Forged Desire (Book 3 of the Avec Series)

Chapter Two

    ***Not quite present time***

    The morning of Bardik's sixteenth birthday was cool. It always was, being born in January it was always chilly on his birthday. When he was younger he always wished that he had a summer birthday, so he could hold a pool party or something fun to look forward to. But this year was different, at sixteen, being an alpha he would be able to find his mate, he woke up excited at the thought of finding her. He stretched beneath the blankets, his warm brown skin taught over his muscles. 

    "Bardik, dear, you need to get up! You're going to be late for school," his mother called to him through the door. 

    Bardik grumbled, "Really, mom? I'm going to be alpha of this pack, what do I need with school?" 

    "Bardik Topor Boyets, you are going to be an educated alpha of this pack. Not some lazy, self-entitled, ass. That's what you need with school. Now, get your ass out of bed, get in that shower, because I can smell your stinky ass from outside the door, and get downstairs for breakfast," his mother snapped at him. He knew better than to argue with her, although he did lift his arm to check and see if actually did stink. 

    He knew his mother was just messing with him about the smelling part, he was meticulous when it came to being clean, but he still checked anyway. 

    His mother was on the other side of the door, grinning, she knew exactly which buttons to push on her son. He showered daily, but now that he is of age, his scent changed. This gave her a touch of sadness, she knew that is was coming, she just didn't think it would be so soon. 

    She waited until she heard him get in the shower before she went down the hallway to his sisters' room. 

    "Alyona, Isabella, Irina, it's time to wake up!" Tatyana called into the triplets' room. At almost teenagers, these three were more than a handful for Tatyana and Alexei. She heard their groaning from the other side of the door, but three sets of feet hit the floor quickly, and the fighting over who would be first in their shower ensued. 

    Tatyana shook her head, "Girls, there are two showers in there and the other one of you get into my room! We go through this every morning," she called through the door. 

    Alyona peeked her head out the door, "I'll go to your room today, Matushka." 

    Tatyana smiled at her daughter, even though they were born on the same day, Alyona was always trying to keep the peace and be a light. She was the eldest by a mere fifteen minutes, but it seemed as if she was older by years than the other two. The girls would be thirteen in just a few days as well, how she managed to have all her children in the winter, she will never know. She just knew the moon goddess was laughing at her fate of having three beautiful girls, and one handsome son. 

    Just then Bardik was leaving his room, his feet bare, carrying his socks and shoes, and his shirt thrown over his shoulder. 

    "Ew, bro, clothes, please," Alyona said in a fake disgusted tone. 

    Bardik grinned at his sister, he knew it would gross her out to see him like this, "What Ally?" he said using his nickname for her, "I'm covered," he said sweeping his hand down his body. 

    "Not enough," she said rolling her eyes, "Besides, Mila isn't here this morning," she said, talking about Bardik's current girlfriend and the female that hopes she's his mate. 

    Bardik couldn't help but frown a little at the statement his sister made. He was hoping that Mila would be there. 

     Tatyana quickly pushed her daughter into the other bedroom and hurried her into the shower, "Shh, you shouldn't have said that to him," she scolded. 

    "Why, mother? She is nothing for him. He deserves better than that shly-" her mother cut her off with a finger to her lips. 

    "Young lady, princessas don't use that term," she said sternly. 

    "Yes, momma," Alonya grumbled, keeping her thoughts to herself. 

    With that, Tatyana walked out of her room and plastered a smile on her face, she too was hoping that Mila wasn't the mate for Bardik, but who was she to question who the moon goddess gave her son?

    Bardik was downstairs and at the dining table. The omegas were bringing in the breakfast foods, Tatyana smiled at them kindly. "Thank you," she said as she was handed a plate of her favorite breakfast foods. She set her plate at her spot, smiling at her husband. 

    "Now, that you're downstairs, in a mostly reasonable mood. Happy Birthday, Bardik," his mother said to him. 

    Bardik grinned at his mother, she always made him happy, "Thank you matushka," he said using the term of endearment on his mother. 

    Alexei cleared his throat, "Yes, son, Happy birthday. Are you ready to find out who the moon goddess gave you?"

    Bardik looked at his father, "Of course, I am," he said. He was confident that it was someone in the pack. Hopefully, Mila. She was gorgeous, her body perfect, he would know. She came into his room a few months back and tried to seduce him, her naked body, still fresh in his mind. He was about to give in to her when his mother, knocked on the door, interrupting them. She is two years older than him and still hasn't found her mate, even though she is of age. 

    "Your party is tonight, are you excited?" Tatyana asked her son. 

    He smiled, his mother has been looking forward to this day since he could remember, his father too. He would be introduced as the next alpha of the pack tonight and hopefully, his luna introduction ceremony will follow shortly after. He was shoveling the eggs and bacon into his mouth as his mother asked so he just nodded his head. His mind on eating, and finding his mate, he will let his mother plan the party. 

    Just then, the most foul-smelling odor assailed his nose, making him almost lose his appetite. He stopped eating and looked up to see Mila, her saccharine smile plastered on her heavily made-up face. She walked into the packhouse dining room, her high heels clicking on the floor. Puzzled by the fact that she smelled so terrible when she didn't before he looked at his father and raised an eyebrow. She came over to him, the pungent aroma burning the hair in Bardik's nose, she wrapped an arm around him. Placing a kiss on his cheek, "Happy Birthday, Handsome." she greeted. Then she whispered in his ear, "I'll give you your gift later, my mate." 

    It took all his will power not to gag when he said the word mate, "Hey, pops, can I speak to you in private, please?"

    Alexei looked at the two of them and could the tinge of green beneath his son's chocolate-colored skin. He knew what was happening and he could barely contain his smirk. "Of course son, in the den? Ladies, if you'll excuse us, I have some private words to have with the future alpha," he stood then and met his son in the den. 

    Bardik could barely breathe by the time he got himself unwrapped from Mila's clutches. Once he was in the den, and the door closed he breathed in the fresher air. 

    "What is the stink?" He grimaced at his father. 

    "You smelled it too, huh?" Alexei laughed. 

    "Yeah, what the hell, pops? She didn't smell like that before," Bardik said. "Hell, the girls never smelled like that even with all their perfumes and girly makeup s**t," he complained, talking about his sisters. 

    Alexei wasn't even trying to hide his laughter anymore. He was clutching his stomach a full-on belly laugh erupting from him. "Son, she's not your mate and she must have found hers. But she is trying to hide it!" 

    "But, why would she do that?" Bardik asked. 

    "Because she wants to be luna so badly she thinks that by covering her scent to her mate, she'll be able to get you to claim her," his father said, still chuckling at the sight of his son fighting back the urge to be ill. 

    "Well, I'm glad you find this comical, pops," Bardik grumbled at his father. 

    "Oh, son, there will be plenty more of that today," he said, knowing that it would happen with plenty of the females at school. 

    "Well, maybe mom can talk some sense into her," he said hopefully. 

    "Or your sisters will just tell her outright," Alexei said knowing the triplets had no filters or cared about other people when it came to family. 

    Just then the two men heard the inevitable, "Geez, what the hell is that stink?" Irina said loudly. Her filter was the worst of the three. 

    Alexei got up quickly, he knew that she wouldn't stay quiet. 

    "Reena, that's enough!" he shouted to her. 

    Mila knew that she had been figured out, she stormed out of the packhouse, slamming the door. 

    "Why would she try something like that?" Isabella asked, she couldn't fathom why someone would want someone other than their intended mate, she couldn't wait until she found hers. 

    "Because, sweetheart, some people are more interested in power and prestige than they are what gifts the moon goddess gives them," Tatyana said. 

    The rest of the day went by with many more similar instances of young ladies trying to mask their own scent and hoping to be Bardik's mate but to no avail. His mate wasn't here yet, he went to the party that evening hoping that maybe she would be there, but again, she wasn't presented to herself. 

    That night, after the party had ended and everyone was in bed, Bardik sat in his window looking at the full moon. 

    "So, moon goddess, where is she?" he said wistfully into the night.