Bound by fate to the future Alpha.

**Chapter Twenty-one: uproar- Blake's POV**

We were gathered around the huge table in the pack meeting room, voices muttering between themselves, a low hum of anxious chatter that hung heavy in the air. The mood shifted instantly when Alpha Damien bellowed, "QUIET!" His alpha tone sliced through the noise like a knife, commanding our full attention. "We need to get to the bottom of this," he continued, his brow furrowed with concern. There was a seriousness in his voice that sent a ripple of unease through me.

“Someone has brought Wolfsbane onto our territory; it has been used against one of the girls at the high school,” he stated, and my heart dropped. One of the girls? She’s my mate, I thought, the words echoing ominously in my mind. Though I wanted to interject, the weight of the moment pressed down on me, and I knew challenging him now would only disrupt the fragile focus of the meeting.

"Any leads?" one of the warriors asked, breaking the tense silence that followed. "No," Alpha Damien replied, his voice resolute. "Now more than ever, we need to be vigilant." My frustration simmered beneath the surface as I watched him. He was unbelievably dismissive, ignoring everything I had shared with him about our suspicions concerning Kirsty. I could practically hear Jackson's sarcastic thought cutting through our mental link, "What a tosser." The urgency of the situation hung over us like a storm cloud, but Father’s failure to listen felt like pouring salt into an open wound. This was not just about pack safety; it was personal, and I couldn’t help but feel that time was slipping away.

After everyone leaves with their tasks, Dad's Beta whispers something into his ear, and I see an immediate shift in Dad's expression—concern etched on his brow, lips pressed into a tight line. "Leave us," he commands, voice low and authoritative. The tension in the air thickens as the Beta nods and steps out, leaving just the two of us in the room. Great. I brace myself for yet another version of the speech I’ve memorized by heart.

“Blake, you know you have a certain duty to uphold to this family and our pack. You’re the next Alpha in line; with this comes greatness and much responsibility.” He pauses, searching my face for a sign of comprehension. I roll my eyes, feigning an interest I no longer feel. I’ve heard this speech a million times now, each iteration more tedious than the last.

“This Malia girl, you have to reject her.” His words hang in the air, each syllable weighted with expectation. Did I just hear this right? My heart races, and a thousand thoughts flood my mind. The thought of rejecting Malia sends a pang of disbelief through me. I know the weight of the title I am supposed to inherit, but is this truly the cost of leadership?

I take a deep breath, trying to process the demand. Reject Malia? How can I do that? She's the one person who makes me feel alive, who makes me forget about the suffocating responsibilities that come with being the next Alpha. I glance up at Dad, searching for any sign of understanding, but his expression remains firm.

"Dad, can I ask why?" I try to sound calm, but my voice betrays me, laced with a hint of desperation. I know the answer, but I need to hear it from him.

"Because, Blake, she's not suitable for an Alpha," he says, his tone matter-of-fact. "She's a know one's daughter, and her family has no influence in our pack. You need someone who can strengthen our alliances, not weaken them."

I feel a surge of anger, but I push it down, trying to reason with him. "That's not fair, Dad. Malia's an amazing person, and she deserves better than to be judged by her family's status."

Dad's expression softens, but only slightly. "I know you care about her, Blake, but this isn't about personal feelings. This is about the pack's future. You need to think about what's best for our family, not your own desires."

I shake my head, feeling trapped. "You're asking me to choose between the pack and the person I care about. That's not a choice, Dad. That's a sacrifice."

The room falls silent, the tension between us palpable. I know I'm pushing the limits, but I can't help it. The thought of rejecting Malia, of hurting her, is unbearable. I look up at Dad, searching for any sign of understanding, but his face remains resolute.

"I expect you to make the right decision, Blake," he says, his voice firm. "For the pack, and for our family."

I nod, feeling a sense of resignation wash over me. I know what I have to do, but my heart screams in protest. I glance around the room, feeling like I'm being suffocated by the weight of my responsibilities. I'm torn between my duty as the next Alpha and my love for Malia. And I have no idea how to reconcile the two.

How could he expect me to break the heart of someone I cherished so deeply? The mere thought of formally rejecting my true mate filled me with dread. It was a cruel understanding that once the bond was severed, the pain inflicted would be unimaginable—an agonizing fate that could shatter her spirit and leave scars that might never heal. I felt trapped in a web of his design, a pawn in a game I never wanted to play. The irony of it all stung; the very person I loved could be permanently damaged by a choice I struggled to make. Why would he wield such power over me when he knew the depths of my feelings? It was as if he thrived on my turmoil, a puppet master pulling strings while I pleaded for freedom from this agonizing dilemma. I wanted to scream, to make him understand that love should never be a weapon wielded to bend someone’s will, but instead a sacred bond that should uplift and unite.