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CHAPTER 16:
“Micah, you’ve been at it for hours. I think it’s time to just accept defeat.” Nico sighed, pulling a book I’d been flipping through from my hands. “We failed. Noah will become Alpha.”
“No. There has to be another way. And, hey, maybe you could help instead of getting in the way.” I snapped, snatching the book back.
“Micah, you’re going to drive yourself crazy! There’s no other way! We’ve exhausted all options. It’s time to just accept it and try to make the best of it.” Nico reasoned, taking the book back again. “He’s your mate after all. I’m glad we’re done conspiring against him.”
“Excuse me?” I scoffed. “Weren’t you the one telling me not to let the mate bond cloud my judgement? Weren’t you just days ago insisting he was evil?”
“Opinions change. Kind of like yours do every other day.” Nico shot back.
“Yes, but yours changed when he handed the beta title to you, didn’t it?”
“Seriously?”
“I’m just saying all of a sudden he’s an okay guy after promising you power? Now you don’t need me to be beta so forget about Micah!”
“This might be hard for you to believe, but not everything is about you Micah!”
“You’re right! It’s about the pack! I thought we were on the same page about that but I guess you’ve been swayed by the offer of a fancy title!”
“I don’t care about being beta and you know it!” Nico yelled. “The only reason i said yes was because he seemed earnest in wanting my forgiveness. If you’re that upset, i’ll turn it down!”
“I’m not upset!”
“Then why are you yelling!”
“Because you’re yelling!”
“I’m only yelling because you yelled first!”
“Then stop yelling!”
“You stop yelling!”
“Both of you stop yelling in this house before I kick you out!” My mom yelled, banging her fist on Nico’s door. “Inside voices before I toss you out a window.”
“Sorry Ama.” We said in unison, each looking away from one another to sulk.
“I don’t care about something like a beta title.” Nico grumbled, dropping the book he had taken into my lap. “I just wanted to help you and Noah get along. I don’t think trying to take his title away is helping you bond.”
“You know this is bigger than letting him have the title so we get along.” I reasoned. “He wants a war, Nico.”
“I know.” Nico sighed. “Maybe… maybe together we could discourage him. The beta and the luna teaming up to talk him out of it? It could work.”
“Noah is stubborn.”
“So are you.” Nico pointed out. “But you’re pretty easy to reason with. We just have to get him to see the big picture.”
“You don’t get it.” I countered. “Noah… he’s not like other wolves. He doesn’t understand pack connection. How it’s like a living being. He doesn’t understand pack bonds or anything like that.”
“How could he not? He’s lived in this pack his whole life? His parents could be dumb as dirt, but bonds are instinct. A wolf child learns all it needs to know about pack bonds from their parents’ mate connection.” Nico recited Apa’s old teaching, as if it were basic knowledge. Honestly, it kind of was… but Noah didn’t have it.
“He won’t get it.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“I can’t say.”
“That serious?” Nico raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. “Is it something we could use?”
“N-no.” I stuttered out, ignoring the small part of me that knew this was untrue. “Forget I said anything.”
Nico sighed again, laying back on his bed. “Well, then we’re back where we started. So, I say again, we’re out of options. All we can do now is stick close to him and try to convince him to make the right decisions.”
“You say that as if it’s so easy.”
“It’s one of the easier things I’m currently dealing with.” Nico muttered. We sat in silence then, letting the sound of cicadas outside fill the room. It was kind of relaxing and I found myself resting my head on Nico’s bed. Usually, Nico would use this break to scent mark me. He was always very affectionate, even when we were kids. Nico loved to hug and hold hands, insisting that there was nothing warmer than love.
Nico hadn’t touched anyone in a long time. He didn’t go to Ama to be scent marked or hug me when I dropped by. He pulled his hand away when our fingers touched, mumbling something about not needing what he had reached for anymore. I watched him stare up at his ceiling, something he did all the time now.
I looked up too, counting the glow and the dark stars we had stuck up there when we were children. We had been so excited to turn the lights off that night, staying awake for hours just to stare at the fake sky we had created. The stars didn’t glow anymore. They stopped glowing about a week after we got them, but Nico insisted on keeping them up. The years had passed and a lot of them had lost their stickiness, falling to the floor when they could no longer hold on. They had long since served their purpose.
I asked him once if we should just buy new ones. The ones on his ceilings had seen far better days and seemed ready for the trash, but Nico insisted they all had to fall first. So here we were, about ten years after their purchase, with a handful of stars stuck to his ceiling that refused to fall. “Do you want some new stars?” I asked anyway, although I already knew the answer.
“No.” He responded almost instantly. I nodded, having already expected it. However, he stood up on his bed, the movement jostling my head and forcing me to look up. Without any fuss or ceremony, Nico pulled off the remaining stars, tossing them into the trash bin beside his bed. Before I could ask him what he was doing, he was done. He looked down at me, smiling at my shocked face. “I think i’m finally done with the stars… for good.”
“Nico-“
There was a knock at the door, startling us both. “Come in.” Nico called, getting down. The door opened, revealing a very tense Noah.
“Is something wrong?” I asked as he stared at us, clearly uncomfortable.
“Um… your parents want you all downstairs for dinner. They called me to come over for a- a family dinner.” He rambled, repeating things he’s already said. “I- I came because they said it was a family dinner and so here I am for it. For dinner.”
“You okay?” I asked, sniffing the air as a strange scent wafted up the stairs and into the room. “Who else is here?”
“Well… I came for dinner. For family dinner is what they said.” Noah continued. “And so I got here for dinner and… and they said it was-“
“Who’s here Noah?” Nico asked, cutting him off.
Noah stopped rambling, looking at Nico with all the remorse he could muster. “Nile’s parents are here. They said Nile would be coming soon too.”
“Oh.” Was all Nico said.
‘What the hell are they thinking?” I began, ready to begin a tirade the likes of which my parents had never seen. “Nico specifically said-“
“It’s fine.” Nico cut me off, smiling his usual smile at me. “I need to change but… I’ll head down in a second. You guys go ahead.”
“You don’t have to do this, Nico.” I assured him. “You can run, right now. I won’t tell Ama where you went. I’ll-“
“I’m fine. I just have to change out of my tank top and shorts.” Nico laughed, and it sounded so real i wanted to believe he meant it… but then he took a shaky deep breath. “I just need a second alone, alright?”
“Alright.” i nodded, not having anything else to say.
——————–
It was uncomfortable.
I had never experienced anything so uncomfortable before in my life and I literally plotted my own mates murder.
No one had touched their food. Everyone just stared down at their plates, waiting for someone else to speak first. Noah was using his fork to build his mashed potatoes into different shapes and Nico was staring at his food the same way he had been staring at his ceiling lately. My dad looked desperate to take a bite, but seemed to be waiting for someone else to try to eat and my mom had cut her steak into what looked like a hundred tiny pieces. Nile’s parents were shooting each other nervous glances before realizing I noticed and then kept their eyes on their plates again.
I sighed, looking over at the empty table setting where Nile was supposed to be. “Is he not coming then?” I finally asked, ignoring the glare my mom shot me.
“Oh… well, um, he said he was on his way.” His mom answered, checking her phone again. “I can call him again.”
“There’s no rush.” My mom spoke up, narrowing her eyes at me in warning. “We can wait.”
“Tell that to Apa.” I muttered, making Noah and Nico snicker.
“If it’s alright with you, Alpha and Luna, we can begin the meal.” Nile’s father spoke.
“Well, if you insist.” my dad jumped on the offer, taking his first bite. My brother and I laughed, some of the tension dispelled. Everyone began to peck at their plates, a bit more relaxed. A knock on the front door had everyone’s shoulders tensing again, except for Nico who continued to chew a bite of steak as if he hadn’t heard anything at all.
“I’ll go get it.” My mom spoke, standing to her feet. “Excuse me.”
I knew the second the front door opened by the smell that flooded the house. “Oh dear goddess.” Nile’s mom whispered, covering her mouth in shock and apparent embarrassment. My eyes snapped to Nico, who seemed unphased by the scent. I tried to clear my throat, the scent getting stronger as my mom brought the guest into the dining room. Noah handed me my water, urging me with my eyes to drink and not yell.
I took a huge drink, trying to ignore the smell that assaulted my nose. Everyone in the room but Nico seemed to smell it. It was strong, fresh, permeating the whole room in just a second. Sex. Someone had sex.
Nile came into view, a bit rumpled and sweaty. The puzzle pieces connected together as he took his seat and my mom served him. He was late coming here because he had just had sex. My stomach turned at the thought. Noah placed his hand on my knee, squeezing it softly. I tried to focus on his touch and not the expletive filled rant filling my head.
Nico, for his part, seemed completely unbothered. He continued to eat, smiling at me occasionally when we made eye contact. He was attempting to talk me down with every glance, reassuring me that he was perfectly fine. I tried to focus on my food, but I suddenly wasn’t hungry. I didn’t know how Nico was managing to put back his meal, but I wanted to gag at the thought of opening my mouth. “Well, now that we’re all here. We can talk.” My mom spoke, her tone so calm. I had no idea how she was doing it either. How was everyone fine?
“We’re so sorry.” Nile’s dad spoke, obviously just as put off as I was. “Damn it, Nile! What is wrong with you?”
“Veri and I are in love!” He insisted. “We want to be together!”
“Hush, child.” his mom hissed. “Enough of this.”
“We have called for our eldest, Von, to return home.” Nile’s father announced. “We are not entirely sure where he currently is, but we’ve sent word to a couple packs where we have connections. We’re sure he must be living in one of them.”
“Father-” Nile tried, but his mom shook her head at him.
“We apologize for our son’s insolence.” His mother spoke. “He’s young. He has no idea the honor of being mated to the son of an alpha.”
“Nico is a good boy.” My dad finally spoke, smiling at Nico. he reached his arm out to him, ruffling his hair. “He’s very smart and quite handsome, I would say. Both my sons are wonderful. I have been blessed by the goddess with such wonderful children. My eldest, the future Luna of our pack and my Nico, the future beta. I apologize. It’s difficult not to brag about my pups. They’re my pride and joy.”
“Beta?” Nile’s mom turned to glare at her son. “Beta! Nile.”
“Mother.” He spoke her name in the same annoyed tone.
“We truly are honored to see our son mated to such a well respected and accomplished young man.” Nile’s father said. “It’s a blessing.”
“Why are we talking about it as if it’s happening?” Nile finally cried, slamming his hand down on the table. “I love Veri! I choose her!”
“Nile, that is enough! We tried to let you and von sort this out on your own, but you couldn’t!” His father snapped at him. “Because of that, we’re in this horrible mess!”
“Nile… a mate bond is fate. There is no love like it.” My mother tried to reason with him. “No love could compare. With time, if you open your heart, you could see-“
“Ama, stop it.” Nico spoke calmly, catching everyone’s attention. For the first time that night, Nico looked up from his food and at Nile. “I accept your rejection.”
“Nico!” My mom cried.
“I won’t force you to be with me. I don’t want that. I- I deserve more than that.” Nico continued. “Let us both pray to the goddess so that she dissolves any connection between us.”
“Let’s be clear, we expect restitution.” My father chimed in again, still chewing his steak. “If the boys don’t like each other, fine. Nico won’t be Alpha so it’s not necessary that he mates if he doesn’t want to. However, given that your son very publicly shamed my family by his lack of respect, on multiple occasions, we can’t simply let the matter die. He showed up here, in his alphas home, reeking of sex. This insolence will not stand.”
“Let me fight him.” I spoke up. “In negotiation. Give me ten minutes.”
“Micah, we can’t kill the boy.” My father chided, waving me off. “However, Nico is owed your son’s life. So what do you have to offer?”
The table was silent for a moment, as Nile’s parents tried to process this turn of events. Nile’s mother turned to him, her look pleading. “Nile, please stop this. This boy is your mate. This could be your family! Just do as the goddess commands…”
“I…” Nile looked at Nico, seemingly for the first time. He stared at him, his eyes a mixture of pain and longing. “The goddess made a mistake. The person I love is Veri.”
Nico smiled at him, a sad sort of smile that made my chest hurt. “I don’t want any money from him.” Nico sighed, turning to my father. “Just let Micah fight him.”
“No.” my father spoke before I could. “You need more than that, Nico. Money. A home. Security. All the things you lose out on without a mate.”
“Fine. I’ll take his house.” Nico shrugged. “Is it big?”
My father looked to Nile’s parents for confirmation. “Nile’s home… he built a modest one.” His mom spoke. “A one story, two bedroom…”
Nico wrinkled his nose in distaste, looking to my father. “No. That won’t be good enough.” my father spoke. “How big is your house?”
Nile’s jaw dropped at the question, obviously not having expected this. However, this was what it meant to reject a mate. Compensation was owed and if the wolf himself couldn’t pay it, his parents certainly would. “Our son, Von, built an extravagant home.” Nile’s father sighed. “He left home and never used it. It’s three stories, with a balcony and a pool.”
My father looked to Nico who shrugged. “That will do. Financially, Nico will far outearn him so we won’t request any money. However, there are certain social implications to Nico’s rejection that must be compensated for. Your son will issue a public apology to Nico, in front of the whole pack. Reparations.”
“Of course.” Nile’s mother agreed.
“And I ask him to keep away and out of my son’s sight.” My father added this last condition, his tone icy. “If Nico enters a building he’s in, he is to leave. If he sees my son, he is to walk in the other direction. If he harrasses my son with his appearance, he will be forced to leave the pack.”
“Understood.” His father nodded.
“Would you like anything else, Nico?” My father asked. “You want his car? Or his job?”
Nico thought for a moment, looking the young wolf that was supposed to be his mate up and down before rolling his eyes. “No thank you, Apa. I want nothing from him after all.” Nico stood, bowing slightly at the waist. “I’m tired now. I’d like to go to bed.”
“Alright, my son.” My father turned to glare at the Wolves still seated. “You heard your future beta. Get out. Now.”
———————–
“Nico? Nico.” I pushed his room door open when I heard the lock turn. “Are you alright? You seemed so odd.”
“I just realized something at dinner.” He declared, his grin so wide I found myself smiling along just to fit in. He had a pep in his step I hadn’t seen in a while and I was desperate to know where it came from me.
“What did you realize?”
“Will you just listen? Don’t say anything. Just hear me.” he pleaded.
“Of- of course, Nico. Always.”
“You know how i’ve been saying it feels like we’re cursed? Maybe we are.” Nico spoke quickly, pulling me into the room and closing the door behind us. “Do you remember that stream we drank from as kids? The one in the sacred tunnels?”
“Yes…” I answered hesitantly as Nico began to flip through an old book we had been using to research. He was so focused, his expression a bit manic as he searched for whatever bit of information he wanted to share. “Well, it’s called the stream of life. It’s in the book.”
“The stream of life?” I frowned, trying to read the passage Nico was pointing at, but he was flipping to another page before I could really understand what I had read.
“It’s symbolically the life of all wolves in the world. Never ending. We’re reborn over and over again with the soul of these wolves inside us which is why no one can find the streams end. It’s written all over this book, little fragments here and there. It’s an ancient story. A superstition from thousands of years ago.” nico explained, flipping to another page. “That being said, it took a lot of reading to realize we’re not supposed to drink from it.”
“What?” I cried. “But we drank from it so many times! I made Noah drink from it!”
“Which is good!” Nico assured me, turning to another page. “The reason you aren’t supposed to drink from it is it messes with your wolves soul. You intermingle your soul with the soul of whatever wolf you drink. This means you create bonds with wolves you never should have bonded with.”
“What does that even mean?”
“A lot of things… some of it’s kind of hard to follow, but I think It means we gave ourselves multiple soulmates.” Nico explained. “How many… i don’t know. It’s hard to tell. These stories are so old… but basically there’s one true mate and there’s those that are only connected to us because we drank from the pond. Our bond will win out over whoever they are really mated to because we have alpha blood. Think about it! There’s a reason Nile wants Veri so badly and I think it’s because they’re supposed to be mates! When I look at Nile… I don’t feel like how Ama and Apa feel when they look at one another. I haven’t felt any symptoms of heat and look at him! There’s no way I could top him!”
“But Noah and I-“
“Are meant for one another.” Nico finished for me, turning to yet another page. “I wasn’t sure at first since you wanted to kill him and all, but i’m certain now. I wanted to make sure before I said anything, but I’m sure of it now. Because you said Noah drank from the stream too, right? And you both still feel a connection. That means it’s the right one. You fixed the mess you made by taking your true mate to the stream and letting him drink too. That supposedly cancels out all effects of it. The fact that you’re still dealing with heat symptoms now means you guys are the real deal. Nile and I… we aren’t. I don’t know who my real partner is, but it’s not him.”
“But you just took a house from him! Are you sure?”
“I think so.” Nico answered, brushing over the fact that he wasn’t quite certain. “He’s just the one i drank most recently. At least that’s what the book says. But think about it. Nile? Why would I end up with someone like that? It has to be a mistake. And if it’s a mistake, I can fix it! So… if I feel a pull to anyone… I can take them to the stream and-“
“And what?” I asked. “Let them drink?”
“Well… no. If they aren’t my actual mate and they drink they’ll just mess up their own actual mate bond and have multiple mates too.” Nico sighed. “It’s also possible a wolf without Alpha blood could die if they drank it… but I mean Noah drank it… well he’s also your mate so i don’t really know…”
“So how can you be sure someone is your mate? Will you go into heat?” I asked.
“Maybe… if i’m the submissive one.” Nico answered.
“And if you’re not?”
“The book isn’t very clear.” Nico sighed, closing it. “I might feel some type of connection for a couple people, kind of like what I felt when Nile bit me… but my actual mate should feel different.”
“Different how?” I wanted to believe what Nico was saying, but a part of me worried it was just silly superstition in an old book. A magic stream that played musical chairs with mates? If that was the case, how did Noah and I find one another so easily? Where were the wolves thinking I was somehow connected to them? Was Nico reading too much into an old folk tale in a book because he didn’t want to accept reality? I wouldn’t blame him. Reality was so much worse.
“If I knew-“
“Micah!” I jumped, startled to hear Noah call me so urgently. Nico dropped the book on his bed, following me out of the room and down the stairs.
“What’s going on?” I asked, walking into a tense dining room where my dad and Noah were glaring across the room at my mom.
“I reject Noah’s ascension.” My mom spoke each word slowly and clearly, as if having repeated it multiple times.
“What? Why?” Nico asked, just as confused as I was.
“Micah, he’s your mate and I respect that as the goddess’s divine vision, but… him being alpha was not her will! Him almost killing Nico was not her will! The fact that my vote decides whether he becomes alpha, that is her will. I reject him. Micah, as much as I hate the idea of you being Alpha… I know it is what you were born to do.”
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