Chapter 2: Welcomed By A New Pack
“Thank you for calling me before you came,” Elias said, and he shook her parents’ hands. “I’m happy to have you as a part of our pack.”
Even though he was speaking to her parents, Elias’ eyes were fixed on Fay. They had been since the party arrived at the Pack House. It made Fay feel very uncomfortable.
She was still reserved. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention so it was a little frightening. Living under Alpha Jared was pure hell, which had her wondering how much worse this guy would be.
But despite her anxiety, Fay was intrigued. She didn’t know if it was his charming good looks, that well-defined jawline, those piercing hazel eyes, or just his unexpected kind attitude. All she knew was that something about him gave her a sense of comfort.
Fay felt a strange connection to this muscular, dark-haired man that couldn’t stop looking at her. She didn’t know why but she wanted to explore it. Her eyes roamed over him of their own accord and suddenly she was having thoughts she shouldn’t be having.
Luckily, someone walked into the room, giving her a chance to clear her mind.
“Ah, there you are,” Elias said as he patted the man on the back. “I wanted to introduce you to our new members, the Walker family.”
Fay tried her best not to look at the Alpha, but she could sense that his gaze was still on her which made it extremely difficult for her to focus. To distract herself, she turned her attention to the newcomer.
“I’m Tybalt, Beta of Moonfang,” he said, eyeing her curiously as he shook her hand. “If you need anything, just come to me.”
A low growl thrummed in Elias’ chest as he gripped onto his Beta’s shoulder, and Tybalt instantly let her go. Fay found the interaction rather strange but decided not to pay too much attention to it.
Her parents didn’t seem to see things the same way, though. They shared a look before Melanie stepped forward as Finch moved closer to Fay.
“We are sorry about burdening you with our problems,” Melanie said, offering the Alpha a sincere smile. “But we had no other choice.”
“Luke, Alpha Jared’s son, was bullying my daughter, and I had to step in,” Finch said, shaking his head. “Things went too far… I laid my hands on the kid… I didn’t mean to, but my wolf had already taken over at that point.”
“That boy never knew what was good for him,” Elias agreed. “But none of that matters to us. We’re just happy you decided to move your family here.”
Once again, the Alpha’s full attention was on Fay. The primal look in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. She didn’t know if it was because of fear or the weird connection she felt toward him.
“I’ve set you up in a house that’s deeper into the woods on the north,” Elias said with a wolfish grin before turning his attention back to her parents. “It’s farther away from the other pack homes, just like you asked. So you shouldn’t have any problems there.”
“Thank you very much, Alpha Spell. We appreciate your kindness,” Melanie said.
“Please call me Elias,” he said with a slight nod. “One of my pack members will come by shortly to show you to your new home.”
Even though Finch was trying his best to hide it, Fay picked up on his subtle sigh of relief. It felt good to know that they were no longer in danger and that they finally had a place where they could feel safe, at least for now.
She cast a quick glance at Elias, who was leaning against his desk with his arms folded over his chest as he watched her intently. Fay still didn’t know if the man could be trusted with her family’s lives, but the connection she felt toward Elias forced her to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I came as soon as I could,” a girl, about Fay’s age, said as she ran through the door. “What can I do for you?”
“Sabel, these are the Walkers,” Elias said, not paying much attention to the girl. “I need you to show them to the cottage.”
“Wonderful!” Sabel said, clasping her hands together.
Fay watched the girl in astonishment. Her strawberry curls bounced along with her body, and her green eyes shone with her excitement.
Sabel led the family along the rows of pack homes and into the forest in the northern part of the territory. It only took them a few minutes to reach a clearing that housed a stunning little cottage.
It was bigger than the home Fay was used to. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that the house had everything they needed. With three bedrooms, a large living room and a fully stocked kitchen, it was far more than they could’ve asked for.
“Elias wanted to make sure you were well taken care of,” Sabel said as she swayed from side to side. “I hope I got it right… If you need anything else, please let me know.”
“This is perfect, thank you, sweetheart,” Melanie said as she pushed a strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear.
A proud smile spread over Sabel’s cheeks. “Can I hang out with Fay for a while?”
The family shared a look. Fay prayed her parents would see her reluctance. They knew she never had any friends so it was obvious that she found this a little awkward.
“Of course you can,” Melanie said with a wide smile. “She just loves meeting new people.”
With that her parents walked out of the room, leaving Fay to fend for herself in this new world of unexplored relationships. Since Fay didn’t want to be rude she motioned to the couch.
“Did you have a good trip?” Sabel asked, looking as joyful as ever.
Once again, Fay got infected by Sabel’s cheery nature. Even though it was all new to her, she was starting to like this girl. She was actually beginning to hope a friendship would flourish.
“Yeah, it wasn’t too bad?” Fay said, unsure of how the conversation was supposed to go.
She didn’t want to chase Sabel away by being awkward or unapproachable.
“I’d be lying if I said I’m not super excited right now! My mind is whirling with the encounter you shared with Elias earlier,” Sabel said, intriguing Fay.
“What encounter?” Fay asked, feigning innocence.
Sabel giggled as she sank back on the couch. For some odd reason, Fay felt a glimmer of hope rising up in her chest. She didn’t understand it but she didn’t really want to either.
“Come on, I saw the way you were looking at him,” Sabel said, fanning a hand in front of her face. “There is some serious chemistry between you two. That’s something even you can’t deny.”
Fay’s fair cheeks flushed a bright red with her embarrassment, and she averted her gaze. She didn’t know her gawking was that obvious. But those words had her wondering what Elias would make of her behavior.
Would he punish her for disrespecting him like that?
“It wasn’t like that,” Fay mumbled as she fiddled with her shirt. “He’s just…”
“So handsome you couldn’t resist?” Sabel teased. “I have to warn you that you’re not the only one who feels that way.”
Fay didn’t know why, but those last words really rubbed her up the wrong way. A growl escaped from deep within her chest and she snapped her head back toward Sabel.
A fury like no other coursed through her veins, setting her body ablaze, and from the fear in Sabel’s eyes she could tell that it was written all over her face.
“Who are we talking about?” Fay asked, trying to sound calm.
Sable moved closer, seemingly fascinated by Fay’s response. “Her name is Cassidy. She’s one of the pack members who has a huge crush on Elias.”
Fay fisted the blanket she used to cover her legs. Those words did something to her. They made her feel so unsettled, like this girl was interfering in her business.
Fay tried to remain logical about the situation as she attempted to rein in her emotions, but she failed miserably.
“It’s said that she’ll do whatever it takes to get him back,” Sabel added as she looked at her nails.
Fay didn’t know what had gotten into her. Her own emotions and behavior were scaring her. She’d never had such a reaction to a man but she knew it was wrong.
It wasn’t like she had a claim on the Alpha, yet she couldn’t suppress the urge to kill something.
“What do you mean by getting him back?” Fay asked as she clenched her jaw.
“The two of them used to date not so long ago,” Sabel said, eyeing Fay cautiously.
***
The moment Fay and her family walked out of the room, Elias felt an emptiness creeping into his soul. He paced along the table as a cocktail of mixed feelings got the better of him.
His mind was shrouded in disbelief, his thoughts were racing at a thousand miles per hour. But his heart and soul were finally at peace.
He sank down on the couch, rubbing his chest in delight. Finally, he thought to himself as his lips curled into a proud smile.
“What’s with the look?” Tybalt asked as he took a seat next to Elias.
“It’s her…” Elias mused. “Fay Walker is my fated mate.”
“How do you know?” Tybalt asked eagerly.
“I sensed it the moment I saw her crossing into our territory.” Elias threw his head back and laughed. “When I met her, it felt like a missing part of me had finally returned.”
Tybalt leaned forward, a look of utter confusion etched into his face. Elias knew that look all too well. It usually came when Tybalt had more questions than he could ask.
“Spill it,” Elias ordered.
“Why didn’t you say anything about it?” Tybalt asked.
“Because it seems like she didn’t sense the bond and I don’t want to rush this,” Elias said, furrowing his brows.
He didn’t understand why she didn’t sense it. Was it because of her age? Or was there more to it?
Elias knew she was young, probably around seventeen. That would explain her reaction, since the bonding usually only happens after the age of eighteen. But he was still somewhat irritated by it.
“It looked like she felt something, though. I mean, she could hardly keep her eyes off you,” Tybalt offered.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t change anything… She shouldn’t be forced into this.” Elias sighed as he rested his feet on the table. “I want her to find out about it in her own time.”
It was difficult for Elias to accept his own words, since his wolf wanted him to let Fay know what she meant to him. But he wasn’t going to let his instincts overpower his human nature. He was still a respectful person, and she deserved all of his consideration.
