Love Me Back, Alpha

Chapter 4

Katie

Frank’s mother guided me gently away from the gathering. Her hand rested lightly on my arm. She was looking at me with so much concern. My father followed closely behind. I felt numb as if the conversation I’d just had with Frank had stripped away any hope I had left. All I wanted was to leave, to return home, and forget this entire day had ever happened.

“Katie,” Frank’s mother began, “I know this must be incredibly hard for you. But we need to talk.”

I didn’t respond.

What was there to say?

Frank’s feelings were clear. He had made his decision, and it was final. It was clear that he didn’t want me and no matter what I said or did, nothing would change that. The thought settled into my chest like a heavy stone. It was a painful truth I could no longer deny.

“We don’t want you to give up so easily,” she continued. Then she glanced at my father for support. “The bond between mates is stronger than anything. Frank may not realize it now, but the Moon Goddess’s will can’t be ignored forever.”

I stared at her. I was still thinking of Frank’s rejection.

How could she believe that he would change his mind?

He had looked straight into my eyes and told me, without hesitation, that he loved someone else. His exact words were still drilled inside my mind.

How could anything convince him otherwise?

My father stepped forward. “Katie, this isn’t just about you and Frank. Our packs depend on this union. Taking it back now… it could lead to conflict.”

I swallowed hard. I felt a lump in my throat. Of course, there was more at stake than just my feelings. This was about the future of both packs. The peace and prosperity that had been promised with our mateship. But how could I be expected to stay and try to make this work when Frank didn’t even want me?

“Please, Katie,” she begged. “We know how much this hurts, but Frank just needs time. If you stay, if you give him a chance to get to know you better, we believe he’ll come to accept the bond.”

I wanted to believe her, but it was hard to hold on to hope when the man I’d spent years admiring had just shattered my heart. Still, their words stirred something inside me. I was clinging to the last shred of hope that maybe Frank might change his mind.

“What if he never does? What if he will never love me?” I asked.

My father sighed. He placed his hand on my shoulder. “We can’t predict the future, Katie. But you owe it to yourself and to our pack to try.”

I bit my lip as I glanced between my father and Frank’s mother. They were right. This wasn’t just about me anymore. My mateship to Frank had been announced to both packs. If I left now, it would cause chaos. Maybe even a rift between Longridge and Silverwolf. And despite everything, I didn’t want to be the one responsible for that.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I whispered. “I don’t know if I can stay and pretend like everything is okay.”

“You won’t be pretending,” Frank’s mother consoled me. “You’ll be giving him time. Time to realize what he’s giving up. The mate bond is powerful, Katie. We believe it will bring him back to you.”

My mind raced.

Could I really do this?

Could I stay in Silverwolf, knowing that Frank was still in love with Audrey, the Beta’s daughter?

Could I spend every day hoping he might come to love me the way I loved him?

I closed my eyes for a moment and heaved a deep breath. “I’ll stay. But only for a year. After that, if nothing changes…”

“You’ll do everything you can,” my father finished for me. “We’ll respect your decision whatever happens.”

A year. It felt like both an eternity and a blink of an eye.

How was I supposed to endure an entire year of uncertainty, not knowing if Frank would ever accept me as his mate?

But there was no other choice. I had to try… for my pack, for my family, and for the hope that maybe the Moon Goddess’s will would prevail.

Frank’s mother smiled. I could see the relief washing over her features. “Thank you, Katie. I know this isn’t easy, but we’re all here for you. We’ll support you every step of the way.”

I nodded. Though my heart was still heavy with doubt. I wasn’t sure if I could truly win Frank’s heart, but I owed it to myself and to the bond we shared to give it one last chance.

One year. That was all the time I had to prove myself to Frank, to show him that our bond was stronger than whatever feelings he had for Audrey. I could only pray that, in time, he would come to love me the way I had always dreamed.