Chapter 64 TRUE MATE
Edeline
Without hesitating, I turned and sprinted toward the packhouse, my feet barely touching the ground. The clouds above were growing darker and thicker, mirroring my mood. Even though Darius apologized, I still couldn’t shake the unease I felt about him talking to Tatiana. I didn’t trust her and her constant questions. She wouldn’t harm anyone from my community, not if I could help it.
The wind whipped through my hair, a brief comfort as I reached the packhouse just in time to catch Nixx leaving his meeting with Alpha William. His brow was furrowed, and his hands were clenched tightly, his forearms bulging with tension.
A surge of curiosity and concern washed over me, making me want to reach out to him.
"Hey, hold up!" I called out, my words carried by the wind as I hurried toward him. But he didn’t wait, his eyes locked on mine before he turned and walked away.
"Hey, what's up? What happened?" I asked, my voice still a bit rough from trying to catch my breath. My eyes scanned the area, noticing three boats approaching the dock, each loaded with pack members. So, that’s where everyone had gone—off fishing.
"Not here, Edeline. Let’s wait until we’re home," he said, grabbing my hand and urging me to pick up the pace. As we hurried along the dusty road towards our house, a cool droplet of water landed on my cheek, quickly followed by another. The sky above seemed to swirl, heavy with dark clouds, just waiting to burst open.
He stayed silent the entire walk home, tension radiating from him. When we reached the turquoise front door, it got stuck, and he let out a frustrated grunt, giving it a solid kick before finally forcing it open. If my mom were here, she would have completely lost it.
With a sigh, he headed straight to the kitchen, veins pulsing in his neck as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. I closed the door behind us and moved to the island, sitting down as I waited for him to speak.
"So." He finally began, wiping the sweat off his flushed face with a dishtowel, still avoiding eye contact. "I went up to Alpha William’s office, just sat down, and told him I wanted to get to the bottom of what’s really going on with Tatiana. I mean, who knows, maybe she’s not exactly who she says she is, you know?" He looked up at me, his mossy green eyes locking onto mine. I nodded, urging him to continue.
"William agreed. Then he pulled out his phone and said it was time to get some answers. I was ready for it... I thought Alpha Conor would be relieved to hear that Tatiana had found her true mate. But when William made the call, Conor barely spoke. William explained that Tatiana had found her mate, and it turned out to be Percival’s brother—a beta blood. But Conor’s response? He straight-up accused us of lying, saying there was no way his daughter would be mated to anyone other than an Alpha." His expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes.
I reached out, gently running my hand along his arm, trying to soothe the tension in his body. Nixx took a deep breath, steadying himself for what was next. "So, Alpha William thinks he’s got it all figured out. That’s why we decided to call Conor. But then, Conor had the nerve to question if Tatiana is really Alpha blood. Can you believe it?" He let out a bitter chuckle. "Man, Conor was furious. He even suggested that maybe I’m the one with the wrong blood." He shook his head, still in disbelief.
"Alpha William reassured Conor that he’s known me and my family my whole life. He made it clear that no one was accusing him of anything, but that we needed to figure this out. Conor agreed to come to our pack soon to discuss the matter and check on Tatiana. He seemed so confident, like there’s no way he could be wrong. But, Edeline, something just doesn’t add up. There’s no way Tatiana could be an Alpha blood and be my mate. It just doesn’t feel right!" His fist came down hard on the table, making everything on it rattle.
I flinched a little at his sudden outburst but quickly moved to calm him down, gently rubbing his back. Nixx has been acting more assertive lately... I get it, but this feels different. It’s more than just stress from the situation; he’s not himself. And there’s this intense, almost primal, energy radiating from him.
"So, what else happened, Nixx? Did he say anything about you and Tatiana?" I asked softly, trying to ease him into talking.
He let out a bitter laugh. "You won’t believe it. He actually had the nerve to say that if I’m not an Alpha, then I can’t be Tatiana’s mate. And guess what? It’s too late now because Tatiana’s pregnant and supposed to mate with Percival. Alpha William said Percival has the right to refuse, but he’ll still do the right thing by her—except for marking her, unless he changes his mind. Conor lost it... told William to make sure I stay away from Tatiana. He’s coming here soon to have a talk with all of us, to figure out what’s really going on. Can you believe that arrogant jerk?!" His voice was thick with anger, practically vibrating the air around us.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Tatiana’s dad seemed so sure of himself and his daughter that he decided to come up here.
"Hey, don’t worry. Everything’s gonna be fine. We’ll figure out why you two are mates, okay?" I pulled him into a hug, giving him a gentle squeeze. I felt him start to relax in my arms, but deep down, I couldn’t shake off this growing dislike for Tatiana. Meeting her dad might just clear everything up.
"But now I’ve gotta keep my distance from her. I can’t keep pushing, trying to figure out why she’s so obsessed with Percival... besides him being the next Alpha," he muttered into my shoulder.