Kris’s POV
It was the middle of the night when we got back to the River Valley Pack. I wanted to go home. My home. Not the pack house. I wanted to be where my family was. I knew Nathan and Emily would be in bed. So I climbed on the couch and closed my eyes.
Why are so many people obsessed with image and status? Are they afraid to be a strong, happy leader? That is how I want to be. That’s what Nathan did. I thought to myself as I drifted off.
“Hey, Kris.” Nathan wakes me gently. I opened my eyes. It’s still dark. Nathan had put a lamp on before he came and sat beside me with a drink for both of us. I cuddled up to him and I told him about what happened. He hugs me. “The mate bond simply introduces you to your destined mate. It doesn’t make you fall in love with them.” He’s right. “I want you to be happy, Kris. Have everything in a mate that you desire. I’m glad he rejected you. I’m glad you accepted. You would never be happy with someone like him. I want you to be loved with or without the bond.”
“I would rather be alone and happy than miserable with that jack wipe beside me. You don’t know how bad he was, Nathan.” We both laughed.
We sat and talked about our mom. Reminiscing about what an amazing mom she was, even with which way Dad treated her. She was the most amazing mom and Luna. Nathan couldn’t wait to have children and to raise them. The way mom raised us.
I am again jealous of my brother. He’s looking forward to his future, with a woman the goddess made perfectly for him. Whereas here I sit, alone. My mate rejected me. I could have fought for the bond. Made him realize how exceptional I am. But truthfully, he should accept me for who I am. Maybe my expectations are too high? Then again, no, they aren’t.
“I will have to take a chosen mate to please the Wolf Council. Or I could just give up the pack.” I said to Nathan, knowing neither of us wanted that to happen.
“You shouldn’t settle, Kris. We could fight the Wolf Council’s decision. This is our home. This is your pack, your birthright.”
“It should be your pack, your birthright, Nathan. Dad was a fool.”
“He didn’t like the fact I chose happiness over power. That shows what he valued.” I nodded, agreeing with him.
I told Nathan about what Isabelle said regarding going undercover. He laughed, as the idea was preposterous. “You would need permission to enter an Alpha’s territory. Otherwise, they may think you’re a rogue.”
“Okay, but no one knows what I look like. I could send anyone to the pack house in my place and go for a wander around. Discover any deep dark secrets that the Alpha’s are hiding.”
We talked until daylight. I need help if this plan is going to work. I sort of had a plan. But I need the help of my friends. “The strain of the rejection has driven her crazy,” Erin commented once I explained my plan to them all.
“That prick didn’t deserve you, anyway. He would have been a useless Alpha. Wouldn’t have defended the pack in a fight. He would have been a drain. He is better off where he is. Which is away from us,” Erin snarks.
Eventually, they all agreed it was in the best interest of the pack. That if I was going to take a chosen mate. It should be someone who was my equal and accepted me for who I am. Not what I am.
We also broke down the specifics that the Wolf Council specified. “Council Member Clayton said you had to have a mate. But he never said he had to be of what rank,” Nathan stated. “I never realized he said that.” In theory, I could choose anyone.
“Yes, but if he is to be the male Alpha and respected by the pack. Kris will need a mate of rank.” Lacie remarked. “That would make sense. Being introduced to an Alpha’s position at an older age may be too much for some people. At least if he is ranked, he will know what he is getting into,” Nathan says.
We took the rest of the day to plan which packs we wanted to visit. We also had to factor in my Alpha responsibilities and social engagements. I felt tired just thinking about it all. “Do I want this?” I asked everyone in the room. “It sounds like a lot of work.”
It was Nathan who answered. “Since when have you ever let anyone tell you what to do? Since when have you let a bit of hard work phase you? You are the female Alpha of the River Valley Pack. You would not be true to yourself if you took anyone as your mate. Besides, you are too stubborn to fail.”
I looked at my brother. He is right, and he has just given me the inspiration I needed. “How dare the Wolf Council tell me what to do? Who the hell do they think they are messing with? I will show them. They have underestimated who I am.”
“You’re going to need allies if you are going after the Wolf Council Kris,” Lacie informs me.
“We can’t possibly get rid of the Wolf Council Lacie,” Rylee says to her.
“That’s not what I meant, Rylee. I meant perhaps Kris wouldn’t have been put in this position if there had been an equal number of women on the Wolf Council.” Lacie corrects him.
I stared at her, gobsmacked. Is she suggesting what I think she is suggesting? “Teach them not to discriminate based on gender.”
“That is an amazing idea, Lacie. Can you imagine the looks on their faces? Being replaced by a woman.” I said, laughing. That would be even better than punching Clayton in the face. Stripping him of everything he values.
“Yeah, but to make that happen. You need to be in the Alpha position long enough to have allies.” Nathan informs me.
“Best get myself out there looking for a mate, then. Hadn’t I?” We all set to work. How the hell am I going to do all of this? Then I looked around the room. I have my family and friends beside me to help me.
I can do this. I have to do this. This is not just for me, it’s for them too.
Rylee’s POV Kris locked herself in her old house with Nathan and Emily. She mind linked me and told me they were doing something important. When she eventually emerged, she had a well-worded letter. Which she planned on sending to every pack in the Wolf Kingdom. She also planned on sending one to the Wolf Council and the Palace. When I read the letter, it didn’t show the Wolf Council in a positive light. “They’re going to be pissed about this,” Dillon says while we’re stuffing letters into envelopes. “I don’t think Kris cares if they’re happy or not. The Wolf Council are the ones that have put her in this position. She is simply explaining to every Alpha in the Wolf Kingdom, why she wants an open invitation to visit their pack.” Kris decided to be honest about the situation the Wolf Council had put her in. I disagree with parts of Kris’s plan. Mainly sending me and one of her friends to the pack house while she goes snooping around the pack. It feels deceitful. But
Nathan’s POV Council Member Fredrick is due to arrive today. I plan on making his life difficult for the duration of his time here. “It’s disgusting what they are forcing Kris to do. It’s just wrong. Now they are sending someone to make sure she follows their stupid rules.” I ranted at Emily again. No doubt she is sick of hearing me going on about it. Despite everything, she just hands me a cupcake and kisses me. “Best mate ever,” I tell her just before I shove the cupcake in my mouth. Making her smile. I have been mind linked that the Council Member is the pack. “I have organized somewhere to stay for him,” Rylee tells me. “He’s going to be here a while and Kris won’t want him breathing down her neck.” “I hope it’s somewhere grubby,” I responded, still unhappy that he would be here watching my sister for over two years, reporting her movements back to the Wolf Council. Rylee snickers. “I have put him in that house next to the school. All those kid's day in
Kris’s POV “It’s still dark outside.” Lacie protests as we walk inside the pack house gym. “What do you expect, it’s 5 am?” Rylee says, laughing at her. The way she looks at him could curdle milk. Freddie recommended we take a picture of me holding a Sunday newspaper. He would send it to the Wolf Council later on that day. Then, on Monday, he would submit a report informing the Wolf Council that I had left that day. Effectively, I gain an extra day if he does it this way. “I know it’s early. But if we take a picture in an artificially lit room, Council Member Clayton won’t know what time of day it is.” Freddie answered her. “Now all of you start running. I need you to all make it look like you have been here for hours.” Erin, Lacie, and Isabelle. Start jogging on a treadmill. “Get that speed up. You need to be sweating.” Rylee barks at them as he takes off his top. “He is taking this way too seriously,” Isabelle says, loud and snappy. “No, he underst
Rylee’s POV The visit to the Northern Valley Pack was a good start. It may have been a waste of time from Kris’s perspective. But from mine, we made an ally. Neither Alpha Steel nor Beta Dwight had done that in years. They always felt that others should come to them. Seek their support. They weren’t the best leaders. Finding a suitable mate for Kris is the primary goal. But if we don’t find one on this trip, then there is the next one. The trips might not be a complete waste if we find some allies along the way. It wasn’t far to the next pack, maybe a four-hour drive. We did the bulk of the driving on Sunday. It’s not that I have to drive, but all the girls driving scares the crap out of me. When I let Kris drive yesterday, it was because my brain was frazzled. As we waited at the border of the Mountain Crescent Pack. You could tell we were being sheltered from the icy winds. The thermometer in the car hadn’t changed. But it was at least bearable.
Kris’s POV I looked out of the window as we drove towards the Green Trees Pack. “Rylee. Am I doing the right thing?” “What are you talking about?” He asked. “Trying to find a mate. Am I doing the right thing?” “Shut up. Kris. Don’t you dare doubt yourself?” Lacie said before Rylee had time to answer me. “You are trying to find a mate to please the Wolf Council. Is it wrong that they are forcing you to do this? Yes. But don’t you dare doubt yourself.” “River Valley is your pack and our home. You are doing whatever you can to protect everyone. Why should you settle for a loser mate? Not a chance. We are here to help and support you with whatever crazy ideas you come up with.” Isabelle tells me. Erin laughs. “Personally, I can’t wait for you to take down that dammed Wolf Council. Make them realize that a woman is more than who she is mated to.” “They’re right Kris. All of them. It really sucks that you have to do this. But along this journey, you
Kris’s POV “Your home earlier than expected,” Nathan shouted as we walked through the door of the pack house, dumping our bags in the foyer. He was sitting in the dining room with Freddie. “Things didn’t work out as well as planned.” Dillon walked down the stairs, staring at me. He looked confused as he reviewed some papers. “Dillon, we need more information on the packs before we go next time.” Isabelle pointed out. “At least the fair was fun,” Lacie said, laughing. Rylee then tells Dillon, Nathan, and Freddie about what happened. The looks on their faces. “So, you had one Alpha offering you an alliance. In the other pack, you had a pair of brothers fighting over you. Like cavemen,” Nathan said, laughing. “It wasn’t even Kris, it was Isabelle acting as a decoy. They were pathetic.” “I am surprised they didn’t drag Isabelle away by her hair!” Erin says, joking. Everyone laughs. “Maybe they would have done it if the rest of us hadn’t been there.” I couldn’t he
Kris’s POV It was mine and Nathan’s 19th birthday. Thankfully, Council Member Clayton hadn’t arrived yet. We both expected him to turn up today. No doubt he would do it on purpose to ruin our celebration. The pack helped us celebrate. Emily baked us our own separate birthday cakes. Nathan’s was chocolate and mine was red velvet. Oh, how I love a red velvet cake with plenty of frosting. Overall, the day was amazing, and I was so happy. As per usual. Nathan and I met at the dining room table to exchange our homemade gifts. We both agreed years ago we would give each other something personal. Something that reminded us of our bond. An item, a picture. Just something from the past year that reminded us we had each other, and we were not to spend a cent on it. This year, I framed a picture of us that Rylee had taken. Nathan and I were laughing as we stood in front of a barbecue. It was an incredible day that ended with us going on a midnight run with the pac
Council Member Clayton’s POV It was nearing midnight when I received a voicemail from Fredrick informing me of the rogue attack at the River Valley Pack. I hate rogues. This time, they might have done me a favor, though. There is no way Kristen Steel could handle a rogue attack. She is not capable of leading a pack. Nor is she physically capable of leading a wolf pack to victory against a rogue attack. I bet she hid behind her brother or Beta. No doubt there were countless deaths and everyone in the pack now sees how pathetic and weak she really is. “Zackary, I am leaving. Do you want to come with me?” I called out to my son. “Where are you going, dad?” He asks me as he walks out of his bedroom. I had clearly just woken him up, judging by his disheveled appearance. “River valley pack. I shouldn’t miss out on this opportunity.” “No, thanks, Dad. I have an assessment at the training camp tomorrow night. There is no chance I will be back in time.” H