by Jenny Tia
“Uh, what?” Aiden laughed too.
I looked up and found Ragan beaming at me. “Fated mate, huh?”
I bit my bottom lip and nodded.
“Congratulations,” he said, leaning forward and placing a hand on my back.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, and went to look back at my feet, but first caught Aiden’s gaze. He was glaring at me with narrowed eyes.
“This is bullshit,” he exclaimed.
“It is quite unbelievable,” Mom agreed, giggling again. I gritted my teeth and looked away as heat flushed my cheeks.
“No, I believe it,” Aiden said. “It’s just so fucking unfair! Julian gets to be mates with a Supreme Alpha when he can’t even give him kids? That’s bullshit. And it’s bad for the whole state.”
Rage pulsed through me and my wolf growled. I gave Aiden a black look, glanced over at Ragan, then to my own parents, who all remained silent. My mother was even nodding in agreement and giving Aiden a look of compassion.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked, but before my mother could tell my question was directed at her, I quickly turned to face Aiden. “And who even asked for your opinion?”
“Does the Alpha Select know you can’t give him kids?” he asked in an irritatingly calm voice.
I wanted to reply with some snappy answer, but no words came out. Instead, I pressed my lips into a thin line, and Aiden raised his eyebrows at me in victory.
“He does.” My father’s voice cut through the room and stabbed me in the heart. “We’ve informed Casius of Julian’s faults.”
I sucked in a sharp breath and clenched my jaw. My hands were shaking, so I curled them into fists and held them at my sides while I looked around at my family. “You told him I never had a first heat?” I asked, my voice coming out quiet and strained.
“Of course we did,” my mother said. “What, you think we were going to let you get your hopes up about this relationship? You should be bracing yourself for disappointment.”
“Yeah, he’s definitely going to end up dropping you once his Alpha finds out you can’t have kids,” Ragan said. “It’s part of a Supreme Alpha’s duty to have babies.”
“Screw you,” I said under my breath, and my father let out a warning growl.
“Don’t speak to your brother that way! He’s right—the Supreme Alpha needs an heir, and if you can’t give him one, then… Well, you might be fated mates, but you’re not his ideal mate. We brought you here because we’re worried about you getting worked up about this guy when it’s just not going to last.”
“Oh, you’re worried about me?” My voice was quiet and strained again. I hated the lack of faith they had in me, and I hated how much their words hurt me.
“Well, yes. You’ve never been good with disappointment.”
“Or rejection,” my mother added.
I closed my eyes and prayed to the moon that they’d all be gone when I opened them again. Of course, they were all still here with their perfect golden hair, looking down at me from their thrones of the matching sofa set. And there I was, the dark-haired, black wolf of the family, cowering almost on the floor.
Fuck this.
I stood up and brushed myself down as I said in a clear, confident voice, “Thanks for your concern. Our very own Alpha Truitt approves of the relationship and has great faith it will work out—and so does Casius. We spent the weekend together, even after you tried to sabotage the relationship.”
My mother scoffed. “Sabotage? Oh, don’t be so dramatic—”
I turned on my heel and left without another word.
As I hurried down the street, tears welled in my eyes, but I managed to get to the main road before I let out a pained sob. Why had they brought my brothers there, just to embarrass me in front of them? There was no other possible reason I could think of.
I wiped my tears and took a shaky breath as I watched for the bus, and then a feeling of relief moved through me. I didn’t know Casius well, but I knew enough about him that it was clear he wouldn’t waste his time on someone he had no intention of being with. My parents had done me the favor of telling him about my inability to have children. Now I didn’t have to broach the subject myself.
But while sitting in the backseat of the bus, my old insecurities began to take hold. My family was right—the Supreme Alpha did need an heir, and that was something I’d never be able to give Casius. If he didn’t find a mate who could bear him an alpha, then he’d have to pass down the title to someone out of his bloodline, just like the current Supreme Alpha had done by appointing Casius as his Select. Now Casius knew I wouldn’t be the one to give him an alpha child, how long would it be until he woke up to the truth that we couldn’t be together?
The next time my phone rang was late into the evening, and I answered the call with much less enthusiasm than the morning.
“Hey,” I said quietly.
“Hey, you.” Casius’s strong voice coming through the line made me feel so much peace I let out a deep, involuntary sigh. “Uh—not happy to hear from me?”
“So happy, honestly. I can’t even start to tell you how happy.” I pushed my way between my jungle of house plants and out onto the balcony. The sounds of the town floated up through the night, but all I was focused on was the sound of Casius’s breath. “How are you?”
“Ah, I’m fine.”
“Fine? Now you’re the one who doesn’t sound too happy.”
Casius chuckled. The bass tone made my heart race a little. “I’ve been getting a taste of what being Supreme Alpha will be like.” There was stress in his voice, so I didn’t push for details.
“You’re going to be great.”
“They say a Supreme Alpha is only as strong as his mate. So fate must believe you’re perfect for me.” There was a smile in his voice now.
“I’m not so sure about that.” I spoke quickly, right from the center of the insecurities my family had pricked that afternoon. “I’m not feeling so strong today.”
I paused, biting down on my lip as I looked out toward the woods where starlight was beginning to cut through the dark sky. I felt comfortable in silence with Casius, which was definitely a first for me.
When it felt like it was right, I broke the silence. “What’s your house like?”
Casius just laughed.
“Hey, you’ve got your scent all over mine, I think it’s only fair you tell me about your place,” I said.
He laughed again, and then told me all about his life in Everglow. We talked for hours. I wandered back and forth across my balcony, and then back inside, from the living room to the bedroom as we chatted into the night. It was odd being able to talk to him so freely. It was almost as easy as breathing.
By the time our silences were stretching into long, tired minutes, I’d tucked myself into bed. I was laying on my side with the phone pressed against my ear, and staring at the window where I watched a gentle light began to rise over the horizon.
“Hey,” I said quietly.
“Mm?”
“Do you have a window in your room?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Are the blinds up?”
“No, why, are you trying to peek in on me?”
“I wish. The sun’s coming up. You should see it, it’s beautiful.”
I heard a rustling of Casius’s sheets—which he’d admitted had a thread count of over one-thousand—and the clatter of his blinds opening.
“Wow.”
I smiled and witnessed the sun rising a little higher. My eyes were heavy, but I loved knowing we were looking at the same thing and at the same time.
“Is it strange to say I miss you already?” he asked quietly.
I closed my eyes. “Mm, no because I’ve been missing you all day.”
Again, I heard that beautiful smile in his voice. “Good. I’m glad we feel the same.”
I just grinned up at my ceiling.
“I wish I could see you,” he said.
“I wish you co
uld too. I miss your eyes.”
“Can we video call tomorrow night?”
“Yes. Please, yes.”
9
Casius
I rubbed my eyes and squinted to try and get a better focus on the photos that were up on the projector screen in the boardroom of the Supreme Mansion. I almost yawned but noticed Alpha Truitt was looking my way so I stifled it as best I could. Tired from a long phone call with Julian that stretched late into the night, I tried to tune my exhausted brain back into the meeting and get a sense of what Alpha Hughes was saying. The boardroom was in a secure location inside the Mansion, meaning it was dark and windowless, which didn’t help my heavy eyelids.
“Although we have more images of the humans, we still don’t know how they survived. Or why they’re hiding,” Alpha Hughes explained, suspicion in his voice.
“It is strange. Shifters and humans used to co-exist harmoniously,” Alpha James Rowen of the nearby Southlake pack commented. His frown brought together his light brown eyebrows and made his expansive forehead pucker into a row of wrinkles.
“More than harmoniously,” Alpha Truitt added, nodding. “There were friendships, romances, committed relationships, even families… It was devastating for everyone when that all ended. So it doesn’t make sense for them to be afraid of us.”
“Exactly,” Alpha Hughes agreed. “There are a lot of information gaps right now. And until we fill them in, what information we do have stays among the people in this room. And none of us should approach them at any distance until we know more. Understood?”
We all nodded soberly.
“Dominic will let us know of any strange activity, of course. He’s doing patrols daily,” Alpha Hughes informed us. “There only seem to be about twenty of them, all between the ages of twenty and fifty. No signs of any children or elderly.”
“So, how are we going to get more information on the humans? Besides depending on Dominic?” asked Alpha Fern De León of the Glendale pack, just west of Everglow. He had his slender fingers interlaced on the table in front of him and was looking at Alpha Hughes with concern on his long, handsome face.
“For now, we’re just monitoring with Dominic’s help and some of our own drones. I will keep you all updated as soon as I know more.”
As everyone got up to leave, Alpha Truitt came over and put his hand on my shoulder.
“How is everything going with you and Julian?” he asked, his single earring dangling distractedly low from his ear.
“It’s amazing. He’s amazing,” I said, my grin overtaking my expression even though I desperately wanted to go home and take a nap. The other pack Alphas had filtered out the door, and Alpha Truitt and I turned to follow them.
“Casius, Alpha Truitt, could you stay another minute?” Alpha Hughes asked.
He beckoned us toward the head of the table with his hand. We nodded and walked over to sit down near his end of the conference table.
“Of course, Alpha Hughes, what do you need?” Alpha Truitt asked.
“I want you both to know that I expect you, Casius, to continue to focus on building your relationship with Julian. I, and the rest of the pack Alphas, can handle the situation for now. It’s important that you’re ready to step up when the time is right, and with Julian by your side.”
I inhaled sharply and felt defensive. Was he saying that I wasn’t contributing enough? Was I getting in the way? I swallowed down my insecurities and gave him a nod of gratitude. In truth, all I wanted to do was focus on Julian. “I appreciate that. It feels right to move things forward with him. I can’t stop thinking about him.”
“Fate has chosen a great partner for Casius,” Alpha Truitt said to Alpha Hughes. “Julian keeps multiple businesses afloat with his financial knowledge. He’s a huge asset to Goldleaf, and I imagine he will be the same for Everglow.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Your support will be very helpful in nurturing their relationship,” Alpha Hughes replied. “Well, I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page. The situation with the humans will remain my top priority. Julian will remain Casius’ top priority. My retirement and succession plans will have to remain on the back burner until we have any new developments with the humans.”
“Understood,” I said.
Alpha Truitt nodded.
“You’re free to go, then. I’ll be in touch if anything changes,” Alpha Hughes said.
We said our goodbyes, and Alpha Truitt and I walked out of the Supreme Mansion together. As we stepped out into the fresh spring air and our boots crunched on the gravel, I turned to Alpha Truitt to ask a question that had been on my mind.
“Do you mind if I ask you something, Alpha Truitt?” I asked politely.
“Go ahead,” he said, flashing his wide, toothy smile. “I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“Do you know why Julian’s parents look down on him the way they do? I can’t seem to understand it. Julian is wonderful… I know you see his many great qualities. So how could it be they don’t know what an intelligent, compassionate son they have?”
Alpha Truitt sighed and seemed to debate how to answer my question for a moment. He looked up at the tall pine tree that cast a long shadow across the wide circular driveway.
“I do know the answer to your question. But it’s something that Julian doesn’t know.”
Though my wolf whined, cautioning me to go slow, I nodded, urging Alpha Truitt to continue.
“When Stephanie and Mitchell Reign met, Mitchell had been in the process of courting another woman in the same town where Stephanie lived. Mitchell and the other woman were in the process of becoming mates. But when Mitchell met Stephanie, he developed feelings for her, which were stronger than what he felt for his girlfriend at the time. He chose Stephanie over the other woman. They were mated, and Stephanie moved to Goldleaf to be with Mitchell.”
He glanced at me to make sure I was following. I gave him another nod, and he cleared his throat.
“Two years later, the woman who Mitchell had been courting showed up at their house. The house you saw in Goldleaf. She had a baby with her, and he had a thick head of dark, curly hair… No prizes for guessing who that baby grew up to be.”
I chuckled and nodded again, biting my tongue to stop myself from guessing out loud how the story would end.
“She told Mitchell the baby was his and that her new mate didn’t want to take care of Julian. So she decided Julian would be better off with the Reigns. Mitchell and Stephanie didn’t believe the baby was his at first, but DNA tests proved he was Mitchell’s. It was their first child. A sudden and dramatic change to their lives. They coped the best they could. Stephanie tried to love him, but whenever she saw Julian, she also saw the woman who came before her. So, that’s where the hostility comes from.”
My heart twisted as Alpha Truitt explained how Julian had been given up. It was a reminder of how selfish people could be. Though I appreciated Stephanie taking him in, it was obvious she didn’t care for him.
“But what about Mitchell?” I asked. “Julian is his son. Why doesn’t he stick up for him?”
“In a word? Stephanie. She has always made Mitchell feel guilty about Julian, and about Mitchell’s relationship with the other woman who Julian’s existence represents. She has made Mitchell feel like he had to choose sides. That’s why Mitchell is so distant with Julian. He doesn’t want to fight with Stephanie, and he doesn’t want to feel he’s betraying his other children.”
“That’s…truly terrible,” I said mournfully. I looked down at my boots and kicked at the gravel. For a moment I wished I hadn’t asked.
Alpha Truitt sighed. “I’ve done my best to look after Julian. I’ve tried to ensure he knows his worth, that he’s valued in the community despite how his family has treated him. I think he’s doing pretty well. But it’s been a bumpy road for him.”
“Do you plan to tell him this at some point?”
“I’ve been waiting until I felt like Julian was stable in his
life. Now he has you, maybe the time has come. As far as I’m concerned, you’re free to tell him yourself. But I would advise you to carefully consider how this will affect Julian and his relationship with his family.”
“Yeah, of course,” I said, considering the options.
“I trust you to have Julian’s best interests in mind,” Alpha Truitt said, placing a hand reassuringly on my shoulder.
“Thank you,” I said, meeting his smiling eyes. “Rest assured, I do. All I want to do is take care of him. It’s like a deep need.”
“I know the feeling. Well, take care, Casius. I’ve got to get back to Goldleaf.”
“Take care, Alpha Truitt.”
This news had spun me. I wanted to look after Julian as best I could, and whether that meant telling him or not telling him, I didn’t know. I would need to get to know him a little better before I could tell what the right course of action was.
I already missed him something awful, and now it was becoming painful. That rope that seemed to be tying us together had some barbs in it. I needed to be near my mate. Suddenly, I knew I wouldn’t even last until the weekend. I needed to move our courtship forward. I needed to bring Julian home.
10
Julian
“Julian, why have you been avoiding me?” Stefan asked a little over dramatically as I answered the phone. I held my cell against my shoulder as I searched through my desk drawer for my headset. I’d bought it to soften the pain of craning my neck during my marathon phone calls with Casius all week. Now I was feeling the familiar cramp and the headset was nowhere to be found.
“I haven’t, I’ve just been busy.” I gave up on the drawer and hurried out of the office to check the last place I’d seen it.
“Busy?”
“You know… Busy with—”
“Casius.”
“I thought you’d be happy for me.” I frowned and switched ears so I could stretch out my neck as I pushed open my bedroom door.
