The Rejected Alpha's Counselor

Chapter 7 Bond by The Moon

Ara's POV

Ara taps the button on the device and the screen lights up. A window appears asking for code. Ara quickly types in the code and the device is unlocked. Nick steals a glance at it and sees the wallpaper Ara uses. It is a view of a girl from behind. She sits on the ground and looks at the moon in the sky. Bathed in the moonlight, the girl's skin appears a shade of sliver white, contrasting nicely with her black hair. For a moment, Nick cannot tear off his eyes from the girl.

"Is this you?" He mumbles.

"What? Oh, you mean this picture. Yeah that's me. The photo was taken many years ago, on a hill near the place I lived in." Ara feels a little shy and she quickly opens the operating interface so that the picture will no longer be displayed.

"Who is the photographer?" Nick suddenly asks.

"Why do you ask?" Ara gives Nick a curious look.

"The guy has a good taste, knowing how to use light and shadow to highlight the figure in the darkness." Nick pauses and asks casually, "Is he your mate?"

Ara blinks at him for a couple of seconds. She opens her mouth yet utters nothing. In the last minute, Ara holds back an inexplicable desire to tell Nick that she has never had a mate. She can't do that, or Nick might doubt her profession like other clients—as a wolf who never finds a mate, what qualifies her to be a counselor?

After recollecting herself, Ara answers calmly, "No. The photo was taken by Miss Murphy. She has been my guardian since my parents died. Other survivors of my pack sent me to the local orphanage, where I spent my childhood."

"I am sorry for your loss. It must be a difficult time for you."

"It was." Ara grimaces, "Sometimes I wish I were never born. I wondered why it must be me to suffer all this. It was so unfair. I was trapped for a long time, during which I couldn't see my future. But later I gradually understand there is no so-called fairness. If you want something, you'd better fight for it yourself. Since then, I have focused most of my time studying and was admitted by the Sliverforest Institute of Technology. My college life wasn't great, but it was much better than my survival in the orphanage."

Ara has always been quiet, reluctant to breathe her past to another soul. Strangely, she feels comfortable when her audience is Nick. Perhaps it is because he doesn't interrupt her like people who throw a pile of offensive questions. Ara has summed up the four questions people ask her the most frequently:

Top 1 "Which pack did you come from?"

Top 2 "What's your rank in the pack?"

Top 3 "Have you found your mate?"

Top 4 "How did your parents die?"

It is pleasant that Nick asks none of this. He looks at her attentively while listening to her story and even stops playing the ball in his hand. Sharp-tongued as Nick is, he knows how to respect people. Ara keeps what she observes in mind. She will inform the Moon of his advantages later, which may help Nick find his perfect match. But before the data entry, a connection needs to be built.

"I'd better stop here. I've been talking about myself. I hope it didn't bother you."

"It didn't."

Those sapphire eyes are still pinned on her. Ara nervously plays with her fingers and it reminds her of the business. She quickly offers the device and guides Nick, "Here, put your thumb on the shady area."

Nick gazes at the screen and asks, "What's this for?"

"Fingerprint identification. The Moon is like a database. Each client has their account and the data is confidential. Only the client and his counselor can access the information stored."

"I like this design. I happen to be a private person." Nick smiles as he places his thumb on the left area of the screen.

Ara does a similar thing and the only difference is that she lays her finger on the right side. Once their fingers are both on the screen, a notice jumps out, reading "Recognizing". After a 5-second countdown, the recognition is completed.

"Hold on, don't remove your finger right now. There is still a vow we need to make." Ara informs Nick, in case the latter withdraws his hand.

"A vow?"

"Yeah." Ara smiles, "It is like what people would do in the court. Hands on the Bible to promise their testimonies will be true."

"Do you believe that?" Nick raises his left eyebrow at Ara and makes a challenge, "What would you say about perjury?"

"Don't you dare to mislead the Moon." Ara hisses at Nick, "It is not a good idea to let an artificial intelligence know what a lie is. My assistant may become evil because of you."

"You call it your assistant, but you treat it as if it were your baby." Nick smirks amusingly, "You'd be a responsible mom, covering your kid's ears whenever someone curses."

The analogy makes Ara relax and smile. She mutters, "I love kids". Upon saying that, it occurs to her how strange it is to share this with a colleague she barely knows. Ara feels so embarrassed that she quickly shifts the topic, "I am going to guild you through the vowing. Just mimic what I say to the Moon."

Nick asks, "What if I disagree with what you say?"

"You have the right to say objection. And we will stop to negotiate about the terms."

Satisfied about this, Nick nods in agreement, "Alright. Be my guide, then."

"The date of bonding is on July 22, 2077. The purpose of bonding is to help the client to find and chase his perfect match. The two attendees are the counselor Ara Murphy and the client is …" Ara pauses and whispers to Nick, "Say your full name."

"Nick Woolf."

Their voices are conveyed via speech recognition and their names appear on the screen. As Nick gazes at the device in surprise, the Moon speaks to the two, "Counselor Ara Murphy, do you take this man, Nick Woolf, to be your client?"

"Yes, I do."

"Will you provide him with the most professional guidance despite your personal feeling for him and forsake all other things, be true to him as long as the program is carried on?"

"Yes, I will."

"Do you know the consequence if you don't offer your client the best strategies and are you willing to face the music?"

"Yes, I know the consequence and I will accept the corresponding punishment."

Nick frowns. He is about to ask more details about the punishment when The Moon speaks to him, "Client Nick Woolf, do you take this woman, Ara Murphy, to be your counselor out of your own will?"

"No." Nick answers honestly and realizes this could be a mistake. He quickly adds, "It is a coincidence that we're paired together, but I feel honored to have Miss Murphy as my counselor." During the sinking silence, Nick turns to Ara and asks her in an uncertain voice, "Do you think it can understand what I said? Will it be too complicated for it to take in? Shall we restart? Sorry but it's my first time to do this…"

"It can understand." Ara assures him with a consoling smile, "Actually what you said is unexpected yet impressive. Most clients would simply say yes. I appreciate your honesty, though."

So there have been other clients who have established the bond with this woman. He should have known this. She has informed him that there is a data base in The Moon. Ara is a counselor whose job is to offer advice to different clients and he is bound to be one of them. How stupid he is to expect that the bond between them is exclusive. At that moment, Nick is possessed by a weird feeling he never experienced before.

He tastes a mixture of sorrow, frustration, anxiety, betrayal, and hatred. A part of him wants to kill other clients Ara mentioned so that the bond between them would become the only one, while his reasonable side stops him from plotting the murder.

It takes around 5-month for Nick to understand that subtle emotion is possessiveness, an evil desire that only turns up when someone is in love. He learns this lesson through pain. But let's not spoil the fun and save this for later.

The Moon processes the replies given by Nick and continues the inquiry, "Mr. Woolf, will you cooperate with Miss Ara and follow the instructions she offers you, as long as the program is carried on?"

"I'll try my best."

"Roger. Witnessed by The Moon, two of you now come to be bonded. If either of you can show just and legal cause why you should not be bonded, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I have a question." says Nick.

"I am listening."

"Will I be punished if I break the rules? For example, if I disagree with my counselor on the instructions she offers to me and act on my own will during the pursuit of my perfect match."

"You shall pay a fine imposed by the company and the penalties will be from $10 to $150 each time you violate the rule. The specific details will be presented in the contract, which you can refer to later. Do you have other questions?"

"No…Yes. I have another question. What punishment will my counselor receive if she fails to provide me with the best strategies?"

"Sorry, I am in no position to tell you. You may ask Miss Murphy. Any other questions?"

Nick ponders for a while and says, "No."

"Now that you have no questions, the bond is accomplished. Congrats and good luck on your journey to find your perfect match."

"Thank you." Nick replies in amazement. Although he has stayed in the IT department for about three years and saw various smart devices, he hasn't encountered something as intelligent as The Moon.

The orange light on the screen turns green, putting up a notice "Handshaking". Ara puts away the device and reaches out her hand, "It is a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Woolf."

"The same." Nick nods curtly and gives her a handshake.

The moment when their hands touch, there is a sparkle sends a shiver down to their spines. They loosen the grip simultaneously and stare at each other in bemusement.