Chapter 24
He knows how important finding Lola is. He knows what was at stake.
Sighing in frustration, I drop down on the sofa and clench my hair. Even dead, Sadie was still causing me trouble. If it wasn’t for her selfishness, Lola would still be here. She wouldn’t have disappeared, and my pack wouldn’t be getting worse each and every day.
“What are we going to do?” Micah asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
I look up and study him before switching to my beta. They both look tired and worn out. Like they haven’t had a moment of peace or sleep. I guess I wasn’t the only one bearing the weight of the world on my shoulders.
Gritting my teeth, I answer. “I don’t fucking know.”
We are quiet after that. Each of us is lost in our own thoughts, well, that is, until a knock interrupts us. I already know who it is by their scent.
“Come in,” I call and the door opens, with Elder Shaun stepping in.
“Good evening, Alpha; I’m here on behalf of the other elders,” he bows slightly.
Unlike what humans think, elders aren’t above the Alpha. Sure, they are above other pack members, but they aren’t above the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and their mates. They also aren’t involved in the daily politics of the pack. They’re mostly guardians of our history and, once in a while, offer council when it’s needed.
“Speak,” I command.
He takes a deep breath before opening his mouth. “We are concerned about the pack, and we wanted to know the steps you’re taking to save it now that your mate rejected you.”
He can join the fucking club because I, more than anyone else, was worried about my pack. I was worried about my people.
At the mention of the rejection, my heart squeezes as a familiar pain encases my soul. I won’t lie, it still fucking stings, but I have no time to worry about my heart when my fucking pack is dying.
Jason must have seen the irritation on my face because he answers in my stead. “We’re still looking for Lola. We hope that she’ll be willing to help even though she isn’t his mate anymore.”
That is the thing about rejections. Unlike what people read in books, once someone is rejected and they accept, there are no takebacks. Once the mate bond has been broken, that’s the end of it. There is no way to bring it back to life.
Every time I’m reminded of what I lost, my hate for Sadie grows. She’s dead, but that doesn’t change the fact that she already damaged my relationship before she left this world.
“I see” is Elder Shaun’s only response.
I tense when my eyes land on him. I didn’t get to be Alpha by being stupid. I’m not bragging, but the reason why I’m a top businessman and among the best Alphas is because I’m sharp. Nothing easily escapes me.
“What is it?” I ask him, once again taking my seat.
He stares into space for a while. The battle of whether he should tell me his thoughts or not, fighting for dominance inside
him.
After a while, he turned to me, having made his decision.
“I didn’t notice it then because we were all excited you’d found your mate, but now I do. It’s about Lola and the curse,” he begins.
2/3
4:26 pm D
Chapter 24
“Okay” Micah drags the words out.
“One thing I know is that the moment you find your mate, the pack will begin to feel the changes. The oracle told us that her presence alone would bring change and healing. You don’t even have to wait for the mating ceremony or for you two to mark each other. Those changes should have started the moment you and Lola recognized each other as mates.”
My breathe starts quickening as the weight of what he’s saying starts to sink in.
Micah’s eyes find me. I can clearly read what they’re silently communicating. ‘I told you so’
I internally growl when I remember that he’d tried raising the issue, and I’d dismiss him because I didn’t want to believe that there was a possibility that Lola wasn’t the one.
“What are you saying, Shaun?” Jason asks him with worry in his eyes.
“I’m saying that I don’t think Lola is the one who was meant to save this pack. I think the rejection was part of the goddess’ plan because Alpha Alec wasn’t meant to be with Lola. I think that Selene designed him a second chance mate, and whoever she is, she’s the one meant to break the curse.”
Fuck. I don’t know whether to be pissed off or hopeful. This new information has just pushed us back to square one but, at the same time, it has brought hope with it.
Question is, will I be able to give my second chance mate my heart when Lola completely has it?
