My Mate

Chapter 7

"You are getting married" he says.

"What!" I shout.

Is he freaking kidding me?. 

I came back about five hours and he kept me stranded, saying that he has some important meeting with some politicians. I never knew that my father was even into politics let alone politicians and now, he is just bombarding me with this stupid talk.

"Yes, you heard me, you are going to get married" he says again.

"But Papa, I don't even have a mate yet and I don't have a girlfriend as well, so how an I gonna get married?" I ask.

"You don't have to worry about that, I've already chosen your prospective bride" he answers.

Seriously, who is this man?. 

I know my father can be too pushy but getting me married all of a sudden, that's way too much, even for him.

"But Papa, what about my mate?" I ask, sounding devastated.

"She is dead for all that we know" he says coldly.

"You can't just wait around and wait for her to show up whenever she wants or feels like it, you are an Alpha, soon you will be taking over and an Alpha need his Luna" he says.

I am just out of words right now that I don't even know how to put it in words how selfish this man is.

"But Papa...".

"Are you trying to argue with me now?" he growls.

"No Sir" I quickly say.

I am an Alpha by birth, but when ever I am in front of my father, I feel belittled.

He walks back to his seat and sits down.

"The bride that I chose for you is from a highly respected family, she is actually the mayor's daughter" he says.

He is talking about my marriage as if he is talking about some new over breakfast.

"If we form an alliance with them, I can have more power in the human society more than I have now and that's what you are going to do too, to continue with my legacy" he says.

Wait, she is a human?.

"I thought you have the human species?" I ask, still surprised that he is even thinking of making an alliance with them.

"Yes, I hated them once upon a time but I figured that the only way to get more power over the other packs is to befriend the humans" he says.

Way to go Papa, you should have been a politician. I have so many words to say to him but I'm afraid that if I open my mouth, he will end up disowning me.

"Many people were looking for her hands in marriage but he eventually chose you to be his son in law, he has seen potential in you, son" he says and I can feel the pride in his voice.

Old papa is really proud of me now, huh?

"But, but..."

"But what?" he looks up at me.

"I don't even know the girl" I finally gathered the courage to say.

"Uhmm, that won't be a problem, I would have arranged for you to meet but sadly, she seems to be out of town now but you won't even have to wait long, the wedding is in two weeks time and then we'll do the mating ceremony after that" he says.

"What now Papa, two weeks, isn't it a little bit early?" I ask, shocked to the bones.

"You are not getting any younger mister and I want to step down from this position and hand it over to you and to do so, you have to have a mate by your side and luckily, I have got the best match for you" he says in an I don't care attitude.

This man is so wicked to the bones, my mother, his mate, died when I was just 6 years old and he has continued to rule ever since then for 14 good years and now, he is telling me that I must have one to meet the criteria of becoming an Alpha of this pack but I know better than to point this out to him.

"But Dad, I'm just twenty, don't you think that I'm a little too young for marriage and besides, I am still in college too?" I ask.

"Nonsense, I was just nineteen years old when I became the Alpha of this pack, you should have too but I let you be and now you are complaining, how ungrateful" he scolds.

"So, I suggest you start getting ready for the wedding, I have a lot of invitations to distribute, so of you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving" he says and gets up to head out.

"Have a good day, Sir" I say.

Yes, that's how we live here, just like in the army. He is my general and I'm just his recruit.

He just raises his hand before heading out.

I clench my fist to the extent that I feeling like I'll be cracking a knuckle or two. 

How could he possibly do that and that too, without consulting me first?. 

This is my life he is talking about, my future. 

It is pretty devastating for one to leave without his mate, I've seen that in my father. He became a totally different person ever since my mother's death. He became selfish, cold hearted. He cares only about himself now and I don't want to be like that.

Mate! Please wherever you are, please come to me before I am doomed for life.

Maybe if I found my mate before the wedding, then maybe they will cancel it, just maybe.

I storm out of the room before I create havoc in this office. I head into the forest and shift into my wolf form and start running like a mad being. I think I am going to be mad soon, real mad.

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"I can't believe this old man of yours, how could he do this to you, this time he has really went too far, I'll go and tell him off for you if you can't" Roman keeps on shouting.

"There's no way he will listen to you, he has already made up his mind I think" I say.

"Does he have any idea what he is doing to you, he is practically ruining your life for his own selfish benefits and I won't let him do that, I will talk to my father about it, maybe he will listen to him" he says and gets up.

"No, just let it be, it's over, as we are speaking now, he is maybe out there, distributing his invitation, maybe your father has already gotten his, it's only twelve days to the wedding as we speak" I say.

"What the hell! You're kidding, right?" he ask.

"Nope" I say.

"So now, what if your mate is still alive and you find her one day, will you reject her or what?" he ask.

"That, I don't know" I answer truthfully.

"I just hope you will have the nerve to accept her when she comes" he says.

Will I be able to do that? Well, the truth is, I don't know.

"You guys should both calm down, you are both waking up the baby" she says, rubbing her stomach.

"What! Babe, are you pregnant?" he ask, shocked.

"I don't know, but I haven't seen my period this month, so...and I kind of feel nauseous all the time" she says, sitting on his lap now.

He just sits there, staring at her, dumbfounded.

"Say something" she urges him.

Maybe I should give them space.

"Ah, I just don't know what to say yet, but we'll have to confirm first before jumping to any conclusions" he says, sounding rather worried.

"Would you be happy, I mean, would you accept the baby?" she asks, sounding worried too.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be the happiest man on earth, uhmm, it's just that..."

"Just what?" she asks.

"You are still in high school and getting pregnant will affect your studies" he answers.

"And I don't want that" he adds.

"But I can just drop out, you know, be a house wife for you" she says, putting her forehead on his.

"Like I said, we shouldn't jump to conclusions before finding the real reason of all this, then we'll think of what to do later" he says.

"I love you, thanks for really thinking about me" she says.

"I love you too and you will always be my priority" he replies.

Awwm! I feel jealous right now. 

If only I have found my mate sooner, I wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place.

"So, Ridge, who is that girl that you don't wanna marry, do I know her?" she asks, now turning her attention to me.

"I don't even know her name or whoever she is, all I heard from my dad was that she is the mayor's daughter" I answer.

The look in her eyes tells me that she might know the girl.

"I've never met her and I don't think I even want to but if I could've, I would have warned her about this marriage" I fine.

"Ahhm, Ridge, actually..."

"Let it be" Roman cuts her off.

"But Buddy, do you really not know her?" he asks.

"As I have said so just now, I don't" I answer.

Why are they asking these kid of questions?. 

How would I even know her to begin with?. 

It's not like I care anyways.

"I just thought that maybe you would've known her back in high school" he says.

"Did we go to the same school?" I ask.

And how comes I never really heard. Weird.

"Well, maybe, I was just saying" he answers.

"And you don't wanna see her even once before the wedding?" Stacy asks.

"Nope, if it were up to me, I hope I find my mate before that, them maybe, just maybe my father will give up on his stupid game of getting me married" I say, hopefully.

"We hope so too" they say at the same time.

Mates, always in perfect sync with one another. 

I wonder of I would ever experience this.

Some minutes of silence went by with them giving each other weird looks.

"I'll get going now then, you know, to get ready for my wedding" I mutter.

"Don't worry bro, everything will be alright, trust me" he says.

I just nod my head and head towards the door.

"Uhmm, just so the wedding happens to take place, will you be my best man?" I ask.

"You bet I will, whoever your bride is going to be, I'll always be your best man" he says.

And he's right. He always will be. 

This time, I finally walk out of the room, leaving him to have his private conversation with his mate. I just have a feeling he has a lot to take about with her.