His Chosen Mate (Complete- Standalone)

Chapter 29

The problem with the conversation I had with my mom, wasn't that she had kept information from me since I was 16. I understood it. It was that it gave me this hope, this idea of what could be. What life with a mate might be like, a life with Troy. She was right, that in her own way she did what she could to sell the idea of fated mates. She constantly recreated and romanticized the love between my dad and her and while I hated alphas through my own experience. I wanted a storybook romance like theirs. It was the whole reason I had been putting myself out to try new experiences when I moved to Cali, I was looking for love. I was looking for my prince charming. I had always been a hopeless romantic.

I think every person wants to be loved unconditionally and if you had to choose between weeding through f*ck boys and jerks over your soulmate just handed over on a silver platter. Especially one that looked like Troy. I think everyone would forego wasted years of heartbreak and just cut to the good stuff.

Troy could be the good stuff. The problem- my soulmate comes with a curse. I could never be safe with him.

But damn did his letter pull at my heart strings. He had been looking out for me all these years, he was responsible for me getting out of Ventura. Keeping my mom and I safe. I felt a draw to him, there is no denying that. I mean, I threw myself at him in the cabin. When I saw him on the yacht, I missed him. I wanted to wrap myself around him. Picturing him now, on his knees in the bathroom in his packhouse, apologizing, the look in his eyes. It’s tearing me up. I wish there was something I could do for him, I wish I could break the curse. At least give him a shot at a storybook romance too.

How could one even break a curse, I am sure he had tried to track down whoever did it over a decade ago. Breaking the bond makes the most sense. But how, would taking the oath work? I was planning to rid myself of the bond just to escape him, a thought that fills me with guilt now. The curse isn't his fault, the rumors are lies, he is a good man, just cursed. He has always been trying to do the right thing by his pack, the right thing by me.

Kingston had mentioned organizing a ceremony to take the Full Howl oath. Was that still in the works? Would doing that break the bond between us? If there was no bond anymore, would there still be a curse? I didn’t know but what was the harm in trying, trying to help my mate who had been so selfless for so long. Either way we couldn't be together. I had to try.

I looked at my message history with Kingston. Troy had warned me and if I were to believe what he said on the yatch. Kingston had been tracking me, stalking me. So many things confirmed this. Like how he knew I had come home from the airport the day before I messaged him, meeting up at Fridays, being in my apartment. How he went into my medical records without my permission. There were so many warning signs that he was a toxic alpha. All the red flags were there but I just kept blaming myself, my insecurities. My gut notoriously has never steered me wrong, but I kept ignoring it. Pushing it away. I had felt like Kingston was trouble and dishonest from the very beginning but I still gave into him.

He had used condoms in his trash can for crying out loud!

I need to trust my gut, I can take the Full Howl oath to try to help Troy. He can have a second chance at love, at happiness, and I can get out of here. Without work, I really have no ties in Cali. Sure I am gonna miss Emily, but her residency is just a few months away, she will be out of state and we will be facetiming and planning weekends trips anyway. I want to be far from Ventura and Kingston. Have my own shot at happiness and love. My chest has a dull ache and the thought of Troy burns behind my eyes and in my throat. I pinch my eyes shut, focus on my breathing and remind myself this is for the best.

As I am trying to hold it together, Kingston sends a message and I take it as a sign.

Kingston: Hope you had a great day baby girl. Missing you. Was thinking we could have lunch tomorrow or maybe meet up at the gym?

Ashleigh: I had a pretty good day, dinner was great. How was your day?

Kingston: Good, spent time with my cousins.

Ashleigh: When were you trying to arrange the Full Howl ceremony?

Kingston: Really whenever you wanted but I didn’t want to push it on you. I didn’t know if it was something you really wanted.

Ashleigh: I do. When would be the earliest we could do it?

Kingston: I mean, I could probably get everyone together tomorrow night.

Ashleigh: Can you set it up for me, I am eager to get rid of this bond.

Kingston: Are you sure?

Ashleigh: Very.

Kingston: Ok. No lunch, Full Howl celebration instead! Mae will be so excited.

Ashleigh: Yay!

Kingston: As soon as I have a time, I will let you know.

Ashleigh: Thank you. I am heading to bed but I will see you tomorrow.

Kingston: