Filed To Story: Fated is Overrated Novel Free by Brenda Minnaard
Zeke POV
The silence is growing unbearable so I decide to speak up, gesturing over to the picnic set up “so we prepared a picnic here. We know the last memories here aren’t the best, but as this was your favorite spot here we chose it regardless. And we would like to try to turn the bad memories into good ones”. We hadn’t actually planned this for this afternoon, we had planned something fancy but when she showed up in a casual outfit we quickly changed our plans so we would be the ones overdressed, rather than her being somewhere fancy and feeling underdressed. She snorts and I can’t help but feel insecure and awkward, I almost wish the ground could swallow me up right then and there. I have never had feelings for a girl ever and I wasn’t even sure I wanted a mate. Well actually, I was pretty adamant I didn’t. Until I met her and it sparked something within me that I didn’t want to acknowledge at the time. And by now I am actually completely smitten with her, she if perfect in every way. Not just her beauty, but she is the strongest female I have ever met. She is also really clever and gentle to those who do not do her harm.
“Aren’t the best? The memories of where you tried to sell me off as a s*x slave to a guy that could possibly be my own brother now? And quite ambitious to think you can change those memories into good ones in 1 day”. Ouch. A clear statement that she isn’t planning on spending any more days with us besides this 1 obligatory one. Of course this comes as no surprise, but it still stings and I can’t help but drop my face a little. Zane notices my defeat and chimes in “what he meant to say was we were the biggest *ssholes on the planet back then and we are dying to make some sort of amends with you and everyone we have wronged. Not to get anything in return, all we would like to earn is your forgiveness one day”. I quickly mind link him ‘thanks’ and Lola seems to have approved of his comment as she is just quietly staring ahead and walking towards the plaid. “I don’t forgive that easily. Forgiving isn’t in my nature” she finally replies while plopping down. “Well we are going to try anything regardless, we were wrong and we need to own up to it”. “So, are you taking everyone you have wronged out to a picnic?” she replies with her arms folded across her chest. Very much unlike me, I am lost for words again, leaving Zane to do the talking. “Well, honestly, no. But we have made amends with others already. It’s just.. What we did to you was beyond anything we have pulled. And you are our mate..” “WAS” she quickly fires back. “I was your mate. You 2 still need to accept the rejection however”. An awkward silence stretches between us before I timidly reply “we aren’t going to accept, we told you..”. She ponders for a few seconds before replying with a stern expression “suit yourself. But I won’t be holding back with my boyfriend just because you refuse to accept. And a fair warning. If I feel any pain whatsoever coming from our bond you will regret it”. “You won’t” Zane replies quickly. “Not because you and your animals are scary, but because we don’t want anybody else anymore. Ever” I add with a light chuckle. A small smile seems to tug at the corner of her lips, but it vanishes as quickly as it came. Most likely because I called her scary, but a small part of me still hopes it is because I admitted to never wanting anybody else anymore. And I meant it. Even if she doesn’t want to be with us, there will never be anybody else romantically, Zane and our Lycans all agreed with me.
After having unpacked all the food, plates and cutlery Zane and I are just sitting here and watching Lola grab the things she likes. The first thing I notice and which I probably should have noticed a lot sooner already, is that she has quite the appetite. Lycans generally have good appetites, but females usually tend to only eat salads and stuff to “maintain their figure”. Meaning they look like walking sticks without any curves. Lola on the other hand doesn’t seem to watch her diet, and I like her all the more for it. Not to mention her curves are to die for. How I would like to run my mouth all over that voluptuous body of hers… I feel I’m getting hard just thinking about it, so I have to shift my thoughts quickly. “So, what’s your favorite food?” I ask her a bit awkwardly. I have never had an actual meaningful conversation with a girl, this is all new to me. She arches a brow at my lame question, but answers anyway after taking a sigh “spaghetti I guess. My mom used to make it for me all the time”. She stared absentmindedly across the lake and even a rock could see the hurt in her eyes when she speaks about her mom. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize..”. She turns her gaze back and quickly diverts the topic “what about you two? What’s your favorite food?” she says a tad bit sarcastic, arching a brow again.
“Well mine is pretty plain. Steak” I shrug. “Pizza. Late night pizzas are the best” Zane comments his. As she is devouring a sandwich, she asks with a stoic expression “so, do you want to know my favorite color now too? Or are we going to address the elephant in the room? I thought you wanted a chance to “explain”?”. ‘Well, she’s direct’ Zane chuckles in my head, and I have to agree. But she is right, we wanted to explain it to her, even though it will be a hard topic to breach for us. “So, I’m not sure if you are aware of this or not, but Zeke and I had a beautiful little sister. She had mom’s black hair and dad’s blue eyes. She was 12 years old and was quite the character. Always out with her friends playing” Zane starts off with a kind smile on his face. “Despite being the princess, she didn’t really do all the girly stuff like playing with barbies or dolls, she was quite unique” I can’t help but smile now too. Our little sister was everything to us and her absence still leaves a gaping hole in my heart. It’s because of us she isn’t here anymore, we were supposed to protect her. Lola remains quiet and listens intently. Zane drops his gaze to the ground and the words no longer seem to be able to come out, so I take over from here. “One day she was out in the woods playing with her friends, when the borders were breached by a small army of rogues. We couldn’t make it in time. They… they murdered her friends instantly. And then they tried to abduct her, but our warriors got there in time and fought hard as hell. Some of the rogues were already retreating, but those who had Sophia didn’t run. Instead they… they….” I can’t help but choke up. We never talk about that black day anymore. The pain remains all the same, but somehow having to say it out loud makes what happened more real.
Zeke POV
To my surprise she grabs both our hands and softly says “it’s ok, you don’t have to spit it out, I know what you are trying to say and I am so sorry for your loss”. Her eyes are glassy with water and although my heart is tearing all over again at reminiscing my sister, I can’t help but admire her compassion. Even for us, considering what we have been like to her. Electric sparks are shooting through my hand where she is touching it, and I’m not sure if it was her intention – but the mate bond soothes my pain a little. We remain like that for several minutes, neither of us feel compelled to speak yet. After we have gathered our bearings again Zane breaks the comfortable silence, wearing an awkward expression. “It was never personal, we just really didn’t like nor trusted any rogues”. She is pondering on his words and I can practically see the wheels turning in her head, as her gaze flicks between the two of us. She withdraws her hand and I am immediately saddened by the loss of contact. “Ok, so I understand where you were coming from at least. And I get that you wouldn’t trust rogues anymore. But you must have known I had only been a rogue for 2 weeks? I understand the sentiment against rogues, I do. But had you met me 2 weeks prior, would you not have treated me like dirt because you thought I was wolfless?”.
Zane awkwardly scratches his neck, we both know the answer to this already and I believe Lola does too. We were kind of *ssholes altogether. “To be completely honest, we were kind of *ssholes back then in general. But, we wouldn’t have taken it so far as to chase you off” Zane replies and I chime in “and as for the 2 weeks, yes, we were aware. But we don’t know how long it takes for a wolf to go feral, it depends from wolf to wolf. Some never go completely feral and we haven’t determined the distinguishing factor between those who do and those who don’t, as we don’t interact with rogues at all. And honestly, you were a supposedly wolfless girl who survived in rogue infested territory for 2 weeks and traveled a great distance to get here, we were suspicious of how you had done that. Who knew – perhaps you had made a deal with the rogues or were even part of their pack?”. She scoffs at the comment, but there is some understanding in her eyes. “If I was with them – would your guards have caught me strangling one to death?”. “Fair point. But, we don’t know how the rogues operate, there must be several packs or congregations of some sort out there we assume. So we figured it could be that you just came across rogues from another pack”.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.