Chapter 5 : My Other Mate Is...

A smile curved in my lips. Though I definitely had no idea why Alice sensed another presence of what seemed to be my new mate, when we still didn’t know if the rejection worked, I felt thrilled.

I wanted to indulge myself in it. The excitement and all these weird series of unexpectedness had to lead me to something. I had been living my life in hues of black and white. Now that Alice came, and there was a huge possibility that I’d soon meet love, I feel enthusiastic.

I felt like this day would significantly brought a big change to my life. Which I would love to venture.

‘You should accept, Avalynn.’ Alice said.

“Tomorrow, then?” I brought my eyes to what I was doing to continue, but I was pre-occupied. I was fired up!

‘How does your radar works, Alice? Can you see what he looks like?” I asked, excited.

The Moon Goddess first linked me to Adler, which was, as much as I hate to admit it, strong and good looking. I was hoping the new one would be more… handsome.

‘What am I, a crystal ball?’ 

Jade smirked. She tilted her head. “Before that, let’s tell your brother. He’s coming.”

The muscles of my face went rigid after hearing my brother’s name. For a while I had forgotten about him. Now, what am I going to do with Gunner? We haven’t spoken to each other for ages. I wasn’t sure how I could face him. Though we see each other every day, we never interacted. Not once since our mother died.

I moved my hand to slice the potatoes. Gunner did come shortly after I was done with two. It was awkward. But he helped us. The first minutes it was only Jade and him who was making interactions, but as time passed, Jade kind of like, gave us a time alone.

I wasn’t ready for it. But so was Gunner.

“Happy birthday…” Gunner greeted me in a tone I couldn’t tell if cold or monotone. “Jade told me I should greet you.”

At least he was bold enough to make that clear. “Thank you…”

“Let’s pretend this isn’t a forced interaction.” Gunner straight away said as if we’d lose the momentum if he’d think more of what to respond. He was honest. But I didn’t know if I would like it better. “What happened? I heard you went in the woods.”

‘You are so stiff.’ Alice commented.

I breathed hard. “You probably won’t believe me.”

“Go on…” He insisted. He stopped chopping, and put down the knife. He threw me his attention to listen, and it felt… off.

Am I really just about to open up to Gunner about my mate after he befriended my bully to see me suffer? Grudges aside. I knew Gunner wasn’t one to listen to stories like these.

“Adler is my mate.” I slowly moved to see him. “The future Alpha of the pack, yes.”

“Adler?” A knot formed in between his brows. He looked perplexed. “Adler Salvatore?”

I nodded my head, my forehead relaxing. “For real.”

“Adler…” He repeated. “Are you serious?”

Gunner threw me a confused look, as if he was convinced it was a bluff. My shoulders slumped down as I shook my head.

“I sure am hoping I’m not. But here’s what, we both rejected the bond. Alice, my wolf, came, and she said I have another mate,” I said, summarizing what happened. I couldn’t tell it in details.

“I’m not sure I could take all that at once.” His lips pursed as he stared at me more attentively. “Tell me everything. Why is Adler your mate when you’re wolfless?”

“I just said I have a wolf.” I turned to him with a bland expression. “I went in the woods just as Jade instructed me to do so. I saw Adler there. I’m guessing he followed my smell.”

“No, shit.” His brows furrowed. “If what you told me is in order, that means you were still wolfless when you found out Adler’s your mate.”

‘He’s quick.’ Alice said. ‘But let me make it clear. I just didn’t appear. I had been inside you the whole time.’

‘What?’ I stood straight. ‘You’re there and fucking watching the entire time the whole pack hated me for being wolfless?’

I was seeking for an answer. But just as I badly wanted to hear her response, Alice fell silent. Great.

“I heard my wolf’s voice after I rejected Adler. I’m guessing that’s the trigger.” My brows sloped inward. “But a trigger to what?”

“Ask your wolf.” Gunner raised a brow.

I rolled my eyes. “I wish she would cooperate.”

“You found yourself a good counterpart,” he said, probably a joke. I didn’t know. I haven’t talked to him much to tell. “Tell me what happened next. You said your wolf appeared and she told you she sensed your replacement mate.”

“That’s all there is to it, Gunner. I don’t know him. Alice could sense him, but I have no idea who he is nor where he is from.” I bit my lip. “We’ll meet him tomorrow, though.”

“We?”

“Me and Jade.”

Gunner’s eyes narrowed at me. “She’s not coming.”

I shook my head. “You should talk to her about that. She’s the one with the idea.”

I liked that she suggested it. Though I would probably eventually come up with it, I wouldn’t have to power to push through it. Which was why I felt stimulated when she asked me to.

I wanted to know him. I hoped he’d be far different to Adler. I yearned to see him. And so, the next morning, I woke up early. I made breakfast for Gunner and I, before I took a bath. Jade and I met at nine. We went to a salon before we shopped. Jade had the ends of my hair curly, before she picked set of clothes for me. She even bought make up. Said it was needed to caught my unknown mate’s attention.

It was tiring but fun. Comparing my definition of dolling up to hers, Jade’s was surely more better. Before I knew it, I looked like a different Avalynn. One that Jade called the hoe Ava.

“Ugh.” Jade groaned, looking down at her ringing cellphone. “Your brother is calling again.”

I turned to her. “Didn’t you settle it with him yesterday?”

“He told me not to come. I said I won’t to trick him but he found out after you left the house.”

“Answer his call. I’ll wait here.” I let out an assuring smile. Gunner would definitely hate me more if she wouldn’t. “At least tell him where you are, and that you are still safe.”

She nodded and held my arm before she looked around. “Okay. Wait for me here. Alright?”

“Not even a step.” I nodded.

The sky was turning dark blue. After we sent what we bought back home, I asked Alice to help me locate my mate. It led us near the boundary of our territory. And I could quite smell him. It was only faint though.

My gaze went on my body to scan what I was wearing. The skirt was short. The heels were high. The combination surely weren’t my style, but it wasn’t that bad. Jade always wear these types of clothes, and she looked incredibly hot in them.

‘Oh…’ Alice reacted.

I looked up. The vanilla and cedar wood smell grew stronger, and we both sensed it. My mate was near, wasn’t he?

I turned to the front. A few more steps and I’ll be leaving our pack’s territory. It’ll be the town of Hanseelvan. The territory of the Easter Passover’s Pack.

My brows furrowed. Does that mean he’s from the Easter’s pack?

I moved an inch, and turned to the opposite side. But as seconds passed, the smell I sensed turn into a presence. With that, I could both smell and feel him.

But there was something different. The sensation. The aura of his presence. It was odd...

‘He’s not one of us.’