Alpha Aria

Chapter 8 Selene isn't Cruel

JADE

Leaning against the door of the Escalade, I looked ahead at the road leading to the Whispering Pines pack lands. My twin brother Brandon was in the bushes behind me, relieving himself. I twirled the apple I was chewing in my hands before crunching another bite of it. "Are you done yet?" I asked with my mouth full, slightly annoyed at the delay. “I want to keep going. Hurry up.”

Brandon zipped his jeans and walked up to the SUV, his feet crunching in the gravel. “Alright, alright. I am done. Why are you in such a hurry, anyway? Can’t wait to meet your mate?” He teased me.

I rolled my eyes. "That's rich, coming from you." The only reason he wanted to come to this stupid Alpha Summit was to try and find his mate.

His eyes twinkled in his usual playful way. "I make no claims to the contrary. I'm looking forward to finally finding mine."

I glared at him over the hood of the SUV. “You know I don’t care about that. Father is the one that wants that for me.”

“Oh come on, you don’t want to meet your mate? For real?” He looks shocked.

“No, it's not that.” I sighed. My heart ached, wishing that there could be someone out there for me, but I knew it wasn’t in the cards. Why would Selene give me a mate that I would have to turn around and reject? She wasn’t cruel like that. No, there was no mate for me. “I just don’t think I have one.” I grumble.

We get back into the vehicle and put on our seatbelts. We were only a few miles from the border and I was getting antsy. I wanted to be sure we had enough time to get checked in with their patrol, get to our rooms, unpack and get a shower. This heat wave was making me feel sweaty. Besides, tomorrow was a big day for me, it being the first time I would lead a ceremony as an almost official shaman apprentice. I needed to get plenty of rest. Brandon started the car and we continued our drive. “Why wouldn’t you have a mate, Jade?”

I give him a knowing glare. “Come on. You know why. Don’t be so dense.”

Brandon sighs. “Oh. That.”

Brandon was the only one in my pack that knew my little secret. Well, aside from Lexie. He had walked in on us making out when we were in junior year and I had somehow stupidly forgotten to lock the door to my room. My face flushed with embarrassment at the memory.

“Hey, Father said it's your turn to do the chores.” Brandon said as the door flew open. “Oh my Goddess, Brandon! Ever heard of knocking?” I cried out, a hint of terror in my voice. Lexie had jumped away from me in fright, squealing. Her bra was in my hand as I had been in the process of removing it, causing her cute tits to bounce free. She covered herself quickly and looked at me, horrified, tears springing from her eyes. We both knew the consequences of our actions if we got caught. Brandon looked back and forth between us, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. I jumped up and pulled him into my room, shutting my door behind him. “Please don’t say anything to Father!” I begged him. “Please! Promise me!” He shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you… this… when?” He was blathering like an idiot and I shot daggers at him with my eyes. “PROMISE ME, Brandon!” I practically snarled at him. He finally looked me in the eyes and seemed to calm down from his stupor. He gulped and looked sadly at me. “Of course I promise, Jade. I would never do that to you.”

Lexie had run home after that and never spoke to me again. It was just too risky. To his credit, Brandon had kept his word. Father had no idea about me and I planned on keeping it that way. I valued having my head on my shoulders.

Of course, that didn’t stop Father from demanding I attend the Alpha Summit. I was 19 and was still unmated. He didn’t like that one bit.

“Yes, that.” I snapped, taking out my frustration on him, like I usually did. That was just how we were. I was the temperamental one while he was the laid back one. We balanced each other out.