The Destined

Chapter 2

DANIS POV

I felt it as soon as I opened my eyes, the smell of grass after fresh rain and I inhale deeply.

“He’s Here!” Nexus says excitedly. “Our mate!” She’s practically howling. “We have to find him!” I nod at her instruction and throw on a pair of shorts. I leave my bedroom and follow the smell down the stairs and I make eye contact with the most gorgeous guy I’ve seen. Nexus is losing her mind and I almost want to smile at her enthusiasm. He’s tall, very tall at least 6’5, with big bulging muscles that look like they’re going to explode out of his tuxedo if he flexes even a little bit. I make eye contact with deep blue eyes, a perfect nose and a jawline that could kill. His hair was dark brown and curly, he had kissable lips but he didn’t look happy. “Dani.” My mom says excitedly and I notice Uncle Brion and his Beta Henry. Oh God that must be Bates, he was an asshole when we were younger, what was it he used to call me? Devil Spawn? Thats why he doesn’t look happy. “Uncle Brion! Henry!” I say hugging them and I see their excitement in their thoughts as they think about Bates and I bonding as mates. I give them each a small smile and shake Bates hands. “Danielle you look very lovely this morning.” He says but in a way I’m sure it’s not a compliment, when I shake his hand I can see the disgust he holds in his heart to be mated to me, I see him thinking about rejecting me? It hurts my feelings more than I think and I quickly excuse myself to my bedroom. I close my door and slide against it, hot tears streaming down my face.

“What the hell is his problem?” Nexus sneers I shake my head letting the tears fall. Fine if this is how he wants it, I can be cold too, if not colder. “As much as I am excited to meet my mate I understand. Do what you must.” I wipe my tears and stand up. I’ve been rejected by people and shamed all my life, girls who are jealous, thinking I was going to steal their man are 100 times more mean than some ignorant brat. I quickly do my makeup and throw on a mini skirt with white socks and white sneakers, I match it with a crop top and no bra. I smirk when I wonder how he’ll feel watching men drool over me all day. Game on Bates.

BATES POV

My dad looks at me angrily and I swear he’s gonna rip me apart right there. “Well you know sometimes its hard at first.” Uncle Alaric tries to defend me but my dad shakes his head. “Excuse my i***t son, hopefully he’ll come around or make the biggest mistake of his life.” It’s like he knew I was thinking of rejecting her, although when I saw the look in her gold and red eyes at my cold demeanor it hurt me. A lot. I wanted to go find her and wrap my arms around her, make it all go away. I shook it off. I cannot depurify my bloodline. “Bates, I understand your feelings just think about it before doing anything rash.” Aunt Helene places a cold hand on my forearm and looks up at me pleadingly. I nod at her and she has an omega show me my room. The attractive female omega flirts with me the whole way there and usually while I would be all over her, I just can’t find it in me. f*****g mate bond. I hated to disrespect the mate bond I just never thought the moon goddess would pair me up with that. She’s gorgeous, honestly beautiful long black, black hair gorgeous soft looking skin, I couldn’t see her body well under her baggy t-shirt but the way her t**s stick out I can tell she’s at least got that going for her. Her unique colored eyes, golden around the pupil and the way they swirled out to a dark red, gorgeous. I did have a lot of thinking to do. I lay on my bed and groan, why can’t my life ever just be easy. My dad texts me to come have lunch with everyone and I change into sweats and a t-shirt.

That intoxicating scent hits me like a ton of bricks as I’m walking down the stairs and I see her surrounded by a bunch of young Alphas, they’re drooling over her and she looks slightly uncomfortable. I growl to myself as I notice she’s wearing a skimpy little outfit with no bra. She’s lucky I don’t grab her from the crowd and take her to my bedroom. “Dani you look beautiful today, would you take a walk with me by the lake after?” I hear one of them as I step in between them. “She’s uninterested.” I growl before I ever realize what I’m doing. “I think it’s best to let the lady decide for herself.” He shoots back and I recognize him as Alpha Garret from The Crescent Moon Pack. “Alpha Garret I can tell by her demeanor she has no interest in going on a walk with a mated wolf, where’s your luna? Did you forget her at home?” I stare him down and his face drops, the crowd quickly disperses and I expect her to thank me but instead she pushes past me. “I can take care of myself, thanks.” She says coldly and I grab her hand, the shockwaves shooting through my body at our touch almost send me to my knees again. “Dressed like that? You need a bodyguard. You should go change to keep the men at bay.” She rips her hand out of my grasp with surprising strength and just walks to the dining hall, I watch her hips at she walks away from me mesmerized by her movements. What’s up with her. “Maybe if you weren’t such a d**k, she wouldn’t be acting like this.” I shake Daxon away and scowl following behind her to go find my dad.

DANIS POV

“Exactly what he deserves.” Nexus says in my head as I snatch my hand away and I nod in agreement. I kiss my parents cheeks as I sit down at the table, soon Bates makes an appearance across from me and I don’t make eye contact. “Dani how does it feel to be a grownup?” Uncle Brion asks me and I give him a smile. “Different and weird but so far I don’t mind it.” I say taking a bite of my chicken quesadilla. Uncle Brion chuckles. “You do have it different than most people, I like the new look, although I do miss the dark green eyes.” I shrug and nod. “Me too it’s weird looking at myself now I’m still not used to it.” Bates clears his throat. “They used to be green? Her eyes?” He asks and my mom nods. “Like the greenery of our forests.” He raises an eyebrow and I inwardly roll my eyes. Now he cares to find out things about me. After lunch I excuse myself to go sit in the backyard under my favorite tree. I soak in the sun and enjoy the feeling of the grass against my skin. Everything feels brand new again. “So you don’t like melt in the sun or anything?” I hear Bates deep voice asks from above me. “Obviously melting right now. You’re blocking my sun, move so I can turn to dust in peace.” I snap back and I hear a soft chuckle and I sigh as I hear him plop down next to me, I don’t open my eyes to acknowledge him, plus I kind of like being near him. I hear him picking at the grass like he’s trying to think of something to say. Suddenly I feel Nexus go on high alert in my head.

“Dani we’re under attack!” She shouts and I jump up just as the alarm bells start ringing, Bates gets up after me and we both start running to where we sense a battle is about to take place. I see my father and 10 guards and our visiting allies holding their own against what looks to be about 200 rogues coming out of nowhere. “Stay here.” I hear bates growl before the sound of bones dislocating next to me and I watch as a huge gray and white wolf run past me into the battle. “Dani, do you trust me?.” Nexus asks and I nod. “With my life.” Thats all she needed and I didn’t even have time to process the uncomfortable feeling of my the bone shattering feeling of my first shift as she takes over. I watch as she runs into the battle taking down rogue after rogue, I understand what unnatural good luck means, she would sidestep one way just as a rogue would lunge and then he would end out taking out another rogue. “You’re amazing.” I tell her and I feel her appreciation of my compliment as she goes harder. I see Bates wolf getting cornered by 3 rogues at once while being attacked by another wolf. I feel Nexus’ worry as she sees and I tell her to go to him. Another Rogue is about to lunge on him while he takes on the first one and Nexus catches him mid air as he tries to take Daxon from above. She slams him on the ground and rips off his head with ease. She was fast very fast, and strong. I feel her power coursing through us as she helps Bates wolf take out all of the rogues. The wolves touch noses and I feel her delight in the contact.

I watch painstakingly as a rogue jumps on my father and bites hard on his shoulder. Nexus growls and her howl stops all of the wolves on the battlefield, it feels as if all of a sudden they’re frozen in place as she runs to my father taking out one rogue after another on her way to my father. I keep hearing her repeat 45 seconds in our head. She jumps the rogue on dad and rips him off, she rips off his limbs then leaves him there. Just as everyone shakes off the howl, the rogues looking confused retreat and run. “Nexus did you just, stop time?” I ask amazed. “It was slowed down to an extreme amount, but darling that isn’t something I can do, that was all you, I’m seeing some of your powers are directly connected to your emotions.” I was speechless at her response as I watch other wolves shift back. I feel embarrassed as I realize I will be naked once I shift back so I stand in wolf form for a big longer. My father runs up to me with a t shirt and shorts on he has multiple articles of clothing hanging around for situations like these. “Dani, your wolf is amazing did you stop time?” He asks running his hand through my thick fur. I mind link him and explain what Nexus told me. “Wow, my daughter you’re brilliant.” He says proudly as a guard comes up with a change of clothes for me. I see Bates and Uncle Brion coming up staring at me in awe. “Beautiful wolf Dani!” Uncle Brion says throwing me a thumbs up and I walk over to the edge of the lake gasping at the sight of Nexus in the waters reflection. She was smaller but she had snow white fur with a black spot around her left eye, her beautiful amethyst eyes. “What do you think?” She asks. “Nexus you’re stunning, I have been insanely blessed by the moon goddess to have you as my wolf.” I feel her appreciation as my dad, Brion and Bates guard me as I slip into my clothes. “Okay I’m done you can turn around now guys.” I frown at my father as I see him holding his shoulder. “Dad go to the hospital please.” I beg him and after a bit of persuading he agrees to let Uncle Brion take him there. I go with Bates to check on my mom, who is fine but complaining about them coming during the day when she can’t fight.

“Dani.” Bates calls me from the door and I give him a what the hell do you want look. “Take a walk with me.” My heart drops this is it he’s going to reject me. Great. I follow him out the back and leads me down to the lake. We get a lot of dirty stares, him from Alphas and unmated young wolves, me from every young female. Older females in our territory loved me but the younger ones hated me, I’d only ever had Kendall as a friend because girls my age thought of me as competition. “Dani.” Bates says pulling me out of my thoughts he turns to face me. “I wanted to thank you for earlier at the battle.” I shake my head. “It’s what Nexus wanted to do.” He nods. “Of course, of course.” He’s pulling at his shirt like he was thinking. “Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden, I know you’re thinking of rejecting me.” I say the last part quietly as tears I refuse to let fall spring to my eyes. He looks hurt as he stares in my eyes. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t do that.” He says softly wiping my tears with his thumb, I saw his anger at himself when he realizes he hurt me. “At first I was apprehensive, yes. But my dad and I had a long talk. It’s not anything against you it’s just I never really agreed with the whole wolf and vampire together thing, or really I’m not a big fan of vampires in general. I’m kind of an asshole.” I give him a smile. “You got that right.” I scoff. “But I cannot deny that you are a work of art and I can tell by your attitude that you’re not one to stand down without a fight, and I like that.” He sighs. “I’m not going to reject you Dani.” He says and stares into my eyes, I look into the depth of his and see oceans stretch out for miles inside of them. I step closer to him closing the distance between us quickly. He leans down and I meet him halfway. The electric shocks going through us as our lips touch makes me want to get closer. Even our clothes keep us too far apart. He picks me up and slides his tongue in my mouth dancing with mine and holds me against him. I can’t get enough of his intoxicating aroma and delicious lips, I wiggle my bottom on his erection pressing against it and he moans into my mouth. I smile into the kiss enjoying the feeling of power it gave me. We stay in that moment until my lips go numb and I have to pull away. He looks down at me and grabs my ass pulling me against him, he rubs his face on the top of my head inhaling my hair. “You’re so delicious.” He groans and we sit by the lake for hours getting to know each other better.

“Wow, so they bullied you just because they thought you wanted their boyfriends who you had no interest in? That’s ridiculous.” I nod. “Notice how the woman here look at me, during dinner or on a our walk back.” He takes me hand and kisses my fingers. I tell him about my new found powers and he looks at me in amazement. “Is that how you knew what I felt when you shook my hand?” He asks and I run a finger down his jawline. “Yes but now I know you feel awful for hurting me.” I didn’t even have to see his thoughts for that one it was written all over his face. “Dani! There you are I have been looking for you all day!” I hear Kendall behind me and sigh. “Hey Ken!” I say waving her over. “Who might this be?” She asks sweetly trying to keep her jaw from dropping. “I’m Dani’s mate, Bates.” This time her jaw does drop. “Oh wow, you met your mate already?”She asks the jealousy clear in her voice, I know she’ll feel better once she finds hers. “Just this morning.” I explain and she plops down next to us and start going on about how she thinks she’s destined to be unmated forever. “I’m 24 and I just found mine.” Bates says trying to make her feel better, she nods then shrugs. “A girl like me can’t go unmated for too long I’m quite the catch.” I smile at her, as my dad announces dinner through mind link. “Quite the catch you are, tell me we have a large pack have you met every male wolf here?” She shakes her head. “Exactly he could be hiding right under your nose.” I tell her as we make our way to the dinning hall. Bates slips my fingers through mine and I feel his annoyance at Kendalls interruption but also at all the males he catches looking at me. I see him ripping off their heads in his mind. She makes small talk with him, practically drooling over him this time it’s me getting jealous. “Okay Bates and I better take our seats.” He looks at me in amusement as I pull him away. “Oh you guys!” My mom says clapping noticing our hands intertwined and I blush. We take our seats and Uncle Brion and my dad look at us. “Son, now that you have found your mate and accepted her, Alaric and I have been thinking, since Alaric doesn’t have a son to pass his title down to and well he’s getting to be an old son of a b***h, needing to retire. What if you became Alpha of both territories we would do a merge of packs so to speak.” Bates almost spits out his water coughing.