Mated ✓

03

Chapter Three

Something wrong in the air.

Something is wrong.

    Laurence had been eyeing his pack for hours on end, looking for any minor inconsistencies that do not belong in his pack or would have been any reason why there was something inside him that felt like crawling out into control. It was hard enough that he was subduing his wolf, but there was his perfectionist mind that wanted to know what was wrong. His wolf has been very relentless, knowing that something was in the open but he could not distinguish what it was.

    “Laurence.”

    Looking out to the source of the voice, he saw his father—Larry—who was looking at him all worried. The man had been doing his best into giving him all the needed guidance that he could since beta Zico still needed a couple of months of training. Henry was still not available to adhere to his job—as annoying as that was, he needed to give it to Henry. The man needed to make sure that he was build for the job.

    Larry, who was the former beta of the pack, was still doing his best into performing what was expected of him to help his son. After all, Lucian had been very generous enough to give his son a pack to lead.

    He frowned. “Is something wrong, son?”

    “I am not sure, Dad,” Laurence replied, looking outside his pack. “I just felt like something is wrong, and I have been fighting my wolf in control but I still do not understand what is happening.”

    Larry could only sigh.

    Laurence was acting like he was since he knows that Lucian trusted him to be the Alpha—despite his father being the Alpha of the pack. He wanted to prove to everyone that he can adhere to the role as he was expected to.

    “Give yourself some lack, Laurence. You had been pushing long hours to make sure that your patrols are stable, and Alpha Maddox has no problem helping you out for some of it.” Larry mentioned, wanting the man to calm down.

    “I know… but something felt off.”

    Larry nodded, as this was something that he had come to address to his son. “Everyone seemed to have felt it today. Lucian was the one who told me to talk to you if there is something that is brewing that you have not been telling us.”

    “I was aware of this since last night.” He replied.

    With the entry of Rean to the pack, almost every pack member knew that something was wrong—while Echo, Zico, and Zandee were mostly off due to them sneaking a human inside, all were confused as to why their wolves are in high alert.

    Laurence groaned, walking back to his seat in order to control his wolf. There were hardly rare days when an Alpha would have to fight dominance over their wolf, but he was not going to let the man act on his own—especially when he still was not aware of why he is on the edge.

    At that same time, his mother has walked into his office with a frown. “What happened to him?” She asked her husband, confused at the state of her son.

    Larry frowned. “He is fighting his wolf. Who knows what?”

    “Why are you fighting your wolf, Laurence?” She asked.

    “He wanted to get out and find a scent.” He replied.

    “A scent?” Both of them asked.

    “Vanilla…” he frowned, listening in. “And pine…”

    Larry looked at his wife, clearly knowing what was happening. Both of them already knew that there was no sense of attack, but his wolf was clawing its way since she was close. Jane, his mother, has walked to where he was and slapped him on the back of his head.

    A soft sound of pain escaped from his lips before looking at his mother in exasperation. He would have kept the expression if only her face did not morph into one that seemed like he would be hit by a bat.

    “Why did you do that?” He cringed.

    She snarled. “That’s your wolf knowing. I told you to f*****g read all the books and not just some f*****g—” she has stilled in her words as soon as her husband had caught her, wanting to stop her from hitting their son like he was a five year old. “Get off me, Larry. I will beat his ass!”

    “My wolf knowing what?” He asked.

    “You are such a—”

    Laurence had to laugh as he saw his father basically stopping his mother at all cost, not wanting to damage the man that is serving the land. She seemed really pissed, knowing that she did not want her son to be someone who was only dedicated to his own land and not his happiness.

    Larry sighed. “Your mate is close, son. That scent is only faint, that’s why you can still control your wolf.”

    “My mate?” He asked, clearly surprised. Laurence was in his early 20s, but he still had not found her. To know that she was close when he did not even leave his pack was something of a surprise to him. “What do you mean that she is close? No one is a new member in the pack and no family member has visited.”

    Jane stilled. “That… is true.”

    “Maybe she was a human that was lingering in our part of the forest?” Larry asked.

    Laurence frowned. “At night—and is still lingering the scent by now?”

    “Scents can be carried by the wind. If she had laid in the ground for a long period of an hour, it would make sense.” He replied.

    For the years that he had not seen the woman that was his Luna, he did not want to keep his hopes up. There are already times that he had been disappointed when he hears that certain symptoms would mean that his mate was close and never did he have luck on finding her.

    He did not want to have hope, as it had been broken all the time.

    ‘Alpha, we have some visitors in the east.’

    His eyes looked at his parents with a sigh following. “Or maybe I was just aware that an attack is happening—there is some rogue sighting. I need to check them.” 

    Laurence sprinted outside his room as his parents only sigh. While an attack was a natural indication for him, never did he smell them as anything that is a combination of vanilla and pine. Rogues are of foul smell if one could associate them in that scent—maybe their son is losing his marbles.

    Upon arriving in the place, he had tried to focus more on accessing the situation. Rogues attacks are not more intense than the time where Nvae was hunted by some psycho rogue who had cast all his people on their land. All of the attacks by now had come back to regular rogues wanting to invade a pack because of resources—or some pack wanted to invade others for simply being above them.

    Cypher Dawn Pack had been gaining recognition since Laurence became the Alpha and he had been working his ass off not to get off that streak.

    “Did someone call the Delta? I need him to make sure that there would be no errors by this time.” He asked, looking around the running figures that are drawing closer to his pack.

    James nodded. “Yes, Alpha. He is on his way.”

    “Good,” Laurence replied as he dashed to the direction of the rogues who were close to his pack.

    Not wanting to have more damage than necessary, he would always attack them before they could step into his land. Furthermore, it would be more of an advantage to them as they are more aware of their forest than most. His men were trailing behind him, only having three of them follow as the rest were still guarding their post.

    One rogue shifted into the air as it lounges as him, giving him enough time to grab it by the head and push it back down the ground. It had struggled into his hold, trashing on the ground. His hand grabbed tightly of the head and snapped it upwards, severing it immediately.

    A loud cry from another came, sprinting to him as he had thrown the rogue into its face, and having it grew stunned for a second. Laurence sees that an opportunity to sprint to its back and kick it by the neck before pinning it down.

    These are low skilled rogues.

    They might be here for some food.

    Then again, he could not let them raid his home like it was some place that anyone could have grant entry with. 

    During that time, Laurence was caught off guard when he caught a whiff of vanilla and pine—and his wolf had lost connection with the fight and looked to where the source of the smell was. He had long forgotten the war that a rogue had attacked him due to his neglect.

    A soft groan escaped his lips, moving back to the fight but he was finding it hard—wanting to find the scent that was driving him insane.

    Could it really be her?

    Finally?

    But where is it?

    Laurence was finding it hard to focus on fighting the rogues as the smell as getting predominant. It was only when Zico had mended into his help and tackled the rogue down, effectively killing it by simply cracking on its neck.

    He then stilled upon smelling a more distinguished smell of that vanilla and pine. Looking to where the source was, he could only wish that he could f*****g punch the man who had been causing the scent all this time.

    “Zico, are you f*****g kidding me?”

    The man jumped, looking at him in alert—if there was someone who finds it hard to lie, it was him. To have the Alpha address him in such manner was something that was fueling his anxiety, thinking that he was caught.

    He frowned, feigning innocence. “Alpha, what do you mean?”

    “Fragrances are not allowed in the pack, you asshole. Thanks to you, my wolf felt off!” He winced, grabbing his left leg as it seemed to be damaged than what he thought. “Damn it, Zico.”

    Zico jumped, raising his hand in defense before punching the rogue who was coming right at them. He chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “I apologize, Alpha.”

    It seemed like it had slipped their mind when they had sheltered Rean in the pack that her scent would stick to them. He would have not carried her scent if their clothes did not merge in the laundry but Echo had to be f*****g creative and act to save the environment.

    Even if he had not thought that it was his mate, he was not sure why the man was pissed enough that he personally wanted to tackle his own delta.

    Since his smell was addictive to him, the wolf could not control itself and finish those who are still alive. Not wanting the Alpha wolf to be aggravated to him, Zico was quick to shift into his wolf to lose the smell of the human in the pack.

    All the while, he thought that Laurence was just aware that there is another scent in the pack and he had accustomed it as a trouble and was looking for it. Never did it slipped his mind that it was something else.

    While Laurence was a good friend of him, he really does feel scared whenever his wolf would be in control. Due to his blood that carries an Alpha’s blood—he does carry an intimidation that they could only feel to Lucian.

    ‘I am two seconds away from punching you.’ Laurence linked him.

    He winced, backing away from the wolf. ‘I apologize, Alpha.’

    They all just walked back in the pack, with Laurence depending more on his left paw rather than the right due to his injury. It would be a b***h to have his parents sprawl into his injury like he was young again.

    This is not good for him.

    He all but sighed.

.

.

Rean needed some herbs.

    She was sure that she saw some cinnamon herbs and aloe vera a couple of steps away from the place—she just needed to heal some of her wounds that seemed to be more inflamed than usual. There was no medicine for her wounds, but she knows that some herbs do work from the rare times that she needed to make her wounds disappear without the help of make-up.

    There are some events that she needed to attend some swimming from the town and while she would not wear two pieces, she would wear something that would show some of her skin that her father would usually put the bruises were. 

    She needed to fix this. 

    Not being told that she was not allowed to go outside the pack, she had walked out of the home and not even noticing that some people were glancing at her direction, clearly confused about seeing her got out of the delta’s own home. Not one can even stop her as they were all confused to smell a new person in the pack, and someone who was human.

    It was against the rules.

    Reaching the part where the warriors were, they were stunned to a human come out of the pack to a couple of steps away from where they were patrolling.

    “Lady.”

    She jumped, looking at the group of three large men who were looking at her in confusion. Rean could not help but back away, not really knowing if they meant good or bad. Realizing that she was scared, they all backed away and raised their arms.

    “Uh… we don't mean harm. We guard this place. Who are you?” One asked, pointing back to the pack. “And did you just walked out of there?”

    She nodded. “I… stay in a house inside there.”

    “What?” Another questioned, not being able to sense her as familiar. 

    The warriors were confused, they would have attacked her and put her into lying but the woman seemed very weak to carry any threat. Not only that—but they could see her clothes as what resembled Echo.

    By that time, the wolves have arrived in the place and were confused to see a human in the border. Zico would have slapped his head if he were in human form, asking why would Rean get out of the damn house. As soon as Rean had heard the snap of the trees, she had looked to the direction and was surprised to see five large wolves in her direction. One wolf is bigger than others.

    Laurence paused on his steps, his breath hitched as soon as he saw the eyes of the female that was looking at him with nothing but awe.

    ‘Mate’ he screams in the link, open to everyone in the pack.

    Everyone all but stilled, even Zico who did not see this coming. He did not realize that the very reason that his scent, which was tainted with Rean, was affecting their Alpha was that her scent is addictive to him.

    She takes a step back, earning a growl from Laurence. Rean could not help but shriek, hiding behind one of the men who were standing before her. He grew dangerous, looking at the man who was guarding his mate.

    “Uh… they are not really dangerous.” A warrior had muttered to Rean.

    She frowned, clearly beyond terrified to have such terrifying wolves face her like they were nothing but eating her whole. “What do you mean? He just growled!”

    Laurence only sat on the floor and winced when he hit his right paw. She had easily caught that reaction, holding her nice and caring nature to tend the dangerous black wolf that was staring right at her. Her eyes looked at one of the warriors, clearly wanting to know if this wolf would eat her.

    One of them smiled at her direction before walking to one of the warriors and patting it on the head. “They are nice, so you won’t get bitten.”

    Laurence only huffed as he walked towards her, being very careful not to give her a fright, as she seemed human. When he reached the woman whose eyes were larger due to her fears, he lay on the ground and offered his paw. She grew confused, not really knowing what she needed to do.

    “Oh!” She grimaced, nodding her head as she noticed a wound in his paw. “You want me to tend you?” As the wolf only looked at her, she chuckled softly. “Why am I talking at you like you understand me?”

    Being careful that usual, she sat on the grass and carefully lifted the area, which seemed to be scratched by another wolf. She looked at the four other wolves that were sitting in their spot and looking at her like lost little dogs.

    She never really knows that wolves are really adorable creatures.

    From the way that she was seeing them, she could almost laugh at how she had remembered how her father would tell stories about them being half human and a wolf. She could already know that there are no truths in his mouth so she was not surprised to know that wolves are only dangerous to those who pose them as a threat.

    Maybe her father really is nothing but someone who is full of s**t. 

    Laurence could only smile as he looked at the woman who was being extra careful in his paws. Much different as to how Doctor Adam would tend him. She looked delicate, someone who is fragile—he really needed to be careful about how he would handle her, as she seemed very vulnerable.

    “Uhm…” she muttered, sounding like an angel to his ears. “This might be painful so I need you to be strong for me, little wolf.”

    Zico chuckled, not seeing in how f*****g sense the Alpha would be little. She even told him that she needed him to be strong, if she was aware that the man could easily snap someone's neck as if they were pasta, she would not be saying those words. Not any wolf could be more bigger than him. Even at him being in his early 20s, he was more bigger than his parents or their past Alpha.

    “There you go. It would take some time but that is good as new.” She smiled, feeling comfortable as the wolf seemed chill. Her hands could not help but to pat the wolf on the shoulders, making it release soft growls that are more appreciative of her touch rather than a warning. “Aww, that is adorable. Aren’t you an adorable wolfie?”

    Echo might be roaring in laugher in having to see the tough Laurence in this state but everyone does appreciate him being loose rather than him being uptight about everything. They all know that a mate would change a lot of things from him so they were very thankful that they finally have their Luna now.

    A peal of small laughter escaped in her mouth as soon as the wolf has licked her face, making Zico smiled upon remembering how their wolf reacted to this woman. Maybe they were always aware that she was the woman that they would all soon protect with all their lives.

    But it was glad to finally see her smile after the scare that he had given her.

    Laurence would probably really punch him straight in the jaw when he got the memo that he had adhered his mate as a hunter and scared her to death.

    “Okay, okay, wolfie. You can stop that now, you are welcome.” She chuckled, grabbing her basket as she patted the wolf on the head. “You need to get that wound better, I have to go home.”

    Oh f**k.

    Forget the Alpha punching him for scaring her—he would probably kill Zico upon knowing that she was living in his home.

    Like what he was expecting, they all thought that she would face a different direction but she had walked to where the pack was. Confused, Laurence had sprinted to her direction and tried to push her to where the human world was.

    She frowned. “I can’t play with you, wolfie. I have to go back.”

    Stunned, he only let her walk to where she calls home, and when she had stopped to where Zico was living, all had looked to where the man was. The wolf only takes a step back before lying on the ground, wanting to appear not threatening as he does not want to get killed by the Alpha.

    This is the f*****g last time that he will listen to Echo.

    ‘Why the f**k is she calling your home—as hers!’ He screamed in the link.

    f**k.