SASHA POV
I want to hate her, but I can't—everything about her screams sweet and elegant. Her manners are impeccable, and she is completely breathtaking. Her chocolate hair and eyes look great against her tan skin. She has beautiful lips and a model-like figure. Her height matches mine, but she moves with an elegance I will never possess. After she dropped me at my room, she left with Luis and Roland to show them theirs. I then had myself a good cry.Roland is pissed. He caught the Alpha "checking me out," his words, outside and thinks Alpha Ben is disrespectful. He also seems upset that the Alpha claimed Chelsea as his Luna, but she is unmarked. Both Luis and Roland are very much like my mom and me. We believe a wolf should only be with their Goddess given mate. So as soon as Roland finished unpacking, he came barging into my room to vent.I pinch Roland's underarm as he opens his mouth to speak again.Sasha- hush, let Luis handle it. Your attitude is too much right now.Roland- Fine.Sasha- Luis, please begin the schedule conversation.Luis- okay, but Sasha, I will not speak for you this entire trip. You need to step into your role.Sasha- I understand, and I will.I wish I were brave enough to explain to my men why I am behaving like this, but I can't. Rejection is burning its way through my veins. The pain is almost unbearable, and so is the embarrassment.I always thought when I met my mate, it would be magical. I never once feared I would be rejected......but here I am, sitting across from my mate's chosen Luna."As I'm sure you are aware, we will be here for two weeks. Sasha would like to spend the first two days exploring your pack and mingling with your wolves. She then will conduct her own training course for all of your members. This is the first time it will be tested, so we would like your pack's input at the end of the course. The training course will last ten days, so the last two days will be for Sasha to decide. Does this schedule interfere with any of your plans," Luis asks as he stares at my mate with unwavering eyes.Alpha Ben glances at me, but I keep my gaze on Luis. I don't want him seeing through my carefully placed mask of indifference."That sounds perfect. We don't have anything planned besides regular training...Princess, after dinner, I would like to speak to you privately in my office," Alpha Ben says, and I am forced to look at him."No problem," I reply with fake pep in my voice.Luis raises his eyebrow at my tone, but I act as if all is well and sip my water as the rest of the table finishes their meals.*********I watch out of the corner of my eye as Luna Chelsea places a kiss on my mate's cheek. My fists clench under the table, and Natalia thrashes against the wall I built in our mind.I keep my face as neutral as possible as everyone follows her out of the room besides Alpha Ben and I. He stands and clears his throat, but I refuse to lift my eyes to his."Right, please follow me," he says quietly, and I stand without making a noise.This is it; my mate is going to reject me. He will reject me, and I have to spend the next two weeks faking pleasantries with the she-wolf he chose over me. I grind my growing canines together as Natalia tries to force a shift.Alpha Ben takes me to a door on the second floor. He opens it and gestures for me to enter in utter silence. Butterflies flutter in my stomach, making me feel nauseous. The only thing keeping me from vomiting is his scent, peppermint, and a dash of chocolate.He walks around his desk and sits, but I remain standing. My eyes devour him as he looks me over. His aqua eyes are beautiful, as is his brunette hair. His beard is short and looks more like week-old stubble, but he pulls the look off nicely. His right arm has tattoos, and they give him an edge...... His voice cuts through my haze, and reality slaps me in the face."We should talk about the elephant in the room, don't you think," he says, and my heartbeat begins to sound like a galloping horse."Yes, we should," I manage to say calmly."Please sit," Alpha Ben pleads in a gentle voice while gesturing towards a black chair.I decide I might as well get comfortable before the inevitable pain ransacks my body. I sit down with as much grace as I can muster. I don't want to appear clumsy since Chelsea walks in heels like she was born in them."Look, Sasha, you have to understand my situation. I am an Alpha. I needed a Luna. I believed that my mate died in the war like so many other males my age," Ben says, and I interrupt him."How old are you," I ask in a cold voice."I'm thirty-one," Alpha Ben answers, and I nod once as I let my eyes drift around his office.My mask of professionalism has fallen. My sadness and anger are clear on my face as my mate stares at me. I already felt tired of acting strong, so who cares. It is just him and me here anyways—no use in behaving as if I have an audience."Sasha, as you can see, Chelsea is a great person. I don't want to hurt her. If you could give me some time to decide what is best for my pack and myself, that would be," he says, and I interrupt him again."So I am to wait until you decide who you want," I growl in a low voice.Natalia flashes behind my eyes."It isn't because I don't want you. It's just," Alpha Ben says, and I once again interrupt."You don't know if you want her more or not," I growl again as pure rage erases all sadness within my system.I stand to my feet slowly, and Alpha Ben leans back with fear written in his eyes."My father told me the story of how your great grandparents met......I guess you take after your great-grandmother. You have her eyes," I growl with utter malice coating my words.I spin on my heel and leave his office with a slam. Never have I felt this angry before. I can not believe that is who the Goddess chose to pair me with.Natalia- let's go for a runSasha- sounds good.Natalia- I can't believe my first ever mate doesn't want me. Does he not realize we are the lycan king's daughter. Our blood is the strongest. Our pups would be...Sasha- I don't know what is going through his mind, Natalia. But I am sure his wolf wants you; it is the human side that is rejecting us.I place my dress on a branch and kick off my painful heels. Natalia rips through our skin and lands on her paws within half a second. She turns our nose upwards towards the glowing moon and howls out our sorrow. She dashes off as soon as her mournful song ends, and I curl up in the back of our mind. So far, this trip is nothing like I thought it would be.If only I had known that impressing Alpha Ben would be this critical.ETHAN'S POV (58yr later) I look at the ceiling and blink hard as I push the water from my eyes. Mom squeezes my hand, but I don't look at her. If I look at her, I will lose it. I have dreaded this moment for so long, and now that it is here.....I feel like a part of my soul is dying. "Ethan," my sister's soft voice calls out, and I immediately move to her bedside. I drop down to my knees so she can see me. My father, Jackson, doesn't even look in my direction, but I am used to it. "I'm right here, Sassy," I whisper as I take her weathered hand in my youthful one. "I love you, little brother..... I am so proud of the man that you have become...... I wish I had gotten to meet your mate. I wanted to tell her embarrassing stories.....like when I gave you a paint bomb..... for your thirteenth birthday," Sasha whispers with a small smile pullin
THIRD PERSON Sasha smiles as her family walks towards Ben and her in the airport. She has been waiting for two weeks to tell her parents that she is expecting and it is driving her insane. Typically Sasha only pulls pranks on other people's birthdays, but this one is special. "Honey," Amelia says as she wraps Sasha in a hug. Ben shakes Jason and Jackson's hands while Ethan waits for his turn to hug his sister. As soon as Amelia releases Sasha, Ethan pounces. "I missed you," Ethan says as Sasha lets out a small giggle. "You know most teens hate their sisters," Sasha says, and Ethan pulls back to give her a smirk. "Other teen's sisters aren't as cool as mine," Ethan declares, and Sasha beams at her sibling. Sasha has yet to realize how
ALPHA BEN (rated R) "MOM," Sasha screams out so loud that most of the field freezes for half a second. Three individual pissed-off roars fill the air, and a blinding flash of light that I know is Amelia crosses the field to where my mate is. Ace snaps the neck of the rogue we are fighting and races in Sasha's direction. Helios and Eros are already killing all the enemies around my crying mate, so I shift to comfort her. "Give your mom space, baby. She will heal him," I whisper as I tug Sasha against me and away from Luis's still body. I can barely hear his heartbeat, and his consciousness is already gone. Blood is soaking the earth underneath him, and Sasha is petrified. Amelia places her hand on the arrow sticking out of his chest and yanks. The silvertip flies out, and the open wound is immediately covered with Amelia's empty hand. Luis's chest begins to glow, and only after about a second Amelia smiles.&nbs
SASHA POV A howl breaks through the night, and I am on my feet before Ben is even awake."Ben, get up," I yell while throwing on my protective suit. My fathers' parents designed the suits over a hundred years ago, and for a century, we have been improving them. They shift with us and they are stronger than a bullet proof vest. They have basically eliminated the threat of human hunters, and they make it hard for Vampires to reach our hearts. Ben jumps up, looking panicked before locking eyes with me."What is it? What's wrong," he demands as he watches me get my suit pulled up. "Border patrol just sounded the alarm. Since I can't link my parents anymore, I'm not sure what is happening. But we need to get ready," I explain as I head towards the door. I forgo putting on shoes. The attire is entirely pointless with
ALPHA BEN (ONE WEEK LATER) "White Crest, Alpha Ben speaking," I say into the phone with a slight grin on my face.My body is buzzing with happiness, and I can't seem to shut off the feeling, not even when I should be working. Sasha is the best thing to ever happen to me, and it shows. I smile all day, I get stuff done in record time, and I am more stress-free than ever. It seems as if everything has fallen into place with the pack as well.Sasha and her trio of followers have taken over training. They redesigned the training field and implemented an entirely new system of working out. Vince doesn't seem to mind since he has more time to try and locate his human mate. Basically, everyone walks around smiling every day."Hey Ben, is Sasha near you," Jason's voice says through my office phone, and my happy demeanor dips a little."Not at the moment. She and Chels are delivering s
QUEEN AMELIA "Another one has been spotted, My Queen, " our patrol wolf says with his head bowed. "Thank you. I will let the king's know," I say, and he disappears from the office. I sigh as worry begins to take a seat in my mind for the first time in thirteen years. That makes the fifth unknown wolf to be spotted near our border. The wolves aren't rogues, so we can't treat them as such, but they don't appear friendly either. I stand up and stretch my body before heading to the training field where my mates are. They aren't going to like this. ******* Jackson and Jason's bodies are sweaty and exposed as they circle one another. The other warriors are watching my mates with mixed expressions of awe and wonder. I roll my eyes as I watch the display. Their competitive sides are annoying sometimes. Amelia- sexy loves..