Denied by Destiny: Trapped in the Shadows of the Mate Bond
Chapter 0278

"Hey, when is your friend leaving..." I angrily grunt out, barely looking up from my phone.

"Friend?" Jace stops in his tracks, assessing my mood. He had a way of understanding my emotions...call it the triplet sibling link. But Jace had always been in more tune with it than Jaxon, or so that's how it seemed. "Knox?"

"He's staying longer now, Dad blew his top when he heard what the warriors have been up to. Did you have any idea?"

"No of course not." I tut out, rolling my eyes before hearing a car approach towards us.

I'd recognise that car anywhere...a Red Thorn pack SUV, which meant Luna Rosa was returning home. Rosa was Beta Riley's sister and she was the Luna of the Red Thorn pack, where Uncle Orpheus was the Alpha. The car pulls up beside Jace and I, the window rolling down to a tattoo covered Alpha. His eyes scan me, before his eyes darken.

"Who do I need to kill?" Uncle Orpheus seethes.

"What?"

"You're so tense Josie dear, is everything alright?" Auntie Rosa peers over her mate to look at me. I hadn't even realised until they called me out on it, but my entire body was tense, my hands clenching around my phone. "Josie doesn't like our guest..." Jace steps infront of me, bending down as he looks into the car, into the back seat.

"Hey Ares. No Cleo?"

"No, she will join us later. What house guest?" Uncle Orpheus responds looking back to his son, the future alpha of the Red Thorn pack.

Ares was six years younger than us, whereas Cleo only had a two year age gap between us and used to play with us a lot as children. Even now, I consider her more like a sister than a cousin. A sister that has different parents and lives in a different pack... "Our trainer, Knox. He and Josie seem to butt heads." Jace moves away from the car, nudging my shoulder with his.

"I'm not...he's not..." I start only to cut off as Orpheus cuts the car's engine..his eyes watching me intently.

The alpha and luna of the Red Thorn pack had been in our lives since we were born. Rosa was a pack member here until she was marked by Orpheus and moved away with him. Yet, her parents and brother remained here, so she visits a lot. Which I love, as does Mum. She and Auntie Rosa are very close, just as close as Auntie Alora and Mum. Proof that you don't have to be related to be family.

"Just give me the word, and I'll sort him out..." Uncle Orpheus gives me a dark look before a small smile edges onto the corner of his face as he steps out of the car and pulls me into an embrace.

He was scary looking with his arms, chest and neck covered in tattoos...but under that fierce looking exterior, he was protective and loving...well to me anyway.

Auntie Rosa was the complete opposite, long blonde flowing hair, her signature floral patterned dress on as she embraces Jace and moves onto me. If uncle Orpheus represented darkness, she would be the light.

Her hands remain on my cheeks as she looks at me, concern laced within her eyes.

"I'm fine honestly Auntie Rosa, nothing I can't handle."

"I don't doubt that." She smiles softly.

"Come inside." Jace starts walking, his arm draped around Ares's shoulder as he picks up some of their bags. Ares was thirteen year's old, prime age for Jace to tease him.

As we enter the front door, my eyes fall upon the one I was trying to avoid at all costs. Conscious I was surrounded by alpha blooded wolves, I keep my breathing calm...they would notice a hike in my heart rate. Notice, how much he angers me.

"Ah, Uncle Orpheus, Auntie Rosa, this is Knox...our house guest." Jace wiggles his eyes as he drops the bags on the floor and introduces Knox.

"Ah the trainer, I've heard good things." Orpheus states as he extends his hand out, Knox shaking it with a nod.

"I imagine it depends on who you have been speaking with." Knox responds, his eyes flickering to me slightly...which of all people, isn't missed by Auntie Rosa.

As Uncle Orpheus pulls Knox away to start asking him questions, Auntie Rosa moves in closer to me, her hand touching my arm.

"He's a little old for you isn't he?"

I don't respond...my spine only straightening as my hands clench by my side, my heart rate spiking.