Mated To The Beastly Alpha
Chapter 21

Nicole sat at a cafe, swirling her drink around in her glass. She was lost in thought, thinking about her past and how it had brought her to this moment. Garrett's words from the day before gave her a lot to think about. He didn't know it, but his words were exactly what she needed to hear. So she decided to take things into her own hands and come out of her thoughts. She dressed up nicely and found a cafe where she was currently seated. It felt good to just sit and plan for her future. She decided that she wanted more out of life, especially after all she had been through.

Nicole was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Garrett approaching her until he spoke.

"Hey there," he said, taking a seat next to her. "You look like you could use a friend."

Nicole looked up, surprised by the sudden interruption. She took in Garrett's appearance, noticing his warm smile and friendly eyes. She couldn't help but be happy with him. She tried to hide it by wrinkling her nose. She knew he was referencing their conversation from before.

"Thanks," she replied, offering a small smile. "I could definitely use a friend."

Garrett leaned in, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know what they say, right? A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet."

Nicole couldn't help but laugh. Garrett was funny, and his words were surprisingly inspirational. She found herself tempted to open up to him; tell him about the struggles she faced in Crimson, and why she preferred to be alone, but she couldn't dare it. It would lead to deeper questions that she wasn't ready to answer and make him see her differently.

Everyone saw her as the Luna when she was at Crimson; they didn't know of the trauma she had faced. Sometimes, she had terrifying nightmares about Shane and his girls.

Garrett gave her a long stare.

"Look, Nicole, It's tough to start over in a new place," he said. "But it's also an opportunity. You get to reinvent yourself, to be whoever you want to be."

Nicole felt a flicker of hope stir within her. She had never thought of it that way before. "You're right," she said. "I guess I just need to be more open to new experiences."

Garrett smiled, raising his glass in a toast. "To new experiences," he said.

They chatted for a while longer, exchanging stories and jokes. Nicole found herself enjoying his company more than she had expected. He wasn't as attractive as Liam, but there was something about him that drew her in.

Yet she knew that her body only pined for Liam. It didn't matter that he was harsh and disregarded her. The mark that bound them together stopped her from seeing any other person.

Besides, she could sense that Garrett was mated and was nothing but platonic towards her.

As they talked, Asha and a girl with curly hair and bright eyes approached them.

"Hey, you two look like you're having fun!" Asha exclaimed. "Nice to see you outside on your own, Nic."

Nicole found herself blushing. It felt good to be outside indeed.

"Beta," Asha saluted, Garrett grinned and introduced the new girl. "Rose, this is Nicole. Nicole, this is Rose."

The girl beamed, extending a hand to Nicole. "I'm Rose," she said. "Nice to meet you, Nicole!"

Nicole shook her hand, feeling an instant connection. Rose was bubbly and outgoing, and she seemed to radiate positivity.

They spent the next hour or so chatting and laughing, exchanging stories, and getting to know each other. Nicole felt a warmth spread through her, a sense of belonging that she hadn't felt in a long time.

At one point, Rose leaned in covertly. "So, tell us about you and Alpha Liam. Everyone keeps talking about it," she said, waggling her eyebrows.

Nicole felt her face flush. She was immediately flooded with images of their time together. She loved the way he kissed her and touched her. She immediately forgot all the vile things he had said to her.

The pack members talked about their Alpha Liam a lot, didn't they? She was too busy blushing to notice Garrett glaring at Rose. Even Asha looked livid and adjusted uncomfortably on her seat.

She was about to give a silly excuse when she caught herself. How was she blushing for Liam? Something was wrong with her.

Garrett nudged her. "Come on, you don't have to spill the tea. Not now anyway," he said.

Rose looked chastised and was already getting upset.

"Why don't you guys tell me about your Alpha," Nicole said instead.

Apart from Garrett, who watched her sceptically, the eyes of Asha and Rose lit up and they told her about Liam. Telling her about his charming smile and his magnetic personality. She couldn't help but drool as they talked about him.

She listened intently, nodding along and asking questions. They told her all sorts of good things about Liam, making her heart flutter even more.

But their conversation was interrupted by a sudden commotion. Nicole turned to see Liam storming towards them, his face contorted with anger.

"What the fvck is going on here?" he spat, glaring at Garrett.

Nicole felt her heart sink. She had never seen Liam like that before, at least not with his pack members, and it scared her.

Garrett smirked and folded his arms,

"Sup Alpha, what's wrong?" he asked in feigned innocence.

He ignored Garrett, turning his attention to Nicole. "Why the hell did you leave the Packhouse without informing me?" he demanded.

Nicole looked up at Liam, her face masked in confusion. Fear that he could lash out coursed through her body. "Informing you?" She said, gripping her cup tight. "Was I supposed to?"

Liam sneered. "I don't care about where you're going but you should let me know," he growled. "You're yet to be acquainted with this pack. Plus a lot is going on."

His dominance rippled through the air. Nicole felt a jolt of surprise. Liam had never tried to claim ownership of her before. She looked at him, hoping for an explanation, but his glare set a wave of pleasure crashing into her body. She could never control her desire for Liam. Garrett, on his part, seemed unmoved by Liam's hostility. "I'm just talking to a new friend," he said. "No harm done. It's not like she's running away."

Liam growled. "If you didn't have a mate, I would have ended you. Don't you have things to do?"

Nicole felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She didn't like being the centre of attention, especially not with Liam. She could feel jealousy pouring out of Liam.

"Alpha," she said, trying to calm the situation. "Garrett is just being friendly."

But Liam wasn't having it. He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her towards him. "We're leaving," he said, his voice low and threatening.

Nicole felt a surge of anger. She didn't like being manhandled, especially not before people. She had been through a lot with Shane and she wasn't going to let him put her in that situation again.

"No, Liam," she said, pulling away from him. "I'm staying here."

Liam glared at her, his eyes dark with jealousy. His wolf flashed in his eyes.

Rose and Asha stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Alpha Liam was thoughtful, but it was new to see him that way with anyone. Even Garrett was amused.

"Nicole," he growled, power washed out of him, causing Asha and Rose to whimper. "You will not disregard me. You will follow me back. You will not disrespect me. I'm leaving now and I expect you to follow me."

With that, he stormed out of the bar, leaving Nicole feeling shaken. Her body was excited for different reasons. She looked at Garrett and Asha, feeling like she had let them down somehow. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling. "I don't know what's..." Garrett put a hand on her shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring. "It's not your fault," he said. "Liam can be a lot at times. He has a lot of things that he's working on, so he has some issues that he needs to work through."

Asha nodded in agreement. "I promise, Alpha Liam is not like this regularly," she said. "He treats us with respect and kindness."

Nicole felt a lump form in her throat. She had always known Liam to be harsh, but she had never seen him like this before. It made her body buzz with excitement.

Shane had never cared if she was with another person or not; she felt Liam's hostility towards Garrett alone. It confused her because the same Liam had made sure to tell her that he only wanted her for s*x.

Garrett seemed to sense her inner turmoil. "Hey," he said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "You don't have to make any decisions about Liam right now. Just take some time to think about what you want. But it's best if you follow him. " Nicole nodded, grateful for his understanding. She felt a sense of calm wash over her, knowing that she had people she could rely on.

"No. I'm staying here," she said.

Yes, she was terrified. She couldn't imagine what he might do to her for her disobedience, especially since he was Alpha, but she decided that it was time to make a stand for herself. She pushed thoughts of Liam aside and urged them to do so. Garrett was highly impressed but soon excused himself, leaving her with Asha and Rose. After a few awkward conversations, the fear of Alpha Liam eased off and they became comfortable again.

They spent the rest of the day chatting, laughing and enjoying each other's company. Nicole felt better than she had in days, grateful for the friends she had made.

As they walked back to the Packhouse later on, she couldn't help but think about Liam. The new things she learned about him excited her.

It was crazy because she somehow saw that beneath his gruffness, he was a nice person. But it didn't matter because if he couldn't treat her right, then he shouldn't lay claim to her.

But then she owed him a lot, and that gave him the right to do just that. But her conversation with Garrett and co helped her understand that she deserved better than to be treated like a possession. It didn't matter if she was a slave.

She made a decision then and there; she wouldn't let Liam or anyone dictate her life or make her feel small forever. She was going to work hard to set herself free. There was nothing more important than freedom and that was what she needed.