His Chosen Mate

Chapter 5

"This is all my fault," Justin said as he drove the car to the pack house, "I am the one who suggested to go that lake in the first place despite it being a forbidden area" Regret was evident in his voice.

"It is alright, Justin," I said, trying to reassure him, "Let's focus on what is about to happen though. What kind of punishments does the Alpha usually give?" I asked him.

I won't deny it, I am a little worried since the moment Alpha Noah mentioned he was planning to punish us. What if I am not able to do whatever he says?

"If for the wolves-" Bea started, glancing at Justin, "We have to do patrol for a week or something like that," She said and I could see dread filling up in her eyes.

"That doesn't sound so bad," I said.

Justin scoffed, "Except it is" He grunted, "We have to stay up all night guarding the pack borders" He explained to me, "That includes extra training at night with the pack warriors. It will be so exhausting" He sighed, "Well, at least we are in this together, Bea"

"Yeah," She said dejectedly.

I wonder what kind of punishment Alpha Noah would give me. I am not fit to go through those training and patrolling. But what choice do I have if Alpha Noah decides to assign me to that? I have to do it no matter what.

"I can't believe he gave you his clothes," Bea said, pulling me out from the train of my thoughts, "I mean, it has been almost four years since Alpha Noah came into power and you are the first woman to ever wear his clothes," She said when I looked at her.

I could feel my cheeks heating up and I looked away in a vain attempt to hide my blush from my friends. It is a good thing I was sitting in the backseat though, "It is that or me walking around the forest in soaking wet clothes" I muttered under my breath.

But I am grateful for his kind gesture. I would have easily caught the flu if I am still in my wet clothes.

"We are here" I heard Justin say.

I looked up to see him pulling the car in front of a huge mansion. My jaw fell to the ground at that, "Wait- This is the pack house?" I gasped, my eyes darting around to get a better view of that building.

The last time I went to the pack house was during the seasonal vaccination jab and at that time, this place looked like an underfunded school. How did that become this?

"Quite different from that old rusty building you hated, right?" Justin asked and I could literally hear the smile in his voice, "Alpha Noah has good taste when it comes to buildings and interiors" He added, killing the engine of the car.

How did the young Alpha develop this town so well in less than four years?

We exited the car and walked towards the main entrance of the building. The shorts that I was wearing threatened to fall off my hips so I rolled the hem of them up as I walked.

About twenty to thirty young men were training at the open ground and they all stilled altogether when we walked past them.

I could feel all of their eyes on me and when I looked at them, I could see their nostrils flaring and blatant hostility in their eyes, "Why they are looking at me as if I stole their money?" I whispered to Bea after passing their hearing distance.

"You're wearing the Alpha's clothes," Bea said as if it was the most obvious thing on earth, "They might assume a lot of things, you know" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively making me cringe.

"God, this is embarrassing" I moaned, face-palming myself.

We made our way up the stair and once again, I was amazed at the interiors of the building. We passed a few hallways, "This is where Alpha Noah spends most of his time" Bea said, "You can say this is his second home"

There were a few rooms here and I assumed one of them must be the Alpha's office, "What we are supposed to do now?" I asked my friends.

"We have to wait until the Alpha asks us to come in" Justin replied to me.

We waited for about ten minutes and the same men I met the other day at the Alpha's house walked out from the Alpha's room, "The Alpha will see you guys now" He said, gesturing us to go in.

Justin nodded at the man, "Thank you, Beta Kade" He said before knocking on the Alpha's door. He waited until the Alpha grant his permission to enter his room before pushing the door open and stepping in.

Bea and I followed right behind him. The room was furnished exactly like the office he had at his house. There three of us stood side by side, waiting for the Alpha to say something.

Alpha Noah was sitting behind his desk. He studied our faces for a moment before speaking up, "Justin and Bea, you know how this works" He started, "You have to do patrol for the rest of the week. Be sure to learn from your mistakes. I do not want anyone to go that lake ever again" He said firmly

From the corners of my eyes, I saw my friends nod their heads obediently at the Alpha, "Understood, Alpha" They said in unison.

"Good" Alpha Noah said, "You two may go now" He dismissed them.

I watched Bea and Justin exchange a glance among themselves before looking at me. They seemed unwilling to leave me alone but they had no choice. In the end, they mouthed sorry to me and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

It was only me and the Alpha now. This isn't the first I was forced to be alone with him though.

I kept my eyes down, feeling his gaze burning on me. "Cora," He said after a good minute of silence.

"Yes, Alpha" I looked up to meet his mesmerizing silver eyes.

"It seems like you have failed to do the one thing I asked you not to do" He started, "I told you to not cause any trouble" He continued when I bit my lower lip, not knowing what to say to that.

"I am truly sorry, Alpha" I apologized, hanging my head again.

He let out a breath and stood up from his seat, "I can't assign you to patrol the pack since you're not a wolf" He mused and I heard his light footsteps approaching me, "What should I do with you?" He asked, coming to stand about two feet away from me.

I stood there, squirming under his calculating gaze, "Technically, you are not at fault" He continued, "The last time you were here, that place wasn't a restricted area"

I nodded my head at him, "Justin and Bea told me that no one is allowed to go to that lake when we were about five minutes away from reaching the lake" I confessed. It didn't feel right to let my friends take all the blame when I was involved in this as well.

"Ah, so you knew it was a restricted area and yet you went on with your friends" He stated.

"Yes, Alpha" I confirmed.

"Quite brave of you to admit your wrongs" He praised me, "So you have to be punished as well to be fair and square"

"I do not run from my mistakes, Alpha" I responded, "I try my best to face them"

He smiled at me, his eyes gleaming in amusement, "So what should we do with you?" He asked me, "Hmmm" He looked around his office for a bit, "You have to help me with my paperwork for the rest of the week," He said making my eyes bulge out of their sockets.

"Wh- what?" I asked, bewildered.

"It is quite hard actually but I am sure you can keep up" He shrugged, "Do you want some other punishment then?" He asked me when he noticed my hesitation.

I thought about it for a while and let out a sigh, "When should I start?" I asked, slumping my shoulders in defeat. How hard could it be to help him out in his office? I have handled many assignments in a week. This should be a piece of cake for me.

He stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets, "Today will be fine" He shrugged.

"I- ahchum" I let out a loud sneeze, covering my nose and mouth, "Excuse me, Alpha" I apologized again, my cheeks turning red in embarrassment. To my horror, the shorts threatened to fall off my hips again and I hurriedly grabbed the ends of them.

Ah, could this get any worse?

"There. This is why you shouldn't have gone into that lake" Alpha Noah said, shaking his head at me in disapproval. He made his way toward the mini wardrobe beside his bathroom and took out a towel from there, "Your hair is still wet and dripping. Here, dry up yourself properly"

I accepted the towel gratefully from him, "Thank you, Alpha" I said and began drying my hair, making sure I didn't move so much so the shorts will stay put on my hips.

"There are bacteria in fresh water and one of them can be life-threatening to some people" He stated as he watched me dry my hair awkwardly, "You guys should be aware of those things" He sighed.

"Sorry, Alpha" I apologized for the millionth time today.

He continued to stare at me, "Why did your further your studies in London when there are a few good colleges around here?" He asked me out of the blue.

"To be away from here" I answered him honestly. My head felt a lot drier now, "Um where should I put this?" I asked him, referring to the towel.

He pointed at the laundry bin and I quickly put the towel in."Did people bully you when you were younger?" He asked me, his tone was light by his eyes were tight.

"Sometimes" I shrugged, "I don't feel like I belonged here. I am not a wolf. It is not like I am sad about that or anything but I can't relate with everyone else here. Justin and Bea made my life better though"

"There is at no point you were sad for not attaining your wolf?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

I thought about his question before answering it, "Well, maybe when I was younger" I admitted, "That too for a couple of years only. Kids my age were shifting and I never did so I thought something was wrong with me but it turns out I am just human like my mother"

"Your sister is a werewolf though"

I nodded, "Yes. Mera considers herself lucky for that"

"I admire how comfortable you are by being yourself. Not everyone is able to do that" He praised me again, "Do not ever feel bad about yourself in any situation" He added.

I smiled, "Thank you, Alpha. I will be sure to keep that in my mind" I said.

His lips tugged into a breathtaking smile, "I was just kidding when I said you can start today" He said, "There is no need for that. You can come here at eight in the morning"

Oh, what a relief. I don't think I can stay any longer in these clothes here, "Okay, Alpha" I nodded my head again.

"Sharp at eight, okay?" He repeated, "I don't appreciate tardiness" He warned me.

"Understood, Alpha" I nodded again.

He watched me for a few more seconds before undoing his belt, "What- what are doing, Alpha?" I asked, my eyes widening. Why was he taking off his belt?

"Relax," He said and my body responded to that command despite me being a human. He crossed the distance between us and extended the belt to me, "There you go. I think the shorts are too big for you. Put this on and you'll be much more comfortable" He said, waiting for me to take the belt from him.

My cheeks were beet red as I accepted the belt from him, "Thank you, Alpha" I said and quickly put on the belt, pulling it as tight. I let out a sigh of relief before looking up at him again.

"You may go now," He said, "I'll see you tomorrow"

I nodded my head at him and quickly rushed out of the room, closing the door shut behind me. Justin and Bea were waiting for me outside and they both came up to me instantly, "Did he scold you or something?" Bea asked me worriedly.

I shook my head at her, "No. I am supposed to help him with paperwork for the rest of the week. That is my punishment" I said.

"Thank god" Bea sighed, "I really thought you were in big trouble"

Justin did not say anything. He looked a little upset about something, "Are you okay, Justin?" I asked him, "Are you worried about the patrolling thing?" I guessed.

He quickly masked his face, "No, no" He shook his head, a tight smile playing on his lips, "Um if that's all, let's go back" He said, "It is almost noon and I am starving"

"Yeah, I am hungry too," I said, grabbing my growling stomach, "But I have to change my clothes first before going out for lunch. I don't think I can take any more hate for wearing the Alpha's clothes"

Bea grinned at me, "Then let's get you home first" She said.