FINALLY, MY DESTINED TRUE MATE

LET HER GO

ISABELLE

For the first time since I joined this pack I am afraid. I am afraid of Robert and his father. Their reactions after seeing my mate have not been good. The moment the man, whose name I have since learnt is Dwayne pronounced the word mate and everyone heard him everything changed. The Alpha was most irritated. The dancing and ululations came to an end abruptly and he looked at me the way an elderly person looks at a young loose woman. I know that relations between him and I are never going to be the same again.

But something puzzles me about his reaction, is it that he doesn't know about mate bonds or is it that he is disappointed that our relationship with his son has been challenged? Is he fearing, and rightly so, that I am not going to be with his son? I just wish he could be as understanding as his mate the Luna.

Robert's words have been most frightening. I wonder why he is behaving this way. I understand that Dwayne came to the party in breach of the protocols that exist between packs. He should have waited for a formal invitation, but then being an enemy of this pack I understand him. He had to do what he did. His coming, unwelcome as it was, led me to know that I had a mate and therefore I wasn't going to go ahead with this engagement with Robert. I wonder what is infuriating Robert more, the possibility of me leaving him or the breach of protocol by Dwayne. I only wish that he sees the light and accepts things the way they are. His outburst earlier is something I can understand. With time he too will meet his mate and understand the pull, the attraction that comes with it. Right now he is hurting and it's fine to be upset.

“What are you thinking about?" The Luna asks me. She has been silent for a while, seeing that I have been shocked by his son's utterances. She has also been thinking, just like me, about the way forward after the happenings earlier in the evening. I have seen her severally shaking her head, scratching her short hair and at times she has risen from her seat and paced the room. I pity her, she seems to be the only person here with a sane mind.

“I don't know. My mind is racing, but right now I can only think about my mate. I want to go to him. There is this strong urge for me to start moving right away. I want to see him and my mind is focused on him. But I don't want to leave here without a proper goodbye." I say.

She digests my words for a moment then rises from her seat, this time approaching me. Her eyes look sad.

“I am so sad to see this happening. Your mother before she died, we communicated through mind links. We are distant cousins and at some point we grew up in one pack. She was worried about you, but deep down she knew you would become someone great. She entrusted me to take care of you and when you came here I took you as my own daughter. I have deep love for you, not because I am taking care of you but because of your personality. You are a good girl, oozing wisdom and understanding. You will become a great leader in future, something I am certain my son Robert will never achieve." She says. She is trying very hard to keep tears from her eyes.

“I wouldn't want to see you go. But you have to go and meet your mate. I am sorry for the way they treated him when he came here. As our charge the Alpha should have considered you as our daughter. He should have asked Dwayne to join the other dignitaries, then since the two of you are mates, he should have dissolved your engagement to Robert and let you go with Dwayne. Thereafter, he should have taken that opportunity to cure the bad blood that exists between the two packs. Look what he did instead, ordering the arrest of Dwayne was the stupidest thing ever done under the sun." She continues. I am silent, letting her speak her mind.

“I see very dark days ahead now. People think that you are still engaged to Robert, but you are probably going to leave soon. I don't think you should wait for these good-byes. I know Robert will have a tough time explaining where you went to, once you are gone. I only wish that he meets his mate soon so that he too can settle and heal. One thing I know is that he won't take kindly to the fact that you are Dwayne's mate. He hates Dwayne, and now he has a reason to hate him even more."

At this juncture I intervene. “Dwayne has done nothing wrong. We were paired together by the moon goddess. He didn't choose me, destiny did." I say.

“But Robert and his father will not see it that way. He has now enhanced his enmity. They will most likely send fighters to kill him. But I have heard many things about Dwayne and he is not easily defeated in war. He is the only Alpha who has managed to hold Ivan the horrible at bay for long. Robert will be annihilated in a day if he tries something funny." She says. I admire the way she describes Dwayne. Everything she says about him enhances my affection for him. I am already in love with him now. I feel lucky to have a man with values like these ones, a man who is being described by an enemy as strong and of good character. The Luna is still talking and I stop thinking so that I can listen.

“If it were not for Dwayne, Ivan would have subdued the Sandbank pack long time ago, then in his quest for power he would have annihilated all the packs around here, wrecking havoc and killing other wolves. We are all here because Dwayne has stopped that monster." She says, looking at the window.

“Is this the same Ivan the horrible who killed my father with sorcery?" I ask, curiosity in me getting heightened. She turns abruptly to face me as if she didn't expect that question.

“My daughter, Ivan the horrible is the same beast that did all that. He will cause more havoc if he defeats Dwayne. The more reason why Dwayne must be strong in order to keep Ivan at bay, or to defeat him altogether. If he has a strong mate, and I know you will be that strong mate, that strong Luna, then he'll be able to perform great things. The Sandbank pack has been without a Luna for so long. Go and make it great."

“Thanks. I may need to see the end of Ivan. It will be sweet revenge for the deaths of my father and my brother. He killed them with sorcery." I say.

“It won't be easy my daughter, but if you combine forces then maybe you can defeat him. I know much about him because we send spies to his abode in the forest. I wish you two all the best. But right now we need to make things right here. I need to talk to the Alpha so that he gives you the permission to leave the pack. As usual you know that you can't just leave without informing him since you are now a member of the pack." She says. I agree with that and I nod my approval.

“Then I will leave right away. I know that he isn't very busy now. The dignitaries who had attended the party went back to his office. They have been drinking fine whiskies since then but I believe they have all left. I will go now and talk to him about your request to leave. Hopefully he won't be too drunk to understand what I am going to tell him." She says as she leaves the room. We have been in the sitting room ever since Robert left and I retreat to my bedroom. I have noticed that my maids have been withdrawn and I am not surprised. Robert is not himself right now.

But then I won't be needing the maids since I am leaving once permission is granted and also I don't like all this pampering. The young girls were not giving me any breathing space. They were everywhere around me, giving me so much attention and I am happy they have gone to do something else more fruitful.

Once in my bedroom I start packing my clothes, as I await for the Luna to bring me the good news that I have permission to leave. I will leave in the morning since it's already getting late. I will persuade the Luna to drive me away in her car. I have heard that from here to Dwayne's pack will take someone two hours while driving. I would have easily shifted and ran but I have some luggage.

I have just realized that I can't take all my clothes with me. The Luna has been buying for me new clothes very frequently and they can not all fit in the two suitcases that I have. Everyone of them is good and I have very hard time choosing which one to take with me and which one I should leave behind. Maybe I will come back in future and take away what I will leave.

I remember when I joined this pack I had only the clothes that I came wearing but now I have dozens of them. The Luna has been most supportive and I promise myself that I won't forget her generosity.

Time flies and it dawn's upon me that the Luna has been gone for long. I have just completed packing and I realize that it is about two hours since she left. It's now past midnight and it's unusual for the Alpha's office to be open this late. I wonder whether she went to sleep and forgot to tell me whether I have permission to leave or not. I can't sleep without knowing the right position and I can't wait for her any longer because it's too late. I decide to go to her room and find out whether she is there.

The Luna's office is at the furthest end from my room and I have to walk through a long corridor past Robert's room. Curiously, his room is open, but just a c***k. A ray of light passes through the c***k and illuminates the door. I want to peep inside but I quickly decide to move on. Just as I am about to enter the Luna's office I hear animated voices inside. People are arguing. I manage to recognize three voices. The Alpha, Robert and the Luna are in the office, arguing.

“I am the Alpha here and my word is law." Declares the Alpha.

“I brought this girl here and I won't allow you two to harm her. Over my dead body. If you want me to bring down this pack, and I promise you I can do it, touch her. But as long as I am alive, no one is going to harm her, not you, or you." She says.

But it's what she says next that makes me freeze.