Page 26 of Half Wolf Mate
I almost ground my molars to dust. “You won’t allow me to even mention your mate, so shut up about mine.”
Suddenly, the air crackled with tension. A low growl rumbled in Damian’s chest. I almost rolled my eyes at how touchy he was about the subject of his personal life. Yet, he badgered me about mine. Sensing that his wolf was close, I called on mine to intervene. When I glanced at him, the Alpha wolf’s eyes flashed a feral red rather than the typical amber. Like magic, Damian’s wolf retreated.
He ducked his head and blew out a breath. “I’m sorry.”
“I understand.” I gazed at Sydney as she and Violet talked. I didn’t get Damian’s mood swings whenever his mate was mentioned, but I did now. It was hard thinking about not having the one fated to you because your union was deemed taboo.
“Your situation is a bit different from mine,” Damian said. “Why don’t you just claim her? It’s obviously eating away at you that you haven’t.”
“You know the story.”
“But that’s just it. What if it’s just a rumor?”
“No, the story about Sophia Elliot is true.” I was just a kid at the time, but I remembered my father’s rage over the betrayal. “Sydney is, in fact, the product of a union steeped in betrayal. She’s a hunter’s daughter. As Alpha, I could never go there. Besides, her people killed my parents,” I snarled.
Damian nodded. “And she was in possession of a hunter’s weapon. Maybe your theory is right. Sydney could have been sent by the hunters to scope us out.”
A part of me doubted that, but I had to be cautious. “She showed up out of nowhere when there’s been a spike in hunter activity.” For the past two months, there have been complaints from neighboring packs about the arrival of hunters in their territory. I didn’t know what caused this, but we could be next. Sydney could have been sent here by her fellow hunters under the guise of looking to connect with her mother’s former pack. The safety of my pack came first, even if I craved to have my mate. Logic over emotion. It was simple.
“I’m suspicious, Damian.” I stared at Sydney through the window. “Watch her. If there’s concrete proof that she’s in league with hunters, she has to go.”
Damian turned to me, surprise gleaming in his eyes. “You mean, you’d…”
“Have her eliminated?”
“She’s your mate. Is that possible?” For once, the ever-confident Damian seemed unsure.
I swallowed hard, not bothering to hide behind an emotionless mask. I was sure Damian saw the fear and uncertainty in my eyes. “I…I suppose if I have to…”
The very thought made me nauseous. I might have rejected Sydney, but that didn’t mean our mate’s bond hadn’t gotten under my skin. I wasn’t sure if I could do her actual physical harm to protect the pack. The thought of something happening to her made my wolf feel homicidal. I didn’t know what I’d do if it turned out Sydney was my enemy.
It was times like these when I missed my old man. My father always knew what to do in any situation. Pain over my parents’ death almost consumed it. Hunters took them away from me. I hadn’t had peace of mind since the day they died because I had yet to find their killer or killers. I threw up that emotional block that I’d become an expert at erecting. If Sydney were in league with hunters, I’d do anything necessary to avenge my parents. I’d use my mate as a pawn to lead me to her group if I had to.
My wolf huffed as if calling me out on my bullshit. My animal would fight me tooth and nail if I tried to hurt our mate. But I’d worry about crossing that bridge if I came to it.
Chapter 13 Sydney
I felt as if I was on auto pilot, just going through the motions. Being deprived of one’s mate after finding them left one feeling out of sorts for a while. Perhaps forever. I was learning about the ways of werewolves day by day from research and personal experiences, and there was a chance I’d never recover from my mate’s rejection.
Since that fateful day of discovering Cole existed and essentially losing him instantly, I had felt cold inside. That sensation left me constantly feeling chilled. Even now, on a warm night, I’m wearing a sweater to ward off the cold. I wondered if Cole suffered as much as I did. He’d deserved it.
Whenever I thought about his treatment of me, I hated him. I felt like I did, anyway. Maybe despising him completely was impossible. Something inside me still desired him—my wolf. I sighed, feeling her sadness. It was so strange feeling another entity sharing my mind and emotions.
“If that counter gets any shiner, I’ll be able to see myself in it.”
I started as the deep, amused voice penetrated my thoughts. The sounds of the diner filtered back in. I’d zoned out and had been wiping one spot of the counter rigorously. I stared at the newcomer.
“Good night. I’m sorry I didn’t notice you come in.” I hadn’t heard the bell above the door signal a new customer. “Welcome to Dupart’s Diner.”
The man stared at me, his champagne-brown eyes seemingly drinking me in. His assessment was intense and went on for a little too long. It was hard to determine his age, but the look in his weary eyes indicated he was much older than I was.
Starting to feel uneasy with the man’s unwavering assessment, I shifted from one foot to the other. “Um, may I take your order?”
He blinked as if just realizing he was gawking at me. I had to remind myself to ignore some of the customers’ weird behaviors. The nighttime patrons were in on the highest level of bizarre. This man, though, didn’t strike me as any supernatural creature. In the weeks I’d been working at Dupart’s, I’d become adept at identifying who might or might not be entirely human. Some were more difficult than others to recognize.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m making you uncomfortable, I can tell. It’s just that you look just like…” He paused and looked down at his clasped hands.
I waited for him to tell me I resembled his kid or something, but he didn’t go any further.