Page 8 of My Broken Mate (Healing Bonds #1)

“Something else,” Gabriel continues. “We have a huge gala coming up. It’s the biennial pack leader gala.”

Oh shoot. That’s a big event. I was only required to join once, shortly before I turned eighteen. But now that I’m nineteen, this is probably something I need to do regularly, especially since my oldest brother is the alpha.

“It’s that time again?” Lyle muses.

“The alpha families and the ranked members have to attend, or it will look bad,” Gabriel says. “Sean expects us both to come, obviously. Please, let’s not argue about it.”

“I wasn’t about to,” I say. Why does he think I would?

“I was just saying,” Gabriel defends himself.

“So,” Lyle says before I can answer. “Does the invitation also extend to the gamma family?”

“Yes, your father and brother will attend,” Gabriel says. “Sean said you can take along one or two friends, Remy. Lyle would probably be really suitable.”

I turn to look at my friend. “I won’t force you to come.”

“Are you kidding? As if I will leave you alone there,” he says. “Kiki can be your date so that the girls won’t throw themselves at you… as usual.”

I don’t know what it is… probably Sean’s rank or the family name, but Lyle isn’t wrong; wherever I go, I have someone hitting on me.

“Oh, you are popular?” Gabriel asks.

“I wouldn’t say that,” I mutter.

“He absolutely is. Something about his broody and mysterious aura gets to them,” Lyle grins. “But Kiki and I have it covered. We will protect your virtue.”

I raise my brows. “What kind of virtue are you talking about? I’m not some damsel in distress.”

“Oh, Remy,” Lyle hugs a pillow. “I will protect your poor little heart.”

His antics make me smile, and not even Gabriel seems to take offense. “Do you have something to dress in?”

“Suitable for a gala?” I shake my head. “I grew out of my last suit.”

“Take your friends tomorrow and head out to shop for something. I will give you my credit card and organize a driver for you.” He pauses. “Just buy something suitable. Not too flashy. Make sure you have Sean’s image and interest in mind.”

There is so much I want to say to this. First of all, if there is one thing I can do, it’s dress accordingly. Kiki always says I’m the only guy she’s ever met who likes to go shopping. Second, I would never sabotage anything Sean does.

But I’m too tired to argue, so I just nod. Gabriel seems to be content and leaves.

“The gala,” I mutter. “Just great.”

“I forgot about it completely,” Lyle admits. “My parents were talking about it a few weeks ago, but I just deleted that information from my mind.”

“Thank you for coming,” I say. “I know you hate these events, too.”

“Yeah,” he shrugs. “But you hate them more, and you are my best friend. I’m not leaving you hanging. Fortunately, we have Kiki with us who will probably really enjoy it.”

“Who knows?” I say without being really convinced. “Maybe it will be fun?”

“A gala with almost every alpha of the country attending and all their ranked members and families?” Lyle asks.

“Yeah, I know, it sucks,” I mutter. “The last one was incredibly stiff.”

“Is it that bad?” Lyle asks. “I never went to one.”

“The last gala was the first I attended,” I admit.

“And I didn’t stay long. But, yes, they watch every step you make,” I explain.

“Last time it was pretty awful, too. Sean just took over as alpha, and you know how big these alphas are about our family name. Everything was a big deal, even the choice of drinks or the type of cutlery we used or the people we talked to. Even Gabriel was nervous and more moody than usual. He kept lecturing me for days about how to behave.”

“It will be better this time,” Lyle reassures me. “Sean has been in his position for a while now, and he has proven himself worthy.” He pauses. “No surprise he goes for such a stoic image. Keeps people at arm’s length.”

“No weakness,” I say. “Show no weakness. That’s what… he… always said.” I swallow, not able to even say the word dad or father out loud.

Lyle seems to be shocked that I mentioned him at all, but recovers fast. “You know,” he says after a moment of silence.

“Don’t overthink your meeting with Katalina too much,” he says, all of a sudden shifting the topic.

“You are there to tutor her, and she is in our age group, so I’m sure you will have fun. ”

“She is failing most of her classes, though,” I say. “How can that even happen?”

“Not everyone can be such a diligent student like you are,” Lyle chuckles. “What’s she studying again?”

“Economics,” I say. “I will prepare her for her statistics exam first.”

“You never know the reasons behind someone’s hardships,” he says.

“You are right, I shouldn’t judge.” I nod to remind myself that I’m the last person who should act judgmental.

“I think she is hot,” Lyle says out of the blue.

“I thought you didn’t know her?”

“I don’t, but her name sounds hot,” he says. “And Kiki said she looks amazing.”

“Kiki thinks everyone looks amazing,” I say. Kiki is the least judgmental person I’ve ever met. She thinks everyone is a great and beautiful person.

“Hm,” Lyle hums, and there is a hint of longing in his eyes. “I just wonder when I will meet her.”

“Who? Katalina?”

“No,” he says. “My mate.”

My heart instantly sinks at his words. A mate is every werewolf’s dream.

I know it’s Lyle and Kiki’s. They have been waiting to meet theirs since they turned eighteen.

Both of them frequent as many college parties and pack parties as possible to mingle with other students and wolves from other packs.

I dreamed of it, too. Then I woke up on my 18th birthday and never met my wolf.

“I wonder what she will be like,” he muses.

“Maybe she will be from our pack, but isn’t eighteen yet.

Or she is someone from a pack far away, and I need to wait for the goddess to send her along my path.

” He sits up a bit. “There is just this longing inside me… and it’s getting stronger.

Maybe it means I will meet her soon.” He turns to look at me, turning serious instantly. “Fuck, Remy, I’m so sorry, I—”

“Don’t be,” I stop him before he can further apologize. “Of course you dream of your mate. Just because I will never have one, doesn’t mean you and Kiki shouldn’t look forward to meeting yours.”

“You don’t know that,” he says. “That you don’t have a mate.”

“I don’t know of any werewolf that was mated to a human,” I say.

“Remy, you aren’t human!” he says with emphasis.

“They tested you on genetic illnesses. They had to compare your DNA to your parents’, and you are their son.

It means you are a werewolf. I don’t know why your wolf isn’t here, but I know for a fact that you are not human. There is someone out there for you.”

“I don’t know, Lyle.”

“But I do,” he says determinedly.

I want to believe his words, I really do, but I doubt there is much waiting for me. Sometimes I feel this void in me, trying to suck me in, and it takes all my strength to battle it and not succumb to the darkness. At these times, I just wish I could close my eyes and never open them again.

Life’s full of pain and sorrow.

I sometimes wonder if it’s worth it.