AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Micah didn’t speak up like this often, but he also didn’t let things simply slide. He didn’t have it in him. He was also an alpha, and a protector at heart.
“She’s been through enough. I’m not going to let you string her along and treat her like trash. If you want to keep it professional, fine, keep it professional, but you don’t get to comment on her dating life if that’s the case. Don’t be a dick to my sister.”
Micah had said his piece, so he stormed off, leaving a stunned Collin behind. I took a sip of my drink, trying to play it cool, but I kind of wanted to cheer for my brother. He’d put into words perfectly what I was feeling.
“You know, I agree with him. I told you to apologize or keep it professional and you are. But then why are you being a jealous asshole then?”
“You made it clear you weren’t looking for anything,” he said sharply. “I don’t exactly cross boundaries when I’m told not to.”
“I was nothing but friendly to you that first day. Yes, I was stunned at finding a mate, but I didn’t tell you to fuck off, Collin. You made no effort to get to know me. That’s no one else’s issue but yours.”
He sat down and crossed his arms. A million emotions seemed to flicker across his face at once. I wasn’t going to pry for answers, instead I gave him space and texted Atlas back.
“I had a mate before.”
“What happened?” I asked to hide my shock.
“Alexander was my chosen mate. I thought we were happy. He was a sweet omega that I would have done anything for. Then one day, I came home with flowers and chocolates to surprise him, and found him with another alpha in our bed.”
“I’m sorry, Collin,” I said gently. It was hard not to feel bad for the guy, but at the same time, I wasn’t that omega.
“A lot of people asked me afterwards if we were even mates.”
“What?” I cut him off before he could continue. “Why would that have to matter? It was your bed. That’s so many levels of disrespect, mates have nothing to do with it.”
He gave me a sad smile. “That was my exact thought. If he’d found a fated mate, I would have understood and supported him. Chosen mates don’t need to be tossed aside like yesterday’s garbage.”
“Except in this case. Fuck that guy,” I muttered.
“It took me a long time to realize that I never could have meant anything to him. He did the typical breakdown, tears and then it turned to blaming me for his choices. I just packed my bags and walked out, leaving him and our life behind.”
“I’m not Alexander. I’ve got other mates but I’m open and honest about it. We are not at the ‘forming a pack’ point yet, but when we are, I’d want you guys to be friends, not side eyeing each other. But you either want to see this mate thing through, or you don’t, Collin. That’s a choice you have to make.”
“I’m such an ass,” he said, sighing heavily. He leaned forward and ran his hands through his dark hair. He glanced up at me, emerald eyes full of pain and frustration.
“We can just be friends first,” I told him. “I get that trust is hard, it’s really hard for me to give anyone a chance after that brutal rejection. But I don’t want to hold myself back from happiness.”
“Yeah, I saw that, it was pretty brutal. They definitely wanted you to look stupid but it backfired,” he noted. “It made you seem oblivious and naive but I know that’s not the case.”
“Maybe in a way I was,” I said. “I went on that show because I’d always believed in packs and fairytales. I had to believe that there were better packs than the one that raised me. I’ve read about amazing ones in books and wanted that for myself. Yet I’d never even had real long-time friends before.”
“You seem to be doing just fine here,” he pointed out.
“Apparently, Lockwood’s different, or maybe I am now. Either way, I went on that show thinking that it could be my chance. Yet those men couldn’t hold a candle for what I felt when I met you guys.”
“What if things had worked out between the pack and you came here anyway, found your fated mates?”
“Probably expanded the pack and own my harem,” I joked. “But honestly, I could never imagine forming an emotional connection with someone and just kicking it aside. Our connection is strong and hard to ignore, but it doesn’t render me stupid.”
“I want to try this,” he told me. “I don’t really know what I’m doing anymore but I’d like to try.”
“I’d love that,” I said honestly, relieved we got this out in the open. It was an ‘awkward as fuck’ conversation but a necessary one.
Micah yelled somewhere in the house and something crashed, ending our conversation. Collin rushed off and I let him handle it, taking a moment to process everything he said.
It seemed like the more I got to know my mates the easier it was to see that we all had our own pasts to overcome. As much as I hated that they were hurting or had dealt with something traumatic, it was nice to know that we all would have to fight for this.
Starting off at the same level would only make us stronger in the end.
