A Secret Alpha Mate

15 - Visiting Alphas

Isla

W-what?

Now. Leave. We need to get as far away from this pack as possible.

What do you mean? How long do I have to stay away?

Until it’s safe.

I don’t understand.

You’re in danger. We’re in danger. Please.

O-okay

Was this some kind of trick? It couldn’t be it was my wolf telling me this, the other part of myself.

Now - she pleaded and sounded scared and desperate. As scared as I felt. I realized that I hadn't taken any steps forward.

I just need to grab a few things.

Fine, only things needed for survival. I can hunt once we shift, so don’t worry too much about food. But please make it quick.

Panic flooded through me as I pushed the doors open to the kitchen. Thankfully, everyone was too busy to notice anything but the task in front of them. No one looked up as I grabbed an empty canvas bag and snuck a few croissants, apples, and water bottles into it on my way to the steps up to my attic bedroom.

I packed the new book that Abigail gifted to me, a small blanket, a few extra pairs of clothing, which was pretty much all I had, my toothbrush and comb, and shoved it in the bag. I didn’t know how long we would be going for, and I was afraid to ask.

I quickly scribbled a note to Abigail and hid it in the secret floorboard under my mattress. I tugged my mattress back over the opening and returned to the kitchen. I easily slipped out the back door, silently shutting it behind me.

I hesitated to take any more steps forward. What was I supposed to do? Where was I supposed to go?

Run - She urged me, and I found my feet.

I picked up my pace and ran opposite the lake, knowing that must be the way out of the pack grounds. I hadn’t ever left the pack and didn’t know how long it would take until I was safe for the night.

Surely no one would come looking for me; no one cared enough. Meghan would be mad for a few days about me missing my ‘special task’; that was the only silver lining of my leaving tonight.

And Abigail, oh Abigail, I hope she wouldn’t worry too much about me. She would be distraught, but she wouldn’t come after me either; she didn’t have the tracking skills to know where to start. I made a mental note to make sure that somehow, I got in touch with her to let her know that I was okay; if I was okay, Goddess, I hoped I would be okay.

I ran until my lungs burned through the dark forest; the trees finally started to open up. I kept running, pushing against the raw pain in my throat, and finally, I reached a little clearing in the woods with a large fallen tree on one edge.

This is good for tonight.

I walked to the other side of the clearing, and now that the adrenaline had worn off, my legs felt like lead. I sat behind the fallen tree, completely exhausted but still on edge. I had never been this far from home before and had never been this alone before.

I didn’t realize how hungry and thirsty I was before I gulped down an entire water bottle and tore into a croissant, having to stop myself before I devoured another. I’d already eaten most of my rations and been gone for an hour or two?

So now what? - I asked.

Now we adapt. We can survive out here; we are stronger than you give us credit for, babes.

I was too tired to reply, even in my mind. After a few minutes, I was able to think straight.

Can you tell me what the danger was? Or who it was? Was it a visiting pack member?

I can’t be sure, I had a flashback, but I can’t remember what it was. It was more of a feeling than anything. I knew that we had to get out there. That we were in danger.

What about Abigail? What about the rest of the pack? - I started to panic. Just because I was safe didn’t mean anyone else was.

The threat was against you.

Oh.

I’m sorry, Isla, we can do this. Get some rest, and I’ll stay alert, but we’re safe here.

She didn’t have to tell me twice. I grabbed the blanket from my bag, curled up into a ball, and put my head down on the soft moss. As I breathed in the smell of the moss and the forest, exhaustion tugged at me, and I drifted off to sleep.

Jackson

Jackson

W

e were on the way to another ‘mating frenzy’ masked as something else so that Alphas could pair off their daughters to other Alphas and ranked members.

Thankfully, I had my Beta, Lucas, and Gamma, Cameron, with me this time. Both were more excited to come than I was. I’d pretty much given up hope of finding a mate. When I turned eighteen, almost ten years at this point, I would attend all the ceremonies held by other packs. I quickly realized that my mate wasn’t part of my pack and was determined to find her.

Each year, when I didn’t find her, I attended fewer and fewer events, and they only ended in disappointment. Now, I only went to meetings about official pack business. Would the Moon Goddess be so cruel as to give me a mate from a pack across the country? Or not give me one at all? I tried to shake that helpless feeling away I’d grown accustomed to these past few years.

“We’re fifteen minutes away, gentleman,” my driver stated solemnly.

“All I’m saying is the food better be good. Do we have a training schedule while we’re here?” Cameron asked.

It took me a second to realize he had directed the question at me. “What? No.” I frowned. “It’s a weekend away. Enjoy it, and please let loose for once.”

“Come on, man, try to have a little fun,” Lucas said, clapping him on the back.

My Gamma is our head trainer. I had never seen anything like him on the battlefield. Since we were kids, he took to fighting naturally and loved it. He was strict with our warriors and rarely let himself go, especially around others. We have fun, but his first focus is always on protection and the pack, which I have to commemorate.

My Beta, Lucas, however, was a bit more of a party animal. When he had time off, he makes sure he made use of it. While working, he is completely committed to his duties as my pack’s Beta with amazing attention to detail and can get something done like no other.

They balanced me out. We all balanced each other out. We have been close since we were kids. No matter how often they got into small fights or messed with each other, I knew it was all out of love. The fact that they were so different-natured worked in our favor. We all worked well, despite our differences, due to a mutual sense of duty. We put our pack above us as individuals.

We were supposed to be on the road hours ago, but we sent a note saying we would be arriving late and to not make any special preparations for us. There had been more and more rogue sightings near our pack borders, and one this morning. This was the main reason I decided to attend this event.

I wanted to talk to Alpha Benjamin in person about a solution. Silver Moon was the closest neighboring pack and was in charge of securing that area, as well. I knew this weekend was supposed to be all about fun and celebrating his daughter's birthday? Wedding? Something about her that seemed insignificant to me, but a rogue issue wasn’t something that could wait.

I ended up doubling patrols while we were away. Cam’s second in command, Bryce, assured us that he had security and patrols under control this weekend. I left the pack in the more than capable hands of my father, and he was practically ushering me out of the door. He liked being acting Alpha again, and there was no one I trusted more with my pack.

We arrived at Silver Moon’s pack lands and watched as the forest got progressively thicker after we drove through the gates. The trees were so dense that it made the last of the grayish-dusky skies seem like midnight for a few long moments before the trees started to disperse, thinning out and opening to the packhouse. We pulled to a stop at the roundabout in front.

I always loved how commanding this packhouse was. The lands they had were unlike any others I had seen. We had expansive land, as well, but Silver Moon was tucked away and hidden. It would be impossible to find unless you knew where you were going and what you were looking for. It was the ideal place to hide a large number of werewolves away from the prying eyes of the world.

It was an old werewolf legend that this land was given to the first Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack by the Moon Goddess herself. If legend were true, these lands and pack were supposedly blessed. Even though I come here at least once a year for meetings, it always blows me away when I return.