Chapter 6: Chapter 6

ELEANOR

I didn’t sleep a wink last night. Xavier showed me to my own room last night, so I was alone in the unfamiliar room. I got myself out of bed at seven in the morning, and after having a warm shower, I noticed that someone had left some clothes for me to wear.

I put them on and made my way to the kitchen. The gamma that welcomed everyone to the ball last night was standing there with a cup of coffee. ~I think his name is Marquez?~

“Good morning,” I greeted him.

“Good morning. Do you like the clothes?”

“You got them for me?” I asked him and made my way to the breakfast table and took the cup of coffee that was in front of me and started sipping it.

“I told Xavier he should do it, but he…gets distracted sometimes. I’m Marquez, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

“Thank you. Nice to meet you too, I’m Eleanor.”

“I know. Did Xavier talk to you last night?” Marquez asked me, and I noticed that there was a tone of uncertainty in his voice.

Xavier had mentioned that his alpha and gamma were looped into the contract but that everyone else shouldn’t know about it.

“He gave me the contract, and I signed it.” I said it so casually that it made Marquez’s eyes widen.

Even I was surprised with how relaxed I was about the situation.

“And you’re okay with it?” he asked me, sounding shocked.

“Well, it kind of stung at first. But I’m not ready to get into a relationship right now, so it’s probably for the best,” I said.

But deep down I was in conflict with my emotions. He was still my mate, and being rejected by him did hurt a little.

“I can see you’re not okay with it, Eleanor. I mean, I would never be if I was in the situation that you are in,” Marquez said while I remained quiet. “Sam and I didn’t like the idea, and we tried to convince him not to go through with it,” Marquez explained while I stared into his eyes.

I guessed my emotions were showing more on my face than I thought.

“I didn’t know he would bluntly reject me like that. I mean isn’t that rare? What am I? Not beautiful enough?”

I hated that these emotions were coming to the surface. It wasn’t like I wanted a mate anyway. So why was I so bothered by the rejection?

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Eleanor. It’s his past that made him this way.”

“What do you mean?” I asked him.

A sad look crossed his face before he let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back on his chair.

“Well, he was in a relationship before. And he was very much in love with her. Her name was Chantelle. But that ended up badly,” Marquez began before he started running his hands through his hair.

“He loved Chantelle with all his heart. She was his first chance mate,” Marquez said sadly. “She brought the best out of him. I have never seen someone so in love. Xavier was more jovial back then. They were supposed to have their mating ceremony soon. And the night before the ceremony, he took a bouquet of flowers to her place. That’s when he caught her having sex with Benjamin. He was our head warrior.”

My heart sank for Xavier. What an awful experience.

“What happened then?” I asked.

“Xavier wanted to kill them both, but Sam stopped him. Alpha banished Chantelle to be a rogue. Benjamin was demoted to serve the pack as an omega. Rumor has it Chantelle is with some other guy now.”

“So now Xavier thinks all women are the same?” I asked.

“Either that, or he’s just protecting himself from getting hurt again. But who knows, you might be able to convince him otherwise,” Marquez said.

I didn’t know what to say to that. I wasn’t here to fix Xavier…or get attached. So, I changed the subject.

“So, what am I supposed to do today?”

“Samuel would like to meet you in his office,” Marquez said.

I finished my coffee before we left to meet with the alpha. As we reached the pack house, Marquez led me through the same hallway where I first ran into Xavier last night.

“This is Alpha Derek’s office,” Marquez said before he knocked on the door.

A couple of minutes later, we heard a light “Come in,” so Marquez pushed the door and entered.

“Marquez, there’s a rogue…” Alpha Derek stopped midway when he finally raised his head and realized that Marquez wasn’t alone. “Eleanor?” he asked, sounding shocked before he looked at Marquez again.

“Alpha Derek, it’s nice to officially meet you,” I said and slightly bowed my head in respect.

“I’m happy to meet you too, Eleanor,” he said.

A tense silence enveloped the room, and I knew that he wanted to ask me about the contract.

“You don’t have to walk on eggshells around me, Alpha Derek. Xavier made it clear what the situation will be with us,” I spoke and looked out through the window behind his desk.

“I’m sorry that it worked out that way. I tried talking some sense into him, but he was too stubborn,” Alpha Derek said, but I shook my head.

“It’s all right. Anyway, I assume I came to learn about my beta female duties,” I asserted, and he nodded his head before he gestured to the chairs in front of him.

“Please take a seat, both of you,” he said.

Marquez and I walked toward the chairs and took our seats.

“I guess Xavier must have told you the real reason we need you here. We are trying to form alliances with other packs.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that, Alpha Derek.”

“Well, if we want people to believe that you two are really a couple, then I guess you might have to get more involved with the pack. My pack does things a little differently. The beta female role is quite important, and I hope you take your job seriously too,” Alpha Derek said.

I nodded my head.

“As long as I’m here, I’ll make sure I do my job to the best of my ability.”

“Great. I have already allocated your office in the pack house. Your duty is to have meetings with all the newly mated werewolves in this pack and help them arrange their mating ceremonies. Also, you might have to help them find houses.”

“Sure, I can do that,” I said. I figured mating ceremonies would be part of my duties, but what I really wanted was to be on the pack’s patrol. “Can I join the patrol team?” I asked him.

I only had six months in this pack, and I wanted to utilize everything I had here to find out what happened to my mom. On the day we were attacked, I knew they were rogues. If I was on patrol, I might have a better chance at finding who was responsible.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Eleanor. The rogue situation is getting out of hand.”

“I’m a decent warrior. I can handle a few rogues,” I insisted, and even though he looked a little doubtful, he nodded his head.

“Okay, I will have you included on the patrol team. Minimal shifts though.”

“When can I start?” I asked him. I knew I sounded too eager to work, but if I went back to that house, I might start thinking about everything that happened yesterday.

“Your office is all set, but you should probably take a look around the pack before you get started,” he suggested and turned his gaze to Marquez. “Will you be able to show her around?”

“Sure, I don’t have any training sessions for the next two hours,” Marquez said as he got up from his place, and I did the same.

Marquez first led me toward another hallway where he pointed out Xavier’s office, and my office was right next door.

We left the pack house, and Marquez led me toward the training grounds, where a few people were already sparring. The tour ended up lasting over two hours, but Marquez stayed with me the whole time, patiently showing me everything.

We were walking back to the pack house. Marquez and I were distracted in our conversation when I felt someone roughly hit my shoulder.

I turned around and saw a woman wearing a flimsy dress and her face caked with makeup. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there,” she exclaimed, but I could hear the sarcasm in her voice.

“That's all right,” I said, not wanting to get into any drama.

“I’m Jade,” she introduced herself and extended her hand for a handshake. I looked at her hand briefly before placing mine in hers.

“Eleanor,” I said and quickly took my hand back.

“Of course, I know you. You’re Xavier’s mate,” she said in a sickly sweet voice, and for a second, I wondered if I had misjudged her.

She closed her eyes and sniffed the air before her eyes opened again, and her smile widened.

“Well, looks like you guys haven’t completed your mate bond,” she asserted, but I remained silent.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” I said in a defensive tone, but she shook her head.

“Of course it’s my business. Well, I pity Xav. I told him that he should have just rejected you. You don’t even look like the type of girl he fucks.”

My hands curled into fists, but I remained quiet.

“~Let me out, and I will tear that bitch’s throat!~” Erica growled. I held her back because I knew that she was very much capable of doing that.

“I don’t have time to waste talking to you. Excuse me,” I said, but when I was about to walk away, she stepped in my way.

“I think you should just go back to your pack, sweetie. Xavier is never going to like you. I mean, look at you,” she exclaimed as she looked at me from head to toe. “You don’t even have any curves, and your boobs look almost nonexistent.”

“Yeah, right—and your boobs are definitely bigger than mine, since they’re practically spilling out of that nonexistent dress you’re wearing,” I told her in a monotone, and this made her mouth widen in shock.

I bet she didn’t expect me to talk back. I walked closer to her till we were only an inch apart.

~I’m not as innocent as you think, bitch.~

“I suggest you don’t meddle with me, Jade,” I said in a low tone, which made her take a step back. “Now move the fuck away, bitch,” I said this louder and walked past her with Marquez beside me.

“Well, that was interesting,” Marquez commented.

A victorious smile appeared on my face. Jade messed with the wrong person, and there was no way I’d let her walk all over me.