The Alpha’s Mate Who Cried Wolf

Chapter30
The next day I walk straight past Nina and ask May if she wants to climb some trees with me, Trixie, and Zach I can see out the comer of my eyes Nina’s eyebrows crease in confusion as May and I have rarely ever spoken to each other, nor have we ever played together
Sure,’ she smiles
Okay, let’s go.’I smile and wave for her to follow.
Nina stands there watching us, then runs after us. ‘Hey, I want to climb trees too, you know!
1 stop and face her. ‘No, only my friends can join,”
‘What are you talking about, Magnus? I’m your best friend?’
You were never my friend,’ I growl and regroup with others,
Nina’s face turns sombre, with a hint of confusion.
‘That’s harsh, don’t you think, Magnus? You and Nina have been the best of friends since you were both babies,’ Flint says.
‘No, they forced us to be friends, our mother’s planning constant playdates every day and if she was my best friend, she wouldn’t be getting me into trouble every single day. Nina no longer exists to me,’ I snarl.
Flint and Josie flinch and give each other a sad look.
‘You are welcome to join us as well, just not Nina,’ Flint and Josie hesitate at first but decide to follow us as May grabs my hand with a smile and drags me towards the trees. ‘Come on guys, let’s see who can climb to the top first,’ she giggles.
‘Sorry,’ Flint and Josie say to Nina, ‘We want to go with them too.’
Nina looks down at her feet to hide the rogue tear sliding down her cheek.
We race towards the trees and I’m the first to arrive with May. Moments later, Flint, Josie, Trixie, and Zak arrive.
I could sense Nina watching us play from a distance, but I completely ignore her. Gripping onto branches one after another, I’m the first to reach the top of the tree. May climbs the same tree and sits next to me on the top branch.
Flint, Josie, Trixie, and Zak shuffle along the huge, thick tree branches and make themselves comfortable as we all admire the view of Shadow Crest.

‘We’re so lucky to live here,’ Josie says.
I couldn’t agree with her more. A forest of trees surrounds Shadow Crest with mountains in the distance. The buildings and houses are the Victorian styles with steeply pitched roofs, painted iron railings, and large porches. I look over at the Packhouse mansion. Excitement fills me for the day I become Alpha, but I can’t help but feel something is missing. It’s digging at my heart and soul, eating me away inside. I’ve never had this feeling before,
Are you okay, Magnus?’ May asks. I look to May, who is only one year younger than Nina and, unlike Nina’s Brown doe-like eyes, May’s are blue. The rest of her features are like Nina’s, except May’s hair is much shorter.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?
‘Well, you seemed to be lost in thought and look sad.’
“Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about… things,’
‘I know we have spoken little before today, but if you ever want to talk about anything, you can always… talk to me,’ she says in a hopeful tone
‘Thanks, May, I’m sure one day I will open up my thoughts to you,’ smile.
May blushes and casually looks away
‘Last one down is a rotten egg!’ Zak yells.
We all quickly swing down and drop from one branch to the next.
‘I won’ I smirk.
You only won because Nina isn’t here. We all know she is the fastest of all of us,’ Josie pouts.
‘If you mention her name to me again, Josie, then you can join Nina and become non-existent to me, too.’
be too.’
‘
Josie has a hurt look on her face and steps back while Flint glares at me.
‘Let’s go to Shadow Lake for a swim before we go back to the Packhouse,’ Trixie suggests.
I nod in approval and head towards the lake. With May by my side. Trixie approaches and walks by my other side. Unbeknownst to me, they glare at each other behind my back.
We arrive at the Lake; I pull my shirt off, then my socks and shoes and dive right into the cool water. Zak and Flint join me in the deep end, while May and Josie roll up the legs of their pants and stay in the shallow area.
‘I knew we were going to come here,’ she smiles and removes her shirt and pants. She is wearing her bather’s underneath and swims over to join us.
We duck under the water and hold our breaths for as long as we can. Zak and Trixie are the first to swim back up for air, followed by Flint. Feeling like I’m not enjoying myself as much as I usually would, I decided to swim away from them and hide behind a large boulder in the lake. I pull myself up for air and peek over the top of the boulder, watching Zak, Trixie, and Flint waiting for me to swim back up.
Their faces change to that of worry as they think I’m still down there.
Magnus?’ Flint says.
They all look at each other and nod. Holding their breaths, they duck back down for a few moments while I stay behind the boulder. I look over at May and Josie, who are both oblivious to my joke.
Trixie swims back to the surface for air and looks around in circles, confused about where I could be. Then Zak and Flint swim to the surface and panic.
‘Magnus! they yell, grabbing May and Josie’s attention.
‘We can’t find him. You don’t think he drowned, do you?’ Trixie asks.
They all panic. May and Trixie cry.
Nina sprints out from the bushes and dives into the lake with great speed
‘Magnus,’ she screams each time she comes up for breath, frantic, with tears pooling in her eyes.