Broken Mate, Fixed By Fate

03 ~ Broken Vow

Before I can nose around further, the door opens and Jack strides in.

“Hello Maeve, what a lovely surprise.” He throws his key in the bowl on the nightstand before closing the door and leaning against it. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

The question almost sounds accusatory to me but he has that familiar mischievous grin playing on his lips and I can feel a little bit of the ice-cold dread around my heart melting. I've always had a soft spot for that devilish smile.

“I-I wanted it to be a surprise…” I whisper, and I swallow to push down my anxiety.

He starts to loosen his tie, slowly removing it before undoing the buttons on his shirt.

“Well, that’s too bad, I would have been here waiting for you… naked… under the sheets, of course.” He says in a low and teasing voice.

I almost smile. Almost.

I stare at him, searching for clues about his previous whereabouts. He’s wearing a formal light blue long-sleeved shirt, black pants and shiny leather shoes. He doesn’t look like he was training to be a warrior.

He looks like he was on a date and was rudely interrupted.

He even smells of alcohol and…some other people, although there were several other scents so I can’t really tell if he was really on a date with someone.

“Where were you, Jack?” I ask flatly, ignoring my whimpering wolf.

He blinks and sighs. “I was with some friends, celebrating. One of them got promoted in rank, so I had to be there.” He shrugs out of his shirt, revealing tattooed muscles that have always made me swoon.

Not today.

He puts on a simple white shirt and I look away when he takes off his belt and pants.

We haven’t actually mated and marked yet, since we only found out about our fated bond last year. And we have dreams, ambitions… plans that will be put on hold or even set aside if we decide to put up a family right away. Especially for me.

“Connections are very important, you know. For our future. Especially this one because his parents are retired elite warriors who now have successful businesses around the world.” He continues and when I look at him again, he looks like the Jack I’ve always known again.

“Maybe they can even help us when it’s time for you to build your own designer’s line of clothing… we never know.” He sits on the bed and taps the space beside him, inviting me to sit as well.

I still feel a bit miffed, but I thought it was nice of him to be thinking of my dream long-term. However, something still doesn’t sit well with me.

“Why do you live here instead of at the training camp? How can you even afford this place… and… and all these new clothes…”

He looks like he’s living a very luxurious life, getting all this new stuff and even going to parties, while I’ve been skipping lunch and eating once a day to save up money to send him for his allowance.

He frowns. “What’s with the royal inquisition?” He asks, sounding annoyed. “Don’t you trust me?”

Suddenly afraid, I shake my head, going on defense. “I just don’t understand how you’re doing this—I barely eat and I work my ass off day and night to be able to send you as much money as I can… How do you afford all this extra stuff?”

“I found a part-time job because what you were sending me wasn’t enough for me to get into certain circles to make the right connections!” He snaps, making me feel very small, but then he sighs and speaks again in a gentler tone. “You don’t have to worry…I was going to tell you not to send anything anymore for a bit. I made friends with the right people—it takes time but…it’s slowly paying off now, little by little.” He smiles and taps the spot next to him again.

I reluctantly sit and he leans over to touch my chin with his finger, slowly pulling me towards him for a kiss. But before his lips touch mine he grins and asks:

“Are we good now?”

Not really, but now I’m feeling sorry for doubting him and I really want the kiss—and the connection that comes with it—so I just nod and he finally kisses me. His mouth is warm and soft and soon I forget what I have been upset about.

“You’re staying for the night, right?” he asks after a few minutes.

I shake my head. “No… your brother has school tomorrow so—”

He grins. “Oh, don’t worry about him. I sent him home already. You can stay with me tonight, I’ll take you out to dinner, and tomorrow I’ll accompany you to the train station.”

“Oh, but…my sister will be worried—”

“It’s just one night, relax. Send a message and tell her to chill,” he kisses me again, effectively shushing me. “It’s not like you’d be staying with a random stranger, we’re fated mates...you belong to me.”

The next day at lunch…

I stare in horror at the menu in my hand.

What the hell is this!? Just the appetizer costs more than my entire day’s salary at the dress shop! Not to mention the main dishes that make me sick just by looking at the price!

I look at Jack, feeling like I want to break out in sweat. “Why did you bring me here!? We can’t afford this—did you see the price of the water!?”

But Jack simply chuckles. “Relax, it’s my treat tonight. Only the best for my lady. Just sit back and order whatever you want.”

My anxiety is filling my stomach up big time. I don’t think I can eat a bite.

“Jack, this is such a waste…we could have just gone grocery shopping and I would have cooked for you—”

He shushes me. “Babe, chill. It’s a very special night because my mate is here, the one who has always supported me and has been working so hard to help me make my dream of becoming an elite warrior come true. and I wouldn’t have taken you anywhere else. You deserve this. So could you please, just enjoy yourself, for once? For me?”

I say nothing, but I am touched by what he said so I just nod, preparing myself to wash the dishes in the kitchen should we not have enough money to pay. Sometimes Jack can be impetuous and I don’t want any more surprises, like needing to suddenly run away before the check arrives.

Well, I’m not running. I pay what I owe and if I need to work for it, I will.

The waiter arrives to take our order and I let Jack order for both of us, which I soon regret because he starts to order so many and most of the names of the dishes I don’t even recognize!

“Jack, why did you order so much, how are we going to—”

He chuckles and raises my hand for a kiss. “I said you can relax, Maeve. It’s okay. I got this.”

“I’m telling you right now, Jack, I am not running away right after dessert. I’d wash the dishes if I have to—”

He laughs, amused. “Nobody is washing the dishes tonight. At least, not you and I. They have people for that,” He says dismissively as he accepts a glass of wine from a poker-faced waiter.

When the food arrives, I silently groan, worrying my lip as more expensive-looking plates get added to the pile. At one point, there is a scary looking seafood that looks like a cross between a giant centipede and a cricket, for lack of better and kinder words.

“I am not touching that!”

“Are you kidding me? It’s a classic lobster thermidor! This is their specialty! Here, try it! It’s my favorite.” He takes his fork and scoops me a piece of tender white meat.

“No!”

“Don’t be such a spoilsport, you have to get used to these kinds of food. Our luck is finally changing, baby! Soon you won’t have to cook at all and we’ll just eat at these fancy restaurants at every meal.” He winks at me so I guess he’s just teasing.

Oh, but it’s so nice to hear him dreaming of our future. I just wish that the future is a little more careful with money.

At the end of the meal, there are still some leftovers and I ask the waiter to wrap it up for us. But then I see Jack wincing and he whispers:

“Come on, Maeve, let’s just leave it. This is a high class restaurant. You’re embarrassing me!”

His words are like daggers stabbing my chest but I remain steadfast.

“What is embarrassing about taking what we already paid for? And you paid a lot, Jack. Too much, in my opinion,” I mutter, still upset about the exorbitant amount of tip he left inside the check holder.

I have nothing against generosity towards those in service, I wouldn’t have been able to visit him if not for Luna Marie’s generosity, but in our case, when we don’t have much to begin with, I just wish he’d be more considerate because right now, it feels like he’s spending money we don’t have, for appearance’s sake.

He sighs and we wait in silence for the waiter to bring back the bags of leftovers. I grit my teeth as he hails us a taxi again, when we could have just taken the bus or even walked. But we’re already on shaky ground so I keep my mouth shut.

The house is dark and quiet when we finally make it back home and I’m already resigned to spending the night on a couch or on the floor, but as soon as the door closes, he lifts me in his arms and carries me to bed.

“You’re so hot, do you know that?” He murmurs before kissing me hard and biting my lower lip.

“Jack, no—”

“You smell so good…”

I gasp as he rips my dress apart and the front buttons roll merrily on the floor. “W-Wait—oh!” He tugs at my bra and breaks it in two as well when he couldn’t figure out how to take it off, and I moan when I feel his mouth on my n****e.

“Jack, please—”

“Mine,” he growls and I can hear his wolf coming to the surface. “All mine!”

My own wolf responds with enthusiasm, drowning my feeble protests as pleasure sparks where our skins are touching. “Yours!”

He grabs my a$$ and whispers naughty things in my ear before moving south and kissing my neck, licking exactly where he will be leaving his mark and this sends thrill down to my toes.

“Are you going to mark me now?” I ask, feeling the heat spreading from my neck down to my core.

This is it. We’re finally doing it. I just hope we won’t get pregnant yet, there’s so much I still have to do—

However he freezes, and then drops a kiss on my lips but slowly moves away.

Suddenly feeling cold and abandoned, I cover my breasts with my arms. “Jack? What—?”