Chapter 64

DAKOTA’S POV

Everything seemed to have finally fallen into place. I had adjusted to the role of Alpha and had already begun working. Our pack was on its way to becoming the strongest pack in America.

I had done my ceremony and was now recognized all around as an Alpha, though a few backward Alphas seemed to have a lot to say about that. They didn’t like the fact that a girl was Alpha, and what was worse, the girl had a mate that also had Alpha blood but wasn’t the Alpha.

I had made it very clear to them in the last Alpha conference that if any of them were not convinced that I was fit to be Alpha, they knew the procedure. All they had to do was challenge me and see if I had what it takes to be an Alpha. They had been awfully quiet after that.

I eyed the clock on my table. It was getting late, and I had promised Akela that he had me all to himself tomorrow. I needed to rest. As though on cue, a huge wave of exhaustion hit my body, and I yawned. I stood and joined my hands, stretching them above my head, and bent from side to side, enjoying the feeling of my muscles tensing and the little pops that were heard.

I looked around my office one last time and left the pack house, heading for mine.

I inhaled the early night air, loving the smell of the trees and the lake that was nearby, and most importantly, enjoying the peace. I smiled when I opened my front door. Everything had been put in place, and it felt like home again. Even though my parents weren’t there, I knew that they were happy where they were, and I knew that that had to be enough for me.

I fell on the sofa with my clothes and shoes on and closed my eyes when I felt a presence in the living room. I immediately sprang to my feet and growled, ready to fight.

“Why did you let him live?”

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was just Angela, sitting on the floor in front of me with her legs crossed.

“What do you mean?” I said while I slid to the floor, crossing my legs as well.

“Why didn’t you kill Odin?” She looked up, and I saw tears in her eyes.

“Um…I thought…I thought that was what you would want. For me not to kill him. He…is your mate after all…” She let out a throaty laugh.

“That was exactly why I wanted you to kill him. I want to be free from that bastard.”

“Oh.”

She groaned and held her chest, doubling over till her head touched her knee.

“What’s wrong? Should I get the doctor?” She shook her head and sat up, tears flowing freely.

“No. That won’t be necessary.” She winced.

“But you are in pain.” She smiled sadly.

“I’m afraid that this is a regular occurrence.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is currently with a woman.” I looked at her, clueless, and then it hit me.

“The bastard!” More tears flowed down her cheeks. She was in pain.

“Wait…you feel it when he sleeps with others?” She nodded.

“All the time?” She nodded again. I looked at her in shock “That would mean that all the while that Odin has been mated, you felt it…every single time?” She nodded again, her lips trembling.

I scooted closer to her and wrapped my hands around her. She froze for a second and then hugged me back, and then the floodgates opened. I rocked her back and forth while muttering words of encouragement in her ear.

“It hurts so much…it hurts so much…”

“I know…” Truth was, I didn’t. I knew what she was feeling was the worst kind of pain that we could feel. Even now, the mere thought of Akela being with someone else made my heart twist in my chest.

“Why don’t you just reject him?”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Rejecting him would hurt me, almost to the point of killing me.”

“Oh.” It was the opposite for werewolves. The rejected was the one who felt all the pain. I sighed. Life was unfair.

“So, what do you want to do?”

“I…I don’t know.” She stiffened in my arms.

“What is it?” She stood up from the floor and went into my kitchen, opened my fridge, and poured yogurt into a glass.

“Here,” she said, handing the glass to me. I slowly took it. It felt weird to be served in my own house by someone who had only been in my house as a shadow.

“Um…thanks…”

“You’re welcome,” she said, pouring herself another glass and draining it in one gulp. I sipped mine quietly, waiting for her to talk.

“I…I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do…”

“You can join my pack.” Her eyes shot up to mine.

“Are you serious?” I nodded.

“But we are natural enemies with the werewolves.”

“If that were true, you wouldn’t be mated to a werewolf. Society created that enmity, and we can break it.”

A slow smile spread across her face.

“Can I think about it?”

“Yes, sure. Take your time.” She nodded and dropped her cup in the sink.

“Thank you.” She hugged me and headed for the door. She placed her hand on the door handle and faced me.

“If you ever need my help, I need you to know that I will be here for you.” I smiled at her and nodded. I could see the sincerity in her eyes.

“I will. Take care of yourself.”

“I will. I promise.” We smiled at each other again, and she opened the door, and standing on my doorstep was Akela. He looked from me to Angela, trying to decipher what was happening.

“What…is going on here?” Angela took our hands and joined them in hers.

“Make sure you two be there for each other and support each other. Don’t forget to enjoy your youth and your bond.” I nodded.

We both watched as she walked into the darkness and disappeared. I had a feeling that I was going to have to get used to seeing tiny tricks such as this.

Deep down, I felt bad for her, and I wished that she could find peace. And happiness. She deserved it.

“What was that?”

“No need to worry about it.” I pulled him into the house, shut the door, and kissed him.

“I love you, Akela. So much.”

“I love you too, Dakota. More than you’ll ever know.”

He leaned down and kissed me again. It wasn’t a kiss of lust—it was a kiss that said all the things that our mouths couldn’t. It was a kiss of support and love.

I didn’t know what the future would hold, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Odin wasn’t done. But one thing I knew was that we would always be here for each other.

The future wasn’t certain, but with Akela with me, I was sure that I could manage. I had love after all.