How it Works, or Rather Not

MAX

I swear, I’ve never felt more embarrassed in my life. And it’s not because I got caught. No, it’s worse than that.

I’m ashamed because I would have gone all the way with Del if we hadn’t been interrupted. And I hate myself for it.

Why did she have to be the one to walk in? Why was she here early? She wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow. That’s what she told me.

~“She wanted to surprise us, you idiot!”~ my wolf snapped at me.

That was the nicest he’d been to me in the last half hour. But realizing he was right hurt more than any insult he could throw at me.

Estella wanted to surprise me. She must have been so excited to see me. And I messed it all up.

I guess we both got the surprise of our lives.

After I kicked everyone out, I tried to calm down in my office. But my wolf wasn’t having it.

So, I decided to go home. I was too drained to run. As I got closer to my house, I smelled her and picked up the pace.

She was here. She hadn’t left.

There was still hope.

When I walked in, my parents were in the living room. But I didn’t stop to say hi. I could do that later. I needed to talk to Estella.

But it wasn’t meant to be. I’d barely taken three steps upstairs when my dad called out to me.

“Hold on, Max.”

“Not now, Dad,” I said, impatient.

“It can’t wait.”

I sighed and walked back down the stairs to face them.

“What happened with Estella?” my dad asked. His voice was calm, but his face was worried.

“What did you do to her? She’s been crying since she got here,” my mom accused.

“I didn’t do anything,” I said, running a hand through my hair. I could feel her sadness mixing with mine.

“I didn’t know she was coming today and… Delta came over and things got…”

“She walked in on you two?” my dad guessed.

I nodded, feeling the shame wash over me.

“Oh, son.” He sighed.

“Why was she here again, Max?” My mom stood up from the couch, her eyes shooting daggers at me.

“Why? And don’t tell me she’s just a friend. That girl is trouble. Her mate’s rejection has made her bitter.”

“Leslie…”

“I’m right, Howie. You know I am,” she insisted.

“You are, my love. That girl is dangerous. But let’s be honest, with Max’s track record, it could have been any girl.”

He was right. It could have been any of the unmated females who’d been trying to get with me for years.

But I didn’t care about that. All I could think about was Estella and how to make things right with her.

Without interrupting their conversation, I tried to leave again. But my mom stopped me.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she scolded.

“Mom, I need to see her,” I said, annoyed.

“Do you think she wants to be near you when you smell like another woman?” she asked.

“Shit,” I muttered, realizing that Del’s scent was still on me and Estella’s sense of smell was too good to miss it.

“Use the downstairs bathroom. I’ll bring you some clean clothes. You’re lucky it’s laundry day.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

I changed direction and headed to the bathroom. I scrubbed myself clean and even brushed my teeth to get rid of the taste of Del.

My mom brought me fresh clothes and when I walked out, I felt cleaner and more composed.

Maybe it was because my wolf had finally calmed down. I think he didn’t like Del’s scent on me either.

When I walked back into the living room, my dad was still there, sipping his coffee.

“Don’t just stand there, son. Go to her. She’s going to run out of tears soon.” He grinned at me.

The third time was the charm. I made it to my room without anyone stopping me. Now the only thing standing in my way was me.

I paused outside my door, listening to her sniffle. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. So, I knocked gently.

“Go away, Max,” she said, her voice hoarse from crying.

I knocked again.

“I can smell you, Max. Go away. I don’t want to see you,” she said again. I would have been heartbroken if I didn’t know another way into the room.

“As you wish,” I said and walked back downstairs.

I walked out the front door, ignoring my dad’s confused look, and circled around the house until I was under my window. I always left it open during the summer and most of the winter.

I climbed up and slipped into my room. She was lying on my bed, facing away from me, wiping her nose with a tissue.

I was lucky her nose was blocked. She couldn’t smell me.

I sat on the bed and pulled her into my arms before she could protest. She tried to wiggle free, but I was stronger.

“Stop it,” I said. “I’m here to talk to you.”

“You looked busy earlier. Don’t let me keep you,” she shot back, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

She was a sweet girl with a sharp tongue, but that wasn’t news to me.

“Well, I am keeping you right now, sweetheart.”

“Let go and return to your snippy girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I clarified.

“You were kissing her.”

“Unfortunately, I was. But it didn’t mean anything.”

“How can you kiss someone like that and it not mean anything?” she asked, a mix of confusion and annoyance in her voice. “Is it just about sex?”

Her question caught me off guard. I turned her around to face me.

“What?” I choked out, and she blushed a deep red, avoiding my gaze for a moment before looking up at me with determination.

“Is it just about sex?” she repeated.

“How do you even know about sex?”

“I have three cousins who are six years older than me, remember? I’ve heard them talking.”

“Do you know how it’s done too?” I asked, furrowing my brows.

“Ew, Max! That’s disgusting!” she exclaimed, clearly repulsed.

I laughed at her scrunched-up face and gently touched her cheek. I always found it endearing how kids found sex so gross, and in that moment, I was relieved she didn’t know much about it yet.

“You didn’t answer my question,” she pointed out.

“Yes, it’s just that.” I sighed, looking away.

“Why not have a real girlfriend?”

“Would you be okay with that?”

“No,” she admitted, shaking her head.

“Good, that makes two of us,” I said, lightly pinching her nose.

“Is it because of me? Am I taking up too much of your time?” she whispered, and I pulled her even closer.

“Sweetheart, you don’t even live in the same country,” I reminded her.

“But you visit often.”

“Estella, let me make one thing clear,” I said firmly. “The time I spend with you is my choice and something I want to do. Don’t ever question it again, and don’t ever feel guilty about it. Okay?”

“Okay,” she murmured.

“That’s my girl.”

“Does this mean that now that I’m staying here forever, I get to spend more time with you, too?” she asked with a sly smile, and I was left speechless.

“What?” I asked, unsure if I’d heard her correctly.

“We moved back here, Max.” She grinned. “For good.”

I jumped up from the bed, pulling her with me, lifting her into my arms, and spinning her around.

She giggled and called me crazy. I didn’t bother to correct her. I was crazy with joy, a feeling my wolf shared.

When I sat back down with her on my lap, she rested her head on my chest.

“You made me dizzy, you goof,” she complained.

“You’ll be fine.” I chuckled. “Where are you staying?”

“I’ll stay here tonight. Tomorrow, I can show you our new place.”

“Okay.”

We stayed like that for a while. I hadn’t felt this peaceful and content in years.

“Hey, Max…”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Do you think that when you find your mate, she will mind you spending so much time with me? And what if she doesn’t like me?”

“I wouldn’t worry about any of that if I were you,” I murmured, kissing the top of her head.

UNKNOWN

Throughout dinner, Cal was deep in thought.

His nephews were eating in the kitchen with their friends, Eva and Patrick were whispering about the earlier events, and him?

He paid them no mind, lost in his thoughts. Was it a trick of the light?

But he was sure he’d seen correctly, and she had growled too. Yet no one else seemed to notice what he had.

Eva was standing at the back, but Max and the blonde must have seen something. They didn’t seem to, though.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking. He remembered how he used to wish Estella was like them when he was younger.

Not because he had anything against humans, but because he wanted to play with her like he did with his few friends of his kind.

With her, he always had to pretend to be slower and less strong.

Even at her best, she was no match for him, though he had to admit she was impressively skilled and had great stamina for a human girl.

But what he thought he’d seen earlier was playing on his mind.

He was sure something strange was happening. He couldn’t figure it out, no matter how much he thought about it.

So, he took a deep breath and, clearing his throat softly, he spoke up.

“Is there any chance that Estella is like us?” He asked as casually as he could.

His sister and her alpha stopped talking immediately and stared at him. He met their surprised looks with a steady gaze, making it clear he expected an answer.

“If she were one of us, you would have smelled her, or we would have, for that matter,” Patrick said, furrowing his brows.

“Yeah, but what if there was a way for her to hide her scent or if she had a dormant wolf?”

“Cal, I don’t think that’s possible.” The alpha smiled kindly, as if he’d read his earlier thoughts.

“Why are you asking, though?” Eva asked, studying him closely.

“Well, you remember how she growled at the blonde that was with Max?” he replied, starting to feel a bit nervous.

“Yes, and I admit it was quite intimidating,” she agreed, nodding. “I’ve never seen Estella act so aggressively.”

“I think I saw something…” He swallowed, suddenly feeling foolish about what he was about to say.

“What did you see?” his sister asked, her voice full of curiosity. He swallowed hard, then spoke.

“When she growled at the woman, her eyes...they flashed silver.”

He hadn’t meant to say it like it was a fact. But now it was out there, and he couldn’t take it back.

Patrick’s face was a picture of disbelief. He knew how crazy it sounded.

But Eva was staring at him, her eyes wide.

“Cal, are you sure?” she asked, her voice steady. He nodded, not hesitating.

Then, without another word, Eva stood up and stormed out of the room.

EVA

“Aunt!” I yelled into the trees. “Aunt!”

“No need to yell, child. I’m right here,” she said, her voice calm.

When I turned around, she was already there, timeless and beautiful in the fading daylight. But this time, I needed answers.

My thoughts were a jumbled mess. My understanding was blurry and confusing. If she didn’t show up this time, I didn’t know what I’d do.

“It’s not, really,” she said, reading my thoughts as always. “You already have the answer.”

“No,” I said, refusing to accept it. “I don’t. And how can I stop what’s coming?”

“My dear, what’s coming can’t be stopped. The answer to your question doesn’t really have much to do with it, but since you’re having trouble figuring it out, I’ll help.”

I looked at her expectantly, but she took a few moments before she spoke. When she did, I was completely taken aback.

“I messed up,” she simply said, and I stared at her, shocked.

“How?” I asked, confused.

“It’s quite simple.” She smiled sadly. “I chose the wrong girl for Max.”

“You mean his first mate?”

“Correct. It’s happened to me once or twice, many centuries ago. I never thought it could happen again with all I’ve learned.”

“What happened? How could you make a mistake like that?”

“By miscalculating. Come on, child, let’s sit down. This is going to be a long talk.”

I followed my aunt to a clearing where there were places to sit. Once we were somewhat comfortable, she continued.

“Has your mother ever talked to you about how mates are chosen?”

“Vaguely.” I furrowed my brows, trying to remember what I’d been told. “I think she said they’re chosen when we’re born.

“If one mate is older than the other, the bond is formed with the birth of the first one and is completed with the birth of the second.”

My aunt nodded in approval.

“That’s the basic idea, yes. But I’m afraid it’s a bit more complicated than that. The truth is that the wolf descends to the werewolf-to-be hours after he or she is born.

“Each wolf has a soulmate that needs to find a body to live in. I guide the wolves to the bodies of those I think will be good partners.

“To avoid rejection, I usually choose another werewolf as a mate since, as you know, humans are less likely to accept werewolves.”

“You base the mate selection solely on the wolves?” I asked, surprised, remembering a conversation I’d had with Max years ago.

“Why does that surprise you, child? The wolf is stronger than the man or woman.

“When a wolf recognizes its mate, no matter what body it’s in, it has to claim him or her. Sooner or later, the man or woman will have to give in to the wolf.”

“This is wrong,” I murmured.

“It’s the way it is,” my aunt said firmly.

“Why should it be that way?” I insisted. “Why doesn’t our human side get a say?”

“Humans die, Eva. They die, and it’s over, while wolves can be reborn many times. Each of them has a soulmate from their first birth.

“It’s my job to reunite soulmates with their reincarnations. I do my best to find people who won’t hate each other and won’t cause conflict, but it’s not always possible.

“Everyone has a purpose to serve.”

I couldn’t fully grasp how this worked, but I didn’t ask more. Not right now. My priority was different.

“What went wrong with Max’s first mate?” I demanded.

“The girl’s body was too weak to sustain the wolf I sent to her.”

“How could that be?”

“Oh, for Moon’s sake,” she said, sounding irritated. “You have all the information, child. You shouldn’t be asking so many questions!

“Anyway, Max Kinsky’s wolf was an alpha in his previous life. In this one, Max is related to alphas on both sides, and he has a beta’s skills.

“Of course, his wolf would be strong, and his wolf’s mate would be just as strong. The girl I chose seemed perfect.

“She was born days after Max and came from a strong family. Her dad was a beta, and her mom a pack doctor.

“But the girl herself was frail, and she died when she was only five. The wolf left her body, and since usually only the alphas get second chances at mating, I let it go.

“I thought that in another lifetime, I could make it right. Then years later, your brother Caleb was born.

“I felt his wolf reaching out for a human who was about to be born and another werewolf as well. So, I thought I’d found his potential mates.

“I started the bond between the three of them, and I waited until the girls were born. The she-wolf came first, and I completed the process without a problem.

“A few months later, the human was born, but…”

“But?” I asked, feeling anxious.

“You remember the memory you accessed about Max’s and Estella’s first real meeting?”

I nodded.

“In the hospital, a couple of days after she was born,” I confirmed.

“Yes,” Auntie admitted, taking a deep breath. “I was meant to seal the bond between Caleb and Estella that day, making her his second chance mate.

“But then Max showed up and unknowingly chose her as his mate.”

I gasped, then scrunched my eyebrows together.

“I don’t get it,” I mumbled. “How could that happen?”

“Max’s human side was attracted to Estella, which caused his wolf to find a home in her. It’s dormant, like it is with all humans who are mated to werewolves.

“If I had bonded her to Caleb, the wolf would have only gone to her if his first mate died. But in this case… Her bond with Max started forming on its own.”

“You didn’t pick her?”

“No, I told Max I did because I couldn’t risk losing my credibility. But in reality, I just blessed the bond with the person Max chose.

“The wolf followed the human this time. The moment he held her hand, even though it was just innocent child’s play, it was a done deal.”

“Does that mean they were truly destined for each other?” I asked, amazed.

“Exactly. Even if Max wasn’t magical, he would have fallen for Estella in the human world, assuming they met.

“That makes their bond stronger. That’s why you can already see glimpses of the wolf she’ll become if she accepts him.

“They’re mates in every sense and every way when it comes to spirit. The only thing holding them back is their age difference, which wouldn’t be a problem if they hadn’t met so early.”

“Couldn’t you do something about that?”

“I tried.” She sighed. “But my influence in the human world is limited. I sent Estella’s mom a nightmare before the accident to stop them from going on that trip.

“Her mom tried to warn her family, but Estella’s dad ignored her.”

“Damn!”

“They weren’t supposed to meet again until she was old enough. But now that they have, they’ll have to deal with it. Both them and the rest of us, I’m afraid.” Auntie rubbed her forehead, looking worn out.

“I see.” I nodded, but then a thought popped into my head. “Auntie?”

“Yes?”

“Max doesn’t seem to remember his first meeting with Estella.”

“Of course, dear. I wiped that memory, and before you ask, remember that Max Kinsky is very perceptive.

“I couldn’t risk him figuring everything out. It would give him more reasons to question our culture and my power.”

“Right.” I clenched my jaw, annoyed. “That’s why you were so eager to tell him that Estella is his second chance.”

“You have to understand that I can’t stand to lose the respect and loyalty of my children over a mistake that happens maybe once every thousand years.”

“Sure,” I scoffed. “So, what can I do to help them now?”

“You can’t tell them everything I told you,” she said, giving me a stern look.

“But…,” I started to argue.

“Don’t interrupt me, dear,” she scolded. “You know the rules. No important information about the future should be leaked. It will cause more harm than good.

“You’ve already revealed too much. What would be helpful, though, if you can manage it, is to get Max to cut back on his sleeping around.

“He has needs, and that’s understandable, but it’s already affecting the girl, as you’ve probably noticed.”