Chapter 88
BETA DOMINIC.
Iprepared the bonfire and excused myself from the young crowd.
I went straight to the packhouse to help my parents and the others in the receiving room so they could have their own party, and I also handed over the keys to the bedrooms I assigned to them for tonight.
Mom and Dad, and Nicole decided to spend the night here.
And Riley had asked his mother and Leandro to stay as well, which Zahra accepted right away.
When I had done my job, I threaded my way back to the forest where I left the Alpha and Luna with their guests. I was almost there when I saw a petite figure walking through the forest, going in the other direction, away from where the bonfire was.
Sofia.
I debated whether I should follow her or just leave her alone. I knew the grounds were safe, but I remembered the sadness on her face that she had all night, and I was curious to find out why. So instead of going back to the bonfire, I went after her without making any noise.
The wind was blowing away from her direction to mine, and since she had no wolf yet, I was sure she would not be able to scent me.
I watched as she found a place in between two trees and sat down, raising her knees as she hugged them.
Is she crying?
I took a deep breath as I slipped off my jacket and walked toward where she was sitting. I placed my jacket over her hunched back, covering her. Her head tilted up, eyes squinting when she saw me while wiping her tears away.
“What do you want?” She asked in a soft voice.
“Nothing.” I answered nonchalantly as I sat beside her. “Are you okay, kid?”
I drew my knees up and rested my forearms on them, my head tilted toward her.
“Yeah, just sad.” She answered as she rested her chin on her knees.
“Why?”
“Well, I really shouldn’t be here in the first place. I was just invited because Kat is Nadia’s best friend and Darvin is the Alpha’s friend. I feel like an outsider.”
“But you can make friends there. Bella is there, the Alpha’s sister. She is just one or two years older than you.”
“Do you like her?” She snapped her head in my direction, her face showing no emotions at all.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you disappointed she’s not your mate?”
“Why would I even think she’s my mate?”
“Well, most Beta or Gamma ended up with their Alpha’s sisters.”
“Where did you get that idea? Besides, are you looking forward to being mated to your brother’s Beta?”
“No way. He’s a prick. He annoys me all the time.”
“Maybe he likes you.”
“I don’t like him. You didn’t answer my question.”
“About what?”
“If you like Bella.”
“I just met her. And no, I don’t like her that way.”
“You like someone else? Janna, right?”
My forehead creased. “How did you know her?”
I saw her swallow before tilting her head away and looking straight ahead. “I think I heard it somewhere, maybe with Luna Nadia or Jenny.”
I just shrugged my shoulders. Maybe they really talked about Janna and me.
“Yes, I like her. But I don’t think she likes me back.” I chuckled.
I knew I liked Janna, but it had been months since I saw her, and there were days I didn’t even think of her. So maybe what I felt for her was just an infatuation. And that was why I wanted to see her so I could be sure of myself if I still wanted to pursue her or not.
“It’s hard when the one you like doesn’t like you or is clueless about you.”
“Talking from experience, huh?” I snickered, but I got curious. “Tell me, who do you fancy?”
“No one.”
“Your boyfriend? You’re still together with that jerk who abandoned you in the middle of the freeway during a full moon?” My brows furrowed upon recalling the state I found her in that night.
“Can I admit something?”
I just squinted my eyes and didn’t say anything and waited for her to continue.
“I don’t have a boyfriend. I never had one. I just said it so I won’t look like a loser there in the middle of nowhere.”
“What do you mean?”
“I had a fight with Darvin that night, so I snuck off. I know it’s stupid, but you will never understand.”
“Try me.”
Her hands clutched the jacket I covered her back with. She slipped her arms onto it before crossing them across her chest and leaning her back against the tree behind us. “Darvin wanted me to find my mate once I turned eighteen.”
“Isn’t that what everyone is supposed to do once they reach the age of eighteen?”
“Yes, except he’s giving me three months and if I can’t find him, he will send me to the Claiming like what he wants to do to Katarina.”
“Wow!” I shook my head as my chest constricted. I was hurting for Sofia. “Do you know who he wants to mate you with?”
“No. But I think he was targeting you,” she replied back nonchalantly.
My body jolted in shock. I didn’t see that coming. I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out.
And then she started giggling as my eyes zeroed in on her.
I swallowed hard. My ears started to burn.
Her words caught me off guard, and for some unknown reason, it was like I was seeing her for the first time.
She didn’t look like a kid to me at the moment, and the carefree way she was laughing was sucking me in.
She was giggling heartily. Her laughter was contagious, and before I knew it, I was laughing with her.
“It’s not that bad to be claimed by me, you know.” I chuckled at my own words. “You’ll get the best of both worlds.”
Her eyebrows hiked up, a wide smile curled on her lips, and damn it, those lips looked fucking delicious.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“It’s a secret. It’s for you to find out.” I winked at her.
“If I don’t get mated with you, then I will never find out.”
“Yeah, I feel sorry for you then. But who knows, maybe I will end up claiming you.”
“You know I was just joking when I said Darvin was targeting you?”
“I know. Because who wants to be claimed by a Beta when this world is swarmed by Alphas with big territories and big egos?”
“I surely don’t want to be claimed by Alphas with big egos.” She giggled and laid her hand out to me. My gaze dropped to her hand and then back to her face.
“Take my hand.” She said it like she was bossing me around. “I want to see if I will be comfortable holding yours. Maybe I can make Darvin force you to claim me instead.” A teasing smile was still on her lips, and I was wondering if she was serious or playing games with me.
I shook my head, a grin plastered on my face as I took her hand, clasping it with mine before resting our entwined hands on my knee.
She didn’t say a word but just held on to my hand tightly and I had no fucking idea what I was doing or what I was feeling.
But it felt comfortable, like I’d been holding her hands forever.
The grin on my face disappeared as my forehead creased.
I don’t know why, all of a sudden, I was entertaining the thoughts of claiming her instead of Janna.
Maybe because I was sure Janna didn’t want me.
At least with Sofia, she laughed at my jokes.
I could live with that. And her hands were soft.
And I wondered if her body felt the same way.
“Is it that bad that you are frowning?” Her voice sounded sad.
“No. It’s not. I was wondering, maybe it wasn’t a bad idea.”
“What do you mean?” She tugged her hand away, but I didn’t let go.
“Nothing.”
“If the girl you want, her name is Janna, right? If Janna chooses someone else, well, I can be your backup plan. I’m sure I will be a good mate.”
“Are you crushing on me, Sofia?” I didn’t know where the question came from.
Her eyes widened before she was able to hide her shock. “No. But I have limited options. I don’t know any other Alphas or Betas. I just want to be sure I won’t be abused.”
I could hear Sofia’s heartbeat and I knew she was lying.
“I thought you hated me?” I chuckled.
“I don’t hate you. I just… I just didn’t like that you played me for a fool that night. If I hated you, I would never be alone with you.”
“So you like me?” I was pushing my luck.
“Oh, Goddess, I didn’t know conversations would be so hard with you!” She exclaimed in exasperation.
I snickered and let go of her hand. And for some unknown reason, I suddenly felt empty.
I turned my body slightly to look at her, and before I could stop myself, my hand was already reaching for her face, my knuckles trailing her cheek, slowly rubbing her soft skin.
“I hope you’ll find your mate once you turn eighteen. ”
“So you don’t have to be forced to claim me?” She said, rolling her eyes at me.
“No, not like that. I just don’t think anyone would be good enough for you, except your mate.”
“Don’t make me cry.” She bit her lower lip as she looked straight into my eyes.
I tried to smile and lighten the mood. “You can cry. I have broad shoulders and a comfortable chest. I could…”
I wasn’t able to finish my words when she suddenly leaned forward and slammed herself on me—her face and hands were on my chest, and I almost fell backward from the impact if I hadn’t been able to balance myself.
Her whole body shook as sobs escaped her throat. My arms coiled around her petite frame as my hand cupped the back of her head, holding her in place. And I just let her cry, but my heart was grieving with her.
Alpha Females. I never really cared about the Claiming. I saw it as it fit and was never bothered by this tradition. I even wanted to claim one for myself. But it was only now that I realized, while Sofia cried in my arms, the other side of it—the Alpha Females who didn’t want to be claimed.
I had no idea why Alpha Darvin wanted to send his sisters to the Claiming. But I didn’t want her to be claimed by someone else.
Maybe claiming Sofia wouldn’t be bad at all if it meant I could save her from her worst fears. Maybe we could make it work.