Alistair

I'm not happy about it.

'I'm not gonna trade you for some townie.' He said.

'You're irreplaceable.' He said.

Sure I am.

Never have I been so happy with the decision to NOT be seeded by anyone like I am about Tristan.

That sneaky bastard!

It'd only take one apparently attractive boy for him to ditch me and go off to greener pastures.

So much for loyalty.

I guess this is exactly why momma raised me to be so guarded about my sexuality. So I wouldn't end up like her, abandoned and with a mouth to feed.

Not that she regrets having me at all, she's very adamant about it. But if living is learning, then lesson learned.

Tristan even tried kissing me on the first night AFTER he kissed Lex. Yeah, really. Of course, I didn't let him.

What am I, the spare?

No, thank you. I'm good.

I may be lonely, but I still have my pride.

If you wanna play around, be my guest. But I'm not gonna stand to be made a fool. No, sir.

Anyway, it is what it is. Life happens. Let me turn my focus on myself and be glad I dodged a bullet.

Even if I've known the gun since I was 10.

And it's a really hot gun.

Regardless, I don't wish him any bad. I can't. I love him like I do Christian. But something tells me the Lex fling will pass soon enough.

After all, they're not mated to each other. And even if Tristan's mate is anywhere in the world, Lex's is most certainly in his pack.

In other news, the second house is ready to be inhabited. Since we don't have any furniture, we had to build everything ourselves.

The beds, the table, the stove, the chairs. It's a LOT of work for a seasonal place, one might say. But we need it to be functional otherwise it's not gonna work.

We need not only to keep ourselves warm but to boil water and cook. If you think about it, it's a massive endeavor.

But unless we travel across the country to somewhere really warm, we need to prepare ourselves the best way possible. Because winter is right around the corner.

Unfortunately, our resources are limited and soon enough, the men are back at looking for a job.

It sucks that we need money but even with our modest lifestyle, there are some things beyond our control.

I only hope it doesn't snow here, otherwise it'll be impossible to fetch water. Then, the real problem begins.

We faced some cold weather before, but we always managed. And like I said, the main issue is the kids who don't shift yet.

I wake up on a regular day, facing Tristan's bad breath in the morning. Somehow, the things I found endearing about him are not so much anymore.

We get dressed, leave our tent for the last time. From now on, the couples will sleep together between the two houses and the rest of us will be crammed into whatever space is left.

I greet everyone as I leave the tent. We perform our morning rituals, then get ready for breakfast.

The smell of cooking done inside the house dominates our nose. Momma gets my siblings ready to start the day as pappa helps her out.

After we've eaten, the men go look for a job while we study with Sarah and our moms get a start on the house duties.

Pappa is not too keen on walking all the way to the city, but he can't afford to slack now. He's the one with two small children.

After studying, we break for lunch then get to chop wood for the third house. I think we underestimated the amount of work that it takes to put a house together.

Though it's not our first time, winter is almost upon us and I'm not so sure the third place is gonna be feasible.

After all the chores are done, the boys' favorite time of the day: bathing at the river.

Since we finished up early today due to the men's absence, the boys and I went to enjoy one of the last autumn afternoons.

However, what they really enjoy are the visits by Lex and Lisa. Since that day when they first kissed, things have really taken a turn around here.

Christian and Lisa have been seeing each other most days, the same way with Lex and Tristan.

I'm the fifth wheel all of the sudden. But they tend to branch out and not rub it in my face so much. At least they come alone and I don't have to deal with their friend Ben.

On the other hand, I'm alone most of the time where we used to play around and have fun together. That sucks. I miss my friends in this regard, though I try to be happy for them.

Especially for Christian who is the happiest I've ever seen him these days. Boy oh boy, he's the poster child for a happy life.

Up until recently, he dreaded having to come all the way to the river to bathe or fetch water. Now, he's eagerly awaiting the opportunity.

He practically floats his way down here, hoping to see Lisa. And I get it. He's a 16 years old boy and she's a beautiful girl. It's a simple equation and I'm happy for him.

However, her mate too is going to be revealed soon and I have my doubts it's gonna be him. Not that I have the courage to tell him that.

"Are you okay, Ali? I'm sorry we abandon you here alone everyday." - Lisa asked me, returning to the river shore next to a happy Christian.

"I'm fine, Lisa. Thanks for asking. You don't have to worry about me, I prefer it this way. It's better I stay alone than to have me in the way of your... whatever you two do together." - I replied, awkwardly.

Christian looked at me with a pity stare and I felt even worse. I don't even mind being single, the problem is now I'm the only one - aside from Elodie.

"I understand. Just hang in there. One day your mate will come and sweep you off your feet." - She encouraged me with a smile.

"I don't know how he's gonna find me in the middle of nowhere, but I appreciate the thought." - I said in a joking tone.

"If it makes you feel any better, Ben is not so happy as well." - Lex's voice echoed as he walked back next to Tristan.

"Did he break up with his boyfriend?" - I inquired, curiously.

"No, he hasn't found his mate since his 18th birthday and he's miserable about it." - He explained in a somber tone.

"I don't feel any better. And he still has the tall handsome boy by his side if I understood it correctly." - I spoke in a sour mood.

"You're right, he does. But you don't understand the stakes for him. If he doesn't find his mate, he can't become Alpha." - Lex informed me and I could feel the dread in his tone. He sounds really worried for him.

Ever since he brought us that gift basket from his mother, we've known Ben is the son of the Alpha. I just wasn't aware he's the one poised to succeed him.

"I understand and wish him the best of luck. Though he still has a broad shoulder to cry on. But I'm fine, I don't need anyone to complete me. I just need us to grab our buckets and return to camp before it gets dark." - I stated, getting up from the grass.

"I still can't believe you have to carry water everyday from the river to your house." - Lex spoke, baffled.

"It's the rogue life. All about the glamour." - Tristan snickered, then kissed him. I turned my gaze away from them and started to fill my buckets.

Both Chris and Lisa notice my discomfort but remain silent. They say goodbye to each other with a kiss before he grabs his buckets, Tristan not far behind him. Soon enough, we're walking back to camp.

"I'm sorry if you feel bad about Lex and I. I just never expected to meet someone like him." - Tristan apologized with a guilty conscience.

"It's fine. I didn't expect us to last forever. I just thought we had more time together, that's all." - I spoke in a grim tone as we walked. Chris gulped at the uncomfortable gaze exchanged between us.

"That's fair. I didn't expect to be so enchanted by him. But I hope you know I will always love you." - He said, looking affectionately at me.

"And I'll love you. But I get it. He offers you something I couldn't. And I can't reprimand you for wanting it, I would too if I were you." - I argue in a meek tone, while Chris gets more uncomfortable at the topic.

"Just so you know, I didn't ditch you because you didn't want to have sex. But I can't lie, things with Lex have been... fun." - There was a brief pause between the last two words and a happy sigh.

"Good for you. I hope things have been fun with Lisa as well." - I said, trying to include Chris in the conversation in an attempt to make things less awkward. He got wide-eyed at the mention of his name.

"Not like them, no. Lisa is a proper girl, she's not gonna be satisfied doing it in the woods with no comfort." - He replied, slightly uncomfortable. I detect a disappointment in his voice.

"I'm sorry, my friend. I hope you two can work through any issues." - I tried to comfort him with an empathizing tone.

"It's fine. I never expected her to want intimacy like that right away. I'm glad to be with her regardless and if this is as good as it gets, then I'm happy for the time we have." - He said in a chipper disposition.

We arrived at camp with the water and dumped it in the tank. We rested from the hour-long journey before dinner was ready.

"Did you meet your girlfriend today?" - Elodie asked her brother, curious.

"I don't know if she's my girlfriend, but yeah I did." - He replied in a serene tone.

The men arrive at camp with long faces and exhaustion permeating their bodies. They sat at the large table outside of the main house and poured themselves some fresh water.

"There's nothing. We walked for miles and saw no job postings. The only ones with vacancies are wolf farms. And if we try to apply there we can be reported and expelled from their territory, if not worse." - Gabriel told us with deep sorrow. Though all three of them look defeated.

Like I said, there's no guarantee of a job when we leave the camp. But it's a risk we have to take if we want to find any. There's no alternative.

"It's fine. We'll manage with what we have." - Allison told him with a disappointed expression. She's his partner and mother to the twins.

"I'm sorry, Marta. I did try." - Pappa told momma with a weary tone. She smiled at him and kissed his sweaty forehead.

"It's fine, Billy. We'll manage." - Momma replied in a conformed tone.

"They said to come back in two weeks and maybe there'll be something." - Joe told us. Sophia and the other women gasped.

"Two weeks? That's too long without earning!" - Allison shouted, evidently troubled.

"That's alright, momma. We'll manage with what we have. It's fine." - Elodie interjected, trying to calm her mother.

"Sarah, we brought the stuff you asked for." - Joe said, giving her some bags. As did Gabe.

"Thanks, guys. Please, you know I got you and y'all are welcomed to share anything I have. What's mine is ours, you know that." - She spoke, taking the multiple bags from their hands.

"Of course, Sarah. Thank you so much." - Momma replied, humbly.

Something tells me this is gonna be a particular winter. I can only hope the men can turn this around and find something somewhere. Especially pappa. I wish we didn't have to sneak into town to find work.

With the lack of supplies and winter approaching, the men gave up on building a third house. We'll just have to manage with the two we got. It's going to be a little tight, but doable. Plus, it's good to save on resources which I'm guessing are going to be even more scarce.

DAYS LATER.

Our daily routine didn't change in winter. We still studied everyday and helped the men with the finishing touches on the second house. We hunted every other day to stay afloat now that meat is our primary source of sustenance.

I mean, it always was. But now that we can't afford to buy groceries, hunting has become more important than ever. Our mouths constantly need to be fed.

"Do you want me to ask my dad if there's any jobs available at our farms?" - Lex offered Tristan.

We're at the river, same time as always, the couples are catching up before they scatter around.

"Even if there were, he's not gonna employ rogues. We'd be lucky if we escaped with our lives." - Tristan replied in a frightened tone.

"I'm sorry for what you're going through. I wish I could help." - Lex said, empathizing.

"It's fine, Lex. I don't wanna burden you with my rogue problems." - Tristan spoke in an endearing tone. Lex smiled at him and they kissed.

"If push comes to shove, your parents are gonna have to come before the Alpha and ask him for permission to enter our territory, even if temporary." - Lisa suggested in a serious tone.

"Would that be possible?" - I asked her, intrigued at the possibility.

"I don't know, honestly. But I can talk to our Beta if you want." - She offered kindly and we smiled at her.

"Of course, if it's not too much trouble." - Chris told her, moments before he kissed her.

"It's not. But I make no promises. The Alpha is not too keen on rogues, especially after he lost his son to them." - She informed me in a saddened tone.

"No wonder that Ben is so suspicious of us. But not all rogues are the same. Some of us just want to live in peace with our families." - I spoke with a troubled expression on my face.

"He still hasn't found his mate?" - Tristan asked Lex.

"No. He is so depressed over it. His father has arranged for several short trips around the state, trying to locate his mate. But still nothing." - Lex replied, deeply emotional. I can tell he's worried for his best friend.

"I'm so sorry. I can relate to him because I haven't found mine either. Though right now I'm not in any hurry." - Tristan said, kissing Lex at the end of the sentence.

"I would offer my sister, but I don't think he'd like her." - Christian jokes. We laughed mildly.

"Your sister is still 16, so even if she were they couldn't know yet." - Lisa explained, giggling at his silliness.

"I'm sure he'll find him eventually. Maybe there's someone he's missing." - Tristan said, trying to be helpful.

"Who? He has been hunting unmated omegas left and right! He's so desperate he's even looked at the human population. Still..." - Lex informed with some despair.

"Not all of them." - Chris stated with conviction.

"What?" - He replied, looking confused.

"You said he's been looking for omegas everywhere. But we have one right here that he didn't look at." - Chris replied, then glanced at me. At this, all of them stare at me.

"Oh my Goddess!" - Lex shouted, mesmerized at the realization. He then stared at Lisa, who's equally baffled.

"Guys, I can't be his mate. I'm a rogue. Are you crazy?" - I protested, trying to hide my horror at the thought. And failing.

Lex went blank for a minute. He was present, but his gaze was fixed and unresponsive.

"Did you mind link him to come here?" - Lisa asked him after a silent minute.

"Yes, he's coming. But I didn't tell him why. I don't wanna get his hopes up." - He replied in a somber tone.

"Are you out of your mind? I can't be his mate! I don't want to!" - I yelled at him, angrily.

"You probably aren't, Ali. But Chris is right, we have to check everybody out." - He told me in a calm manner.

"I don't want to stay here for this. I'm gonna leave." - I declared, getting up from the grass.

"If you leave now, he's just gonna chase after you. Please, I'm sure it's nothing but it'll only take one second once he gets here." - He insisted, alerting me.

What the hell! I don't want to be his mate at all! I can't think of a worse person to be mated to.