Fated Mates

Astrid.

Like he just noticed my presence, he let go of her hand. He took long Strides towards me.

‘I sense your doubts, you should have a seat first.’ His mind-link chimed in my head.

I shook my head as he tried to get me. He stopped and then waved at the pack with a tight lip smile. He moved to the chair that had been assigned to him.

He didn't sit down.

He cleared his throat and glanced at the curious crowd.

“I am delighted with the welcome. It shows you all still have me in mind.”

Just like always, his words were gentle and calm. Each word dripped with that softness.

I attempted to block my ears, but I couldn't.

“You all must be wondering who she is.” He gestured to the lady who stood next to him, her hands twisting in her clothes like a teenage girl listening to a love confession.

“Well, she is Eridesce. She is my fated mate.”

Blood cloaked in my ears.

Fated Mates?

This couldn't be. He couldn't do that.

I couldn't. I sprinted up the stairs. How could he do this? Tears clouded my vision as I stomped into the room I had prepared for him, for us to have the night I had been planning for when he came back.

My feet wobbled in my heels. I marched into the room and directly to my vanity table.

My hands collided with all the expensive bottles of perfumes, creams, body lotions and make-up collections. I swept the entire content with a force that almost sent me falling to the floor with them.

"How dare he do this to me?" My feet came in contact with a damn tube on the floor.

My legs repeatedly stomped over it. "He lied to me. He brought another woman home. Why?" I stomped and kicked. My eyes glared down at a pink glass bottle that had broken into two on the black hairy rug.

The pink scent perfume Jarvis had brought me before he left for his project.

He had instructed me to always wear it, so that the scent will always remind me of his presence.

The rug soaked up the liquid like a foam taking up water.

My eyes shift to the bed. It was neatly dressed in a dark blue floral bedspread.

My underbelly burned so badly at the thought of him sleeping on it with another woman.

My hands moved to the sheets. I was about to tear them off the bed. When I heard heavy footsteps at the door. In a swift motion, strong pairs of arms circled my waist, pulling me back.

"Come on, Astrid." A deep sultry voice whispered close to my ears. The warm breath sent hot chills down my body.

"Ja...Jarvis." my lips trembled. Hot tears burn my eyes. The touch, the feelings.

I slowly turned around, with his hands still around me. When I did, he pressed his forward against mine.

"I'm sorry." He whispered in the space between us.

'I bet you're.' Edna, my wolf grumbled in my head. She has never liked Jarvis, the reason for her silence all along.

I ignored her and focused on what was in front of me.

"Why?" I questioned, my hands moving to the back of his neck as I wrapped my arms around him. My fingers moved into his hair and gently massaged his scalp.

This was the first man I have ever loved. And why would he do this to me?

"I didn't mean for it to happen. " He fixed his hands around my waist. His fingers dug into my lower back. Every touch felt the same.

"It happened, Astrid. You know the fated mate bond is not something we can ignore. But I promise to love you just the same."

He inched his face closer. His lips almost touched mine. A tingling sensation sent me pinning my tights together.

"No matter what, I will love you. Nothing has to change."

He always did. I always did. Did I have to let some stranger take what I have had all these years?

Absolutely not.

Like I had suddenly forgotten about everything, I crashed my lips to his. They had become softer. I lost myself in the kiss. The underlying feelings it kept bringing out of me. It was like my first kiss. I closed my eyes as he fought his way into my mouth. I gave him the passage. His lips capture my tongue. In turn, mine captured him. It was like we were in an exchange battle leaving no room for each other to breathe.

Nothing will change! Heat radiated in my chest. Yes, he loved me and that was all that mattered.

***

There was still dancing, singing and clapping amongst the pack members in the yard, mostly from the children. You could hear their excited squeals.

Contrary to that, we were gathered around the conference dining table in the living room.

A lot of food was made today. Our guests were in the main hall that was behind the house coupled with the elders and a few pack members entertaining them.

Tallan sat at the edge of the table with his wife, Meva, next to him. Jarvis and Eridesce sat across from me and Amira.

She had been quiet with no words. She never made eye contact with me.

I will definitely remind her after this dinner that Jarvis was mine, and I didn't care if they were fated mates.

Malerin brought the last plate of food, which contained some fresh vegetables and pork sauce.

Jarvis' favorite. His eyes lit up at the sight of it.

"I will have that first." He pleaded, rubbing his hands together. He stood up to take a plate when I beat him to it.

"Let me have the pleasure to serve you." I took the plate and proceeded to dish him food when Eridesce stood up. She snatched the plate from my hand, an intense glare in her eyes.

"Let fated mates serve theirs."

My teeth clattered in my mouth; my hands balled into fists at my side.

When I felt a soft warm touch on my hand. I glanced down to see Amira holding my hand. The other hand on her chest. She moved it up and down, signaling for me to calm down.

I sat back down.

"Let Astrid do it. We don't have to fight about we serve me first"

"Since we don't have to fight, let me do it." A fake and sinister smile stretched across her lips as she looked at me.

"Let her do it." I didn't have it in me to fight with her. Yet, I still had to remind her about whom Jarvis loved more.

"How is the project going? When should we expect to have constant electricity?"

Tallan, Jarvis's father, asked halfway into our eating.

"About two or three weeks. It would have been a lot faster if all the 30 or 29 packs had turned in for the work."

"Which packs didn't come?" His mother asked, curiosity laced in her voice.

"The Alpha know-it-all of Shadowfen. Soren Thornheart.” Jarvis grumbled bitterly.

Raven Pack was the only pack out of 30 packs in Viridian that had the largest water body.

A project had been drafted years ago to see how a damp could be built so electricity could be generated and supplied to the entire country.

There was the Dark Circus pack with an already existing supply of electricity.

The pack was inhibited by Rogues and a few werewolves.

Their Rogue Alpha didn't share that privilege with anyone. If you were so much in need of it, you had to pay a high price for it.

Most times, he had demanded girls below 18 to be sent to him.

“How did you expect him to show up when I learned He struck an electricity deal a long time ago with the rogue alpha of the Dark Circus pack?"

His father commented, not giving much thought to it.

"I don't think he would have come even without an electricity deal.”

I shrugged. I didn't know much about him or his pack.

I learned how the man had single-handedly developed his pack,which was the largest pack in Veridian.

He was a man who didn't bow to anyone. He showed up when he saw fit. None of his pack members interacted with members outside Shadowfen.

"He should have at least sent some pack members. Each Alpha came with 50 strong men."

I watched Jarvis's hand clenched around his spoon, his cheeks tightened. Why was he so mad? He barely knew this man.

"You haven't told me about the little girl with you." Jarvis pointed a spoon in my direction.

I pulled Amira close to me.

"Oh, Amira. She is a sweet girl I found from the pack. She will be staying with us."

His gaze narrowed. He stopped chewing.

"What did I say about Children?"

You have no intention of raising one.

"I will take care of it." I nodded. It was too early to have an argument with him.

The dinner went by with not many questions.

I stood by the door, waiting for Eridesce.

She snorted when she spotted me.

"Couldn’t stand the fact that I have to serve my fated mate. So you want to pick a fight?"

She stopped in front of me and crossed her arms.

Since I didn't have time to exchange words with her,I told her what was in my mind.

"I do not care if you are fated mates or not, but always have it at the back of your mind that Jarvis loves me, and he will always be mine."

A condescending laughter echoed in the hallway.

"You wish. Don't worry, you will soon leave and you won't know how."

She spat in my face and left.