Not My Alpha

Chapter 2 ‘Fated Mates’

Keira’s POV

I wake up after only a few hours of sleep. My head is aching, and my body feels sore. I get up and head to the restroom. When I look in the mirror, I let out a gasp. My neck is blue and purple from Dawson’s grip. I touch the tender bruises with delicate fingertips, trying to access the extent of the damage, but my vision quickly blurs with tears. I collapse to the floor, sobbing quietly to myself. This is it. No more. Something’s going to have to change. My wolf Harper stirs from within me.

‘Harper, what are we going to do?’ I ask her.

‘You aren’t going to like my answer Keira.’ Harper replies.

‘Tell me.’ I plead with her.

‘He can’t keep treating us like this.’ Harper says firmly.

‘I agree.’ I respond.

‘So that gives us only three options. 1) We could beat his a*s. Show him what it feels like to be in pain-‘ Harper starts.

I scoff. ‘Yeah right Harper. He’s too strong! If I could I already would’ve fought back.’ I answer honestly.

‘Okay then- 2) We reject him. I know you’re afraid it will hurt us, but I can’t be as bad as what he’s already doing.’

‘Seriously? No Harper that wouldn’t just hurt, it would kill me! I’m already too weak as it is.

Fated mates are one in a thousand, and rejecting your fated mate is completely unheard of. There are only rumors about what the consequences of that would be- but the one thing they all have in common- the two wolves don’t bounce back after the rejection. I hear Harper sigh.

‘Okay then, option 3) we run away. Leave Dawson and this whole pack behind.

‘No. I’m going to be a good Luna. I’m not going to abandon my pack.’ I say firmly. I need to be realistic and rational. ‘Plus Dawson is just stressed lately it’s all the pressure of Alpha training.’

‘And you think being an actual Alpha won’t be stressful?’ Harper snaps back.

I don’t answer. I know Harper is right, I just can’t believe it’s come to this. How could Dawson do this to me, to us? In times like this I can’t help but let my mind wonder back to the good days, back when Dawson and I first met.

FLASHBACK

“Keira are you ready yet?” My mom shouts up to me.

“I’m coming!” I take one last glance at myself in the mirror. Tonight is my best friend Mason’s official Alpha Announcement ceremony. Tonight’s the night he becomes the new Alpha of our pack, and to be honest I’m feeling a bit nervous. I know that tonight Mason is going to ask me to be his chosen mate.

Mason and I grew up together. He’s the son of the Alpha and I’m the daughter of the Beta.

‘There couldn’t be a more perfect match’ everyone has always said. I love Mason- I do but I’ve always felt that there was more out there waiting for me. When we both turned 18, and Mason and I discovered, that just like everyone else, we weren’t fated mates, that sort of confirmed it for me. We remained close friends, and Mason has always been by my side. But I’ve just always wanted to find my one true love. I know it’s a stupid girlish dream. But it’s what I want. And yet here we are all these years later, and as time went on, the fear of the future started to overpower the childish hope. Thats why tonight, if Mason asks me to be his chosen mate, I’ve told myself that I’m going to say yes.

I straighten out the floor length bluish grey dress and put on my sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings. These are my nicest pieces, and the only authentic ones I own. Then I grab my shoes and head down stairs to see my mother and father waiting for me.

“Wow, you look beautiful Ray.” My father says. He makes up so many different nicknames for me it’s hard to keep up, it’s sort of an inside joke we have.

“Ray?” I ask, unable to identify the nickname’s origin.

“Of sunshine.” He explains.

“Ahhhhhh.” I say sarcastically. We share a chuckle.

“Well thanks dad.”

“Oh, I love this necklace on you.” My mother says as she touches it gently.

“It’s because you gave it to me.” I say sweetly as I wrap my mother in a hug. My parents have always been loving and supportive. They have a good marriage, and have set a good example for me, and I’m thankful for it. To repay them I have always been a good child. I always got good grades in school, I’m one of the top female warriors in my pack, and I try to get along with everyone fairly well. My parents always say they ‘couldn’t have asked for a better daughter’ the only real rebellious thing I ever did was the time I got my nose pierced without their permission. It only lasted a month before I took it out because it never healed right, I took it as karma for my rebellion.

“Alright ladies time to go. We can’t keep your adoring public waiting.” My father says, bowing dramatically. Mom and I chuckle as we head out of the door. We walk towards the main pack house where the growing crowd of visitors from other packs is waiting. The warm summer air feels good, but something is up with my wolf Harper. She’s pacing around in my head, restless.

‘Harper, are you okay?’ I ask her.

‘Sorry Keira. Something is- different I don’t know what it is.’ Harper replies.

‘We’re just nervous. Everything will be fine.’ I say to calm her.

We walk up the stairs to the pack house, and are greeted by a sea of new faces. My father takes the lead on all the standard introductions. I smile and say hello, but these mindless greetings very quickly become unbearable. I scan the room looking for Mason. I finally spots him and he waves me over. Thank goodness. I make my excuses to mom, dad, and the person we’re doing small talk with before heading across the crowded room to Mason. He smiles when he sees me.

“My goodness, you look beautiful.” Mason says, causing me to blush. Suddenly we hear a roar across the room. Mason and I turn suddenly to see a man running toward us through the crowd.

‘It’s him!’ Harper says to me.

“What is going on?” Mason asks. The man stops at the base of the stairs and looks up at me. As soon as I catch his gaze I’m transfixed.

“Mate.” I whisper.

“What?” I hear Mason say behind me, but I can’t focus on anything else right now, except the tall handsome man standing before me. He has light brown hair and scruff on his strong chin. The dark suit he’s wearing fits him perfectly. He walks right up to me, and lifts his hand, to gently caress my cheek. The jolt of a million stars shoot through his fingertips, and spread over me like honey. So this is the mate bond. I’m startled by the sheer power of it, but immediately seduced by the pull I feel towards this man. I reach up and touch his face, returning the gesture.

“Mate.” The man whispers in my ear. His scent surrounds me, I inhale deeply, and savor the warmth of his aroma, it reminds me of a log cabin, pine and firewood.

“My name is Dawson.” The man says to me, still touching my cheek.

“Keira.” I respond. Words are escaping me.

“What a beautiful name.” Dawson says with a smile, flashing his perfect white teeth.

“Dawson, introduce us to your mate.” A woman says behind him. Her words break me from my trance, for the first time since my eyes met his. I notice the crowd has formed a circular opening around us, as they watched the mystical mate bond take place. Most of these people will never experience even seeing two mates find each other again. Me and Dawson are the lucky ones.

“Keira, these are my parents Alpha Julian and Luna Bethany of Pale Moon Pack.” Dawson says as he presents his family to me. I bow to them, words are still hard for me right now, I just can’t believe I’ve found my mate. It’s not real yet. I’m still in a daze.

“Oh dear, she’s just lovely.” Luna Bethany says as she eyes me up and down.

“Good to meet you Dawson, I’m Beta Harth and this is my wife Beta Gwen, we’re Keira’s parents.” My father says. Dawson bows to them. My mother places her arm around me and gives me a gentle squeeze.

“My, how exciting.” My mother says. The parents talk and Dawson and I are bombarded with questions and curious faces from the crowd. But this time I don’t mind so much. I can’t contain the smile on my face. I’ve done it. I finally found my mate. And he’s completely wonderful and handsome and he’s an Alpha, which means one day, I’ll be a Luna. This is better than I ever could’ve imagined.