A Secret Alpha Mate
Chapter 47

(Isla)

I spent the afternoon reading and didn't realize how late it was until the fire started going out and outside the window was pitch black. I was thankful for the distraction, the afternoon passed quickly and I was distracted enough not to notice the constant dull ache in my chest. I stretched my legs and made a note of where I was in my book and put them neatly back on the table. I didn't want to disturb Abigail on her first night with her mate so I decided to sneak down to the kitchen to get some leftovers, dinner must be over. Something smelled amazing and I was hoping there was extra of whatever that incredible scent was, it reminded me of the lasagna Jackson had made for me one of my first nights here.

All of the lights were off in the kitchen except for one over the stove, I heard distant humming and I figured it was Dawn doing a last-minute check of the kitchen. I walked closer seeing if I could help when I froze on the spot. It was Gianna, her perfect bun hard to miss even in the dim light, pulling out a pan from the oven.

"I know someone is there." She called, "No need to be shy."

I take a few steps closer, running away was out of the option.

"Hi," I say shyly.

"Oh! Isla." She turns around and studies me before walking closer and pulls me into a tight hug. I hug her back and we stay like that for a few moments. "Oh, sweetie, I can't even imagine, if William." She doesn't have to say anything else.

She pulls away and takes a deep breath studying my face, "I would ask how you are but I know you must be horrible. Have you eaten?" I shake my head.

"I was hoping to steal some leftovers actually."

"Perfect timing, I was actually making some lasagna for you. I was going to put it in the fridge for you to have whenever you wanted some comfort food." She turns around and starts preparing a plate for me.

My eyes fill with tears I've been trying to hold in. I quickly wiped my eyes before she could see.

"There you go, darling." She puts a steaming plate in front of me with a fork and glass of water, "Can I see you sometime soon? I would love to have lunch with you and Abigail."

"I, uh, I don't know how to say this." She looks worried, "I love your company, I love being around you, I just don't want to get too close. Just in case, I mean the baby. I think it would hurt too much to lose not only Jackson but you and William and everyone else I've met here." I look down not able to meet her eyes, I hope I wasn't offending her by asking for space.

"Well, yes dear, that makes sense." She says after a minute, "I understand." She pats the back of my hand, "Just so you know William and I are here if you need anything, no matter what happens." The lump in my throat is back.

"I'll just put this in a container for you in the fridge, I'll label it so no one else touches it." I nod still not able to meet eye contact.

"Thank you." I manage to say, happy that my voice didn't break during that short sentence.

I hear her heels click away when she's done putting my lasagna in the fridge and the pans soaking in the sink. Only then can I look up and try to force myself to eat, the lump in my throat making it almost impossible to get anything down.

I manage to clear the plate, and clean my dishes and slowly head to the staircase, not wanting to go to my room just yet.

"Isla!" Abigail calls to me when I get to the bottom of the stairs, she rushes over, her hair everywhere and cheeks flushed. "Did you run here?" I laugh.

"Well, yes, but also." She trails off

"You did not." She tries to shush me but we both end up laughing.

"I'm so sorry, I lost track of time."

"It's okay, I honestly did too, I just finished dinner. Are you sure you don't want to go back to your mate?" I ask.

"I need girl time, come on." She grabs my hand and pulls me towards the elevator.

We get to her room and there is a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne chilling. We look at each other not sure who it was from. Abigail picks it up and I open her door, she sets it down in her seating area and pulls out a card. I miss you already

-Jim

Abigail blushes and giggles like a child. I pull the card away from her and read it. We are both smiling now and jumping around the place. I felt genuinely happy, my best friend, my family, found her perfect match.

"Shall we have some champagne then?" She says, "We don't want it to go to waste."

"Of course not, that would be rude." Abigail pops the top and pours us each a large glass.

"To your mate," I say and we clink our glasses.

"Let me shower really quick, get on some pajamas and turn on the tv, find a movie or something, I have so much to tell you."

Abigail and I both accidentally get drunk for the first time, neither of us has drank before this, I only had a few sips the night at Silver Lake.

We are dancing around her room after finding a music channel on the TB. Knowing that we are the only two people on this floor we turn it up and start making up words, neither of us recognizing any of the upbeat songs playing.

After the bottle is done and we've danced for what could be hours, we end up laying on her soft carpet looking at the ceiling.

"He is just incredible," She breathes, "He made me roast dinner, I've never had it before but it's my new favorite thing. And his house, high ceilings, exposed beams, it looks like a fairytale cottage, and it's not near any other houses. Right out back in the woods, really hidden, but still close to the packhouse." She doesn't pause for a breath.

She sits up, "Did you know he's a doctor." Her face is flushed.

I can't help laughing, "Yes, I did know that actually."

"Like a real-life doctor. My mate is a doctor. The things that man can do with his hands."

"Stop it." I cover my ears, "That's like my mom talking about s*x."

Abigail starts to cry, little sobs permeated by hiccups. I would laugh if I wasn't so worried I hurt her feelings.

"You're not old, I didn't mean it like that," I say, trying to pull her hands from her face.

"You said I'm like your mom," She starts sobbing again, and I thought I was a lightweight.

"Abigail." I wait until she stops crying, "Can you look at me?"

She finally meets my eyes, "Is everything okay?"

"You're like a daughter to me." She pulls me into a tight hug back on the floor. I hug her back and finally get her to release me.

"That's it? I thought you were mad. I called you old saying you were like my mom." She gets up and bursts out laughing.

"Girl, I am not old, I just found my mate, I feel like I'm twenty again."

(Isla)

I'm running faster than I've run before, I look down and see brown paws beneath me, I must be running in wolf form through a murky forest. Dim sunlight fights its way through the trees. I keep running until the sun sets and the night turns bright with stars. I look around me and see the outline of other wolves, they aren't close enough for me to see them in detail but I can feel them around me, hear them near me, they must be part of my pack.

The forest seemed to open, the trees becoming more sparse, clouds parted and moonlight shone down as a silver beacon.

We were children of the night and the moonlight is just for us, guiding me towards something.

I followed the moonlight's path, it got brighter as I got closer to it, the silver light turned to gold and a flash of light blinded me for a moment.

My eyes fight to get back into focus and I see a silver wolf howling at the moon, next to a woman in iridescent robes. They both stare at me but I'm not afraid.

The other wolves that were running with me go to join them.

The glowing woman beacons for me to come forward but I'm rooted in my spot. I try to get closer to them knowing that there is safety there but I can't move.

I'm pulled farther and farther away back into the darkness under a thick canopy of trees. The moonlight is gone, darkness consumes everything around me. Alone once more.

I woke up with a start, that was the only dream I can remember having that is different from my nightmare.

I look around confused, I'm not in a bed. I must have fallen asleep on Abigail's couch during a movie, she's passed out on the other side of the couch in an uncomfortable position.

She sits up and groans, "Fine, maybe I'm not twenty, I feel like I'm nearing death any minute." She says and she flops back down.

"Do we need to go see your doctor?" I tease.

"What do people do for hangovers? Coffee, water, something I'm not sure. What did Luna Julianna use to have the omegas make?" "Something ridiculous and deep-fried, it looked gross," I remembered.

"Let's get some breakfast, shower, and get dressed, I'll meet you back here in twenty." I push her trying to get her to move.

"Why aren't you as sick as I am?" She complains, throwing her arm over her eyes.

"I have a bit of a headache, I don't feel great honestly, but."

"But you're eighteen and I'm not, I got it." I laugh and pull her up off the sofa, "Mindlink me if you fall in the shower, grandma." That got her attention and she pushes me out of the room.

(Isla)

We, unfortunately, get to breakfast on time, meaning the same time as the other pack members.

"We can sit in the kitchen." Abigail says, "Honestly, I would prefer it."

It's a buffet and we grab out plates piling them high with bacon, eggs, fresh pastries, and sausage, and go sit on stools on a kitchen island that no one is working on.

"I heard you found your mate, honestly it hurts a little that I had to find out from someone else." Lucas comes up clutching at his heart talking to Abigail.

She giggles, not being able to resist that charm, "I'm sorry, it all happened so quickly, you know how those things go."

"Actually, I haven't been so lucky. I was holding out for you but I guess I'll resume my quest for my mate." He says,

"An honorable quest," Abigail adds.

"Mind if I sit with you ladies? I was just finishing up my coffee and I have to say I miss you two." I nod and he squeezes between us. "It's still a nasty storm out there, want to watch a movie this afternoon? I still haven't seen Frozen 2 I was holding out to watch it with you." He turns to me, I sigh.

"I get it, you don't have to say anything, I completely understand where you're coming from. I just wanted to say I miss you, we all miss you." I look down not able to meet his eyes.

"So, if you want to join Cam and I Frozen 2 will start at 1:00 PM sharp, if Abigail wants to join we can start Frozen at 11:30." He looks at her, "Unless, you're too busy with your mate."

She turns red, "Actually, he's on duty all morning, but it's up to Isla."

"No talking, just watching, I promise." I look up at him, "Okay, fine, I'll sing a few songs but that's it." He puts his hands up, "Scouts honor."

I sigh, "I guess it would be nice."

"Yes!" Lucas jumps up, "I'll have to change the theater board, see you ladies at 11:30, don't bring anything, we have all the snacks." "He's really proud of his theater, he put it together himself," I explain to Abigail.

A door slams to the kitchen and Jennifer comes in swaying her thin hips.

"Can that girl do anything that isn't loud and dramatic?" Abigail whispers to me, I shake my head smiling.

"Hello, who the f**k is in charge here?" She yells, reminding me of Meghan's tone she used with all the omegas.

"Yes, dear what can I do for you?" Dawn comes up wiping her hands on her apron.

"Here is a list of things that I want to be made for me for this week." Jennifer hands Dawn a binder, she takes it and leafs through it.

"I'm sorry dear, who are you?" Jennifer looks incredulous.

"Who am I?" Dawn just looks at her.

"You are requesting almost every meal here and we do cook for pack members, but I am the one that comes up with the menu for that, we usually don't take special requests for every single meal for one pack member." "Pack member," She scoffs, "I'm your future Luna, you idiot." Dawn looks towards me and Jennifer follows her gaze.

I guess I can't avoid her today, I just give her a little wave, not sure what else I should do.

"Why are you looking at her?" She turns back to Dawn, "I'm the one that's pregnant with the Alpha's child." She screams, the omegas in the kitchen all stop what they're doing and look between us. "Allegedly," Abigail says.

"What the f**k did you just say to me?" Jennifer turns her glare to Abigail, I continue to sip my coffee trying to stay out of it.

Abigail sighs, "I said Al-le-ged-ly." She pronounces every syllable, "Meaning, that there isn't proof yet."

"I know what allegedly means, omega." She scoffs, "But there isn't anything to prove, the paternity test is just a formality." She waves it off.

Abigail goes back to eating pretending that the exchange didn't happen and I accidentally laugh out loud into my mug spilling some coffee down the edges.

"I don't know what you think is so funny, after this paternity test you're gone." She looks at me and I don't have anything to say, "I am having Jackson's baby, the future Alpha of this pack, and you will go back to being a rogue, I guess." Abigail starts to say something but I put my hand up.

"Jennifer, I'm not sure what your problem is with me. I get that it's not an ideal situation finding out that you're pregnant right after the potential father has found his mate. But just as I'm not mad at you or your baby for events that transpired before I even knew Jackson existed, I hope that you won't be mad at me because the Moon Goddess chose Jackson as my mate."

She has nothing to say to that, her eyes go wide, "But-you-."

I hold up my hand to her, "Jennifer, please. Don't embarrass yourself any further. I have chosen to be civil, and I'm the one that should be begging Jackson to banish you." Her eyes bulge.

"You can't."

I shrug, "I wouldn't." I take a long sip of my coffee, "Besides, the baby is more important than anything else, right?" I ask her, sticking on a sweet smile, that I knew she could see right through.

"Uh, yeah of course." She turns back to Dawn, "So you heard her, the baby, The Alpha's baby comes first, so get this made for me, I'll start taking my meals in the dining room at the time indicated in the binder."

"I'll have to talk to the Alpha about this," Dawn says, eyeing the massive binder of instructions.

"You're worthless." Jennifer turns to leave but throws one last glare at Abigail and me.

A collective sigh was let out when she left.

"That was awesome." An omega comes up and refills the coffee that I spilled.

"I've always hated her," Says another one behind her.

I try to hide my smile behind my mug, that felt good.