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Morning After

Benjamin

"Sheila, have you called Crescent Moon yet?" Anderson turned to the Deltas' second leader.

"Yeah, yesterday," she replied, opening a soda can. "Man, that Alpha Zayn is such an arrogant asshole."

"Why do you think I didn't want to talk to him?" Anderson laughed. "Was he at least helpful?

"Nope. He says there's been no intrusion on his side of the territory. He even asked River Creek, and apparently, they said the same thing."

"So that means whoever is behind these attacks specifically targeted Blackwoods," Ryan stated, stretching his arms behind his head.

"Who would do that?" Jason then asked, nervously fiddling with whatever folder he had in his hands. "I mean to us, specifically?"

I hardly noticed the darker and sudden shift in the air from behind my desk when the room fell silent. All eyes had turned to me, and despite Ryan calling out my name several times, my attention never strayed from the document nestled in my lap, onto which I had scribbled a single word repeatedly.

Mina.

My mate, the human.

The words still seemed wrong this morning, yet the things she made me feel were far from it. I spent the whole night in my bed, tossing and turning, going over every aspect of the day before in minute detail, and the more I thought of the girl who, in a single afternoon, became the center of my universe, the angrier I became. Mina was a poisonous gift, slowly chipping away at my mind. How could I so desperately want her in my arms but wish I had never met her?

I was discouraged, confused, and worst of all, I felt betrayed. The Moon Goddess promised me a powerful Luna and instead gave me an unsuspecting human mate unable to feel our bond. I saw it all too well when she pulled away last night, preferring the cold, hard ground to my hand. Her soul hadn't recognized its other half in me, her heart couldn't speak to mine, and her body didn't ache for my touch. To Mina, I was just Roxanne's brother, a stranger, and certainly not the one person designed for her. So how could I expect her to love and care for me in all the ways I would her?

"Benji, you okay?" Anderson walked over to my side and snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"What?" I asked, slowly dragging out of my thoughts.

"Dude, what's going on? Since yesterday, you've been freaking us out," the Gamma replied, sitting back against my desk. "Talk to us, Benji, because with everything going on with the rogues, we need you, man."

Jason nodded as he and Sheila approached, and from across my office, I could see Ryan uncross his legs and lean forward in his chair. I didn't particularly like talking about my problems, whatever they were, because I had a distinct image to cultivate, that of a leader, capable and strong, and for whom nothing was too difficult or impossible. But as I carefully studied each of the faces around me and read their displeasure, fear, and unease, I knew I couldn't run from this conversation. They needed an explanation, and it was my burden, as their Alpha, to give it to them.

"I-umm… I found my mate," I confessed reluctantly.

"Huh?"

My shocked friends hurled a torrent of questions at me, each more probing than the last.

"Are you serious?"

"When?"

"Where?"

"Why didn't you say anything? Who is she?"

"Don't," I sighed and lifted my hand to end their unbridled enthusiasm. "It doesn't matter; I'm rejecting her."

"What?" they screamed in unison before Ryan jumped to his feet.

"Why the hell would you do that? Are you crazy?" he shouted at me. "Have you learned nothing from my mistakes? Why would you wish for a broken bond?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot," I barked back at my best friend.

"Why not? You're acting like an idiot right now!"

"Fuck you, Ryan! You don't know anything!" I sprung to my feet, papers flying everywhere. "She's human! My mate's a fucking human! What am I supposed to do with that, huh? How am I supposed to mate with her?" I said as my nails dug into my fists.

"A human mate," Sheila said after me while Ryan’s mouth fell open. "Who-who is she, Benji?" she asked for everyone else.

"Forget it," I grunted at first, but then said her name with a sigh. "She's Roxy's friend," I explained.

"Roxy's back?" Anderson asked me, eyebrows lifting. "And she brought your mate with her?"

"Yes," I answered, watching the Beta chew his lips off at the mention of my sister. "I met Mina last night."

"And you're absolutely certain she's human?" Sheila pressed the matter some more.

"Yes," I let out, incredibly irritated. "She doesn't even know anything about our world. Goddess, who even wants a human mate?" I said, and instant regret followed suit as my eyes landed on Jason.

"Hey, don't worry about me, dude," the young Delta laughed. "You're right; being mated with a human can be tricky. Jenny doesn't feel the mate-pull like I do, so I've gotta work extra hard at our relationship. Plus, she can't defend herself, so that's worrying too. I love her more than anything, but it's not always easy, and I'm not even an Alpha, so I can't imagine how difficult it would be with your bond, Benji."

"See?" I let out shakily as I returned to my seat. "Mina could get hurt being with me. It's too dangerous. I have to reject her for her own sake," I mumbled, trying to convince my friends and myself that my selflessness outweighed my selfishness.

But in truth, it didn't. I understood more than anyone that the bond between an Alpha and their mate was much more ardent than that of any other Were, and I feared that if I couldn't share my burden with Mina, I would never be able to survive it. And I didn't want to live with that kind of pain even if it made me a coward.

"Are you gonna tell her?" Sheila asked me, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'd rather not," I answered. "What you don't know can't hurt you, right?"

"What if it could? What if she got hurt?" Ryan questioned, his head shaking. "Could you live with that, Benji?"

"Maybe," I said. "But, that's hardly your concern anyway."

"If she's your mate, then she's our Luna, so yeah, that makes her very much my concern."

"I don't think you wanna say that again, man," I growled, openly threatening my friend as a sudden jealousy surged through me. "She's not yours, Ryan. She's mine," I told him as he too took a few steps forward.

"I don't think so. Or at least not for long; you said so yourself."

"No, Benji!" Anderson shouted, slamming his hands against my chest to keep me from jumping over my desk. "Ryan, stop it, you fucking moron!" he then screamed at the Beta.

"Not until he realizes what a stupid mistake he's about to make!"

"Out," I snarled.

"What?" Ryan asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"I said get out," I hissed again.

"Are you serious? Fine!" he yelled and furiously gathered his things. "I can't tell you what to do; you're right. But you're still making a mistake, and when it's too late, don't come crying to me."

"Don't worry; the Millers don't cry when they reject someone. Or did you forget about that?" I said in spite.

Ryan froze, speechless and too stunned to move, before finally letting out a disbelieving chuckle. "Yeah, a bunch of tough guys, the Miller siblings. Nothing scares them, except a little love, go figure," he said sorrily as he walked out.

"What do we do now?" Jason asked a few minutes later.

"We meet Craig for inspection," I answered.

"We, uh- You have to go to the hardware store first," Anderson said, clearing his throat. "Ryan said earlier that your dad and his need to see you."

"Right," I mumbled, remembering it. "Fine, you and Sheila, stay here. And you," I said, pointing to Anderson. "Call the other close-by packs and find out if they have encountered rogues recently. As for you," I turned to Sheila. "Come up with a new training program for all the warriors. We need more sessions; hand to hand, wolf form, weapons, whatever it takes. I want us to be ready for anything."

"Yes, Alpha," they both replied.

"Umm-"

"You're coming with me to the borders. Your tracking skills need more practice." I spoke to Jason, cutting him off before he could ask.

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