You Rejected A Silver Wolf
The Necklace

Chapter Thirty- The Necklace Chris's POV

Delta Jonah raised his hands again, and the maid came toward him. He whispered something to her, and her eyes widened. Jake Justin only smiled. What was going on with them? Since they came, they'd been avoiding my family, especially Vanessa. I had been trying to get them to talk, but after nearly introducing her to Delta Jonah and he ran off, I stopped trying.

"I hope you are enjoying the food," I broke the lingering silence amongst us.

Jake Justin raised his head from his food and looked at me.

"It's good. The meat would be better if sun-dried and whipped with the dry wind of Rose Valley, getting the scent of roses." "You dry meat in Rose Valley?" I asked, stunned.

Delta Jonah nodded, smiling. "Not really, it's just that warriors who guard the valley sometimes dry meat there to pass time."

"I stay there a lot, under the sun, with my Alpha. That's why Black Rose warriors are not a piece of cake," Jake boasted, munching on his food.

I was painfully reminded of how Jaden had stayed under the sun for hours without feeling it. I felt less than a wolf, more less an Alpha.

"Well, the environment makes people. I bet there's an advantage to being around this chilly side of Black Hills, right?" Delta Jonah chided.

It was my turn to agree. "Yes, great resistance to cold and harsh temperate. Also, Black Hills warriors are good climbers."

The Delta only smiled and focused on his food.

"We'd leave today. The Delta has gotten enough of a holiday from pack duties," Jake announced.

I glanced from the Delta to him. "You've only stayed for two days."

The two days he spent staying away from all the maids and my family. All maids except the one in the room with us.

It made me wonder if she was their spy here, but she acted flustered around him too. Maybe it was because she was in charge of his affairs. "Yes, but it's unfair for both him and me to be here when my brother will need all the help he can get to deal with the pack," Jake explained. "He has a Beta. And you can leave if you want to," I answered, stabbing at my meat.

Jake Justin quickly responded, after glaring at Delta Jonah and making sure he wouldn't revolt. "The Beta just got married, he'll be scarce. My brother is alone there, so we'd be returning." The Delta added, "I can always pay you a visit, Alpha King. I have no mate to stop me."

I wanted to smile, but I heard the distinct lie in his words. He had no mate to stop him? Why did I feel it was a lie?

When we first met, he said he had no mate, and I believed him. Why did it sound like a lie now?

I stared at the maid; when he spoke of having no mate, she looked down, disappointed. Was she his mate? Had he found his mate here?

"Right? So, we will pack and head home. After this half-done meal, of course," Jake Justin chuckled.

He was pissing, the only one who dared to piss me occasionally. I exhaled deeply and mind-linked Vanessa to come and give a farewell, at least, as the Alpha's sister.

She rushed, and soon we heard a knock on the door. Jake Justin and the Delta became anxious.

"Who was that? Are you expecting visitors, Alpha?"

Jake Justin quickly took a necklace from his neck and threw it on the Delta, right before me. What were they doing? "It's my sister, Vanessa..." while I spoke, the door flew open, and Vanessa, with widened eyes, entered inside.

The necklace was on Jonah's neck, and he was fondling with it nervously. Jake Justin also had a plastered fake smile. Was he trying to impress Vanessa and didn't want to be seen with a necklace that looked like a shaman's? Well played. "Vanessa, come sit with us," I gestured for her to sit beside me. She still looked around, from the two men to me. "Was there someone else here?" she asked sternly. Not very ladylike, what was she doing?

"Just us. Why?" I replied.

The two men finished their meals and rose up.

"Alpha, we best be on our way. Enjoy your meal with the pretty princess."

"Pretty what?" I overheard the Delta nudge Jake in the stomach. Jake bit his lips and changed his words.

"Enjoy your meal with the princess."

"Don't you think my sister is pretty, Delta Jonah?" I asked loudly, gaining their attention.

Vanessa glanced at him, then looked away.

"Of course, she is a princess," he said nonchalantly, with a hidden eye roll.

"What's that?"

He raised a brow at me. "What?"

"The necklace. What's it for? You and Jake switched it when she came in. Is it a charm to attract women or what...?"

He frowned. "Quite the opposite. It's a charm to keep women away."

"Mates," Jake corrected, then bit his lips again.

My eyes widened.

"Don't mind me. I mean, yes, it's a charm, but for good luck, nothing else." He laughed, pulling Delta Jonah out of the room with him. Vanessa stared at the necklace intently as the Delta passed her. The maid was nearly fidgeting, so I called on her.

I noticed Jake and the Delta pause.

"Our guests are gone, clear the table, please," I said to the maid. She bowed hurriedly and began clearing the plates.

Jake and the Delta exhaled and were almost leaving when Vanessa called on the Delta. What drama was happening now?

"Is the necklace the one that makes mates not recognize themselves? How long have you had it on?" she asked, with a raised tone.

I rose from my seat. The maid sighed and rushed out of the room. Delta Jonah had darkness in his eyes when he responded to my sister.

"And what's that to you, princess?" he asked coldly. "Do my accessories bother you?"

Jake pulled him behind him and looked at me.

"Is there a reason the princess is interested in his necklace?"

I wondered too. Vanessa mind-linked and asked me to keep him in the palace for longer. My lips parted; I wasn't sure I could do that.

"Is there a reason your Delta can't just tell her what the necklace is for? Maybe she fancies it."

"She shouldn't. It's a relic from Black Rose, one that its leaders wear when traveling to avoid meeting evil and high spirits," the Delta replied. What was with the sudden change of tone? What made him so offended?

"I heard it also prevents wolves from recognizing their mate. If you meet your mate here, you won't recognize her. Is that right?" my sister inquired. "Very right to me. I will take it off when I see a lady worthy of being my mate," the Delta sighed.

I slammed my hands on the table. I couldn't help but feel he directed that statement at my sister.

She wasn't worthy of being his mate? And why was she interested in that necklace? Did it affect her?

"He mustn't go anywhere, brother," I heard Vanessa in my mind-link. "He must recognize me as mate."

My forehead creased. They were mates? Or she wanted to be sure?

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Author's note: Please drop comments. I am curious about your thoughts, thank you.