Chasing My Unhappy Mate

Chapter 2

Alice pov

“Alice, ALICE!” I snapped my head up, staring around in confusion. I hadn’t realized I fell asleep, and now I felt silly. There was a meeting today to discuss everything that I saw and documented at the Blood Moon pack and I arrived earlier than the others. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, and now they were all sitting around the table staring at me with mixed expressions of amusement and disgust.

I sat up straight, fixing my glasses, and pushing them back on my nose. Ulric ended up taking forever to get us to the pack, driving around endlessly and getting us lost countless times. I tried telling him over and over again the way but he always ignored me and went the opposite way. The whole time he kept trying to pester me about my life and stupid things but I refused to talk to him, I was angry he came.

‘No, you’re not. He’s OUR mate. He needs to be here, and he should be at this meeting, he’s a future Beta.’ Clarke, my Wolf said. I rolled my eyes, yeah right, that wasn’t going to happen.

‘He’s not our mate. I’m going to keep rejecting him until he finally accepts it.’ I said with a huff.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Alice, you know you like him.’ She said.

I tapped the papers on the table, straightening them. “I’m sorry, it took a while to get home and I didn’t get enough sleep.” I said, handing the papers to Alpha Brian. He frowned at me, unamused. He was a big guy, built like a mountain, quiet and solemn. He barely spoke, preferring others to do it for him. If he had another brother I wouldn’t have been surprised if he stepped down and allowed him to be Alpha instead.

Renee took the papers from him, clearing her throat as she looked them over. I gritted my teeth, annoyed. She was sitting in Liane’s seat since she was giving birth any day now and on bed rest. Luna Adaline had her baby a few days before we left the Blood Moon pack, she was slightly early but Liane wasn’t supposed to give birth for another two months. That was before Eliza, the healer apprentice checked her, and discovered she was having twins instead of just one baby.

Not that it was Ginger’s fault for not knowing, Brian’s father was killed not too long ago and was dead before Ginger was able to get to him. It wasn’t her fault, but Renee still blamed her anyway. Because of that, she didn’t want Ginger touching Liane to inspect her. Not that Renee cared about Liane, but she did care about her grandchildren. More children she could try and raise however she wanted, to control.

I felt bad for my best friend, she was annoying in her extremely talkative way, but she was kind and innocent, way too kind to be with Alpha Brian and his controlling mother.

She tsked, glaring over the writing of each page slowly, glaring at me over the paper. She didn’t even need to read it, she was at the meeting she knew what it said, she was just trying to be annoying. “Utterly disordered, if you ask me.” Renee finally said, handing the paper to her son. I stifled an eye roll, watching as Penny, the Gamma, giggled at me under her hand.

Ginger cleared her throat loudly. “Yes, Ginger?” Renee said, disgust dripping from her voice.

Ginger smiled sweetly at Renee, folding her hands. “Nothing, Madam Renee.” Ginger said. I watched Renee cringe, she hated being called madam or anything other than Luna, but even she wouldn’t dare mention it in front of her son. She had Brian wrapped around her finger, but when it came to Liane she was unable to control him.

‘Ugh! I can not stand that woman! I wish Alpha Brian would get rid of her, I don’t care if she is his mother!’ Clarke huffed.

‘In this, I agree with you.’ I said to her, a growl trapped in my throat.

Ginger winked at me and I smiled, fixing my face into an expressionless mask as Brian read over the papers. “Everything seems to order how I wanted it. Even the extra amounts of things Liane added is applied. Good work, Alice.” Brian said, nodding at me. I accepted his compliment, smirking inside as he undermined what his mother said. I could practically feel her glaring daggers at me but I refused to Acknowledge her. “You’re proposing this amount of warriors to go over and help them. Are you sure this will be enough?” He asked.

I nodded, pushing my glasses up on my nose again. I hated wearing them. “Yes, they were already halfway finished with the work by the time we left.” I said.

“Yes, we were there for an AWFULLY long time, much longer than we needed to be.” Renee muttered.

“Yes you were, might I add. Why did you stay as long as you did?” Brian asked, lowering the papers.

I frowned, looking at Ginger. “Maybe it was because of that boy she mated to. Frivolous thing.” Renee said, propping her head on her hand and glaring at me over Brian’s shoulder. I frowned, annoyed.

“She stayed longer at my request, Alpha Brian. Luna Adaline is the only true healer there, the previous healer died in the battle. She is a brand new true healer, never trained, and was having a baby. I wanted to stay and help her, she had no one to deliver her baby.” Ginger said. I smiled at her, thanking her for saving me.

“I understand that. But what would have happened if Liane had her baby while you were away?” Brian said, fury edging in his voice.

Ginger quivered, looking at him. “But Alpha Brian, Madam Renee hasn’t permitted me to touch Luna Liane. I didn’t think you wanted me there when the baby was born.”

“My mother isn’t in charge of these things anymore, Ginger! My wife is Luna, and she will have the best looking after her. Is that clear!?” He yelled, standing up and slamming his hands on the table. We all jumped, even Renee had the decency to remain quiet.

Ginger stood, bowing at him. I could see her lips quivering, but she remained strong as she spoke. “Permission to be at her side?” She asked. Brian nodded at her, and she hurriedly left. I knew she was worried about Liane, she wanted to check on her this whole time but Renee was denying her the ability to. I took a breath of relief, feeling better now that Ginger was going to her.

Not that Eliza was bad, I knew her for years, I just grew to see Ginger as a mother figure and I trusted her.

Renee glared at her son, who ignored her steadily as he sat down. “You know how I feel about Ginger.” She growled out.

“My wife will have the best.” He repeated, his voice calmer but the fury still evident, hidden around the edge of his words. She nodded, looking down at the table. Finally, Brian glared at me, and I tried my best not to cower under his glare. “Where is the amount of workers they will be sending to us when they are finished?” He asked me. I blinked, momentarily thrown off. Finally, I leaned over, flipping to the second page and pointing my finger at the line. He nodded, reading it over.

Once we were finished discussing the papers and everything I learned from the trip, he dismissed us. Brian grabbed my arm, wanting a word with me alone, and his mother scoffed. Surely she thought I was made a Beta because I’m apparently frivolous and thought I seduced my way to the top, but it was only because Liane is my best friend and she asked him to place me here that I became Beta. He treated her coldly, harshly, and allowed his mother to steamroll over her, but he still did whatever she wanted. He was a strange man, but he loved her in his own way.

“Alice, tell me about your mate.” He said. I shrugged, scratching my arm in annoyance.

“His name is Ulric. He followed me.” I said lamely. I didn’t know much about him, and what I did know, I didn’t want to tell him. He didn’t need to know Ulric was the Alpha of the rogues, even if it was for a good cause. He was selfless. Just like Liane.

‘He’s much more than that and you know it.’ Clarke said with a huff.

“Is he good Beta material?” He asked me. I looked at him, frowning. What was he getting at?

“I don’t know him very well to judge that yet. But I do know, he was Beta of the Dark Woods pack before the rogues destroyed it. He stepped down to Elite because they didn’t have any Beta positions available at the Blood Moon pack.” I said, simplifying the truth. There was so much left out of that, so much that defined him.

“Good, then when you’re ready to marry him I will accept him as my Beta.” He said. My mouth fell open, shocked.

“I don’t plan on marrying him, Alpha Brian.” I said sternly.

He glared at me. “I know you refuse marriage, but even after having a true mate, you remain stubborn? Why didn’t you just reject him then?” He asked me.

I sighed, blowing my hair from my face. “I tried, he rejected it.” I said. I swear I saw a tiny crack of a smile on his stone face, but If it was there it vanished in an instant, leaving no trace behind.

“Let me know what happens. For now, I wanted to tell you, before the meeting I accepted him as elite into the pack. He’s new, show him around. He’s your responsibility.” He said.

I nodded, a numb feeling spreading throughout my body. Just what I needed. ‘Fine with me.’ Clarke breathed out, her tail wagging. I rolled my eyes at her, bowing to Alpha Brian as he dismissed me.

I leaned against the wall with a frown, pulling my phone from my pocket as it vibrated. I sighed, seeing a text message from Ulric.

‘Hey gorgeous, will you show me somewhere to eat dinner? I have no idea where to go and I don’t want to eat with all the elites yet, I don’t know them, it’s awkward.’ He said.

I grunted as I replied back. ‘If it’s so awkward then go back home.’ I said with a snarl.

Instantly my phone vibrated a reply. ‘I can’t do that, gorgeous. This is my home now.’ He said with a smiley emoji. I sighed.

‘Fine, meet me in front of your elite packhouse in five hours.’ I replied.

His reply made me cringe, even though at the same time heat flooded my cheeks. He sent just a bunch of kissie emojis, and I quickly closed the phone and shoved it into my pocket in annoyance.

Clarke snickered at me. ‘He loves us so much!’ She said cheerily.

I sighed, glaring at the floor. ‘Hush yourself.’ I snapped at her. She giggled, and I rubbed my tired eyes, heading back up to my room for a nap before dinner time.