12.

**Michael**



Going up the stairs of my childhood home, I felt like I was on the runway of some stupid fashion show. The stares and whispers were evident, the guards at the gates were speechless as I drove up to them.

Guess no one thought I would be back.

My wolf had been bugging me more than usual the last two weeks to come back to Dark Moon. I ignored him until he gained control while I was enjoying myself. Tried to, at least.

Poor girl. I laughed to myself, remembering how scared she was when Zane released his canines, half morphing into himself and ordering her to leave. Humans, what can I say.

Ever since then he has been mentioning the one thing I didn't want in this lifetime. I didn't deserve it.

Stepping in the house, I was caught in tiny arms and the smell of honey and coconut.

Mom.

She held on to me tightly as I did to her. I truly missed her. She was always there for me. Even then. Taking a deep breath, I pushed those memories away.

"My baby is home. Finally." I heard her cry into my shoulder.

I cleared my throat and said, "It’s good to be home."

She pulled back and looked at me. "My lil Mikey. What have you done to yourself?" She asked.

"I'm fine mom. Stop worrying." I said kissing her cheek.

"She would have to stop worrying if you called once in a while. You've been gone for months. Nearly a year. None of us knew how you were," a familiar voice said from the stairs.

Looking up, I saw him coming down. My body tensed as his cold eyes focused on me. "Hey, Max. How are you doing, bro? " I said stepping towards him. He stood still looking at me with disgust. It pained me to have my only brother despise me this much. It was all my fault and I don't know how to fix it.

*'Of course, he did. What you did was unthinkable,'* my wolf said bitterly.

Taking a deep breath, I simply looked at my little brother. He has grown a lot since I... *Left*. Wasn't fair for me to leave then but I'm back now to prove that I'm not that person back then.

"Mom. Emma and I will be by the pool if you need me," he said brushing past me. I felt the anger roll of him which made me feel guiltier than before.

Watching him disappear, I turned to my mother. "Who's Emma?" I asked.

"A girl from another pack...." She started to say till I felt his presence behind me.

"What are you doing here? Came back to see if your family is alive?" My father sneered at me.

"Angelo. That's enough," my mother snapped at him.

He held his tongue but the hostility showed in his eyes.

"While you're here, I expect you to behave accordingly. As an alpha's son, I won't accept your reckless behavior in my house," he said holding me in a steady gaze.

"Yes, father," I bit out. My anger surfaced from the images he sent to me through mind link of my past. I apologized countless times but he never believed me.

It wasn't my fault. I would never do that to my family. Once upon a time, we were a close unit but after that day, we all fell apart.

"Good," he said coldly.

"What happened then was a mistake. I didn't mean to do it. I don't even....." I started to say before Zane was practically begging to be let out. He was saying something but he was too excited for me to understand.

Then it hit me....

Peaches and marigolds.

“No. I told you before. I do not wish to have one.” I told him.

*'I wasn't asking for permission, human,'* he said, fully taking over and went after that heavenly scent.

******************************************

**Emma**

*'He's here. Emma. He's here,'* I heard Alia said excitedly. I laughed as I got up from the lounge and made my way into the kitchen.

*'Our mate is near,'* she said already love struck. I froze.

“Would he love us?” I asked her. This was what I longed for but I didn't expect it so soon and here at Dark Moon. Who can it be? I was practically introduced to every male in the pack.

*'Of course, he will. We're a package deal,'* she said, comforting me.

Before I can answer her, I was slammed against the wall with warm lips attacking mine. I gasped at the intense connection of our lips, his hands held my neck and my waist as he got more dominant in his kiss.

The feel of his hand on my bare skin felt like fire burning my skin. I groaned in pleasure as he grounded his member against me. My hands reached his hair pulling him as closely as I can get. My heart was racing wildly at feeling him so close. My mate's body was so perfect for mine. His heady scent of pinewood and fresh earth had me on a high.

*'Mine,'* Alia and I said together in ecstasy as my hand moved over the contours of his muscled back.

Powerful.

He trailed his kisses from my lips to my jawline then to the crook of my neck. He bit softly into the skin of my neck. A moan escaped my lips as his hand traveled up my bareback.

"Mine," I heard him growled out before his sharp canines bit into the crook of my neck. The pain lasted for a second before I was sent into sweet oblivion. As our connection grew.

Alia purred in content that her mate claimed her. It was happening. I found him. The one man who was made just for me.

“He wants us.” I said to her.

My mate pulled back and looked at me with his dark eyes filled with lust. I took that time to view my mate. He was built with naturally tanned skin. Dark wavy hair that was begging to be played with. His lips were pink and plump from our heated kisses. Oh, goddess, my mate is a Greek god with his well-toned chest was outlined by his thin T-shirt.

He shook his head in confusion then frowned. The look on his face brought pain to my heart, the look of disgust in his ice-blue eyes, he stepped away from me till he noticed the mark. He sneered and created even more of a distance between us.

This can't be real. Please, let this be a joke. I can feel the connection we have wavering in and out. He was fighting it. Fighting us.

“Alia. What is going on?” I asked her in a shaky voice. The unbridled happiness that was surging through my body was now doused with his now cold demeanor.

*'He's fighting his wolf,'* she replied.

I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it.

"My wolf may accept you but I will never accept you as my mate. You're not Luna worthy. Do you see yourself? You look weak and pathetic. I curse the moon goddess of giving me a mate like you," he spat at me.

I felt a sharp pain at the center of my chest instantly. I massaged my chest, hoping the pain would go away. Alia whimpered in my head calling out for his wolf. It was happening. What I feared the most.

Rejection.

How could he? We haven't spoken. He didn't know me but he already judged me by my looks. Do I really look the way he said?

"Tell your mutt to quit calling for my wolf. Get out of my sight," he shouted at me.

I couldn't move. Shock kept me in place as tears fell from eyes absorbing his words to me and Alia. Humiliation burned my face. My attempt to cover my body failed. I literally couldn't move. I just stood there looking at him. The coldness in his eyes and the disgusted sneer on his face broke me through and through.

*'Mate doesn't want us,'* Alia whimpered.

"What is going on here?" I heard Anna said coming closer which made the sobs I held back to let loose.

"Emma... What is wrong sweetie?"

I heard everything but it all was distant. My mate stood in front of my tense body. His fists clenched as he struggles to overpower his wolf.

"Michael! What did you do to Emma?!" I heard Maxwell shouted in anger. My eyes widen.

The alpha's son.

He's my mate?

No. No. No.

The tears fell freely now as I saw a blurred Maxwell wiping away my tears and apologizing.

"Don't touch her," a loud growl was heard. Anna and Maxwell froze as the words made them come to the realization.

I couldn't stay in his presence. It pained us. He didn't want us but he wanted to be possessive?

Using the interruption, I ran out of the kitchen and head to the woods. “Noah! Jonah!” I cried out to my brothers. Tears blurring my vision as I ran, dodging the trees.

Alia's pain magnified mine. My heart felt like knives piercing it with every recollection of my mate's disgust. Blinded by tears, I tripped over a log causing me to crash onto the ground. I felt the impact instantly as my body hit the tree, rolling away from it as a sharp stone cut into my skin. The pain was a welcome addition to the pain in my chest.

Not caring where I was or if I was hurt, I curled into a ball and cried. Alia howling in sorrow.

I felt myself being picked up and someone licking my face then the comforting whimpers.

My brothers. "Wanna tell us what happened?" they asked.

I shook my head. No. I didn't want to relive that scene. What I hated was the fact that I was now bonded to him.