He’s My Alpha by Cassandra M (Jake & Clair)
Chapter 30
CLAIR
The constant knocking on my door woke me up from my sleep. I grunted and pulled the blanket over my head before answering. “No, please!! Go away! I want to sleep!”
Before my Dad answered, I heard a chuckle behind the door. “I will go away, but I want to see you before I leave. Now open the door, sweetheart!”
I grunted again before pulling myself out of my bed and dragging my feet towards the door. I yawned as I opened the door to see my father holding a chocolate cake with a candle on it.
“Happy Birthday, sweetheart!” He greeted me enthusiastically, his eyes full of love and happiness. “Dad!” A warm smile crept on my face as I stared at his handsome face. “Thankyou!” I whispered, blowing the candle after making a wish.
Dad opened his one free arm and enveloped me in a hug while balancing the cake with his other hand. ” I don’t have a baby anymore…” He kissed my forehead. He sounded defeated.
I tilted my head and looked at him. “Because you threw me away when I was still a baby!” I teased him, and I didn’t miss the pain in his eyes.
“One day, you will understand why I did it. One day, sweetheart. But I hope you know I love you with all my heart.”
I nodded my head, even if his words were still confusing me. He kept saying that since I came back, that one day everything would make sense. “I love you too, Dad! I’ll always be your little sweetheart. You can’t run away from that!” I a*s*sured him, wiggling my brows as I hugged him tightly.
He smiled and kissed my forehead before he let me go. “Now I have to work, but we’ll celebrate when I come home. I’ll make dinner. Tell Jenny and Chloe to come over later.”
I nodded and watched him as he went. I sighed and went back to my room, sitting at the end of my bed.
My mind went back to the conversation I had with Jenny.
Jenny and I went to a bar last night. She wanted me to have fun and try to sniff my mate. He thought maybe he was somewhere, so we waited until it was midnight, but nothing happened.
And I was relieved. I didn’t tell her that I wasn’t planning on finding my mate anymore. I knew who I wanted.
I dragged her out of the bar as soon as I was done sniffing the whole area. As we drove home, we talked about Jake and how I was falling for him. And then she asked me if I ever thought that the Alpha was my mate.
To be honest, it never occurred to me. Why would I be mated to an Alpha?
Mate bonds between pack members were rare. It is more rare for Alphas to find their mate among their people. They were usually mated with females from other packs who were of Alpha or Beta lineage. And I wasn’t one.
So I was not worried. I belonged to his pack.
I was confident until she told me that my parents were not originally from this pack. And asked if I was sure that my parents were not from the Alpha or Beta bloodline, since she told me that he could sometimes sense my father’s strong aura.
I knew Jenny would never lie to me about sensing Dad’s strong aura. It kept me awake the whole night. I wonder if she was right. Was it possible?
I needed to find out before Jake did.
Because I have no idea how I would handle it if we ended up as fated mates.
He would never have me. He would see me as a curse. Someone not worthy of him and his pack.
And I didn’t think I could take it if he rejected me.
So many things were running through my mind. We were doing great without this mate bond! He wanted me! I knew it.
I just needed to prove we were not fated mates. So I could move on from these thoughts.
I made my way towards the pack house, hiding by the big oak tree as I heard the front door open.
Beta Gavin stepped out with papers in his hand, not minding his surroundings, which I was thankful for. Otherwise, he would have seen me and it was the last thing I wanted.
As soon as the packhouse grounds were cleared, I hurriedly entered the front door and made as little noise as possible. I made my way towards the hallway and stopped outside the Alpha’s office.
And then I smelled it – it was faint but intoxicating, something I’ve never smelled before.
I was thrown into a trance as my hand held the doorknob, wanting to follow the scent.
“Mate! Mate was here!” Rain howled in my head as she started pacing around, tongue out and wanting to see who was our mate.
My eyes widened as I snapped out of my trance. My mate. He’s been here. My jaw dropped as I let go of the doorknob. Frustration took over when the realization hit that my mate belonged to this pack, or worse, it could be the Alpha or his Beta.
I shook my head and was about to run away when I heard footsteps from the other side of the hallway. With no way out, I dashed off to the stairs, and before I knew it, my feet led me to the third floor, where Jake’s bedroom was.
I stood in the hallway leading to his room, and once again the intoxicating smell of forest and pinewood swirled around me. Tears started to pool in my eyes as I took the most excruciating steps I’ve taken in my whole life towards his bedroom.
I sent a silent prayer to the Goddess, but I didn’t know what I was praying for.
It’s either Jake was my mate or someone from this pack. Either way, I would be crushed.
How could I reject my mate and be with Jake knowing he belonged to this pack?
But what if the Alpha was my mate? Will he still want me or will he think I’m his curse?
I found myself at the front of his bedroom, contemplating if I should go in or turn around. But I needed to know. I pressed the code in and opened his door, and tears started to trickle down from my eyes.
His scent enveloped my senses — forest and pinewood.
I found him. I found my mate.
Mine. He was supposed to be mine.
“Mate.” Rain lost it as she started to cry in my head, pleading for me to stay and wait for our mate. “I’m sorry, Rain. I don’t think he will want us now if he finds out we are his mate.” I wiped my tears off my face as I gathered all my strength and walked towards the windows, leaving them open, letting the fresh air in, and hoping it would be enough to blow away my scent.
I then swiped one of his used sweatshirts that he left hanging and held it to my chest as I walked towards the door. I was doing my best not to crumble and break down. I needed to be strong for me and my wolf.
We didn’t deserve to be rejected, and I would never give him the chance to do it before I was ready.
I took one last look at the room that witnessed our intimate moment, the best night of my life. It hurt my heart, but at least I knew that I had saved myself for him.
JAKE
After spending three days in the Blue Meadows Pack territory, I had enough. I asked my Gamma if we could leave at midnight so we could be home by lunchtime the next day instead of leaving at dusk.
My wolf has been restless since yesterday. I was under the impression that he didn’t like to stay longer because of the she-wolves around this pack that shamelessly flirt and drop hints of wanting to spend time with me. Or maybe he simply missed Clair, as I did.
We’ve been driving since one in the morning, only stopping to stretch out our arms and legs.
By eleven in the morning, we were wasted and hungry. We were just three hours away from the territory, but our hunger kept growing, so we decided to stop by this diner along the highway. Just a short stop and then we’ll head home.
Tired from driving, I dragged my feet and opened the door that would lead us inside the diner. I was eager to have my first meal of the day.
And then suddenly, it hit me.
The most intoxicating and sweetest smell overwhelmed my senses. It was a mixture of wild berries and jasmine.
f*uc*k this! I found my mate!
It was only a faint smell, but enough to perk up excitement in my wolf. Echo was howling and calling out for our mate as I stood frozen by the door, my hands gripping the door pillars so tightly that they began to dent from my tight grip.
This could not be happening! I closed my eyes and thought of Clair.
Clair and her luscious lips, how they seemed perfectly molded to mine. How her smile brightened my day. How her presence was enough to keep me going.
I wanted Clair. Not anyone else.
I have to get back to her! I don’t want to meet my f*uc*king mate!