Oddly Fated Mates: Freya and Atticus

Chapter Nine

Freya

Twenty-two. That's the number of wolves I have in my new house trying to dance, laugh, and celebrate my mating to Mr Murderer. If my parents could see me now. Mated to the wolf responsible for their deaths.

Ever since yesterday, I can't get the image of him standing there all those years ago out of my head.

Stupid, stupid wolf.

Why didn't he—?

"Here, Freya." Brutus hands me a pile of hotdogs taller than my head. "Congratulations?" He looks at uncertain about all this as I am.

"Yeah, thanks." I place the hotdogs on the table with the other food—each dish brought by someone—and unwrap them. Then I turn around and catch Atticus sulking in the corner by the house. "This is ridiculous."

Brutus looks between me and Atticus, then back again, a confused, incredulous look on his face, and huffs. "Yeah, you're both being ridiculous."

I snap my gaze to him. "Seriously? I'm being ridiculous? He's sulking like a baby."

The garden is more of an acre of land that leads onto the forest, but there's enough space for the whole pack, and plenty of seating, a huge grill Alpha is currently manning, and a pool some of the pups are playing in.

Atticus, however, is sitting on a lounger he pulled into the shade right next to the back door, as if ready to bolt at any moment.

"And rather than helping your mate through this difficult day, you're ignoring him." He meets my gaze, stern. Stubborn. "Like a baby."

"I tried talking to him yesterday."

A laugh escapes his lips, but he quickly muffles it and puts his face back into stubborn scorn mode. "That's what you call talking?"

"He told you?" I shout-whisper. "Seriously?" Red burns holes through my cheeks as I rub the ache in my chest.

Brutus looks me up and down, surprise flashing in his eyes, before he puts a hand on my shoulder. "So you do want him. In that case, an apology might not be the worst thing in the world."

"Want him? The only place I want him is out of my house," I hiss. My hand keeps rubbing at the ache in my chest absentmindedly, and when I look at Atticus, anger courses through me.

"Uh-huh."

Brutus doesn't look like he believes me, and I'm just about to open my mouth to tell him where to shove his stupid ideas when Grandma grabs my hand.

"Come along, dear. You have guests to entertain." She looks at Brutus with a scowl. "You should be interacting with the other females."

Looking around, I notice the male betas are gathered near the pool, playing with the pups and going back and forth to Alpha, while the female betas are laying by in groups in the grass and in running in pairs or trios through the forest. And as usual, I don't really want to do those last two things. Though, I guess a run through the trees would be nice.

"I'm going for a run." My arms shift first, but before I can get my body to follow, Grandma grabs my shoulder.

"Oh no you don't." She looks at me. "You'll be here to interact with your guests and smile and thank them for coming."

My ears pick up a gruff voice from behind me, and I turn to find Alpha growling under his breath at his son. "Stand up and interact with your guests." The dominance in his voice doesn't go amiss. "I don't want rumours circulating in the morning because of your bad mood." He flashes a look Grandma's way and nods.