Denied by Destiny: Trapped in the Shadows of the Mate Bond

"I love your optimism, don't ever lose it." He pulls me into his arms, before placing

a lingering kiss upon my lips...one that he is hesitant to pull away from.

So I do it for him.

We needed to face the music.

I open the front door, almost tripping over luggage left in the centre of the hallway. Jace is quick, taking a hold of my elbow to stop me from toppling over.

He twists himself in front of me, kicking the luggage to the side not caring who it belonged to...but I already had a sneaky suspicion of who was leaving tonight.

Now ahead of me, he doesn't wait...he moves into the living area where our families stood together...with a very clear divide between Callie and her parents.

Jace's annoyance hits me through the mate bond.

"This is outrageous, I demand to know what has happened for our daughter to be so cruelly casted aside." Alpha Bill growls out, Luna Louise scowling out at everyone within the room.

Her eyes coldly holding even Josie's before they lock onto mine.

Her arms were crossed in front of her, Alpha Bill's finger pointing out as our families as they stood over Callie in a single arm chair...her head in her hands, her eyes slammed shut.

Heads turn when Jace and I enter further into the room, most release the tension in their shoulders...all but Kaia. She was poised, she was ready for a fight.

"What is going on?" Jace growls out, his voice not apologetic for demanding to know why Callie's parents were not only still here, but why they seemed insistent on refusing to leave his family alone to grieve at a time like this.

"Good, you are finally here. Do you know how long we have been waiting for you to come here and explain yourself?" All eyes remain on Jace and myself, the eyes of our loved ones moving to our necks...smiles erupting out onto their faces when they notice the sore red marks upon our skin.

"You don't talk to my son that way." Kaia snarls out, her body preparing to attack as her shoulders were hunched over and her feet rolling forward.

This pack is in mourning, I would have thought that goes without saying." Jace grunts out, placing me in between Jaxon and Knox, before taking a step forward. Not only shielding me, but every member of our families.

"Yes, well...we are sorry for your loss but.." I'm shocked at Alpha Bill's blasé mention of Alora's death. How he even waves his hand out as if it was something

that could be swept away.

"But?" Jace seethes out.

"We deserve an explanataion."

"What is there to explain. Cleo and I are fated mates, Cleo is pregnant with my child, I have receded my title of the Clear Waters and have taken on the Amber Desert pack. I have marked another, my true mate."

A moment passes when they stare between Jace and then myself, their eyes

moving down to my stomach...something that makes even Jaxon shift at my side.

At his brother's movement, Jace's

head moves back towards me biel

eyes following their line of vision. He takes a deep breath in through his nose, his jaw tensing... noveldrama

"You lied to us." Callie's mother snarls out to her.

"Yes." Callie bluntly responds.

"Why?"

"You know why." She sighs out, pain registering in her eyes.

"We are leaving, now." Luna Louise declares, Callie's eyes shooting to Jace, terrified.

"No, she stays here." I can't help but feel jealous as he argues against her parents, for her.

"This is a family matter."

"Callie is my family, we are business partners after all."

"Callie?” Kaia calmly calls out her name.

"I would like to pay my respects if that is okay with you?" Her head lifts up, red puffy eyes inform me that contrary to her reluctance to speak out, she's been struggling with her parent's angry outburst.

"You are always welcome with us, I hope you know that." Kaia softly offers out.

"If you remain here, you can forget about the pack, about returning. You can forget about that." Luna Louise leans forward, coldly hissing into Callie's ear.

"Get out, before I throw you out!" Jace darkly threatens, his body trembling with rage.