Married To The Mated Alpha

NICOLETTE POV

As an Omega, being married to the alpha of a well revered pack would be considered a privilege to anyone else but to me, it would be termed more like a consolation prize. No one actually was willing to acknowledge me as Luna save my husband's best friend and Beta, Allen.

This marriage of convenience had erupted moons ago after I had been ultimately embarrassed by my supposed mate, an alpha who had been embarrassed by the fact that an Omega was his destined mate. I could remember that day as the back of my paws when I had felt the pull and traveled all the way to that ceremony where I had been rejected. The shame was still all over me when he said clearly that he could not claim an Omega. That was the stepping stone to my marriage of convenience to the heart shattered Alexander Auger of the Red moon pack. His mate too had abandoned him and he had promised me a place by his side in a marriage with no strings attached. Perhaps he wanted to send a message across but what do I care, I was at least accepted somewhere.

The least I could do since I could not perform my duties as a real Luna would was to play the housewife and make my dear husband's meal. Tonight Xender, for that was what he was being called by everyone, had returned from his trip to a clan nearby with his Beta unexpectedly. I knew nothing of his whereabouts as no one told me anything actually. He had returned suddenly and I decided to fix him a meal. There was something really strange in his behavior but I would rather think that his meeting with the neighboring pack did not go as planned. So while the duo waited in study, I put my best effort into getting their meal ready.

In a couple minutes and I was done and ready to deliver it to them. I set the food before them on the table and waited a little. Xander would not even look at me as I entered as he fixed his gaze on the paperwork before him. Allen, noticing the awkwardness of the situation, smiled at me as he grabbed his dish and had a taste.

"Trust me Nicolette, you have outdone yourself as always. This tastes amazing." Allen had said , full of smiles.

I thanked him for his compliments but waited still hoping perhaps my husband dearest would have words for me but he still would not look my way. Although Allen tried to hide it but I saw him kick Xander under the table and he looked up quickly, seeming now to have only noticed my presence in the room. He brought on his face a smile that seemed really hard to be there and I knew he was not angry but troubled. I have been with Xander long enough to discern from his troubled and angry countenance. I sincerely hoped that whatever it was that might have been bothering him would pass away. Xander was speaking to me now.

"Thank you for the meal wife but I think you should retire and get some rest now." he said to me

"Oh but the dishes..." I began

"Would be taken care of by the maids. You just go to bed. Allen and I have so much to talk about." he said to me.

There was no point arguing before it would begin to seem like I was crossing the boundaries of our agreement so I decided to give in. I bid him goodnight and to Allen as well who was rather too focused on his meal like it was the only thing that mattered. I made my way to my room immediately. Like I said, ours was a marriage of convenience so we did not share bedrooms. We had our way of respecting each other's personal space.

But tonight, I really could not sleep at all as there was so much on my mind. In my time of being married to Xander, regardless of how troubled he was he always found a way to make me feel comfortable but tonight,.it seemed he was trying hard to make eye contact with me. I needed someone to share this with and tell me that everything was alright so I decided to call on my best friend with whom I was supposed to go shopping with. She picked on the second ring.

"Come on Nicolette, it's late you know." she whined over the phone but I knew it was all a prank. She was one who would always listen to me

"Should I hang up?" I asked her sounding really stressed.

Actually I wanted her to notice my mood.

"Do not dare. What's up? Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about the spree tomorrow. Think of all the goodies we would get this time." she said

"Actually that's why I called Zibelle, I cannot make it." I said

"Why?" she asked

"Xander just returned and you know how it usually is." I said

"Yes. You play the devoted housewife but seriously, wasn't he supposed to be back much later like way after our shopping spree?" she asked

"Well you know how these things go. Anyways Zibs I got to go now." I said to her rather disappointed she could not pick up on the signs I was giving her that I was rather upset.

Well like I said she was my best friend and the moment I said I was about to hang up, she already took notice and asked what the problem was. I told her I was scared and worried over Xander. After explaining what had happened that night, Zibelle reassured me that I probably was overthinking it and just needed to sleep it off. I agreed with her and bid her goodnight.

It was all words because I found it pretty much hard to get any form of sleep that night. I was troubled and so was my wolf. I usually get certain hunches when something wrong is about to happen and I could tell that this was one of those times when things I feared happened. The only question now in my mind was about what was happening exactly as my fears were actually beginning to develop. This happened to go down as my most troubled night since my marriage to Xander and by the morning I hoped for my sake that everything would be alright.

NICOLETTE POV

I woke up that morning and seriously I was still pretty much heavy ladened. I could have sworn that I could perceive the odd sensation within me but regardless I still fixed breakfast. I had gone to his study bearing the tray when I realized my husband was in his study with Allen. I wondered what had been happening all through the night that had taken the discussion to the bedroom. I made my way to the bedroom and then before I could enter, I realized the door was slightly open but they were speaking behind those doors and just then I heard that name that sent shivers down my spine.

... Laurel...

That was my husband's mate and from what I had gathered, they never actually separated nor did Xander reject her. Apparently Laurel had suddenly left him and traveled away leaving him with no words and shattered. No one could figure out why she had suddenly left him but some said she had business overseas and others said it was her former lover but either ways, I was always kept on my toes because everyone around made it their hobby to remind me that until Laurel was married and settled, Xander would never be fully mine. I was worried now and I couldn't help myself but eavesdrop on them. Allen was speaking to my husband and he sure as hell sounded worried.

"Seriously what would you do now?" he was asking Xander

"What would you have me do at this point Allen? Laurel says she's coming back. I cannot just turn her away." Xander had said

"What about Nicolette?" Allen who always had my interest at heart was asking

"What about her? She's my wife and nothing changes." Xander said and I smiled within

"You cannot say that easily. We all know that you married her out of convenience when your heart is still drawn to Laurel." Allen said and my hopes felt dashed

"What are you saying?" Xander demanded still

"Nothing. All I am saying is that Laurel still has that effect on you." Allen said.

I shook immediately when he said that and before Xander could say anything further, my shoulder had betrayed by pushing at the door. They stopped speaking and I had to enter so as not to draw excessive suspicion my way. I put up my biggest smile yet and greeted them as I went to set the food tray. I did not want them to notice how sad I was and tried to hide it behind a smile. I could not give them any hints that I had been eavesdropping on them all this while they had been speaking. I made to start setting out the meals from the tray when Xander asked me to leave it be as they would handle it themselves. I smiled and walked away.

Deep down I was searing with so much pain and scorn that I had to go into my room and sit myself underneath the shower for a really long time. I sat down there with my legs drawn up and my arms hugging them tightly as the water rained down on me. All I could hear was the sound of the running water as I slipped into oblivion with my thoughts. Obviously my fate was sealed now that she was returning and perhaps even I would be rejected once again. It was rather sad that I was merely the Omega I was and cursed to roam alone for the rest of my life. In case you should be thinking I had been born this way, I used to be part of a pack but years ago had been destroyed when I was only sixteen and at my first period of transformation into a werewolf. I became the one who runs alone when my pack was taken from me and had been found by a really nice poor couple. I left them the moment I matured enough and had the inkling to go find my mate. Hence I am totally alone in the world save for my best friend, Zibelle.

XANDER'S POV

"Do you think she heard?" I asked my best friend and Beta

"Heard us? I doubt that." Allen responded

"But her reaction..." I began

"Forget about her reaction, I can assure you Nicolette is only surprised we were in your bedroom together. She's fine. Remember you confirmed that her powers have weakened totally since the rejection. She is more or less a human now." Allen said

"If you say so." I had to force myself to concur with his deductions.

However deep down I was really troubled. She had been full of smiles yet her eyes said those were just put up there. That smile did not reach her soul and I could tell easily. I had not been myself since the previous night when I had left a really good treaty meeting with the sudden call from Laurel. Sincerely I was not expecting that I would be hearing from her anymore since she left the way she had when I saw her text.

It simply stated that she was coming home and this morning it got worse when she sent another that she had already boarded her flight. More or less that would mean she would be here anytime from now. Seriously I felt for Nicolette and how she might feel but Laurel was a wild one. She would always do whatever she wanted and get away with it. It was her basic games and sadly I was mated to her.

Allen was right in a way. Despite the fact that she left the way she did, I longed for her in a way that was strange. Should be the inkling of a mate. Perhaps even that had prevented me from fully accepting Nicolette and letting her suffer in silence. I could tell she admired me but I would only be hurting her more if I led me on to intimacy. I reminded myself severally that I was a married man now but the thoughts of Laurel still lingered. There were a lot of things on my mind right now but as it would seem, somehow Laurel had topped the priority list.

After breakfast, I decided to go check on Nicolette. I barely went to her room and could count two or three times when I had only because I had something urgent to do. Either she was sick or I was leaving her a message. Her bedroom door was locked but thanks to my wolf ears, I could hear the shower running but there was no sound or movement from her. Something was awkward. She was rather too silent and I grew worried about whether she was okay.. I listened even more closely and then I caught the sound hidden behind the running water.

Nicolette was sobbing.

"Damnit Allen, I told you she heard." I whispered to no one in particular.

XANDER'S POV

I had to wait for her and I knew it but there was something more pressing than waiting on a woman that God only knows how long she would be taking. I decided to do something to keep her at ease. Girls love shopping they say and so I transferred her a handsome sum and tagged it shopping. After making the transfer, I found my hand willing to know on her door when I realized she was still crying but then I heard footsteps. I swallowed hard and I walked away. I should have checked in with her but I opted for the easy way out.

Part of the reason I reacted that way was because I did not want to start crossing lines with her knowing we both had our free will. Also I had this feeling that she would not be reasonable with me and my explanation when I could not tell her the previous day. I still had meetings and I as well would have to get ready to receive my estranged mate.

My day was not as glamorous or alpha going like it used to be as the thoughts of both the women in my life kept intercepting and toying with my head. Several times during the pact meeting we were making with another pack Allen had to call me back into motion and other times I would ask him to keep going forward. I had to figure this out and find a way to break it to Nicolette that Laurel was actually going to be staying with us in the pack house. My home. This was going to have to be the toughest thing I had ever done and I could not begin to say luck was going to be on my side.

"You're worried about Laurel right?" Allen had asked me right after the meeting

"Not just her dude, I'm worried more about Nicolette." I said

"Come on dude. There's nothing to be worried about. You tell her anything yet?" he asked

"Didn't need to. She overheard us in the morning." I said looking grim

"My oh my...how is she right now?" Allen asked

"You tell me. Left her in the bathroom crying. Couldn't even see her." I said

"You gotta figure this out buddy. Ah and here comes Maxwell. Deal with this afterwards." Allen said to me and then put up a smile on his face as the alpha approached me.

I could feel his gaze upon me. This pact was just to maintain the nearly extinguished peace between us although I knew very well that he would keep up his work against me for as long as he could. Perhaps I should introduce Alpha Maxwell to you or do I say Nicolette's original mate. We have been in some tight kind of corner since I claimed her for myself. Which was rather confusing owing to the fact that he for one never actually wanted her. He had to be the most selfish werewolf to ever walk the surface of the earth but I had decided to indulge him further for as long as would be possible so I could learn and understand his inner workings. Perhaps he was the villain or perhaps I was but one thing I knew for certain was there were a whole lot of secrets about this one right here.

Maxwell approached, now holding a glass of wine in his hand.

"Been hoping to catch you alone for a little chat since you share what was supposed to be mine rightfully." he said

"I do not understand what you mean." I said

"And that's my cue to get lost." Allen said as he quickly made to walk away.

I tried to get him to stay by winking at him but he pretended not to see. The pains of having a best friend like this one is that he would leave you to handle the most awkward situations all in hopes and bid that your would do the right thing and since the three years when Laurel had left me,.the only good thing which by his estimation he was proud I did was marrying Nicolette which was funny. What was the point of being married and not being able to get intimate with your woman?

Well my problem right now had little or nothing to do with Allen. My problem was the six foot frame standing in front of me even though I towered over him a little.

"What do we share together Max?" I demanded

"Nevermind. Tell me how does it feel being married to an Omega?" he asked me

"What do you mean?" I demanded beginning to get aggravated

"Sorry. Let me rephrase that, how does it feel being with an Omega? Classy or shabby? Spill the beans buddy." he said squinting his eyes now as he leveled them with mine.

I felt my hands ball into fists by my side when suddenly Allen appeared beside me to steer me around.

"And now there is someone I must show you. Excuse us Max." he said.

Maxwell finished his drink and walked up close to me head on as he glared into my eyes. He slammed the glass of wine into Allen's chest but not enough pressure to break the glass. Allen caught it and handed it to the waiter. Maxwell was beginning to lean into my ears rather too close.

"Just remember she was mine before she became yours. A single wolf call and puff, she would come running." he said smirking

"How dare you?" I began but Allen stopped me still.

Sometimes I wish I could crush my best friend under fists and maybe when I feel up to it, I would resurrect him again.

"But I found myself a real wolf, unlike the Omega nobody wants." Maxwell said and walked away to rejoin his group.

I could see the glances sending towards me across the room and I could tell what all this was,.we were simply trying to tolerate each other. This was no pact but I really needed to see Nicolette tonight. Somewhat his words had pierced me to thinking about how she must have been feeling hearing that Nicolette was coming back.

I got home and the moment I tried to open the door, I saw Nicolette standing there. She was on her way out looking really breathtakingly beautiful. I could feel the sudden heat as slowly I raised my hand.