The Beta's Catch novel Chapter 42

-HER-

I notice exactly when the car starts to slow down while we were talking. The way he was looking out of the window, I knew we were there.

"Are we there?" I ask him to confirm my doubts. He nods before he drives off the highway and soon, we are on a narrower road which seems to thread deeper into the woods.

We are surrounded by nothing but darkness. The headlights of the car bathe the tree trunks into yellow light. It's the only thing I am able to see. The road ahead is creepily dark. I couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.

"Where is it, Jake?" I ask him.

"It's a place into the woods. There's no need to be scared, Cybele. I am with you," He assures me, even looking at me momentarily.

"Okay," I mumble and decide to trust him. The clouds of doubts disappear instantly when I am able to spot some lights through the gaps between the trees. The road leads us out of the woods, into a clearing.

A huge white building is looking down at us as Jake turns the car and drives towards what seems like the parking lot. Meanwhile, I am busy staring at the beautiful marble building.

The building looks old. It has a huge tomb made up of glass. Thick, tall pillars are holding the ceiling up. Surrounded by the pillars are white marble walls that stand tall to guard what's inside them. From where I am standing, I am able to make out some statues and designs carved out of the marble walls.

The full moon is right up in the sky, staring down at the building. The place looks very beautiful.

"What is this place?" I ask him as he opens the door for me and helps me out of the car. A huge grin climbs on his face as he asks me instead, "Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's beautiful," I breathe.

"It's actually an ancient temple for the moon goddess and the pairer," He tells me and I nod, still staring at the beautiful building. He takes my hand and leads me to it.

There are very few people here and everyone seems to know Jake. They greet him and give me lingering looks. I notice how they call him beta. I want to ask him what that means but I find myself too awestruck by the temple's beauty to ask him anything.

"Let me show you around first," He tells me and leads me closer to the building. I am too mesmerized by the sculptures and the designs that have been carved out of the stone.

"That's the moon goddess," He informs me while pointing to a statue, "She looks over me and my people, guarding and protecting us from all the dangers. Her blessings play an important role in our lives," He adds.

"I didn't know you were religious," I couldn't help but comment. He chuckles before he gives my hand a squeeze, "Well, now you know," His eyes linger on me before he looks away.

"Those are the wolves. The moon goddess is sacred to them. She guards and blesses them," He tells me further as we walk around the temple.

"She is Ishtar, another sacred goddess to the wolves. She is the pairer. She is the one who gives us mates," I don't miss how his eyes intensify when he says the last part. Meanwhile, his fingers are digging in my waist. The sheer possessiveness about the way he is looking at me and holding me makes me shiver.

"Oh," Is all I am able to blurt out when I think of the word mate. He calls me that often. "What do mates mean?" I ask him hesitantly after a prolonged silence.

If I thought that he couldn't grow any more intense then I was wrong. I have to look away as blood rushed to my cheeks when his heated stare became too much for me to handle, "What do you think it could mean, mate?" He mutters lowly in my ear. The tip of his nose lightly brushes against my earlobe, giving me those strange sensations again.

"Jake," I gasp when he starts to nibble on my earlobe, "It's all in front of you, Cybele. You know what it means," He speaks.

My eyes widen as soon as his words start to link up like the pieces of a puzzle. The picture of the man transforming into a wolf flash in front of my eyes as I look up at Jake.

"You're the only one I call mate," When he speaks, my eyes flicker to his lips. I manage to catch a glimpse of his canines. They look sharper and more pointed than a human's canines ought to be. How come I didn't I notice them sooner?

"Jake," I breathe as I feel his arms tighten around me. My heart is drumming in my chest while my stomach is churning, "What are you?" I draw out breathily.

"You have seen and heard enough to know the answer, mate," He draws out gutturally. His voice is deeper and his eyes darker.

"Are you a..." I trail off, finding it hard to say the word. I am afraid that he'd think I am mad but I am more scared of the probability of it being true.