Chapter 24

It's been a couple of weeks since Sadie died and Piper left the pack. Things have been f*g t**errible, and I don't even know how the hell I'm going to fix everything that is happening. The pack is getting weaker as the days go by. A few days ago, there was a rogue attack, and we almost f**g lost. Sof the warriors who had been attacked have yet to heal. Werewolves have fast healing. They should have healed in a few hours after the attack, but it's been days, and they're still in the f**g hospital. We've been debating with Jason, Micah, and the elders whether to tell them the truth or not since they've started questioning why they aren't healing as fast as they should. It was all so frustrating, considering we aren't anywhere close to finding a solution. It's like fate is working against us or something. My door opened, and I stopped what I was doing to stare up. "Tellyou have sgood news," I growled, my frustration evident in my tone of voice. Jason and Micah stared at each other, as if communicating something silently, before turning to me. "Well!" I all but shouted while standing up. I was wound up tight. Knox and I were on edge. We could both sense the danger that was lingering. The chaos that would accompany the revelation of our weakness. We were the leaders of this pack. Our job was to protect the pack, and yet we were failing. "We couldn't find anything," Micah finally said. "What the hell do you mean?" Jason took a deep breath, as if preparing to deliver a devastating blow. I just knew that I wasn't going to like whatever it was he was about to tell me. "Spit it out, Jason," I snapped when he still didn't say a f**g thing. "We haven't been able to find her," he began. "Her house is empty, and it looks like she hasn't been there in months, and no one has seen her around either." "That's not possible," I muttered more to myself. How is it possible for her to just disappear? Efforts to find her have borne no fruit at all. "It's like Lola just disappeared from the face of earth." Micah added unhelpfully. "You've got to be **g kidding me! How hard is it to find one f**g woman?" They both remained quiet as I started to pace the office. We haven't been able to track down Lola since the day she rejected me. Sure, Sadie ruined everything between us, and Lola severed our bond, but I was hoping she could help us once I explained the situation to her. I had built my hopes that, despite us no longer being mates, she'd be willing to help and that maybe working together would help renew her love for me. "I'm telling you, Alec, we can't find her. Even our best trackers haven't been able to track her down," Jason said worriedly. He knows how important finding Lola is. He knew what was at stake. Sighing in frustration, I dropped down on the sofa and clenched my hair. Even dead, Sadie was still causingtrouble. If it wasn't for her selfishness, Lola would still be here. She wouldn't have disappeared, and my pack wouldn't be getting worse each and every day. "What are we going to do?" Micah asked, pullingfrom my thoughts. I looked up and studied him before switching to my Beta. They both looked tired and worn out. Like they haven't had a moment of peace or sleep. I guess I wasn't the only one bearing the weight of the world on my shoulders. Gritting my teeth, I answered. "I don't f**g know." We are quiet after that. Each of us is lost in our own thoughts, well, that is, until a knock interrupts us. I already know who it is by their scent. "Cin," I call and the door opens, with Elder Shaun stepping in. "Good evening, Alpha; I'm here on behalf of the other elders," he bowed slightly. Unlike what humans think, elders aren't above the Alpha. Sure, they are above other pack members, but they aren't above the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and their mates. They also aren't involved in the daily politics of the pack. They're mostly guardians of our history and, once in a while, offer council when it's needed. "Speak," I commanded. He takes a deep breath before opening his mouth. "We are concerned about the pack, and we wanted to know the steps you're taking to save it now that your mate rejected you." H 2/4 He can join the f** club because 1, more than anyone else, was worried about my pack. I was worried about my people. At the mention of the rejection, my heart squeezes as a familiar pain encases my soul. I won't lie, it still f**g stings, but I have no tto worry about my heart when my f**g pack is dying. Jason must have seen the irritation on my face because he answered in my stead. "We're still looking for Lola. We hope that she'll be willing to help even though she isn't his mate anymore." That is the thing about rejections. Unlike what people read in books, once someone is rejected, and they accept, there are no takebacks. Once the mate bond has been broken, that's the end of it. There is no way to bring it back to life. Every tI'm reminded of what I lost, my hate for Sadie grows. She's dead, but that doesn't change. the fact that she already damaged my relationship before she left this world. "I see" is Elder Shaun's only response. I tensed when my eyes landed on him. I didn't get to be Alpha by being stupid. I'm not bragging, but the reason why I'm a top businessman and among the best Alphas is because I'm sharp. Nothing easily escapes me. "What is it?" I asked him, once again taking my seat. He stared into space for a while. The battle of whether he should tellhis thoughts or not, fighting for dominance inside him. After a while, he turned to me, having made his decision. "I didn't notice it then because we were all excited you'd found your mate, but now I do. It's about Lola and the curse," he begins. "Okay," Micah dragged the words out. "One thing I know is that the moment you find your mate, the pack will begin to feel the changes. The oracle told us that her presence alone would bring change and healing. You don't even have to wait for the mating ceremony or for you two to mark each other. Those changes should have started the moment you and Lola recognized each other as mates." My breathe starts quickening as the weight of what he's saying starts to sink in. Micah's eyes find me. I can clearly read what they're silently communicating. "I told you 50' I internally growled when I remembered that he'd tried raising the issue, and I'd dismissed him O 17:13 Wed, 10 JulGW Chapter 24 because I didn't want to believe that there was a possibility that Lola wasn't the one. "What are you saying, Shaun?" Jason asked him with worry in his eyes. "I'm saying that I don't think Lola is the one who was meant to save this pack. I think the rejection was part of the goddess' plan because Alpha Alec wasn't meant to be with Lola. I think that Selene designed him a second chance mate, and whoever she is, she's the one meant to break the curse." F**k. I don't know whether to be p**d off or hopeful. This new information has just pushed us back to square one but, at the stime, it has brought hope with it. Question is, will I be able to give my second chance mate my heart when Lola completely has it?