Jason's POV

　　"I don't understand.." I uttered, looking down at Kayla, who lay below me, my eyes drawn to the slender curves of her neck, mortified seeing that her once pristine skin now proudly bore a mate's mark- My mark! Catching the trauma on her face, I knew she was picking up on my regret and anger. 

　　"Wait, she can only sense my feelings if..." I mused inwardly, looking down at where her fingers trailed the same spot on my neck; I winced, spotting a mark of my own, bruised and angry but nonetheless imprinted on my skin. 

　　"Fuck." I seethed; instant guilt washed over me, seeing the pain sweep over my apparent mate's face.

　　"Sorry, darling- I am just..."

　　"Confused; yeah, you said that!" She snapped, pushing me onto my side and off her. Laying back on the wet grass, I looked up at the starry night, my head finally clear of the purple haze it had been ensnared in.

　　"How? You don't have a wolf?" I puffed, ignoring her comment as the reality of the situation dawned on me. Kayla's unease flowed down the mate bond, making me shudder and push up off the grassy bank we had ended up on at some point in the night. The last thing I remember was being in the cool waters making out. Everything else is a blur.

　　"Did you know about her wolf, Buddy!" I asked, trying to keep the frustration from my voice. This couldn't be happening! 

　　"You don't?" He asked, shocked, but his tone was undoubtedly laced with irritation.

　　"This is insane!" I grumbled, looking around at the mess of clothes and bodily fluid coating the bank where we stood, little glimpses of the night slipping just out of reach. I remember the purple fog and the fun Kayla and I had in the water; I knew where it was leading - sex! But mating... no! 

　　I must have blacked out and ended up in a world of sleep because I am sure I saw Abigail... Damien... and another male. Then Abigail and Damien were gone, and the icy blue eyes were all I saw. Looking over at Kayla, I wondered how much she remembered as we stood staring at each, naked apart from our marks and frustrations. 

　　 "Rose?" Archer prodded, trying to jog my memory and bring me back to the present, but I drew a blank. 

　　"They say finding your mate is the best feeling in the world, and if I can NOT remember marking her, how am I going to remember some poxy wolf?" I snapped, returning my gaze to Kayla, who had hauled herself up off the grass and was pulling on her clothes. 

　　"What do you remember, Kayla?" I asked nervously, searching the ground for my clothes, tugging my legs in my shorts for the first time, feeling vulnerable in my naked state in front of a female... in front of Kayla...  my mate. Sensing her hurt, I sighed, shaking my head, annoyed at myself for acting like a dick. This wasn't just about me; it was about Kayla, too. Growing up, all she had ever talked about was finding her mate and the happy ever after that followed. 

　　I owed her that! 

　　"And now she is lumbered with a mate who doesn't want her- nor love her!" Archer snapped through or bonded. 

　　"You are wrong; I do love her. I always will, but something is missing..." I shot back, just as irritated as my wolf.

　　"Yeah, red hair, green eyes and a sense of purity!" Archer incited before disappearing into the back of my mind, closing himself off from me, something he seemed to keep doing lately. 

　　Watching Kayla, my heart ached at how her head hung, her shoulders tense, her body language giving off the wrong vibes for someone who had just found their mate. Letting out the breath I did not realise I was holding, I walked over to her, smiling, seeing her fingers trace my mark on her neck absentmindedly. She might not be Abigail, but she was a good choice for a mate; she would make a good Luna. 

　　"We have to make this work, buddy!" I admitted sucking down my pride and desires for Ab's.

　　Wrapping my arms around Kayla's waist, I pulled her back against my muscular chest, chuckling at her protests; my arms gripped her tighter until she stopped thrashing to get free from my hold. 

　　"Stop. Get off!" She moaned half-heartedly; the feeling that slipped down the bond told me exactly what I already knew: She wanted to be in my arms! 

　　"Love. I am sorry!" I whispered, running my nose up her neck and ignoring Archer's low grumbles. "I admit, this was a shock... I thought Abigail was going to be my mate. You know that!" I admitted spinning her around in my arms, forcing her to look up at me. 

　　"But this here," I admitted, pressing my lips to the mark that stood proudly on her collarbone, feeling her shiver in my arms; her body responding to me even if she was trying to remain stubborn made me smirk wickedly. 

　　"This says otherwise." Grinning, I pressed my lips to her mark once more before I brought my eyes up to meet hers, pressing my lips to her forehead.

　　"You won't regret it?" She asked, tracing her fingers over my mark; I could see the tension in her brows and the hurt in her eyes she tried to hide, but she knew me better than to ask a question if she was not prepared for the answer.

　　"I regret not remembering it.. but do I regret that you are now tied to me for the rest of your life... No! You are everything a mate should be! And Luna, when the time comes." I admitted truthfully; she was perfect for the pack; she was just what they needed, even if I knew I would always want more. 

　　"Or a sassy redhead," Archer added with a defeated sigh. "Do you genuinely not remember Rose?" He asked, making me smile. 

　　"For a big bad wolf who is against this, you sure sound excited at the thought of her wolf." I teased, winking at Kayla, who was watching me knowingly, understanding I was conversing with Archer; knowing that her wolf was most likely listening in noisily made me smirk. Leaning down, my hand gripped Kayla's petite chin, lifting it to meet my lips. 

　　"I believe Archer would like to spend some alone time with Rose, my love!" I grinned, pausing just before our lips touched; digging my fingers into her petite ass, I winked, pulling back and spinning her from my arms. "And I would like to meet her too, please!"

　　"You promise, Jason? You want this! Us? Are we going to be enough for you?" She asked, offering me a way out, but ultimately she needed to hear me say it, knowing my word was my bond! 

　　 Sighing, I realised that I had to make a choice... And I had to make that choice now...

　　Do I do what's best for my pack? Or go with my heart and break another's in the process?