’t live without our wolves, or if we did survive, then we would go insane.
On my travels around the world, I had found various magic users. I had spoken to witches, shamans, witch doctors, I had even got an audience with the Conclave who, despite my cousin Dominic being on the board, had pretty much told me that it was an internal issue between packs and the high and mighty fucking Alchemists didn’t wanna get involved with our petty affairs. And now, well, I was just happy that I had found my mate, and with just under five months to spare.
I shook myself out of my thoughts and went on the hunt for Jensen. I went downstairs to the Beta and Gamma floor and checked his room first, only to find it empty. I linked Jensen.
“Hey man?” I asked in the link. “Where are you? Can we talk?”
“Fuck off, Chase,” he responded before slamming the link shut. To shut an Alpha out must have taken some fucking energy. I linked Alrik and got it out of him that Jensen was at the hospital. Shit, I must have done some damage. I left the pack house and jogged over to the hospital, which was behind the training grounds.
I walked into the hospital and asked the receptionist where Jensen was. She looked flustered but directed me down the hall. I followed the directions and found Jensen sitting on a bed in one of the side rooms. He looked up as I walked in and scowled at me. Alrik was sitting in a chair with his eyes closed, looking like he was asleep, but I could tell from the way he tensed up that he was fully aware of my entrance.
“What the fuck do you want?” Jensen scowled. I was taken aback. I had lost my shit numerous times and Jensen had always been the easy-going one. I looked over to Alrik, who opened one eye and sighed before getting up.
“Fine,” he scoffed. “I’m going home to my mate. Don’t kill each other.” He walked out, and I looked over at Jensen, who was glaring at the door his father had just left through.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, and Jensen turned his glare on me. “I lost my temper.” I didn’t know what else to say. “No shit,” he spat. “Dude, I’m really trying here,” I snapped. “But we both know how the bond works. It gets in the mind.” His features softened slightly. We both knew, even though we hadn’t felt it, that the fated bond is one of the most amazing feelings you could ever experience, and one of the most painful you could try to avoid. Being an Alpha would make me extra possessive and add to our already more volatile nature.
“You’re right, she will probably listen to you better.” He looked at me as I said that and pursed his lips together before nodding. “I know that protecting Kaeleigh is the single most important thing right now,” I confirmed, and he nodded again, looking visibly more relaxed.
I sat in the chair next to the bed and gestured to him. “How bad is it?” He scoffed at my question. “I’ll live.” He rolled his eyes. “Doc wants me in overnight as a precaution.” I felt the pangs of guilt. “I’m sorry,” I said again, and he nodded again.
“So, are we good?” I asked him the same question he had asked me not half an hour before. He stood up, wincing and holding his side, and I stood instantly to offer support. I barely saw his fist clench before it hit me square in the jaw, sending me stumbling back towards the wall. I glared at him as the pain coursed through my face, and he stood with one arm on his side and the other fist still clenched. We stared at each other for a minute or so before he relaxed. “Now we’re good,” he said, moving back onto the bed. I nodded in acceptance and sat back in the chair.
We talked about my travels, sports, pack business, anything other than Kaeleigh for about an hour, by which time it was getting late and was already dark outside. A nurse came in and said that visiting had finished and I stood up to leave.
Just as I was about to walk out the door, I stopped without turning.
“Jensen?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you really love her?” The question was painful to ask, but I had to know.
“Yeah.” His voice sounded sad and his own hurt was clearly evident. I didn’t say anything for a moment.
“Good,” I finally said with resolve. “That means that you will protect her.”
“With my last dying breath,” he responded with the clearest certainty.
I nodded and walked out of the room.
I left the hospital just as Ivy mind linked me to tell me that she had got into the phone. I responded and told her I was on my way, and headed back towards the main pack house.
(Kaeleigh’s POV)I sighed as I hung my coat and bag up in the staff room at The Cove. I had missed the last few shifts after finding out about Ezra’s accident. I couldn’t bring myself to leave the apartment and had spent the last three days on the sofa with Tatum and Luke just watching movies and trying to process what had happened.I wanted to be there so much for the twins, but Ezra’s death had brought back feelings of loss from my own parents and we had all ended up just supporting each other through our grief. The twins had probably fared better than me. Luke was mostly silent and just went with the flow. He had the occasional outburst but would then be back to his cool, calm self. And Tatum was a rock for everyone. She switched between being with us and helping Elaina with the funeral arrangements.I, of course, was a big mess of emotions, dealing with that and the revelations of not only finding my
(Kaeleigh’s POV)I walked slowly down the bar and stood in front of Jensen. I avoided the burning gaze of the future Alpha standing right behind him.“Kae,” he said and went to reach out, but a growl behind him stopped him in his tracks. He glanced to the side, a hesitant look on his face, but then looked at me again with a bright smile. He put his hand in his pocket and took it out, holding something that he placed on the bar carefully, so he wasn’t too close to me. I looked down at the object and saw my phone. I picked it up and sighed. I didn’t need to look to see that it was blank. I had wiped it days before. But with a pack like theirs, probably not quick enough.“Thanks,” I said and turned to walk away.“Kae,” he said again, and I stopped.“No Jensen,” I replied, “Please don’t,”“We need to talk to you,” he urged
(Kaeleigh’s POV)Nobody was up when I finally got home. Which was good. I was sweaty and exhausted and really didn’t want to answer any questions or cause any problems. I grabbed a quick shower and slipped into my room clean and fresh but still a little shaken. Was Chase really willing to go so far as to have men try to drag me into a car? If so, then he really was just like all the other Alphas. I normally hated moving, but this was the first time I would be happy to leave a place, and all its mess, behind.I slipped into bed and quickly fell asleep with thoughts of Alphas chasing me again. Soon enough, the familiar recurring dream started up. I was five years old, and I was terrified, running through the dark woods…My eyes flew open to full daylight, with the image of Jonathan’s dead eyes staring at me, accusing me of being the reason his life was cut short. I looked up at the black dress hanging up on the outsi
(Kaeleigh’s POV)“What the hell!” I exclaimed as I glared at Chase. I saw him glance at his father briefly before he looked back at me.“Kae,” I heard Elaina’s voice and glared over at her. She flinched under my look and I immediately felt guilty. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe out the sudden anger that was rising in me.“Kae,” I opened my eyes to Jeremy, who was watching me with concern.“Is what they are saying true?” he asked. “Are you fated to this man?” I glared over at Chase again and shook my head.“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “We are leaving soon,” I heard Jeremy sigh.“Kae, the fated bond is the most sacred and powerful of bonds,” he said. This was exactly why I didn’t want to tell them that I had met my fated mate.“Jeremy,” I turned to him pleading, &ld
(Kaeleigh’s POV)I was given two days to get my affairs in order before someone would arrive to pick me up to take me to my new home at Darl Moon. Tatum took things the hardest, and she shouted and raged for a whole day at her mum, at Jeremy, even at poor Luke, who was just trying to calm his sister down. I mostly kept to myself. I didn’t know how to feel. I still felt betrayed and rejected, but I knew that really Jeremy had no choice. He couldn’t have gone up against an Alpha as powerful as Daniel Stone. I had a feeling that Elaina, Jeremy and Jade felt guilty as well. I would walk into a room and they would all stop talking and either smile at me or avoid looking at me altogether.I just felt like crying. Everything in my life was changing. Pack life was so different from human life. I remembered bits from my early childhood and from the occasional visits to other packs. I knew that the majority of the pack lived in a ce
(Kaeleigh’s POV)Morning came and I couldn’t help but feel nervous about what the day would bring. Today I would be leaving my friends, the family I grew up with, and my life. I knew that by this time tomorrow, everything would be different.Elaina had packed the majority of my clothes but had left out a dress for me. It was a jade green skater-style sleeveless dress that had a delicate black lace pattern down one side and it brought out the green in my eyes. I left my strawberry blond hair loose and wavy as it fell halfway down my back.I walked out of my bedroom for likely the last time and into the main apartment. Elaina, Jeremy and Jade were sitting at the table, all silently drinking their coffee. They all watched me as I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. I turned around and looked at them as I drank. I didn’t know what to say. I don’t think they did either. I sighed and put the
(Kaeleigh’s POV)From what I knew, the Dark Moon pack was around 30 or so miles away, so it would only take us around an hour to get there. I watched the scenery out of the window as the cities gave way to the countryside. Most packs were pretty secluded away and protected from prying eyes, and around 50 minutes later, I could tell when we were getting close just by the lack of civilisation.Adam pulled into what appeared to be a private road that looked like it cut into the entrance of a mountain range. There was a tall black iron gate and a small gatehouse just inside. The gate began to open electronically, probably controlled by a guard in the gatehouse. When it had opened wide enough, Adam pulled the van through, and as we passed the gates, I felt butterflies in my stomach. This was it. We had arrived at our destination, my new home. Adam slowly drove the van past the gatehouse, stopping briefly and speaking to another guard, and
(Kaeleigh’s POV)I walked into the room with hesitation and was surprised to see Chase leaning against the back wall. He stood up and smiled at me. He made a move to step forward towards me, but I moved away from him. He stopped and looked hurt, but then nodded and stepped back again.“Welcome to the pack,” he said quietly and smiled. I forced a polite smile on my face, but I think it came out more as a grimace.The Beta closed the door and walked round to stand behind and to the right of the Alpha, his face completely expressionless now. The Alpha looked up from a file that he was reading from. “Ah, Miss Buckley,” he smiled. “Please take a seat.” He indicated another leather chair in front of his desk.I sat in the chair a