the Blind Bond

Chapter 06

AMELIA

My previous work in the gallery required personal contact with people, tons of planning and organizing. But the most important part was to have an aesthetic eye and a progressive mind. And I had both abilities. Finding the hidden gems and knowing how to share their story - that was what fulfilled me with great energy and enthusiasm. I loved my work. I loved touching the legacy someone had created. That was the main beauty of art for me. Most of the time I dealt with photographic exhibitions, but I was mostly interested in sculptures. I found it absolutely fascinating. In my spare time, I signed up for a course in abstract sculpturing. I’ve never been one of the great talents. It was more of a relaxation for me. My own way of retelling the story. My own legacy was transformed into sculpture.

But I haven't created anything since the accident. I even destroyed most of my art. I couldn't see what I had created anymore and snapped.

I lost the gallery job and had to find something more suitable for my condition. So, I ended up working as a call center operator. Whether it was market research or advertising, my job was simply to call people and persuade them to buy something. Anything - kitchen robots, pillows, perfumes, concert tickets, etc. Such a job could be done from home. Boring. Well, there were not many options left for me.

When I lived alone, the days went by like being imprisoned. But Daria was a life changer. Once again, I discovered a joy in my life and I didn't get stressed out that much anymore. Our days together ran fast. Erin joined us quite often and I found a true friend in her. It was unbelievable how much we had in common. During weekends she invited me to spend the evening with her friends, who were always very super nice to me. Nobody was shocked by my condition, nobody questioned me about the details of the accident. And it felt good.

It was Saturday night again, so Erin and I headed to a local pub. Louise and Caleb were Erin's best friends and the perfect couple. Those two had been dating since their 18th birthdays and were real soul mates. You didn't need to see it to sense love in the air. Ever since Erin introduced me, there hasn't been a single weekend we haven't spent an evening with them.

"Just tell us, Erin, when do you officially start as a pack doctor?" Caleb asked and Louise kicked him under the table.

"A pack doctor? Is it how you're calling the vets here?" I asked, raising my brow. "Honestly, Erin, counting out Daria and Mr. Roberts' cat, I can’t imagine who your clientele is going to be." To my surprise, both Louise and Caleb started laughing out loud. And I wanted to slap myself. I didn't find my comment funny. Quite the opposite. It may have sounded offensive.

"Sorry, Er. I didn’t mean to be rude." The guilt stabbed me and I grabbed the strawberry daiquiri to hide behind it. My friend’s warm hand landed on my shoulder.

"Oh, honey. Don’t feel bad. Actually, my specialization is not only in domestic animals, but wildlife as well. And to answer your question, Cal, I’m starting next week."

"Yeah, these woods are full of wild animals, especially wolves. Be careful when walking in the dark, Amelia." Caleb chimed in with a serious tone of voice. He was a bit tipsy. He had at least 10 shots tonight. I was surprised he could still function normally. The guy's gotta have a lot of stamina.

"Alright, my love. No more tequila shots for you." said the giggling Louise.

"And I’m sure you’ve noticed the most dangerous one is my lovely Lou. Don’t get near her when she’s angry, cos she bites." Louise slammed her fist on the table and I jumped on my seat. Someone’s getting into trouble tonight.

"That’s enough, Caleb. You shut your mouth, or we go home right away." His girlfriend did not sound happy at all. And just like that, Caleb bit his tongue and stayed silent for a while.

The overall mood got back to its normal vibe. We talked about favorite destinations, movies, and music. And we laughed. A lot. I really missed having any kind of social life. I felt relaxed and for a moment I even forgot that my life is such a mess. Suddenly something weird happened. Erin got up from her chair abruptly and a high-pitched squeak emerged from her throat. By pure instinct, I grabbed her hand.

"Erin, are you alright?" I worried.

"Mate..." It was just a tiny whisper but I could still hear it.

"Mate? Are we on some Australian beach or what?" I asked, totally confused by the situation. Louise and Caleb laughed hysterically. And I was the only one having no fricking idea what was going on.

~*~

NATE

The last few weeks were a pure nightmare. Nero didn’t know how to shut his muzzle and just talked and talked and talked about Cinnamon nonstop. Any time I sent him to the deepest pit of my mind, he crawled back with the mate-nonsense.

Mate looks like an angel from heaven. Mate smells like homemade cookies. Mate is fragile and needs our protection. Mate is perfect in every way of her being. Mate here, mate there. Blah, blah, blah. What a pain in the ass. I’d rather get rid of him.

"You wouldn’t survive a day without my wisdom." He barked into my mind.

"Sure." I rolled my eyes at him and he growled angrily. But then he tried to reason with me.

"Nate, please try to understand. I’m dying to see her, to sniff her. It pains me that she’s so close, yet so far. We should go to the city center and check on her. What if she needs our help?"

"She doesn’t. If anything bad happens, Beth will let us know."

"Don’t be mean. Let me see her. Pretty please!!!" A begging wolf. That was new. I didn't want him to suffer. I will never forget how devasted he was when we lost our first mate. So, I could grant him a little wish – to see that human. He’s always been loyal to me and supported my decisions. Well, all the decisions except for those related to my love life. Or better to say – fvck life. Ugh, love. Truly not my cup of tea…

"Alright, alright. But we will only watch. Don’t you dare talking to her." I warned him, but he didn't listen to me anymore. He was doing somersaults inside my head like a crazy little pup.

I mind-linked my Beta Zian to join me.

Zian’s been part of the pack for about 10 years. His father served as Beta in the pack of Gansu province, in the north of China, while his mother came from our pack. They met when she studied in Japan. Beta Shin had Japanese and Chinese ancestors, so he moved regularly between the two countries. Once they found out they were the fated mates, Zian's mother decided to stay in China by her mate’s side. Zian was 18 years old when the news of the war of Canadian packs reached China. His mother grieved enormously when she learned that almost all her family members had died.

Although Zian never met his Canadian relatives, he felt the urge to avenge his family. When he approached me, I was skeptical at first. I didn’t know the guy and it could be another trap from my enemies. But Zian had proven himself to be a very gifted fighter and a trusted friend.

And when my first mate died, Zian teared the head off the beast that took her life. Her death broke my heart into a thousand pieces. I couldn’t think straight and that was the main goal of my enemies. But Zian stood by me. That's when I decided that only he could be my Beta.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you want to go to the local pub. I thought you only preferred private parties in your villa with preselected guests." Zian made the point while I was driving. Beth said that Cinnamon goes to the Channels pub every weekend. And that's where we were headed.

"Sometimes change is what we need." I shrugged my shoulders and kept my eyes on the road.

"I'm glad. You've been very tense lately. I'm sure you could use a change of scenery." Zian always told me directly what he was thinking. I was very grateful for such a genuine friendship. It was based on trust, so I felt a bit guilty that I haven't told him anything about Cinnamon so far. Zian knew that there was a human living in our town, but I ensured him not to worry about it. He didn't seem to care anymore.

"I wanted to talk to you about the further direction of our pack. I think it's time to choose a Luna." I gripped the steering wheel tightly. So not my favorite topic.

"Are you trying to ruin my mood?" It was not just the annoying wolf bothering me with his Luna-s**t. Now my Beta has joined the forces. I wondered if Nero spoke to Zian’s wolf Haru.

"It wasn’t necessary. Everybody sees that we need a Luna. Only you are the blind one." My wolf blew raspberries. Very sophisticated. I decided to ignore him.

"Seriously, man. I know this is a sensitive topic for you, but let’s face the facts. Omegas are very unorganized and the clinic requires modernization too. We should also improve relationships with our allies and there is no better way than involving Luna. And last but not least, you need an heir."

He was right. And I just wished that everything could be achieved without marking a female. I knew the pack needed a Luna, but I didn’t want to be bound to anyone. I didn't believe in love and couldn't imagine who would agree with such an empty relationship.

"Who do you think is the most suitable for the role?" I asked plainly. I was sure Zian had the list of candidates and he was ready to hit me in the face with it.

"Samira. Although she’s a bit too ambitious and I don’t like her attitude towards Omegas. But we can still work it out."

"Yikes!" Nero stretched out his paws and pretended to vomit. He truly disliked Samira. "Just tell him that I already have a perfect Luna candidate and future mother of our pups." Here he went again. I buried him deep in my mind.

"Felicity is the daughter of Alpha of the Northwest Crescent pack. She hasn't been successful in finding her mate in the past few years. And as you know, Alpha Dorian is one of the most important allies. So, that’s option number two. Option three is…" I must stop him or he'll make me mark someone still tonight.

"Easy, man. As a starting point, two is more than enough."

"Just promise me to think about it."

"I promise." I sighed with resignation. I only promised to think about it. So, no harm to be done.

Suddenly, my nostrils were filled with the sweetest scent of apples and cinnamon. She was close.