Glaring at the computer screen in front of me, I read the report sent by the Private Investigator I hired to find Brynlee. Its been a week since she was expelled from Pine Moon and I have slowly come to realize how much I regret what I did. I should have never slapped her, never rejected Brynlee – my Goddess given Mate.
The last seven days have been hell for me. Tanya has ramped up her abuse on the Omegas, ordering them around like slaves to prepare for our wedding day in a few months time. Every day, I get reports of her attacking she-wolves that mention my Brynlee and how she would have made a better Luna. It has caused me to placate my pack mates and put Tanya in her place. But when ever I do that, my father indulges Tanya stating that those she-wolves shouldn’t have mentioned Brynlee in Tanya’s presence.
It has become a nightmare for me. Always having to perform my duties as heir to reassure pack mates that I am handling Tanya, to dealing with my father yelling at me for putting Tanya in her place. She isn’t even a member of Pine Moon so why is he so adamant in protect her. It infuriates me to no end and I have decided that once I am Alpha and Tanya is officially made a member of Pine Moon, I will put an Alpha command on her. I will force her to behave and treat Pine Moon wolves with respect and kindness just like how Brynlee treated everyone.
My mind drifts to Brynlee. How she is the opposite of Tanya. She is kind and honest, always loyal to those in the pack, putting the pack’s needs before her own. If anyone needed help, she was the first to lend a hand. If someone else was injured in a battle, she would help take care of their wounds before she tends to her own.
Tanya on the other hand is selfish. Everything must be about her wants and needs above anyone else. If someone asks for help with arranging a pack dinner, Tanya snaps at them for demanding their future Luna to work. If someone complains about her ordering Omegas already performing a task to clean her room, my father snaps at them and sends them to the dungeons for twenty-four hours without food.
Caspian was right. Brynlee would have made this pack stronger as my Luna. I should have marked her on her eighteenth birthday when I had her under me as I made loved to her.
I can still taste her on my tongue, still hear her sweet moans.
∭
Walking through the woods on the outskirts of the pack, I curse myself for being so dumb at loosing track of time and running late. Today Brynlee turned eighteen and as the future Alpha I need to be at her party to congratulate her. To welcome her as a functioning member of the pack. She will begin her Beta training under Jett and will become my Beta when I take over the pack.
[Where are you?] Wincing at the sound of my father yelling through the mind link, I roll my eyes and pick up my pace. He seems angrier than usual and me being late does not seem to help.
[On my way. I lost track of time in the wood.] I reply back with honesty, deciding to shift into wolf form so that I can move faster. My clothes tear as I shift mid step, my paws hitting the hard forest floor as I take off. The party starts in ten minutes, I need to be there in five to make it in time to change into new clothes and still be on time for the party.
[Hurry the fuck up, Rune. Your Aunt will nag me to death if you aren’t here on time.] My father orders, shutting the link between us before I can reply back. I growl, pissed at how he treats me. I am an Alpha just like him. I will be taking over the pack in a few months with Tanya after I turn twenty-one and we are married.
I take a moment to calm my emotions. My father will take any anger I have towards him as a threat and I do not need him ruining Brynlee’s birthday. She already lost her parents because of us, we can’t ruin her first birthday without them as well. Feeling much calmer, I take off towards the pack house once more and it only takes a few moments before I am out of the woods and racing past the houses of the many pack members.
A sweet smell – like cinnamon-sugar – catches my attention, making me fumble in my steps and trip over my paws. I have smelt this scent before but it was subtle then. I know it belongs to one of my pack mates but I am unsure whose. Now, the scent is like someone mixed it with an enhancement drug like an aphrodisiac and I find myself thinking that it is a drug I could get used to. Climbing back to my feet, I follow the scent instinctively and, luckily, it leads me to the Pack House.
[What does it mean when you smell a scent that you feel like you become addicted too?] I link my friend Caspian as I climb the steps to the Pack House and walk through the doors that are left open for the coming and goings of pack mates that are here to celebrate Brynlee.
[Guessing you didn’t pay attention in class.] Comes his snarky reply. I growl in warning, not wanting to deal with his sarcasm and attitude right now as I stand in the foyer, debating on tracking down that scent that flows up the stairs or run to my room for a change of clothes.
[Sheesh man, calm your raging hormones. This scent means your Mate is close.] Caspian retorts back. I can just picture him raising his hand in surrender and rolling his eyes. Stepping towards the sound of music, I pause as his words register in my mind.
The scent I am smelling is my Mate.
Fuck!
[Dude, I can’t find my Mate. My dad will kill me if I don’t marry Tanya.] Backing up, I turn and rush up the stairs forcing pack mates to jump to the side and avoid me crashing into them. As soon as I reach the third floor of the Pack House, I shift back into human form and rush into my room, slamming the door shut and locking it.
I know I need to calm myself as I can feel my blood pulsing. The need to find my mate is radiating through me telling me that she is mine and no one else can have her but me. My canines are itching to sink into her flesh and mark her as mine for eternity, to be possessive of her mind, body and soul. But I can’t.
I have a marriage arrangement with Tanya to prevent her father’s pack – the Blood Claws Pack - from attacking Pine Moon. If I find and mark my Mate now, Pine Moon will be doomed.
[Rune, where the fuck are you?] Wincing as my father re-opens the link and shouts at me, I rush to my bathroom and quickly shower off.
[Upstairs getting ready. I will be down in three minutes.] I answer back as I scrub my body as fast as I can. I try to use this time to take deep breath and to force back the urge to start and finish the mate bond as soon as I find the owner of the cinnamon-sugar scent. The need to claim and dominate this unknown Mate of mine is winning over the rationality side of my brain. I need to fight back and stop myself from doing something that will put Pine Moon in danger.
[Good. The party is going to start soon and your Aunt is on my case about that brat Brynlee needing support.] My hand pauses at his words as I find myself needing to force back a snarl. Some part of me hates how my father just disrespected Brynlee – the girl of honor tonight.
[I will see you downstairs.] I manage to ground out before shutting the link off this time. I need to focus.
Rinsing off the soap, I shut the shower off and quickly towel dry off before grabbing a pair of dark jeans and a nice baby blue dress shirt. Dressing quickly, I slip on a pair of dress shoes and leave my bedroom, buttoning up my shirt as I descend the stairs. With one minute to spare I enter the large function room and stride to where my father stands with Tanya, Aunt Asteria and Uncle Gale. Their pups are probably running around somewhere here and I am glad I don’t have to worry about them right now.
“Nice of you to join us.” My father harumphs as he takes in my appearance. I wait for the scolding that is to come but he instead nods in approval at my attire before returning to a conversation with Uncle Gale. Shocked, I turn and give my Aunt a hug before pressing a kiss to Tanya’s cheek. It takes everything in me not to recoil at her touch and scent of honey as the scent of cinnamon-sugar that belongs to my Mate grows stronger the more I stand in this room.
“Are you okay Ru?” Tanya asks in a sickly-sweet voice.
“Yeah, Just tired.” I mutter out, catching the questioning look my Aunt throws my way.
“Well you better stay awake for at least another hour. Brynlee is arriving now and needs our support.” Aunt Asteria warns me. Brynlee’s name causes my mind to hum in agreement with my Aunt leaving me questioning what is wrong with me. Ever since I scented my Mate, I have been acting like a brainless pup.
As if on que, Brynlee walks in, her light blonde hair piled into a messy bun on top of her head and her body covered in a dark blue dress – the same colour as her eyes - that hugs all the right places. Shaking my head as thoughts of kissing her invade my mind, the cinnamon-sugar scent practically explodes into the room. My blood hums as the need to mate my Mate rises and I find myself clenching Tanya closer to my body. I need to focus and remind myself that Tanya is who I will marry. I must do it or else Blood Claws will attack us.
As if sensing the change in me, Aunt Asteria stares at me and smirks, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
[Your Mate is here.] She states and I nod, grinding my teeth together.
[I know, but I can’t find her right now.] I answer, knowing that my Aunt and her family have no clue that I am betrothed to Tanya. They only think I am dating her for her looks and power. That as soon as I find my Mate, I will break up with her in order to be with my intended Luna. But I can’t do that. I know Aunt Asteria and Uncle Gale will be disappointed in me for marrying and mating someone not intended to me by the Goddess, but they will understand eventually I have to do this in order to protect Pine Moon from Blood Claws.
My father motions for my Aunt to follow him, ending the conversation Aunt Asteria and I were having, and the two make their way towards Brynlee now that she has entered the room. As the two eldest Alpha wolves of the pack, they are to start the party with a speech. Brynlee is no longer a pup and it is time to welcome her as a working member to the pack. That thought brings a satisfaction to the mate bond and I shiver, not understanding why thoughts of Brynlee makes me so happy.
“Members of Pine Moon.” My Aunt begins with a broad smile on her face, her eyes locked on Brynlee’s.
“We are here tonight to celebrate Brynlee Eclipse in becoming an adult in our pack. She will soon begin Beta training under mine and Beta Jett’s tutelage. The hope is that she will bring new strength to Pine Moon.” The people cheer as Aunt Asteria finishes her speech, the two she-wolves hugging as my father steps forward.
“As Alpha of Pine Moon, I welcome you, Brynlee Eclipse, as a functioning member of this pack and look forward to the day you find your Mate so that the two of you can make our pack strong. Your parents would be so proud of you.” My father gives Brynlee a hug, his face full of smiles as the pack cheers once more, chanting Brynlee’s name over and over again. I smile, watching my future Beta be surrounded by others while an unexpected surge of pride swells inside me that I chalk up to being an Alpha watching over his people.
“I am going to go dance with my friends.” Tanya’s voice pulls me away from watching the birthday girl and I turn to give my girlfriend my full attention. A scowl is displayed on her face as she sends a glare towards Brynlee. Once again I find myself wanting to growl – this time at the girl in my arms for disrespecting Brynlee - but stop myself. Something is seriously wrong with me to become so protective of the she-wolf I grew up with.
After telling Tanya to have fun, I let her go and decide to mingle with the crowd. The music grows louder once the party is in full swing. Wolves dance in time to the current song or make their way to the table full of food the Omegas cooked. I find myself subconsciously searching for my Mate but stop myself just before I reach the source of the cinnamon-sugar scent and rush towards the other side of the room. I can’t put my pack in danger of Blood Claws just because my instinct demands I fuck and claim what is rightfully mine.