Alpha Gideon’s deception

Early morning conversations

Location: Crescent pack (Sam’s home)

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It’s still fairly early in the morning when Sam returns home. Most of his pack are still asleep, but some of the early birds have started to appear outside of their homes. Chase, Sam’s Beta, is one of them. He’s chilling on the garden bench on his front lawn, sipping a cup of coffee. He’s dressed in a fluffy baby blue bathrobe. Sam’s house is right next to Chase’s, so he gives his friend a quick wave as he rides into his driveway.

After parking his bike in his garage, he heads inside. He glances briefly at the large mirror framed in his hallway as he passes it. His shirt is quite badly torn; it is beyond saving. With some regret, Sam tosses it in his kitchen bin. He doesn’t dwell long on the loss of his favourite t-shirt — his mind is elsewhere right now.

He heads straight for the bathroom upstairs to clean up and look after his wounds. Inspecting the cuts on the chest and arms, he feels some measure of relief. They aren’t too deep, fortunately. There will be no need for stitches. A shower, some antiseptic cream and a few bandaids will do for now. Wolves with Alpha blood, like him, heal much quicker than average, so these wounds should be gone completely after forty eight hours or so. Shallow as the wounds are, they still sting as he strips down and heads into the shower. He bites his lip, trying to ignore the pain. It soon passes as his body adjusts to the water.

Standing underneath the hot water stream, he can finally relax a little. The warmth helps his muscles loosen up and relieve some of the aches caused by this morning’s fight. Washing off the blood and the mud, his body is starting to return to normalcy, but his mind is still racing. The morning’s events keep running through his head, over and over again.

Jesse’s intoxicating, wonderful smell. Her curvy, feminine and strong body. Her long legs. Her dark, curly hair, her amber eyes, her striking beauty. His terror as saw her in mortal peril, the fear he felt as he watched the bear get ready to jump her. Then, later — the jealousy and confusion he felt as he meet her so-called ‘mate’.

Could the other guy really be her true mate? Was that even possible?

Was he mistaken about his feelings? Did he imagine the mate connection when there was none? Then why is her image still carved into his memory, her scent still lingering in his nostrils? How could these feelings have come on so suddenly and so fiercely if the Moon Goddess herself didn’t put them there?

Samuel has so many questions. Everything about the woman is a mystery and he knows he won’t be able to rest his mind until he finds his answers.

Maybe, he thinks to himself, wrapping a towel around his body, I should get help.

He could talk to Chase. Even if his friend won’t be able to contribute anything of note, Sam knows being able to voice some of his inner chaos will help him feel better.

He puts some cream and bandaids on his wounds, grabs fresh clothes, tosses his dirty jeans into his washing machine, and heads outside. Chase is still on the bench where Sam last spotted him. The Beta always takes his time waking up in the morning. Sam plops down next to his friend.

Chase gives him a sleepy smile, stifling a yawn. “Morning. What happened to your shirt? You get into trouble?”

Sam has always appreciated his friend’s disdain for small talk; it allows him to get straight to the point. “Yeah, you could say that. I had a fight with a brown bear. It tried to attack my mate.”

Chase sits out his coffee mid-sip, spraying little droplets all over his clothes. He jerks his head, staring at Sam, perplexed. “Did you just say your mate?”

Sam nods slowly, smiling, albeit with a tinge of sadness. “Yeah. I just met her.”

He hesitates, biting his lip. “I think I did, anyway.”

Chase frowns at Sam’s latter addition. “What do you mean, you think you did? Either you did or you didn’t. Which of the two is it?”

Sam takes a moment to gather himself. He still can't quite make sense of the situation; his recollection may sound a little crazy. He stands up, pacing back and forth, trying to find the right words.

“She’s got someone else, a guy she calls her mate.”

Chase nods, showing some understanding now. “She is married? That’s a bummer. Do you think she’ll reject him in your favour? It could happen. You remember my aunt and uncle? They were married for fifteen years, she met her true mate and they got divorced two weeks later. Just hang in there. The true mate bond is always stronger than a regular relationship.”

Sam continues to pace anxiously. “No, it's not like that — he isn't a chosen mate. She claims it's the real deal. Told me he's her true mate. He acts like it too, he was furious I dared to come near her.”

He bites his lip as he continues. “I am certain she is my mate, though. All the signs were there. I could recognise her scent from miles away. ”

Chase’s frown deepens as he shakes his head. “That’s ludicrous. Everyone knows you get blessed with only one true mate. Your wolf can always recognise the real deal!”

Sam glances over at his friend with interest. He wonders if the loss of her wolf has anything to do with her lack of recognition.

“She doesn’t have a wolf. I mean, I am positive she’s a she-wolf, but she couldn't shift.”

Chase looks intrigued. “Are you sure? Pretty rare for a wolf to go missing.”

Sam grimaces “I’m certain. That bear was getting ready to maul her to death and she still didn’t shift. She would have died if I hadn’t jumped in to save her.”

“Hmm..” Chase considers, “Without her wolf, I reckon it would be pretty tough for her to sniff out her mate. Did she recognise you at all?”

Some of Sam’s disappointment is showing as he shakes his head. It hurts him more than he cares to admit that his mate didn’t acknowledge their bond. “She didn’t.”

He starts to pace again, his frustration rising. “What do I do? Should I try to show her I’m her mate? Should I step back? It all happened so fast, I didn't even get her number. She left as soon as the other guy showed up.”

Chase furrows his brow. “Sorry bud, I have no clue. Can’t say I have ever been in a situation like that.”

The Beta stays silent for a moment, thinking to himself. “Maybe… yeah.” He nods decisively. “You should go talk to my other half.”

Sam looks surprised. “Nigel? Why? This doesn’t feel like a situation that calls for a doctor.”

Chase grins. “I know no doctor can cure this particular heartache. But we both know he's better with advice than I am. Maybe he can do some research. Read books or some shit.”

He sighs. “Look, I’ve never heard of someone having two mates before, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If it’s happened before, my Nigel can find it.”

Sam has to admit that it can’t hurt to do a little research. Even if they can't find anything, Chase’s husband will be a useful aide to have by his side regardless.

Chase and Nigel are opposite in many ways. Chase is extroverted, brave, caring and generous. He’s earned his position as Beta with his skills as a warrior and strategic defence for the pack. He was born to guard, protect, and maintain the peace in their pack. Chase is loyal to a fault, willing to put himself at risk for even the lowest ranked members of their pack. He’s also somewhat impulsive and prefers to tackle problems by jumping into action straight away. While this is often a welcome attribute, in this particular instance Samuel would prefer to take a slower approach, carefully considering each step. Which is why his Beta’s mate will be of great assistance.

Nigel is calm, collected and withdrawn. His biggest asset is his raw intellect and hunger for knowledge, which serves him well in his role as one of the pack’s main physicians. The group relies on him as a valuable resource, not just as a doctor but also as a trusted confidant. While Nigel may not be as outgoing as his husband, he is kind, caring and incredibly patient with others, always happy to lend a listening ear and offer advice.

Sam can use some advice today. Even if Nigel won’t be able to research the topic, or won’t turn up with anything fruitful, talking to him might still be able to help Samuel figure out his next steps.

So, he bids Chase goodbye and he heads over to the surgery.