REJECTED AND LOVED BY A RED WOLF

HIS AND HER TEMPER

CHAPTER 6

Ava froze in her place for long seconds unable to say a word. A hot sensation had started to form around the rims of her eyes when she saw that Brandon had taken a couple of steps away from her.

She knew if he would step away from the room she could never convince him again to provide the supply to CatStark. She had to do something…even beg if she must.

“Brandon!” She called.

His steps immediately halted. His back was still on her but he stopped walking, standing stiffly, a few steps away from her.

“I-I apologize—“ she sounded like there was gravel in her throat, “If I didn’t take your call last night, I am deeply sorry. It was late, I was already in bed,” she knew her stubbornness would do her no good at the moment.

Brandon turned and fixed his gaze on her.

Ava could see her face reflected in his dark irises and her heart pulsated rapidly.

“Not everyone is as lucky as you, tucked in your comfortable bed before midnight. Some creatures are still hard-pressed on work at that time and almost killing themselves to provide for individuals who need every bit of damn money they earn.” His deep and raspy voice was full of contempt. His voice got her for reasons hard to understand at most times, she liked it a lot, even before…but not now. Now the sound of it intended to inflict emotional pain…her emotional pain, which further stamped in her brain how he loathed her.

But now, was not the time of their reckoning. Ava knew she had to secure first the supply agreement. Ava realized that it was not the right time to fan his towering rage.

“I’m sorry! It won’t happen again,” she promised, “Let’s sit down first and talk about what you need.”

“Listen—between us, it's not me who needs something from the other. You approach me, you need me…it is only fair that you make yourself available whenever I need you!”

She nodded. Brandon was right after all–they needed him, more than he needed them.

“Yes of course—I understand. I will make myself available the next time. What did you want to ask from me last night?”

Ava sensed Brandon have no intention of sitting. She remained standing as well.

“The volume you require? How many buds or strobil do you need, monthly, quarterly, or annually. Tell me the volume and not just say you will buy whatever we will sell.”

Brandon demanded.

“I see—I think my brother said 30 - 50 buds per quarter but we can still buy if you can sell more for stock purposes.” She disclosed.

“We can sell 40 buds per quarter.”

Brandon responded without further fuss.

“Great! I guess that would be enough!” She concurred.

“And let me remind you of the condition of the supply agreement.”

“I never forget, Brandon, and the answer is…YES, I will marry you!”

“Make the arrangements on your own. I will pay for everything, but I never want to be bothered by details. Arrange for the wedding next full moon after this one.”

“Okay, I will make the arrangement. Although I want it as simple as possible. Few friends and family members, perhaps?”

“I don’t care. Do as you please. Call my secretary if you need anything.”

“When do you want the contract signed? About the woodii supply, of course.”

“I will send the documents later, just have it assigned by your president.”

“Sure–”

“Wear this!”

“He put the small box on top of the center table.”

She took it and opened the box, it was a ring with a big stone in the middle a yellowish diamond ring.

“Made it fit into your finger if it does not.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you!”

He began to step again towards the door, without so much as a goodbye.

“Brandon–” Ava called him again. In her mind, they definitely couldn’t appear like this in front of her family. Her father and brothers would make his life miserable if they ever found out she was treated this way.

He turned to her again with a cold expression.

“I just have one request–” Ava murmured.

“I’m listening.”

“My family should never see us like this, cold and distant, so dispassionate and detached.”

Brandon scoffed, with an intention to ridicule, “You want them to see romance?”

Ava shook her head and looked down, “Just what was expected from real mates.”

Ava thought, Brandon had left the room when the quietness inside was too much, the soundless surround become deafening.

She slowly opened her eyes and found his set of turquoise eyes intertwined with hers. She held her breath as he walked closer to her.

And when he stood still before her with only a foot away…she released the air in my lungs like a balloon releasing all the contained air inside it.

The pull–the mate pull, as strong as a magnet, pulling them together. That very strong carnal desire was all over the confines of her office, and they were pulled to each other's arms. They could feel and smell LUST.

That was what Ava thought, but Brandon grinned smugly and muttered, “You wanted us to…pretend? Pretend that this was more than just a business arrangement?”

From what she heard, Ava felt she was splashed with a bucket of cold water, and she knew that she had just given Brandon more leverage than she was supposed to.

She desired him–she craved him–that was so obvious during this encounter, and it would make him easier to destroy her, Ava thought.

“As I said, in their mids, let us show them what was expected among mates. I never want them to know that we will get married for business alone. I want them to believe, we decided to give our mate bond a second chance.”

“You must be joking.”

“Please–” she blinked her tears, “That will be all that I will ask from you.”

“And if I will not cooperate?”

It took Ava a great amount of courage to say what she has in mind, “Then we could forget about this arrangement. I will tell my family the truth and not care for anything–as I always do. Perhaps it would be better that way. Forgetting about our business, forgetting about the wolves who depended on that perfume to let them live a normal life.”

Ava eyed Brandon with fire in her eyes. She had been containing her emotions far too long, and like the red-haired wolf that she truly was, her fiery temper finally slipped, and she let out the content of her baffled heart.

Even if Brandon wouldn’t like to accept that the she-wolf in front of him had once again shown the strength of character he never thought she possessed, he could feel that she would do what she told him.

In a heartbeat, he agreed, “All right. Make sure this is your ONLY request. In front of your family, we would be an adorable couple, deeply woven together by the mate bond. But–at their back, we didn’t have to pretend.”

Ava breathed freely and her pulse began to normalize.

AVA'S PAST

AVA's almost 18-year-old self relaying.

Two months before my 18th birthday, everyone was gathered in our family room. As in everyone, my mom and dad, my five siblings. Seven happy people surround me at the moment, they smiled with saccharine goodness, I was afraid, that our family physician would diagnose me as suffering from diabetes mellitus.

Every day, I witness overflowing love and affection, I felt I was the odd one out in this great family.

“Hey! Sister–” one of the twins called me. Three and a half years my senior, my beautiful sister Amira, sitting next to her was my other beautiful sister, her twin- Anissa.

Amira’s sparkling white teeth showed the delicate way she took care of those teeth including her canines which when elongated could s***h her enemy's throat in an instant. Not that we have enemies, we’ve been living a peaceful life, I never saw a shadow of an enemy.

But–who would dare challenge us? We have over 5,000 strong pack members run by Alpha Avon one of the triplets. Not to mention about 10,000 employees in our business empire CatStark International worldwide headed by Avie and supported by Avis, the other two of the triplets. Perhaps you get the picture, my family was pretty powerful but were awesome people.

“Are you sure, you just want your party here in our hotel?” sister Anissa asked after sister Amira snapped me out of my trance a while ago.

I nodded my head repeatedly but remained silent.

I didn’t want a celebration, but my family insisted on it therefore, I agreed with them. I would celebrate my 18th birthday.

Unlike all of them who managed to meet their wolves, since they shifted before their sixteenth birthday. I, on the other hand, remained wolfless. I didn’t know if I would ever have one or not.

Did I really belong to this wonderful and beautiful family? It once crossed my mind that mom simply got me from a dumpsite or whatever, they were just so good not to let me know the truth. But–they showered me with so much love each day, that I see myself as a puppy and not a wolf.

“Darling, you seem not excited to celebrate your debut?” My dad said, he was the quietest among the members of our family. His solemn amber eyes speak volumes, he didn’t need words to express his thought. But even though he was the most stern among us, his heart was so big, that he managed to love us all.

“It's not that, dad–” I gave him a small smile.

“What is it, darling?” mom asked me as well.

Now, all the eyes inside the room were on me–darn it! I never wanted so much attention but–there was no way my family wouldn’t shower me with lots.

“Am–Um–” I breathed deep and released it slowly, “I’m alright even if the celebration is simple.”

“Oh–Anissa, I understand you sister. But–you are the baby of the family. All of us had a celebration when we turned 18. Surely you won’t expect that we will not celebrate yours,” sympathized with me, but we all knew tradition.

I nodded again, “Then, I will celebrate!” I let out a big smile. I was aware that all of them just wanted me to feel good, but sadly, I really feel bad not having a wolf, like them.

“Don’t worry, I will make sure you will have the grandest event ever held in our hotel,” Avon uttered. He was in charge of the hotel and amusement center operation right here in our community. He was also the Alpha of the pack.

“Thanks, brother A1.”

“Are you sure, you don’t need anything, sis? Travel? Shopping? Jewelry?” Avie asked, he stared at me intently. He was perhaps trying to read my mind. But no one was successful in doing that for years.

“How about a mate?” Avis, the cockiest of the three teased me.

“Ahmm–” my dad cleared his throat, signifying he didn’t like a topic that would pertain to my heart.

I smiled at dad demurely. I knew among everyone in the room my dad would always back me up and my mom too.

Well, they did not need to worry, among all of us inside the room, I would be the last one to wish for a mate. I happen to be a non-believer of the mate thing. I have no intention of having a mate, even though I see others very happy finding theirs.

I guess the MATE THING was not for me.

With the family support and love that she had...How would she be able to live life next to a man who didn't care for her?