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Chapter 2

THEO

I’m in my room getting ready for the biggest Christmas party of the year, the Anderson’s Christmas party. I was so happy to get an invitation; I thought they would have not invited me due to Hayley. But this is the first one in five years.

Hayley was my love and soulmate; I loved her all through high school and still do. When we started dating, it was magic. I turned eighteen before she did, and it was the night of prom. Both Jake and I knew she was our mate. I asked her to meet us at our spot in the forest clearing but I ended up making out with Carly.

Hayley never showed up. I tried to ring, text and even went over to her house, but she would not see me. I found out from Summer that she left to stay with Harrison. She never came back. I never saw her again.

It has been five years. Everyone has found their mate besides me. Alpha Jacob, my best friend, found his mate was Summer at prom. I was happy for them, but I was upset over Hayley.

Over the last five years, I have been keeping myself busy training and helping Alpha Jacob with pack business and also having a few one-night stands. I never had anything serious; the only person that was on my mind all the time was Hayley.

“Hey Theo, are you nearly ready?” asks Summer as she walks into my room.

I can’t help but glare at her. “Do you ever knock?” I ask her, but she smiles. “Oh, I do when I know you have one of those sluts around here, but I know you haven’t, plus you have been getting ready for the last hour.”

I sigh and check myself out in the mirror, my fitted black button shirt with a few buttons on the top with dark jeans and some new sneakers I bought. I made sure my hair was gelled back; I made sure most of my tattoos were covered as I know Ruth hates them.

I hear vibration coming from Summer and then a sequel. “YES,” she says. I look at her through the mirror. “What are you so happy about?” I asked her.

She looks at me and smiles. “My Christmas present to you,” she says. I turn to look back at her. “What Christmas present?” I ask, sounding a little freaked.

Was there something I was missing?

“You will have to wait and see,” she says. “Are you all done now?”

I chuckle, “Yeah I am.”

She looks me over and smiles “You look...” but a growl slips, comes through from the door.

“Do not say the rest of that sentence Sum, or I will bend you over my knee and spank you so hard that I will make you come,” says Alpha Jacob as he walks in.

“Dude, I didn’t need to hear that,” I say with a snarl. I can hear Jake laughing in my head; he has been in a happy mood lately.

“It’s Christmas,” he says in my head.

“I hope you keep that as a promise alpha,” says Summer. Oh hell no, they not going to be fucking when I’m in the room and not in here.

“Ah, please,” I say. “I really don’t need to hear this.”

Both of them chuckled and looked at me. “I do have to admit, Theo, you do look good mate, you trying to impress anyone,” says Jacob with a smirk.

“I wanted to look good for the party,” I say. “What time do we leave?”

“We are leaving now, Emma is waiting for us downstairs,” says Summer. She looks at Alpha Jacob and smiles.

Something is up with these two.

We all leave my room and head to the car.

Ruth’s parties usually go on for two days and nights, they were mental back in the day and if I remember rightly Aunt Jackie loves her whiskey too much, it always leads to some sort of scandal the following day but then it is followed by another scandal.

Alpha Jacob is driving us, so Summer will be sitting in the front and I will take the back seat with Emma.

We head straight to the car. But before Summer gets in. “I need to get a bottle of wine,” she says as she turns around and heads back inside the pack house.

I climb into the seat. Emma is texting on her phone.

“You okay dude?” says Alpha Jacob, who’s looking at me in the mirror.

“I’m okay, why do you ask?” I ask.

“You’ve been quiet for the last five months,” he says.

He is trying to find out what happened at Hayley’s father’s funeral.

“I’m ok, just need a night of fun that’s all,” I say, trying to sound convincing, but it doesn’t come out that way.

Jacob looks at me and is about to say something else but he stops as Summer opens the door. “Right, let’s go,” she says.

Jacob starts the engine and drives away. I look out the window.

Five months ago, I punched Harvey in the face, as he wouldn’t let me into the funeral. I thought Hayley was there, but Summer told me she left a few hours before. I could smell her scent. It was so intoxicating. Harvey said some things and punched me, so I hit him back. Ruth was beside herself. I even went around a few days later to apologize, and that’s when we had a chat. Ruth asked me about my true feelings towards Hayley and I laid everything out on the table for her and even told her, I thought she was my mate as no one else is in this pack. Ruth was happy and told me to hold out a little longer. Hayley had some issues over the years which I never knew about. Summer never mentioned anything about it, but I know the Andersons always kept their secrets to themselves.

“You okay, Theo?” comes the voice from the side of me, Emma. I just smile and nod. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Emma was away in college for three years and came home to visit her family when she met Harrison. They have been inseparable ever since.

We turn onto Ruth’s street,

“Oh my goddess, Ruth went all out this year with the decorations,” says Summer, sounding amazed.

I look towards the house. The house looked like someone exploded Christmas lights everywhere. There must have been over six reindeers, eight snowmen and far too many Santa’s counting. The lights were along the roof and down the porch. Some lights were hung on some of the trees nearby.

As Jacob pulled up, there was a faint scent in the air.

I can’t place it, but it had Jake humming in my head.

Jacob wraps his hand in Summer’s hand guiding her up the drive. I follow behind.

Jacob knocks on the door.

After a few moments, the door is opened by Ruth, who has a massive smile on her face.

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