The Imperfect Prince and His Perfect Mate

Chapter 4

It was pretty early when I woke up. We would be leaving in a few hours and I wanted to make sure I had everything together. Thankfully we would be running in our wolf form today and would only be carrying a change of gym clothes in our mouths. I got myself ready and packed my things, zipped up the bags, then double checked my room. Our items would be transported by vehicle with James and one of the others would be riding with him for safety. I gathered my suit case and gym bag and brought it with me down stairs. I placed it by the entry way and headed into the kitchen, that way I could easily grab it once I was ready to leave.

I walked on into the kitchen and saw an older woman at the stove cooking and humming to herself. It looked like she was cooking sausage and bacon. It smelled wonderful. I gave her a small smile when she looked up and she smiled in return.

I walked over to the fridge and took out a small bottle of orange juice. I walked over to the kitchen island where a basket of fruit sat, picked out an apple, and left the kitchen. I walked outside and to the small koi pond they had at the beginning of their garden area. It was a nice peaceful setting.

The pond had a water fall and I sat there, eating my apple and drinking my juice thinking about what could happen. As I listened to the water I opened up my phone. My mother had sent me a text: "How are things going there?"

I replied to her: "Hey mom, it's going as well as it should, I guess We are heading to the next pack soon. I am sure dad has already told you this though."

She instantly replied: "That is not what I meant. I was seeing if you found your mate by chance? Maybe she will be in the next pack then. Stay safe and all my love."

I smiled my mom had not stopped talking about me finding my fated mate from the day I came of age at seventeen.

I couldn't take my fathers spot without my mate by my side. It was understandable as to why she constantly asked. If you asked me, the tradition of having a mate by your side to take over the Wolf Kingdom was outdated and to me dumb.

I sighed and pulled up one of the local news articles.

On the top page of the article was a photo of my father and myself. I scrolled through and read through the article. It talked about our mission and how things seemed to be going with Alpha Gregor. The next section of the article was of myself and Alpha Gregor. The title read The Prince and The Alpha. The photo was of us walking alongside each other in one shot. The next shot was of us both shaking hands with one another and smiling. I am just thankful it was of my good side.

I closed it and turned the screen off on my phone. I slid it into my pocket and gathered my apple core and my now empty bottle of orange juice. I tossed it in the trash and walked back inside. I could smell breakfast and heard talking in the dining hall. I walked in and started making a plate of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and four slices of french toast drowned on syrup.

I sat down at a table alone and ate my breakfast. I looked up as a young woman sat down at the table. My brow raised curious as to who she was and then she smiled at me. She couldn't be any older than fifteen, why was she sitting with me. Was this a bet by a group of friends? I looked around the room suspiciously and found no one around her age.

"Sorry." She said in a soft voice. "I just don't think anyone should be eating alone. Do you mind?" I shook my head, motioned for her seat and we ate in silence. I finished my meal and noticed she was looking at me.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"How did that happen? I've heard stories but I just was wondering the truth. I don't like gossip really." She gave a small smile.

"I received them when I was protecting my younger sister many years ago." I took a drink out of my cup.

"Oh. I am sorry that happened to you. You know that makes you a hero." Her smile widened.

"Yeah that's what my parents and her both say. How old are you anyway kiddo?" My brow raised again and my head tilted to the side.

"Me? Well I am almost seventeen. I turn seventeen next week. How old are you?" She asked.

"I am eighteen. I turn nineteen in a few months. You'll be getting your wolf, nervous about the transition? Finding your mate?" I asked.

"No. I am excited for it, honestly." She seemed like a cheerful person. It was nice to be around and it brought my spirits up.

"Well I must be going..." I paused and realized I didn't know her name.

"Eliza." She smiled.

"Oh. Your the daughter of the Alpha from Blue Moon?" I looked surprised.

"I am. I'm just here with my father to learn about pack life. We got here maybe twenty minutes ago." I watched as she took a generous sip of her drink.

"Well, I am sure you have very much to learn. I don't want to keep you and get one of us, or both of us in any trouble. Thank you for the wonderful conversation, Eliza." I nodded my head to her and walked away from the table.

I made my way to the door and met my father and the other guys. Alpha Gregor and Alpha Trenton was there. I extended my hand to Trenton and introduced myself. We shook hands for a moment.

Alpha Trenton had a medium size pack out towards the Northern Territory. His territory boarder ran along the coast and while his pack was considered medium sized because of the number of wolves he was over. The pack was actually quite large territory wise.

I turned and picked up my bags and took them to the vehicle. I went ahead and shifted on the spot and waited patiently. My wolf huffed as we stretched our limbs out. It felt nice to be in my wolf form, finally. Back home I let him out every day for a run.

We sat down as we looked around us. Half of the world still blind to us. Though it only appeared as his eye just did not open.

He was a very large wolf, even larger than my fathers wolf. He was midnight black with the eye color of red. He was quick, smart, and extremely strong.

His tail whipped out of annoyance as he impatiently waited.

"I am about to leave and scout ahead for the group."

I laughed "You know father would not approve because his orders were that we all go together. Well other than the vehicle."

"I know, it's just so annoying. We should be on our way already. Wasting time." He growled.

"You just want to run is all." I told him flat out. "We wait until everyone is ready."

Sometimes in the wolf world when you have a strong willed wolf they like to take control. That's all fine and well as they listen to the logical human side of things. Do what the human says to do. When a wolf gains too much power, disobeys, endangers others without thinking of consequence, and breaks laws they are trialed and casted out as rouges.

Eventually everyone came out from the packhouse laughing and having what seemed to be a pleasant conversation. My fathers eyes landed on me and he linked me "Sorry son, I know we are behind schedule. Looks like we will have to run a little faster."

My wolfs ears perked up at that last part as he stood on all fours. My father just smiled, turned and said his farewells.

They all shifted and the vehicle took off down the road. We darted into the woods quickly. We were behind by fifteen minutes or so.

"We are going to still be late no matter how fast we run." I told my wolf.

"Challenge accepted." He let out a rumbling growl and I felt our body moving faster. Trees whizzed by, breaking the smaller ones in our path.

I sat back and watched the world move by through him. We never crossed paths with any rouges on our way to the next pack. I didn't figure we would the territory lines were too close together.

I felt my fathers trying to link me "Slow down son. We need to enter the territory together. We are not too far behind you."

"Yes sir. I will wait. I am a mile or so out." I linked him back and cut the link off.

Maybe four minutes later my father and the rest of the Royal Guard arrived and we moved and entered the territory of Crest Moon. We were greeted by the packs boarder patrols and they ran along with us to the Packhouse.

When we finally reached the packhouse we shifted into our human forms and changed into our clothes we were able to carry with us. I looked over to the Alpha and he seemed like a devilish little weasel. I don't know why but he gave me an uneasy feeling. I was already looking forward to leaving this place and I have yet to speak to anyone.

I watched as my father greeted the Alpha of Crest Moon then introduced him to me. When he got a good look at me I swore I saw the i***t flinch. It made me and my wolf want to mash his face in. He outstretched his arm and I took his hand to shake it. I squeezed his hand tighter than usual and gave a curt nod with a tight smile. "Pleasure to meet you Alpha."

He bowed his head to me, "Welcome Prince Andrew, please allow my members to show you Gentlemen to your rooms." He turned an motioned to a few men and women.

"Thank you." My father told him.

We all fell in line as we walked inside following the group of Packhouse workers. When we entered my wolf stirred excitedly inside of me as a strong scent of lavender wafted me in the face.

"Mate." My wolf called out in my head. I looked around the area to see if I could find her and nothing.

If anything she frequents the packhouse, her scent is everywhere and I am drowning in it. "We will find her." I told him, "Just be patient." That was not his strong suit to start with. Now that our mate is close, it was even harder to not give into our instincts and run wildly while we sear he'd for her.

I could feel that he wanted to bust out of here and leave to go find her immediately. He wanted to scoop her up and take her home with us. I did too, but was a little more patient. I sat my stuff down in the room and we took off.

We were on the hunt for our mate. I sniffed all around and looked for her. She wasn't anywhere in the packhouse. We went outside and found hints of her wonderful scent out there. We followed it to a trail. Maybe she shifted? I thought to myself. I continued to follow to trail and came to a clearing that opened up into a park.

I walked around aimlessly. Where is she? Has she already left? Did I follow the wrong trail? My wolf growled out of annoyance.

"Maybe we should go back to the packhouse?" I suggested.

"No, mate is here! I know it. Mate was here recently. Maybe Mate passed through. Keep looking." He told me.

The park was massive and I walked along the pathway that looped in and out. I looked up at the overcast sky and sighed. If it starts to rain it will wash her scent away. We wouldn't know where to find her, unless we stumbled into one another or we were close enough in distance. The wind would have to be blowing just right though.

I sighed and when I felt the first few raindrops hit my face and arms. This made my wolf became anxious and nervous. I felt him whine as the rain became harder. The scent was slowly disappearing, slipping away from us.