Chapter 124

Peter

Many Years Ago

For as long as I could remember, I had always been different from the other children in the pack. When they got excited and hyper, I only grew annoyed. The more they spoke about hopes and dreams, the more I wondered why I always felt so empty.

When I voiced these feelings to my parents, the only one who understood me was my father.“Don’t worry, son,” he said with a knowing gaze. “It will all become clear in the future. I was the same way—until I met your mother.”

For years, I clung to those words, even though I had no idea what he meant. Being impatient wouldn’t help, and since my mother grew nervous around me after that, Father took me aside and taught me how to be ‘normal.’

“It’s like playing pretend,” Father explained. “Watch what the other kids do and copy them. I’d suggest copying the Alpha’s son. You’re going to be his Beta one day, so the two of you need to get along.”

At first, it felt like I was always lying—but over time, it got easier. Aiden Rivers seemed like a typical boy from what I could tell, and with me copying him, his interests became mine with ease. After that, we became inseparable.

Playing pretend came naturally, but I was still empty inside. The world had no color or light to it. Everything felt dull and lifeless. While I smiled on the outside, I stared blankly on the inside.However, that all changed when a new family joined the pack.

From the moment I saw her, I knew I wanted her for myself. When our eyes met, something stirred in me—something I couldn’t explain. I was barely a preteen at the time and had never felt anything before. Father must have seen my expression because he pulled me aside.

“It seems you’ve found your one,” he said with a soft chuckle. “Be careful with those feelings. You’ll want to possess her in every way you can—but you’ll scare her off if you act rashly.”

I looked at him, puzzled.“Rash?” I echoed, not understanding. “Do I just play pretend like normal?”When Father nodded, I frowned deeply.“Is there a way to keep her away from the others? I hate it when Aiden looks at her.”I clenched my fists, confused by the new sensation in my chest.

Father patted the top of my head.“Yes, you do. Never let anyone see your true self. They’ll never understand and will look down on you for it.”He ruffled my hair and chuckled again.“I wish you the best of luck, little pup.”

After that, I started getting closer to her and her family. I learned her name was Rosie, and that she blushed easily. It became a game—watching her face turn pink, highlighting her freckles and making her giggle.

Still, there was one problem I couldn’t shake: Aiden.He became friends with Rosie too, taking up most of my alone time with her. I had to grit my teeth and bear it, repeating Father's words to myself.

No one could know my true self. If they did, I knew I’d lose her forever... yet in the end, I lost her anyway.

On her eighteenth birthday, my wolf didn’t react to her by howling mate. Instead, Rosie and Aiden shared that connection I had longed for.

In that moment, something inside me snapped.Isaac, my wolf, snarled loudly in my head—I saw red.Rosie was mine. Only mine. No one else could have her. I couldn’t live without her, and no one was going to take her from me.

I rushed over and punched Aiden hard in the jaw. It happened so fast, I didn’t even have time to blink. The only thing that stopped me from going further was Rosie’s scream.

“Stop! What are you doing?! You’re hurting him!”She shoved me back and knelt beside Aiden. “Are you okay?” Then she turned her eyes on me, now flashing dark amber.“Get away from my mate!” her wolf snarled.

Immediately, I knew her name: Clover.But I couldn’t move, frozen by the look of anger and disgust on her face. Why was she looking at me like that? Didn’t she know she belonged to me all along?

I growled and lashed out, punching a nearby window hard enough to shatter it. The coppery smell of blood hit my nose—but it didn’t bother me. I knew nothing of pain.

Rosie’s eyes flashed with fear as she regained control, and I froze again.Why...? Why was she afraid of me? What did I do wrong?

The silence hung until Aiden broke it.“Dude... what’s your problem?” he asked, spitting out blood. Rosie turned back to him, fussing over his injury.

Meanwhile, Father’s scent approached, and his arm wrapped around my shoulder.“Come with me,” he hissed in my ear—and I had no choice but to obey.

Once we were far enough away, I could no longer hold back.

“You lied to me,” I said flatly. “Rosie isn’t my mate. Then why do I want her to be mine?”That strange feeling in my chest made me feel heavy and numb.

I watched as Father wrapped my hand in silence. I knew why. He only cared about how Mother would react seeing me injured. He only cared about her… just as I did for Rosie.

“Something similar happened to me,” he finally said. “I felt a strong connection to a girl who looked like your mother. But she wasn’t my mate. She died not long after meeting her true mate.”

He looked me in the eye, his mask slipping to reveal the emotionless man I knew.“The only one who ever lit up my world was your mother. Whatever I felt for that other woman—was nothing. A false bond. When the real one appeared, I understood that.”

I clenched my fists at the thought of Rosie leaving me forever.“How could this not be real?” I asked. “Why didn’t you warn me?”“This feels real to me. I can’t just stop myself.”

Father nodded and patted my shoulder.“It gets easier with time. Just don’t do that again. You’ll worry your mother—and you could lose your place as the future Beta.”

He turned away.“Learn to control yourself—or I’ll do it for you. You know I will.”

As Father walked away, Isaac kept growling, fighting for control. But I pushed him back. Hitting Aiden again wouldn’t help.The look on Rosie’s face haunted me more than anything.

I didn’t understand what Father meant until Rosie died in childbirth.

When I heard those words, Aiden broke down.And I felt… nothing.

It became crystal clear. Father had been right.

Rosie wasn’t the one.

But that meant someone who looked and smelled like her was.

I waited for years for that person—and finally, he came to me.

The fact he was Rosie’s long-thought-dead sibling made perfect sense.

The moment my eyes locked with my mate’s, nothing else mattered.No matter what it took… Samuel was always meant to be mine.And I’d do whatever it took… wait patiently… watch over him… hold myself back...Until I no longer could.