Chapter 3

"You really should go with me," Jo tried to cajole me into going to the mall with her. Not like I wouldn't, but I'm extremely tired from the early morning and sometimes midnight runs that Bessie sometimes subjects us to despite knowing full well that I need my sleep too.

“I'm sorry Jo, it's not like I don't want to, I'm just really tired right now." I tried to go back to sleep but she wouldn't have it. She pulled me back up from the bed.

"You can't sleep away your whole day," She whined.

"Actually, I can. Why don't you get Aunt Mel to go with you? Or one of the boys" I'm sure someone will be willing to go with her. 

"One of the boys?" She scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like they'd be caught dead going into a mall. And mom's busy, I already asked her. You're the only other female in this house. I'll need bits of advice when shopping."

"Only other female? Wow, I didn't know Miranda is now trans. I must go see him, I'm sure he'll be heartbroken to learn that you've given away his secret of being a trans-man."

She chuckled. "Quit being such a drama queen. You know how inseparable Miranda and James are. You wouldn't want to disturb young and budding love now, would you?"

"Fine fine. Stop with the blackmailing and I'll go with you. Only so I can finish early and come back to sleep."

"Yeah, right. I will be waiting for you in the living room. I expect you out in 10 minutes max. Those clothes won't bring themselves to me, however, I might wish it."

"Aye, Aye, Captain" I saluted and she left my room. Sigh. Little sisters. I shook my head and started to get ready.

Two hours later and I'm regretting the decision to come with her. We've gone into approximately sixteen different stores and my hands are filled with different bags. Not one of these bags is for me. After the 17th store, she finally stopped and said we could go get food. I dropped the bags in the car and followed her into the food court. As she went to get our food, a smell hit me. It was like the mixture of all the good smells I know. It smells like my childhood. I sniffed and I could tell that Bessie was getting excited. Is it what I think it is?

"MATE!!" I could hear the excited squeal coming from inside me. 

"Calm down Bessie, so I can follow where it is coming from." My vial was glowing, which means he must be nearby. The vial lifted slightly to point in a direction that must be where he is. I followed it and then remembered I was here with someone. I texted a quick "will be right back" to Jo and continued looking for him. And then I saw him.

Even before I saw the vial, I knew that the man who faced backwards and had his arm around a girl is my mate. I could feel the strong aura coming from him. Bessie is doing cartwheels inside me. He leaned in to place a peck on the girl's cheek and my jealous instincts kicked in. I rushed forward to separate them and he turned back to look at me almost as if he knew I was coming. The vial around his neck is glowing.

He fully turned towards me and uttered a single word. "Mate."

I froze in my tracks. No, no, no, this can't be real. This can't be true. This must be a cruel joke. Someone tell me this is a joke because the man who is supposed to be my mate is Nate Jones, the son of Kenneth Jones whose pack attacked my family. His father was the one who killed my parents. There's no way he can be my mate.

"Is that your mate?" I heard the girl next to him ask. "How tragic. She seems like a wreck."

He must have recognized who I am because he shuts her up and walked towards me. I regained my senses before he could get to me and I ran. I must have not been extremely fast because he caught up to me not long after.

"Stop Stop”? He can't be serious, can he? "We can talk this out."

"There's nothing to talk about. I know what I must do," As I opened my mouth to speak, he spoke up.

"If it's what I think you're about to do, don't. You'll hurt yourself more than you'll hurt me. Not that I care, but I have a lot going on right now for me to be bedridden because of a foolish woman" Foolish? Did he just call me foolish??. The balls on this man.

I took a deep breath and "I, ROSELINE JACOBS REJECT YOU, NATE JONES AS MY MATE" There, I said it, well more like shouted it 

"NOOOOOOOOOOO" I heard Bessie scream inside of me and almost immediately, I felt it. An excruciating pain that has me doubling over and he must also be feeling the same because he grabbed his chest and looks like he must be trying to breathe. I can see spots in front of my eyes and then I slumped.

Jo must have found me because when I opened my eyes next, I was not at home but at the pack's headquarters. I felt weak and empty.

"Bessie?" Nothing. And then I heard it, a very faint whimpering. What have I done?!.

I tried to sit up, but I couldn't. The pain was much. My attempt must have alerted someone to me because I heard someone rush to my side.

"Rose, are you ok? Can you hear me?" I heard that grief-stricken voice.

"I can hear you, Auntie. I'm sorry," I could feel a sob coming, but I suppressed it. I have to know what can be done. I can't live like this. It's too painful.

"Shush, darling. There's nothing to be sorry for. We'll do something about it, don't worry" She assured me.

King came in alongside one other elder. The woman addressed me first.

"Do you know how much danger you've put yourself and your wolf in, child?" She sounded really angry.

"I know" I sighed. "What can I do? I can't feel my wolf. She must be giving me the silent treatment."

"That's no silent treatment, she's dying" I gasped. No! Not Bessie. "And she'll be dead soon if we don't fix this. From the look of things, you have about three days to fix this before she does." However annoying Bessie might be, I don't want her to die. If she dies, it means I'll become human and vulnerable. 

"What can I do, please?" 

She thought for a while, "well, there's only one thing that can be done." She leaned towards me and told me. I guess I have to do this. For me and most importantly, for Bessie.