Part Of Me { Completed ✔ }

Chapter 19. Connor

The atmosphere in the pack was buzzing with excitement, as wolves made their way towards the packhouse, the gentle music flowing from the garden leading the way. Tonight was a huge event, once a year, a ceremony was held to welcome new pack members and for lower wolves to perform their mating ritual - higher wolves, were given a whole party dedicated to just their mating ritual -. In the wolf world there were many different celebrations that a wolf had the pleasure to celebrate in their life. The first being their birth, the second their shift and thirdly the mating ceremony.

This time, it was Noah's turn. He and Selene were finally going to officially be mates. I was happy for them, I really was but I still felt an inner turmoil. Mum had spent all day fussing over me, worried that the ceremony would remind me of my failed attempt at finding a mate. In reality, I was in a sour mood because Kate couldn't be here. I'd lied to her about the weekend, telling her that I had to help Dad out on the farm and couldn't see her, her face had fallen in disappointment but she had pressed a kiss to the inner corner of my mouth and said, "I hope you have fun, don't work too hard."

Lying to Mum had been even more difficult, she was devastated that I still hadn't found a mate, or any potential prospects, she no idea about Kate. She had to stay a secret, for her safety. I'd been telling my family that with my impending graduation I was putting all of my spare hours towards studying at the library, to cover for the time I spent with Kate.

Living a life of lies was bloody exhausting but I'd do it for the rest of my time on this Earth, if it meant I got to spend it with Kate.

This was supposed to be a happy night, I tried to remind my self as I buttoned the itchy dress top I was being forced to wear for the occasion but even my clothes had my mind slipping back to Kate. I knew I looked good tonight and I knew that Kate would think so to, I closed my eyes, picturing her reaction, her flushed cheeks, her eyes not so inconspicuously dipping from my head to my toes every few minutes, until she found the courage to make a move.

"Connor, stop starring at yourself and let's go." My eyes flew open at the contact that Callum's palm made with the back of my head.

"I wasn't starring at myself." I insisted like a child, shoving him.

Callum only rolled his eyes at me through the mirror before he left the room. I stayed in my room for one last second, to scratch at the back of my neck where my tag was bugging me, before pulling myself together and heading downstairs. My home was chocka - block full of couples, everyone had someone by their side, besides me. I was the person without a plus one at the wedding. With perfect timing my phone buzzed in the pocket of my dark jeans, with a text from Kate. It was a photo of her, snuggled up on the couch reading a copy of a thick textbook. She looked adorable, as usual but I had another image of her in my mind, more specifically of a dress I'd discovered at the back of her cupboard last week when I was searching for a jumper for her to pack in her overnight bag. It was a deep, midnight navy with a dangerously low neckline, it was the perfect dress for this night. That thought only made me feel more miserable.

The sight of Noah in the corner of the room, his usually tan skin appeared flush, his cheeks devoid of any colour and his dark eyes were shrouded by deep purple bags. I pushed aside my own glumness, knowing I needed to be there for the younger wolf. "Are you okay? You look... nervous." Noah hadn't seen Selene since yesterday, it was part of the packs tradition for the two wolves to spend time a part before the mating ceremony. All that it had really done was put Noah on edge. Giving someone who was already riddled with anxiety extra time to think about everything that could go wrong wasn't exactly a great idea.

Noah didn't reply; he only lifted his shaky hands and attempted to tie his tie. I pushed his hands away, instructing him to take a deep breath as I tied it for him. "You've got this Noah. You're going to do great." I assured him, squeezing his shoulders in encouragement.

The sound of the front door slamming caught everyone in the houses' attention. Adrian staggered in, his scent clouded by the thick stink of alcohol. I stepped back from Noah as Adrian approached us, he was closer to me then he had been in weeks. I watched as he thumped Noah roughly on the back, as some form of greeting. It was such a hard slap that Noah coughed and spluttered. "This is it Noah!" He declared, his words slurred. "After this you can finally get laid!" Adrian laughed loudly at his own joke as Noah cowered, his face flushed, in anger or embarrassment, I wasn't sure which.

I stepped in, having enough of everyone watching the disaster that was waiting to happen. "Alright that's enough." I pressed my hand into Adrian's back, planning on escorting him into the nearby kitchen but Adrian span, capturing my wrist and crashing the bones in his hold. I tried my best not to grimace.

"Watch it Omega," He spoke under his breath so that only I'd hear him. "Don't forget Fields, I know about your little human. I've been watching her, in that shitty little apartment, I know which bus she gets to the Uni on the days you don't drive her and I know exactly how I'll kill her if you piss me off." His words sent ice through my veins. I tried my best to pull out of his hold but he only tightened his grip, causing damage that even with my wolf healing would take weeks to heal. "I'd snap her pretty little neck, throw her off a cliff, let her family think it was a suicide. I'll even attend the funeral, just to watch her fucking family cry over her rotting corpse."

"You're fucking crazy."

Adrian grinned, his fully descended canines glinting in the light. "Damn right." Finally, he released me, slapping his now free hand harshly on my back like he had to Noah. "Move on Fields, today's not about us, it's about," He raised his voice, ripping a beer from a passer by and raising it in the air. "Today's about Selene and Noah, the newlyweds."

Those around us, unaware of the tension between Adrian and I cheered, tipping their drinks back. The sounds of eveyone cheering covered me as I escaped out the back door, dialing Kate's number. She answered on the first ring.

"Hey Con, how did all of the work go? Long day?" The sound of Kate's voice immediately relaxed me, I'd really feared that Adrian had done something to her. Now, I realised he was just dangling her life in front of me like Kate was a carrot and I was the donkey, Adrian our cruel master. "Connor?" She sounded worried by my lack of reply.

"It's so good to hear your voice." I was surprised by the way that my own voice shook, as if I were on the verge of tears. I could feel my claws descending, scratching through the phone case. I exhaled, trying to calm myself, I could feel the power that Elijah warned me about, my emotions were so strong that I felt like I could walk right back into the house and tear Adrian's head clean off his shoulders. I knew that wasn't my thoughts talking though, it was the adrenaline of the shift, the deadly animalistic side of being a wolf. "Are you safe? Is your front door locked?"

Kate sighed. "Yes Dad."

I chuckled. "I miss you beautiful."

"You're so damn soppy." This time it was Kate's turn to laugh. "I miss you too. I'm in the middle of a really good study session, I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

My eyes looked up toward the horizon where the sun was setting behind the trees, then moved to where the clouds were beginning to disperse and reveal the bright full moon. It was almost time. "Of course, don't work too hard."

"Bye Con." Kate ended the call but I held the phone to my ear for an extra few seconds, revealing in hearing her voice.

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Just Adrian popping back in to remind us that his stank ass still exists :(

This chapter is a bit of a bridging chapter into the next, which is going to be very cute and wolfy. I know it is super short though, should I just merge it into another chapter?

Toodles poodles, Caitlin x