The next morning Beth woke up and Blair was already showered and blow drying her hair, "Why are you up so early?" Beth asked putting the pillow over her head. "I wanna look good this morning," Blair said as she brushed out her dried hair. Blair curled the ends as Beth got in the shower, the warm water invigorated Beth and washed away her sadness from the night before. More alphas and their sons were showing up today, she still had a chance of meeting her mate, early. Blair left her hair down and put on a grey fitted long sleeve shirt and black ripped skinny jeans with grey open toed booties, "Is this casual enough?" Blair asked as Beth walked out of the bathroom. "Yeah, you can always add a scarf or something after breakfast," Beth told her. Blair put on a friendship necklace that she, Beth, Jen had and they headed down to breakfast.
As they reached the dining room where Mrs. Smith cleaning up a few plates, "Good morning girls, I didn't expect you up this early," Mrs. Smith greeted. "Who already ate?" Blair asked a little panicky. "Your parents and Alpha James had an early breakfast," Mrs. Smith answered as the girls sat down. Blair made a face, "I'm sure he's still here," Beth whispered. "Who?" Jen asked coming in. "James, he was up early," Beth replied cheerfully. "Where did you go last night?" Blair questioned accusatory. "Oh, I um," Jen scrambled for an excuse. "Are those, Jen you're marked," Beth gasped. Blair looked over at the spot towards the back of her lower neck, Jen blushed, "He marked you?" Blair asked. "We're mates," Jen defended. "You haven't been claimed," Beth reminded. "That's just a formality," Jen brushed off, as Mrs. Smith set down plates of eggs, toast, and bacon in front of them. "Thank you," the girls told her. "A lady is never marked before her claiming," Mrs. Smith said to Blair with a wink.
Blair looked back at her plate; she couldn't help but feel like her brother was moving fast. "Are you mad?" Jen asked. Blair pasted a smile on her face and shook her head looking back at Jen, "I'm happy for you," she assured. "Morning," Ben called walking in. Mrs. Smith angrily handed him his plate, he stared at her as she walked away irritated. "What's wrong with her?" he asked sitting next to Jen. "She's a bitter old lady," Jen replied rolling her eyes. "So, Blair, feel different?" Ben asked.
Blair's eyes darted to each of her friends. "No," she answered unsure of what he was talking about. "Good morning," Kaspar and James said coming in to fill their mugs with more coffee. "James, my sister doesn't feel any different. I think you have some work to do," Ben joked. Blair furrowed her brows in confusion, as Jen elbowed him. "While eighteen is a milestone, I don't think it makes people feel different," James answered, just as confused. Ben looked at everyone, "Don't tell me you two slept separately last night," Ben stated, shocked no one understood him. "Benjamin," Kaspar scolded. Blair instantly felt self-conscious, James was hyper aware of Blair's feelings. "Some people uphold traditions and attempt to be respectful," James began. "Oh please, don't hand me that goodie goodie bullshit," Ben interrupted, as Jen tried to hide her face completely embarrassed. "Not everyone has a whore sending them naked pictures, making their mate feel desperate for a mark," Blair spat, hurt and walked out to the front door grabbing her coat.
Ben hung his head, his aggression had gotten the better of him again, this time no one had caused it. Ben walked out the back door, leaving an awkward silence behind him. "Beth, why don't you see if you can talk to Blair. I'll go find Ben," Kaspar broke the silence and set his coffee down. Beth looked at Jen and slid out of her chair and headed out the front door. "Blair," Beth called trying not to slip as she semi ran after Blair. "I don't want to talk," Blair told her. "Can I ask you one thing?" Beth asked. Blair stopped, "Why did you lie to her?" Beth asked. Blair looked at her confused, "Jen, why did you lie and say you were happy for her?" Beth asked. "I am happy for her," Blair answered furrowing her brow. "But," Beth replied knowing. "Don't you think that's fast, they just found out last night," Blair explained. "Not all of us can afford to wait eight years," Beth snapped. Blair stared at Beth a little hurt. "It's not my fault, James and I imprinted," Blair snapped back. Beth sighed, "I know, I'm sorry. That's not what I meant," Beth apologized. They relaxed a little and started walking towards Beth's house, "It's just... He's not even telling me anything anymore," Blair blurted out a little sad. Beth put an arm around Blair and rested her head on Blair shoulder. Blair rested her head on Beth, "Everything's changing," Blair said as they walked. "But we will always be friends," Beth assured.
It was nearly noon when Blair walked back home, she took the back yard route, that lead into the garden. She reached a bench that she often sat on the bench, but it was covered in snow, so she stood watching the cardinals feed in the feeders. "I missed you at breakfast," a deep voice called behind her. She smiled, "I didn't know you'd be up early," she said not looking at him. He came up right behind her, he leaned down barely brushing his lips against her ear, "I would've much rather waited for you," he murmured. Blair inhaled sharply, then smiled to herself, "I'm sorry about Ben this morning," she said soaking up the feeling of him being close. "I've waited eight years, Ben can't scare me off," James smiled. "So, what did you and my father talk about?" She asked. "You," he answered.
She smiled and shook her head, "What about me?" She asked playing coy. He grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him, "After this week, you are coming home with me," he ordered pulling her closer. "Home," Blair repeated. "Wait until you see the house, I built for you," he went on pulling back from her imagining them in their house together. Blair smiled watching him, "It's surrounded by the forest," he started and turned back to her. "What?" He asked. "You built a house?" She asked with a smiled. He walked back to her wrapping his arms around her, "I built us a house," he answered with a smile. He leaned down and as his lips met hers, everything in Blair's world seemed to fade away. All the problems and worries over Ben and the demon and the pressure from her father was gone. His kiss made her feel normal, he didn't expect her to become alpha and beat her brother. Right there in that moment, in that kiss she was just Blair kissing her mate. James pulled back and rested his forehead on hers, they stood there for a moment, catching their breath, before walking the rest of the way through the garden. When they made it back to the house, hand in hand Sofie smiled seeing them walking in so happy. Kaspar on the other hand, felt he needed to remind Blair of what was going to happen in the next few days. "Blair, can I talk to you a moment, in my office?" He asked. "Sure, daddy," she agreed, and they headed to his office.
She sat down in the chair opposite his desk as he shut the door and walked around to his chair. "You need to be careful," he ordered. Blair furrowed her brow, "We just took a walk," she told him. "I'm not talking about that, Blair. You know what you have to do," he reminded. Blair's jaw flexed, "But the claiming," she began. "It's all formalities, I thought you knew that. Once you become the true alpha, James will have to go back to his pack alone," Kaspar explained.
Blair felt like her heart was ripped out, she didn't realize her dad was meaning for her to give up her mate. Her wolf side growled, "Daddy, you didn't tell me I had to," Blair began. "You don't have to reject him Blair, I'm just asking you to be careful. We don't know how he will handle all of this and if he rejects you, I don't want you too attach to him," Kaspar interrupted. Blair felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, James wouldn't reject her for what she had to do for her pack. There was a knock on the door, pulling her from her anxious thoughts. "Come in," Kaspar called. Sofie came in, "James' parents are here, Blair you should get changed," Sofie told them. Blair looked back at Kaspar, he nodded at her and she went to her room.