The Delta's Daughter Chapter 30

 MIKE

I didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but when I went out to find my two best friends, knowing they would be here, like every year. I halted my steps when I heard Kellen’s words saying he didn’t understand, then… the words he spoke next angered me to no extent. It took every ounce of willpower to not wolf out and attack my Alpha and best friend, as I heard him reject Lamia.

A pure blind rage surged through me, tensing every nerve in my being. I closed my eyes tightly, reigning in Duke as I listened to her accept his rejection.

What the fuck was wrong with him? They had been fucking before we left the academy, delving into a relationship for the past few months, and now, when they find out they are mates, he rejects her!!!

Anyone would be lucky enough to have her. Hell I was in love with her. My blood continued to boil as I watched him walk off and then heard the sound of her sobs.

It was gut wrenching.

Even though I wasn’t happy that he had rejected her, a part of me reveled in the fact that she was available again. Although it sure was going to be awkward, I felt like that was all it took to break up the trio. I couldn’t side with either one of them. They were both my best friends. I needed them both just as much as they needed me.

I sighed and stepped around the tree I had hidden behind, looking at the box in my hand. Maybe I should go back to my room, I thought, feeling as if she wanted to be alone.

“Mike, it’s OK” her voice was shaky as she acknowledged my presence.

I stepped out of the shadows and cautiously made my way to the stone bench she was sitting on in front of the statue of the moon goddess and her first born.

“Hey beautiful, you OK?” I asked. I wasn’t sure what else to say. My mind flashed back to his voice rejecting her. I visibly started shaking with anger again. “He fucking rejected you. You were mates and he fucking rejected you Lamia”, I seethed through gritted cheeks. I wanted to beat the fucker to a pulp.

“We weren’t mates, Mike.” She spoke coolly, her hands rubbing her thighs as she looked out past the garden.

I was about to tell her what a fool he was and how I was going to fuck him up, but then her words registered with me, giving me pause…

“Wait... what? What do you mean you weren’t mates? I heard him reject you, Lamia?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know Mike. We were not fated mates, but... but our wolves said he had to reject us. They wanted us too. Moon goddess! It’s so fucked up!” She explained and, at the end, choked up on her words.

I was confused, seemingly as confused as she was. I had nothing to say to that. I was kind of stunned; my brain trying to make sense of what she was telling me. My mouth opened and closed, so instead, I slid closer to her and engulfed her in my arms, placing soft kisses on her temples and top of her head.

“I’m sorry Lam’s” I whispered, the only thing I could think of to say.

She chuckled sadly, her head buried in my chest as I squeezed her tight against me. “It’s not your fault” she took a big breath and let it out slowly, her warm breath heating my chest. She leaned back and looked up at me. “Thank you Mike, your hugs always make me feel better.” Her smile was weak and I could see the redness in her eyes from crying as she looked up at me.

She was taller than the average she wolf, but she still had to look up at me. I smiled back her, trying to convey as much love and comfort as I possibly could while I held her gaze. Goddess, she is beautiful, perfection in every way.

I cleared my throat and moved back, releasing her from my embrace.

“So, I wanted to give this to you. I’m actually happy I got you on your own.” I handed her the pale blue box with a silver ribbon. Her eyes lit up immediately, a broad smile gracing her face. “It’s not much, but it’s personal, I’ve been waiting to give this to you for a while now.” I sheepishly said as she took the box and immediately began opening it.

I watched for her reaction as she revealed her gift. I wasn’t sure how she would react, if she would like it or not, or if it would be a reminder. I was nervous about giving it to her but the gift meant something to me.

Her hands fluttered to her chest and then to her mouth. She stared at it for a few seconds before snapping her head up to me.

“Mike…” her eyes had glazed over with tears. Shit, were they good tears or bad tears?

“It’s the claw they dug out from your leg. I had it polished, finished and set. It’s a reminder of how strong you are. A memento of how my warrior princess saved my life.” I paused. “Lamia, you are more than a protector, so much more.” God I hoped I hadn’t upset her more. My words were true and honest; she may not be Kellen’s queen. No, but she was a queen in her own right. She would always be my queen.

“I fuckin’ love it!” She exclaimed. Taking it out of the box and fingering it, her tips running over the smooth polished grain of the 5 inch claw that was set in platinum and fixed to an extendable platinum chain so when she shifted she didn’t have to take it off.

 I breathed a sigh of release; I didn’t know I was holding my breath until that moment. She liked it, Duke and I swelled with pride.

“Here, put it on me” she said excitedly, handing me the necklace, standing up and turning around, waiting for me to fix it around her neck.

I was beyond fucking pleased with her excitement over the token. Even more so that her eyes were shinning again, even if it was just for that moment, gone was the dull color, her emeralds had turned a light sea-foam when she was sad or upset. I was sure I had seen every emotion she had ever held in those eyes.

Her hair was up, showing off her long slender neck and smooth olive skin, I slipped the necklace around her and clasped it at the back, my fingers lightly brushing her neck. Yet again I found myself drawing in a sharp breath. She was fucking breathtaking.

Once it was fastened, I let my hands linger and softly held her shoulders. I bent down and pressed a light kiss on her neck, where she would be marked one day, the kiss more sensual than I meant it to be.

Her breath hitched and I jumped back. This was not the right time, especially after what had just gone down between her and Kellen.

She turned around standing on tip-toes and wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me.

“I love it, thank you. I will always wear it.”

I felt my heart skip a beat. It made me and my wolf preen with pride that she would cherish the simple gift. She meant the world to me.

I held tight, the two of us just hugging, enjoying the embrace for what seemed like forever, time stood still for those minutes. Her brown sugar and vanilla scent enveloped me as I held her. I closed my eyes just relishing the feel of her. We finally broke apart and I held her by the waist, resting my hands just above her hips. “Come on, we have a party tomorrow and remember lots of guests coming? We should head in and get some sleep.”

I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want this moment to end, but she looked tired, mentally exhausted. She nodded, agreeing and we made our way back through the gardens and into the palace, back doors. We were silent as we walked up the stairs together with our arms linked to our floor. We stopped once we reached our floor. Before I let her go, I spun her into my arms, crashing her against my chest and looked down into her emerald greens that held shock at the action, they weren’t as red anymore, she seemed better. I hoped that had something to do with me.

“Happy birthday Lamia” I whispered, still holding her eyes. She licked her lips, my eyes falling on her innocent movement and before I could even think, I bent down and pressed my lips against hers. She stiffened in my arms and quickly she relaxed. I moved away and held her face, flashing her a brilliant smile.

“Smile, you never did mind about the little things.” I muttered along with a “good night” and turned, leaving for my suite. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. If I did, I wouldn’t want to walk away again.

*****

LAMIA

I hardly slept a wink last night. When I got into our suite, my mother was sitting in our small kitchen leaning against the white-flecked marble counter top that doubled as a breakfast bar.

I had seen the light on when I came through our door, sensing it was her. I really didn’t want to talk to anyone right now, especially my mother. The click of the kettle sounded and it was inescapable. I would be telling her everything and I mean everything. She had a way of drawing information out of me, her calming and loving motherly woo's.

All she had to do was feed you some of her famous hot chocolate, and you couldn’t deny her, no matter if it was in the middle of summer like now, or the dead of winter. If I didn’t know better, then, I would swear she was part witch and used some kind of herbs in the coco.

Then again, with all the freaky heritage and gene shit going on with me lately, I can’t say I would really be surprised if she was in the ‘witchy way’. I chuckled to myself and shook my head as I made my way down the hall to the kitchen. I didn’t have any more tears to shed. I thought, consciously reaching up to the bear claw that hung around my neck, as I replayed the events of the last hour or so.

I don’t think Mike realized how much his gift meant to me, he had presented it at the right moment, the sheer gesture of the gift… so personal. Mike and I were always close, almost as close as Kellen and I. But… that day, that day I killed the bear shifter and protected my best friend. That was the day we forged our bond. Something only he and I had.

Yah, it was time to talk it out with mom. I reached the counter and slid on to one of the bar stools, receiving a mug of coco before I was fully seated.

Two hours later and two hot coco’s later, it was around 3am. I yawned.

As predicted, I ended up pouring my heart out to her. I was a little disappointed I caved into her questioning so easily. I even ended up disclosing what happened at the academy when I was ‘accidently’ over dosed due to negligence. She hummed at that bit of info, storing it away for later. Shit. She’s gonna kill the boys. I also confessed that I almost lost my virginity to Mike. I didn’t tell her we were up against a tree, behaving like animals and drinking. She didn’t need to know those tiny details.

We talked through everything, my mother aka, my personal councilor at the worst of times. She was clued in, of course by my father, regarding the ‘shift ban’ as I have now come to call it. I relayed everything that had played out tonight, from the weird ass mate thing to showing her my gift from Mike that hung proudly around my neck.

When she asked me how I was now feeling in regards to Kellen, I answered her honestly. “… don’t get me wrong, mom, I’m gutted, disappointed for sure. I’m not sure what comes next for us, but I’m more pissed than anything.” I stated with clarity in my voice, I pursed my lips and scrunched my eyebrows together, my mom, patiently waiting for me to carry on. “I’m not pissed at Kellen, not at all. I… I just… I just feel cheated, ya know? Like the moon goddess teased me and cheated me out of a mate.”

I hesitated to speak my next words as something clicked in my brain, the weirdness of the rejection.

I hummed, “Mom, with everything you have told me about mates and the bond, why didn’t mine and Kellen’s follow the traditional rules? If we weren’t mates, why did our wolves want us to reject each other and accept it? Yet when we did, it wasn’t nearly as close to earth-shattering pain as I imagined it would be. And why would I still feel a pull even after rejecting each other?” Those were the million dollar questions. “I had always wished Mike would be my mate, but we saw how that turned out. Then the goddess gave me a mate, but took him away. Does this mean I won’t get another mate? Or I haven’t met mine yet?”

“Oh sweet heart!” my mom leaned over, cupping my hands in hers, her soft blue eyes holding sincerity “I think the moon goddess has someone special out there for you, but because of how strong your bond with Kellen is, she needed to make sure you were walking on the right path. He is not meant for you.” She smiled, searching my eyes for understanding.

I scoffed. “Sure, but what path is that? I mean I’m now a wanted Dire Wolf. Are we sure I will be hunted down and either killed or forcefully marked and raped? Mom, this shit is too much. I don’t want that to happen, I won’t live in fear or be locked up. I can’t.” I slumped down, laying my head on the countertop, my mom still holding my hands in hers. “Again I feel the moon goddess cheated me, I didn’t ask for any of this.” I whined.

“Sweet heart,” She called me softly, her voice like a heavenly angel. “We can only take it one day at a time, but each day we will all be standing by you. Who’s to say you won’t meet your mate at the party tomorrow night, huh?” She cheerfully said the last part. “Go on get to bed, we need to be up tomorrow, we have appointments.” She swatted my arm and started shooing me out of the kitchen.

Good talk mom, good talk. I went to bed feeling a billion times lighter than when I first stepped through that door tonight.

I really had to ask my mom if she was bewitching the coco.