His Unidentified & Untouchable Mate

Early Morning Ambush (2)

Jacob POV

I had hoped talk of Zahraa would have died down after that, but it didn’t.

Archer’s eyes raised, and he looked at dad without sparing me a glance. “If it were one of us, would you allow her as a mate?”

I held back a groan.

Archer hadn’t found his fated mate yet, and he was working on taking a chosen one. Working on in the sense that he had a candidate in mind – someone he’d been dating on and off since his high school years – but father kept blocking their union, calling her underqualified, unfit to join the alpha family.

I didn’t miss how dad’s eyes flickered over to Rowan. “I would consider it. If someone could lift whatever curse she’s afflicted with. She’s smart. Valedictorian, top of her class, accepted into USC on a full ride scholarship. Someone like her would make a fine luna.”

A fine luna.

My forearms rippled, the power of my inner wolf rising to the surface for a mere second – because I knew he’d looked into her on Rowan’s behalf, not mine. It almost felt as if he were calling me unfit for her.

“It’s going to take a lot of resources to get her ready to mate, you know,” Rowan mentioned casually. “I probably already poured a fifth of my funding for the ward program into background checks, DNA tests, a consult with a coven… thousands of dollars gone.” His eyes met mine – a quiet challenge. “Does your office have enough money to contend with?”

No. It didn’t.

“That doesn’t feel like your business,” I replied, curtly. “And I’m sure, if I needed a little extra, the office of the High Alpha would be generous, considering it’s a family matter.”

Dad’s brows quirked. “I suppose that depends on what kind of concrete evidence you had. I haven’t built this empire of a pack by squandering wealth, son. If you need money, you’ll need to explain where it’s going.”

As if that were any different from the usual treatment – he’d throw money into the four territories, into my brothers, but never me. Not without cause.

“Understood,” I replied. I finished breakfast in silence while they spoke around me, and when I stood, Rowan stood as well. He followed me downstairs, with the eyes of the remaining family on our backs.

“Alright,” I said, when we reached the living room of my floor. “Spit it out, then.”

“Relax,” Rowan said, hands in his pockets. He jerked his head to the couches. “Let’s have a seat.”

I hated being told to sit in my own home, so while Rowan settled on the couch, I leaned against the wall – call it petty or whatever, I simply didn’t feel like I should have to bend to him.

If it bothered Rowan, he didn’t show it. “Zahraa has had a very difficult childhood,” he started. “I don’t want to tell you how to go about what you’re doing – just that you should be tender with her – and unless you’re willing to go into this heart and soul, with her well-being your foremost priority, I don’t think you should lead her on.”

I raised my eyebrows. “And I’m sure this little warning has nothing to do with you wanting to take her as a chosen mate?”

Rowan’s eyes grew hard. “Where did you hear that?”

I smirked, “So, you don’t deny it, then.”

“Why should I?” he asked, settling further, though his chest seemed a bit more puffed up. Defensive. “You heard dad – she’d make a fine luna. He and I were already talking about her merits. In that sense, you could say I’ve warmed him up for you.” His eyes cut to me, and there was a coldness in them that I wasn’t used to. “But you’ve always been the fickle sort, brother. You would beg, cry and scream for a toy, and when you got it in your grasp, you were bored with it within the week.” An unspoken challenge passed between us, and we held stares for a long while. “Can you promise that Zahraa won’t be the same?”

“What do you care?” I asked, “She’s just one of your wards. You’ve got her sequestered in a tiny little apartment, had to have her apply to stay here. If you truly wanted her, wouldn’t you be doing more for her?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you,” Rowan replied, standing, and brushing off his jeans. He caught sight of the wine spill and quirked a brow. “The history I have with Zahraa runs a little deeper than you might think. She’s a proud woman. I wouldn’t win her over by treating her differently than I do the others – she wasn’t of age anyway.” He smirked, “I suppose it was good, for your sake, at least, that I chose to wait until she’d graduated.”

I wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off his damn face. “I’m not giving up on her,” I pushed off the wall as he approached. “I’m going to figure out what’s going on with her – and then, she’ll be mine. As the goddess intended.”

Rowan put a hand on my shoulder. “Jacob, I’m your brother. I want nothing more than your happiness.” He passed me, patting my shoulder a few times before he was gone, standing at the base of the stairs. He cast one last look back. “I just hope you don’t destroy Zahraa’s in the process.”

And then he was gone, disappeared down the stairs. I uttered a humorless laugh, running a hand through my hair. Me? Destroy Zahraa’s happiness?

Unlikely.