6

Alpha Alaister had four sons as far as I knew. Wyatt, my brother's nightmare and the three we knew little about except triplets existed.

Three annoying strangers and their intentions were a mystery to me. Why should they of all people have an interest in protecting me?

Her pack did us so many bad things and acted here like none of that happened. You couldn't ignore that and pretend everything was harmonious between our packs.

"Please leave me alone," I pleaded. I dropped onto one of the benches and stared into space.

If they were there then, they knew more about me than I wanted to. I hadn't even told my brothers.

I spent days sneaking along the borders at the time to see if I could somehow cross them. But the traps had repeatedly made it impossible for me to cross them safely.

It was on one of many attempts that I caught the scent of my mate. It was so beautiful and so cruel. My wolf was so happy, her voice had never sounded more beautiful and my mind punished me immediately when I listened to her.

I couldn't accept that my mate was an Alaiser and yet I was drawn to him. Just wanting to take a quick look, I ventured across the borders.

It turned out to be a big mistake. He had scented me, as I had scented him. His fur shone almost gold when I saw him and when his eyes lit up just as gold, I fled.

My brother's mate was still in their hands, I couldn't end up there too. I ran faster than I've ever run before. I ran until I could no longer hear his paws behind me. I strained my ears for a long time, but the thundering sound of his paws had stopped.

I turned and ran back the way I came. Step by step I felt his presence stronger again, but he didn't approach me.

I transformed back and slowly walked towards him. I felt the strength leave his body. I looked at the trap that held his foot. This wasn't a normal trap. She had only caught his run, but I could see her weakening him with every breath he took.

I stroked his fur. His body trembled under my touch, I heard the bones snap, the fur disappeared and I saw the young man whose blond curls hid his face as well as his pain.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, but I can't accept an allaister. I can not help you."

I kissed his cheek goodbye and his head rose for a brief moment before sinking back into the ground. He was so weak I didn't even know if he heard what I was saying, or if he even saw me.

His wolf got caught in one of the traps while chasing after me and I just left him there.

I didn't know why I was thinking about it now of all times. I had left him to die. I hadn't even turned to look at him.

Then I ran straight into Beta Bates and this time he didn't hide where I was from my brother Caleb. Caleb never raised his voice, but this time he couldn't contain himself. Within minutes, Caleb and Colin convinced Father to send me away. For my own safety and probably they were right.

I later learned from Bates that these traps were poisoned. Deadly depending on the amount. I had not dared to return to this place for days. Not that I expected to find my dead mate trapped. I kept telling myself I didn't set the traps, nor my pack, it wasn't our fault. It could have happened at any time anyway.

And then I had to come here. For a year I tried to forget what I had done and then two months ago, when I finally got out of here, I had to go back there again. I was at home for several days until I found a way to get to the border unnoticed. The traps were still there, even more so.

I stood there for hours. Motionless. It was my mate's scent that brought me out of this paralysis, at least that's what I thought. When I regained my senses, I realized that I wasn't alone.

I wasn't on our territory and of course it didn't go unnoticed. I had run head over heels when I realized I had run the wrong way, straight into her arms. But I couldn't explain what happened next.

They had already surrounded me, I was just thinking that this was punishment for me for being so cruel. That I too would die now. But instead of them ripping me alive, Caspian showed up and stopped everything.

His scent was attractive, beguiling, but he wasn't my mate. I couldn't explain the attraction he had on me. Worse, it was right here, this place again.

"Tara?" Someone shook my shoulder and stroked my cheek.

"Tara?" someone asked again.

"Tara!" Now someone was pulling me to my feet and I knew where I was.

"It's okay, Trevor," I growled, brushing his hands away from me. I looked around and quickly wiped my tears away.

"What do you have? Is it because of Caspian?” Trevor stood in front of me, a bit perplexed. I shook my head and grabbed my bag.

"I have to go to class. Please excuse me."

"We'll come with you, we happen to have the same schedule," he grinned at me. But I couldn't share his happiness with him.

"Can't you guys just leave me alone?" I mumbled and headed for the door. "Just leave me alone."

Normally I would stroll into one of my lectures without being recognized, but with the three of them in my luggage it was impossible.

They didn't think about leaving me alone. A look over my shoulder told me they were right behind me. I had to smile a little. Three versions of the same person with different hair colors.

All three of their carefree faces were on me. They didn't seem to notice how everyone around them was staring. They smiled in my direction and I internally shook my head.

If they knew what I had done. That I had left one of their pack members, maybe a friend, helpless, they wouldn't saunter behind me so carelessly. You wouldn't be here to supposedly protect me. You would be here to take revenge.

But maybe that's exactly what they had in mind? Is revenge not often bittersweet? Packaged innocently, with a harmless exterior, it strikes when you least expect it. Well, I was expecting her, sometime, anytime, and it didn't bother me.

I could have asked her what it was all about. Who this Lord Weston was, but I didn't care right now.

They had confirmed that they were there when I rejected Caspian when he claimed to be my soulmate. I knew all too well that this couldn't be true and I found it beyond odd that it was someone from the Alaiser pack both times.

It was only right that I denied feeling anything for him. Making a fool of him in front of all the wolves in his pack and not giving him a chance to explain how he got the idea.

What I couldn't deny was the attraction he had for me. She was different from my mate's and it pained him to see and accept his rejection.

It was what I did. Twice and both times it was cruel, it was only fair that I could now feel for myself what I had done.