The Guardian Wolf And Her Alpha Mate
The Guardian Wolf and her Alpha Mate Chapter 10

Nova POV:

"Thank you for showing me around Alpha" I say as we pass the training grounds, "it's truly an impressively run pack from what I've seen so far." Seeing his chest puff out I laugh up at him, "don't let that boost your Alpha ego anymore mind."

Holding his hands up in mock surrender he quirks his lips into a playful smile, "I'll try not to" he responds. "So I've been thinking Nova about what you would like to do here, have you got anything specific in mind?" Thinking for a moment I see Ki push a thought to the front of my mind, "well I'm used to being busy and I'd much rather feel like I'm contributing in anyway I can. I don't know how you would feel about me helping with the warrior training? Ki is very keen to get involved and share her knowledge, but I can also cook, help with the pups, do any paperwork that may help if that's more suitable?"

"You know what, after seeing your earlier actions I think my warriors would only benefit from having you help train. Im sure Theo and Florence would enjoy working closely with you also and showing you what they have learnt. So why don't you do that 3 days a week and then I could also do with some help in the office so you could help me there another couple of days. I do encourage people to have a couple of days off over the weekend, I hold training sessions for those who wish to be involved. I try and organise pack events on a weekend, sometimes a BBQ, a movie night in the lounge or even a pack run. It helps boosts moral and relations within the pack. Obviously essential work continues over the weekend but it definitely improves people's work ethic having something to look forward to" he explains.

"I like that" I comment as we wander down a forest path, "I'm happy to show you my training skills if it would make you more comfortable as well?"

"I'll come by on Monday morning and we can have a spar before training begins, I'll get my Gammas to join us" he says from behind me.

"What kind of paperwork do you need my assistance with?" I enquire.

"I own some restaurant and hotel chains in nearby cities, I often need their invoices and orders put through our online system so I can keep track of finances. I also know Laurence has been drowning in paperwork ever since the Luna role has been..vacant I guess is the right word to use. I'm sure he could do with some help running the payroll. If you replace all that suitable I could personally do with an assistant to help when discussing pack relations and attend any meetings." He says as he leads me through an opening. Seeing a sparkling blue lake appear in front of me I can't stop the "wow" I whisper as it escapes my lips.

"This is my favourite part of our territory" he says quietly as he stands beside me. "It's peaceful and for a few minutes I can forget about the responsibility I carry every day. I have a house round the other side which I come to sometimes, my parents also have their house close by, it's perfect for their retirement."

Sitting down on a rock he pats the space beside him as he lounges back on his elbows stretching out with the sun making his eyes stand out. Sitting myself down I do the same, "I can see why, it's beautiful."

"Yes..beautiful" I hear him whisper, turning round I see him staring at me before he looks away a faint blush staining his cheeks.

Smiling to myself I look back across the lake, "I think id like to accept your offer of work. It would be a nice balance being involved in the training side but also doing some paperwork. Might as well put my skills to use" I laugh slightly. After a few minutes of silence I ask the question that's been on the tip of my tongue, "Jax..if you don't mind me asking, what did happen to your Luna? If you don't want to say I completely understand."

Seeing him stiffen slightly next to me before taking a deep breath he sits up, "no it's ok. As you've probably guessed I also had to suffer through the mates betrayal" he says as his hand goes absentmindedly to touch his neck where a small scar is hidden by his top. "Similar to you and Axton really, I hadn't found a Luna by the age of 21 and the council was keen for me to take a chosen mate to help our pack. I managed to put it off till I was almost 23 but one day they arrived with a lady called Genevieve in tow. She was beautiful, blonde hair blue eyes, quick witted and I thought why not. I was giving up hope on replaceing a true mate and I knew with the logic the council was spouting at me it could help the pack. We never had an agreement officially in place where if we found our true mates how we would proceed but we did say we would discuss it and treat each other with respect."

Seeing him trail off lost in memories as he looks out i wait for him to continue, "one day 7 months later when I was out on pack business I felt the light stabbing pains and knew immediately she was being intimate with another. I rang her and she sobbed down the phone saying another man in the pack had forced himself on her and kissed her. I was so angry, I flew back immediately and went to console her, I asked her who and she refused to tell me. I took it that she refused due to fear so I gathered the pack and threatened whoever it was to come forward and explain themselves immediately. But no-one did. After a few days Genevieve seemed back to her normal self so I put it to the back of my mind and followed her wishes to forget about it. Then one day I saw her leaving the pack house to go to the nearest town and I followed her, I just had this gut instinct telling me I needed to do so. I saw her pull up at a hotel and get our greeting another man who was waiting not from the pack, I could tell they were friendly from the gentle manner he conversed with her in. They went inside and half an hour later I could feel the stabbing pains in my stomach, I couldn't move they were so painful so I stayed in the car waiting. When I saw them leaving I recorded it and caught them kissing good bye." "That's awful, she lied?" I asked looking at him. As he turned his gaze to me I could see the hurt within his eyes.

"Yes she did. When she came back I confronted her alongside Laurence, she denied it of course saying the man had caught her again and she had no choice. But I showed her the video and she broke down admitting it all. It turned out she had found her true mate whilst I was away and he was a visiting warrior helping my pack train. She initially told him she wasn't interested but after being around him for a couple of days she succumbed to the bond and kissed him. She then told him she had duties to the pack and couldn't be with him so he left to stay nearby, she never rejected him or mentioned it to me. Instead she lied and made me think someone within my own pack had betrayed me. When I got angry with her she fled, I told Laurence to leave her be and that she needed some time to collect herself" taking a deep breath he grabbed a small stone and started rolling it between his hands, "2 hours later I felt the stabbing pains again and then my neck began to burn, I managed to link Laurence before passing out and he took me to the hospital. I was out for 2 weeks, she marked him and I haven't seen or heard from her since. I always feel like I drove her away in my anger but Laurence assures me I dealt with it well. I never hurt her, raised my voice with her or anything. I was hurt yes and angry with her causing me pain but I would have understood her decision." He finishes saying.

Reaching my hand out I clasp his gently in mine feeling a slight shock go through my body once again, "I understand your pain Jax. But let me say you've clearly been here for your pack despite your own loss, I'm sure they're all very grateful and understanding." Squeezing my hand in his large one he grimaces at the memory, "it's a horrendous pain."

"Did you ever replace your true mate?" I probe.

Seeing him turn to gaze at me he shakes his head, "no, I haven't. Maybe I have no mate destined for me" he laughs bitterly.

"I doubt that" I laugh, "you're a good man Jax and a brilliant Alpha from the looks of things. I don't doubt the moon-goddess knows that."

"When is your birthday Nova?" He asks suddenly.

"20 days" I say softly.

"Does Kia miss having a mate?" He asks surprising me.

"Yes and no" she murmurs to me, "yes I miss the companionship, no because I know he wasn't the one destined for us."

"She says yes and no, she misses having companionship but we've both always known he might not be my destined mate, in fact we were both certain he wasn't. But he was good to us before meeting Rose" I admit quietly.

He squeezes my hand before standing up and pulling me up with him, feeling another shock as our hands reconnect I gasp slightly.

"Maybe my mate just hasn't been ready for me yet" he murmurs staring at where our hands join. "I'm looking forward to meeting Kia" he says as he motions for me to lead the way back.

Feeling her prance in my head happily I ask, "what is your wolf called?"

"Zeus" he says proudly.

"Zeus" I say liking the way it rolls off of my tongue, "I'm looking forward to the pack run."

Smiling at one another we walk back to the pack house in comfortable silence.