~Theo~
I was in my father’s office, half listening to him drone on about pack duties and what was expected of me when I took over the Alpha position. I had heard it all before, a thousand times it seemed like, but I feigned interest, nodding my head when appropriate and answering his questions absentmindedly.
“Theo, are you even listening to me?” I heard my father ask while giving me a pointedly annoyed look.
“Of course I am, but how many times are we going to have the same conversation?” I sighed, rubbing my temples as I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees.
“It’s an important one, son. It’s my job, my responsibility to make sure you’re prepared to take over once you’ve found your Luna. Speaking of Lunas, when are you going to decide on one?”
I groaned internally, “Here we go again,” I thought to myself. I had been of age to find my mate for two years, but still had not found her. I didn’t want a chosen mate. I wanted to wait for my true mate, but my father was getting impatient.
He refused to hand the pack over to me until I had a Luna, “Father, I do not want a chosen mate and I do not need a Luna to run this pack successfully. I’m only 19. I still have plenty of time to find my true mate, and I do everything I can to find her. I go to every gathering, regardless of the intended purpose, where I have even the slightest chance of meeting her.”
“You do need a Luna to run the pack son. It’s not an option. The Luna is the mother of the pack. She is the balance. Your strength and your weakness, the heart of the pack and the keeper of your sanity.”
My father sighed as he looked down at me, “Not everyone is lucky enough to find their true mate. There are wolves all over the world, and then there are the rogues. I am not having this argument again. If you have not found her by the time you are 20, you will take a chosen mate, if I have to pick her myself!”
I glared at my father as I shot to my feet with an annoyed growl, “No one, not even you, can force someone on me father. Alpha or not I will find my Luna on my own!” I didn’t wait for a response and made my way towards the door, fighting the urge to rip it off the hinges as I opened it and stormed out, slamming it behind me.
I made my way out of the manor and headed straight for the training grounds. I needed to let off some steam before I snapped at some undeserving pack member.
*I know he’s your father, but what an arrogant prick.* Fjord, my wolf, growled.
*It’s getting really old. He’s so stuck in his ‘traditional’ ways. It’s going to drag the whole pack down.* I grumbled.
*He’s right that we do need our Luna, but we don’t need her to take over the pack. Taking a Luna would make us stronger, but our true mate would put us at our strongest.*
*I know, and maybe if it came to it I would take a chosen mate, but we’re not at that point yet.*
*Agreed, now let’s smash some stuff.*
I chuckled a bit and made my way across the training grounds to where the dummies were. After arranging them where I wanted them I went to town. I watched members of my pack go about their daily lives. Some keeping an eye on the pups playing, others training, either with the equipment, some with each other.
A couple hours into it and I was starting to feel a bit better, my body soaked in sweat. I stripped my shirt off and tossed it aside. Some of the unmated females had gathered around to watch the guys that were training. Some were training themselves.
Our pack was at least advanced enough that we didn’t keep anyone from training. Everyone was required to learn basic self defense at the very least. They were welcome to continue into advanced training if they so desired.
I sighed internally as I saw Jewel join the group of girls. She had become a headache recently. I had made the mistake of sleeping with her once at a party, and ever since then she has gotten it into her head that there was something between us and that she would be Luna. It will never happen, I have told her this. She would make a horrible Luna. If I had ever doubted that, it was confirmed after the incident with Alyce a few weeks ago.
A Luna doesn’t attack people without cause, especially her own people. Alyce on the other hand… She displayed the traits that were perfect for a Luna. She was strong and determined but also kind and gracious. I had seen the way she took whatever the pack threw at her, rather than risk having it fall on someone else.
I’d also seen her interactions with Matheau, which showed an entirely different side of her. I remember playing with her as a child, before Father basically turned the pack on her and started treating her like the pack’s personal whipping girl. He banned me from being around her, and I couldn’t very well defend her to my father without risking my father turning on me as well. So I treated her with indifference and did what I could to keep the others from being to awful to her whenever I could without it being obvious.
I spent the rest of the afternoon training, calling it quits as it got close to dinner time. I grabbed my shirt up and headed towards the Manor for a shower. Unfortunately Jewel was waiting in the crowd for me.
“Theo,” she purred at me, “You’re going to be an amazing Alpha.” I felt her arm slip into mine and tried to politely distance her from me, slipping my arm out of hers.
“Thank you Jewel, but I really need to get a move on. I have some things to attend to before dinner.” I lied. I just didn’t want to deal with her.
“Oh, well, let me help you! We can discuss our plans to attend the banquet together.” Was her retort.
I stopped in my tracks and looked at her, “We don’t have any plans Jewel. I do not plan to attend the banquet with anyone. I will be there, but alone, as the next in line for Alpha.”
“But.. I’m your future Luna! We should be attending together!”
“NO.” I growled, calming myself quickly when I saw her shrink back a little, “No you are not. I will not be taking a chosen mate. I will be waiting for my true mate.”
“But my father… Your father... “ She stammered.
“Look, I don’t know what those two have told you, or led you to believe, but I’m not interested. Go find someone else to take you.” I walked away, leaving here there a bit dumb founded and teary eyed, though I was pretty certain they were fake tears.
I jogged into the manor, starting to head for the stairs. I needed a shower desperately. Heading up to my room I stripped naked as I crossed my room, tossing the clothing in the hamper in my bathroom. I made quick work of cleaning up and threw on a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top. I was heading down stairs to go to the pack house for dinner, since Alyce was not cooking in the pack manor anymore until after the banquet, but I stopped in my tracks.
I caught the most amazing scent I had ever smelt in my life. It was mint and honey, with a hint of kiwi. I’d never smelled anything like it.
“MATE! MATE! We must find her!” Fjord exclaimed, bouncing around in my head.
I couldn’t argue with him and I followed the scent, crossing through the living room, heading for the kitchen. The scent was stronger there, but still fading. Whoever it belonged to had been here recently. Within the last fifteen minutes. I must have just missed her. I continued to follow the scent, following the strongest occurrences of it. It took me out the back door and along the edge of the tree line. Then I saw her, my eyes going wide in realization. No way. It couldn’t be…
~Alyce/Faelyn~ I had showered and changed into my nicest outfit for dinner with Matheau and his parents. A pair of black yoga pants, a pleated lavender skirt, and an oversized black sweater. I even put on a pair of lavender ballet flats that Faith had given me last Christmas. I pulled part of my hair up, securing it with a simple silver colored barrette, leaving it to hang down my back in loose waves. I glanced briefly at myself in my mirror and then headed up into the kitchen and made a stack of sandwiches, which I then wrapped and put in the fridge for grab and go options. I was told to focus on the banquet and let the other Omega’s worry about cooking for the pack, but I still tried to do small things when I had the time. I knew most of the other Omegas were barely passable cooks. No one would die, or get sick, but it wasn’t great either. Glancing at the clock on the wall and s
~Alyce/Faelyn~ I cried into Mat’s shoulder the entire trip to his house. Contemplating the events that had just occurred. Why did this affect me so much? I had been through scenarios that were much, much worse and never cried or even made a peep.” *Because matters of the heart get to humans much more than physical things, and the mate bond is a very intense, sacred matter of the heart.* Aramyth whimpered. *It will get better, with time and distance.* *I know that logically, but nothing about me is very logical at the moment.* *It’s ok, Little One. I spoke to Fjord, his wolf, and I trust that our secret is safe wit
The last week leading up to the banquet was beyond busy. Mat kept me company as I prepped and cooked, even getting some of the other Omega’s to help us with storing the food and rotating dishes through the ovens. I still did every last bit of the cooking and most of the prep work, but it was nice to have some extra hands for the little stuff. The banquet was tomorrow night and some of the guest packs had started to arrive this afternoon. I avoided the guests as much as possible, glad that I wasn’t having to hide bruises while they were here. I also avoided Theo as much as possible. I would catch him looking at me from across the room on the rare occasion that our paths had to cross. The only upside to that was the fact that Jewel seemed to notice his attention towards me, no matter how brief, and the anger it instilled in her was oddly satisfying to me.
~Tristan~ The meeting with Alpha Andrew had been uncomfortable at best. We all know the rumors that surround this pack, even as secluded as our pack is, we still keep up with the outside world. We even have internet and cell phone service. Granted we had to pay to put in the lines and towers ourselves, but we have it. We live more simply than most packs, but we still run business and various trades to fund our pack. I listened absent mindedly as Victor and Titus spoke briefly before Victor wandered off to go find his room. I was a little envious of him right this moment. The girls in this pack had already been making eyes at me once they found out I was the Alpha’s son. Our pack members were mingling with theirs at the pack house, probably in the hopes of finding their mate, or in many cases just having some fun, but I wasn’t like that. I had watched too many of my friends sleep a
~Alyce/Faelyn~ *Beep.* *Beep.* *Beep.* The obnoxious echo of my alarm clock started invading the first peaceful sleep I’d had in a long time. Probably because it was such a short sleep. I reached over, smashing the buttons of the alarm clock, silencing it.My feet hitting the cold cement floor as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes got me moving. I didn’t waste any time as I slipped into a pair of leggings and an oversized t-shirt that came to my knees. I looked like hell, but it was by design. I wanted something easy to slip on after I shifted back. Slipping on a pair of black flats I ran my fingers through my hair and then piled it into a messy bun on the top of my head. Aramyth was prancing around in my head, *I can’t wait, Little One, as anxious as I am to run, I’m more anxious for you to realize just how special you are.*
Mat was laughing at me, “Just picture yourself in your human form, how you look, what it feels like and will your human form to return.” I nodded at him, and closed my eyes, picturing my human self. I felt my bones starting to snap and reform as my body went from Aramyth’s giant wolf to my tiny human self, *How do you even fit? You’re ginormous compared to me!* I teased her. *I’ll admit it’s a tight fit, bit uncomfortable.* she teased back. I rolled my eyes at her and looked at Mat, “Give me your shirt Mattie.” He didn’t hesitate, pulling his shirt off and handing it to me. I slipped it on and smiled at them all, “We should head back before anyone realizes we’re missing. Is everything set for tomorrow?”
~Alyce/Faelyn~ I looked over my shoulder at Victor and shook my head, “No thank you Delta, I’m quite adept at this. Been doing it half my life.” “Seems like a young age to start kitchen work. You can’t be more than what? 19, maybe 20?” “Maybe, but when you’re taken in as an orphan you do what you’re told, when you’re told and are thankful to not be a rogue. I’m 18 as of yesterday.” I knew I was probably giving him more information than I should, but for some reason I found him easy to talk to, like an Uncle I never had. Plus I would be gone soon and it wouldn’t matter. “Well happy birthday, albeit a bit belated. This pack doesn’t do birthday celebrations?” “Thank you, and no, not for Omegas. Sometimes the Omega’s families will hold a small on
~Alyce/Faelyn~ I stepped up beside Mat, greeting them all and apologizing for my reaction. I was still processing it all, but I could, at the very least, be polite. They were guests and had done nothing wrong. I looked up at them all, “Breakfast is getting cold, you all should eat, and Miss Kami has been waiting far too long for some coffee.” I looked at Mat, “You should stay for breakfast too. Thank you for coming when I called.” I murmured and leaned up to kiss his cheek, which elicited a growl from Tristan. I spun on my heel and narrowed my eyes at him, moving from Mat to thrust my finger up into Tristan’s chest, “Listen here, you will not growl at him. If you hope to have any chance of me even considering this mate bond you will behave!” I could feel my alpha aura starting to leak out and quickly reigned it in. That was odd, I’d never had a hard time keeping my aura under wrap