He didn't say a word and merely followed her around with his eyes until she left the room, then he lowered his gaze to his chest, placing his palm against it to feel the throbbing heart inside it.
Weird. He could feel the bond between them but she… wasn't feeling it too?
His eyes diverted to the door the next second when it was suddenly kicked open, and his brows furrowed at the sight of his cousin, Connor.
"Y-you're here. Alone. Good. That's good."
As he nodded in relief, he walked around the room, looking into corners obviously thinking he'd find someone.
He paced around for a while before Dean's brows perked up inquisitively, "Did something happen?"
Connor finally stopped pacing and hummed.
"There's this Elder. Kurt Pietro. You may not know him, but he has this fat daughter. She's so big and normally I don't care about people like that, but then I heard he plans to set you up and make you marry his daughter?"
"Can you imagine that? A pig like that thinking she deserves someone as worthy as you? Just thinking about it agitates me so much!"
Dean fell silent again.
So she was in on it too. Naturally, she had to be since she was the one performing the deed, so why did she act so disinterested when he woke up?
Was she playing him?
Yeah, that must be it.
Since when did having partners stop women from trying to fraternize with him?
"By the way, did you… find your mate?"
At the word, Dean's wolf danced around happily, but the man maintained a stoic face, "What?"
Scratching his brows, Connor smiled nervously. "I mean, that's why we're going from pack to pack helping them fight rogues disturbing them, isn't it?"
Dean looked away from him and walked back to the bed to put on his clothes.
Indeed, that was the case. He was already twenty and the old man wanted all the heirs he had in mind to have mates.
So he was doing more things, hoping to find her.
But that girl just now hadn't reacted to him, so he must've smelt wrongly. After all, he had been heabily drugged a moment ago.
"Stop trying to console yourself. You've found your mate, she just doesn't want you." At this moment, his wolf snickered.
Dean's frown deepened.
Not want him? Since when did women decide if they wanted him or not?
Just thinking about it rubbed him the wrong way.
Without realizing it, his entire mood changed and he angrily began putting on his clothes.
Noticing the air around them change, Connor pressed his lips tightly together, thinking it was what he said.
Dean was 20. Two years older than the usual age to find a mate. Of course having him bring it up was bound to spark rage in him.
Thinking this was the case, he no longer said anything and quietly followed after him as he walked out of the room.
Meanwhile, Carrie went downstairs to see her father with numerous leathers of food.
Seeing her, he beamed and lifted the bags for her to see.
"I got all your favorite foods, baby."
At the same time, the sweet aromas oozing out of them filled her senses and her stomach grumbled hungrily.
Hearing it, Kurt Pietro laughed and shoved a bag toward her.
"You can eat this while we walk back to the house."
But his smile fell when the girl suddenly spurned around, shifting her nose away defiantly.
"You didn't need to get all these. I'm going on a diet starting today."
His eyes clouded over almost immediately and he gnashed his teeth irritably, "D-diet? Why? Did that bastard say anything about your weight?"
Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, she shook her head and retorted confidently, "No, I just think it's time to watch what I eat and reduce how big I am."
It was vital.
She hadn't paid much attention to her weight in her past life and her father never saw anything wrong with it.
But after giving birth, she was determined to work on her life style and live a long and healthy life for her son. But then, she died before she got the chance to.
Sniff! Sniff!
Her nose sniffed on its own and her stomach grumbled loudly when one of the bags was suddenly pushed in front of her, her father's face sliding out with a broad smile.
"Baby, I already bought all these, they'll be going to waste if you don't eat them. Say, why don't you start your diet tomorrow?"
However, she swallowed a mouthful of saliva and crossed her arms across her chest. "I already made up my mind. I'll appreciate it if you don't try to stop me, daddy."
With that, she began strutting away.
The man sighed in defeat before following after her.
As they got home, he handed the bags to the house workers before going up to his room.
Inside her room, Carrie locked her door and took off every piece of clothing she had on her.
Then she stood in front of the mirror.
Let's see.
Her father always spoiled her, so she was as big as anyone could be for someone who loved to eat.
She had to avoid the fate from her past life.
Maybe if she slimmed down this time, her son wouldn't be born to a terrible father like Dean Meadows and she wouldn't have to marry someone like that.
Yeah, this weight could be the reason she and her baby were so unlucky to find themselves with such a man.
She had just taken a seat on her bed, ready to plan her weight loss journey when a knock sounded on her door, Kurt's voice followed a second later.
"Carrie, there's someone here to see you."
Surprised, she shouted back to him, "Someone? I don't have any friends, who could it be?"
However, all she heard was his retreating footsteps. An action he usually pulled whenever it was someone he wanted her to see.
Sighing, she put on fresh clothes and went outside.
"Of course it's you." Gritting her teeth, she almost screamed her father's name at the sight of Dean Meadows sitting in her living room, a porcelain mug in front of him.
Feeling his wolf get excited, Dean's eyes dimmed.
He hadn't felt wrong.
It was really her. His mate.
But why did she seem so unaffected?
Unaware of the thoughts going through his mind, she looked around for a maid servant, but it was as though they suddenly avoided the living room.
So she helplessly turned to him, "What are you doing here?"
As far as she knew, this man was bad luck. So she didn't want anything to do with him in this life.
Getting to his feet, he walked toward her and went straight to the point, "I'm leaving tonight to go clear the rogues disturbing your pack. When I return in a month's time, let's get married in Rune Pack."
The words had barely left his mouth when the girl jumped, her lips quivering fearfully as she demanded, "Y-you! Take that back this instant!"