Chapter 2

• Julian's Pov
• A few men were interested in me, and that felt nice.
• They spoke, they flirted and they spoke of choosing me.
• Then, they saw my strength and changed their minds.
• I was too weak for them. One wolf – who was extremely interested – decided ‘I wasn’t for him’, after he got a closer look at my score. Jacob just stood next to me, shaking his head in annoyance.
• “You deceive better than that asshole anyway”.
• “Thanks, Jacob” I smiled at him – I knew he was trying to make me feel better.
• I took a glass of water of the table behind me, before handing one to him. We stood inside one of the marquees, the summer sun shining setting.
• Jacob took the glass from me, before popping a finger sandwich into his mouth.
• My best friend caught the eye of another girl, who smiled at him flirtatiously.
• Jacob didn’t even pay her mind, and turned back to me.
• He had dismissed every She Wolf who had tried to flirt with him – and refused to seek out any girl he wanted.
• His behaviour was odd.
• Jacob sighed, before moving closer to me.
• I frowned as his face turned serious – it wasn’t often that Jacob was serious.
• I was the quiet and serious friend, and he was the jovial and immature friend; that was why we got on so well.
• “Look, Julian, I’ve been thinking that--”
• “Excuse me” a male voice interrupted Jacob.
• I turned to see a tall man, with ash hair and light eyes. He wasn’t overly attractive, but he wasn’t unfortunate looking either.
• I offered him a smile, hoping he was just another suitor trying for my hand.
• “Yes?” I asked, as Jacob scowled for being interrupted.
• “ Julian Myra ?” he questioned, eyes briefly flicking down to my badge.
• I nodded yes, and he continued. “I am Beta Strider of the Endoro Pack.
• Alpha Lincoln asked me to find you and bring you to him” he told me. At his words my blood ran cold, and my face fell.
• “No” Jacob spoke up, slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me to my side.
• I crashed into his broad side, and quickly grabbed a hold of his shirt in fear.
• I didn’t want him to leave me alone with Alpha Lincoln – with the Bad Alpha.
• Beta Strider frowned, before glaring at Jacob. “Do not speak to me like that, pup.
• And do not touch Julian” he growled out.
• With amazing strength, he grabbed me and pulled me away from Jacob. “Now stand down”.
• “She will be my mate” Jacob snapped, lunging forward to grab me.
• Beta Strider pushed me behind him, before I even had a chance to think over Jacob’s words.
• He wanted me as a mate. He wanted to choose me.
• Jacob and I had been friends for as long as I could remember, and there had never be any romantic feelings between us.
• Well, not as far as I knew. But I couldn’t deny that I hadn’t thought about Jacob and I ending up together, it would be easy for us.
• We never had secrets, we knew everything about one another.
• It would be easy to be with him – I knew that, I had always know that.
• “Watch your mouth pup” Beta Strider growled. The commotion was causing a scene and a few of the ritual organisers rushed over.
• I blushed deeply, hiding behind by curtain of hair.
• “Beta, is something wrong?” one of the man asked, looking between the three of us in confusion.
• “Keep this pup away from Julian. She will be chosen by Alpha Lincoln” he replied, and it wasn’t only me who was shocked.
• Everyone nearby gasped. Alpha Lincoln was known for always keeping away from relationships and emotional attachments.
• It was the last year for him to claim a mate – and he had made it very clear that he hadn’t planned to choose a female.
• I couldn’t deny that Alpha Lincoln was attractive, but that did nothing to discourage from the fact he was a murderer, a monster.
• The Bad Alpha. I didn’t want to be chosen by Alpha Lincoln, I wanted to be chosen by Jacob or someone else.
• Anyone else. Just not the Bad Alpha.
• “No, she’ll be chosen by me.
• Julian is mine” Jacob growled out. I had never heard him sound so angry or possessive in my life.
• He didn’t sound like my friend Jacob, he sounded like every other male Wolf.
• I didn’t like that – but I would have rather been with him than the infamous Alpha Lincoln.
• “Take him away” the Beta yelled.
• “Understood Beta Strider” one of the workers said, before two of them grabbed Jacob.
• My friend growled and snapped, as he fought against them. But, they just dragged him away.
• “Jacob” I called after him, moving away from Beta Strider and trying to go after my friend.
• “Do not run, Julian. Alpha Lincoln will not like that”.
• “I don’t want them to hurt him” I whispered, “I just want to make sure he doesn’t get send out”.
• The Beta just rolled his eyes at my words – as if they were childish.
• “I don’t care what you want. But I will give Alpha Lincoln what he wants.
• And he wants you.
• So stop this behaviour and follow me, before I beat you into submission”.
• His voice was powerful and dominant.
• He was not Alpha, but he was still a lot higher than me – a simple pack Wolf with no title.
• His words scared me, and I felt tears prickling at my eyes.
• I didn’t want him to beat me, and I didn’t want to be mated to Alpha Lincoln.
• “Don’t cry” Beta Strider snapped, annoyed. His words made me ever more upset, and I felt more tears rising.
• “Come”. He grabbed my arm – fingers digging into my arm – and he pulled me after him.
• Tears began to fall as he dragged me through the mutual territory.
• He took me to a smaller marquee towards the back of the area, and pushed back the curtain to drag me into it. As soon as we walked in, I gulped.
• Alpha Lincoln sat on a chair, eyes staring at the floor in his usual emotionless stare.
• When we walked in, his eyes snapped up to us.
• He looked at me, before frowning deeply. Fear ran through me – maybe I wasn’t as pretty as he first thought, and because of that he was going to kill me.
• “Why is she crying?” Alpha Lincoln demanded, looking at his second in command.
• Beta Strider just shrugged, as if he had no idea.
• Alpha Lincoln didn’t buy it, and frowned deeply. His frown was the most emotion I had seen that far. He turned to me. “Why are you crying?” he asked.
• His voice just made me more fearful. But it was odd, I was more afraid of Beta Strider than Alpha Lincoln.
• I mean, I wasn’t planning to be best friends with him any time – but the fact he was going to choose me made me look at him differently.
• All day male Wolves had been shunning me because of my weakness,
• yet Alpha Lincoln – someone who should have been shunning me because of my weakness, wanted to make me his mate.
• That made me feel slightly safe – as if he saw past the labelling score. Yet, Alpha Lincoln still terrified me.
• “Well?” he snapped, when I didn’t reply. “Why are you crying?” His harsh voice made me whimper, dropping my head once more.
• More tears feel from my eyes at an ever faster rate. “Look at me”. Grabbing my chin – once more – he forced me to meet his green eyes. “What happened?”
• “I’m scared” I whispered out; voice almost lost in the soft summer breeze.
• “Of what?” Alpha Lincoln demanded; no sympathy in his tone.