Chapter 16: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… Admonished!

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“You what?” Joel, Philip’s father, was too shocked his voice was barely above a whisper.

Jeremy winced at the disbelief in the elder’s voice. “Uncle Joel please…” Jeremy began but got cut off.

“No, no I think I didn’t hear you well. Did you say you…”

“I forced myself on him okay?” Jeremy growled and shot to his feet. This was more difficult than he’d thought it would be. He couldn’t stand the disappointment and condemnation in his mentor’s eyes. Fuck!

“You mean you raped your mate?” The elderly man growled right back. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“That’s just it.” Jeremy turned to face the man. “I wasn’t thinking.” He bellowed, his eyes shifting to amber. His wolf wanted out.

“Calm down Alpha,” Joel said softly, realizing just how far he’d pushed Jeremy. “Sit down Jeremy.”

Heaving a deep sigh, Jeremy took his seat. “I’m confused Uncle. What am I going to do? I made a mistake. He wasn’t a hunter after all.”

“You know he’s not going to give his consent to be marked as your mate, don’t you?” Joel said quietly. For one to become a full mate, they needed to give permission to be marked. But from what his ward had just told him, his mate would never give that consent. Not after what Jeremy had done to him.

“I know. I need your help Uncle. Tell me what to do.” There was so much anguish in Jeremy’s voice the older man gasped. He’d never seen Jeremy like that before.

“I don’t know son. It’s all up to you. You have to work this out yourself. Remember the prophecy said your mate was special?”

Jeremy would never forget that prophecy. That prophecy had been revealed on the day Jeremy had first transformed into a wolf. Unlike every other wolf, Jeremy had his first shift at the age of twelve instead of fifteen. A major werewolf gathering for alphas and elders was in session that day and the prophecy had been made known to all members. Though he’d been a kid, he’d always had it at the back of his mind. He remembered how happy his mother had been about that prophecy. She’d explained to him that most werewolves never found their soul mates and had to settle for anyone they were compatible with. She was therefore happy because the prophecy predestined that her son was going to find his mate. Jeremy also remembered thinking with Philip when they were kids that his mate being special meant he was probably going to marry Miss. America one day.

“Yes, I remember,” Jeremy said softly. But what made Ryan special? Did having two dicks make someone special, Jeremy wondered. Or was it the fact that he was the first male mate to a male alpha. He hadn’t told the elder that bit about his mate’s dicks. Jeremy thought it was personal and therefore didn’t plan on telling anyone. It was between him and his mate.

“What we didn’t add was that part of the prophecy that stated that your mate was going to be someone who would wield a lot of power and would help you rule. In fact, we were all warned to be very careful how we treated that individual because that mate was going to be very important to not only our pack but to werewolves everywhere.

“Oh, God.” Jeremy gasped as an image of a hulked-out Ryan flashed in his mind. He remembered wondering how he’d been able to do that when he hadn’t even been marked as a mate yet. “He became a wolf-man at a point,” Jeremy whispered.

“He what?” Joel frowned in surprise. “I thought you didn’t mark him. How…”

“I don’t know how he did it.” Jeremy rasped. “He was very angry. Fuck, I thought he was going to kill me. I commanded him to shift back to human but he rather shifted into his wolf and jumped out.”

“Most people never survive that kind of bite he received…mentally or physically. Looks like he did on both counts. That alone should tell you how special he is, Jer.” Joel murmured with a curious frown on his face. “The prophecy said he is and so far the little you’ve told me about him proves it. He obviously doesn’t even know how powerful he is. Refreshingly innocent.”

“I’ve never hated this Ojah power more, Uncle Joel.” Jeremy groaned. “I’ve always been able to control myself where it’s concerned. Hell, even when I’m under its control, I make a conscious effort to remain a little bit sane. This time, I just couldn’t.” He buried his face in his palms.

Joel looked at Jeremy with eyes filled with sympathy. That gift that Jeremy had, had so far been a blessing to the pack…helped them out of some really fucked up situations…till then. And as much as the trouble with his mate seemed as though it was Jeremy’s problem, it was in fact a problem that the whole pack had to be concerned with. Because should Jeremy’s mate reject him by refusing to mate with him, Jeremy’s wolf would die. And the alpha would be no more. They couldn’t have that.

“You need him in your life, Jeremy.” The elder said with a sigh. “But you’ve pissed him off. Getting him to forgive this atrocity and submit willingly to you is going to be a feat. It’s not going to be easy son. Hell, the Trojan War would be a piece of cake compared to the war you have on your hands. I think you need your mother on this one, son.”

“Damn, she’s going to kill me if she hears this.” Jeremy groaned.

“Better her than your mate. Because you need him to mate properly with you in the appropriate ceremony otherwise none of us will like the repercussions.”

“Fuck!”

“Now tell me, why do you hate so much that he’s a man?” Joel asked with raised brows.

“Uncle, come on!” Jeremy looked incredulous at the elderly man’s question. “I’m not gay. I prefer boobs and curves. I…”

“But that didn’t stop you from having sex with this man. And from what you told me, you found the experience so exhilarating that it actually snapped you out of your Ojah haze. You felt something for him at that moment of release despite the fact that you were not in control. And that’s what snapped you back to yourself. ‘Quae sunt scrpta fuit.’”

“What has been written has been written.” Jeremy quietly translated Joel’s Latin quote.

“Exactly.” Joel nodded. “You have to somehow win his trust, Jeremy. Women are good at such things. That’s why I think you should talk to your mother. If anyone can help you turn this around, she can.”

“I still can’t believe I did that.” Jeremy groaned, covering his face with his hands.

"You didn't do that, Jer."

“I did Uncle Joel. I totally lost control, which…” Jeremy trailed off when he felt Dr. Sanders trying to push his mind to talk to him telepathically. ‘What is it, doctor?’

‘Alpha you have to come quickly. He’s trying to shift. We’re trying to stop him but he’s getting agitated.’

“I have to go Uncle.” Jeremy was already on his feet and running before the doctor finished his sentence. ‘Philip?’ He screamed into the link with his beta. ‘Get to Ryan immediately. Make sure he doesn’t shift. Do whatever you can to stop that. I’m on my way.’