Chapter Five

Isaac's P.O.V

The past two weeks were intense, me and Leo went out there to sign some contracts and ended up partying nonstop. The parties, booze, drugs, woman, never seemed to end and I didn’t want them to. I am about to turn 21 and that’s what it should be like, living life care free, not about to take on the responsibility of an entire pack. What makes it worse was I would be doing it alone, I hadn’t found my mate yet, the other half of my soul, the one that would make me stronger, support and comfort me, and in return I would do the same for her. Hopefully I would find her soon I wasn't going to give up on her. Driving along with a slight headache and sudden fatigue from my activities, I let my mind drift as the trees flew past the car window in a blur. My thoughts drifted to Liam, and how much I had missed him, he was the only one who called my bullshit stood up to me and told me the truth. He was the only one I let do that, he was not my brother by blood but he was my brother as far as I am concerned, I loved him like one and he always had my back. Apparently, Liam was keeping Lucy busy these past two weeks, he hadn’t spoken to me much. Every time I called, he was with her, I kept asking for him to send me a photo of the woman who had him so whipped so quick but he wouldn’t. Chuckling at my friend, I envied him, even if she wasn’t his mate, he found someone special he wanted to spend his life with, I wanted that, but more than anything I wanted my mate.

The pack house came into view and I felt the exhaustion of the past few weeks hit me harder and wanted nothing but a hot shower and to sleep for days. But dad was still pissed and that wasn’t going to happen, ignoring his ranting about responsibility for the better part of an hour but he was still going

“That’s right Isaac, don’t think you will come home and rest till your ceremony, triple training drills and workouts, sweat out all that shit you put into your body, don’t you fucking laugh Leo you will be right there with him” watching my Beta's face fall made me smile.

Pulling up in the drive, I could see Liam standing in the doorway leaning against the frame, Leo was good company, but Liam kept me in check I bet he wouldn’t have let me miss that meeting. It wasn’t all Leo's fault I realise that but I was pissed at being yelled at for days and having my arse handed to me by my dad for having to come out and save me from the council. They finally decided not to push my ceremony back a year, but I still had to listen to dad’s shit the whole time.  

Liam’s wide smile told me how happy he was and I hadn’t seen that smile on him ever “Your back brother” he said as we embraced in a hug “how was the trip?”

“Yeah, wasn’t the same without you man” something about him was different, I looked at him and noticed the hickey where his mating mark would go, “does this mean you convinced her to choose you as her mate and not wait for her fated?” poking his hickey, he batted me away

“soon” he responded happier than I had seen him in a long time, he smelt different to, like rich coffee and dark chocolate my favourite, sniffing him more, I looked at him confused.

“Quit looking at me like you want to dry hump me” his said pushing my shoulder, his sarcasm snapped me out of my thoughts, my wolf was howling and clawing to come out, he never feels this restless.

“Sorry” I said, suddenly feeling annoyed.

“Come on you have to meet Lucy, trust me she isn’t anything like what we all thought, she is sweet, kind, thoughtful, and so beautiful, oh and talented her photos are amazing, I will get her to show you” I stopped listening, I started feeling hot all over, I had to remove my jacket, my skin felt like it was on fire, the sweat started to bead on my forehead, “hey are you feeling alright, you don’t look good” Liam asked looking concerned. 

“Yeah, I’m okay, I’m happy for you man I’m glad you found her” I said trying to shake this feeling. Making our way inside, I had only taken a few steps past the threshold when I completely froze at the bottom of the stairs. I felt her, I don't know how but I did, she was here, my mate was here. That’s why I felt restless and hot, that’s why my wolf wanted out, finally after waiting for years I was about to meet her. The smell of rich fresh coffee and dark chocolate hit my nose. My insides felt like they were humming, then she appeared, my eyes landed on her small frame as she walked down the stairs. But she wasn’t looking at me, she was smiling at something on the camera in front of her. I wanted to fall to my knees, she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my life. With her light brown curly hair, full innocent round face, fully lips, they were the only lips I wanted to kiss for the rest of my life, and golden eyes that looked like a thousand blazing stars. She had my heart completely and fully without even knowing it, that’s how strong the mate bond is, I knew from this moment nothing and no one mattered more then her and never would again. 

“Liam, babe look at these photos I took last night” she said whilost skipping down the stairs. I didn’t even have time to enjoy the musical sound of her voice, my heart sank, this was Lucy, the one Liam was in love with. The reason he was so happy. Now I have to choose between my mate and my brother. He was too busy watching her to realise my reaction to her, lucky, I was able to compose myself before he turned to face me. My father, Leo and Alpha James had entered in behind me, still going on about punishment.

“Isaac this is Lucy, Lucy this is Isaac my best friend and my brother” fuck now I felt worse, I was about to break his heart, her eyes came up to meet mine, she dropped her camera staring at me in disbelief. Liam managed to catch it before it smashed, not realising what was happening he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her close, kissing her temple. That was it, I couldn’t hold it in, and if I am being honest I didn't want to, a primal possessive growl left me before I could stop it “Mine” was all I could say through gritted teeth, I stared at his arm around her, she hadn’t moved an inch, she just looked at me in shock.

“What the hell is going in here” my mother came running followed by Luna Eva. But stopped as soon as they all realised what was happening.

My father suddenly forgot about his anger and was grinning wide patting his friend James on the back saying something like welcome officially to the family. My mother and Eva were hugging saying I knew it and started crying with joy clearly happy we were mates. But all I was focused on was the look on Liam’s face a mix of disbelief, pain and sadness all mixed with anger as his jaw clenched and his fists balled ready to punch me. The last thing I wanted was to hurt my brother, my best friend, but in this moment if he didn’t stop touching her, I would rip his arm from his body and beat him to death with it. Slowly removing his arm, he looked longingly at Lucy, I noticed tears falling from her eyes as she turned and looked at Liam.  Grabbing hold of his hand, he looked back and gave her a soft smile and squeezed her hand before letting it go, turning and storming out, slamming the door behind him, her head fell and her mother wrapped her up in a hug.

“It will all work out my little one, it is just a shock, lets all just take a minute” her mother cooed in her ear, I didn’t want to think or take a minute I wanted to hold my mate, but I knew this wasn’t the time.

“Why are you acting like it’s a funeral, seriously this is fabulous news” James patted me on the back, when his daughter looked up and her hair slipped back off her shoulders, and we both noticed the mark, where my mark should be.

“Who the Fuck marked my daughter” Alpha James booming voice filled the entire pack house.

“Oh, seriously calm down James” Luna Eva chastised her husband “it isn’t permanent, they were just having a little fun”

“A little fun, seriously I leave for a few days and you let our daughter whore around with an unmated wolf” he yelled, at this remark Lucy’s face turned from shock and sadness to one of anger at her fathers’ words. Turning on him.

“I wasn’t whoring around with anyone I was spending time with someone I have feelings for, and it’s my body I will do with it what I please” she squared off with her father, clearly my girl has a temper and I liked that, but in this moment, I was to pissed at his mark on her that I couldn’t enjoy her defiance.    

“You let him mark you?” was all I could say, my wolf was coming forward, it was meant to be my mark not his, “you both know what this means, it’s not any spot either but you both knew that, it is his claim on you, you even smell like him, what exactly happened after he put that mark on you?” I was using my soft voice trying not to yell I didn’t want to scare her.

“I don’t want to tell you” her voice was soft

“Well, you can tell me or I can go ask him” we both knew if I asked Liam now it wouldn’t end well. But she remained quiet “He marked you, someone who wasn’t his to mark, claiming you as his, like fuck you are!” I was yelling now I tried not to but I couldn’t help it. Starting to pace I wanted to hit something.  

That’s when her mother tried to intervene, I don’t know if it helped, “it’s just a little hickey, it won’t last forever it will be gone in a few days” trying to downplay it rubbing her daughters back who was still staring daggers at her father and now me.  

“What did you do after he marked you” I demanded, but she remained silent. “You don’t have to tell me, I already seen the mark you gave him so I can guess” I said through gritted teeth.

“fuck” Leo chimmed in, running his hands over his faces.

“I’m going to kill him” I said before storming off. 

It didn't take long before I found him in the training hall, shirtless and punching the middle out of a punching bag. His knuckles were bleeding, I wanted to think like a caring friend and understanding brother. But in that moment, all I could focus on was he had not only one mark on his neck but others all over his body, my fist hit his jaw before I could stop it, I know I shouldn’t be this angry, they didn’t know she was my mate, that she was mine but I wasn’t thinking clearly.  Now I was running on pure Alpha rage and adrenaline and that never ended well.

“Fuck you Isaac” he yelled before punching me back, he might only be of Gamma status, but he was strong, his parents were both strong warriors his genes were wired for battle, and he always gave as good as he got. After beating on each other we both laid flat on our back panting and bleeding.

Once we had both calmed down, I lend up on my elbows and looked at my bestfriend and my heart broke for him “I am so sorry Liam I know what she means to you, I never wanted this to happen this way”

“You could reject her” he answered not looking at me he knew how long I have waited to find her and the truth is if I hadn’t been so caught up in my selfish partying and screwing random woman I would have been back here and met her sooner and stopped their feelings from developing as strong as they were.

“I don’t want to hurt you but I can’t reject her you know what this moment means to me, what finding her means to me. Sure, it hasn’t gone to plan but I need her I need my mate I can’t let her go” I didn’t want to hurt him but I couldn’t lie I wouldn’t reject her, ever.

“I felt it last night, the beginnings of the mate bond forming with her, the sparks, when our wolves connected, when we……” he stopped himself from finishing that sentence and I could guess what he was about to say “the more time I spend with her I feel she is meant for me Isaac I am so in love with her I cannot watch the two of you together it would kill me” he said before sitting up again “I can’t leave her alone Isaac I can’t stay away from her not until she tells me to” was he challenging me for her, would he actually still pursue my mate my anger began rising again.

“What the hell does that mean Liam?” growling at him through gritted teeth

“Exactly that, I will not let her go that easily. Especially not after last night” he smirked at me

“And what exactly happened last night Liam” standing in a fight stance ready to punch him again I already knew what he was going to say but I couldn’t help but ask, I need to know for sure.

Raising to meet my challenge he continued “Let’s just say when someone you love who loves you back trust you enough to give themselves over to you fully, for their first time, it changes everything” he said satisfied. There it was, he had taken her virginity and he left his mark on her, that is why they smelt like each other and were feeling the start of a bond, it is rare but happened when there is dormant bond between wolves. Since she slept with him the bond was activated, and the bastard knows it which is why he is smirking like that. My wolf no longer held back I was on him in a minute with my hand around his throat trying not to rip it out but then he had to open his mouth again “trust me when I say it felt so good having her underneath me, feeling how tight she was, how wet I made her, her screaming and moaning my name over and over again” that’s all it took for us to start beating the crap out of each other again. Neither of us heard my father or Alpha James enter but I felt James arms around my waist pulling me off Liam and seen my dad had hold of Liam holding him back.

“Now what is the plan boys to kill each other, seriously your family, and you need to calm the hell down” my father ordered in his Alpha tone and we had no choice but to listen and submit. “Good now what the hell is going on, Liam I know you have feelings for her but she is Isaac's mate you need to respect that” my father didn’t know what was happening between them.

“Dad, he has a bond with her as well, a dormant bond that was activated when they slept together” I said trying to get out of Alpha James grip, which lessened when he heard Liam had sex with his daughter.

My father sucked in a shocked breath “That’s rare, and only happens if a potential bond exists and they mate in both human and wolf form before meeting their true mates” Dad added and I had forgotten that part, meaning his wolf had also met her wolf and they had been together as well. My wolf couldn’t hold back at this revelation and I transformed in a second. Breaking free of Alpha James hold and lunging at Liam landing on him before his wolf took over. Snarling and growling at each other covered in blood my only mission was to make sure he never touches my mate again. Grabbing him by the throat I wanted so badly to rip it out but realised I couldn’t without hurting her, she now had a bond with him and as much as I hated it, I couldn’t take him away from her. Snarling at him one last time I turned and ran out of the training hall towards the forest. Running till all the pain and hurt in my heart was replaced with pain and hurt in the rest of my body. Stopping at the edge of the pack territory I turned back into my human form this was not how I imagined this moment would go. Screaming all my frustration out into the open sky till it was all gone. Tired and heartbroken I collapsed. The bond between them was strengthening and I would lose her to him if I didn’t try and strengthen ours. He might have some dormant claim over her but she was my mate the fated Luna of our pack, my other half I wouldn’t let her go that easily. Alphas were notoriously competitive and I was competing for the love of my life, my heart and my future, this was one fight I wouldn’t lose, she was mine. With that in mind I transformed back into my wolf and sprinted back to the pack house, I couldn’t waste any more time I need to be with my mate.