Leighton

Chapter 2 My mate

Leighton

“Mate.” Titan was whining in my head.

“Mate’s here. Find her.”

The smell was faint but it seemed to be coming from the packhouse. However much I wanted to storm inside protocol was I waited for my host to appear.

I was tapping my foot impatiently, waiting while my wolf was getting more distressed at my lack of movement.

“What’s up your ass ?” Piper asked, sending me a questioning look.

“Titan, he thinks my mate is here.” I replied cautiously because my heart was now beating at a million miles and hour as I tried to calm myself down. A worked up wolf was enough to deal with.

Her eyes widened and there was a moment before she spoke.

“Wow. This is great I guess?”

I wasn’t going to dwell on the fact she looked chestfallen. She had asked on more than one occasion what I thought about a chosen mate.

She needed her mate, I wasn’t sure a chosen one would help her control her powers, even Iris and Greer had struggled to help her. Beside we were friends and despite many drunken evenings when we almost took things too far I managed to stop us before we ruined what we had.

While I wasn’t a saint I knew the consequences of having a relationship before your mate, and the problems I had restricted myself to the occasional one night stand and Piper would be more than that.

“What’s taking so long.” I whined at her. Titan was snarling in my head, threatening to rip the place apart to find her. The strange scent started to get stronger and finally alpha Mathew arrived at the gate.

“Greeting, thank you for joining us.” He nodded at me and a beautiful young girl stood beside him.

She had long brown hair and marching brown eyes, and she was simply the most stunning girl I had ever seen. Her lilac fragrance filtered down to my nostrils.

I had been so transfixed by her I hadn’t introduced myself to Alpha Mathew. Piper nudged me discretely.

“Greetings Alpha Mathew. Alpha Jackson’s sent me…”

“Ahh, Beta Leighton, Opal Lake am I correct ?”

I nodded, struggling to tear my gaze from my mate.

“Please allow me to introduce my beautiful mate. Rhiannon.”

He pushed forward the beautiful girl and she curtseyed. I could see she didn’t carry a mark on her neck.

Titan threatened to take control and claim what was his, but I stoped him. She didn’t seem as affected by me as I was her. She did look very young, maybe she wasn’t of age yet.

“How old are you Rhiannon ?” I asked her, when I was able to swallow.

“I’m 18.”

I could see Alpha Matthew watching me carefully.

“Come inside Beta Leighton. I see we have much to discuss.”

“He wants our mate Leighton.”

“Well looks like we are going to have to claim what’s ours. Are you ready for a fight?”

I didn’t need to ask. One of the strongest wolves around Titan was born ready.

We followed Matthew up ye stairs and into his office.

“Leave us,” He said to my mate and Piper. “I wish to speak with beta Leighton alone.”

I saw concern in Piper’s eyes but I nodded reassuringly. Alpha Matthew was probably trying to save face. It had probably worked in my favour not disrespecting him by clamming my mate from him on arrival.

I was having to contain Titan though, he was spoiling to fight. He hated this wolf had touched what was ours and wanted blood.

“So it appears we have a small problem. I hope it will not prove difficult to work together. I would like a solution to this rogue attacks.”

I had forgotten why I had been sent here in the first place so distracted by the presence of my mate.

“Of course, Alpha Jackson hoped that we could be of help. I confess I hadn’t expected to find my mate here. I assume she was to be your chosen?”

There was a pause before he replied.

“The started last year, claiming to be rejects from Eclipse. Alpha Luke denied all knowledge of course but he has refused an audience with me, which makes one wonder.”

I noted he chose not to answer my question about my mate, but I hadn’t heard about the rogues claiming to be from Eclipse. That would be most unusual, not only was it closest to the elite training it was well known that Luke and Thea were most welcoming.

“Do you have any prisoners left that I can speak to?”

“I’m afraid not, the most recent attacks prisoners killed themselves shortly after capture. Poison.”

How convenient. I scanned my eyes around his office, discretely.

“That’s a shame, it might have been useful. So what help were you looking for ?”

There was a world map on the wall behind him, with pins in counties far away. There were less pins in the US portion. The map looked new. I sniffed, now that the scent of my mate was clearing I could smell, a musty old smell. I couldn’t see the source.

“I’d like to be able to call on his pack for help, and that if his neighbouring allies, in the event of a future attack. I propose monthly meeting with all the alphas so we can share knowledge of threats.”

“What threats are you expecting? We have been pretty peaceful since we signed the alliance with the witches.”

“In this country yes, but I know you have learnt of other kingdoms and let’s be honest beta Leighton, peace has never lasted long in this country.”

I was surprised he knew about the other werewolf kingdoms, but it was public knowledge if one chose to look, and the visit from Prince Alonso last year had most certainly pipped interest.

“I’ll have to speak with Jackson. I can’t make allegiances on his behalf. The meetings might be a good idea, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be the alphas who attend. They could send their betas instead, as, that might make it more achievable.”

He nodded, clearly pleased with my answer.

“I suggest we have something to eat, it’s past lunch then I can show you around, where the attacks took place if you wish.”

Of course I wished to see around we could have had that conversion on the phone. But I wanted to speak to my mate.

“Lunch sounds good, after I speak with my mate.”

There was an uncomfortable silence between us.

“I’m afraid I will have to see if Rhiannon wishes to speak with you. She is my chosen mate.”

“But I can see you have not marked her yet.” So was f****** irrelevant as far as I was concerned, but I remained from saying so.

“As per the councils rules in taking a chosen mate, I have waited the twelve months following her birthday to mark her. I’m afraid beta Leighton that I won’t be allowing you to leave with her. She may be carrying my pup.”

I barely held Artemis is check at those words, my hands gripping the wooden frame on the chair innocent of me so hard I heard a crack.

“The point of those rules is so the chosen mate can meet their fated mate.” I spat through clenched teeth.

“Let me out. I’ll rip his head off and then we won’t have a problem.”

“We will, just a different one.”

“I don’t smell a pup.”

“Would you? If it’s not yours ?”

I didn’t know if it worked that way. I knew alphas could smell their pup before anyone else.

“What would we do if she is?”

“F*** it out of her.”

“Aretmis, it would be our pup ?”

He growled and retreated back into my mind, his fight for control temporarily suspended as he licked his wounds, his alpha pride injured.

“So what do you propose ?” I asked.

“You reject her.” He said like it was the simplest thing in the world. “I can have a witch brew a rejection potion for you both.”

I knew rejection could be survived now, but surely the risk was higher for a pregnant shewolf. It didn’t matter though, I wouldn’t not be rejecting my mate, pregnant or not.

“I won’t be rejecting her.”

As I spoke the door opened and Rhiannon walked in.

“So you would risk her and her unborn pups life by making her do it?”

Rhiannon ran past me, sobbing into Mathew’s arms. The a***** must have linked her here and set me up.

“There, there my sweet. It will be okay. He will do it.”

“No.” I said with venom in my voice, the desire to pull her from his grasp and run overwhelming now her lilac scent invaded my nostrils again.

“A rejection will take place this evening Beta, whether you agree or not.”

Another scent was clouding my nostrils, Artemis woke up screaming in my head for me to get out. I didn’t want to leave my mate but my seconds delay caused the scent to penetrate further into my brain. I knew this was magic.

I crashed into the door frame in my haste to remove myself from the scent, realising too late my attempts were futile and that the other wolves remained unaffected.

If I could get to Piper she could get us out of here. I tried to focus on her, allowing her power to draw me but whatever they were bewitching me with was clouding my mind. I had managed to stager as far as the hall before I tripped and fell.

Knocking my head I didn’t register pain but the stars above me swirling to it a ball of light that consumed me.