The Forbidden Mate
Chapter Eleven – Closer

Katy

I was tired after my run, and slept soundly until Emma woke me up at seven a.m. I didn’t mind. She seemed closer to being her old self today. She wanted to go out and play for the first time since the attack, so I decided to take her to the park. Not the Omega park, where the attack happened, but to the bigger park used by the rest of the pack.

We weren’t banned from going to the main park, but we weren’t made welcome. We always felt more comfortable in our own run-down park surrounded by our friends. That was no longer an option. I couldn’t face going there again, revisiting the place where my parents and so many of my friends had been killed. Even if I had wanted to all the children’s play equipment had been destroyed in the attack. We had no other option.

As soon as we walked into the park, I noticed people staring at us, but I ignored them. We had as much right to be there as them.

One girl in particular was glaring at me, she looked vaguely familiar, but I didn’t want to stare back. I just wanted to let Emma play and enjoy herself for a bit with no hassle from anyone else.

We went over to a vacant swing, and I helped her up onto the seat and started to push. I started slowly but gradually increased the pressure, enjoying her shrieks of delight as the swing went higher and higher.

I was so engrossed in what I was doing that it took me a couple of minutes to realise that someone was standing beside me. It was the woman that I had seen glaring at me before, but now she was up close I recognised her. It was the shewolf that had been draped all over Alex last night, laughing with him at the party.

I turned to stare at her. I was desperately trying to keep my temper in check. All I wanted to do was launch myself at her and drag my sharp claws down her face for trying to steal my mate, but I knew that I couldn’t. It wouldn’t resolve anything, and as an Omega I would be severely punished for hitting a higher-ranking wolf. Besides it would draw attention to me something that I couldn’t let happen, I had to stay in the background.

“You are the Omega that Alex saved” she states. It wasn’t really meant to be a question.

“Yes” I reply.

“Don’t think because he was good enough to save your life, that you are anything special. He would do the same for any of the Pack” she says abruptly. Then with a change of tone.

“I understand that it is very flattering for an Omega to be singled out in this way” she says patronisingly, “but there is no way that Alex would look twice at you. He couldn’t. An Alpha can never have a relationship with an Omega. He needs a strong wolf as his mate. Someone from the right background who understands instinctively how important the role of a Luna is and can support him in running the pack.”

“If it is an impossibility, why are you speaking to me about it” I ask her. I should keep my mouth shut but I can’t stop myself from responding.

“Well yes, it is, but for your own sake, I wanted to warn you” she says in a sickly-sweet voice. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FindNʘᴠᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Well thank you, you have warned me” I tell her turning away from her. I concentrate my attention fully on Emma. She pauses for a second before walking away.

I try to forget about her, but she has made me so angry. She is clearly trying to catch Alex, but does he want her too?

……………….

When we get back from the park, I make Emma some lunch and we settle in for an afternoon watching children’s programmes on the TV.

Lily pops round and I am really pleased to see her.

She is in a strange mood, very quiet which is not like her at all. She is normally happy, and bubbly with lots to say.

“How did the party go?” I ask her.

“Fine” she says but doesn’t elaborate.

“Did you spend much time with Alex or Jordan? “

“No, I only saw Alex once, when he greeted us as we arrived at the party. In fact, I think he left early.”

I wonder if he left early to spend time alone with the shewolf I had seen draped over him. I need to speak to him. Ignoring him hadn’t helped me feel any better. I have to confront him even if he uses the opportunity to reject me, at least this hell of not knowing would be over.

“Jordan was more persistent, he kept on trying to get me to dance with him, but I spent most of the night hiding from him. Dad wasn’t happy, but I can’t stand him, and they are not going to force me to mate with him” she says defiantly.

“Surely your father wouldn’t do that” I say trying to comfort her.

“He would, if he could, he is very ambitious, but I want my destined mate and I won’t give him up”

“Give him up?” I ask “have you found him?”

“No,” she says after a pause “I meant when I find him, I won’t give him up.”

I am not sure if I believe her, but as I am hiding who my mate is I can hardly press her to be truthful.

I change the subject and we spend the next half hour talking about her job and all the Luna responsibilities she has been picking up.

…………….

Spending time with Lily and Emma this weekend, had helped take my mind of my mate.

I hadn’t seen Alex, and he hadn’t tried to contact me again. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I had been pushing him away, but I felt terrible when he wasn’t with me. It had been too long since I had spent any time with him, and I ached to be with him again.

I was looking forward to work to take my mind off my problems.

When I arrived at the pack house Mrs Welsh assigned me to putting away the party decorations. I was relieved that she didn’t bring up the fact that I had had to leave the party early. I felt bad that I had left the others to complete the clean-up.

Instead, she had asked me how I was coping after my parents’ deaths. She had obviously put my absence down to my grief, which made me feel a bit guilty, but at least it stopped her asking me difficult questions that I would be unable to answer.

I made my way upstairs. I had to go round each room, starting with the ballroom and collect the party decorations. I then needed to carry them to the attic where they could be stored. The Alpha had pushed the boat out for this party so there were a lot of decorations to carry. I would need to make several trips.

I had finished my final trip to the attic and was about to make my way down to the kitchen to inform Mrs Welsh, when Euan approached me. I had never spoken to him before, I knew that Alex had told him that we were mates, but I had no idea what he thought about that.

“Hi, Katy, isn’t it?” he asks me.

“Yes sir” I reply bowing my head to show respect for his rank.

“There are some decorations from the party left in my office would you come with me please and remove them?” he asks.

“Yes of course,” I reply and follow him to his office.

He opens the door for me and when I walk in I notice Alex standing there. I stop in my tracks. Not sure what to do next. Euan is behind me blocking the door so there is no easy way for me to escape – and I am not sure that I want to.

“Please” he pleads with me “we need to talk we can’t go on like this. I need to explain myself to you, apologise, and I hope that you will forgive me.”

I nod and move further into the room. He is right we do need to talk.

“I will leave you to it” Euan says and walks out closing the door behind him.

Alex

Now that I have finally got her alone and she is prepared to listen to me it takes me a few moments to compose myself. It feels like we have been apart for so long, and her nearness, the sweet smell of her scent is driving my wolf wild. I am desperate to hold her, touch her but I can’t yet. I need to explain, to make her realise that I love her more than anything or anyone else.

“I am sorry that I didn’t tell you about the pressure my father was putting me under to find a Luna. I should have told you straight away, but I didn’t know how to. I had to go along with what he wanted otherwise he would have moved to replace me as his heir. To make Jordan the next Alpha. I couldn’t let that happen, but I would never have chosen a mate, a Luna to replace you” I tell her firmly.

She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t stop me from talking so I continue.

“My plan, such as it was a plan, was to pretend to search for a Luna, while trying to find a way to be open with my father and the rest of the pack and tell them that you are my mate and their future Luna.”

“And how is that working out?” she asks me coldly. “We have been talking about this for weeks and we are no further forward, but you seem to be inching closer and closer to taking a chosen mate. Attending parties to find one, letting shewolves fling themselves at you.”

“If you mean Sarah” I interrupt, "it looked worse than it was. She has always wanted to be my mate, but I have never given her a second thought. The only reason that I put up with her at the party was because she was beginning to put two and two together about us. She suspected that my saving you during the rogue attack was more than just me protecting a member of the pack. I don’t want our relationship to become public because of rumours spread by people like her.”

“So, how do you want it to get out?” she asks me.

I am relieved that she seems to have calmed down. “I need to tell my grandfather. It is a risk because he might not support us, but he believes in the importance of mates, and the power of the moon goddess in choosing the right person for each wolf.

If he supports us, then that will encourage other members of the pack to accept us as well. He is well respected, and even though he is no longer the Alpha he has a lot of clout with many of the wolves. A lot of people will listen to him. He can also help temper my father’s behaviour.”

She nods.

“Before I do this though I will need your full support, and you have to be aware of the risks. If he doesn’t support us, then I think it is likely that he will do his best to destroy our bond and back my father in forcing me to take a chosen mate. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think he would ever hurt you, but he could try and banish you and Emma from the pack.”

This doesn’t seem to faze her.

“If we can’t be together, I wouldn’t want to stay in the pack. I couldn’t live here watching you choose another mate, touching someone else other than me. It would be torture” she tells me.

“Then you agree that we tell him?” I ask her.

“Yes”

“He will want to meet you, to vet you” I warn her.

“Better that than staying in the shadows forever. I have had enough of hiding” she says resolutely.

“I will speak to him today” I say as I slowly move closer to her.

Now that this has been decided all I want to do is hold her and kiss her. I have spent too long being unable to feel her touch, and I don’t think I can restrain myself anymore.

As I get closer my self-control slips, and in two giant strides I am right in front of her, and my lips crash into hers. I kiss her greedily, desperately after being so long without her I can’t get enough of the taste of her.

My hands move gradually over her body, one hand cupping her breast while the other brings her closer.

My mouth moves down trailing kisses down her neck until I reach the place where she will wear my mark. I kiss it, my teeth have extended, and I can feel my fangs, graze against the spot. I am desperate to plunge my fangs in and mark her now, make her mine, but I use what little self-control I have left to stop myself. It won’t be long now I reassure myself. I know it will leave a mark on her skin for others to see but I don’t care.

I manage to break away. We are both breathless, trying to regain control.

“I love you” I tell her. “These last few weeks have been hell, and I can’t do it anymore, I can’t be apart from you. Whatever happens you are mine, and I will never let you go. Whatever the consequences may be.

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