The Lonely prince's mate

The alpha’s return

Nick POV

Frowning down at the message that illuminated my phone, I pondered what it was all about.

Zel:

Just landed.

Please prep the pack for a party tonight.

See you soon.

Z.

She had been to the kingdom on longer visits, but never had she thrown a party for her return, there had to be a different reason for such a celebration.

I mind linked George, Daniel and three other warriors, awaiting them as I watch my mate thrusting the vacuum cleaner back and forth, picking up every particle of dirt from the pack house’s carpet in preparation of the alpha’s imminent return.

The five men are halted in their steps, before they can even enter the pack house, my mate giving them all stern looks as they were holding the garden tools needed to tidy the garden, ready for tonight’s party.

“What in your right mind makes you think you are going to come through the clean pack house with those?” Sara says with a look that could sour milk.

The guys don’t even look in her direction before turning and making their way around the back to the garden. The three warriors begin raking and sweeping the patio and grass, free from leaves while George, Daniel and I set up the bar in the corner of the large garden.

“What is this all for anyway?” George asks with curiosity, probably thinking I would know, but all I can give is an uncertain shrug of my shoulders.

“From what I’ve heard, the royals have been inundated with alphas and high ranking she wolves, hoping to be the mates to the prince and princess.” Daniel adds. “Maybe they’ve finally mated.”

It would be a plausible explanation, if they had mated they would welcome their mates into the pack with a party, but surely one of them would have told me? As beta, I had a right to know.

The moment the alpha’s car crossed over the invisible threshold into our territory, the whole pack could feel their aura, the power that the royals emitted could be sensed from miles.

As the long procession of royal cars made their way down the drive, the entire atmosphere changed, the mixture of strong auras caused tension in the air. We had had the entire royal family stay before, but this felt different. Something, or someone within the group emanated an extraordinarily strong aura and testosterone filled the air, even from the end of the drive way I felt the urge to bow in respect to the male wolf who was approaching. I had never sensed such masculinity.

The first black sedan pulled into an empty space in front of the pack house, its tinted windows blocking the car’s occupants from sight of the pack.

My head bowed as the front passenger door opened and Lycus appeared, the smirk on his lips and wink that he threw in my direction, told me he was concealing some news, but I didn’t have to wait for long for their surprise to be revealed. As he walked around the car and reached the back, driver’s side door, it began to open slowly, the occupant clearly wary to reveal themselves.

The moment the stocky built man emerged from the car I felt as if I should cower, my head bowed to him, showing my neck and pledging my loyalty to him.

“You had better wipe those f*****g thoughts from your mind Angelica, before I erase them for you.” A vicious growl came from inside the car, the alpha’s voice making the entire pack tremble with fear.

I looked at the she wolf that Zelenia had been addressing, her eyes were still shamelessly glued on the muscley, unnamed wolf. Even with the powerful aura he gave off, he showed nervousness, the she wolf’s attention making him uncomfortable. A clawed hand was placed into his outstretched one, piercing it with the extended talons.

A stilettoed foot stepped out of the car, landing on the ground, shortly joined by the other. Carefully, the well-built male helped Zelenia exit the car. As soon as I saw Zelenia’s eyes, I knew it wasn’t her, but her wolf that was sending waves of anger, her startling near white eyes looking at the she wolf in question murderously. Darkening rapidly, Zelenia’s bright blue eyes returned as soon as she looked at the unknown man that clung to her hand, his eyes speaking to her, the way only a mates’ would.

“Everyone, carry on with what you were doing, formal introductions will be made tonight, at a party to welcome my mate.”

I didn’t even receive a greeting, before she followed her mate into the pack house, he guided her in as if he had been here a million times before, but I didn’t recognise him, I would have remembered meeting a wolf with such a unique aura to him.

Lycus smirked at me as I left Sara’s side and made my way to him.

“She finally mated then?” I asked, turning to him as he chuckled to himself.

“Oh yes, they mated.”

“Who is he? One of the alphas that visited the kingdom while you were there?”

I noticed the confused frown on his face as he considered my question, his mouth opened and closed a few times, obviously searching for the right thing to say.

“Not exactly.” He said, eventually with caution. “I think it would be best if you spoke to Zelenia about the matter.”

The entire pack was buzzing with the new gossip about our alpha and her mate. Young she wolves were gushing about how handsome he was and how lucky the princess was to be mated to him. I overheard a few of the older pack members discussing about how familiar his face was, but they couldn’t place him. And many of the cocky, unmated wolves were disappointed that they would never get a chance with Zelenia. Not that they stood half a chance, even before she met her mate.

Lycus, the king and I sat around lazily in the office, feigning at being busy while the queen recruited every other able bodied wolf to aid her in the party preparations. 

“At least tell me how she met him?” I whined, earning me a smirk and shrug from Lycus and an amused grunt from the king.

“All will be revealed Nicholas.” The king said, his eyes not leaving the sheet of paper he was reading.

“They’ll be here any minute, then you can ask them all the questions you like.”

The second the office door creaked open, the alpha’s new mate’s strong aura ebbed into the room. I immediately hung my head unconsciously as the atmosphere filled with his superiority.

“Come, my love.” Zelenia tugged at his hand gently, guiding him towards the chair that awaited her behind the desk.

His eyes flitted around the room as he stood rigidly guarding her, his hand resting on the back of the chair that she sat in.

“What do you think, my love? Too feminine?” Zelenia queried, looking worried.

“You have made many adjustments…” He stared down lovingly at her. “But no, it is perfect, my darling.”

Her face lit up at his words and they stared at each other longingly for what felt like an age. Our attention was averted to across the room when a gruff throat clearing sounded as Lycus smirked at the male, mind linking something to which he received a huff and roll of the eyes. They really had taken to each other quickly, they’re bond seemed more brotherly than the one between him and Zel.

“Oh right, sorry.” Zel’s attention was drawn towards me. “Nick, I…um…this is…” She stumbled over the sentence, trying to find the right words.

How difficult is it to admit she’d found her mate?

“My mate. This is my mate…” She said with trepidation. “I don’t think you remember him, I don’t think anyone in the pack does…” She went on before being interrupted.

“He has changed a lot since the last time you saw him.” Lycus laughed with a glint of amusement in his eye. “Well…Go on sis, introduce your mate. Or maybe he’d like to reintroduce himself to the beta?”

I stood looking between the three, Lycus with a mischievous smirk and the other two glaring at him. The king had sat detached from the conversation all this time, until now.

“Oh just introduce yourself, son. He’s going to find out sooner or later.”

I frowned, confused as the man sighed, trying to gather courage. Why would such a powerful man be so nervous to meet me?

“Alex.” His hand flew out in greeting. “It’s nice to…Hello Nicholas.” He changed what he was going to say midway through his sentence.

“Alex? I don’t think…”

It was then when it hit me. Alex. As in? Stranger things had happened I suppose, well no they haven’t, but with this family nothing would surprise me. She had mentioned him before and she spoke of him fondly, often with a twinkle in her eye. He had cared for her and fate was fate. My mouth fell open as I took it all in, the whole situation was unbelievable, but my suspicions were put to rest with a nod of his head.

“Alexander Duncan.”

Neither my position or expression changed, I stood in stunned silence, my mouth open, Goddess knows what I look like right now. How could this huge, muscular man be the same scrawny kid from my childhood? How had no one picked up on the fact that he was such a strong wolf? Lycus, of course had also slipped through the cracks, not showing his superiority until he came of age. I always knew the last couple of alphas had ignored a lot of their responsibilities, their focus being on themselves and their d***s, but how much had things within the pack been overlooked?

“Nick? You’re catching flies.” Lycus chuckled.

“Full of surprises.” I looked at him closer, trying to recognise any of his features. I had never really paid much attention to him, trying to ignore the bullying he received and not get involved, but looking at his facial features closely, I could tell it really was him. “The both of you.” I laughed in disbelief, the stray had finally found his way home.

I just couldn’t wait to reintroduce him to the rest of the pack and see the look on the faces of his tormentors.