Chapter 5: Jace

I stared at the unconscious girl lying on the ground, wide-eyed and speechless. That feeling when our eyes met... no... it couldn't be! My Wolf wagged his tail while I eyed the female, and his reaction boiled the blood in my veins. 'Mate! Mate!' I growled at his words and shunned him so I could no longer hear his voice calling her out. Still, I couldn't hide my shock. Two girls exchanged a few words behind me, and a giggle escaped their pathetic throats. I glanced over my shoulder, eyes winced in their direction. "If you have anything to say, say it to my face." Instantly, Their mouths closed shut, and they averted their gaze. Humph. Serves them right. "CADE!" My voice boomed through the area, my bodyguard quickly answering my call as he trekked my way. "Yes, Sir? - Bring the female inside. She needs medical attention." I couldn't even look at him. My eyes were glued onto the girl... I still couldn't wrap my head around the situation. But I snapped back to reality when Cade stood behind me like an idiot, staring at the girl. "Well!? Move it already!!!" He flinched, my order syncing, and he finally took action. Gently, he scooped up the female and quickly brought her inside the mansion. Once again, whispers and gossip animated the crowd. My fists clenched at the sound, blood boiling in my veins. I couldn't stay here any longer. I had to get away before things got worse. But I couldn't admit it either, I couldn't make their annoying gossip true. No. I couldn't. "The ceremony is cancelled!" A wave of gasps rose from the gathered gals and surrounding witnesses. I swiveled around and walked to my mansion, leaving the crowd to themselves. Once I reached the safety of my house, I met my father's frowning gaze, which I presumed was from confusion. But I couldn't care less about what he thought. I had just been completely humiliated in front of the ENTIRE pack. Me! Jace Weston, the Alpha's son! Once again, my fists clenched at the memory of the moment when she carelessly clashed into me. What a joke... "Jace, what's going on!?" Finally asked my father, following me as I walked up the stairs to the second floor. I froze in place, unable to even pronounce the word. "She fainted." I half lied, unable to tell him the disgusting truth. But the old man was too smart to fall for such a mediocre answer. "Jace... why is that female unconscious?" I bit my lip, picturing myself pronouncing the word to my father, followed by his look of horror. I couldn't stand such disgrace. I wouldn't. There had to be some mistake! It had to... I shook my head. "It's none of your business." And rushed upstairs before things got any further. "This must be a mistake... it has too...' I arrived on the second floor and walked through the long hallway. A few doors passed, and I reached the only one that had been left slightly open. The female's aroma tickled my nose, taunting me to approach. I felt sick to think such a lowly creature was chosen for me by the Moon Goddess. I, an Alpha of pure blood, destined to be with THAT!? No... it must've been a mistake. I've had females falunconsciousus in my presence before. I was either too hot for them to handle in bed, or they were too dazzled and honored to be in my presence to stay awake. Pathetic. Reluctantly, I pushed the door open and found Cade alongside Kira, the Pack's Healer, while the female lay on a hospital bed, an IV hooked up to her arm. "She'll be fine," Kira concluded, listening to the girl's heart and lungs. "She's simply dehydrated." I groaned, revealing my presence in the room. Startled, both Cade and Kira turned their heads towards me, wide-eyed from my words. Cade gazed down, rubbing the back of his blond head with his large hand. "Air, she... Uh... she didn't pass out from dehydration. I growled under my breath. How dare he question my judgment!? I saw what the girl looked like when she ran into me! She was red like a tomato and completely out of breath. It had to be that, it couldn't be anything else. But Kira proved me otherwise. Swiftly, she lifted the sleeve of my left wrist and revealed the black mark hiding beneath it. Then she picked up the female's left wrist and pointed at the white mark crowning it. The mark. A strange phenomenon that no Wolf could explain, but whenever two mates met for the first time, this strange symbol would appear somewhere on their body, most commonly on their wrist or chest. It represented Selene and Helios, although the female had the white mark, representing Selene, and the male possessed the black mark, representing Helios. According to old folklore, if the two mates fell deeply in love and developed a strong bond, their symbol would become complete. Yet, that hasn't been any known case of such a phenomenon. I stared for a good moment at the symbols inked into our skin, then abruptly freed my arm from Kira's grasp. "That doesn't mean anything..." I growled to myself, rolling my sleeve down to hide this cursed mark from my view. "There must be some mistake!" Kira sighed longly. "Jace, the Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes. There's no doubt this female is— - I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT!!!" I scowled, glaring into the Healer's eyes with all the hatred I had for her. I never liked that woman either way. Just because she was a Healer, she was allowed to give orders to an Alpha during medical situations, if needed. Healer or not, she was despicable to even think she could give me orders. Plus, she was dam crazy; she believed in fairytales of magic, wizards, spirits, even elves and fairies! She's a delusional, absent-minded, reckless witch, and yet, my father refuses to let her go! 'She's the best Healer in the land.' What a pathetic excuse. "What should we do, Alpha?"Cade asked, his icy glare staring at the unconscious female. I growled through my clenched teeth, turning my eyes to the Beta. "Nothing. Nobody will know about this. - Jace, don't be ridiculous! The Pack must now you've found your— - I said, NO ONE WILL KNOW. I won't allow such a scandalous lie to leave this home, that's an order!" The old bat glared at me, and I glared back, standing my ground. I shifted my gaze between my Beta and my Healer, then left the room once I was certain they wouldn't disobey. "Let the girl rest in the guest room. I'll take care of her once she wakes." I passed the doorframe and walked up to my dorm at the end of the hall. Fists clenched with rage, I sat down on my bed and lifted my sleeve, glaring at the mark on my wrist. It made my blood boil in my veins and anger took over me. For a moment, I thought of scratching the mark off my skin with my claws, but quickly resigned; the dam thing rested directly over my veins. One wrong move and I'd cut my wrist open. I may be a werewolf, but I'm not immune to suicide. And rejecting your mate isn't nearly as easy as it sounds. In Tod your bond, you and your mate have to burn or cut the mark off. Only then will the bond be broken. The catch is, breaking a bond leaves... Side effects. Without a mate to complete them, those Wolves become the Dreaded. Lost, broken souls who've lost all sense of logic and humanity with an uncontrollable thirst for blood. They become what the Human race calls u: monsters. Breaking my bond with that girl would put my entire future in jeopardy! I'd be exiled from the territory, forced to live like some, some... Animal!! Still, despite my judgment, I was... attracted to her. As I said before, mates do NOT instantly fall in love upon first sight, but the bond does bring a certain attraction between them. I gripped my hair with my hands, fighting the urge to rip chunks of my scalp from my skull. That dam Omega... she ruined everything... I don't care if she's my mate or not, she's the cause of all this; SHE'S the one jeopardising my whole credibility as heir to the Pack! An Alpha mate to the Pack's Omega; pathetic. I'd be seen as weak, constantly challenged, and questioned by my subjects. I can't let this out. No one can know. One way or another, I'll have to keep this away from the Pack. Or else... I'll lose everything.