The Mating Rules

Hadley’s POV

I’m punching the bag in the gym with everything I’ve got as the memory of that bastard holding my mate infiltrates my mind for the thousandth time. His smarmy smile when he thought that holding her would save him, how he had the damn nerve to tell us to let them both go!

My punches become harder. It seems I do still have a little extra in the tank after all.

My fist against the unyielding bag is the only relief from the fear on my mate’s face. She needed me and I wasn’t there, not until her sister had already been hurt and she was seconds from having the same fate.

‘Mother F*cking A*****e’ I grunt in time with each punch. I wish I could resurrect him just so I can rip him apart all over again, feel his b***d dripping down Hunter’s chin as I tear his throat out.

In my head, my wolf growls in agreement, he was beyond furious to see another wolf with his hands on what was ours. At that moment, for the first time, I wished I was an Alpha wolf. I’m strong, there’s no doubt about that, freakishly so, for a warrior, can match any wolf in the pack in a fight, so just think what I could do if I was an Alpha.

I’d asked my mother once, just after I shifted, if she thought I came from Alpha stock, she’d given me a small smile and shook her head.

‘Baby’ she’d said softly, ‘you are a strong warrior, one of the strongest I’ve ever seen, but you are not an Alpha.’

I’d felt a little deflated about it and asked how she knew for sure, as no one knew where I came from.

‘Your eyes baby’ she’d replied, ‘they stay that same beautiful grey that your mama loves so much. An alpha wolf has gold eyes, when Caden shifts you will see it, his wolf’s eyes will be gold just like the Alpha’s wolf. No other wolf has eyes that change colour, it’s how we can spot an Alpha stock wolf even if they are smaller.’

I’d nodded, I’d seen Hunter’s wolf in a pool, and we definitely had the same eyes, so I was no Alpha. I was happy with who I was though, a damn good warrior who never lost a fight. I trained harder and longer than anyone else, partly because I needed more time than training allowed. Hunter was never satisfied with the schedule. But also, so when trouble came, I would be ready and I’d know, even if I was killed, I had done everything I could to protect the people who took me in, gave me a home, and made me a part of their pack.

‘That bag done something personal to you Carrington?’ came the one voice that grated on my last nerve but who I now had to hear on a regular basis.

Dropping my fists, I turn away from the bag and reach down to the floor to snatch up my towel, wiping the sweat from my face.

‘What do you want Star?’ I ask bluntly, not even bothering to look up at the Alpha jerk to my right.

‘Jamie-Lee’ he replies, the one damn name that will snap my attention straight to him.

‘What about her?’ I demand, a*****e better not be here to say she needs marking and to step aside. I already f*cking know and I’m warring with myself over giving up my last couple of weeks with her to keep her safe.

‘I think we should take her on a date’ Caden replies with a shrug.

‘Umm, that’s what we’ve been doing’ I retort, Ok this guy must be smoking something, and he’s going to lead us one day?

Caden snorts, giving me a look that blatantly tells me he thinks I’m the i***t, ‘I know that Carrington’ he drawls, ‘I meant both of us, together.’

Now I really think the guy is smoking something, ‘yeahhhhh, I can’t see that going well’ I reply.

Caden laughs, ‘are you saying you can’t play nice for one afternoon?’ he taunts.

That makes me bristle. If anyone is the d**k here it’s him. ‘I can play nice with anyone, Star’ I growl back, ‘it’s you who has trouble playing fair.’

Now it’s the alpha’s turn to snarl, ‘what? You think you deserve special treatment?’ he demanded, all signs of his calm façade gone. ‘Because you are a foundling, I should step aside? Let you have my mate? My Goddamn Luna?’

I step into his space, crowding him, ‘Nah, Alpha’ I spit back condescendingly, ‘I’d never expect someone like you to put anyone above yourself and your needs.’

I turn away from him, striding over to the bench that is pushed against the wall of the gym and grabbing my water bottle to take a drink. I know why I’m rising to him, letting him push my buttons like this, because it should be ME that steps aside, and I hate it. I hate the Goddess for taking my one chance at a real family, from me. No one else in this pack knows what it’s like to not be wanted by your parents, the people who created you. They’ll never feel the desperation to prove that you are worthy, that the pack made the right choice of taking you in.

I was loved, dammit I know that, and I loved my mum and dad more than anything, but there is still a hole in my life. The connection of b***d, that feeling of being tied to another person, knowing that they are a part of you, I need it.

A sigh of exasperation sounds behind me and I feel Caden’s presence as he makes his way toward me. ‘Look’ he huffs, ‘I don’t like you, you don’t like me, we are well aware of that. But we can’t ignore the fact that we have the same mate and if we want to make things as easy for Jamie-Lee as possible, we need to start tolerating each other.’

I can’t help the scoff of disbelief that leaves me as I turn to face him, ‘we have never tolerated each other’ I point out.

Caden nods, ‘yeah I know, you’re an a*****e and I cannot think of anyone I’d less like to spend time around.’ I roll my eyes, his words don’t even sting anymore, I’m long past wanting the Alpha’s son’s approval.

‘So if you agree with me, what are you going on about?’ I ask.

The Alpha crosses his arms, glaring at me, ‘I’m saying, Jamie-Lee not only holds our happiness in her hands, she holds her own. You know what she’s like, this is killing her, having to choose between us? Leave one of us mateless for the rest of our life? She’s got too much heart, this is hurting her and I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand seeing her struggle over this.’

I nod in agreement, I too have had sleepless nights over the pressure that’s on my mate because of this crazy situation. ‘So what is the plan?’ I ask curiously, waiting for him to explain.

Caden drags his fingers through his hair, messing it up as he glances toward the door to check no one is outside before looking back at me. ‘I think we should both spend time with Jamie-Lee together as well as apart’ he starts slowly. ‘See how each of us are with her, how she reacts to us, who she’s most compatible with.’ Holding my gaze he continues, ‘and then we should decide between us which of us should reject her.’

I stumble back a few steps, eyes wide as I start to shake my head, ‘I can’t reject her Star, you can’t ask me to do that.’

Caden reaches out and grabs my arm, steadying me as he scowls. ‘I’m not, well not right now. I’m asking you to get to know me, for me to get to know you, us both to get to know Jamie-Lee and WE decide who out of the two of us are better matched to her.’

‘But it’s her decision’ I argue, ‘the Alpha said we were not allowed to make it for her.’

Caden shakes his head, ‘no, he said we couldn’t try to influence her, but Jamie-Lee and my father both said that we could decide to terminate our bond if we wanted to.’

I slump down onto the bench heavily, placing my head in my hands, ‘you know you hold the upper hand here, you need her for the good of the pack’ I mutter.

I feel the bench bow beside me as Caden takes a seat, ‘I do’ he agrees, ‘but that isn’t what we are going to base our decision on.’ As I raise my head, he’s studying me carefully, ‘my rank and your lack of family will not factor into our decision’ he said firmly. ‘This is about what is best for our mate, who makes her the most happy, has the most in common with her. I’m fed up with seeing her hurting. F*ck, she ran off to a damn nightclub unguarded yesterday because she feels so much pressure from this thing.

We can’t take the pressure away because she can’t know about this or she’ll talk us out of it, and I don’t know about you but I can’t say no to her. If she asks me to throw this idea away, I will without hesitation. But what we can do is take away the guilt by making the decision ourselves.’

I swallow thickly, ‘I don’t want her to think I didn’t want her if it is me’ I say softly, knowing already how much it hurt her to think we didn’t.

The Alpha nods, ‘we’ll tell her the truth before whoever it is rejects her, tell her she has no guilt because she didn’t decide it, we did. We’ll go together to see her the night before the full moon anyway, so she can choose, but instead of her choosing, it will be us.’

I consider his idea as I slowly nod. I hate it and I have a feeling it’s going to be me anyway, as I’m not sure I can leave our pack vulnerable, nor can I allow my mate to live with the guilt of weakening our Alpha by choosing me.

Straightening up, I realise that my situation hasn’t really changed. I have a few weeks before the full moon where, instead of Jamie-Lee rejecting me, I will have to do what I swore I never would, I’ll have to reject my mate so she can live the life she is supposed to.

Until then, I can spend time with her, show her I love her, and make sure that Caden treats her how she should be treated, so when the time comes I can let her go without worrying that I made the wrong choice.

Facing the Alpha who is watching me intently, I hold out my hand to him, ‘truce’ I say firmly.

Caden takes my hand in his and shakes it, ‘so we’re on the same team now?’ he smirks.

I nod, releasing him, ‘we are’ I agree, ‘we’re on Jamie-Lee’s team.’