Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Caden’s POV

They’re laughing and having the time of their lives.

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I snarl as I watch Alessia throw back her head and laugh at some thing Jake whispered to her. I eye the non-existent space between them and my wolf growls just as I feel my claws dig into my palms.

Before today, I haven’t taken much notice of Jake. He is my pack member and a fine warrior but he didn’t warrant any focus form me.

As I watch him talking with my mate, I suddenly wish that I’d gotten rid of him a long time ago. Anything would have been better than seeing the two of them chatting away like they’ve known each other since

forever.

“I know that look on your face,” Rapheal taunts, looking at the view where my gaze is fixed. “They look like they’re close. I wonder how long-

I don’t hear the rest of his words because I’m walking out of the pack house and heading straight for the woods even as my wolf hollers and screams for me to go back and get our mate away from Jake.

A good, long run is exactly what I need. I’m not even deep in the woods before I’m shifting into my wolf with my clothes still on and ripping them into tiny pieces.

Running around my boulders for a while, I try to push the image of Alessia and Jake out of my mind but end up failing.

After a while, I give up and change back into human form. That’s when Alex and Raphael join me by my side in their wolf form. They shift into human form like me and Alex throws me a pair of jeans and t t- shirt from the bag he had been holding with his teeth.

We all get dressed and start our daily patrol in silence until Raphael breaks it by asking Alex a question.

“How is the house coming along,” he asks, looking towards Alex for an answer.

I also turn to face Alex, curious to hear what the answer will be.

“They’re doing the finishing touches. Scarlett and I should be set to move in next week.” He has a huge grin on his face as he says this. I

obvious that he’s looking forward to leaving the pack house and living in his. new home with his mate.

Scarlett is pregnant and the two of them decided to build a house for themselves and the kids like so many other mated couples did. Alex has been working on getting the house ready for the better part of a year, planning it even before Scarlett got pregnant.

“We are going to miss you guys,” Raphael injects and I silently agree with him. I’m going to feel the loss of my beta even if he’s still going to be living close by.

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Chapter 22

BBB

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Alex shakes his head and clears his throat, trying to hide away the light moisture in his eyes. “Enough about me.” He looks at me and I silently dread what is coming out of his mouth next. “What about you and Alessia? Raphael told me that you saw her with Jake and had an angry fit.”

At his words, 1 shoot a deadly glare to Raphael who shrugs with a smirk fixed on his lips. d.

I groan, sniffing around for any unfamiliar scent before turning back to the conversation at hand.

“Nothing is going on between us,” I answer, shooting another glare at Raphael and his loud mouth.

Hopefully, he’ll find a mate of his own and stop sticking his nose in my business.

“Then why haven’t you rejected her?” Alex asks with an eye roll. Suddenly, I’m glad that he’s going to be moving out of the pack house soon enough.

I don’t answer his question, instead focusing on checking out the boulders like they ought to be doing as well.

“You aren’t being fair to her,” Raphael mumbles lowly and I whip my head to him. “You’re stringing her along. You have no intention of even acknowledging that she’s your mate yet you don’t want to see her with other guys.” He scoffs. “Sounds selfish to me if you ask me.”

It’s a good thing I didn’t ask him then. I open my mouth to tell them to butt the hell out of my business. I know they have my best interest at heart but I was done listening to all this nonsense about Alessia and me.

“You would have had to eventually arrange a marriage to another wolf even if you hadn’t met her. The elders wouldn’t have let you remain unmated forever.” He glances my way. “You’re lucky the Moon goddess gave you another chance. Don’t throw it away.”

How can’t they understand my reasoning for not wanting to acknowledge Alessia as my mate? They were the ones by my side when I lost Kiara and nearly also lost myself. They were the ones who helped me to keep my head straight. So why do they keep pestering me on this topic?

“I don’t want to hear another word on this topic.” There were a few times that I had to reinforce that I was their Alpha. This was one of those times. “I don’t appreciate having my decision questioned.”

They mutter words of understanding and I walk away from them, my head a loop of mashed-up thoughts.

Why did the Moon goddess do this to me? Haven’t I already suffered enough? Why did she feel the need to dangle a supposedly second chance mate just when I was coming to terms with losing the first one?

Alessia draws danger to her wherever she goes. Maybe not intentionally but she sure as hell didn’t try to avoid it. She wants to go head first into it and something tells me the danger is far greater than either one of us anticipates.

If something happens to her, will I be able to survive losing another mate?

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