An Honest Mate

A Cover Story

Grace

The lights were dimmed in Alesia's and Nathans kitchen as I started fumbling around their kitchen looking for their alcohol stash.

Nathan was easy. He always stored his liquor on the third shelf to the left, right next to his scotch glasses and wine glasses. There was an even amount of all of his cups.

However, I was surprised when I saw the new additions to his glasses were mostly wine.

That man never drank wine. Alesia though adored it. That was one thing we had in common. We loved our wine.

I reached up and grabbed a few bottles of wine and a glass to follow. I debated to raid their freezer for sweets and then decided I wont need it.

Once I sat down onto the bar stool along their counter, I started pouring myself some wine.

I had introduced this wine to Alesia when she got here. We both loved it.

I began sipping when I realized drinking it from the bottle was easier. I left the glass standing on the counter as I chugged the wine. It was harder for werewolves to get buzzed, let alone drunk. I needed a buzz after what I... nevermind.

The moon goddess is unbearably cruel. I thought miserably to myself.

I started crying, thinking of what she made me watch and telling me there was nothing I could do to stop the slaughter that was inevitably going to kill my husband and my pack.

Only a few would make it out alive. There was no way we could move an entire pack to another pack to save my people. The goddess had showed me more lives, and many alphas would die a brutal death just for us, and we needed their support later on if my daughter succeeded in bringing the species together.

She had too. Our purpose is to preserve that.

My daughter.. I guess that is one thing the goddess will bless me with before I die beside my husband. Fate. It's such a pure thing. I was a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. Even if it hurt like h*ll.

My heart yearned to be next to my husband. I shut him out as he felt my pain of losing him. My heart felt like it had been shattered, and my tears scraped along my cheeks like the wind carving stone.

I began to feel his pain reflecting mine with a twist of a strong sensation of confusion, and I couldn't handle it through the bond I needed to drink and forget to make him feel better. To make me feel better.

His wildly intoxicating scent would only remind me of his scream and his eyes filled with liquid begging for me to save him as the vampires slowly cut off his head.

Seeing this stained to my memory will haunt me. I wish I could run to him, but I can't. My legs disobey me. The moon goddess showed a version of him running or doing something like merge our packs, and we simply couldn't do that.

The worse part is that I can not tell him what happened. Only Alesia will understand a small part of my pain.

This gift the goddess chose for me was securing a path to not only my species' but many others species' safety and of course to my daughters' reign.

Was I ready?

The thought alone terrified me and made me spiral all over again. Fresh tears stained my cheeks and dripped down to my dress.

Come on, Grace, get it together. You were taught not to be so emotional. I thought internally. Knowing no one but my wolf would hear the agony in my voice.

Honey, this is terrifying. Our mate, our future, our pack and life are going to end and we can not do anything about it. My wolf whimpered in my mind.

I saw her paws cover her eyes, and her ears droop. Her pain was my pain, and I'm not sure how much heartbreak I could continue to take.

I can't continue to reel from the pain. I have to make a plan and be able to hold it together so my daughter would have a chance in this world. She would deserve it.

That, thought alone made me wonder, Is this why I felt the need to save Alesia back in that alley?

Then my first thought is how would she protect and raise our daughter and her son secretly? She's not trained for that.

We will train her and make sure Nathan trains her hard. What about her being a doctor? I'm not sure. The moon goddess chose her that day in the alley. She, too, saw what she needed from the goddess. She is not to be suspected to hide a child, let alone children. She is a newborn. They wouldnt expect her to have any skills in this new life of hers. But we know she would fight to the end. Her loyalty is so pure and strong. She will love our pup. That I know to be true.

This sent me into an overload of emotions, and I started to down more of my wine.

It seems like no matter what I think about, I circle back into this empty pit. I can't change mine or my packs fate. I die. My husband dies. Our pack dies for my child.

Is this really all I was meant for? This new reality was so hard to focus on. I've just come to the conclusion that I guess that this is just one of those things you have to cry out and grieve about.

I want so desperately for this to all be my imagination, but I know it's not. What I would give for this to be a dream.

The vision and the goddesses' voice was so lucid and angelic. It was very real. I can't sit here and dwell. I have to start planning once I finish processing what the goddess has shown me. I also have a pack to run and protect.

I get knocked out of my thoughts by a text lighting up my screen.

Hey babe. Luke is trying to contact you. Whatever has happened, he has the pack on the lookout. He's searching for you. Everyone can feel your distress. You need to respond. He says you're hurt, and we are all scared. The feeling of you in distress is making everyone on edge. You've blocked us all out. Come on, talk to us. Ashley sent.

I sighed, feeling numb. I had to open my mind again. This was just so unfair! I looked back at my phone and decided I should link Ashley.

I'm fine. At least I know what gift I have from the goddess, and I can not tell anyone about it. I need some space. I link Ashely

Girl, I would be excited for you, but seeing how our alpha is reacting, I'm not really sure it's a gift? Or maybe a curse? You need to link him. He's losing his sh*t. Maybe just your voice will help. I'm telling him you need space after the pain. He's stating what he's felt, and leaving you alone will not console him. She linked back.

She's right. This wasn't fair to him either. None of it was. He doesn't know he's gonna die. He also doesn't know we will not be in our Childs life forever. H*ll he doesn't even know we will have a child.

I sigh, take a sip and link him. Hey baby, I'm okay. I just got a vision from the goddess explaining to me my gift and my future. My raw emotions hit me harder, accepting this.

A vision? You have got a lot more explaining to do, babe. That kind of pain isn't natural. I went around threatening innocent pack memebers. That kind of emotion, it felt like someone died! He said flushed.

I felt my heart falter. Ashley was right everyone really did feel my distress. It wasn't just my husband. My father always told us everything you feel when it comes to distress such as this will be magnified for the pack. It can either be beneficial or it can be like this. Devastating.

You can not go around threatening the pack. l expressed through our link..

Says you who blocked me out instead of communicating! I felt your pain! I thought you might've been captured or dying! Luke said angrily.

That's my alpha, he's very protective. He's willing to tear things apart, thinking it'll solve all the mysteries.

I mean, I understand where he's coming from with all of this, but I needed time adjusting and to process all of this new reality. This is way bigger than him. He can never know, or our daughter will never survive.

Luke, I get it. However, what I've just witnessed is something I can not tell you. I have to grieve this and let it happen. You need to understand that this is huge and that it was painful for me, and I wanted to limit how much you could feel by blocking you. It's not easy for me. This gift is borderline a curse. When the time is right, I will show you what I mean. But only the goddess will grant me that access to share it. Unfortunately, you have to wait and just be there for me. I said, huffing.

I felt slightly irritated at him and the goddess because he felt I owed him an explanation. This is true, but the moon goddess had other plans for my bond and mate. I had to listen to her, or our baby wouldn't make it.

Luke would ultimately in the end understand what happened happened for a reason. He had too I prayed silently. We will die together sacrificing our lives and our packs as a tribute to our daughters support. This has to happen this way.

Huh.. Fine, but tell me, do I die? That pain.. He trailed off.

I felt myself starting to lose it again and decided to finish the bottle. I could tell he was waiting for a response, but I didn't have it in me to respond yet.

I would be lying to my mate so soon. A white lie, but a lie nonethe less. He will forgive us. remember we will tell him when the moment arises. My wolf said. What would I do without you? I tease.

I know it to be the truth that he would forgive us, but right now, it still doesn't help knowing that I'm spinning a cover-up.

If I say I can't tell him with all the pain we experienced, he will know he dies and will ask further questions, maybe even dive off the deep end. He needs to run a pack and defend our kind till we can't. He can't go around thinking with a 'f*ck it' attitude. So I link,

No.

I tell him as bluntly as I can, hoping he doesn't find any lie. I down another bottle and look to my glass that was still full from the first bottle. I began swirling my wine in the glass I poured and took a sip. I set it back down on the counter and feel a burning sensation drip from my eyes.

A single tear drips down my cheek, slow like honey being poured from a jar. It makes it's way to my chin and I watch it fall to my lap.

I look down to my stomach and clutch it tightly. Future baby girl, we will do whatever we can to keep you safe, I love you. Both my wolf and I said together.

Just then, the door unlocks, and Nathan and Alesia walk through the door. I reach out to Alesia and tell her I know, and she rushes to me. We both burst into tears, and Luke runs through the door, looking stoic and then immediately looks frantic and stressed seeing my condition.

"Alesia, please move before I physically remove you." My protective alpha said.

I grab my glass. Goddess knows I need it and down the rest before inhaling my mate. Nathan stares between both of us, and Alesia sighs, and let's go. I smile to her and squeeze her hand.

Well, talk. I said eyes glazed over.

And then my alpha swooped me up and carried me home.