Alpha Gideon’s deception

Difficult goodbyes

Sam’s mate — Jesse, is that her name? — is distracted now, the tension broken. Whatever it was she was going to say, it’s gone now, forgotten and lost in the disturbance. She is focused on the stranger.

“I’m okay! I got attacked by a bear, but I’m safe!”

The other man appears agitated and aggressive, demanding the woman’s immediate attention. Sam can’t help but feel annoyed at the interruption. It couldn’t have come at a less fortunate time.

“Come here! I need to see you're fine!”

The stranger is acting possessive over her, assuming authority. The woman, Jesse, is giving in, but she appears to be irritated at the request, stifling a sigh in response. Who is this man, and why is he giving her orders?

Sam coughs gently, trying to get her attention. “Your…friend?”

His mate bites her lip anxiously, shaking her head. “My mate. I’d better get over there.”

Her mate!

Sam’s eyes widen as he digests her words. He’s shaken to the core.

This is why she didn’t respond to him, didn’t acknowledge him! Perhaps, this is what she was so reluctant to share, just moments prior. She’s married! His dream woman is already spoken for!

Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. It’s a lot to take in, but he has to respect her boundaries. He swallows quickly, clearing his throat, attempting to sound normal, casual almost. “I see.”

He hesitates. “The lake is dangerous. You shouldn't cross without your wolf. Climb on my back, I can get you there safely.”

Jesse nods, looking at him patiently, awaiting his next move. Still naked, he shifts with ease, gliding into the water and moving towards her. She climbs onto his back, grabbing onto his fur as she does so. Sam knows full well he’s simply transporting her, and can’t consider this intimate moment anything more than mere convenience; but still he revels in the skin-to-skin contact, feeling her warm thighs pressed against his back as he carries her through the water. It’s a wonderful sensation.

The other man appears to be irritated, putting his hands in his side angrily. Does the stranger realize him and Jesse are mates? Perhaps not. Perhaps he is simply the jealous type. Sam can’t help but take an instantaneous dislike towards him. This is the man standing in the way of his happiness, after all. He’s not usually an envious type, but it’s hard not to feel resentful in these circumstances.

He has to find out more about the circumstance he has found himself in. Not wanting the other man to overhear, he decides to try their mindlink instead.

‘So he is your husband?’ he prods gently. ‘How long have you been together?’

‘No’, Jesse lets him know. ‘We haven't marked each other yet, I only met him yesterday. But he’s my true mate.’

Her reply causes turmoil inside Sam. He’s at a loss for words. Her true mate? How is that possible?

Her scent, the feelings she invoked in him right away, the recognition Colby felt for her… she has to be his mate. He’s certain of it. So how can anyone else possibly be her true mate? Werewolves can call a husband or wife their ‘mate’, meaning a chosen mate, but a true mate connection is something different altogether. You only ever get one true mate connection. To have more than one is unheard of.

His train of thought is interrupted by her mindlink. ‘What's your name? You didn't tell me.’

‘Samuel,’ he responds, still feeling confused and distracted, ‘but you can call me Sam. You're Jesse, right?’

She nods, squeezing his side gently with her legs. It’s a nice sensation. ‘That’s my name. Thank you for saving my life, Sam.’

He doesn’t respond, as he is still trying to make sense of the situation. Reality as he knows it is shaken up, but Jesse doesn’t seem to be bothered in the least. She appears to be blissfully unaware of their mating connection.

They reach the shore safely. As soon as Colby’s paws touch solid ground, and they’re within the other man’s reach, the man grabs Jesse’s hands, pulling her up and away from Colby. He grabs her and shakes her by the shoulders aggressively, much to Sam’s chagrin.

“Jesse, what were you doing, going to the forest all by yourself like that?! You could have been killed. How could you be so stupid? You're not to be so reckless ever again, do you hear me??”

Feeling Colby’s anger rising at the treatment of their mate, Sam forces his wolf to withdraw, shifting back before Colby’s had a chance to snarl or growl. The anger is still there, burning at the surface, but in his human form he can control it, merely giving the stranger an angry, irritated look.

Jesse responds calmly and coldly, standing her ground. In spite of everything, Sam can’t help but admire her restraint as she firmly sets a boundary.

“I told you I am safe. I have been to this forest many times. The bear was unexpected, but no harm was done, thanks to Samuel here. We owe him our gratitude.”

Sam tries his best to suppress a smile. While Jesse’s gratitude seems sincere and heart-felt, it’s clear to him that Jesse’s so-called mate does not remotely feel the same. The man clearly feels threatened by him.

“Thanks, pal. Good job.”

It’s insincere and condescending, but Sam lets it slide like water off his back. He doesn’t care about the man’s impression of him. Jesse's opinion is the only one that truly matters, and she doesn’t seem to be too impressed with the way her ‘mate’ responded.

The stranger grabs Jesse’s arm, sparking further annoyance on Sam’s part. He really wants the guy to stop manhandling his mate. But he knows it would be in poor taste to interfere on her behalf. The other man looks like an Alpha, most likely the leader of a pack. Politics matter — he has to play this carefully.

“You're hurt. We have to get you back to the pack, get you seen by a doctor. You should be relieved it's only your leg that got hurt. What will your parents say if they find out I let you come to harm?”

The man turns his back to Jesse, setting off without waiting for her. He seemingly makes all the decisions for the two of them.

Sam can tell Jesse doesn’t enjoy this treatment. But she appears to have very little sway in their dynamic, going along with whatever her supposed mate tells her to. It’s a strange contradiction — this woman didn’t hesitate to attack a bear with a tree branch, putting her own life at risk, but now she’s facing off against a short and sulky man, suddenly she backs down and doesn’t push back.

Jesse turns around and follows in the others' footsteps, but as she moves, she casts one warm, beautiful smile over her shoulder, that fills him with joy and happiness.

‘Thanks again, Sam. I hope our paths will cross again sometime soon.’

He smiles back at her, trying to control his inner turmoil. She’s so beautiful, strong, brave; he wants nothing more than to make her his, but at this moment, she seems further away than ever. He simply cannot comprehend the situation he finds himself in. He is hers, with mind, body and soul, so how is it possible she belongs to someone else? How did this all get mixed up so terribly?

His smile contains a mixture of hope, concern and sadness. “I hope so too, Jesse.”

Sam watches her walk away through the thick forest trees, side by side with another man who calls her his.

The morning breeze blows over his wet skin, chilling him, but he doesn’t notice the cold. The marks from the bear are still stinging, but it’s not the pain that causes his eyes to water as he watches her disappear.