Alpha’s Unwanted Mate

Book 2 Chapter 10

Colette pov

I said bye to Emmett and shut the door, excitement flooding through me as I looked at all my new things. Emmett wanted to come back and pick me up to take me to the party, but I assured him I was most likely not coming. He was sweet, he bought me a tiny strawberry cake at the grocery store and sang happy birthday to me so I didn’t feel left out. He understood me more than most, knowing that I didn’t want to go to a big building full of people who barely tolerated me.

A tiny meow sounded next to my ear made me jump, and I let out a tiny giggle as I remembered. I reached into my hood and scooped Pumpkin out, setting her gently on the soft carpeted floor. She seemed most happy when she was curled up on my shoulder, so I decided if I kept my hood up she’d be hidden from everyone and happy at the same time. I giggled as I watched her kneading her tiny nails into the thick carpet, a giant purr coming out of her body.

I sat down next to her, pulling the bags close to me as I started to pull things out. I splurged, I couldn’t help myself. I got her a tiny black collar with her name on it and a little bell so I could hear her. I got her a litter box and quickly filled it with litter for her, not even knowing the last time she went to the bathroom. Sure enough, she zoomed to the fresh liter, and I let her do her business as I pulled out bowls and food, toys, and other things.

I placed a set of soft stairs against the end of my bed so she could get up and down easily and jumped onto my bed, laughing as her tiny body slowly climbed the stairs and came to me. “You’re so sweet, pumpkin,” I muttered. She meowed loudly, jumping down from the stairs and racing her tiny body to the screen door. “Do you want to go outside?” I asked. I studied the door, noticing that the balcony was longer than the screen door. “I will have a cat door installed in Emmett’s room for you to come and go if you like. Since I’ll be moving there in a little while.” The kitty meowed at me and I picked her up, sticking her in my hood.

“Let’s go outside the normal way for now, I’m afraid you’ll fall off the balcony in your tiny excitement,” I said with a chuckle. She meowed softly against my ear, curling up on my shoulder and allowing me to walk easily with her. “Sometimes it seems like you understand me,” I said with a chuckle. She meowed her reply at me, gently butting her wet nose against my ear.

I smiled, going down the stairs and around the back. “I’m glad you like Emmett, he’s going to marry me soon. In six months Colt will turn eighteen and he’ll be marrying Jade, she’s my twin sister. I don’t know if you’ll like her or not, she’s the complete opposite of me, but I hope you like her anyway. She’s not that bad, she just needs to grow up a little bit and see herself better. After that, I’ll be marrying Emmett when he turns eighteen. He’s nice and sweet, very gentlemanly. I’m sure we’ll get along well together.” I said softly with a sad smile. “I do love him, but like a brother, maybe even like a best friend. Maybe we’ll come to love each other the way married people should.” I said.

Pumpkin purred against my ear, softly nibbling it. I sighed, going into the garden maze Luna Adaline had made, walking through the trail slowly, enjoying the soft breeze. The sun was starting to set, the beautiful orange and red hues darkening as the sun-kissed the earth. Finally, I was in the middle, and I sat down on the bench.

Pumpkin crawled out of my hood and got tangled in my hair. I giggled, detaching her from it and pulling my hood back, placing her on my lap. She curled up instantly and fell asleep; a tiny motor purring against my jeans. I sat Indian style so she would be more comfortable.

Gently I pulled my hair out of my low piggy tails, combing my fingers through my hair as I let it float around me. Suddenly I heard a gasp, and I turned around, my eyes wide in shock as I saw who was standing there. “Axel?” I asked softly. Why was he here? Anger raced through me as I glared at him. “Did Jade send you to find me? I told her I’m not going to the stupid party.” I growled at him.

Axel sighed, and I couldn’t help but study him. He had on a white button-up shirt, a black dress coat slung over his back and hooked into his index finger. His hair was messy but managed like he had brushed it back with his fingers. He had on a pair of black dress pants, his white shirt tucked into them and his free hand-hooked to his belt loop. His light blue eyes pierced into mine and I took a deep breath, trying to stop myself.

My heart was beating fast, my anger battling my attraction for him. It was stupid, feeling like he was attractive. Of course he was attractive, he was Axel Knight. The only thing was, I was nobody, and I was also engaged. I needed to calm down these thoughts. Besides, he was only here because Jade invited him. “Look, I’m not here because of Jade.” He said softly.

I frowned, watching him with disbelief as he walked slowly to me, stopping a few steps away. “Well, kind of. It’s a long story, I just want you to let me explain, and then I’ll leave you alone if you want me to.” He said with a sigh.

I frowned, gently petting Pumpkin as I tried to calm my annoyance. “Fine, explain, then leave,” I said calmly, disbelief clear in my voice.

He flinched, nodding at me. “I didn’t mean to bother you or your adorable kitten. I guess I should start at the beginning. For the past week, I’ve been dreaming about a person in a black hoodie. I don’t remember ever meeting you before. I know that sounds awful, since we’ve probably been in the same schools together since kindergarten, but I tend to stay to myself. I didn’t know who Jade was either if it makes you feel better. I don’t even know what she looks like.” He said.

My mouth fell open, trying to comprehend everything he said. Before I could speak he continued. “I mean, I’m assuming white hair, gorgeous, violet eyes, right? Then again I don’t look anything like Julien, so maybe it’s different for you too.” He said, scratching his head. I blushed, did he just call me gorgeous? Right after telling me he’s been dreaming about me? I didn’t know how much more of this I could take, my heart was beating way too fast to be normal.

“Well I have been searching for a person all week with a black hoodie and no one seems to have known who you are. I just so happened to see you through the branches today. Sorry if I scared you jumping out the window. I was just scared if I didn’t talk to you right then, I’d miss my chance. I needed to know why I’ve been dreaming about you.” He said softly. “Oh, and I have your sketchbook. You’re really good, sorry that I looked.” He said sheepishly, a blush settling on his face. “So when you left me standing there like an i***t earlier, I was in a daze. Then I remembered after school you said the text from that random number was your sister Jade. Yeah, I wasn’t friends with her, I’m still not. Julien gives my number away to random girls all the time because he thinks I need to stop avoiding them. So I called her. She told me your name and that there was a birthday party here. So I came.” He said with a slightly bitter voice. What was that about?

I watched as he pulled the sketchbook out of his coat pocket, coming closer and sitting down next to me. My mouth was still hanging open, I was shocked. Was all of this really true? Finally, I snapped my mouth shut, my eyes narrowing at him.

“So you want me to believe that THE Axel Knight, the most popular boy in school, is randomly dreaming about ME, the most invisible girl in the school,” I said, exaggerating my words. He frowned, placing his coat on his lap and crossing his ankle over his leg, looking like a freaking supermodel.

“Why does everyone keep emphasizing my name like it’s something amazing?” He asked softly, running his fingers through his hair. I could tell he was actually bothered by it and it made me feel bad for saying it, but damn, he’s The Axel Knight after all! “And what’s wrong with dreaming about you? I guess that’s probably creepy, but it’s not like I did it on purpose.” He mumbled, a blush rising to his cheeks.

I studied him quietly, the way he shifted his shoulders and twiddled his fingers in the neckline of his coat showed me he was sincere. I was kind of feeling bad now that I yelled at him before, or that I accused Jade of something she didn’t do.

“How did you know I was back here?” I asked him. He looked at me in surprise, a soft smile lighting his features and taking my breath away. Was he happy I didn’t make him leave yet?

I felt my face flare up and I looked away, absently petting Pumpkin. “I actually met your dads. They’re really nice, and...your fiancé’s parents. They’re nice as well.” He said softly. I flinched, nodding my head. It was good he knew, that it wasn’t hidden from him. If he was strangely interested in me, at least he knew there was no way it was possible now. “Anyway, I don’t know if you know this or not. But Grayson, Beta Alice and Beta Ulric’s parents, they took me in when I was thirteen. So I practically became Grayson’s designated ride, not that I’m complaining, I love that kid. So I’ve definitely met Zain and Lexi before, multiple times.” He said with a chuckle.

I smiled, those three were inseparable. “Anyway, Gamma Kurt kind of attacked me and thanked me for helping watch his son this whole time. He wanted to know a lot about the Snow Moon pack and try to set up a meeting with Beta Ulric and Beta Alice, a get-together I guess. It seems like they lost touch over the years besides necessary meetings. Probably my father’s fault honestly, he makes them do everything he doesn’t want to do.” He took a deep breath, blushing slightly. I could tell he wasn’t use to talking this much, it was slightly endearing. “I mentioned to him I was friends with you. Sorry about that, but hopefully not a lie, I’d like to be your friend, but he told me when you wanted to be alone you’d either be in your room or in the middle of this maze. I didn’t think it was appropriate to search the packhouse for your room without permission, so I came here first. I’m glad I found you.” He said, smiling.

I nodded, accepting his words. I didn’t know that he was so close to Grayson, or that he was friendly with Lexi and Zain. “You want to be my friend. I don’t have any friends.” I said bitterly. Not that I was upset by it, I liked being alone; but if someone had tried at least once to talk to me or understand me, I would have been happy to have had a friend before now. Though I was the strange girl with the black hoodie, no one wanted to talk to me.

“Yes, I would very much like to be your friend.” He said with a soft smile. Suddenly, Pumpkin got up and stretched, walking her tiny body from my lap to Axel’s. She jumped over onto his with her tiny body, a little meow as she brushed herself against his chest. “Hello little one, what’s your name?” He asked softly, smiling. I could barely breathe, his face lit up as he petted Pumpkin, and I was mesmerized by how gorgeous he looked. He was practically shining in the setting sun.

“Her name is Pumpkin. She decided to crawl into my backpack today so I decided to keep her.” I said to him. He looked up at me and grinned. Why was he looking at me like that? I blushed, watching as Pumpkin rubbed herself against him once more before climbing back to my lap and plopping down.

Suddenly Axel’s phone vibrated and he pulled it out, reading a text and replying back. “I have to go.” He said, standing up and brushing his clothes off. “Beta Ulric texted me, apparently Grayson got a bad grade on a major test and the teacher told him. So I have to get Grayson back to the house.” He said with a chuckle. He walked a few steps, slinging his coat over his shoulders and slipping his hands through the sleeves. “I still want to be your friend. I hope you’ll let me.” He said, turning to look at me as he slowly backed away.

I slit my eyes at him, taking a deep breath as I thought, then blowing it out from in between my teeth. What the hell, why not? He knows I’m engaged, he’s not hitting on me, he just wants to be friends. The thing is, he’s the most popular kid in school, and I’m a nobody. As long as he knows I have nothing to offer him.

“Fine, you want to be my friend? Either I am invisible, or I am talked about behind people’s hands. So if you want to be my friend, be my guest. Welcome to the loser club.” I said to him in exasperation.

He smirked at me, a sad smirk that made my heart beat faster as he stopped backing up, staring at me. “You can’t welcome me. I was always there, I just didn’t know there was anyone else.” He said softly.