Mate Bond (2)

Jayce's POV

Jayce stepped into the small bookstore, wanting to see if they had any of the old editions of his favorite fantasy series. It seemed the series had gone out of print and was told his best bet was looking at second-hand shops.

Thankfully, there was one downtown so Jayce didn't need to go far and leave the pack alone. After taking over from his older brother, Louis, two months ago, the pack had been a little messy, forcing Jayce to stay close by to solve its problems.

However, the minute he stepped inside the bookstore, the smell of vanilla and roses filling his nose, Jayce forgot what he had come for. Instead, he found himself drawn to the cute woman leaning on the counter.

He watched her straighten up, turning to look at him and he felt his wolf go crazy. She had long, wavy brown hair, honey gold eyes, tan skin and a curvy figure. Everything Jayce loved in a woman and when he inhaled deeply, he knew he was looking at a female werewolf.

Walking up to her, he gave her his best smile and said, "Hey there."

The female however didn't grin back like others normally did. Instead, her eyes widened, making her look doe-like and her body trembled. As if in fear. Jayce frowned and reached for her.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked with concern.

"Get away from me you murderer!" The female screamed, trying to get away from Jayce.

Jayce stared at the female in confusion. He had never met the female, she wasn't someone he'd forget, and yet she was acting like she had watched him kill someone. The only time he had killed was when he had to put down his brother who had gone mad.

Realization dawned on Jayce. The female was probably one of his older brother's victims. He cursed his brother and sighed.

"Wait, I think you're misunderstanding something. My name is-" Jayce started, trying to clear up the confusion.

But before he could, the female grabbed a bat from under the counter and pointed it at him, her hand trembling slightly.

"You…you better leave…right now!" She exclaimed loudly. "If not, I'm calling for help. You…know what happens if you cause…trouble here."

Jayce didn't need to be reminded. Any fighting among rivals in the downtown area could result in their pack, coven or family being expelled from the area. Not only that but they could lose their place in their pack, coven or family.

"Hold on. Please…" Jayce said, making a grab for the bat. "I just want to-"

The female swung the bat, hitting Jayce in the stomach. He groaned, moving away and she ran from the counter, heading for the back of the store. Jayce grabbed her shoulder wanting to explain things but as his fingers touched her skin, he felt a shock go through his body.

The two collapsed on the floor as the shock spread through their body. Jayce felt a pain in his chest, as if someone was craving something into his chest. He had heard about this type of pain before but it was too good to be true.

Ripping his shirt, he saw the runic inscription across his heart, a telltale sign of what had just happened. A sign that he had just mate bonded with the female before him.

The female also realized what had happened, tears falling down. ""No, no, no! Please goddess, no!"

Jayce's wolf growled at him, wanting him to comfort their newly discovered mate. But he couldn't. Not when he was the reason, she was like this. He watched in pain as the female cried out her heart, begging for the bond not to be true.

After a few minutes, the female calmed down a little and glared at him sharply. "Let's end the bond, right now!"

"What? No…I mean…can you hold on for a second." Jayce murmured softly, kneeling in front of the female. "You know a mate bond can't be easily broken and-"

"I don't care! I'll do anything to remove it…just please…break it…" The female started tearing up. "Please…not with my parents' killer…no no no…"

She was breathing heavily now, gasping for air and choking on her words. Jayce quickly realized she was having a panic attack, him being the cause of it all. Well, his face at least.

Jayce reached out for the female, rubbing his hands up and down her arms trying to calm her down. "Breath…just breath."

He started slowing his breath, breathing heavily so she could copy his breathing when an intense pain hit his cheek, making his head spin. He turned to look at his attacker, ready to strike back and protect his new mate.

He stopped in his tracks seeing that his attacker was Xander, the alpha leader of the Moonsan Pack. Jayce felt a little shocked. Despite not seeing the male in two years, the two had known each other for a long time and yet this was the first time he had ever seen him so…angry.

"Get away from her!" Xander growled loudly, moving towards the female.

Jayce quickly rose standing in front of Xander, blocking his way. Instinct had kicked in, making Jayce protective of the female. The thought of another male touching her or even comforting her made his inner wolf go into a frenzy.

"Xander, I suggest you turn around and leave now." Jayce growled back in a low tone, a warning all too clear.

"I will. Right after I take Artemis with me." Xander took a step closer, the staring at each other eye to eye. "Now move!"

"Xander, she may be part of your pack but right now she's my mate." Jayce moved the pieces of his tattered shirt to show the runic inscription. "I don't want to fight but I will if you try to take her from me."

Xander looked down at the runic inscription and went pale. "Goddess…This can't be happening. Not you of all people…"

Jayce growled wanting to response to the remark when Xander held his hand up to silence Jayce.

"Alright, I understand your claim as a mate. However, I want to first make sure Artemis is alright and okay with this…" Xander sighed. "I'm not just going to let you take her. For now, I'll give you permission to stay at my house. Until we figure this out."

Jayce calmed down a little, understanding the logic. "Fine but I'd rather stay with Artemis."

The name of his mate rolled easily on his tongue, it sweet in his mouth. He hadn't expected to learn her name like this but he was happy he knew it now.

"You will be. She lives with me." Xander replied, bending down to look at Artemis.

Jayce saw red at the last part wanting to grab Xander. Was he trying to say the two were going to be mates and that Jayce had been lucky enough to bond with Artemis before they did?

He knew that mate bonds were rare and most mates chose each other but to think his mate wanted to be with another male and a rival male at that…

"Calm down, Jayce. It isn't like that. I am her guardian." Xander said, picking up a sleeping Artemis. "Looks like she fainted again…"

Jayce calmed down, happy their relationship wasn't a romantic one. He was a little upset about Xander touching her but decided not to act on his anger. He had other things that he was interested in.

"What do you mean by fainted again?"

"Long story short your brother attacked and killed Artemis' parents. She watched it all, somehow managing to survive his attempt on her life." Xander growled. "However, it left her with nightmares and panic attacks. The first year was bad and she collapsed a few times while having an attack."

"She hasn't had one in a while so I thought we were out of the woods, but I guess seeing your face triggered her attacks again." Xander smirked at the last part before going serious again. "Anyway, we she wakes up again, I'll explain everything to her. I ask that you stay away until she makes a decision."

Jayce wanted to argue and stay by his mate, but he knew Xander was right. If she woke up with him there and went through another attack, Jayce wasn't sure how he was going to be able to deal with it. Her sanity came before his need to be close to her.

His wolf could wait a little rather than them lose her because of desire…

"Alright…" Jayce agreed.

Closing up the store, Jayce followed the older male to a silver pickup truck with a red bicycle in the back. Xander stood in front of the truck and said, "Could you get the door. It's open."

Jayce obliged, opening the passenger door before getting in. Sitting down in the seat, he turned his body, arms held out.

Xander looked at him for a second before sighing. "You better not try anything or I'm going to break every bone in your body."

"I'm not like my brother. I just want to hold her." Jayce growled back.

Xander passed Artemis to Jayce, Jayce placing her head on his shoulder, holding her tight. Her small body fitted perfectly in his arms, like puzzle pieces being put together. He had found his missing piece.

Jayce looked down at his mate, her face so peaceful despite the tear stains that covered her face. Jayce turned away and saw Xander on the tar, gripping his chest.

"Xander?" Jayce called out, not sure what to do.

Xander looked up at the mention of his name, pain in his eyes as well as some unreadable emotion. As Jayce looked at the male, he knew what had happened and he didn't like it one bit.