The anger and frustration mixed inside me. Claire was our friend because she wanted to, Alpha' sister got everything in her life. Now her new demand was Troy. Why was I getting bothered with her demand? I clenched my hands into fists. I didn't like it. It shouldn't affect me. I should contemplate killing him, instead of his being of mate with our friend. I didn't even wanna call her friend. Friends didn't neglect you or go against you when they got something they wanted. Her demand was wrong, she was wrong.
I returned home. My mother's beaming face came into view. I plastered a smile on my face. She was going to smell my anger, anyway. She was plucking the vegetables for dinner. The basket was full of potatoes, tomatoes, peas, beets, cabbage, broccoli, mushroom, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, coriander, kale, collards, turnips, lettuce. I could already see a filled bucket behind her and a second in front of her, ready to be full.
"Hello, mamma," I said cheerfully.
She darted her gaze up at me from the bean plant with a smile. Her smile faded immediately, "What happened to you?" She scrunched her nose in distaste.
I rubbed the side of my jaw, "You don't look affected." My lips flattened, as I glanced at the apple tree. The bunches were heavier with fruits on them.
"Why should I? He didn't kill my husband. His father's decision has nothing to do with him." She said, still groping her hands under the thick leaves.
"He's the enemy," I told her. He would be big enough to understand everything. I never heard from anyone that he condemned his father's act. Or am I overreacting? He must be ten years old then.
My mother's laugh caught me off guard. I glanced at her. It wasn't affecting her, not a bit.
"You're still a child, nagging yourself on unwanted things." She shook her head slowly.
"I'm not nagging on unwanted things, momma. My father is not with me because of his father's greed." I said sharply and I was regretting it now. I hated the tone I used for her.
"Yes, you're right. His father's greed," She looked up at me. Her eyes were a little glassy.
"I'm sorry, momma." I felt remorse.
She shook her head with a tight smile, "He could have killed his sister if he wanted to. But he came to his enemy's door. He must be a humble kid," She said.
I rolled my eyes, "Don't tell me. You already like that kid," I frowned.
"Yes, I do." She picked up her basket with a smile.
"Martha! I'm hungry." Fabri said, with a puppy face. This man was still a kid. He advanced his feet and grabbed the huge basket from the ground. His muscles budged out.
"Of course, child. I've cooked for you." She said gleefully and turned to look at me, "You must be hungry after running, come." She said, walking inside.
How does she know? Sometimes, I doubted that she was a mere healer. I felt she could read what was running in my head. My stomach growled.
Shaking my head, I sauntered into the house. Fabri has already started eating. His mouth was full with pastry, " Kim, sit. It's delicious." He pulled the chair next to him. His mother, Carina, and my mother were best friends. He was four years older than me. He played the role of the son my mother couldn't have. He's Claudia's elder brother.
I plopped on the next chair to him. He curled his arm around my neck and rubbed the back of his hand on my head. I wanted to yell, but my mother's laugh stopped me. I couldn't help the smile that crawled over my face.
"Now, don't eat everything. Give me some too." I smiled.
"We have enough food for us, Kim." He said.
I glanced at the table. It was full of various kinds of fruits and dishes, "Yes, we have. It's a blessing."
"Yes, it is." Momma grabbed a basket full of fruits, vegetables, some herbs, and her cooked food in another basket.
I gazed at her with confusion, "Where are you going, momma?" Before I could get an answer. Kelvin, Bete of the pack, walked in.
"How are you today, Martha?" He kissed my mother's cheek and glanced at me with no expression, but he scowled when he looked at Fabri.
"Help yourself, man." Fabri returned the frown, gesturing at the food in front of us.
Mother handed him the basket, "Let me know if you need anything," She told him.
"This would be enough for our guests," Kelvin said
My jaw dropped. Everyone knew. Who were the guests? I needed confirmation. I elbowed Fabri, "What's happening, brother?" I stared at them.
"Your mother is the best cook in the entire pack. Alpha asked him to prepare dinner for our guests, " He said, shoving a spoonful of mashed potato in his mouth.
My scowl deepened. What was wrong with them? "For Troy?" I asked. But something unexpected happened, and my anger vanished. His name seemed so right to roll on my tongue.
"Hi, can I join?" Claudia asked, walking toward the table. She pulled the chair next to me.
I saw her looking at Kelvin. I knew she liked him. She desperately wanted him to be her mate. Kelvin returned the gaze. But we have time. We recognized our mates between the age of twenty-one to twenty-five mostly, some take ages too. My mother met my father when she was twenty-nine. I was hoping to find my mate on my twenty-fifth birthday, which was after a few days.
Fabri scowled as he stopped chewing, "Ain't you getting late, Beta?" He stared at him
"Yes, you shouldn't make our guests wait," momma said, wiping her hands on the apron.
"Yeah," He hurried on his heels to the door.
"You shouldn't do this, momma," I told her. The delicious smell of food was torturing me.
"Kim! We have talked about it. He's a nice kid." Momma said, turning to the kitchen.
"The dangerous Alpha," I muttered in annoyance.
"Good to know. His pack members won't face the tragedy that we had faced when some lunatic like his father consider attacking his pack, " A wave of sadness washed over her face. It was the second time I had hurt her. I was feeling embarrassed to apologize.
"Stop hurting her," Fabri growled at me.
"I didn't mean to momma." I could smell it in the air. She was hurt, "I know it's not his fault but we have looked at him like an enemy and now suddenly our Alpha wanted to look at him as an ally. It's hard for me, momma." I told her.
"Hm, you were always slow in processing your feelings." Claudia chuckled and bit on her strawberry pastry, "Wao! You're so amazing, Martha aunty," She licked the cream on her lower lip.
Momma chuckled and shoved the plate at my side. Rice, mashed potato, beans, salad. It smelled delicious, "You're right. She's an amazing cook." I couldn't hold my hunger anymore. I dipped my spoon into rice and beans and lifted it to my mouth.
The crescent moon was gleaming in the sky. I couldn't sleep. I trod in the backyard of the house, away from the garden. Fabri made an actual scarecrow with hay and dressed him in his old clothes, there was no hat but a bunch of hay over his head.
Nice work!
I'd thank him later. I would get some time for myself. Our exams were over. There was nothing to do in the school but our English teacher, she never stopped. Now we're prepared to take on the duties related to our packs. But we were already doing our duties along with our studies. War took everything in a few minutes, but it took years to build them back. I kept moving deep into the woods. My wolf was calm and she wasn't making any comments. Perhaps, she wanted this too. Distraction! I tried to calm my breathing. His thoughts gave me a lot of unwanted and new feelings. For a sec, I thought I wouldn't be able to peel my gaze off of him. I couldn't stop his handsome face flashing before my closed eyes. Thanks to my anger, it distracted me and helped me not to do anything wrong. "Kimberlie," I was startled by the loud scary tone. I recognized his voice instantly. He was our Alpha. Max. What did he want? I hadn't forgotten his glare. "Max?"
Troy's POV The food was amazing. I would never come here, not even after signing the peace treaty. My sister, her happiness brought me here. Katherine was looking happy with him. If he couldn't keep her as he had promised me. I'd kill every single wolf of his pack. But someone has captured my attention. She is so vulnerable. They called me their enemy. I don't care. She will be mine. Her scent still lingered in my lungs. Her taste was still on my tongue. "What do you say, Alpha?" I pulled out myself from my thoughts and stared at his Beta, Kelvin. "It looks natural but it does seem. Wild animals stay out of our territory as they can sense the danger." I told them. I had a lot of enemies. Thanks to my f****** father. His death didn't merely bring me the title of the Alpha but a bucket full of enemies. "We couldn't smell or get anything suspicious," Max said. There is where you are allowing your enemies to dig your grave, and rule your people. He doesn
My true mate could be anywhere in the world. A dreamy look filled my eyes. My pulses picked up as I smelled his familiar scent. No way, he could be here. Could he? I darted my big eyes around. I hurried out of my room, "Momma! Momma! Did someone..." My jaw fell open. When I could smell his scent in the living room too. He was here. "Here you are, my dear. You missed breakfast with Alpha Troy," Carina aunty said. Her small smile never left her. "What?" It was a whisper. I snapped my jaw shut, "He was here?" I drifted my gaze from aunty to my mother. I couldn't keep the astonishment away from my expression. "Yes, are you hungry?" She asked with her usual full smile. "Yeah," I muttered, sitting down on the chair. I wasn't certain. He was here. My mother was the best cook, no doubt. Obviously, this would be the reason. Mom placed a bowl full of chopped fruits, "Why did he come?" I asked, feeling a rush of warmth begin in my belly at the thought
I was reliving the memories spent with him. Being with Claudia and Ammu was a great distraction. He wasn't around but he was in my room before leaving and now, he was toying with my mind. 'Get a hold of yourself,' "Look at yourself, girl," Claudia shouted cheerfully. I glanced at them, "Let's go to school," I told them. "I didn't want to," Ammu said immediately. Frighten returned on her face. "Oh, come! You'll like it there and make new friends. You have us if someone teases you," Claudia tugged her with her, enveloping her arm around her slim arm. I stumbled over something when I saw a bigger man standing out near the Apple tree. His arms were bulky and long, he must be seven feet tall. His dark gaze turned to me. He could kill us easily. "He's Brew. He saved me last night." Ammu spoke and stepped forward, offering him a smile. She bowed her head. "Why does she always bow her head?" Claudia asked with a c
Panic was overtaking my senses. My mouth and throat were dry. Fear was coursing through my body. I was sitting on the bed, next to my mother. She hadn't talked to me, nor opened her eyes. Everything seemed to end when you saw your only family in such a condition. I tried everything that my mother taught me in these years. "We tried everything," Ammu whispered in a sad tone. Her healing power couldn't heal her too. "We can't stop trying. She's.. my only family," I muttered with tears, choking on my words. "I..I..." She closed her mouth. Tears shone in her eyes, "I should talk to Alpha. Could be, he had found someone." She rose to her feet. I nodded as I couldn't speak. My gaze was on the pale face of my mother. I wanted to kill Claire. But that could wait. I needed to be close to her. She might unfurl her eyes at any time. Deep down I knew, it was almost impossible. No one could survive from silver. They were deadly weapons.
I couldn’t believe that I had slept like a dead person. Did he not ask me to take a nap? My gaze turned to the window. I could see the sun raising up in the sky. 'No one came to wake me up.' I yawned and kept looking out of the window. My mother's thoughts in blood made me jerk on my feet. I couldn't enjoy the silence of the morning. I exhaled loudly before getting out of bed. I freshened up hurriedly and rushed out of the room. My mother would be fine. I told myself. Troy and Max were having their breakfast. I didn't intend to greet them. I sauntered over to the door of my mother's room. Ammu was sitting on the chair, her eyes trained on mom, "She's getting better. The gash is healing." She must have scented me. My eyes darted to my mother's face. She was getting her colors back, "Yes, did she wake up?" I asked in a soft voice. She needed proper rest. "Not yet, but soon," She breathed slowly as it would disturb her
He pressed his lips to my throat, right where he knew he would mark me on full moon night. In front of my family and our pack members, I was asked to sign papers that would bound us legally. "Kim," I stilled for a second. I slowly turned my head and saw my mother with Amanda holding her by the shoulder, supporting her weight. I rushed at my mother and pulled her in a hug, "Oh, I'm so glad, so so..." She was safe. They saved her. She pulled back resting her shivering hands on my shoulders. "I always wanted to see in a white dress. Thank you for fulfilling my demands." Her gaze turned behind me. I couldn't see his reaction. Momma used to see a stupid tv show. I thought she was just saying that she wanted to see me in a white wedding dress and everything like they showed in the show. "You shouldn't come out. You are weak," I told her. Her eyes were small, black lips, a tired look on her face. ''I don't want to miss this. I'm relieved you didn't
I woke up with tranquility I hadn't perceived ever. My eyes were big seeing luxury encircling me. I roamed my gaze around me. My wolf nudged me at the back of my head. She was happy. But I wasn't. A scowl crawled over my forehead when I recalled everything. My mother pushed me away from herself, my house, and my normal happy life. I yanked the comforter away in frustration. Before I could break something in the room, my eyes locked on the alpha. A wave of longing shot through me. He could smell, and sense easier than other wolves. I pushed my thoughts away but his smile told me he had smelled my emotions. My wolf longed to be with him. Why wasn't she understanding, he wasn't our fated mate. I was fighting against those unwanted feelings. I felt a wave of his physical desire. With big eyes, I pushed myself back, "Don't come near to me," I told him. His soft smile was still lingering on his lips, "It's normal. My wol