Màu nền Màu tối Mặc định Xám nhạt Xanh nhạt Xanh đậm Vàng nhạt Màu sepia Vàng đậm Vàng ố

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"My mate is dead."

I'm left shocked after hearing Charles' words. I look at him. His eyes are brimming with tears. Before tears can escape his eyes, he blinks them away. "Wha...how?" I ask, not knowing how to frame my question properly.

"Alarick, Daniel, Rebecca and I were just exploring our territory in our wolf form. Suddenly, some humans came out of nowhere and they had rifles with them. And they started firing at us. One of the bullets hit Rebecca and it wasn't an ordinary bullet, it was a silver bullet with the coating of wolfsbane. Rebecca fell on the ground. And after that, I went crazy. I ran towards the men dodging their every bullet. When they realized that I'm a mad wolf coming to kill them, they ran for their lives. I would've gone after them but Alarick mind-linked me, telling me that Rebecca needed me. I ran back and I found my mate lying on the ground with a shirt covering her human body. The wolfsbane had turned her back into her human form. When I knelt beside her, I started crying because I knew that she was going to die because there's no cure for wolfsbane. I couldn't do anything to save her and I regret that the most. I wish I could save her."

I look at Charles. It seems as if he has just relived the incident. Daniel places his hand on Charles' shoulder. For a few minutes, there is silence in the room. When Charles composes himself, he says, "I found my mate but I lost her. And I'm miserable without her. Alarick is my friend and so are you. I don't want you both to be miserable without each other." After a pause, he continues, "After dropping you at your house, when I returned to my pack house, I had barged in Alarick's study and had tried to knock some sense into him because I know how it feels to live without a mate. But Alarick is thick-headed. He wasn't ready to listen to me but I hope you will. I don't want you both to go through what I'm going through."

I look at him and carefully choose the words to speak. "Charles, to be honest, I'm not going through what you're going through and neither is Alarick. We are not miserable without each other. In fact, we'll be miserable if we are together," I tell him.

"Don't you want a family?" He asks all of a sudden.

"What?" I'm entirely confused after hearing his question.

"When I found my mate, starting a family with her was the first thought that came to my mind," he says.

"I already have a family," I state. "I have my Mom and I have my little sister."

"You said that you won't give up. What happened to that?" He asks.

"I lost hope," I tell him.

"Alarick and you are mates. You both are supposed to be together-"

I interrupt him. "We don't want to be together!"

"Alarick doesn't know that he loves you," Charles tries to convince me. I can't help but laugh.

"If Alarick loved me then he wouldn't have denied me," I say.

At that moment the bedroom door opens and enters Alarick. "What are you doing here?" He asks surprisingly.

"I just came to say goodnight to Charles and Daniel," I say as I stand up. Then I turn to Charles and Daniel. "Goodnight," I tell them. I head out of the room but not before hearing Charles and Daniel saying "Goodnight" to me.

When I enter my room, Matt asks me, "Where were you?"

"I had gone to meet Charles and Daniel," I tell him as I lie on the bed.

"Why?" Asks Darius curiously.

"To thank them for checking up on me earlier," I reply.

"By the way, the new Beta and Gamma were asking about you when they came along with their Alpha to meet us at The Socials. You should meet them before we head back to our pack," Matt tells me.

"I will meet them tomorrow," I say.

"Tomorrow, all the leaders will have breakfast together in the hall," he informs me. "You can meet them there."

"We're going to have breakfast together with the other pack leaders tomorrow?" I ask, feeling annoyed that I'll have to see Alarick's face again.

"Yes."

● ● ● ● ●

I wake up early than usual. Matt and Darius are peacefully sleeping. When I push the curtain aside and look out the window, I find that the sun is on the verge of coming up in the sky. I take out a t-shirt and jeans from my suitcase and go to the bathroom to change into them. After coming out of the bathroom, I wear comfortable shoes and head outside the pack house for a morning walk.

● ● ● ● ●

After returning back to my room, I find Matt and Darius wide awake. "Where were you?" Matt asks as he approaches me. He looks worried.

"I went for a morning walk," I tell him, feeling a little guilty.

"We were so worried when we woke up and didn't find you in your bed," he says. "Next time, if you do such a thing, please inform me."

"I would've told you but you were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't feel like disturbing you by waking you up," I try to make an excuse. If I would've woken him up and told him that I'm going for a morning walk then he would've asked many questions.

"Chriselda, why do you always do things without telling me?" He asks me.

"When did I do something without telling you?" I ask.

He gives me the "look." "Do you want me to list all the things that you've done without telling me?"

"Okay. I admit that I've done some things without telling you but you'll also have to admit that I'm not a kid anymore! You don't need to get worried about me when you don't find me in front of your eyes. I'm a Beta. I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"Chriselda, I know that you're capable of taking care of yourself but what's the harm in telling me where you're going before you go somewhere?" Matt asks. I don't speak because I've got nothing to say. He puts his hands on my shoulders and say, "Chris, you're not only my Beta, you are my friend. I care about you. I don't want any harm to come to you."

"I know."

"Let's get ready for breakfast," he says.

● ● ● ● ●

After getting ready, we head to the hall. Today, I find all the men wearing normal and comfortable clothes. In the center of the hall, there's a long table with chairs surrounding it. And on the table, there are delicious food items. All the people are still talking in their small groups. Why aren't they joining the table? Am I the only one who feels as if elephants are running in my stomach?

When I spot Alpha Brent, the new Alpha of this pack, talking to other two men who must be the new Beta and Gamma, I say to Matt and Darius, "I'm going to meet the new Beta and Gamma."

"We'll also come with you," Matt says and together we head towards the new leaders of this pack. When we reach them, I greet them and introduce myself. They also introduce themselves.

"I hope you're feeling well now," the new Beta says. I give him a very confused look. "Yesterday, when we met Alpha Matthew and Gamma Darius during The Socials, we asked about you and they told us that you've gone to your room because you weren't feeling well. So, are you feeling well now?" He asks.

"I'm feeling better," I say.

"I think we should have our breakfast," Alpha Brent says and announces for everyone to be seated. The chairs have our names on it so we sit accordingly. I'm surprised when I find Alarick seated across me. You've got to be kidding me! Everyone starts eating as they do little talks in-between. When I look at Alarick again, my appetite vanishes.

When Darius sees me picking at my food, he asks, "What happened to you? I thought you were hungry."

"I was but my hunger died," I tell him. By the look on his face, I can tell he knows the reason why.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat?" He asks. "The food is delicious."

"No, I don't think so."

"Well, you're missing out on the delicious food," he says as he fills his mouth with food.

"That's disgusting!" I say.

"Not as disgusting as compared to you eating like a pig," he says teasingly.

I nudge at his elbow. "I do not eat like a pig."

"Then why don't you prove yourself?" He says.

"I know what you are trying to do. You're trying to make me eat."

"Yes, I'm trying to make you eat. Now eat," he says as he points at my plate.

"I don't want to eat," I say.

"If you don't eat then I'm going to forcefully feed you. And I won't care about all the people who will give us weird looks."

"You're not serious, right?" I ask him.

"You will come to know if you don't start eating." Unwillingly, I pick up my spoon and start eating.

● ● ● ● ●

After having breakfast, we head back to our room. When we finish packing our things, we head out of the pack house with our luggage. We find Alpha Brent along with Alarick, Charles and Daniel waiting by a SUV. When we approach Alpha Brent, he says to me, "Beta Chriselda, you didn't tell that Dawnfall Depths is your neighboring pack."

"Well, now you know," I say.

"You said that you and Beta Charles are friends meeting after a long time. But how is that possible when you both are pack neighbors?" He asks. Alarick gives Charles a confused look.

"Beta Charles and I are always busy because of our duties so we hardly get time to meet each other," I reply.

"You all should get in the car," he says to all the people present. "The driver will drop you off at the airport." Alarick will be in the car with us? You've got to be kidding!

Author's Note: I was so happy with the response I got on the last chapter. :)