Broken Mate

Chapter Five

-If there is no spacing in the words, it is the app. I have edited the books over and over and from my side, the spacing is perfect.-

-Kayden's POV- 

Yesterday it was just three hungry rogues that came into our territory. We quickly took care of them and that was it.  

*Knock on the door. * 

"Come in." I hear my father say and I open the door to his office. 

"This is Kayden, my son." He says introducing me to the people in the office. 

He then motions to them. "These are Alpha Harvey from the Crimson River pack and his daughter Penelope." 

I nod towards them and take a seat. 

(What is my father up to now?) 

It looks like he is trying to choose his words carefully. "The Crimson Pack has been an ally of ours for a long time now, and since you haven't found your mate yet, we were talking and came to the conclusion that... Penelope would make a great Luna to our pack." He says trying to keep his composure. 

I look at the girl Penelope while she looks at me smiling. She is pretty, has long brown hair, blue eyes full lips, a beauty in anyone's eyes. 

(But...she doesn't hold a candle to my mate.) 

Rain comes into my mind... 

-Flashback- 

Two years ago, I was running through the woods, after coming home for a visit I decided to go for a run. I hadn't been home for four years after I left when I was nineteen. In the middle of the run, I caught the most delicious scent. I followed it and the closer I got, I started to hear the most beautiful voice singing a melody.  The scent and the voice took me to the edge of the woods where I saw her sitting on a boulder, looking to the lake and singing. The wind hitting her hair just right and the sun illuminating her face. She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I wanted to claim and mark her there but she looked familiar and when I realized who she was, I stopped myself.  Not because I didn't want her but because I knew my father would never accept it, no one in the pack would. He would make me reject her and if I didn't comply, he would strip me of my title.  I have no real authority...yet. 

-End of flashback- 

I look back at the girl sitting in front of me and then at my dad. 

"We already spoke of this, but I will say it again. I will take a mate, but I will not be forced into a lifetime commitment with someone I don't like." I say sternly. 

My father shifts nervously in his seat.  

"Of course not...that's...that's not what I was implying." He says and laughs nervously. 

My reputation proceeds me and even my father is nervous around me. I look over to Alpha Harvey and he also looks nervous. 

My father and Harvey keep talking about how I can get to know Penelope better but I am done with this conversation. I ignore them and look outside through the window. 

(I want no one else but my mate... "Mine"... when she said those words, I felt like I could finally die happy. She was so shocked too. For the last two years, I have worked hard to get to where I need to get, and all I have thought about was her. The memory of her kept me company at night.)

"Son?" My father asks bringing me back from my thoughts. 

 I hadn't noticed that I was smiling. "Yea?" 

"Does that sound good to you?"  He asks. 

"What was it again?" I ask because I didn't hear a thing they talked about. 

"Keep Penelope company today, until they leave in the afternoon." 

I internally sigh. (Humor him. Maybe I'll be able to ditch her later.) 

"Sure, but can I have a minute with my father first?" I ask. Harvey and Penelope nod and walk out. 

"If I'm going to choose a mate, then I want to have as many options as I can." I tell him. 

He looks at me frustrated. "I understand but Penelope is of Alpha blood and with a Pack behind her, do you know how powerful our pack would be if you would choose her as a mate?" 

(It's all status to gain power with him.) 

"Yea, but theirs is not the only pack. There are plenty of Alpha daughters out there. I am not going to settle." I say keeping my face as composed as possible. 

"You are taking the Alpha position in a week or so, you should have a Luna." He says frustrated. 

I get up looking at him. "I will not rush it. If I have to take the Alpha position without a mate, then I will do so." 

His face morphs into anger and he gets up. "I will not give you the Alpha position without a Luna." 

"Then I guess I'm wasting my time here. I'm going back to the fortress if that's the case." I say and start walking out. 

(If I'm leaving, then I'm definitely taking her with me this time.) 

"Stop! Wait." My father says. 

I walk back into the office satisfied that I got the results I wanted. I look at him waiting for what he is going to say. 

"Fine but......after you take the Alpha position, you have to choose a mate within the month. The pack needs a Luna and so do you as an Alpha." He says defeated. 

I want to smile but I keep my stern face up and nod. 

"A Luna should have composure, grace, and status." He says. 

(Those are only his views. While I was training, I met many types of Lunas from other packs, and they all varied. From a Luna that was once a rogue to one that would fight better than her own Alpha mate and another that was much older than her Alpha mate. I learned that status does not matter, she just has to be perfect for you....and mine is.) 

"If you are going below Alpha status, then maybe Heidi would be a choice, she at least has beta status at this moment." He says.  

I ignore that because Heidi is anything but Luna material, shows how stuck in his ways he really is. 

"I'll be showing Penelope around now." I say and walk out. 

(In a way, I am thankful that I poured myself into my training and that I didn't adopt his way of thinking.) 

I see Penelope waiting for me and I honestly want to walk the other way but I don't, I have to show my father that I am serious about this.  

"Shall we?" I ask. 

She smiles and nods. 

"Your mother, the Luna said we could have breakfast, could we? I haven't eaten anything yet." She says and I groan internally. 

The kitchen and dining room is where Rain is probably at right now, I don't want her to see me with another woman. 

"Oh yes dear, you are very welcome to go there." My mother says walking towards us. 

I sigh and start walking there with them behind me, both of them chatting away. 

When we walk in, is late breakfast now and all we hear is shouting coming from the kitchen. My mother smiles awkwardly at Penelope and walks towards the kitchen but the old woman that works there comes out and looks at us surprised. 

"Oh! Luna, Alpha.......I... I am sorry about all the commotion." She says looking nervous. 

"What is going on Celeste?" My mother asks in a hushed tone. 

"Rain, Levi, and Layla are just so disrespectful." Celeste says. 

My mother sighs. "That girl is corrupting them" She mumbles. "...tell beta Abraham if they keep giving you a hard time, he'll see to a punishment." 

"Of course." The old lady says smiling. 

(I have heard that from many people here. A lot of them say that Rain is very problematic. She's always giving people a hard time. The night I arrived here, she was chained on the field for attacking and biting someone, that's what I was told. I took her to the hospital when I saw her condition. I understood why she was being punished but I was pissed, why would they let her get that sick? I haven't been here for years but it seems that punishments have changed drastically.... or maybe I never noticed?) 

We sit and Rain comes out with the young girl behind her. The girl has a swollen cheek and a little of blood on the corner of her mouth.  

(Did the old woman strike her?) 

I know that those that are lowest ranks in the pack tend to be more manhandled but those are the consequences when they try to overstep.... however, that girl is just a child. 

Rain walks over to me and I can see that she is nervous. 

(Goddess she's beautiful, even when wearing those rags. Which reminds me of the dress I gave Grant to take to her room, she didn't use it that night and I am puzzled by it.) 

She puts a plate in front of me and I see her hand is red and bandaged with blisters. I quickly take her arm and she tries to pull away looking startled but I hold her steady. 

"What the hell happened?" I ask looking at her hand, I look up and she is surprised and then looks at the old woman. 

"She...she wasn't careful and burned herself." The old lady says. 

(How? Did she put her hand in a bucket of hot oil?) 

I can feel Rain shaking.  

"Let me go......please." She says softly. I look up at her and she has her eyes closed. 

I let her go but all I want to do is hold her. 

"You should go to the pack hospital." I say. She nods and quickly walks back into the kitchen. 

"Oh...yea she will... I mean it will heal by itself but yea." The old lady says. 

"Yea it will heal, but that looks painful." I say. 

(I don't like that she's hurt...I don't like it one bit.)