His Chosen Mate (Complete- Standalone)

Chapter 7

I had a great holiday and tried to keep busy with family and activities. I ignored my phone and tried my hardest to act like I didn't care that Kingston hadn't really texted me. It was Saturday morning and I was having brunch on my Mom's back patio before she drove me to the airport. Every time I checked my phone, I didn’t have any text messages.

“So, you’ve been checking that phone more than you normally do, what’s the deal with that?” She asked. I groaned in response.

“Oh, a boy.” She laughed. “What’s his name?”

“Kingston.”

“Tell me about him,” She pried.

“He is my age, he is an alpha.” She cringed, ”I know. We aren’t mated or anything. He is in this pack that has chosen mates, not fated ones?”

“Full howl?” She said out loud and we laughed at the name.

“ That's the one,” I confirmed.

“So, tell me about him?”

“Well he has all that big alpha energy, but super sweet and funny, he is insanely handsome, a complete bad boy, super tatted, arrogant without being super obnoxious, but he is a trainer and is a health nut, has his own line of fitness fuel and stuff.”

“So, what is the problem?”

"I don't trust him at all. He seems like he picked me not to have a relationship with me but to use me to advertise his products. Get in with the fat girl and profit off her progress pictures."

"You always think the worst of people, Ashleigh." She shook her head, not believing what I was saying.

“Hold on mom, look at him.” I pull out my phone and go to his i********:. A bunch of new pictures had been added of him at the beach house, tons of girls. “This is the problem, look at him. Surrounded by beautiful women.” I handed her the phone.

“I just feel like I have enough baggage trying to trust someone, especially a wolf. I don't need to add in all that. Ya know?”

“Is that a tattoo on his face?” She held the phone up closer to her face.

I laughed at her, “Of course you would notice that.”

“I think you are beautiful, smart, funny, ambitious, and no man is worthy of your affection. But I’ll accept whoever you deem worthy. You know as much as I hated pack wolves. I loved being fated to your father. Having someone designed for you, who would do anything to prove it to you.”

“Yeah, sometimes I think about having a mate, but I don’t want to belong to a pack because of a mate pairing. I also don't like the whole, having no choice in the matter, thing.”

“Not every pack is like the Venturas and you know they've changed. I talk to your Uncle every so often. I told him you were in SF.”

“Why would you tell him that?” I asked, a bit surprised.

“He asked Ashleigh and he has matured a bit.” My mom was reassuring me, but my Uncle was an asshole, I hoped to never see or hear from him ever again.

“He is the Alpha now and the pack has changed for the better, at least that is the impression I get."

"How’s the pack these days? Ever hear about Oliver?” I asked out of courtesy, not because I actually cared about the pack, I didn't. As far as I was concerned, that pack was dead to me. But Oliver was my only friend growing up. We lost contact when I moved and I did think about him often. He stood out from the pack because he was likely gay, although he never came out. It was suspected and the pack bullied him, just like they had done me.

“We only talk briefly about pack matters. I know they moved further up the coast and he has apologized for our mistreatment. He asked if we were still in Indiana.”

“How are his asshole friends and asshole sons? They mature a bit too?”

“Ashleigh! They were still pups the last time you saw them. How mean could they have been to you back then?”

“They were ruthless and ruined my childhood. You know that, I’m not gonna apologize for calling them what they are. I don’t care if they were pups back then or not.”

“I know, but you should forgive and forget. They aren’t worth the energy.”

"I agree, how did we even change the topic to Venturas?" I pushed my plate away from me, disgusted by the feelings surfacing.

I picked up my phone and looked at the i********: page that was open on it. The post with all the beach pictures was tagged #summerlove #instagood #happy #love #fireworks.

This one with Kingston, April and two other girls in the hot tub all embracing each other made my skin crawl. I scrolled through the pictures and felt jealously raging and my insecurities flowing through me. No wonder I haven't heard from him all week. It looks like he has been pretty busy.