One True Mate (Westin Pack Book 1)

by Julie Trettel

  I calmed at her words and felt the power withdrawal within me.

  “Thank you. You may go,” I dismissed her and watched as she left the room without a word.

  Turning back to face Kyle and his dad I saw nothing but shock on his face. I sighed and dropped my head.

  “I screwed up again, didn't I?” I asked Kyle through our connection.

  He hugged me close, rubbing his hand down my back in reassurance.

  “It's okay,” he told me through our bond.

  “Kelsey?” His father's attention was on me now as the shock on his face wore off.

  “I'm sorry, Sir. She just makes me so angry that I can't control it.”

  “Kelsey, do you know what happened just now?”

  I shook my head no. I could tell they were both shocked and maybe disappointed in me but I really didn't understand what I had done.

  “Kyle, could you excuse us please, I'd like to talk to Kelsey alone.”

  “No, I'm sorry, Dad, but that's not going to happen.”

  His father raised one eyebrow higher than the other and glared at him curiously at his defiance.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Dad, we need to talk to you,” his eyes were pleading with his father to understand, “together.”

  Jason Westin sat down hard.

  “The power transference I felt last night. You didn't. Did you?”

  Kyle sighed and raked his hand through his hair.

  “Yes, we did.”

  Jason blew out a deep breath.

  “Well, that explains that, but Kelsey, how were you able to pull alpha power that way? I've been in front of some of the most powerful alphas in history and I've never felt anything like that.”

  “I have a theory, Dad…”

  He nodded for him to continue.

  “Kelsey and I, we started bonding before we completed our mating.”

  I know I shouldn't have, but hearing him speak of our mating to his dad made me blush furiously.

  “That's not possible.”

  “But Dad .”

  “Kyle, it just isn't possible. I'm sure you had very strong feelings, but bonding takes time, years before even the very beginnings of it begin to blossom.”

  I heard Kyle swear in his head and knew his dad wasn't taking him serious.

  “What are the signs of a bond, Mr. Westin? Perhaps feeling your mate’s emotions? Knowing his exact location? How about hearing his every thought and being able to communicate telepathically?”

  His eyes widened. “Yes, all of those things. It starts off mild and grows into what you are describing.”

  Anger flared in me. We were telling him this was happening and he wasn't believing any of it. Worse, he seemed to be listening to me more than Kyle.

  “Mr. Westin, I get you may not believe me. I'm a nobody.”

  “You are not a nobody, babe.” I heard Kyle's words in my head and turned to glare at him for distracting me mid-rant.

  “But Kyle is your son. Why would he lie to you? You've groomed him his entire life to run this pack. I would think you would trust him with anything.”

  I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at Kyle.

  “What?” I thought.

  “Kels, I love that you are riled up and ready to come to my defense, but please,” His eyes were pleading with me, “I'm the alpha male here. It's my job to protect you, my mate. It is my honor to bear. Please don't take that from me.”

  I nodded and took a step back, not cowering behind him but standing tall in support of him.

  His father watched our silent transaction in awe.

  “It's true, isn't it? You really have bonded, fully bonded, so quickly?”

  I let Kyle nod and take control of the situation, but his father's eyes were immediately drawn to me.

  “I understand now.”

  “What?” We both asked at the same time.

  “I didn't feel it when we spoke the other day. Kelsey, did something happen aside from the obvious, to you this week?”

  I looked at Kyle for approval before answering. He nodded and smiled, encouraging me on.

  “Like what exactly?”

  “It's really hard to tell. You were quite reserved and I felt no authority in you at our last meeting nor any time before. But now? Now I feel power pouring off of you demanding attention and control. And what you did to Vanessa? Even as Pack Mother you shouldn't have that much power and authority. And she gave allegiance to you right here in my presence.”

  Kyle's sharp intake of breath told me that was a very bad thing.

  I dropped my head in submission and didn't make eye contact when I spoke.

  “Vanessa. She came to the office yesterday. She threatened me. Told me I could never have Kyle, that he was hers. It felt like something snapped inside me and I saw that she was afraid. My wolf rejoiced over it but I had felt bad when she stormed out of my office. I got angry when I saw her here just now. It felt... similar.” I all but whispered.

  “Please, sit down, both of you. This is very important and something we mustn't share with anyone. I mean anyone. Do you both hear me? If you were anyone else Kelsey I'd have you removed from my territory so fast your head would spin, but I could never do that to Kyle and I strongly feel you are no real threat to us, but if the Grand Council ever hears of your existence, it could mean war. They would stop at nothing to destroy you.”

  “Father!” Kyle started in, but I laid my hand on his arm to silence him.

  “So, Elise's theory is right? I have no pack. The wolves that came for my parents were really after me, and I shouldn't exist because I should have died as a young pup because I'm a-a-a alpha she-wolf?”

  “We will never speak of this again, do you hear me?”

  I nodded.

  “Both of you?”

  Kyle looked like he was in shock but slowly nodded in agreement.

  “What does this mean, Dad? What does it mean to the pack?”

  I could hear him cursing himself for acting so brashly and not seeing what was in front of him. I couldn't console him. It was tearing me up inside that he was regretting our mating. I knew the moment he realized I was upset.

  “Hey, it's okay. I promise you I don't regret a thing. You are my one true mate, nothing could have stopped it, no amount of knowledge in who or what you are would change what I feel. You are mine and I am yours. For better or worse, we'll get through it together.”

  His father smiled at the two of us as I fought back tears. “Good, because you are both going to have to be strong and help each other through this. Kelsey, I'm going to ask you to do something for me, just once. I need to know just how powerful you are.”

  “No Father, you can't.”

  “Kyle, it will be fine.”

  “No, Dad, you saw how quickly Vanessa gave allegiance. It's not worth chancing it. Let me. She's my mate.”

  “And as such you will willingly give her the world, including your full allegiance, as it should be. Someday, Kyle, I will step down as Pack Alpha and give my allegiance to you and to Kelsey as Pack Mother. Worst case, that happens a little sooner than expected.”

  “I don't understand what you're asking of me,” Kelsey said.

  “Babe, Dad's going to ask you to push your full power against his. It is a test of strength amongst alphas.”

  “And if I am as strong as he suspects?”

  “My wolf could try and give our allegiance to you, however, there is a lot more to becoming Pack Alpha than that and I do not see you issuing a fight to the death to take my role.”

  I looked at him horrified. He couldn't possibly be serious!

  He smirked seeing the horror on my face. “That's what I thought. Okay, let's do this.”

  “Now?”

  “Now.”

  “What do I do?”

  “In theory, you shouldn't have to do anything, your natural powers should take over much in the same way it did when you felt Vanessa was a threat.”

  “But I do
not see you as a threat, Sir.”

  “No, perhaps not, but your wolf should not appreciate the dominance I'm about to invoke on you.”

  I gulped, not liking the sound of that.

  “Rise and face me. You will hold my stare for as long as you possibly can. You will feel my full power directed at you and you are free to respond in kind.”

  I was terrified of what he was asking. I didn't know what to expect but Kyle smiled and encouraged me to continue.

  I stood before him and met his stare. I had never had a problem with that, only dropping it out of courtesy as the girls had told me to do. I felt a tingling across my body that lightly stirred my wolf. She didn't like it, but it was tolerable. As the pressure increased, goosebumps came across my body. The tingling grew to the feel of pins and needles, like when you've sat in one position too long and your foot falls asleep. Tolerable. And I felt no release like I did with Vanessa.

  “Kelsey, I need you to push back.”

  “I don't know how!”

  I felt a surge come off him and it was uncomfortable and awkward, but I never dropped his stare or budged from my spot. I tried to conjure up something similar to throw back, but I didn't know how and I felt stupid standing there like that.

  He eyed me suspiciously as one would a chess opponent.

  “Interesting.”

  He upped the dosage again, or at least that's what it felt like. I imagined my hackles were standing tall if I had been in wolf form and a small growl released from me but nothing in the way of power like before.

  “You are strong, I'll give you that, but I feel no return power from you, only sheer defiance.”

  “I'm sorry, Sir, I don't know how to make it happen.”

  Next, he looked at Kyle and turned his focus to him. I saw Kyle's knees start to buckle under the strain.

  “No!” I yelled and like a bolt of lightning my powers released in one swift punch aimed for Jason Westin. I saw the shock on his face when it hit him, knocking him over into the chair behind him and flipping him over and into the wall beyond. The wall was the only thing keeping the Pack Alpha on his feet. He waved a hand in the air acknowledging the end our experiment.

  I immediately ran to Kyle whose knees had given out from under him and he was fighting to catch his breath like the air had been punched from him too.

  “Kyle! Kyle, are you okay?”

  I was terrified I had hurt him.

  “I'm fine. I'm fine. Just need to sit for a minute. Can you help Dad into a chair too?”

  “Did you feel that, Son?”

  “The drain just before she sent you flying across the room?”

  “Yes. We're going to have to work on that. I'm not sure how she's doing it, but we need to find some way to control it. I've heard of she-wolves bonded to Pack Alphas able to pull pack power through their bond, but this. Wow! I've never felt something like that before.”

  “What? What did I do?” I was trying not to freak out.

  “Babe, you not only used your power, you pulled Pack power, and a lot of it. Nearly knocked the breath out of me even though you were aiming for Dad. Basically, you crippled him of his power and power punched him with both yours and his at the same time.”

  He chuckled, sounding impressed.

  I smacked him. “It's not funny! What if I had hurt you, either of you? It's too dangerous to be messing with!”

  “No, I'm sorry, my dear, but the three of us are going to need to work on this for balance and control. Though I find it very interesting that your power is practically non-existent in you right now, only acting as a defense mechanism.”

  “A what?”

  “Babe, he's saying your powers kick in only when you feel threatened. Vanessa was a threat to you. Dad turned his powers on me and you acted to protect me whether you realized it or not.”

  “Word ever gets out about you, and we're going to have a fight on our hands. We will need to train and work on controlling this. Do you understand, Kelsey?”

  I nodded, still in shock.

  “Not a word to anyone. This knowledge does not leave the three of us.”

  “Not even Mom? Or the Pack Council?”

  “No one, Kyle. It's the best way to keep your mate safe. I can't promise the day won't come that I tell your mom, but for now, this stays between us. There are very real reasons and fears regarding alpha she-wolves. No one wants to kill young innocent pups but the power within you, it terrifies many. We will work to help you control this, but it absolutely stays between the three of us.”

  We all nodded solemnly in agreement.

  Then he broke into a big grin. “She's going to make one heck of a Pack Mother and an even better mother to my grandpups someday.”

  I blushed at his supposed compliment as Kyle proudly put his arm around me and pulled me closer kissing my temple.

  “Okay, well, enough of that for today. We have a few other important matters to discuss. First, I need you both to keep up a normal pretense. Not a peep about your mating to anyone. You continue to show no interest or favoritism towards each other. Are we clear?”

  We both nodded and he continued.

  “The last thing I need is challenges being issued or threats made causing you to unleash your power on another unsuspecting she-wolf.”

  I cringed at his accusation.

  “Second, Kelsey, go back to work as usual today and tomorrow, too. Go home, keep to your normal routine.” I heard Kyle growl next to me and his father sighed. “Go home, Kelsey, then you can change into wolf form and head to Kyle's but at least your car by all appearances will be at home where you would be expected to be.”

  “Okay, I can do that.”

  “Kyle?”

  I could tell he wasn't happy with the situation, but he begrudgingly agreed.

  “Next, cover your markings.” This elicited a growl from both of us. “It's only until the pack meeting on Sunday, just a few days,” he assured us. “Again, I can't have challenges being issued before the announcement.”

  “What announcement?”

  This time Kyle spoke, “Our mating announcement will be made at the pack meeting. At that time the limitation for challenges will be given. It's typically four months.”

  “What do you mean by challenges?”

  They both shared a look that I didn't like.

  “When a new mating is announced,” Mr. Westin began, “any unmated wolf has the right to challenge. It's a fight to the death. The announcement will go out to all unmated wolves within three packs, though word that Kyle has taken a mate could draw a crowd of potential challengers from even further away. You may not realize, but he has been the most eligible alpha for quite some time and there will be many displeased to find him off the market.”

  “I have to fight off these girls in death battles????” Where they crazy? I'd never fought anyone for anything in my life. I flee, not fight.

  “Calm down, it's going to be okay, babe.”

  “Though those in our pack will think twice about challenging Kyle, we have had numerous requests for mating compatibility inquiries for you, Kelsey.”

  “Me? What?”

  “She has no clue how sexy she is,” Kyle proudly proclaimed.

  I know I turned all ten shades of red once again.

  “Two final things,” his dad continued, ignoring his comment, “Kyle, I need you to attend the Pack Council meeting this afternoon. We'll discuss to what degree we share information with them, but most importantly we need to petition them to lower the challenge time. And finally, I'm afraid you're going to have to break the news to your mom.”

  KYLE

  Chapter 18

  I knew mom was going to be furious and excited at the same time. I had more or less told her Kelsey was my mate at family dinner, but in her mind, everything would have happened too quickly and a normal mating would have petitioned the Council before consummation. That was another thing the Pack Council wasn't going to be thrilled to find out. We'd broken protocol plain and
simple. But I also knew that once my mother got to know my mate, she'd love her as much as I did.

  Leaving my father's office, I took Kelsey by the hand, reassuringly brushing my thumb across the inside of her palm. I felt her shiver beside me and smiled, smelling a combination of nerves and arousal mixed with her usual scent. I loved knowing I had that effect on her. It made me stand a little taller and maybe even puff my chest out a little. I just couldn't help it.

  “Mom!” I called out as we neared the kitchen, expecting to find her there.

  “Kyle?” She returned as she entered the room and saw us. First fear flickered across her face as she demanded to know, “What's wrong? Why aren't you in the office? What's going on?”

  Then I saw it in her eyes as she caught sight of our joined hands. Kelsey shifted uneasily next to me.

  “Nothing's wrong, Mom. Everything's fine.” I grinned looking over at my beautiful mate, “Everything's better than fine.”

  To say she was surprised would be a major understatement, but then she smiled, a true smile, not a forced friendly one for Kelsey's benefit.

  “This is what you were trying to warn me of the other night at dinner isn't it? I'm sorry for being an old meddlesome wolf. I just want to see you settled down and happy, and if you think Kelsey can do that for you, then I'm behind you 100%.”

  She stepped forward and embraced Kelsey in a warm and welcoming hug as I struggled to pull my hand back in time.

  I felt the change in the air the second she caught my smell mixed with my mate's. She gasped, pulling away quickly.

  “Kyle, no! Tell me you didn't go behind the Council's back. Please tell me you two got permission first.”

  I raked a hand through my hair, fighting off the stream of questions Kelsey was pouring into my head. I leaned over and kissed my mom on the forehead. I was more than a head taller than her at this point in life, yet I still squirmed under her scrutiny.

  “It's going to be fine, Mom. Dad and I are meeting with the Pack Council this afternoon. It's going to be okay, you'll see.” I tried to assure her, hoping beyond hope I was right.

  She nodded, “Nothing we can do about that now. And they'll come around, you're right.” Then she turned her attention back to my mate, “Kelsey, how much training have you had?”