-Juliette-

"You know." I said as Dylan and I walked around this pack house's lush garden. "While I'm not questioning the validity of your first encounter with your mate, so please don't take offense...you do know it sound completely unfathomable that a mate would just so cavalierly reject their other half."

He sighed heavily. "Why do you do that?" He asked a little agitated.

"What?"

"I get it, we all get it...you're smart, but why do you have to talk to people so...calculated, and use large words; don't get me wrong I understand you perfectly well, it just makes you seem, I don't know...fake or just inhuman."

I couldn't tell if I had struck a cord with him or if he genuinely meant what he said, but I knew he was right and this wasn't the first time someone's told me something similar.

I shrugged, "it's a nervous thing."

"How so?"

"When I'm nervous I react defensively so-to-speak, and as I'm not strong physically, I use my learned intelligence to make people feel inferior...but I've done it for so long sometimes I do it without even thinking." I admitted, to be honest I didn't whole heartedly know why I was choosing to be so open with him, but oddly I found it so easy to talk to him.

He nodded as if understanding my reasoning, "well back to what you first said...I know it was weird for her to just reject me, especially when it basically goes against everything in our genetic coding."

"What do you mean?"

"Well as Weres of course we are primarily human, but as you know we also have our wolf and with that comes our animalistic side, and carnal urge to mate and spread our seed...more specifically we want to help build our pack with the strongest offspring and to ensure that, it's by having a child with your mate...the only way to make your kids stronger is to have the offspring of an Alpha."

I didn't really know what to say, of course it made sense, animalistic urges, carnal intuitions, Alpha bloodlines.

"I've seen her only once since then, but I'd recognize her anywhere even only having met once." He sounded sadly. "It was by chance to be honest, we talked briefly...she had married and was pregnant with her husband's child, but she gave me her name and told me why she had rejected me."

"Do you mind if I ask why?" I asked intrigued.

"She's apparently the daughter of an Alpha, he had promised her to the son of an alpha and when she came of age to shift and find a mate her own, her father had ordered her to reject any other male who wasn't her betrothed."

I shook my head, I just couldn't believe how these Alphas work.

"Is everything just a ploy for Alphas?" I asked angrily.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "for most of them yes...your sister is lucky, not only is her Alpha stubborn so he wouldn't take that shit from his parents, but our pack is large so we don't need as many allies for protection purposes, if anything other packs come to us for various things."

It made more sense now, but it was still idiotic and pointless.

"I would never subject my children into loveless relationships." I muttered angrily.

He chuckled but I could hear the awkwardness in it.

I chanced a glance at him, I could see that he was trying to be helpful but there was something bothering him.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

It felt so odd to be having such a casual conversation with someone i had only met weeks ago, and yet I felt closer to him in this moment than I ever felt closer to anyone...Dorian included.

"I just hate seeing you go through what I went through...I know the hurt, I promise it fades after a while Juliette."

I could tell he was being genuine.

"But please try and go on with your life Jules, we care about you here...I know it will take time and none of us are asking you to be happy and pretend nothing happened, but please take care of your health."

'Jules'

It was a name I was quickly growing accustomed to, my sister's always used it, and her mate picked up the knack of using it, now Dylan.

I nodded, "now that you mention it, I am feeling a little hungry again."

He gave me a small smile full of concern. "Let's get you to the kitchen then, i'm sure the chef can cook up anything you'd like."

"I think I'll just have a sandwich." I sounded.

"Then that is something I can do for you, I make the best sandwiches you've ever had." He smiled genuinely.

His radiant smile would make any girl swoon, but instead it only reminded me of the hollow cavity that once held my heart.

I smiled weakly to try and remain cordial with him, it wasn't his fault so I really didn't want to push him or anyone else here away. Together we reentered the house and easily found the kitchen, although I've been here for weeks I was still new to everything and everyone.

"So how is it?" He asked with a genuine smirk.

I carefully tasted the bite I had in my mouth, "hmm...good meat to cheese ratio, not too heavy handed on the condiments, I'd say it actually does have to take the title of the best sandwich I've had, even if you did cut off my crusts."

He chuckled a little bashfully, "sorry about that, I usually only have to impress a 3 year old."

I gave him a quick smile and chose to leave his last statement lingering...I could see he hadn't meant to say that but it slipped out.

"So do you know where my sister went?"

He silently began cleaning up and putting the sandwich fixings away, "she and Alpha Roc had a meeting with the council, a meeting about an emergency inclusion of a member."

I understood immediately, "and what if I don't want to join this pack...I'm not a Were nor do I have any ties to keep me here other than my sister."

"The Alpha and the Luna still need permission to keep you in the pack house, more so because as you just pointed out...you aren't a Were and have no ties here...to the council they could see that as a threat, you could potentially learn everything about us and turn around and ruin us."

I didn't like his insinuation, "do you really think I'd do something like that, to my own sister?"

He shrugged, "it isn't about what I think, it's up to the council."

"Who is this council anyways?" I asked angrily now.

"Four old Weres, basically each region of North America has a leader (North, South, East, and West), the leaders make up the council, their only job is to keep the peace and balance between every pack to ensure the safety of our kind."

I understood.

"We have rules ya know, main one is that we keep our existence unknown to humans with the obvious exception of a human being a Were's mate...you are that exception and now my Alpha and Luna found themselves in a sticky situation since you are a human who knows about us, but..."

"But what?" I asked.

He dropped his glance and looked a little sad.

"Tell me Dylan."

He sighed heavily, "since you're a human who knows about us but you don't have a mate."

My chest tightened, realization had hit me once again.

"Shit, I'm sorry Jules, I didn't mean-"

"Stop." I sound pained, I didn't want his sympathy...not when he'd just been so genuine with my this afternoon. I squeezed my eyes shut and had to hold myself up by holding onto the countertop. "What does this mean now?"

"I'm not really sure...but someone is gonna be in trouble, my Alpha and Luna have gone to plead their case, so that means Alpha Travers might be on their shit list."

"What, why?" I asked desperately.

I knew I shouldn't care what happened to him...but despite my best efforts I still loved the bastard, deep down I knew I would always have feelings for him.

"If all goes well the council will see that he told a Mate about our kind with no real intention of making her a part of our world."

I hated the harshness of his words. " what will they do to him?"

He shrugged, "I don't know."