I knew Finlay was worried about me when I headed off for my girls’ night with Becky. I could only imagine that he feared

James would leap from the bushes or something. Me wanting to stay away from James was why the idea of a picnic had

seemed the best option. We would meet in a neutral part of the woods and not tell anyone except Elder and Finlay the

exact location. It gave us both security and peace of mind to relax. Becky stood waiting for me at our meeting spot, we

both had a basked in one hand.

“How are you feeling?” she asked as we walked the final way to the spot we had selected.

“Fine. It has almost healed completely. I should be as new by the next game tomorrow,” I told her.

“That is good to hear.” There was a pause.

“You don’t have to think about what you say,” I told her.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to just push around and be insensitive when it comes to sore subjects,” Becky told me as we

put the blankets down and started to retrieve the food and wine. I sat down and leaned against a tree.

“I’m sure. This situation is strange for me as well and my connection to James complicates things. But I don’t want it to

come between me and Elder and me and you. We just have to do the best we can and I’m sure there will be some

awkward moments. We will just deal with them. I think it would be worse if we try to tiptoe around things,” I told her.

“Sounds reasonable,” she agreed as she handed me a glass of wine. “So what is going on between you and Alpha

Finlay?” she asked. I almost choked on the wine.

“Wow. You jumped straight in,” I said. She gave me a huge smile.

“Oh, come on. Spill the beans. It’s obvious something is going on. He watches over you like a hawk and that roar he let

out yesterday when you got hurt. Very alpha-mate-viby,” she said. I took and bit down on one of the pierogies I had

helped Matilda make as a way to give myself time to think about my answer. I decided to tell her the truth.

“And now we are in the middle of this mess and I feel guilty because I haven’t rejected James, because I feel like I’m

betraying Finlay. But with the looming threat of a forced reunion of the packs, I just can’t,” I ended my story.

“Wow. So you got here thinking he would find his mate and discovered you had one instead? I can see how that might

mess with you. I don’t envy you, especially not with the way James is behaving,” she told me.

“What do you mean? James has been no trouble at all. Except for what you told us yesterday, thank you for that by the

way, he has stuck to our agreement. I’m guessing because he wants this as much as I do,” I told her. She took a bite out

of a finger sandwich and shook her head.

“That’s because your brother has been telling him to keep away from you.”

“What?”

“Elder thinks that if James did as he wanted, and tried to contact you, it would end in a physical altercation between

James and your Alpha. After seeing how the two of you act around each other and after what you have told me, I agree,”

she said. I looked at her.

“But why? I mean, I can hardly feel the mate bond if I’m not next to him. But you are right. Finlay would not accept him

coming around.” She giggled.

same way you do about the mate bond. Look, I didn’t know him before all this

only known the post-rejection James. The James I know, and like, is a serious wolf which has a hard time

Alpha-facade he hides behind. Elder tells me he didn’t used to

shook my head.

had a serious side, but mostly he was just confident

could make my life miserable with

have heard some stories,” she said with a grin. “He changed after the rejection.

of how the pack reacted, how much he had to work to earn back their

was because of that. I think he has been regretting his decision all this time but his stupid pride has not let him

as bad. Trust me, my dad was an

bond is still in place and I think James

past

They happened,”

that one. I’m just not sure James is. And he has a claim

time separating between what he wants to happen and what will

I said with a

she agreed. We sat

my brother told you all these stories from when we were kids, did he ever tell you about

hill?” I asked.

“I don’t think so.”

remembered if he had. It’s one

it to me?”

make sure you know the real Elder. I was about five so Elder had to have been

happened on that big gravel pile by the

know which one

the older pups loved playing King of the Hill on that pile. Of course it was James’

since I wanted to be just like my big brother, I wanted to play as well. Elder

which really pissed me off, but instead of throwing a tantrum, I used my puppy dog eyes

I were careful. I promised and we had so

ended up sliding down the entire pile

were scraped and were bleeding. Elder and James were in

started fussing. I just stood up and told them I was done playing and wanted

mother he started bawling his eyes out. It

One child bleeding and the other one crying as if he was about to die. Elder

of him and he should be the one bleeding, not me. We both

counter, eating ice cream while mom tended to my

Elder never let me go close to that gravel pile

told Becky.

won’t let Mino

that is so sweet,”

is the only place to read the complete version

now and continue your

hate the story? It’s a nice one about how much

not how he sees it. He sees it as a story about how he

control everything,

to know

has the biggest heart,” I agreed. We continued to swap stories. Becky showed me

and Rose. It was an amazing evening and

packed

“Amie?”

“Yes?”

to ask a huge favour of you,

family, you are allowed to do that,” I told her. She

I’m asking

him?”

want you to forgive him, or choose him

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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