Chapter 1
Barrett's POV
You know that cliche of "how did I end up in this situation?" and typically the one asking actually has no idea. Well, unfortunately for me, I know exactly what I went and did to end up here. As I stand here looking over the horrendous scene before me, I can pinpoint the exact moment that s**t hit the fan. The moment I made the law of my pack and myself not needing or wanting a Luna to rule. My beautiful mate was covered in blood and barely breathing, knowing I could have prevented this four years ago, but also knowing she truly is the Luna to help lead this pack.
Lets back up. Let me introduce myself. My name is Barrett Michael Blue and I am the Alpha of the Crescent Blue Moon pack. My pack is the largest and strongest in the country. I became alpha at 18 when my father renounced his title as alpha and I met my wolf, Shaw. Normally, to become alpha, typically one needs to be mated and have his luna. I did not meet my mate at 18 and at 20 I took it upon myself to create the law that for my pack we did not need a Luna to rule. The elders agreed as we were already extremely strong and had the top warriors in any pack. They said I could run my pack alone with my Beta Sam and Gamma Holden. I have been alpha for 6 years now and was doing just fine without a mate. I honestly could care less if I ever found her. At times I did feel sad as I watched my beta and gamma find their mates and Sam already had a son who just turned one.
I know I have a mate because each wolf has another half to complete their whole and the Moon Goddess blesses each half before they are born. The worthy wolves even get a second chance mate if tragedy strikes. My father, Bennet, met his first mate at 18. She was the Betas daughter of our pack. They were inseparable and there are still respectfully pictures of her around our pack house. Her name was Brooke. She was killed during a rouge attack defending my father. I don't think my father ever actually got over that. I've been told by his Beta, Stephen, who is Sam's dad and Brooke's brother, that he been on a pretty awful binge for several months. He was required as alpha to attend an Alpha conference at a neighboring pack, the Red Moon pack, where he actually met my mother, his second chance mate. He did not believe he deserved a second chance, but my mom is a beautifully stubborn woman. He took on the mate bond and made her the Luna of Crescent Blue Moon. She was the alpha's daughter and, therefore, we are bonded with Red Moon for life.
As I stare at the pictures of my father and Brooke as well as pictures of my father and my mother that are around my office, I get brought out of my thoughts of why I never want to take a Luna by a knock at the door. "Come in", I respond. In walks my mother, who stands at 5'8, with long blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, which I inherited, and absolutely ripped. She being the daughter of an alpha trained as young as 5, and continues to do so to this day. "I figured you were lost in though up here since you did not make it down to lunch". She noticed me staring at all the pictures and sighed. "You know Barrett, I know why you won't go out and find your mate, but I truly believe it's what is best for you". "Mom, I don't want to have this conversation right now, I have a lot on my plate with all the new rouge attacks and missing wolves from other packs". "Which is why I brought up some lunch for you, you still need to eat you know, but from what I see in front of me not much is being done right now", she matter of fact stated. " I KNOW MOM" I sigh "Im sorry, I know but there is just so much going on in my head right now". She looks at me with her eyes staring into my soul and in that second I knew the heart to heart was coming. " Barrett, do you know why I keep these pictures of your father and Brooke up around this place?" "Yes mo" She cut me off "because if it had not been for her sacrifice saving your father, I would not have found my true mate and you would not be sitting here right now". I so wish I could have thanked her for everything that followed her sacrifice, but also because she was your fathers mate first and was fierce to the end, she was everything a Luna should be". She was everything I strive to be every day, these pictures are a reminder to me to always be brave, put my mate first and no matter what defend what is mine". She knows now, as she looks at me with tears threatening to fall, that I'm thinking how running a pack for the last six years without my mate at my side is not the choice I should have made. I still feel like I am a strong alpha and one who will always protect my pack, to the end, but maybe I was wrong.
