Standing at the far end at the top of the mountain, Sage could see his mate, playing and laughing together with another person. He was in pain. He felt like something had just been stung into his heart and he couldn't pluck it out. He was trying hard not to believe what he just heard.
For the past five years being out of his pack, he'd always craved to return home and find his precious mate, maybe he had her at his home. However, he'd returned and he'd found his mate the moment he came back which has been the easiest way ever but then, his mate didn't want him.
He had come to visit his favourite place which was the spring after missing it for so many years. But, while enjoying the blowing breeze and atmosphere, he smelled the tastiest cherry he had ever smelled. His wolf dangled in his head at the scent and he knew instantly that the scent had come from his long-found mate. He sprang up immediately from where he sat and headed down the mountain where the scent was coming from, hitting him so nicely that he felt like savouring her. He tried figuring out what she was doing so late at that hour and hoped she was safe where she was.
Striding down the mountain and with the ability to see, hear, and scent from a distance, he heard voices. He walked hurriedly and the voice became clearer. It wasn't a female voice but a male voice singing a birthday song that had taken him by surprise. Eager to find out what was happening, he ran trailing the scent.
Aurora was making her wish the moment he caught sight of them and her wish echoed inside his head, making him come to an abrupt end. "What did she just wish for?" He thought. "She wished not to have a mate?" He was dumbfounded. Like why the hell would she wish for something like that? Was she going to reject him? The thought of rejection made him pace backwards. "No, She can't reject him!" With his last statement, he veered around and left. He wouldn't let her reject him.
Sage ruffled his head thinking about Aurora's wish as he roamed around in his room. "Fuck!" He cursed and bit down on his lower lips. "Why must she make such a wish?" He inquired aloud, talking to no one in particular. She didn't want her mate? Why won't she? Was she joking or what? Is she mated to someone else?
Then, his reflections went to the guy he had seen with her. Was he the reason for her wish? She didn't want her mate because she was dating him?
Different sorts of thoughts clouded his mind. He had fallen for her the moment he smelled her scent and she was his mate but she had wished he never came to claim her. He was disturbed. He needed to do something about it.
He made his way down the stairs to meet his father, the beta of Lock Hearts, to explain the situation to him.
"Father?" He called Beta Craig whose focus was on the T.V watching the news.
"Yes?" Beta Craig answered and twisted his head over his shoulder to his son. "What's wrong? You don't look good." He acknowledged gawking at Sage.
"I can't look good, Father. I found my mate!"
"You did?!" Beta Craig yelped, astonished.
"I did but I'm not happy. She didn't want me. She didn't want her mate!" He cringed now standing in front of his father.
Beta furrowed his eyebrows at him, shunned by his outburst. "She rejected you?!"
"Damn! Father. I'm not going to let that happen. She wished not to have a mate."
"Wish?"
"Yes, father. At the spring this midnight. She did her birthday rites and her wish was, ``she didn't want me." He groaned trying hard to fight his wolf who was angrier than he was.
Beta Craig stood up to him and pulled him by his shoulders. "You need to calm down Sage, you need to keep your wolf at the bait." He warned, caressing his arms. "I know it isn't easy but could you take things lightly?"
Sage heaved a troubled sigh and moved over to the sofa his father nudged him to sit.
"Did you meet her? What do you plan to do?" Beta Craig solicited and bent over to him.
"I don't know father, I don't know." He muttered. "Presently, I'm thinking of meeting with the healer. Maybe, he could help me out."
"You want to request an Avatar (A potion for hiding scent)?" Craig inquired, staring keenly at his son who nodded his head. "Why?"
Sage looked up at his father, "I want to find out why she made such a wish. A guy did her rites for her." He lamented.
"Really? What are you thinking? That she is mated with another?"
Sage didn't reply, he just lowered his head to his clasping fingers.
"The king won't allow that." Beta Craig informed him and he was right. King Alpha of the Lock Hearts pack was a good friend of Sage. Even when their age difference was too vast, the king loved and cherished him and wouldn't let him hide the scent that could send him off the earth.
"I'll inform the king." He assured his father.
"It still looks weird that she had to make such a wish. Do you know her name or where she stays in the pack?"
"I have no idea but I'll find out as soon as possible." He said.
"What if she wasn't serious and you just took her words wrongly? What if she was joking?"
"I thought of it too but you could see her seriousness when she was saying it." He conveyed, angrily.
"Okay, maybe you should meet with the king to allow you to visit the healer."
He sprang up on his feet. "I need to go out and meet with the king." He implied and strolled away towards the entrance of their house with his father's eyes straining after him.
"Make sure you take things slightly, Sage, and control your wolf." Beta Craig instructed through mind-linking. Although, he knew his son knew how to control his anger and wolf, yet, it was his mate in the picture. His wolf could act up and take things too harshly.
Beta Craig went back to his news but he couldn't concentrate on it any longer. He felt pain for his son. Sage had just returned to his pack only to end up intensifying himself. He needed to do something too. He stood up and steered into his room as he intended to meet his best friend, King Alpha.
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