Page 10 of Challenged Mate
I stared at her, having no idea what to say.
The other packs in North America knew about my role as the first ever female alpha heir, but none of them regarded me with anything greater than indifference. The worst of them viewed me with disdain.
Was this some underhanded, mean girl trick where Kayla pretended to befriend me, only to stab me in the back the moment she had the chance?
Kayla continued, seeming unaware of my unease, “Asher has told me so much about you. I feel like we’re friends already.”
I raised my brows at that. Though the Mother deigned to bestow a fated bond on us, Asher hardly knew anything about me. What could he possibly have told his sister to make her believe we were friends?
“Chill out, Kayla. There will be plenty of time for you to bombard Blair later. We were on our way to town.”
Kayla faked a pout at Chase, then turned to me with a bright smile. “Of course. Let’s go. I bet you’re dying to see everything.” She pivoted on her heel, once again not needing a response from me, and hurried over to one of two four-wheelers parked in the driveway.
Chase caught my gaze. I widened my eyes with meaning, shifting them between him and Kayla, silently asking for an explanation.
Chase chuckled. I felt the now familiar pressure of a silencing barrier surround us. “I know Kayla’s a lot, but she’s sincere,” he said. “I figured it would be nice for you to have someone else to talk to while you’re here.”
His explanation for Kayla’s presence alleviated some of my unease, but not all of it.
There was still the matter of her potentially sleeping with my future mate.
I couldn’t see how any female, no matter how “sincere” could stomach being friends with the female who would take her lover away.
Unless she and the alpha weren’t planning on being done once we were mated…
Damn.
Was I doomed tothatkind of relationship—one that was for appearances only?
It screamed of the countless, miserable marriages experienced by human royals throughout history.
But would that be so bad?
The alpha could have who he wanted. I couldn’t care less.
Maybe that would mean Asher and I could—
I shook my head, dismissing my latest, pathetic attempt to find a way to escape my fate. I would mate the Wilds Pack alpha. The rules of the Alpha Games demanded it.
Asher and I would never be able to fulfill our bond. Doing so would ruin everything, and it would guarantee nothing but hurt in the end.
“Blair?”
I looked up.
The question in Chase’s gaze revealed that wasn’t the first time he’d called my name.
“Sorry. What?”
His head tilted. “I can see the thoughts spinning in your head. What is it?”
I considered staying silent, but Chase looked so concern. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to ask him the question on the tip of my tongue.
“Why is Kayla being nice to me?”
“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t she be nice to you?”
I glanced over at the beautiful female. She straddled a four-wheeler, staring at the meadow, giving us additional privacy.
