Klaus
“You felt a slight headache due to two reasons. First, the new mind-link of your mate, and second, blocking all the mind-links so your mind couldn’t handle two things at a time but as you’re soon to be Alpha, you recovered sooner than Scarlett,” Asher explained to me whilst Scarlett was preoccupied in the bathroom.
“There is nothing to be worried about Scarlett, right?” I asked almost a tenth time and a frown plastered on his face in response.
Shaking his head in annoyance, he stood up from his chair. “Yes, possessive Alpha. Your mate is alright, the only thing which isn't usual is her wolf’s insensibility towards us. Weirdly, we can’t feel or smell her scent.”
I rose to my feet. “I can smell her scent but my wolf also can’t feel any connection with Scarlett’s wolf. I saw golden flecks in her eyes during our intimacy regardless of not any sign of furs on her skin,” I said whatever bothered Todd as he couldn’t feel closer to our mate’s wolf.
Asher nodded his head in cognition. “Golden eyes of a wolf…” he murmured to himself before continuing, “that should be only a high-ranked Alpha. Neither a Gamma nor a Beta. But for now, we are having another matter in our hands, your Alpha duel. Let’s focus on that when you’re done with chatting with your mate.”
Taking my leave from his office, I came back to the room where Scarlett was gawking at something out of the window. Placing my head on her shoulder, I fastened my hands on her waist.
“You’re risking your life for me, Klaus,” said Scarlett with a tinge of anguish. “But I don’t trust you, I don’t know the exact reason behind your action. You might be doing this for any other reason,” she disclosed her thoughts.
My grip on her waist loosened, the sharp pang hit my heart as if her words pricked my heart. I was feeling hurt by her words. I swirled her to make her face me, holding her hand. “How could you say that?” I asked, feeling heartbroken.
“I know that I have been a di-k to you in the past but that doesn’t mean I have cheated you, my love,” I cupped her cheeks while speaking. “I’m also getting hurt by your words. Why can’t you trust me? I’m doing this Alpha duel just for you, of course.”
She lowered her head, stealing my gaze. I could see Doctor Asher’s garden. The bloomed flowers and trees were visible from the window. It was a beautiful scenario, I could practically imagine myself sitting with Scarlett in the garden and listening to her giggles.
“Klaus, mom needs you right now, please, come home,” Jenna’s concerned voice rang in my mind and she was the only person whose min-link I would never block.
Here, my mate didn’t trust me and there, my mom needed me. What should I do?
If I’ll leave Scarlett alone now, she’ll never trust me. She’ll have reasons to blame me and doubt me. I was feeling helpless and cursed, why should all the complications excavate their route to me?
“Klaus, it’s urgent or she might die,” Jenna shouted at me for the first time and I hadn’t responded to her yet.
“I’m coming, Jenna. Don’t worry,” I replied to her and grabbed Scarlett’s arms to taste her for mind-link again. That was the only way I could make her trust me, giving her a direction to my mind and memories.
I focused on her eyes but she closed her eyes. “I’m weak. I’ll need time to have this new connection and since I come to this pack, I haven’t used the min-link so it’ll take more time.”
“Scarlett, please, trust me. My mom needs me, I just received Jenna’s mind-link and you could feel it if you would have got access to my mind-link but fate isn’t with us this time so I’ll have to leave but I’ll be happy if you would see me on the battlefield. It’s just you for whom I’m fighting and I’ll never give up on you,” I said hurriedly in one breath before pecking a kiss on her forehead and sprinting towards my house.
Fortunately, Doctor Asher’s house wasn’t too farther than my castle so I sprinted until I reached the hallway and found my father standing with Marcus who walked toward me as soon as he noticed I was home but showing him my palm, I insinuated to him to stay there and I rushed to my mom’s room.
“Mom, please, open the door,” Jenna whined, banging on the door. The blood was brooming from her hand, she must have tried hard to break the door.
Grabbing her hand, I stopped her from thumping on the door and called Marcus to take care of her but she retracted her hand back from mine with a disdainful expression on her face.
“What’s wrong, Jenny? I wasn’t partying, my mate needed me, she just woke up from her swoon,” I shouted while defending myself. I wasn’t lying, she was the one from whom I expected to understand me.
“Oh, yes. Your mate, your engagement, your wedding, your Alpha ceremony, everything revolves around you and now, mom isn’t opening the door because she wants to talk to you only,” she emphasized the word you each time by raising her voice. “I don't even matter to even my mother, now. I don’t know why I exist,” Jenny uttered to herself and the tears rolled down her cheeks but before I could say something, she fled to her room.
Marcus patted my shoulder as I was struck at where I stood, her words astounded me. How could she think like that? Was I being selfish by taking the rein of my life into my hands? I loved her yet she...
I shook my head to shove all those pessimist thoughts away, I needed to take care of everyone and fix everything.
“Don’t worry, Klaus. I’m going to talk to Jenny, you should probably take care of Aunt Evelyn, first,” said Marcus as he patted my shoulder for the last time and left for Jenny’s room.
Nodding my head, I held the knob to open the door and it opened. “What is this, mom?” I asked, crossing my hands while standing in the middle of her room.
She stood on her balcony, watching the swings and the branches in our backyard. Mom had heard everything Jenny uttered and she was hurt, too, I could tell it from her face.
“I’m not a good mother,” her voice was barely audible. “I disappointed my children, my husband, I couldn’t be a good person.” She sat on the floor and I immediately scrambled to her.
Shushing my mom, I pulled her in a hug and then offered her water. She was looking pale which meant she hadn't eaten anything.
“I want to die,” she shouted aloud, sobbing hard. “I will die before you participate in that duel. I can’t watch you risking your life,” her eyes showed clear doubt in me which broke my heart.
“Don’t you trust me, mom? Do you think that I’m weaker than Alpha Harold and will lose to him?” I asked, shaking my head in disappointment.
How can someone believe in themselves when their mother is doubting their capability?
She didn’t answer my question but kept crying and it was hurting me too much to bear. Everyone doubted me, no one was showing their trust in me. A laugh escaped my lips when I realized that I was fighting alone while I expected my family and my mate to support me but they were too busy caring about my life to care about what I wanted.
“Your silence answers my question, mom,” I said bitterly before turning to take my leave.
“If you’ll participate in the duel, I’ll die right now,” her voice was adamant which made me question if she was in her senses.
Without turning to see her, I demanded, “are you blackmailing me?" My fists clenched as I understood her intentions and plan to make me change my decision.
I heard her footsteps and found her standing next to me with a straight face. “You aren’t fighting with Alpha Harold at any cost. I have canceled the war and you’re getting married tomorrow to Amber,” she announced in a stern voice. Her head was held high in a Luna manner and for the very first time, she was imposing order on me as a Luna.
“So that was your plan to destroy my life, lock yourself in a room, emotional blackmailing me or manipulation I must say,” taking a step closer to her, I said coldly.
My mom retorted with a cold face, “whatever pleases you. I’m a mother and I should make sure that you stay alive and don’t make any stupid decisions.”
Todd became desperate to take control but I shunned him. I looked at her with a scrutinized and scornful gaze. “You can’t cancel the war, the war will occur, and believe me or not but I’ll come alive from that duel and you’re no one to make my life’s decisions. I won’t marry Amber, Evelyn Nelson,” I spat at her using my Alpha voice emotionlessly, I couldn’t bear the betrayal. She betrayed me, manipulated me, and made the worst decision for me.
“Don’t forget that you aren’t the Alpha yet,” said my mother, avoiding looking at me. “You can’t challenge an Alpha for a duel.”