1 - My mate is a cheater
Caitlyn POV
The world went silent as I stood outside, staring through the window. I could see my reflection in the glass, and was once again reminded of the harsh reality - I was only an Omega. Even though I worked hard to look my best for the occasion, it wasn’t enough to hide the truth about my identity. My fair skin wasn’t tan like a warrior’s; my long chestnut hair with curly ends didn’t shine under the sunlight; my hazel eyes weren’t as vivid as emeralds or sapphires. Nothing about me was remotely special. I was just an average girl.
Yet, when Gamma Caleb Tremblay messaged me one hour ago, on the morning of my eighteenth birthday, I believed he had seen something special in me. He told me to meet him in the guestroom of the pack house. My wolf, Faye, whom I had met just a few hours ago, convinced me to accept his invitation. He had always been a close friend, but when he turned eighteen two years ago, he became distant. It all made sense for a second - when he got his wolf, he figured out that I was his mate and didn’t want to ruin the surprise for me. At least, that was what I foolishly thought.
As I watched Caleb through the window, grunting as he pleased another she-wolf, I realized how stupid I had been. When his cold blue eyes finally met mine, the corner of his lips instantly turned up in a mischievous grin. For some reason, I couldn’t stop staring at the scene as he continued to thrust inside the blonde girl, who was on all fours over the mattress. When she lifted her head up, noticing me, she furrowed her eyebrows.
“Caleb, I think somebody’s watching us,” she breathed out. Despite her low voice, my heightened hearing allowed me to understand her words. I never hated being a werewolf more than I did now.
“Don’t mind her.” I heard him scoff in response, his eyes never leaving mine. “It’s just my Omega mate.”
His words cut through me like a knife. I wanted to run away, but my legs were shaking so much I was afraid I would fall if I tried to move. Tears were streaming down my face as silent sobs escaped my slightly parted lips, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away. I was completely frozen; even my wolf had gone quiet. I watched Caleb impale the former Beta’s daughter one last time, roaring as he reached his release. He removed himself from her, slapping her ass before he stood up. Naked and covered in sweat, he walked towards me, opening the window.
“Happy birthday, Cait. Now you know.” Caleb laughed, running his hands through his golden slicked back hair. His heavenly earthly scent was suppressed by the sickening smell of s*x. It made me nauseous. “You can join the fun if you want to, but that’s it. There’s no way in hell I’ll accept an Omega as my mate.”
It took all of my strength to hold back any more tears - I didn’t want him to see me cry any longer than I had. As I stared into his eyes, I was a mix of sadness and anger. I never expected him to be so cold and cruel; we used to be friends. Right now, however, wasn’t the time to think. I had to do something. Part of me wanted to be with him so badly, show him I could be worthy of his love… but another part hated him. And my fury was overshadowing my hope.
“Do it,” Faye’s faint voice echoed inside my head, making me widen my eyes.
Our animal side usually craves for love, lust, and passion. Our counterparts faithfully believe in the mate bond, to the point where some wolves would take over their human’s body to prevent them from disrespecting their mates. I didn’t know Faye that well yet - although she was a reflection of my soul, my other half, our connection had just been established. It surprised me to know she supported my desire to let go of our mate without fighting.
“Are you sure?” I asked her, second guessing the decision myself.
“He’ll only make us suffer. I just know it,” she replied assertively. I could sense her sadness and pain, but it didn’t cloud her judgment. She was wise and had her priorities straight. “Do it.”
“What? There’s no need to be shy.” Caleb’s voice cut through the silence, pulling me from my thoughts. “I know you want me. The mate bond is making you crazy about me, isn’t it?”
I clenched my fists as I looked down, unable to stare at him any longer. This man… I didn’t know him at all. “I-I, C-Caitlyn…” I stuttered, my voice low as a whisper. It was as if my body was trying to stop me from saying the words.
“What was that?” He lowered himself to look into my eyes again. Now, they were filled with fury. “You think you can reject me? It seems you’ve forgotten your place, Omega,” he sneered, holding his head up again. “I’ll spare you the trouble. I, Caleb Tremblay, Gamma of the Ninebark Pack, reject you, Caitlyn De Bruin, as my mate and Gamma Female.”
The words came out of his mouth so easily; there was no regret in his tone. He just wanted to get it over with. To him, I was nothing but a burden, a rock in his perfect Gamma shoes. I shook my head, taking a deep breath as I too lifted my head up. There was braveness in my hazel eyes as I faced him one last time. Omegas are usually poor; we don’t have much. But I still had my dignity, and I had every intention of keeping it.
“I, Caitlyn De Bruin, Omega of the Ninebark Pack, accept your rejection.”
It is common knowledge that being rejected can cause great pain, especially to wolves of lower ranks. It wasn’t uncommon for weaker Omegas to die during the event. Needless to say, I was surprised when I didn’t feel a thing. I was still sad and hurting of course, but there was no physical pain, no visible consequences. Even Caleb winced when our bond was broken, a hint of pain evident in his blue eyes. How come I wasn’t suffering?
“I’m taking all of it,” Faye said in a weak voice. “You don’t deserve to go through this, Cait. But I can’t endure it much longer. I’ll be out for a moment… while I heal.”
“I’m sorry, Faye,” I whispered sincerely, but she was already gone.
Without wasting another second, I turned around and ran away. I could hear the Beta’s daughter laughing amusedly, but I didn’t look back. I didn’t try to see Caleb’s reaction. It didn’t matter anymore. All I wanted was to avoid the pitiful looks and curious whispering of the pack members around me, and I knew exactly where to go.
At the highest point in our territory, there were a few wooden benches among several Ninebark bushes - hence the name of our pack. At night, it was a nice spot for couples to enjoy some time with each other, but during the day, while most pack members were busy, it was peaceful. I loved coming up here to take in the view. In March, the hills and pine trees were always covered in snow. It was so white; so pure.
All werewolves have naturally warm bodies, but Canadian wolves are even more resilient to the cold. Still, the cobalt blue sundress I had picked out to impress Caleb wasn’t appropriate for this type of weather. Alone, I hugged myself in an attempt to protect my bare skin from the chilly wind. There was too much on my mind; I wasn’t ready to go home and change yet.
Why? The question didn’t seem to leave my head, and thinking about it caused me great pain. In our pack, Omegas were treated with respect despite being the lowest rank. No one looked down on us, and most times, the high ranking members would even hang out with us. The Gamma and I used to be very close growing up. Since I was raised without a father, Caleb was the closest thing I had to a masculine figure in my life. He was like an older brother; I admired him beyond belief. I thought he cared for me. So why did he reject me in such a cruel way?
“Cait?” I heard a familiar voice call in the distance, but I didn’t bother looking up. “Cait! How did it go?”
In less than a second, my best friend Megan was standing right next to me. Her natural wavy black hair, which had recently been dyed in an ombre white style, danced in the morning breeze. She was wearing a black winter jacket with a faux fur neck over her sports bra. She was an Omega like me, but had started training to become a warrior three years ago. As soon as her brown orbs landed on my watery eyes, her excitement was gone.
“Oh, Goddess.” She brought her hand up to her lips with concern. “Don’t tell me that he…”
“He rejected me,” I stated sadly. “I mean, I tried to reject him, but then I couldn’t, and he…” My sentence was cut short by my sobs.
“Shh, it’s okay, babe.” Megan sat down by my side, holding my head as she rocked me. “I’m gonna kill that bastard, you’ll see!” She growled.
“No!” I immediately stopped crying, looking straight into her eyes. “It’s fine, Meg. If he didn’t want me… then so be it.” I tried to sound strong.
Disrespecting a ranked member was punishable by werewolf law. If she so much as called Caleb a bastard in front of him, she could get into serious trouble. And I had no doubts she would try something, especially after she heard about what he did to me - which is why I couldn’t tell her. At least for now, I couldn’t let her know how much I was hurting. How my heart had been broken into a thousand pieces. How my wolf was in so much pain she had to cut our connection while she healed.
Megan didn’t seem to buy it, but she showed me a half-smile and rubbed my shoulder. “That’s my girl. It’s his loss. I’m sure he’ll realize it soon enough. If he’s lucky, he’ll apologize before I have to knock his teeth out of his mouth.”
“Hopefully, that won’t be necessary,” I replied, the corner of my lips turning up in a small smile. My best friend was the only one capable of making me feel happy when I was so miserable.
She gave me another comforting hug before holding me at arms length. “Now, you look beautiful in that dress, but I don’t want you to freeze out here.” She started taking out her own coat, throwing it over my shoulders in a swift movement.
“Don’t worry, Meg, I’ll go get changed,” I insisted. “You’ll end up catching a cold or something.”
“First, werewolves can’t get sick,” she snorted. “Second, I need to go home and take a bath anyway. Third, the Alpha wishes to see you now, so you’ll have to parade around in your short blue dress a while longer. You can return my jacket later.”
“Wait, Alpha Cedar has requested my presence?” She nodded. The situation wasn’t uncommon, especially since I was training to be his personal assistant, but he’d usually schedule our meetings beforehand. “Alright. Guess I’ll see you later then?”
“At lunch,” she agreed. “And remember: keep your chin up, girl. Link me if you need anything, okay?”
“Okay.” I rolled my eyes at her motherly tone, but smiled nonetheless.
We parted ways, and I headed back towards the packhouse. I had lived without my wolf for eighteen years, but I still felt extremely vulnerable while she was hibernating - especially after the rejection. I was thankful for having Megan’s jacket now, since I could use the hoodie to hide my face as I made my way through the pack members. I could only hope Caleb wouldn’t find me.
Luckily I didn’t come across him; he was probably screwing Lacey, the Beta’s daughter. The image of them being so intimate with each other made my heart ache. I shook my head, drawing in a long breath before I knocked on the Alpha’s office door. I couldn’t let him see me being so pathetic. Hopefully, he would never find out about the Gamma and I.
“Cait! I’m glad you made it. Please, come in.” The Alpha flashed me a warm smile as he opened the door for me.
Cedar Adalwolf was incredibly down-to-earth, despite his high rank. His father had raised him to be respectful towards all of the pack members, for they were his family. He never looked down on me, or anyone else, for being an Omega. He made sure to pay attention to every single one of the three hundred wolves of our pack, learning their preferences to bring out the best in each individual. At only 24 years old, he had an amazing reputation.
The Alpha pulled out the chair for me, letting me sit down before he took his own place behind the bleached oak desk. He ran his hands through his jet black hair, and his unique crystal blue eyes locked on me.
“You wanted to see me, Alpha?” I asked shyly.
“Yes. I’m sorry to disturb you on your special day. Happy birthday, by the way.” He smiled, brushing his beard with his fingertips.
“Thank you.” I still couldn’t understand why he called me here, but it would be rude to ask.
“I don’t want to waste your time, so I’ll cut to the point.” Cedar sighed heavily. “I’ve heard about what Caleb did, and I wanted to apologize on his behalf.” I widened my eyes. Crap, he already knew! Of course he did; he is the Alpha. “I don’t know what’s happening to him. He used to be a brilliant guy, very dedicated to work. But he started to change when he came of age…” He paused briefly, staring at me. “Why am I telling you that? You already know. You used to be friends, after all.”
“It’s okay, Alpha,” I reassured him, eager to change the subject. It was hard to fight back the tears.
“No, it’s not.” Cedar frowned. “Believe me, I would love to punish him for rejecting you on the spot… unfortunately, the mate bond can’t be forced, and there are no laws against rejecting your mate.” His sincerity stunned me. “Anyway, this isn’t about him. I know it’s common for rejected mates to run away from their pack. I hope you won’t leave me, Cait. We really need you here, especially when you’re so close to becoming my assistant.”
“I would never leave, Alpha. Even if I wanted to, I have nowhere to go.” I shrugged. Before he could protest, I continued. “Are you sure about making me your PA though? Maybe I could be more useful as a warrior…” I was letting my insecurity speak, but what could I do? I had had enough disappointment for a day.
“We’ve been through this, Cait. You’re studious, organized, and a genius in general. I’d be stupid if I wasted your brains by turning you into a fighter.” He observed, laughing soon after. “You remember what my father used to say? If you judge a wolf by its ability to climb a tree…”
“It’ll live its whole life believing it is stupid,” I finished, sighing. “Alright, Alpha. If you say my place is here helping you, then I’ll give you my best.”
“I know you will. That’s exactly why I chose you.” He smiled, patting me on the shoulder as he got up. “Now, make sure to enjoy your birthday. I’m sure you and Megan can find a way to celebrate. And while you’re at it…” He tossed me a key, and if it weren’t for my heightened reflexes, I wouldn’t have caught it. “Feel free to take anything from my personal bar. I heard you like tequila?” He winked.
I instantly blushed. “T-there’s no need to, Alpha…”
“Don’t make me command you to take something, Caitlyn.” The way he used my full name made me freeze. “Just don’t party too hard. Your first day of work starts tomorrow.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his generosity. “Of course. Thank you, Alpha.”
“Cedar,” he corrected me. “If you’re going to be my assistant, there’s no need for formalities. See you tomorrow, Cait.” He opened the door for me again, and I bowed respectfully at him one last time before I left.
As soon as I did, I brought the small golden key closer to my face, eyeing it with curiosity for a few seconds. With a sigh, I put it in the jacket’s pocket, overwhelmed by sadness once again. How was I supposed to party after the worst morning of my entire life?
“Did he say… tequila?” I was surprised to hear Faye’s voice so soon. Though it was still faint, her presence brought a small smile to my face; I wasn’t alone anymore. Whether I had a mate or not, it didn’t matter. I shouldn’t worry about things I cannot change. “So we might as well have some fun, right?” She chuckled, and I had to agree.
NOTE: Hello, my lovely readers! I hope you enjoy this new story :) As of June 2022, this book has been completed. Feel free to follow my fa.ce.book page (Louise Clement Author Page) for extra content on this book, as well as my other ones. If you haven't already, you're welcome to check out my other books:
The Alpha's She Wolf - Book 1 in the Switched Series (Completed and Edited)
The Alpha's Fox Mate - Book 2 in the Switched Series (Completed and Edited)
Taming My Alpha (Available on Amaz0n)