Page 45 of Game of Destiny

Amie

I woke up the next morning and took a moment to prepare myself mentally for the day.

For each day we spent here the chance of me running into someone from my old pack increased.

I got up and got dressed in a pair of jeans and a tank top, me, Finlay, and Sam would be doing a lot of walking around.

It made sense to dress comfortably in the summer heat.

As I was about to exit my room there was a soft knock on the door.

I opened it and saw Finlay standing outside.

“Morning, Red,” he said and took half a step toward me.

“Morning, Finn,” I said with a smile.

“Ready for today?” he asked.

“As ready as I’m going to get. How about you?” He took my hand and placed a kiss on my palm.

“I’m ready,” he said. We went downstairs together and all of us sat down to have breakfast. We went through what the goal for everyone was for the day and then we set off.

“I’m heading over to the gym to make sure our bookings are secured,” Sam told me and Finlay.

“Good. Me and Amie will go over to the council building and make sure they have registered us and look if any of our allies have arrived,” Finlay said.

As we walked toward the official building, I tried to take in as much of the surroundings as I could.

We would be here for a month, the sooner I got used to the place, the better.

Most of the land was covered in forest. It was the old type of forest with tall trees and minimal undergrowth.

It gave the place a feeling of being a large building with a roof and tall pillars.

It was perfect for what we needed it to be.

The area with the cabins had younger trees that acted as privacy fences between the cabins and the same was true for the campgrounds.

The gyms, public kitchen and bathrooms were all located between the living areas and the council building.

I was just going to tell Finlay that the way the grounds were organised would make it easy to navigate when I caught the scent of someone familiar. I stopped and looked around.

“Amie?” Finlay asked. For once, I ignored him as I turned towards where the scent came from.

About twenty feet away, I saw my brother.

He was looking at me like he couldn’t believe his eyes.

I smiled at him, hoping he would be happy to see me.

Elder covered the distance between us in seconds and drew me into a tight embrace.

“Armeria,” he said and tightened the embrace.

“Hi, Elder,” I said and returned the hug.

I felt Finlay standing just behind me. Close enough to intervene if there was an issue, but not so close as to intrude on the moment.

After a moment, Elder took a step back and held me at arm’s length so he could look at me.

He had got older, he didn’t look as carefree as he used to.

But then he was a Beta now. I understood the weight of the title.

“Amie, where on earth have you been?” he asked with a boyish smile. I had to laugh. My worries he would be mad at me all melted away.

“A little here and there, but mostly at the Blue Mountain pack,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Finlay. Elder followed my gaze and frowned. I knew what he was going to say. “I asked him not to tell you. I wasn’t ready,” I explained. Elder looked back at me and nodded. His smile returned.

“It is good to see you. You are all grown up. You look good, little sister.”

“Thank you. So do you. The Beta title suits you,” I told him.

“I have a lot of things to tell you, and a lot of questions about your life as well,” he said. That is when I noticed the mark on his neck and I grinned.

“I see you have found someone who can stand to be mated to you,” I teased him. It was natural to fall back into how I had always talked to him. He gave me a brilliant smile.

“I have. I found my true mate a couple of years back, Becky. She is perfect. Both mom and dad adore her. And, you are an aunt. We had a son almost a year ago. Armino is back home with mom and dad, but Becky is here. I can’t wait for you to meet her,” he excitedly told me.

I smiled at him, he sounded happy and I loved it.

“Congratulations, big brother. I’m so happy for you.

I can’t wait to meet your mate. I have some good stories about you she needs to hear,” I told him.

He laughed and tried to ruffle my hair. After years of avoiding the same move from Finlay, I easily dodged his hand.

He continued to laugh and pulled me into another hug.

“I really have missed you, little sister. Dad and I wanted to find you, but mom forbade us. She said you would let us know when you were ready,” he said in a serious voice. I sent a silent thank you to my mother.

“She was right. I needed time,” I told him.

“I’m sorry you thought this was the only way forward. I wished I could have been there for you,” he said.

“Don’t blame yourself, Elder. You were a good older brother, the best I could have wished for.

It wasn’t your fault, it was just what needed to be done.

I’m happy, I have a good life and I’m in a good pack,” I told him.

We let go of each other and took a step back.

Elder reached for my hand as if he needed to have physical contact to make sure I didn’t vanish.

“Mom and dad will be so happy. You are okay with me telling them, right?” he asked.

“Of course. I would never ask you to keep it a secret.”

“Will you give me your phone number so I can give it to them? They will want to call you,” he told me. I smiled and nodded. He added my number to his phone. Elder turned his attention to Finlay. Finlay had stood quiet during my reunion with his brother.

“Thank you for accepting my sister into your pack and looking after her, Alpha Finlay,” Elder said and inclined his head.

“It was my pleasure. I couldn’t ask for a better Beta,” Finlay said. Elder’s eyes snapped back to me.

“Beta?” he asked.

“Dad rubbed off on me too,” I told him. He was about to ask me something when both him and me scented another familiar wolf.

He gave me a worried look. I should have reassured him, but I was too shocked to do anything.

My eyes went from my brother to his Alpha, standing a few feet behind him.

James had also changed. But it wasn’t the fact he looked older and more mature that had my heart pumping like crazy.

It was the fact I still felt the mate bond between us.

I stepped backwards, away from my brother.

I instinctively sought out my safe place.

Finlay read my body language and he took two quick strides and placed himself between me and both my brother and James.

I was confused. Why was the bond still there?

Was the moon goddess so cruel that she had given me James as my second chance mate?

No. That wasn’t it. I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind.

The bond was there, but it felt weak, like a rope that had been rubbing against rocks.

“Amie,” James said in a voice I couldn’t read. He took a step towards me. I took a step backwards and Finlay let out a low growl as a warning.

“Okay. Let’s calm down,” Elder said. Looking between his Alpha and me.

‘Are you okay?’ Finlay asked me in a mindlink.

‘No. I don’t know what is happening, Finlay. I-I can still feel the mate bond,’ I told him. He stiffened and then looked over his shoulder at me.

“Amie, you are still my mate,” James said.

“What?!” Elder exclaimed and looked at me. “That can’t be. I saw the rejection myself,” he added. I nodded.

“I can feel the bond as well,” I confirmed. “But it’s faint.”

“Alpha Finlay, step aside,” James told Finlay.

“No. I don’t care what bond you have with Amie. She is part of my pack and under my protection. She clearly isn’t comfortable around you so I’m not going to step aside,” he said. I felt myself relax a little. I was still safe.

“This is a mess. What do we do now?” Elder asked.

“We need to talk to the council. They may know what is happening, and they will guide us on what to do,” Finlay said. James and Elder both nodded. Finlay turned to me and I nodded. He put a hand on my back to guide me towards the council building.

‘I swear he rejected me,’ I mindlinked Finlay as all four of us walked together. Finlay made sure to keep himself in between me and the other two. I was afraid Finlay would think I had made up my story.

‘I know, Amie. Something isn’t right about all of this. But I believe you,’ he told me. I relaxed a little more.