Alpha Rising: Her Revenge

4: Claimed or True

Rowan

I flopped down on my bed with a groan. It was nearly midnight, and I had to try to get some sleep before getting up at 5am to go through final preparations for the Gathering. I spent the last month managing work crews, ordering supplies, and planning schedules. Time was flying, but everything was on track to be completed before the first delegations were due to arrive tomorrow afternoon. I couldn't help but be proud. And also grateful that we won't have to host another Gathering for about eighteen more years.

A knock sounded on my door. "Who is it," I groaned, throwing my arm over my eyes.

"Its me," Luna Dianne's soft voice came floating through the door.

"Come in Mom," I called out, hoisting myself up and leaning back on my hands. She let herself in and shut the door with a click behind her. I watched her tiredly as she walked over and settled herself on the foot of my bed. "What's up?" I asked, noticing her wringing her hands. My mom was a wonderful person and Luna, but for some reason she often came across as a little timid.

"I just wanted to see how you were, dear," she started, reaching up to brush her cool fingers against my temple. "You've been working so hard lately, and you had many difficult tasks set before you."

I reached up and took her hand from my face, clasping it between both of my own. "I'm alright, Mom. I'm exhausted, but everything came together in the end. I have no reason to believe things won't go smoothly this week."

She smiled, giving one of my hands a little squeeze. "I'm glad. I wish I could have helped you."

I smiled back. "I know you were busy."

"It's not that," she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"I wasn't so busy that I couldn't have helped you. But your father..." she trailed off.

"...Wanted me to do it alone," I finished for her. My eyes twitched a little, angry. "Will he ever be done testing me? Will I ever be good enough for him?"

"Of course you are," she said quickly, looking at me in earnest. "He just...wanted to make sure, I think."

I released her hand. I loved my mom, but my father was a point of contention between us, especially lately. She always stood up for him, even if I could tell she thought he was in the wrong. One of the many ways the mate bond mystified me. "I'm sick and tired of having to prove myself repeatedly." I said with disgust.

"I'm so sorry, Rowan," my mom said with a quavering voice. I immediately regretted my outburst and slid across the bed to give her a hug.

"No, I'm sorry, mom. I didn't mean to take it out on you. I know you...and father...want the best for me."

"Yes, we do." My mom hugged me in return, then pulled back to look at me. "That is not what I came in here to discuss, though."

"What else did you want to talk about?" I asked, scooting backward to rest against my headboard.

she started playing with her fingers again. "Well, it's about your ceremony."

I bit back a nasty remark and just looked at her. I didn't feel good about where this conversation was going, but there was no point getting angry. Yet. "What about it?"

My mom took a deep breath. "I don't believe your father discussed his conditions for your ascending to the Alpha title."

"Yes he did, he said the Gathering had to go well and I have to keep looking for my mate," I ticked off on my fingers. "The preparations have gone well and I don't anticipate any issues this week, and of course I plan to keep searching for my Luna."

"It's the second condition that I believe your father has somewhat changed his mind on," she said carefully.

I groaned. "You can't be serious. After all this, he's going to make me wait until I find my mate again? This is ridiculous. At this rate I'll be as old as he is before he relinquishes his role as alpha."

"I don't believe he intends you to wait until you find your mate," my mom started. She took a deep breath and let it out with a whoosh. "But I don't think he intends to let you ascend without a Luna."

"Wait, how is that..." I started questioning, but then it clicked. "He wants me to claim some random she-wolf if I don't find my mate in the next week?"

My mom nodded slowly. "He feels very strongly about Alphas and Lunas ruling together. More strongly, it seems, than he does about finding your true mate."

"Of course he would," I spat. My mom flinched at my tone, but I was too angry to care. "When was he planning on telling me about this? Five minutes before the ceremony? Just shove a backup woman in my direction and force me to mate? Who's the lucky girl, anyway?"

My mom gave me a look full of deep sadness. "I don't know if or when he planned to tell you. As for any candidates he thought might be eligible for Luna, it's hard to say, since he's playing his cards close to his chest. I do believe he thought your old girlfriend Belinda could be a valid choice."

I glared. "Belinda and I haven't dated since we were fifteen. She cheated on me with Toby! And cheated on him with Liam! She's a total slut Mom. How could he possibly think she'd be a good Luna? That she'd be a loyal partner for me?"

"I think her warrior status was her main appeal," my mom responded faintly.

"No. Absolutely not." I stood up abruptly and started pacing. "And what do you think of all this? Please tell me you don't support this, Mom. It's insane! I may be ready to be Alpha, but I'll never be ready to forsake my true mate for that w***e, or anyone else for that matter."

"I don't, Rowan. Please sit down," my mother pleaded, trying to calm my agitation.

"I can't."

"Rowan, please."

"No!"

"Rowan, sit down right now," my mom used her Luna tone on me. Although it didn't have the same effect on me because of the alpha blood running through my veins, I still felt the tug to comply and decided to give in, dropping down on the bed with a plunk.

"Now, you listen here," my mom instructed. "I can't tell you what to do any more than I can tell your father what to do. You know your own heart. I just wanted you to be prepared for what's to come, and to do some soul-searching to determine what's truly important to you."

I pondered her words, trying to put my anger aside for the moment. What did I want? I wanted to be Alpha, sure. But at such a high cost? I wasn't sure. Unless I found my mate among the guests for the Gathering this week, I would be facing my father's ultimatum. Claim someone other than my true mate along with the Alpha title, or put it off indefinitely and keep looking for the one chosen for me by the Moon Goddess. "Can I ask you something?" I ventured.

My mom nodded, waiting.

"Do you know how it feels to be with a claimed mate versus a true mate?" I asked. "I mean, I know you haven't experienced it for yourself, but you've come across others with a claimed bond, right? Have you talked to them about it?"

She brought her finger to her mouth, thinking. "I've heard from our own Elder about this before, and you hear stories. Nothing compares to the true mate bond, of course. The initial pull, how connected you become, how you're truly whole when you find them. True mates make you much stronger than you would be otherwise. With claimed mates, it's different. The pull doesn't start until your chosen mate is marked, and the claimed bond is incomplete until you mate. It can vary a great deal depending on the wolves involved. If both wolves forge a claimed bond willingly, it can be almost as strong as the true mate bond. If one or both wolves aren't willing, it's much weaker. Either way, with a claimed bond there's always the risk of coming across your true mate later."

"What would happen?" I asked. I was intrigued despite myself. I never really bothered learning about mate stuff growing up, which was common for most guys in our pack, or anywhere else for that matter.

"If a claimed wolf comes across their true mate, they must make a decision. They either reject their claimed mate and forge a new bond with their true mate, or reject them and stay with their claimed mate. No matter what, it would weaken all three wolves involved. Doing nothing causes turmoil and being pulled in multiple directions, jealousy, anger, and fractured bonds. Rejecting one of your mates also comes with consequences, even death.

"Rejection hurts both wolves, Rowan. It can kill those who aren't strong enough to withstand the pain. The bond you forsake the rejected wolf for has to be strong enough to help you recover. If it's not, the initial rejection would kill both wolves, leaving the third to withstand the pain of their mate's death. Some wolves don't survive that, either."

I tipped my head back to look at the ceiling. "Well, s**t," I said.

"I've had about enough of your language for one evening, Rowan," my mom scolded.

"Sorry, Mom. It's just a lot to take in."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you beforehand. I didn't want you to be blindsided," my mom patted my hand. "I wanted you to have a chance to think it through. A claimed mate, no matter how much you may love them, is always a risk. The risks are even greater if the bond is weaker. You'd likely kill your claimed mate if you forsook her for your true mate down the line. You'll have to ask yourself if you can live with that."

I was silent for a few minutes, turning everything over in my head. It honestly never crossed my mind to claim another instead of waiting to find my true mate. The sacredness of the mate bond was drummed into wolves practically from birth. "I don't know what to do, Mom. I mean, of course I want to find my true mate. Who wouldn't? But I've met every of age she-wolf in our pack, along with many in other packs over the past few years, and I haven't found her yet. What if I don't have one? What if I did, but she died?" I sighed glumly. "If I only knew she existed. I could wait if I knew for a fact I would find her. But if I don't have a true mate out there, claiming one might be my only chance."

My mom cupped my face with her small hands. "It's a difficult choice, one that you need to make for yourself. I can't tell you what to do, and try as he might, neither can your father." She patted my cheek softly and rose from the bed, clasping her hands together. "I'll tell you one thing though, Rowan. It's impossible to prove, but I truly believe that the Moon Goddess gives everyone a destined mate. Some people may never be fortunate enough to meet them, and some may have the devastating blow of losing their mate to death before having the chance to be with them, but I think we all have one."

I heaved myself off the bed and wrapped my mom in a huge hug. "I'd like to think that too."

She returned the embrace, then drew back to look up at me. "You should get some rest, dear. Tomorrow's a big day." She gave me a small smile and let herself out, the door clicking shut behind her.

I scrubbed my face with my hand. I really did need to get some sleep. I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth before crawling under the covers in a fresh pair of black boxers. However, sleep didn't come. Instead, I tossed and turned, mulling everything over.

As much as it shocked me, I knew I shouldn't be surprised at my father's intended plan for me to ascend to alpha with a claimed mate by my side. I suppose that part wasn't what caught me off guard. It was the fact that it seemed like he was planning to trick me into it by springing it on me at the last minute. Maybe he thought I might find my true mate among those attending the Gathering and it would be a moot point? Still, it was a tough pill to swallow.

I looked up to my father. I really did. He was strong and wise, and led our pack through good times and bad, navigating tough decisions and always doing what he thought was best for all of us. But as I grew older, he seemed to grow colder and harder somehow, like he was determined to keep me at a distance. These days, it seemed like he was either forcing me to jump through hoops, lecturing me, or ignoring me completely. Because of that—and his refusing to let me be alpha—our relationship became really strained. His idea to spring this mate ultimatum on me though? That took the cake.

I buried my face in my pillow and growled into it in frustration. What the hell was I supposed to do? Claim a mate from my pack—a female warrior, perhaps—and guarantee my ceremony at the end of the week? That was the only reason I would do it, honestly. But it didn't really feel right to me. Doran growled a warning. You better not do that to us, he threatened.

I don't want to. But what if we never find our mate? What if we don't have one?

We'll find her. I can feel it.

I shifted to my side and exhaled slowly. I hope you're right. And I hope it's soon. If he was wrong, I might miss my only chance at alpha. Even if he was right, I could be putting it off for an unknown number of years.

Soon, Doran said sleepily. With that last hopeful word in our shared mind, I finally fell into a fitful sleep.