Her Mates Fates

Chapter Four

Freya POV

Amber wakes me up by opening the curtains of my room.

“What the hell?” I mumble.

I look over and find Amber tying my curtains to some hooks on the wall. Great, I’m not going to be able to go back to sleep with her energetic mood bouncing around my room like that. I feel like hell. I didn’t sleep very well. I thought having a mate would feel different. I thought we would want each other immediately and there would be no hesitation. The little voice in the back of my mind is driving me insane. I’m so stupid to think that the Goddess has finally given me a break. I don’t know why she hates me so much to continue to make my life complicated.

“Breakfast is in one hour; I’ve been asked to bring you down.” She explains yanking my concentration from my thoughts.

I crawl out of bed like a slug and go take a quick shower. When I step out a heated towel is waiting on me again. I brush my teeth and stomp out of the bathroom. There are clothes set out on my bed like last time and Amber is facing the doors to the balcony again. I get dressed and look in the mirror.

Amber selected a white mini dress today with white wedges that tie up my ankle. I go to the vanity to brush my hair and put on some mascara.

“Amber, do you have a cardigan I can borrow to go with the dress?” I ask. Although the dress is stunning, I feel a bit exposed in it.

“Certainly, let me check your closet,” she says. She comes out a moment later holding a light blue sweater.

“That’s perfect,” I tell her as I take it from her grasp and slip it on my arms.

When we arrive downstairs half of the dining hall is already filled with bodies. I scan the room and find Damon sitting with a striking redheaded beauty. I wave to him, and he motions for me to join him.

“Take a seat cuz, I want you to meet my Mate, Torianna.” He continues with the introductions.

“Tori this is my little cousin Freya. Freya this is my Mate and mother to my many pups, Tori.”

I probably look stupid with my mouth hung open in confusion because I didn’t know he had kids.

She giggles and smacks him on the chest. “Freya he’s silly don’t listen to him. Singular not plural.”

Tori places her hand on her tiny baby bump and smiles warmly. She’s pregnant. She looks me over and then her face lights up. “You are THE Freya! Like the crescent Alpha's oldest daughter Freya, right?”

I giggle at her reaction. “Yeah, I suppose I’m a legend.” I offer her my hand to shake.

“We don’t talk about where we came from freely, or our previous ranks in our crescent pack. Everyone here thinks we are descendants from the blood moon pack.” Damon warns while he gives the woman carrying his child a stern look.

I look around at all the people who could be listening in on us. “What about…” I gesture to the people sitting around the dining hall.

“Oh, my gift is the gift of shielding. I can shield anyone from anything that I want. Well besides death or disease. So, I always have my shields up when conversing with our original pack.” She shrugs her shoulders after revealing that little bit of information and then looks at Damon with admiration.

“That’s really cool!” I exclaim. “Damon, what’s your gift?” I question forgetting that detail from my past.

“My gift is a mix of super speed and stealth.” He responds confidently, puffing his chest out like a superhero.

“And a whole lot of arrogance” Abel’s voice teases from behind me. Campfire and sandalwood invade my nostrils, giving my body a wake-up call as it responds to its mate. So much for needing coffee.

Abel sits down at the head of the table and begins to eat a massive plate of pancakes. I eat my avocado toast with boiled eggs and smoked salmon and talk with the group casually, mainly catching up on the events of last night with the witches and rouges. Each time I glance Abel’s way he is staring at me.

My wolf growls when a woman comes up behind Abel and snakes her arm around his shoulders, hugging him from above. He pats the top of her hand and glances at me with his face contorted in embarrassment. The woman bends down and whispers into his ear and then smiles seductively.

Some of the pack members turn their attention to Abel, but they do not look surprised. This is not out of the normal for them. One of the Omegas sets a plate of food down to Abel’s right and the woman takes a seat… in the Lunas chair.

I frantically search Abel’s neckline for a mark but don’t find one. I search for the woman’s next and anxiety rushes through me when I spot one on her. A sensation of tranquility flows through my veins when I meet Abel’s eyes once more, he’s calming me… I know this feeling. He did this the night he saved me from our pack house fire. He knew then that we were mates.

It’s too much for me to handle and I get up and clear my plate from the table. I speed walk towards the kitchen. I hear Abel call my name but I don’t stop.

Once in the kitchen, I let out the breath that I was holding. The kitchen is empty, and I notice there are some dirty dishes in the sink. I take the time to clean the dishes letting the tears flow and roll down my cheeks.

Why does the Goddess keep doing these things to me? She gave me a family, and then ripped them away. She gave me Abel and then ripped him away. I cannot handle much more.

I smell him before I feel his presence behind me. He reaches over my shoulder and turns the faucet off. “Our Omegas wash our dishes, Princess… Not our Alphas.” His voice tickles the little hairs on the back of my neck when he speaks, awaking butterflies from the depth of my stomach.

“The mark is not mine.” He whispers into my ear. My muscles relax from his confession. He didn’t mark her, but that does not explain where she sat nor why she was hugging him.

“Who is she to you then?” I ask. I don’t dare turn around. My face is still stained from tears. I stare out the window above the sink instead of looking into his face. I know what his answer is going to be and I’m not ready to face that reality. There is only one reason a she-wolf would EVER sit in the Lunas chair.

I wait for what feels like an eternity before I conclude that he is not going to answer me. “You’re not going to answer me?” I ask.

“No… not until my answer is not as complicated.”

My skin itches with the need to shift. My wolf is losing her cool. She is pissed. This is the first time in a long time that I could go for a run and not have to worry about getting caught. Letting my wolf take control for a little bit would help clear my thoughts and let her run off some anger. I need to find Amber.

I walk out of the kitchen leaving Abel behind without looking back.

I find Amber in the living room talking with a man around her age. “Amber, I’m going to go for a run, any rules I need to abide by?”

“Yes, stay in the border. You can go into the forest but stay within the perimeter. The trees will have purple paint on them. Oh, and Freya, I have fully stocked your closet for you from the pack's wardrobe. Feel free to wear whatever you would like.” She goes back to her conversation.

I make it to the tree line before I strip my clothes. I don’t know half these people and although wolves are not ashamed of their naked bodies and usually strip out in the open, I have spent the last 6 years with every species BUT wolves. They do not normally walk around naked, and some creatures would think it was a s****l invite to do so. Yeah, hard pass. I’m not that open of a wolf.

It's been so long since I shifted that I have to close my eyes and call my wolf to the surface. It takes a few moments to give her complete control. My bones crack and my body changes into its more natural form. My paws kneed the ground and I sink my nails into the dirt. The trees rustle around me sending wind through my fur. The heightened senses take a moment for me to get used to.

I lift my head and sniff the warm air. I gaze around at the beauty of the enhanced colors. I take off in the wind faster than a jet, finally free to be the true me.

____

I let my wolf run for a few hours before coaxing her back to my belongings. I dress quickly and move sluggishly back toward my room. I need a shower. I make my way back to my room and am relieved to see Amber has run me a bubble bath.

“How did you know?” I asked her mesmerized by the height of the subs in the tub.

“I have been watching you for hours running laps around our perimeter. I thought your body would be sore and wanted to have a little spa prepared for when you returned. Sorry about the vast amount of bubbles I used a tad too much soap.” She says shyly but then giggles like a schoolgirl. She leaves the bathroom and shuts the door behind her giving me the privacy I need.

I relax in the bath and mull over my thoughts until the water chills my skin. I get out and dress in the neat stack of clean pajamas left on my bed.

A knock at my door catches my attention. I jump up and run to the mirror to look at myself. I look like a blubbering mess with my eyes red and puffy from crying in the bath.

“Sh*t!” I frantically search the room for something to disguise my appearance. “Dammit!” I murmur as I come up short on an idea.

The knock raps again on the wood. “Hey Freya it's Tori, can I come in?” a muffled voice comes from behind the door.

“Yeah,” I yell back.

Tori walks in the door balancing two plates of dessert on one of her arms like a skilled waitress. She holds one glass of something dark in her other hand with a wine bottle tucked under her arm.

“Hey, I brought dessert you weren’t downstairs.” She says as she sets the plates down on my entry table that’s positioned just as you walk in. She looks up and sees me.

“Freya what is wrong sweetheart!” she exclaims and rushes over to my side.

“I don’t want to talk about it… What did you bring?” I say quickly trying to change the subject.

“I brought cheesecake and red wine… Let’s go sit out on your patio with it, the breeze tonight is perfect.” She ushers me to my balcony handing me the glass of wine while she grabs the dessert plates.

“Just the wine thanks,” I say when she tries to hand me the slice of pie.

“Spill your guts or ill have Zander come in here and read me your mind.”

“I found my mate yesterday…” I say while I swirl the burgundy liquid round and round the glass. Just admitting it out loud makes a ball form in my throat.

“You’re talking about Abel?” she questions with knowing eyes.

I choke on my drink and throw myself into a coughing spell. “How did you know that?” I ask after I catch my breath.

“Damon tells me everything girl. He’s worse than a gossiping schoolgirl.” She laughs.

I lower my head and fiddle with my fingers, “… My mate has a girlfriend, who he is serious about obviously since she is either Luna in training or Luna. What’s worse is he refuses to talk about it. I have no clue where I stand with him.” I choke out with a cracked voice.

“Oh, sweetheart….” Tori slides over next to me and puts her arms around me pulling my face down to her shoulder. “I think the fact that you have come back from the dead has made things complicated for him. But I don’t think that he would ever choose someone over you. Abel loves you and always has.” She tries to comfort me.

“What if he does pick her over me? ” I ask her in a small voice.

“Hey, you stop it! You are freaking Freya O’Claire. Daughter of Alpha and Luna O’Claire. You are the rightful Alpha of the Crescent moon pack. If he rejects you, which would be stupid, then we will go start our pack again without him.” She says trying to hype me up.

I smile and nod. Her banter is cute but I doubt she would be loyal to me over Abel, rightful Alpha or not.

I down the rest of my glass and hold it out to my new friend for a refill. She pours the rest of the bottle in my glass, and she clanks her plate together with my glass in a cheer. She can’t drink with me, but she can eat dessert.

I sit leaned up against Tori for a while in silence. We watch the moon dance on the surface of the pond as it waves in the wind. I finish my wine as she finishes her pie.

“I got more coming up don’t worry. We are going to drink your pretty little sorrows away, and maybe even give you some courage. Well one of us can.” She says smiling and rubbing my hair.

“Hey ladies,” Damon says coming out the patio doors holding two more bottles of wine. “I’ve come to party with you. I was drinking in the den with Abel and some of the guys, but I am always down to see my girls.” He winks and hands his mate one of the other bottles of wine. He leans down and kisses her tiny little bump before taking a seat on one of the wooden chairs.

“No glass for you?” she asks him.

“The bottle is mine, babe.” He chuckles and pops the top of his wine taking a big gulp.

I hear my bedroom door open once more and see two slim figures walking our way.

“Who’s that?” I whisper to Tori.

“Oh, that’s Corina and Kris, their sisters. Corina is your age and Kris is mine. They are Crescents, and they are super fun you will like them.”

I nod and greet the other two women.

“You and I had Pack History and Algebra together.” Corina offers to me trying to help jog my memory. Honestly, I do not remember much from school, it feels like it was so long ago, and I have had too many glasses of wine to try and think. “People call me Cora.”

We get lost in playing a drinking trivia game. Damon and Kris are drunk within the next hour. They start to get rowdy and loud.

“Damon, Kris, it's 1:00 am be quiet.” Tori whisper yells. Damon staggers over to Tori and gives her a big kiss on the cheek.

“Okay, babes.” He says and kisses her again rubbing her tiny belly in a cute gesture. He grabs one of the cheesecake slices off of its

plate with his fingers and takes a big bite.

“Uhh, Damon I wouldn’t do that, it’s been sitting out for a while now it’s probably spoiled,” I warn him.

Damon goes to shove the rest of the slice in his mouth and Cora hits it out of his hand. His face gets all pouty and it makes everyone laugh.

Kris stands up and mumbles something and stumbles into my bedroom knocking over a lamp making the ground shake beneath my feet.

“Damn!” Cora says and jumps up to help her sister. They make their way to the door in a retreat as Cora nags her older sister about drinking too much and breaking things. I giggle at their encounter.

I would have loved to have had a sister. Zach was a great brother to me, but he was so protective. I couldn’t get away with anything. He would either give me a stern talk or tell my dad of my misbehavior. My father wanted me to act with as much class as a queen, that way people would view me as Luna material. He was hoping my mate would be an Alpha like him. Careful what you ask for dad.

“Damn it!” Damon exclaims as he scrambles to his feet and grabs Tori by her hand. “We have to go babes!” he says and tries to hurry her out the door.

"Damon, let me say goodbye at least.” She scolds pulling her hand from his. She gives me a hug and a kiss on my cheek.

“See you tomorrow,” I tell her.

I sit on my balcony for a bit longer enjoying the cool breeze on my skin.

“Did you have fun getting my Beta drunk?”

I jump in surprise when Abel’s voice breaks the silence “Oh goodness Abel! You scared me. I thought I was alone, when did you even get out here.” I ask dramatically holding my heaving chest.

“A few moments before Damon ran away like a scared puppy. I heard a commotion from my den and came to check on you.” He says looking at the lamp busted on the floor.

“That was Kris, not me.” I pointed to the broken glass scattered inside my room.

He chuckles and leans against the door frame. The rumbling of his husky laugh brings goosebumps to the surface of my skin.

“Wish I would have known you were having a party in my pack house. I would have joined instead of drinking in my den with the same ol’ faces.” He teases.

A memory surges into my mind and I smile. “Do you remember when my brother threw that celebration party out by the lake? I snuck into the party and got drunk with Marissa. You found her and me skinny dipping in the lake and was furious. You made us get out and drove us home. You had just gotten your licenses and were scared to drive at night.”

I looked over at him and smiled. “You never told my brother on me, did you?” I asked, I knew the answer. Abel would have never betrayed me like that.

He smiled tenderly, “You know I didn’t.”

I watch as he disappears into my room. Is he leaving? I hear a drawer slam shut and he strolls back out holding a throw blanket. He plops next to me.

“I can see the goosebumps on you from 7 feet away. Here this will keep you warm.” He drapes the blanket over my shoulders.

My mouth goes dry at our proximity. “They're not from the cold, Abel,” I say breathlessly. I reach out and stroke his cheek, running my thumb over his bottom lip. His mouth looks so inviting. I need to kiss him.

“That was also the night that you kissed me for the first time,” I whispered. I want to be as close as possible to him, our bond is calling to me.

Hands grab me by my waist pulling me to him and his mouth is on mine in an instant. His lips urge me to kiss him back and I do. My entire body feels weightless as the adrenaline sweeps through my bones. He’s hungry for me, ravaging my mouth with his tongue - tasting me.

I taste him back. Opening my legs, I place my knees on each side of his hips, straddling his lap. He grasps the bottom of my shirt in his fists and pulls me closer to him. Our bodies are flush together.

My wolf purrs when he pulls my shirt slowly over my head. His eyes linger on my breasts when they bounce free from my shirt.

“Mate him.” my wolf whispers to me.