The Alpha's Revenge

Chapter 60

Donovan’s POV

I watch as this little woman tortures a rogue and stops the assassination of the King. And looks beautiful doing it. She is radiant in her dark green dress, with a high split on the left side that shows a toned and sexy leg. I am in awe of her. Her strength, her kindness and her willingness to forgive. My uncle is not the kind of man who apologizes. To be honest, I think his apology to Anna was the first I’ve ever heard from him. Any woman that can get that man to bend, to be polite and humble, is a winner in my book. I want to speak to her because there is an attraction that I can’t describe. It’s not the mate bond, or maybe it is, but it is weak. I can’t leave here without discussing it with her. I see her getting ready to leave for the night. I gently grab her hand and walk out with her. We walked out the ballroom and then out the front door of the packhouse. We take a short stroll holding hands, stopping at the entrance to the gardens.

“I wanted to talk to you about something, Anna”

“Is it about the possible bond between us?”

“So, you feel it too?”

“Yes, but the situation is complicated. I have been granted a mate, but our bond is weak and a bit strained. He is actually my second-chance mate. We have decided to focus on other things we need to address right now and see where things go. But I don’t think I am the type of mate he is looking for, and he is questioning that too”

“What do you mean, not the type of mate he is looking for?”

“He wants a more docile and submissive person. And there is nothing wrong with that, but it’s not me. So I think the Goddess has started a weak bond between us because there’s a good chance my other mate will reject me”

I stop and look at her. Trying to analyze the situation and her comments. She doesn’t seem upset about it.

“Are you okay with that? Is your wolf okay with that? A rejection can be deadly”

“We understand and we have accepted it. We are not the same people we may have been when the bond was first created. I have changed after everything that has happened to me, and I would not want anyone to be with me if they didn’t want to. We also know it won’t be as painful as a regular rejection, because all of this was planned by the Goddess”

“So where does that leave us? I want my mate, and if that is you, I would be proud to call you mine”

“I turn 17 this weekend, so I officially should not have a mate for another year. I got Ruby early, so all of this other stuff is happening early. How about we meet on my 18th birthday and see where things are then? If our bond was meant to be the Goddess will strengthen it, or she will weaken it so you can find you real mate”

“Annalisa, a whole year? I have to be without you for a year? This is not fair. I want to be with you now. The bond maybe weak, but meeting you and getting to know you has made me very attracted to you. To wait a whole year is a lot to ask”

“I know Donovan, and I’m sorry you were put in this situation. It’s not fair, and I hope it all works out for all of us involved. But I have to see where this other bond will lead. I have to respect what the Moon Goddess has given me"

"Donovan, what were your plans prior to meeting me this weekend?”

“I wanted to join the elite squad”

“That's wonderful. Do that! Focus on you for the next year and then we will see. Have you applied already?”

I listen and ponder on what she is saying. River whines in my head as he thinks about being without his mate for a year. Can we know she is out there without us for a year and just go about our day like nothing has happened? At the same time, Anna is everything we want in a mate. A born alpha, with strength and courage, intelligence and fairness. She will be an amazing leader, and we want to be by her side. She is worth the wait.

“I just submitted my application. I had to convince my mom. She's not happy about me going away for months"

"Are you a momma's boy?" she asks jokingly

"No! Maybe! Whatever" I respond, laughing with her

"Okay, I agree with your one-year plan, but there’s something I need from you” I say

She is about to ask what when I step up to her and plant my lips on her full soft ones. I pull her closer to me, and she gasps, allowing me to insert my tongue. I feel her shock wear off as she relaxes into my touch. She puts her hands on my waist and kisses me back. We stand there devouring each other. Her taste, the softness of her lips, the small moans she gives; these things are seared into my brain, and I plan to have more in a year. We break the kiss because oxygen is needed. I place a small kiss on her nose and look into those beautiful blue eyes.

“I will wait a year, and then we will be together forever. I know we were meant to be, and I will not lose you”

I kiss her again and walk away. I am going to be the man worthy of being by her side and I have one year to do it in.

King Nicholas’s POV

Anna saved my life. The same woman who kicked me in the head just saved me from an assassination attempt. She is an amazing woman. Strong, aggressive, a born Alpha and leader. But is she the type of woman to be my mate? Do I want a queen who can torture a man? This is stuff I’m still not sure about.

The ball is winding down, and I am mingling with the Alpha’s that are still present. Solidifying relationships and making plans to visit packs. This is what a King does, get to know and support his people. I am thankful that Xander sent Anna to me. That he cared enough for his cousin to make sure I was okay. That he and Derrick took the time to school me and open my eyes to what was actually going on and what I needed to do to fix it. To show me how to honor my father’s legacy instead of destroying it. As I discuss some plans with Abel and Wilson, that faint smell of peonies hits me again. I excuse myself and follow it out to the foyer. A young girl is sitting in one of the highback velvet chairs in the foyer. She has blond hair and brown eyes, she is wearing a pink dress with pink heels. She turns her head and sees me looking. She immediately jumps up and bows to me.

“Evening King Nicholas. I apologize for the disrespect”

“Rise. No apologies needed. I thought I met everyone at the ball, but I don’t believe we met”

“No, your majesty. My brother was not feeling well so I stayed upstairs with him. I finally came down for a few minutes since he fell asleep”

“I would think this has been a boring weekend for you. Not much to do during the meeting”

“I got to meet other children of Alphas, some Lunas. I was able to see the competition and that was exciting. We made some new connections and alliances. I am here to help my dad with whatever he needs of me”

“And what pack are you from?”

“I am Dawn Trust from the Timber Pines pack. My dad is Alpha Donald. I am his eldest daughter. I am 17 and will be 18 in three months” she said with a smile

“You seem very excited about that” I say laughing

“To get my wolf and meet my mate. I am so excited” she says with a giggle

Listening to her makes me happy. Her voice and her mannerisms are comforting. She is beautiful with her big brown eyes. How can I feel a pull to her when I have a bond with Anna? I need to talk to her.

“It was nice meeting you, Dawn. Have a good night and safe trip home”

“Thank you, your majesty”

As I am walking back into the ballroom, I see Anna coming in through the front door. I can’t discern her look, but she seems to have a lot on her mind. I guess that is understandable with everything going on. I am probably no better; as I look at the mate the Goddess fated for me and then at the young girl who I am attracted to.

“Annalisa? I would like to speak to you, please”

“Yes, your highness” she says and we enter a small room off of the foyer

“Anna, I can’t thank you enough for saving me today. You were the only one who saw what was happening, and we were able to record his confession, implicating Elder Peters”

“You’re welcome”

“I want to talk to you about our bond. I know it’s not as strong as it should be, and my actions have not helped with that. The thing is”

“You have found yourself drawn to another” she says cutting me off

“Yes. I apologize for this”

“It’s okay Nicholas. The Goddess was concerned about the way things were going for us. She has made very weak bonds with others for us in case we reject each other. I understand and accept that I am not the type of mate and Luna you were looking for and that someone else may fill that role for you better than I. I also need you to understand that I am not going to change who I am to be the person you feel you deserve. I am leaving the decision up to you”

“So, if we reject each other, we will both get second chances?”

“Yes, I believe so. You should still contemplate your decision seriously and not be haste. We both have big tasks to achieve in the next few weeks. Let’s meet up in one month and, whatever your decision is at that time. I will respect it”

I nod and she walks out of the door. I watch her go up the stairs and my heart hurts. I feel like I am losing my mate. Anna is a wonderful, strong and beautiful mate; why can’t I accept her for who she is and love her? Am I being ungrateful for what the Goddess has blessed me with and about to lose something precious? I watch her walk up the stairs until she disappears. I then look to the ballroom door and see my cousin, and two best friends, along with Alpha Thane, who I have gotten to know more over the last week.

“You want to join us for a drink?” Xander asks

I nod my head and follow them to Xander’s office.