Destiny's Tethers

Chapter 20 - Hearsay

Olwen winced as she awoke, the first thing she saw the ceiling light of the motel and the sunlight almost making the curtains glow. She briefly wondered why her body felt sore before memories of the previous night hurtled back to her and she blushed.

She turned, seeing Landon still fast asleep next to her in the bed. Their first intimate time had been perfect, and even now, the sight of the Alpha with his tousled hair and their legs tangled together in the blanket made her heart soar.

Mate...

Wait...what?

Olwen stared at Landon, and then lightly touched her neck.

They hadn't marked each other yet. It was far too soon, and if they had she would have remembered.

Opal?

Mate! Opal called out again, her tail swishing madly. I can smell him! Alpha Landon is our mate!

Olwen was about to refute the wolf but couldn't - Landon's scent was engulfing her just from this proximity and it made her lose her train of thought. The air between them seemed to crackle with electricity.

But it couldn't be. Chosen mates didn't feel the same things fated mates did. Neither of them had each other's mark, and somehow after their first time together, it was like everything about him, his scent, his looks, his aura in general, had been dialed up to eleven. Olwen had to hold back Opal from attacking the Alpha in bed.

Just what in the world...

"Mate." A low growl came, startling Olwen. Her eyes snapped back to stare right into Landon's, his of which were now yellow.

"My beautiful mate." Lark in Landon's body said huskily, pulling Olwen into his arms and inhaling her scent.

The she-wolf hissed as their skin made contact, sending sparks all over her body. What in the world was happening?

"L-Landon?" She gasped, as Lark kissed his way down her neck, reaching and passionately mouthing the area where her mark was supposed to be. He emitted another low growl that sounded incredibly possessive.

Olwen felt her eyes flutter as she let out a soft moan, but panic soon began to set in as she saw fangs beginning to protrude from the Alpha's mouth.

"Landon, snap out of it!"

Instantly, Landon's yellow eyes returned to their normal shade of blue, and he jerked himself away from her with wide eyes.

"Oh goddess. Olwen I am so sorry." He rasped, his chest heaving. He sat up slightly, concentrating and catching his breath until his fangs had sunk back in. "I don't know what got into Lark..."

He paused and then looked back at Olwen in surprise, confusion and an amount of joy.

"Alpha...?" Olwen spoke cautiously.

"Lark is saying you're my mate..." Landon spoke quietly, gaping at her.

"I know." Olwen replied softly. "...Opal is saying it too."

"She is?" Landon's eyes flickered to her neck as well.

"I-I don't understand. How-?"

Both of them very well knew they'd already met their fated mates, and the pain that seared through their chests when the rejection process was carried out was too visceral to forget. How could this feeling return to them with another wolf?

Opal was howling with joy - she'd already wanted Landon to be Olwen's mate beforehand, and the sudden appearance of a fated matebond only made it better. She saw the way Landon bit his lip as her eyes flashed from grey to blue.