Chapter 6
(Em’s POV)
“What exactly are you doing on my pack’s land?” I eyed him with curiosity more than anything else. He shifted comfortably gazing at me with what I felt was the same curiosity.
“I am seeking out my father, I believe you know him as you reek of him.” There was disgust in his tone but his gaze remained unchanged.
The pieces instantly clicked into place as I realized who he was talking about. The sense of familiarity I’d felt at first glance, those same deep brown eyes, there wasn’t a question in my mind as to whether the words he spoke were true. Even the expression he wore mimicked one I’d seen come across his father’s face.
“I didn’t realize he had another child.” I sat on a nearby rock pulling my knees up to my chin.
“I’m not surprised, I’m certainly not his favorite.”
“Why did you come here now?” He seemed slightly agitated with my inquiry.
“That is between my father and myself, no one else.” I quickly rose, matching his sudden level of animosity.
“Remember, you are on my pack’s land right now. As daughter of the Alpha it would serve your interests to show a little respect.”
“Ah, so his latest toy is the alpha’s daughter. Boy, he did well this time! And you’re so young! Another notch on his belt, but certainly one to be remembered! I didn’t think that old dog had it in him anymore!” His anger was clear and his laugh slightly maniacal and yet something within me told me not to engage in a heated dispute. Instead I decided to take a calmer approach. “Did he tell you he has a wife and children or do you simply have as little a conscience as he?” He began aggressively pacing back and forth before me, kicking up random rocks and clumps of dirt as he moved.
“He’s my mate…”
He stopped dead in his tracks at my declaration and for a few moments simply stared at me. It wasn’t an awkward silence as I would have expected, just quiet. Seating myself again I felt that familiar pang begin coursing through my body and with it another wave of tears. “What has he done to you? If you can’t even talk about him without crying he must have done something.” He waited patiently for my sobs to subside all the while holding my hand in his.
“He rejected me, chose his family over his mate.” There wasn’t anything else to say.
“So now he decides to behave semi-respectably. Unbelievable. He’s never been one to stick to the choices he’s made, why now? Mates are nothing to be toyed with, you never know how much time you’ll have to be with each other…” His expression reflected immense pain at his chosen words.
“What was her name?” I grasped his hand more tightly hoping he’d open up and talk to me.
“Ariana. She was my world, everything that was good in my life. We were living with her pack and rogues attacked in the middle of the night. She was fearless, fought beside her pack with such fury and I was right beside her. I deflected every attack that was made on her but I was cornered by two wolves. In the second that I turned my back to take them down a large wolf took her down.” He moved to turn away as he couldn’t hold back his own tears any longer but I pulled him back around and forced him to face me. I needed to see his face as he spoke. “I killed that wolf in an instant but she was already gone…” There wasn’t anything I could say that would ease his pain or comfort him as a stranger yet I still felt the need to do just that.
“So you and I have something in common. Neither of us has a mate, and for once it seems someone understands my pain. I think you and I might just become really good friends.” I smiled as warmly as I could at him, hoping that would make him feel at least a little bit better.
