Chapter 15

As they were talking, Jessica slipped slowly back into the kitchen, trying her best not to draw any attention.

"...You?" The sound of Katalin's voice started her as she turned around.

Jessica's eyes shook as she saw the look of fear and shock etched across Katalin's, Kamilla's, and Oscar's faces.

Oscar was against the wall, sweat trailing down the side of his face from his fear.

Kamilla was frozen stiff, the Honey BBQ ribs forgotten in her shaking hands.

Katalin's eyes were glued to her as well; she was no longer cutting potatoes.

"...It's you?" Katalin's words existed in a whisper, disbelief stitched in her words, "You're the Alpha's...mate?"

Jessica gulped hard as she backed away from them and exited through the kitchen door, closing it behind her. Her body shook as she stood there, but then took off into a sprint.

She shouldn't run, she shouldn't, but Jessica couldn't help it as she ran past everyone as fast as she could, several of them stopped and sniffed the air as she ran past, many of them gasping, and looking at her in disbelief.

"Impossible!" Jessica thought, the snow crunching hard under her sneakers and the wind slashing past her face, "This is impossible! Wasn't Keric the Alpha?!"

She tore down the path to the Omega quarters, daring not to look back at the stares she knew were there, or worse—if he was there chasing her down. She shook her head as she ran.

Her wolf whined at her. Stop! Go back, that's our mate! Ours! We must not let any other females claim him!

"Are you insane?! That's an Alpha! The Alpha of the Delaney pack!! No! We are not going back there!!" Jessica ran, her thoughts running wild, "How is this even possible?! My mate's supposed to be an Omega like me! Or at least a Theta! Nothing more!!"

When she got to the house she ran in, locked the doors with all three locks, and ran to Kamilla's room and locked the door there as well. She shut the blinds, locked the windows, and laid down the bed designated for her, her body trembling, her blood racing, and her breathing rapid.

How stupid.

Even if he wasn't the damn Alpha, as a werewolf it was easy to rip down locked doors, shatter open locked windows, knock off the blinds, and take their mate in a bed—

The very thought scared Jessica, tears forming in her eyes, "No! He's not our mate! The Alpha can't be my mate...My mate can't be an Alpha! Oh, what difference does it make?!"

However, as much as she denied it, her thoughts couldn't help but drift back to him that he was. It hurt her and her wolf inside to say any different, no matter how much he and their bond scared. Jessica bit her lip as she pulled the pillows over her face.

Her wolf whined once more. He's ours. There is no mistake in this. We just have to claim him.

Her wolf projected on how safe they felt in his embrace, how when he breathed on her neck. She projected them running together as wolves, him nuzzling her muzzle with love and care, promising to protect her and whatever cubs may come. She then projected her thoughts on their dreams, when he would caress her skin, kiss, and nip at her neck and shoulders, and message her breast as he fingered her.

Jessica rolled over, feeling her arousal start-up, heat forming between her legs. She closed her eyes as tears rolled down her face.

She did want him.

She wanted him so bad it hurt, but couldn't—shouldn't—allow herself to want like this, "He's an Alpha...he's an Alpha... I...I can't—"

A faint knock on the front door snapped her out of her immediate thoughts into thinking nothing. She didn't even have to guess to know who it was.

It was definitely Erick.

She didn't move as the faint knock happened again.

"Jessica," For the first time in years, she heard a voice mind that didn't belong to her or her wolf's, "Open the door please."

Jessica's lips quivered. She wanted to, but she didn't want to; her wolf wanted to tear the doors down that separated them from their mate.

"I don't often request. Open the door now, Jessica," Erick's voice was gentle in her mind.

With a thunderous heartbeating, she slowly got out of bed, wiped the tears away, and hesitantly unlocked Kamilla's door, heading towards the front.

She licked her dry lips slowly, and her hand shakily reached for the first lock...

then the second...

and the third, before she tentatively opened the door to reveal the handsome, tall, and powerful male. Her mate.

"Why did you run away from me, Jessica?" Erick's voice was surprisingly calm, gentle, and soothing to her.

Jessica took a step back and he took a step forward in pursuit. Jessica's heart was moving way too fast to her and she gulped, "I...I-I....I'm so...sorry, my Alpha—"

"Don't call me that," Erick took another step forward as she took another backward.

"My...my apologies, sir—" Jessica continued to walk back.

"Don't call me that either," Erick's eyes never left hers as he continued to follow.

Jessica backed down through the hallway. As she realized she was staring into the emerald of his eyes she quickly averted them.

"Don't look away from me," His husky and deep voice gently commanded her, forcing her to look back up at him.

Her shaky hand rose and touched the wall, trying feebly to propel herself back.

"I'm scared—"

"Don't be."

"This isn't—"

"It is."

"I can't—"

"You can."

"I shouldn't want—"

"You may."

"I'm an Omega—"

"It doesn't matter."

Jessica clumsily reached out to her bedroom door, missing it the first few times behind her before she finally opened it and backed into it. Erick followed closely.

"W-what should I—"

"Erick," He answered before it slipped out.

At that moment, Jessica realized she had blocked any exit out. But did she? Did she want any exit?

~/~*~/~

Erick then closed the gap between them and kissed her lips hard, bruising them with his own.

Jessica let out a stifled whimper as he pulled her in close, grabbing the back of her head and his other hand on her waist.

She tasted like heaven to him as he ran his tongue lightly against her lips, begging for entrance.

Jessica slowly started to relent, but when Erick grabbed her butt, she gasped against his lips and his tongue darted in, entering her mouth, seeking hers out.