Page 22 of Unloved Mate

13

Valor

We walked back to the mansion in the pack in silence, shuffling through the path lined with trees and houses until we arrived at our destination. It gave me the chance to actually think of everything that Kane had told me. As a wolf blood, I could detect lies when my best friend wasn't spinning my head with his tricks, and I knew that every word that escaped Kane’s lips from the beginning was the truth. I needed to know more. I needed to know why Zeke became such a manipulative monster. How I fell for that.

Kane invited me over for dinner to join his family. We were all sitting under the glow of the candle lights eating our dinner as we chatted about how our day went. Leda and the others were really concerned about my health and asked me to spend the rest of the week resting while they took care of the duties and anything I needed. I didn't want that. But at this point I didn't think I had a choice because Kane wouldn't let me overwork myself for some sort of reason he had failed to mention. As I feasted on dinner, my eyes kept darting at my mate and how happy he was to be with his family. And this was enough to tell me he was so much happier being the Alpha of Midnight Shadow Pack than being part of the Eclipse that Zeke was lying about. His gaze met mine, and he gave me a smile, looking at me with so much ardency in his eyes. He looked at me like I was the most precious thing existing on this earthly plane. And I was. To him I was, and he hadn't failed to establish thatfact. Being with Kane felt like home, but it left me to wonder if these things I felt were real, if it would all crumble when I had given myself over to it. I wouldn't allow myself to fall victim again after what happened with Zeke. I didn't doubt the bond of the goddess. Right now, I was just exhausted from everything that had happened to me.

We finished dinner and Kane and I bid the others goodbye, and we both headed upstairs to continue our story. “Hope you enjoyed yourself.” He asked, holding my hand as we arrived at the top of the stairs and took a turn to the hallway.

“Yes, yes. I did,” I answered as we stalked down the hallway. “It hasn't been long since you became Alpha. But I just want to know if there's anything I can help you with, even if I have to be there to just support.”

“You know I don't want you getting your hands dirty. I should do all the work.”

“Well, I'm not used to that. So please tell me.”

“I will, but you'll only start working next week. I want you to rest and maybe we can go on a couple of dates together if that's ok with you.” We both halted and faced each other.

“Sure.” I embraced him. I let him go, and we turned to the entrance of our room, walking in and shutting the door behind us.

“Since the last alpha died, most Lycans left the pack. I intend to bring them back home. We also need to get back on track with training and that's really hard considering we don't have enough volunteers for the team. There's also the need to tend to the pack business, but Beta Rohan is handling that, and we are at the verge of expanding our territory and erecting more buildings for our people.” He led me to the bed and we sat down facing each other.

“Well, as your mate, I’m here to ensure the growth of ourpack.” I was saying, and he was smiling sheepishly. “What?”

“Nothing. Continue.”

“As for the pack training, I'll talk to my Alpha about merging with another pack. We have a three year Sentinel program to train wolf bloods officially. Training could still happen here, but at the camp, I guarantee you stronger and skilled warriors,” I suggested. “You don't have to worry, Kane. You've been alone most of your life, but I promise I'm here and I'm never leaving.” I reassured him.

“Thank you. How are your memories?”

“They're all back now, and Leo has healed up. Now let's get back to the story, shall we?”

***

Kane

I returned to the mansion after my encounter with the Fairfax lady. For most of my journey, everything I had learned tonight preoccupied my thoughts. The whole pack drama and alpha-ly things. Trust me, if I was an alpha, I would know. I wouldn't have spent most of my life on the run, depending on dark objects to shield myself from the malevolence in the world. But like she said, I just had to think about it and follow that feeling in my gut. That feeling was telling me to trust her.

I moved into the living room and climbed the stairs. Just when I was halfway down the hallway, I heard footsteps from the space, and I narrowed my gaze and saw Zeke standing there and watching me intently. “Here we go again. What are you going to ask about tonight?”

“The family is coming back the day after tomorrow. I hope you get your secret agent shit done before then.”

“Ok. Finally, we can get this all sorted out.”

The fact that my loving colleague had completely turned into an entirely different person bothered me. What did I do wrong that would make him suspicious of my actions? I would always be on guard and wouldn't let him get a sliver of opportunity to manipulate me. I spent the night locked up in my bedroom, steeped in turmoil, as I thought about what to do with this new knowledge. A Lycan pack, an alpha. These things didn't make sense. I said I would trust my gut feeling, and that feeling was right there, pushing me to get more information about this so-called pack.

When the next day came, I took the vehicle and returned to the location where I met the Fairfax woman and this time she wasn't alone. They were other Lycan shifters with her as a testament of the genuineness of her words. I had a pack because when those shifters saw me; they tilted their heads in submission. There were about five Lycan bloods and the witch, which made them six. Leda Fairfax told me everything I needed to know that night, ranging from the rankings in the pack, the territory and the population of Lycan shifters. It was enough to convince me—at least I had to see my people before concluding about what to do with it. So Leda proposed that I meet her the following day, only this time not at night, but during the day. She gave me the opportunity to end things with the Eclipse since I had a new path waiting for me.

But unfortunately I didn't get that chance because Ezekiel Wolfe took it from me.

The Fairfax woman had left with her people, or should I say my people, while I prepared to return to the mansion. I got back into the vehicle and held the steering wheel, exhaling deeply. I wasn't leaving the forest yet because I needed that calmness that it brought with the silence. That was the greatestmistake I made, as it gave Zeke the chance to strike.

An arrow pierced through the windshield of my car, missing my shoulder by just one inch. I tore through the door of the vehicle, rose to my feet, and growled as I looked into the forest with night vision. As I moved closer to the center of the clearing, another arrow pierced through my leg and I screamed as I lost my balance. Footfalls came at me and I raised my field of vision—a powerful kick thrusted me into the trunk of the tree. I stumbled down as blood trickled from my nose. “I knew it, you monster. What are you doing now? Collaborating with the rogues? I knew letting in an orphan like you would only cause harm to our cause.”

“You know nothing about me.” I spat blood from my throat, pulled out the arrow, and regained my footing. He shot at me again, but I caught the arrow in my hands, dropping it when I felt pain pulse through my palm. Wolfsbane.

“I’ll take you out before you ruin everything we've worked for.” He growled as he dropped the crossbow and proceeded toward me.

“I think there's something more.”

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