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Chapter 7

Jasper POV

Ceremony day was here. Hours felt like never-ending, and I went through the day only thinking of when I could see her again. Weird to consider it would be for her first shift. I would be witnessing her in the buff, with approximately a thousand other people. I didn’t want to think about the real count, but ironically, in the end, I couldn’t care less. My only wish was to be in the same room again. To be able to think that, if I took a few steps, I could reach her. Touch her.

I slammed the desk I was working on strongly as if breaking it in two would make these unfamiliar thoughts disappear. Kylon raised his eyes from his paperwork to look at me, confused.

“The hell is wrong with you today? I had to wake you up about six times while we were in the meeting this morning, and now we are at our second broken desk in not even an hour.” He paused, before glancing at me, but amused and afraid at the same time. “Could it be that you have fallen for the national treasures? I know they are extraordinarily gorgeous but keep it together. Even I know how to keep it in check.”

I let out a menacing snarl, and he raised his hands in surrender. “I’ve never seen you act like this.”

Again, a low growl escaped from my throat as I shrugged him off, pissed at the fact he was right, right off the bat. “Wow, am I not wrong? It was a joke.”

He ran his hands through his hair, his playful grin erased from his expression. “Cut the crp. Let’s go.” I said, standing up, determined to get rid of these wild intrusive thoughts.

I felt his concerned look on my back as if it was glued to me for the rest of the day. I could see every question he wanted to ask but refrained himself. They were almost written all over his face. Elders and Packs Council matters felt tedious like they never were. But, as Kylon reminded me through it, as the good Beta and friend he was, they were of the utmost importance. The only positive thing about it was that they both distracted me and my wolf and kept Kylon busy enough for our conversation to stay where it was. In the past and unanswered.

Ceremony incantations, prayers and speeches were reviewed, as well as the schedule and order of passing. It was decided that Malia Lobo, the tallest of the twins and unmated, would go up on stage first and that her sister would end the whole thing. The other groups would be of a hundred wolves at the same time. It felt wrong to make them both stand up alone in front of a bunch of hungry and curious beasts desperate to mate. At least Sarabella had a mate. He could help her go through it and filter the pain through the bond. Why did it feel so dreadful to think about it? Jarek was pacing, almost clawing the back of my mind.

As we were working to get the perfect angle for every mirror and camera, I took some distance to reign over my feral wolf. ‘Jarek, I don’t recognize you. Don’t force me to put up a barrier block on you for tonight, you would regret not seeing her wolf.’

I felt his uneasiness taking over his rage. ‘I can’t help it. I cannot bear the idea of him in the same room as her.’

‘Jarek, it doesn’t make sense, HE is her mate. Not us. Why are you acting like that?’

‘Something is not adding up. I don’t know why I feel like that. But I feel a pull. A need for her. Their pairing is wrong. Mother Moon Goddess always has a plan, but this one is very hard to go through with.’

I stayed silent, looking at the clearing. I could feel it too, obviously. It was hard for me too. But the human part of me could use reason to get through it. But on Jarek’s counterpart, the wolf side, couldn’t. Wolves are very family-devoted. And loyal. They stay with the same mate for life. Yes, the human part mingling with the beast part can alter it. But nature is strong. Too strong to be denied. And for Jarek to behave like that, when the woman was already bonded as fated mate to another, wasn’t good. At least, not for now. Not tonight.

‘I’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise. For me to do so, I need you to keep calm. If we go berserk, it won’t help with any of our plans. Keep our goal in mind.’ I could hear him snort, grumbling to himself, before he sighed loudly, heavily.

‘I will.’ Wise wolf. ‘But if he touches her I can’t guarantee I will.’ Not so wise wolf. But his intention to try reassured me. Knowing it was unstable let me have the upper hand if he tried to gain control as I could prevent him from doing anything reckless.

Done with our discussion, I got back to the group and helped as much as I could. Somehow, it helped get Jarek quiet, and before I could notice, the sun was setting. Kylon came to fetch me so we could get ready. Omegas from the Elders’ pack kept working until the event started. I really didn’t like calling it a pack: they looked so numbed, even while being unmated males, they just worked endlessly for our Elders, carrying through every demand without question or complaint, or even any interest in the females. As I was leaving, following Kylon’s lead, I noticed a glance from Elder Kodard. I couldn’t figure out what he was up to but the grin on his face confirmed the gut feeling I had about him.

‘He, above all, cannot be trusted. He’s dangerous.’ Jarek grumbled. I could only agree with him.

In our shared suite, funny enough, Kylon and I went from two grown-up men who worked and sweated all day, to get this crazy show on a roll transformed into two teenage girls preparing for their first prom.

Malia POV

It was time. My bag was ready. I swallowed a hiccup as I was smoothing the non-existing wrinkles of my chiffon dress. Easy to rip apart was the only requirement for the attire of new shifters. Shila was pacing, excited to be free. It’s been 10 years. I never dared to shift outside my room, for safety concerns obviously. White wolves were not very common.

Not common at all, I might say. In my state, with no training in wolf form, and with every shift still painful though I was getting used to it little by little, I wouldn’t be able to defend myself and Shila. That’s why I took every training seriously and worked extra hours on my weaknesses to make them strengths too. It was hard to manage. But we made it. And from tonight onwards, it will be history. We will be able to go on runs and patrols on our territory, go for hunting and howling gatherings, participate in heavy wolf training, and more.

I felt a tightening in my chest. Even if everything was very exciting, the shadow of the truth of not being able to do so with Bella was tainting it, making it bittersweet. Never did I envision myself with a wolf and not my sister. I just always thought I got mine early so I could protect us. Shila purred softly, in an attempt to comfort me.

‘Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly. I think there is more to it.’ I nodded, agreeing but I still couldn’t get rid of that uneasy feeling. “You’re right.”

I heard a hard knock on the door. Startled, I froze for a few seconds before coming to my senses.

“Malia?” My dad was here. I grabbed my bag in a hurry and opened the door, coming face-to-face with my dad, who glanced over my shoulder.

“Don’t tell me your sister sneaked out of her room and is here too.” Crap. He heard me answer out loud to Shila. I didn’t mean to.

I shook my head, slipped my arm under his, and started walking toward Sarabella’s room. More worried about our safety than about us breaking rules, he matched my steps, softly covering my hand that was grabbing his forearm more tightly than I would’ve liked.

“You must be nervous, it’s unlike you to speak to yourself out loud. And then shut down with me.” Was he suspecting something? I looked up to meet his eyes, but with him, I could never know. All I could see was paternal love and concern. The usual look he had for the past few days.

“Yes, it is a big day after all. Blame it on the stress.” I tried to smile to comfort him, but all I could do was wince.

As we got closer to Bella's door, all I could hear was my heart pounding against my chest.

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