The Mate That Wasn't Mine novel Chapter 112

Chapter 112

MAXIM POV

Shrugging my leather jacket back on, I race to catch up with Remy.“Hey!” He doesn’t even turn around. “Remy! Don’t be a fool!”

That does it. His fist smashes against a thick tree bough, scattering green and red leaves down around him. With lightning speed he turns to fare me it’s a stark reminder that, like his father, he could probably kill me with ease.

As he’s the Alpha, he could also order anyone he liked to kill me with even less effort.

“We don’t talk of this. Ever.”

“Why? You didn’t do anything wrong?”

“Of course I didn’t! I didn’t even know such places existed this close to the packhouse!”

“Exactly! You need to know how people are living around you-” but Remy swishes his hand through the space between us. Slicing through the dead space, and my attempt to explain.

“You. Are a fucking idiot. A liability.”

“Fine. But you’re a coward.”

“A what?”

Somewhere, deep in my brain there must be an ‘off‘ switch. Marshall warned me about it enough times, mainly because I was always insulting him in the heat of the moment. But I know I’m hurling myself off the deep end here, and I’m not even sure I know why.

“If the sight of someone who has had to do whatever it takes to survive leaves you running then you’re a coward.”

“ENOUGH!”

Without him hitting the tree again, more leaves fall down around us, painting the white–armoured Alpha and his white–blonde hair. But not softening him for a second.

“I think less of you for this stunt. And Warden Marshall for ever recommending you. You’re both reckless fools if you think traipsing round in the gutters is the way to run a pack.”

“What stunt? They have knowledge! They could have given you a whole new view of your pack-”

Remy rolls his crisp blue eyes. “Oh I don’t doubt that. For a price of course. Or maybe she fucks Alpha’s and Beta’s for free.”

“You know I didn’t mean that,” narrowing my eyes with annoyance.

Remys chest is puffed, hands on his hips.

“Tell me Maxim. Did you even go after the Betas and Wardens I asked or did you just get one, take their gold, and spunk it all up that old sow?”

My fists curl but my wolf urges, begs and pleads for me to hold back. It is only the thought of Tessa that forces my composure.

“Don’t you dare suggest I would cheat on my mate. But the girl back there is an exile-”

“If she’s an exile she SHOULDN’T EVEN BE HERE! That’s the fucking point! She wants arresting, and that other hag too for running such a place!”

“Where else were all these people your dad carved up meant to go? There isn’t some magical other pack waiting to take in criminals and scarred, damaged women! They became the rebels that almost sunk us!”

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14:27 Tue, 24 Jun Gi

Chapter 112

I slap my hands together and take a few steps back.

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“My thinking was, maybe instead of reports from people who barely leave the training ground, I thought you could meet some real people. Good and

bad.”

“Real people? They are the lowest of the low. They want removing. Exiles can never be anything more.”

“Removing? You mean killing?”

“If it solves a problem,” tilting his chin upwards. Alpha authority pours from him with sickly pressure against my chest as my wolf struggles.

I choke out the words, pushing against his will and command. “Don’t you ever ask it of me. Don’t. I had no idea you were this kind of man.”

Pale and sickly, but his features were yet to soften. Those blue eyes were cold, his powerful jaw locked tight enough to shatter stones. “Then get out of my sight. Now. I have meetings to attend. You are not required at any of them.”

Without another word I stalk away. Not home, but deeper into the woods. I want to lose myself. Like an errant child, I pick up a stick, thwacking it against

tree stumps.

I don’t get it. Remy, with all his meetings, grand plans for the future. A man I admired! Why would meeting people from the other side of the tracks be so

horrific?

Maybe Hazel isn’t the only sibling damaged by everything that happened over the past few months. Not that it matters to me now. I’m out. Fucked it up before i even had chance to make any difference.

I killed ex–wardens and Beta’s for Remy. Without hesitation. Based on loyalty, the belief a good man leads Ravenbow. My loyalty has left me a discarded, grubby, bloodstained assassin.

I stay out in the woods for a few hours. Purposely too far away to hear the ringing bells. Sitting up in a leafy tree, it all feels beyond repair. Not just my standing, but for Tess too. Remy will surely treat her differently. Not in public, he can’t after his public admiration of her heroism.

But it doesn’t take much to crush someone’s confidence. Just look at poor Daff. Or Daphne as I should really call her. Just his glare saw collsapsed her

new smile. I don’t want that for Tess.

I close my eyes, instead of finding an answer, I find a power nap. The answer to last nights booze–filled shenanigans, but not my career ending error.

“Found you,” interrupts my dream, something prickly hits my forehead.

“Woah!” jumping with surprise at her soft little voice. A pinecone flies near my blinking eyes. Looking up at me, down on the ground, ready and waiting with another dastardly pinecone is my beautiful mate. Copper hair roughly plaited to one side, a few pale freckles, newly dusting her cheeks from the

sun.

“Remy has been back for hours, are you okay?”

“Not really.”

“If it helps, I had a stand up row with Hazel. Told her she was an idiot.”

I quickly clamber down the tree and sweep her into my arms. “Ah my little Pagano. We match. I called Remy a coward. Oh, and a fool.”

“Wow. I thought you two were best friends.”

“Took him to Daff and Mrs Braithes. They had my leather jacket. But I thought it would do Remy good to see the Ravenbow he doesn’t see in reports.”

“You wanted your jacket back that badly?”

“I did. It looks so good.”

She laughs as I take a step back, giving a pompous pose. Only to shrug it off my shoulders. Her slender frame is swallowed up in the soft black material.

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Chapter 112

Her arms slip inside and deep within my chest, my heart swells at the sight.

It’s a declaration, the same as my bite, the same as the marks I leave on her body when I grab her to me. Clear as day, Tess Pagano. Mine.

“That’s why I wanted it back,” mutter. “Looks perfect.”

She sniffs with amusement, quietly looking at the creased up leather. Worn on a hundred different night watches, a hundred different postings and treks.

It’s seen the best of me.

And it’s draped upon her. Her dark eyes flash with all the thoughts I know she’ll never tell me. But it makes me hungry for whatever I can take.

“Let’s walk, prize for the worst morning?”

“Whats the prize?” my imagination already racing way too fast. I get a shy little smile in return. Hand in hand, the leather sleeve of my jacket brushes against my wrist where it hangs too long on her arms.

We walk. We talk. I tell her everything.

Allette’s pregnancy is a shock. Of course none of us had a clue. I’m guessing it was pity sex for Briggs‘ ruined leg and mangled face. But I keep that to myself as we stroll through the dappled afternoon light.

“So Daphne has a perfect smile now?”

“She does. First thing they did by the sound of it.”

“Oh how wonderful for her. I love that you gave them that gold.”

“Kind of wish I’d kept some for us now. In case we have to do a moonlight flit,” I half–joke. If Remy has got his fathers penchant for cruel vengeance after all, we might be royally screwed.

Tess chuckles and places her other hand on top of our entwined ones and squeezes tight. “If we run, we might bump into Hazel’s mad tour of the world. I still don’t know whether she’s trying to find herself or a mate.”

“Allette will keep her in line,” helping Tess over a particularly awkward fallen tree.