Chapter 64
1574words
"and you and I are both done with all of the things that break you, are we not?" William asked, reaching for my hand.
I smiled when he held me, but I could not bring myself to answer truthfully.
I did want to be done with all of the things that broke my heart. But I wasn't sure those things were done with me.
"from your mouth to God's ears, my friend. Because I'm very tired of everything right now." I said with a sigh, and he squeezed the hand that he held.
"So what's the plan, at the moment, with this new mate?"
"mm. not much of a plan to be honest. I'll just avoid him as much as I can, while this project unfolds. Like I said, I don't need a mate right now. The last thing I want to think about is love."
"And then, there's the friendship with Paris."
"Yes, and then, there is that."
He nodded and let go of my hand, and I helped him set the empty tray aside.
"Alright then. Please keep our friendship alive, as you navigate this new period in your life, as our friendship is genuinely everything to me."
I smiled, "you can count on it. I made the mistake of cutting away from all my loved ones once before, believing my union with Paris to be all I actually needed. But I won't make that mistake again. That was the last time."
"Good," he said, smiling like he was proud of me.
I was hours deep in my affairs for the project. More and more kids were turning up, requesting for financial aid as they were interested in college, and I was interested in the best skills that fit them. I didn’t want them to end up in spaces that pushed them to drop out or would not push them to give their best.
William had left hours earlier, so my focus rate was somewhat high, and it was my brother who had to call out to me,
"Ember? I think someone's looking for you." I looked up from my screen to find him looking at me with some uncertainty
"for me? William's gone, and Ashley wouldn't need you to come looking for me, so who could that be? I genuinely only know a couple of people."
"He's an Alpha, Em. And he seems really sure about looking for Ember MacGregor, daughter of the Alpha king."
I froze. It wasn't possible that the person looking for me could have been Jean… or was it?
I blinked in hopefulness, "did he say what his name is?"
"Jean. Alpha Jean… does it ring a bell?"
Oh, it rang several bells. Include warning bells, and I slowly got up,
"Axel, I don’t want to see him."
"Ember, is everything okay?"
"fine. Everything is fine as long as I don't have to see any Alpha."
"understandable. But this one seems like he has something important to say."
I shook my head, "I'll survive not knowing. Trust me."
"That's no way to talk about you mate, now is it, darling?"
I looked up in shocked surprise to see Jean standing at my room's door, and gasped,
"Who the hell let you in?" Axel questioned
"your father did. I figured since you seemed so confused by my appearance, little miss Ember here must not have told you about my existence and might try to get you to get rid of me. Your father came out and asked me who I wanted to see, and I took an opportunity that presented itself, by telling him I was your mate who needed to see you urgently."
I stared at the man in disbelief,
"And father bought that?" I asked Axel, and he shrugged,
"or perhaps I just walked right through the doors because no one was there to stop." I narrowed my eyes on Jean and he smiled charmingly, "I really had to see you."
"you're unbelievable," I said rising and Axel shook his head,
"Wait, I'm still trying to process something though, you are his mate, Ember?"
I looked at Axel helplessly, "I'm afraid so. I only found out last night while I was William. " then I turned to Jean, "And I know I made it clear that I wanted nothing to do with you or this bond. So why are you even here?"
"you made what you wished to be clear, clear. I never partook in that decision." I sneered at him and how diplomatic he sounded,
"Well, you should have taken into full account what I said because I meant every word."
"at least give it a chance. What are you so afraid of?"
"everything." it was Axel who responded and I looked up at him to find him watching me, "My sister has been through it in the name of love. So pardon her if she doesn’t seem to be invested in a mate bond right now." Axel said, turning to Jean, "However, I'll leave you both to talk. Ember, at least hear the guy out. And with that, he left us alone in my room."
"I should get one of the men to kick you out," I said angrily,
"But you're an Alpha, perhaps you can do that all by yourself. What's stopping you?"
"I don’t know. I'm giving you a chance to leave on your own terms."
"but I won't. and you know that I won't. so perhaps, just like last night, a part of you actually desires a moment with me as much as I desire one with you."
"Oh please. "I said walking to the window, but I could already feel my wolf yearning for him.
"mate. mate! She cried within, and I didn't dare give her a free rein. I had to have some self-control, or I was going to fall. And if I were to fall once again, in the name of love, I wasn't sure I was ever going to stand upright.
"I know you've been through a lot."
I laughed coldly and turned to him, "Do you? You barely know me?"
"I don’t need to have known you for a lifetime to feel all that pain. We're mates, are we not?" he asked gently, forcing me to turn to him. Acknowledging him,
"What do you want? "I asked brokenly and he pressed his lips together,
"everything. But I'm not about to take anything that you won't give. I'm afraid that's not how it works."
"don’t you see, Jean? I don't have anything to give you at the moment. I have my work and I have my project for youths that I'm passionate about, but there isn't much of anything else after that. I don't have anything to offer you, Jean. Why can't you see that?"
"you're too stuck on your fears, I see." he said quietly and walked to my little couch, sat on it, and crossed his legs, "so tell me, Ember. How the hell do you plan on being Alpha of this great pack if you have nothing to offer?"
His words stopped me short because they caught me off-guard. I knew I was going to be the next Alpha, but other than establishing education among my pack and making sure that the poorest of people got a chance at creating wealth and living right, I had not given much thought to the pack and I was going to lead it.
"there's a time for pruning for such things. I'll get there." I said quietly,
"of course, you'll get there. But did you delude yourself into believing that such a thing would happen overnight? Did you not know that every breath you take, every action, every choice, is one step closer to life as an alpha? A day will come when every man, woman, and child will lean into your every word, hold on to your every move, and you say you have nothing to offer? Even now, you are content with having nothing to offer?"
His words were like a vice around my neck and I looked at him coldly. Not because his words were false, but rather, because they were true, and they made me feel inept,
"I said, I'll get there. No leave me alone, Alpha Jean. Please."
"go on a date with me," he said simply and I looked at him, completely flabbergasted,
"you want me to do what?"
"I want you to go on a date with me. I was clear the first time."
"you have got to be out of your damn mind. Perhaps the weight of an entire pack is getting to you." he chuckled at that, and I shook my head,
"It is getting to you. One minute you're hot, telling me strong scary things, and the next, you're cold, asking me out on a date. Are you okay in the head?"
"as you said, the weight of an entire pack," he said, taping his shoulders and I shook my head,
"Well, sorry about that. And sorry, but I can't go on a date with you. I'm too encumbered as it is."
"too encumbered as it is." he said, rising, and walking toward me, "I'm not that bad of a guy."
I weakened when he placed my hand on his chest, over his beating heart, and thought, "So this is it. This is what Paris could not say no to when it came to Kate."
