The Pack: Mercy's Choice (Born to be Were series book 2)

by Flynn, Donna

  Mercy moved into a crowd of teenagers hoping to evade him until she calmed down, but he dodged in and out of the crowd until he was once again at her side looking harried and confused by her behavior.

  “Mercy, what the hell is wrong with you?” He grabbed for her arm, but she was too mad to care what he wanted. He had humiliated her in front of the girl who was trying to take him from her and that made her see red.

  “I wouldn’t,” she seethed pulling her arm out of his reach.

  “You need to calm down,” he said keeping his voice low, but commanding.

  “And you need to back away from me right now before you force me to lose control,” she bit out from behind clenched teeth.

  Alec saw her wolf in her eyes as they stared each other down, and knew she was fighting to suppress it. He reached for her again letting his own wolf call to hers in an effort to calm her.

  Mercy felt calm spread over her and took a step towards him feeling foolish for her outburst when Amber walked up beside him and placed her hand on his arm interrupting the flow between them.

  “I need to go and get my schedule from the office. Will you show me where it is Alec?” Amber was annoyed she had been forced to chase him down throughout the throng of teenagers that crowded the entrance of the school building, but she managed to pin a smile on her face for his benefit.

  “It’s just down the hall,” Alec told her, his eyes never leaving Mercy’s cold ones.

  “You know me, I would get lost in a paper bag,” she teased pulling on his arm possessively. “It will only take a minute. I’m sure Marcy will wait for you.”

  “Mercy… her name is Mercy,” Alec said stonily, catching the hint of danger in Mercy’s eyes when they looked at Amber’s arm linked through his. To keep order he knew he had to get Amber away quickly, but his every instinct screamed at him to ease his mate’s upset. Suddenly having Amber around didn’t seem like such a good idea. “Let’s go,” he snarled at her practically dragging her down the hall to the office to get it over with so he could get back to Mercy and straighten out her insane jealousy of Amber.

  Mercy watched them walk down the hall with tears brimming her eyes, thankful Amber was gone, but angry Alec had once again let her have her way. She turned to go to her locker, but ran straight into her ex-boyfriend Kirk’s chest instead. He reached out to steady her placing his hands on either side of her waist and she looked up, meeting his eyes. The hurt there a reminded her of the pain she had so recently caused him, making her feel worse than she already did. She had known she would see him there. It was inevitable when they both attended a small school, but since she had broken up with him, she was not quite sure how to act around him.

  “I’m glad that you’re feeling better, Nina told me that you have been having a hard time adjusting,” he said with his usual gentleness.

  “Uh… yeah, I’m alright, it’s just hard considering my parents and all,” she explained, inwardly cursing the tears in her eyes that threatened to spill over. When she had found out Kirk was also a werewolf forgiving him seemed to be easier than the others. After all, he had not kept a secret from her for years as the others had, and he too had been truly hurt by everything they had kept from her.

  “I’m sorry,” he said watching a lone tear roll down her cheek. “Don’t cry.” He swiped the tear from her cheek with the tip of his finger and frowned.

  “It’s just so hard,” she sniffled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall apart,” she told him, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand as more tears fell.

  “Listen I’m here if you need a friend who understands all of this,” he told her wrapping his arms around her and hugging her close.

  “You would be my friend after everything that happened between us?” she murmured into his chest.

  “We were friends before we dated,” he reminded her. “Just don’t ask me to double date with you and Alec. That would be too weird.”

  He chuckled softly, a sound she realized she had missed tremendously in the last few weeks. Kirk was a sweetheart. He had always been kind and considerate to her and she always found herself comforted by his presence. “Thank you, Kirk, I could use a friend right now.”

  She sniffled, and he took her chin in his hand, lifting her face so he could see her eyes. “Is everything alright between you and Alec?”

  “I don’t know anymore, things are so complicated.” His eyes darkened, and she rushed to reassure him. “He’s been great and has given me time to adjust, but I’m still struggling, and I’m not sure exactly where I stand with him.” It felt odd confiding in the guy she had so recently dumped because of her overwhelming feelings for Alec, but Kirk had always been the kind of person you could just tell everything to.

  He looked astounded. “What are you talking about? You’re his intended mate, he worships you.”

  “Lately it seems like he worships this other girl he grew up with.” She couldn’t help the tears that welled in her eyes once again and felt weak for her inability to make them stop.

  “Mercy, that is not possible. You’re his, no other girl should matter to him,” he argued.

  Mercy could not believe her ex-boyfriend was sticking up for Alec, and the shock must have shown on her face because he tried to explain very quickly what he was talking about.

  “I thought he would have pushed you to complete the bond once you found out you were one of us. That would have taken care of all of this, and you would have no doubt about his feelings for you.”

  “What are you talking about?” she asked, looking confused.

  “You know, the bond between mates,” he said, realizing by her uncertain stare she clearly had no idea what he was talking about. “Are you going to tell me Alec hasn’t explained all of this to you?”

  “Explained what?” she asked, but before he could answer, Alec walked up behind her Amber fast on his heels, his face reflecting the rage he felt seeing her with Kirk.

  “Ask Alec, he can explain it all to you.” Kirk told her letting his arms slide away from her as he noted the flaring nostrils of her mate and the wolf in his eyes as he stared at them.

  “Alec, what is he talking about?” she asked, looking even angrier than she had been when he had first left her.

  “I will explain it later. We need to get to class before the bell rings,” Alec said giving Kirk a sharp warning look.

  ‘But…” She wanted to argue, and find out what Alec was keeping from her, but he was not in the mood for Kirk’s games.

  Alec grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. “I said later.” He gritted his teeth, and she looked around the hall suddenly aware that all eyes were on them. It was obvious the grapevine had been busy while she was away, and now everyone was staring, waiting to see if Kirk and Alec would fight over her.

  “I need to get to class,” Kirk said, but before going, he placed his hand on Mercy’s arm ignoring the low growl that emanated from Alec’s throat. “If you need me just call.” He removed his hand and smiled down at her, but the dark look he gave Alec as he passed him made it clear he was not happy with his treatment of his mate.

  “He’s so cute, Marcy. I just don’t see how you keep all of these hot guys drooling over you,” Amber said, looking her up and down with a frown.

  “Mercy,” she growled. “My name is Mercy, and I am sure you know that, but for some reason you just get a thrill out of pissing me off,” she said irritably, tired of all the games the girl was playing.

  Amber’s eyes filled with tears, and her bottom lip trembled in response. “I really just keep forgetting, I’m sorry I have made you angry.” It was sneaky and backhanded, but a good ploy that got Alec’s attention immediately.

  “Mercy, it’s her first day in a new school, could you be a little nicer?” Alec scolded, pulling Amber to his side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

  “I can’t believe you are falling for her crocodile tears! You really haven’t changed at all, have you Alec. One little cry of distress from a
female and you're right there. Sir Alec, the knight in shining armor, ready to seduce all of the girls in the land!” She knew she was being unfair, but his quick defense of her foe hurt painfully and she wanted to retaliate.

  “What are you talking about? I’m just trying to help her adjust to a new school.” Alec was confused by Mercy’s dislike of Amber. She was usually so nice to other people, but Amber brought a side of her that he had never seen before.

  “You know what, I don’t care, go with her, help her find her way out of a paper bag, and I don’t need you with me, not when you constantly choose her over me.”

  “I am not choosing Amber over you, I’m offering help to a friend,” he seethed.

  “The same way Kirk was helping me?” she sneered, knowing he hated the idea of Kirk anywhere near her.

  “Don’t push me,” he growled, letting go of Amber to grab her arm and stop her from walking away.

  “I don’t really need this right now. I’m going to class because if I stay here, I might do or say something we will both regret.” She yanked her arm from his and began walking away, and could hear Amber behind her putting on her innocent act to gain Alec’s attention.

  “I didn’t mean to make her angry. He just looked at her like a love sick puppy, so I thought maybe there was something between them.”

  “Amber let me make this clear. Mercy is my mate, not Kirk’s.”

  “Oh I hadn’t realized it was final. I mean, she’s so scared of being one of us and you said she wanted more time before she could make her decision.”

  “Look she’s just going through a hard time right now, and I am sure she did not mean to hurt your feelings,” Alec said, staring after Mercy’s retreating form.

  “The hell I didn’t,” Mercy said under her breath as she heard Alec’s statement.

  “Talking to yourself so early in the day, that can’t be good,” Gina said behind her.

  Mercy stopped walking immediately and turned to her friend, needing her support more than ever after putting up with Amber’s antics all morning.

  Gina hugged her and smiled brightly. “So what has you so miserable?”

  “That.” She pointed down the hall to where Alec consoled Amber, his arm around her shoulders as she used all of her feminine wiles to make him believe she had been insulted by Mercy’s behavior.

  “What is she doing here?” Gina asked, her dislike of the girl who clung to Alec like super-glue apparent.

  “She’s here to help me transition,” Mercy explained with a growl of disgust.

  “Looks to me as if she’s transitioning herself right into Alec’s life,” she replied her dark eyes missing nothing the conniving wolf did. Gina was the queen of flirting, and she knew Amber was using everything she could to get between Alec and Mercy.

  The warning bell rang, and they hurried to their first class. Just as the last bell rang, Alec came through the door minus his new appendage, striding immediately to her side.

  “We need to talk,” he said sharply to Mercy, taking the seat next to hers and ignoring the dark looks Gina cast in his direction.

  “No, we don’t,” Mercy told him, opening her notebook as the teacher came into the room and called for silence.

  “Mercy,” he growled, tired of her childish behavior.

  “What happened to Amber? Did she get lost on her way to the restroom? You might want to tell her it’s the one with the picture of a woman in a skirt,” she said crossly.

  “Mercy,” he said irritably.

  She was having none of his alpha macho crap though, and continued expressing her outrage. “You know for someone you told me was so together and smart, she certainly seems clueless whenever you’re around.

  He stared at her in confusion. Mercy had never, to his knowledge, acted so petty and jealous before and he found her attitude tiring. All he wanted to do was help her become part of the pack so they could be free to explore their relationship, but her feelings for Amber were just another obstacle they were going to have to overcome before that could happen. “Would you stop this, I have never seen you act like this before.”

  “Well, I suppose that’s because I have never really been around one of your girlfriends before now,” she hissed, her hand shaking uncontrollably as she fought to remain calm.

  “Calm down,” he whispered, feeling her wolf respond to her anger.

  “Don’t tell me what to do!” she spat out, furious he was trying to push her around.

  “I have never dated Amber.” It came out a little louder than he had intended, bringing the attention of those who sat close upon them.

  “Alec, is there something you want to share with the class?” the teacher said from the front of the room, clearly upset by the interruption.

  Everyone turned and looked at him, and he knew their talk would have to wait. “No, Mrs. Hartford, I’m sorry for interrupting.” He gave Mercy a look that clearly said he was not going to let it go, but turned to face the teacher and pretended to listen to her lecture.

  Mercy tried to ignore him the rest of the class, and practically ran for the door in order to escape him when the bell rang, Gina hot on her heels. They reached the open courtyard where everyone was rushing through the doorways, trying to get out of the snow that had started falling during their first class, when she heard Alec behind her. She hurried her pace, but he was quicker than she was and managed to get in front of her to block her from leaving.

  “Mercy, please, wait up,” he pleaded grabbing her hand and pulling her around to face him. “I don’t care about Amber, you’re the one I want to be with. So can we stop this now?”

  She saw the agony in his eyes and knew he meant what he said, but before she could utter a word, the source of their problems appeared as by magic in the courtyard. Ready to sink her claws back into Alec.

  “Oh there you are, Alec. I noticed we have the same class next and wondered if you could show me where the room is,” Amber said walking up behind Alec, staring hatefully at Mercy and Gina.

  “I need to talk to Mercy. Can you give me a minute?”

  “But I’ll be late,” she whined prettily.

  Mercy could see his indecision, and it angered her that once again he even had to think about who to choose. “By all means, Alec, go and help her, it would be just awful if she got lost in this giant building. Why it could take at least five minutes to find her,” Mercy said forcing herself to smile.

  “Thank you, Mercy, that’s too kind.” Amber said, staring daggers at her from behind Alec’s back.

  Rich came through the doorway and strode up to them hurriedly looking distracted and on edge.

  “What is happening?” Alec asked, sensing immediately something was not right.

  “One of the pack sighted a black wolf in the woods behind the school, they are following its trail, but I thought I should alert you.”

  “I could help,” Gina said hurriedly.

  “We could use more help,” Rich told Alec.

  Alec was unsure about what to do. He did not want to leave Mercy, but he did want to find that wolf and put a stop to his reign of terror over his mate.

  “I can protect Mercy while you check it out,” Amber volunteered.

  Relief filled him. Amber was a strong female Were; she could more than keep Mercy safe while he was searching for the mysterious black wolf. “That would be great. I know I can trust you to keep her safe for me.” He turned to Mercy and pulled her into his arms kissing, despite knowing how angry she was. “Stay with Amber until I get back.”

  “No, Alec, I want you to stay here,” Mercy pleaded, ill at ease with the idea of being alone with Amber.

  “Stop acting like a spoiled child and go to class! he snarled his now-amber eyes locked on hers, the wolf hovering just under the surface enough to make her take a step. He realized immediately he had hurt her with his lack of compassion, but he had to go, so without another word he turned and left with Gina and Rich, running faster than any human ever could towards the woods.


  Chapter Ten

  Mercy stared after Alec until she could no longer see him, then turned to face her foe. “I’m going to class,” Mercy said pulling her backpack over her shoulder and turning toward the entrance to school, wanting nothing more than to get away from Amber.

  “You know, Alec and I go way back, we used to play together when we were in diapers,” she told Mercy, stepping in front of her and blocking her path. “I was his first crush,” she said smiling in satisfaction at the gasp of surprise Mercy let out. “His first kiss, his first girlfriend, and I will be the woman he spends the rest of his life with.”

  “I know what you’re up to, Amber, and it’s not going to work.” Mercy told her, shivering as the wind picked up and the snow began to fall heavier.

  “Oh, I think it might. Alec has known me forever, and he’s already confided in me about how afraid of werewolves you are. It hurts him badly that he can’t discuss pack things with you.” She looked down on her blood-red fingernails as if bored. “Don’t worry though, I’m a good listener, and I will do my best to console him when he decides you are not worth the time and effort it would take to make you a decent pack member.”

  “He wouldn’t talk to you or anyone else about me that way,” Mercy argued, but deep down she wondered if she honestly believed her own words. He had known Amber longer than her, and from what she knew, they had been very close growing up, so it was possible in his frustration he might have spoken to her about their relationship.

  “Oh he told me all about you,” she said, throwing her head back with an evil chortle. “Sweet and tortured Mercy, so afraid of being a werewolf after one of our kind brutally murdered your parents.” Her eyes sparkled with merriment as Mercy took a step back, looking horrified. “Of course Alec’s biggest fear is that you might shift while amongst the humans and make them aware werewolves exist. That would be a catastrophe with ramifications none of us wants to think about.” She shivered and feigned a look of alarm. “Of course, there is also the worry you might kill someone since you are too inept to control your wolf.” Mercy opened her mouth to deny her words, but Amber did not allow her time to speak. “I saw you shift, and to be honest, you suck. You are a pathetic excuse for a werewolf, and your fears are going to hold Alec back from his own future as Alpha, and that is just plain selfish. ”