Chapter 16

Different but great.

That was the only sentence that I could use to describe how I felt in that moment. Since my heat two
days ago and that wonderful night with Niall, I've never been the same--we've never been the same. I
knew what it felt like to be fully mated, and I've never been happier.

The constant assurance that he's mine and only mine was spectacular. I saw a new side of him that I'm
oh so excited to meet again once we're back home later. I loved having him with me; it put me and my
wolf at complete ease. All in all, I felt complete despite the fact that there was a whole other side of my
life that I'm yet to discover.

I had another talk with Victoria and Luka yesterday, just to be sure that I was receiving all the
information I can get on my dad. But even after going through all my mom's things again and hearing
all the stories mom told Victoria back in the day, I still haven't found anything.

This trip home was supposed to be about being there for Victoria while she recovered, but instead it
consisted of me completing the mating process, half discovering a wolf that could potentially be
connected to my dad and realizing how much Victoria loves ushering me away to be with my mate.

Luckily, she was much better and so we were going back home today. Niall had a pack to run after all,
and even though Asia and Jared had it all under control, the duties of an Alpha were still very
important.

I hated that I pulled him away from his work two times now, and I sure won't be doing it again. Yes, I
need my mate and it's good having him at my side, but his pack needs him too. And since he's such a
young Alpha, people in and out of his pack might begin to question his leadership if he is gone all the
time.

If by chance I need to leave again, I'll go alone, even if he insists on coming.



"I'll miss you" I mumbled as I wrapped my sister in a hug. She was able to sit up at the edge of her bed
now, so I could push all my love into the hug.

"Meh. I'm sure you'll be back soon. You can't seem to stay away." She joked as she playfully nudged
me. I chuckled lightly as I kissed Levi's head before wrapping him and Luka in a hug too.

Luka placed a small kiss on my forehead, something he'd always done since I was a child, so I was
pretty much used to it. He made me promise to be safe and keep in touch, as if he had to tell me twice.

Niall and I packed before coming down to the hospital, so we had already said our goodbyes to
everyone else at the house. I really got the chance to spend some time with Ashley and Ciara. Even
though they're almost the same age as Victoria, they make really good girlfriends.

Everyone seemed happy that I was fully mated, even if they didn't know when it all happened. But all in
all, despite the circumstances, it was good to have a trip home. It also reminded me of what I really
aimed to achieve when I just turned 18-- find out all there is to know about my dad, become Luna and
finally be a hundred percent happy with my mate.

"You okay baby?" Niall asked as we hopped into his car.

"Yea I'm fine. I was just thinking about my dad you know? How much more happier I'll be with you
without the constant 'whys', 'hows' and 'what ifs' on my mind"

"Hey we'll find out everything okay? Together" He reassured, holding my hand firmly in his.

I shot him a grateful smile as I leaned in and captured his lips in a kiss. "What would I do without you
Niall Wilson?"

"You'd do perfectly fine Queen" He smiled wholeheartedly as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.



"When you're this great I wouldn't be too sure" I blushed sheepishly as I leaned back in my seat. Only
Niall has the power to make me blush like a crazy person.

"Well let's hope we never have to find out"

I giggled as he quickly pecked my cheek before backing out of the pack hospital's parking lot. The drive
home was relatively peaceful and nice. We talked about random stuff and sang along to random songs
on the radio. The hours felt like nothing, and I was more than stunned when we pulled up to Niall's
pack border. I was, however, relieved to be home. I've gotten so used to living in an Alpha house with
just three people, that going home to a house of eight was slightly overwhelming.

The moment we pulled up to the house, Asia and Jared came out to meet us. I rolled my eyes as Asia
basically flung herself on him, but the minute she detected the change in our scents, I watched in
delight as her face fell like hail. It was almost hilarious..almost; I'm more mature than that.

Her eyes darted to me as if I'd just committed the worst ever crime as she basically turned red. She got
lost in sight as Jared appeared in front of me and gave me a hug.

"It's good to have you back Zoey. How's your sister?" He asked as he released me. Niall carried the
bags inside as I walked side by side with Jared.

"She's doing great. It's almost like she has wolf healing too you know? I thought she'd be down longer"
I told him honestly. Not that I wanted my sister to suffer, but that's what you call a hasty recovery. But
after all, we're all wolves so we have little knowledge about how fast the human body heals.

"That's great." He beamed. "I see that's not the only good thing that happened. I'm happy for you two"
He threw a hand over my shoulder in a side hug which I happily accepted.

"Thanks. At least someone is" I mumbled as my eyes darted to Asia sitting on the couch stubbornly like
a child in timeout.



"She'll come around" He chuckled, patting my back before walking away, most likely to go do work.
Jared is always working.

I headed to my room where Niall was already putting our stuff away. I was exhausted, so I threw myself
in bed as soon as I was in front of it. I heard a light chuckle from Niall as I immediately started to doze
off. I had no idea why I was always tired. I knew I loved sleep, but this was another level sleepaholic.

I was sure I was almost completely asleep when I felt Niall's warm hand on my bare shoulder. The
touch of a mate was definitely uniquely distinct.

"Zoey?" He called softly, shaking me awake.

"Hhmm?" I groaned as my eyes fluttered open. I was met with his beautiful gentle smile that I couldn't
help but smile too.

"I'm heading out for a bit okay? I'll be back soon" He told me as he ran his hand up and down my arm,
magically putting me back to sleep.

"Okay be careful" I mumbled as my eyes bopped closed. I held onto his head and pulled him in for a
sweet short kiss before turning back around and drifting back to deep, sweet slumber.

.

.

My eyes fluttered open as I felt my tummy rumble. Of course the only other thing that will keep me from
sleep is food.

I really need to change.



Touching a hand to my mouth, I stifled a yawn as I stretched with the other. I rubbed sleep from my
eyes before darting them to the clock on the wall, seeing that it was half past six.

I decided to get a shower before going down for dinner. The shower did what the stretch alone couldn't
do, eliminating every ounce of sleep from my mind and at the same time giving me a fresh cool feeling.

For some odd reason, I couldn't feel Niall's bond to my wolf and I almost had a mini panic attack , but
then I remembered how he would sometimes shut himself into work completely. I knew I should've left
him be, but the mate in me just couldn't go eat before seeing him first.

I strolled down the hall to his office, but I already knew he wasn't there, since I would've already picked
up his scent. However his scent was very faded, telling me that he was there but left a while now.

With a frown, I headed downstairs to the living room where Jared was watching tv. I still couldn't pick up
Niall's scent strong enough to tell me that he was here. The only evidence of his scent was the forever
lingering aura of it, which is existent because he lives here.

"Hey Jared have you seen Niall?" I asked, trying desperately to keep my worry at bay.

"Haven't seen him. I've been in my office all day but maybe try calling him"

I would've if his phone wasn't still on the nightstand.

With a sigh, I ventured towards the kitchen with stupid hope that he'd magically be there. I even tried to
mindlink him, but the void in my mind confirmed my former thoughts.

He wasn't anywhere within packlands.

In the kitchen, Asia was sitting at the island eating ice cream and watching something on her phone.
With my appetite now gone and my little pettiness aside, I considered even asking her if she knew
where he went. What could it hurt?



"Asia have you seen Niall?" I asked, biting back on the pride my wolf oh so tried to kill me with.

She looked up from her phone with the spoon stuck at her mouth as she eyed me weirdly. I knew
whatever coming from her mouth was going to be snarky and rude, but an answer must be in there
somewhere.

"So you finally crawl from that bed of yours and expect me to find your mate for you? You're that lazy
huh?"

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek till I tasted blood. I wanted so badly to slap her for being the
eldest yet the least mature. "Asia it's a yes or no question" I simply and surprisingly calmly stated.

"No I haven't seen him since he left today. He didn't tell me anything either so don't worry, he's still all
yours," she remarked obnoxiously with an eyeroll before focusing her attention on her phone.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves as I turned to leave. I will never get along with this woman so I
have no clue how we'll ever work together. But as I walked out of that room, the frustration of not
knowing where my mate was plus the annoyance from this 'Beta' had me storming back into the
kitchen.

Then my mouth took control.

"You know what Asia? From the minute I got here you have been nothing but a pain in my ass which is
completely unnecessary. I get that you have a thing for Niall okay? I can't blame you. But he's MY mate
and it will always be that way so the sooner you accept that, the better okay it'll be"

I walked further into the space, glaring at her and putting everything into what I had to say.

"So stop acting like a whiney petty little girl and be a grown up who is literally running a pack of
hundreds of wolves. Because guess what? When I become a member of the Truemoon Pack, I'll be



Luna and that automatically makes us partners. So you don't have to like me, but at least be grown
enough to put up with my presence for this pack. And it's strange how you care for Niall so much yet
you don't seem the least interested that he could be in trouble! Ugh!"

I spun on my heels with a huff and a lot off my chest, but her voice haltered my movements. "I am
worried about him," she said lowly, but I heard it.

I slowly turned back around to face her and for the first time since I met her, she looked remorseful.

"I tried to mindlink him earlier today but I realized he was out of pack borders. I was worried for a while
then I remembered he's the strongest, smartest and bravest man I know. He's fine. Maybe he just had
an important errand to run or something, but not even twenty rogues could've hurt him. I know your
judgment is clouded because you're his mate and it's a part of being a mate to worry even if he's the
strongest man in the world. But I think you should take it easy." She said as she gazed at her hands.

I was stuck between taking her word for it or continuing my panic session. But then again, I guess she
was right.

He is Alpha blood after all, it would be highly unlikely for someone to really hurt him. I'll just hope for the
best. But the minute I feel any form of panic or fear between our bond, that's it. It's good that no matter
how far, if mates are in trouble, the other will know.

"Thanks" I mumbled awkwardly as I turned to leave again. Did Asia really just help me to calm down?

"I was jealous of you" She suddenly blurted out, making me stop in my tracks again.

'Yea I already established that', I wanted to say, but stayed quiet. So slowly, I turned back around to
face her. She was aimlessly playing in her ice cream with her spoon, avoiding eye contact.



"Four years ago when you and Niall first met, did you know that it was my sixteenth birthday?" She
asked, meeting my eyes as she ended. My eyes widened in shock since I definitely didn't know that at
all.

"No, I didn't know. That was the day of-"

"My first shift, yes" She confirmed. "I always had a crush on Niall, so I always wanted him to be my
mate. Since I'm a year older than him, I'd know even before he does. So when I turned sixteen and I
discovered that he wasn't, I was absolutely devastated" She sighed with a slight shake of her head.

Damn, I almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

"Nonetheless, I always had this stupid plan that if he wasn't my mate, we'd still be together because we
had a thing. I also knew that he'd make my birthday the best by cheering me up, being there when I
went through the pain of shifting, and be there with my favourite ice cream once I shift back" She
chuckled humorlessly as she gazed down at the bowl of ice cream in front of her. "But that didn't
happen Zoey." She gazed up to look at me again.

I was ready to defend myself. I was ready to tell her that I didn't know her and I had no clue that it was
her birthday. I remembered that day perfectly. Niall spent the whole day with me even though we only
met that same morning. I felt like I knew him my whole life; and though we were both without our
wolves and didn't know that we were mates, the connection was still there.

"But you just had to come with your sister to the Alpha-Luna meeting with Roxy and Ace. You took him
from me that day and he's never been the same... Before all that, we were literally best friends. We did
everything together and we were inseparable. But after you left, I couldn't get a day by without him
talking about you. Even when I stole his first kiss and got him to become mine for a while, thinking that I
could make him forget about you and fall in love with me. it was always you" She sneered, looking
slightly crazy.



"You had no control over what was destined to be Asia. You didn't from the start" I simply stated even
though I sorta understood her obsession now. Sorta.

"But if you hadn't come that day, he would've fallen in love with me. It happens all the time when two
wolves fall in love so much that they reject their mates. I just needed time"

"You need a therapist "I blurted out without thinking, but she was too deep in her rant to even notice.

"He was never mine again after he met you, and deep down I knew it. I just never accepted it until he
brought you home that day. Even though you were miles away in another pack for the past four years,
you always had him and that made me mad" Literally.

"I never had anyone but my parents, Jared and Niall. With my parents always busy and Jared always
working even as a teenager, the only person that made me feel mattered was Niall. When you took him
away I just cracked"

"But I didn't take him away, Asia," I tried to convince her even though I was convinced she's crazy. "He
has always been with you, but you focused on the wrong thing and so you saw me as the bad guy
when it was actually yourself "

She met my eyes at that as if I just told her the worst thing in the world. But it was simply the truth.

"You've tortured yourself for four years and blamed me, when you should've been focused on
appreciating Niall as a friend and maybe searching for your mate. I know you believe you're in love with
my mate, but when you find yours, trust me he'll be the only man you see" I don't know why I was being
nice to her when she just told me I basically ruined her life with my existence; but it's called 'being the
bigger person'.

"You don't know that" She mumbled with an eye roll.



"But I do because I know what it feels like."I sighed, feeling the slightest bit of pity for her. "Look Asia,
I'm not gloating but it's just the plain truth that Niall can never be yours as long as I'm here. So instead
of villainizing me, why don't you look in the mirror and be the woman everybody knows you can be.
You're a great Beta. Niall said it, Jared said it, and it's true. But a good Beta only goes as far as his or
her heart leads them. And yours that is filled with hate will never lead you or this pack anywhere good.

"I'm sincerely sorry if you believe my arrival four years ago on your sixteenth birthday ruined everything
for you, but this vendetta against me won't fix that. I don't necessarily like you either, but I'm human
enough to understand what a broken and misunderstood heart looks like. Trust me I know. I lost both
parents and I'm yet to know who my dad really was. But I have people to lean on and you do too. You
just need to lean the right way"

And with that, I decided to leave her to her thoughts and try to at least not fret until Niall gets back. I
think I dealt with that pretty well. I'm proud of me.

"I'm sorry about your parents." Was the last thing I heard before I left the room.

The weird thing was, it sounded sincere. Hopefully, my words hit a nerve and she stops obsessing over
my man. It took a lot out of me to keep my wolf at bay while she talked like I stole 'her love' away from
her. That's a different level of self control.

So I decided to go out and get dinner that night, and since I had no friends except Jared and Niall's
parents, I invited Roxy to dine with me.

Maybe the night out will calm my senses, ease my worry and strengthen my hope that Niall was
okay.


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