Chapter three

Ezekiel's POV

“Hey Daniel,” I called out to the goofy head amongst the four of us, my eyes drifting painfully to the little omega who worked skittishly around the counter. 

We were sitting in the cafe, a place I had grown to visit frequently just for my mate. 

“Yeah?” Daniel answered with a shrug, his bright yellow eyes flashing dully. “What's up?”

I pursed my lips, forcing my gaze onto my friend Daniel. 

My wolf and I were fighting against each other and I really needed someone to talk to since Jeremy wasn't back in the pack yet. 

I sighed, running my hands through my hair. 

This damn little omega was doing fucked up things to my head. 

Finally, I jutted my chin towards the counter, Daniel's gaze following my action as his face scrunched in confusion.

“Do you know anything about her?” I asked, trying to sound like I didn't care, but I knew I was failing. 

Daniel, picking up on what I said, sat straighter, gone was the lax atmosphere around him, and he peered at me with those yellow eyes that made it seem like he was staring at my soul. 

“Her?” He furrowed his brows, “Why would you want to know about her? Did she bother you or something?”

“No.” I slowly shook my head, another sigh escaping my lips. “It's just …” 

I can't think straight without her popping in my damn head. 

It's like an annoying fly that won't buzz off. 

The fact that she was my mate spoke volumes. My wolf was clamoring for me to claim her, but I wanted nothing to do with her. 

Ever since the death of my mother, my father had been acting like a sick fuck and it annoyed the shit out of me.

Sure, he was a psycho when she was still alive, but now that she's dead, it made it so much worse. 

I didn't want anything to do with a mate. 

All I wanted was a quick fuck and get out. 

I hated the fact that the moon goddess was to decide who was best for me. 

I should be the one who chooses my person. 

Not some fucking goddess who thinks she knows it all. 

It was that same goddess that fucked my father by tying him with a bond, now that bond was broken but my father didn't want to believe that. 

I ran my hand through my hair frustratedly. 

The week had been harsh. From losing my mother and now slowly my father, who was also pushing his stupid position on me, was hard to stomach. 

Now I had to process the fact that I had a mate. 

“Can you just tell me who she is?” I spat, my words sounding harsher than I intended. “She seems cool to fuck.”

“Well, hell no, Ezekiel.” Daniel deadpanned, sitting straight. “Don't even go there. You can have other girls, but not her.”

“Why?” 

He exclaimed incredulous, “because her father is bat shit crazy, and so is her fiance! Not to talk of the rumors about her.”

“Woah!” I breathed, my eyes going back to her form. “Is it that bad?”

“Bad?” Daniel scoffed. “It's horrible man. Her father breathes down on anyone who stares at her like a rabid dog and goes around telling people how she killed his mate, basically labelling her as a mate killer.”

“What?” I frowned, taking note of the said mate killer. 

Attending to customers in a radiant smile, the little omega stood at least five feet five, her brunette hair tied in a ponytail, her hazel eyes sparkling as she cooed at a little boy in their parents' arms. 

I narrowed my eyes, my piercing gaze somehow affecting her as she locked eyes with me— a habit we had come all too familiar with. 

She squirmed uncomfortably in my gaze, a blush dusting her white porcelain skin as she snapped her eyes away from mine. 

I let a sly smirk hang at my lips, watching as her pink lips stammered away some responses to the customers. 

How could she be a mate killer?

“Dude! Are you even listening or are you eye fucking the girl?!” Daniel huffed, slamming his fists slightly on the table. Probably annoyed I wasn't listening to his rambles. 

I rolled my eyes at him. 

Seriously, if we weren't friends, I would have been really annoyed.

“What's her name?” I asked instead, staring straight at Daniel, the comical look on his face making me chuckle lightly.

I'd be damned if I don't have a fuck. Mate killer or not, mate or not. A pretty girl was a hole to me anyway. 

“Seriously, I can't believe you.” Daniel muttered under his breath before answering: “Her name is Violet, but dude, you should stay away from her.”

I had already drowned out the rest of his words. 

Only her name registered in my brain. 

Violet huh? 

Well, we'll see how things go between us.

I stretched lazily, my eyes fully studying her without a care that was until my phone vibrated in my pockets. 

I scowled, reaching into my pants to fish out the annoying device only to catch my father's name across the screen.

Just looking at his incoming call, I felt a headache coming on. 

I swept my gaze over our table. Somehow, I had ignored the rest of my friends— it wasn't like we were close, I am sure they all hung out with me because of my status, but still.

I stood to my feet, “I need to go.” I announced, passing Daniel a bye before he could say anything.

Heading out of the cafe, I strode to my car parked beside a tree, the flashy vehicle filled with excited teenagers who happily clicked their phones full of photographs of it. 

Pressing the key, I hopped into the car, my action startling everyone, but again, I didn't give a fuck.

Arriving at the pack house, I steadily strode into the huge hall, memories flooding in as I took in the antique decor. 

The pack house was huge, ancient, and nostalgic. It screamed safe nonetheless.

Brown polished floorboards creaked slightly as I walked, my feet landing on soft rugs once I started climbing the stairs that led to my father's office. 

Picture frames of pack members greeted me as I passed, but as I neared my father's office, that changed.

What stood in place of happy pictures of pack members, were the pressing stares of frozen alphas, each from one generation to the last.

I stared at my father's picture, my wolf and I howling slowly in sadness as I noticed how different he was. 

Back then, he was power, authority. Safe. 

Now, he was a man in a shell.

I let out a sigh, before pushing the door open without a knock. “You called?” 

“So rude.” My father growled, “Couldn't you knock?” 

“Why bother when you already know it's me?” I rolled my eyes, plopping on the loveseat at the corner of his office. “What's up?”

My father frowned at me. Probably at my voice of words, before saying, “I have something to tell you.”

“Isn't that why I am here?” I snorted, playing with my phone. “I already got the memo, just spill it out.”

My father's scowl grew deeper, but surprisingly, he didn't lash out. Instead, he looked tired. “I am stepping down next week.”

“What?!” I yelled, standing to my feet. “You can't be serious! Why would you want to do that?”

“I am as serious as it is Ezekiel.” My father snarled in return. “You are twenty-five years old, not a kid anymore, it's time to man up. If you are worried about a mate, I have it sorted out.”

“The hell?” I rasped, “No! No to no! I will not take your position when I am not ready! And I don't care how old I am, I am not ready!”

“Oh, would you grow up, Ezekiel?” My father roared, standing to his feet also. “You aren't young. I took over this pack when I was barely eighteen. Now you are twenty-five and you are whining like a kid?”

“Well fuck you!” I cursed, my rage growing with every snarl that rumbled through me. “I am not you.”

“And I don't care what you say. You will take over, or so help me, I'll make you.” He glared.

Anger buzzed in my chest the longer I stared at him. 

Bullshit. 

“Ever since mom died you've been an asshole,” I announced, storming off.

“Ezekiel!” My father's shout cut through the air, but I didn't look back.

Fuck him. 

Was he the only one suffering from Mom's death? 

I, too, am shaken, but do you see me whining about it?

I strode angrily to my car, my rage so blinding I almost missed the rush of scents that attacked my nose. 

I stopped in my tracks, my eyes landing on a figure I had come to know as my mate. “Violet?”

She stiffened, slowly looking up at me in surprise, the sight of her red face freezing my heart.

Tears.

She was crying.