The White Wolf (2020)

Chapter Twenty-Two

JAY

The scent of Mat practically coated the wall and window seat of her room and inside it had Jay's wolf steaming. It took all his might to pull his gaze away from the spot and to Sydney as she shuffled to pull off her shoes.

Jay could scent her nervousness, and coupled with her unwillingness to make eye contact was all the confirmation Jay needed to know that the omega really had been in her room, and recently.

"Oh, yeah." She feigned remembering her now obvious lie that she tricked him with this morning over text. "I needed to sort some things out but I'm okay now."

Jay only replied with a small nod and stuffing his hands into his pockets. Finally the question bubbled out of his throat against his will, "Was Mathew here?"

The sharp inhale she took was easy for his sensitive ears to catch.

"What did he tell you?"

'Why is she being evasive and secretive!'

He tried pushing his wolf down to reply in a reasonable manner, "Nothing, I can just smell him all over the seat." A nod towards the window, Sydney's eyes followed and seemed to be glued there much like his was moments ago.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Jay rebutted.

Green eyes pulled from the spot and back to him, firm, but apprehension lay beneath, "That you and Mat are brothers?"

'He told her!'

Closing his eyes, he confessed what he wanted to tell her when he saw the posted notes the other night, "Yes, Mathew is my brother."

He didn't hear anything, so he slowly opened his eyes.

Shocked, he saw her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "How can your kind be so cruel? Why did your parents give him away? It wasn't his fault."

This lightly riled Jay, he always got this question when he was younger and people didn't understand the world of the werewolves yet. "I don't appreciate the guilt that comes with being first born Sydney. It wasn't like I asked to be born first, or as though I begged my parents to outcast him. I am as innocent as him."

Surprisingly, Jay saw his anger and hurt concerning Sydney as she came closer to him, and cupped one of his hands with both of hers. She fumbled over her words, "No, no." Her head shook, "I'm sorry. I don't mean it as though it's your fault, but please I don't understand."

An ease rushed over him, with her hands cupping his, and Sydney's just overall dismay at the situation and not an arrow of anger pointed at him.

"It's common practice for alpha families to ban the omega from their household. It's said to show the strength of the home. The whole saying, you are only as strong as your weakest link. Despite what Mathew may say, people in our community whisper how he is the closest to being human again Sydney. He isn't confined to all of our restrictions. He can go and marry and be with whoever he wants. He doesn't have to lead any part of the pack and take on responsibilities that prevent him from pursuing whatever his heart desires. People outcast him because they envy him."

She shook her head at this and looked up to Jay with wet green eyes, "But Jay, the whole point of being an Alpha should be to be a leader that protects everyone. The supposed weak included. Not only is Mat never going to have a mate or children, he doesn't even have a family to begin with! How is he, or any omega supposed to go out into the world and find love and happiness, when they were never shown it?"

He was reluctant to admit it, but Jay had never seen it quiet in that light.

'She is a fair and compassionate woman. She will serve as a marvelous alpha.'