Page 137

Ten years ago (Flashback)

The Alpha and Luna of the Night Shade pack had come to visit the Evergreen pack with their twin children, a son and a daughter, Conrad and Anastasia. Conrad and Anastasia had just turned eighteen and were in search of their mates, whereas Denzel was seventeen.

As the parents indulged in their usual formalities, Anastasia forced Conrad to help her find Denzel. Knowing about her secret obsession with Denzel, Conrad did not want to entertain the idea.

"I want to tell him," Anastasia insisted. Though being twins, she was petite in stature, looking younger than her age.

"Don’t be stupid. He won’t agree to be your mate," Conrad warned seriously, but Anastasia was adamant. It was either Denzel or nobody else as he was the only guy catching her interest.

"But I’ve turned eighteen. I only don’t know who my mate is because I haven’t seen Denzel yet. It could be him."

"You are older," Conrad reminded her, as it was rare for the female to be older than the male. It was also not a ruled-out possibility, so Anastasia was unfazed by her twin brother’s analysis.

"But he’s more mature, even than you," she pointed out. Conrad was slightly jealous of Denzel. Even his parents made the same assumptions about Denzel being more mature and responsible than him.

They even mentioned that Denzel was already acting as the Alpha in wait for his coronation when he turns eighteen.

"It doesn’t change anything. Let’s just walk around the pack. If we don’t find our mates, we shall go visit another pack," Conrad suggested, unwilling to see Denzel because of his sister’s obsession with him.

"Denzel is your best friend. Would you not see him before we leave?" Anastasia asked curiously, knowing how inseparable they used to be. Conrad did not want to feel little standing beside Denzel in his twin sister’s eyes and retorted,

"I just don’t want you to embarrass me with your infatuation."

"Conrad," Denzel yelled from a distance and began to run towards them. He had just returned from training in the woods, bare-chested and sweaty in just sweat pants and trainers.

Anastasia gaped at his strong physique as she jogged to meet him halfway. Conrad was forced to follow her, knowing that Denzel had anger issues and could be irritated by Anastasia.

As expected, Anastasia smiled flirtatiously and circled her fingers around Denzel’s chest as soon as she reached him. "Denzel, where have you been? We’ve been looking for you."

Denzel frowned irritably, held her hand, and dropped it gently, "Don’t do that again," he said in a warning tone before turning his attention to Conrad.

"Hey, how is your mate search coming up? I heard that if you don’t find your mate at eighteen, you might have to wait until you turn thirty," he teased Conrad.

The latter forced a smile and retorted, "Those are just fibs, but I’m not in a hurry. I just turned eighteen and ready to have some fun before finding my mate."

They might be good friends but had different expectations in life. "I don’t envy you, Conrad. The only woman I want to have fun with is my mate," Denzel said seriously. Anastasia was even more stricken.

"Denzel, what about I wait until you turn eighteen? We could mark each other," Anastasia suggested directly. Conrad was feeling embarrassed by her shameless pursuit of Denzel.

Denzel was not liking it either. In the absence of the mate bond, he never intended to have any woman by his side, as he was fascinated by the love his parents had for each other. They were fated mates too.

"Anastasia, I’m flattered, but unless you are my mate, I would never mark you," Denzel said seriously, not making light of the matter.

Anastasia’s face fell. "You sound so harsh."

"It’s the truth. If not for your brother, I would have broken your wrist the moment you touched my chest." He hated for any woman to get intimate with him, aside from the fact that he was underage.

He might look taller and stronger than his peers but was also disciplined. "Look around. If you don’t find your mate, there are more packs for you to explore. Conrad, come with me. I have something to show you," Denzel dragged Conrad away without another glance at Anastasia.

"I’m coming too," Anastasia yelled, not willing to stay away from him. The more he rejected her, the more obsessed she was with him.

Denzel went hiking with Conrad with Anastasia tugging along.

As they were climbing the hill, Anastasia thought of a way to get Denzel’s attention.

Without a second thought, she screamed and allowed herself to fall off the cliff, but as expected, Denzel caught her before Conrad realized what was happening.

She was certain of Denzel’s protective instinct, for which reason she took the risk and was not disappointed.

When Conrad realized what was happening and was about to go help, Anastasia gave him a look, indicating that he stays away.

Conrad had no idea what his sister was up to but after Denzel pulled her up, Anastasia vehemently wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and forcefully kissed him on the lips, angering his wolf.

Denzel had his wolf since he was fifteen but for mate, it could only happen after one turns eighteen and he was waiting patiently for her.

However, to be taken advantage of by an elder she-wolf, the only thing that stopped Denzel from using his hands on her was Conrad. His eyes were red and his anger burned as he pushed her violently away.

He might have control of his fist but not his tongue, not when he felt being taken advantage of.

"How shameless can you be? Have you no self-respect? I only welcome you around and even helped you because of your brother. Now that I’ve seen how loose of a woman you are, I demand that after this visit, you never come here again," Denzel said, severing ties with her.

As the acting Alpha, his words carried power and Anastasia knew that she would never see him again, her heart in tatters as tears welled up in her eyes. Denzel turned around and left.

For the remaining days they spent, he never saw both Conrad and Anastasia again, but a few days later, he was met with heartbreaking news.