I was so smooth dropping off Emil like that. I told him when I would pick him up and then drove off. My plan was to talk to him in the forest later in our wolf forms so that he had any fears his wolf would soothe them. If he was aware he wasn’t saying anything which was concerning because he could be wrongfully fearing rejection, or he just isn’t ready or doesn’t even know and I’m reading this all wrong. Either way he needs to be informed about it. I drove back home to finish up the rest of my work and wait for texts from Candy. An hour after I got home my phone buzzed and I rushed to read it. Candy: ‘It took a while, but he knows about the bond, but I had 2 change the subject because it seemed 2 upset him 2 talk about it’ So, he knew. This was good news or at least I thought it was. Candy: Apparently in his old pack if an omega was mated to a higher up or dominant wolf the omega was killed or used as a slave by their mate. It’s so fucking sad how hopeful he is to at least be your slave. Be careful Andy. You’re my best friend but if you hurt him, you will fuck everything up and I will be more than pissed at you. Don’t. Fuck. This. Up. I didn’t respond. I got in my truck and headed to Candy’s shop. I parked outside and looked in the shop window. I could barely see Emil because he was wrapped in Candy’s arms. I had wanted to reassure him that what happened in his old pack would never happen here and it especially wouldn’t happen with us but seeing that he was safe with Candy, I forced myself to calm down and wake up from the emotional trance I was just put in. “Wake up Andy” I gave my face a good pat with both hands and looked back at the shop window. Candy was pulling Emil to his feet and wiping his tears. “He’s okay” I reminded myself. I let out a breath I had been holding and put my truck in drive. I headed back home. Candy didn’t say anything after texting me except that he was okay. Me: ‘Good I’ll pick him up in an hour’ Sitting back at the kitchen table I couldn’t bring myself to get back to work. My wolf was excited that his mate knew about the bond. However, his excitement was a bit concerning because he wanted to mark Emil. He thought that was the perfect way to reassure Emil that he would not be rejected by us. I of course disagreed. Marking was way out of the question at the moment. And it would be for a while not until he’s ready. After an hour of both nervous and excited pacing I left the house and went to go pick Emil up. When I arrived, he was already waiting and hopped in the truck. I sneaked a look at him. His eyes were puffy, and he was shaking. I couldn’t tell if he was shaking from the blasting AC in my truck or for fear of what was probably about to happen. I guessed it was the latter. I settled on watching the road and he settled on looking out the window. On the way I tried asking him how hanging out with Candy was, but he would only give short responses like “it was good,” making most of the drive silent. When we got to the edge of the forest, he got out quickly and ran into the forest. This startled me and I went to go after him, but my nose let me know that he was still close by. He probably wanted to get this over with and judging from what Candy told me I couldn’t blame him. I shifted to my wolf form outside the truck and trotted into the forest. Emil was only a little ahead of me, so I found him quickly and he let me lead him to a small stream. I sat by it, but he stayed standing. Probably preparing to run if his safety was threatened. I whined at the realization that he didn’t trust me but he took my whine as a perhaps a command because his eyes grew wide, and he seated himself across from me. ‘Do you know why I brought you here?’ I asked to make sure we were on the same page. ‘I assume it is to discuss or mating bond.’ I nodded and I could feel the anxiety rolling off him through the bond. I went to speak but he beat me to it looking away from me ‘I know you will reject me.’ My eyes widened and I went to stop him, but he continued, ‘as the future Beta of the pack it is beneath you to take on an omega mate. I understand and will make no objection to you taking on a more suitable mate.’ His eyes were now staring at my front paws. It killed me that it seemed like he had already accepted this. Like he thought being my mate was never an option. ‘I will not reject you.’ He met my eyes, ‘then I will be taken on as a slave?’ The look in his eyes held so much belief and hope in his question. It was difficult to think that being his slave would make him happy. ‘No.’ I said with finality. I was shocked to see betrayal cloud his beautiful green eyes. Even in the mind link his message came out in a strained whisper ‘you wish to have me killed.’ I scrambled to explain jumping up to my feet ‘No! Nooooo.’ I struggled to find words, so I just started frantically licking behind his ears as he whined in confusion. I pulled back and looked him dead in the eyes. He wanted to look away, but I forced him to hold my gaze. ‘Emil, I would never reject you and I would never even think of having another mate and making you a slave?’ I let out a sharp laugh at how ridiculous that thought was. ‘Never.’ He whined and laid down in front of me showing submission by putting his head down ‘please alpha you may do this how you wish but I beg of you please don’t give me hope.’ He called me alpha. Only two weeks ago he had finally started calling me by my name and now we were back at the start. He feared me again bowing before me as if I was the master of his fate. It made me mad that he was made to believe this bull shit. That he had lived in a pack that had treated him this way. Treated my mate this way. My wolf was made but I was madder. I had to make him believe me. Shifting out of my wolf form not caring that I was butt naked I placed my hand firmly on Emil’s head. “You are my mate.” I could feel both me and my wolf speaking at the same time making my eyes glow. Emil’s eyes met mine and he let out a long whine. “No one else's. I will protect you. I will take care of you. No one will ever mate you doubt this ever again.” My voice was filled with a rumbling passion. I removed my hand to let Emil rise to his feet. A thought then entered my mind and my mask of strength fumbled “th-that is if you’ll accept me.” Emil shifted to human form shaking and crying as he shakily nodded his head “yes.” I barely heard him “what?” He looked up at me and I could feel the electricity forming between us “I do.” he said, and I scooped his shaking form into my arms. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders as I held him and did my best to soothe him. He kept trying to tell me how he never thought this was going to happen. How happy he was. How scared he was. I hushed him when he started to struggle to breathe rocking him back and forth as he seemed to let out years of held in emotion.