Under the spell of the Alpha (Book 1, Alpha series)

The teacup story

I slept like a rock that night even if my body was aching after James’s touch. I had found my mate, perfect match, partner and soulmate. I can’t believe it! When I woke up I kind of thought it had been a dream but my sore neck with a huge mark on it told me otherwise. I looked over to the clock, 5am, it was still early. I got up and put on my favourite training clothes and walked down the stairs and exited the front door. I always started early mornings with a run and some defense training. I stripped out of my clothes and sprinted towards the forest and few feet into the woods I jumped and shifted midair. Kayleigh was happy to finally run off some of her energy and overwhelming joy of finally finding our mate. I think we reached a new speed level due to the pent up energy Kayleigh had felt since yesterday. We ran for about an hour before I shifted back, put on my clothes and walked over to the training-dummy and started punching and kicking it. I cut out after about 40 minutes and jogged back up to my room to shower.

As the water heated up looked at my new mark in the mirror. It had gotten bigger, darker and more purple than last night. But it didn’t hurt as much as it had done during the evening. James had kept apologizing for giving it to me but I didn’t really mind. I stepped under the warm water as all the memories of yesterday came dashing before me. The feeling that filled me when he looked into my eyes and the joy that Kayleigh expressed at the presence of our mate. I smile and the memories and also felt sadness wash over me at the our mates absent presence around us. I finished up and got dressed in a simple black dress and flats to go with it before I left my room once again. I greeted the pack members I met along the way to the kitchen. I was roaming through the fridge when I sensed someone else in the room.

“I see you haven’t changed since you were five” It was Jake.

“Breakfast will always be the most important meal of my day.” I said as I pulled out all the stuff I needed to make pancakes. I make the best pancakes in the pack and it’s also the only thing I know how to make. “I figured everyone could use a good breakfast this morning”

“Oh right, the arrangement of papers and all the boring things about mating.” He remembered that boring part about finding your mate.

“Yup.. I still can’t believe I found my mate.” I was still floating on cloud nine.

“I know it didn’t seem like it yesterday but I’m really happy for you Zara. Truly.” He was sincere, it was all in his voice.

“Thanks Jake, that means a lot.”

We could hear our father's voice coming closer and before we heard that he was talking to someone I knew it was James. It was still freaky to me that I knew when he was near without seeing him. The two of them were talking about me.. of course he had to tell embarrassing stories about me, even though I thought that would be moms job.

“...And then she threw Christopher's teddy bear in the lake and stomped off”  he finished and the two laughed. 

“Really? The teacup story?” I asked and cracked the last egg.

“It’s cute and remind me to never put to much sugar in your tea.” James said with a huge smile on his face as walked over and kissed my head.

“I was seven and Chris needed to learn proper tea etiquette.” Jake laughed at the memory too. “You don’t have the right to laugh at that story or any other embarrassing stories involving me cause I have more than dubbel with you as the star so just shut up.” Jake stopped laughing right away and put his hands up in surrender causing James and our father to let out a small laugh.

“Oh you’re laughing now James, she all yours now.” Jake told him which made me even more upset in a way.

“James don’t annoy me like you do so that’s not gonna be an issue.” I said as I was now whisking the last of the batter together.

“Oh is it famous pancake breakfast today?” My father asked.

“I figured we could all use a proper breakfast today.” I told him with a smile, ignoring Jake’s look.

“Like mother like daughter I see.” Mom entered the room and gave me a side hug.

“Hey! I cook” Jake said and we all look at him in confusion since he rarely even touched anything other than the fridge. And the occasional toaster.

“Toast isn’t cooking.” I teased him.

“Pancakes is the only you can make without burning the whole house down.” I couldn’t argue with that since it was true.

“At least I know when to give up trying something and sticking to what I know.”

“So now children, stop bickering. Neither of you are little kids anymore. You have to excuse my children James, usually they can behave better.” Mom used her calming Luna voice. With that I turned to the stove and started frying the first pancake. 

“It’s okay, reminds me of my brother and sisters.” James reassured her.

“Wait you have siblings? How many?” I turned around facing him as he was now on the chair closest to me.

”Four, one brother and three sisters. Amy, the youngest is gonna adore you.” We both just smiled.

Jake mindlinked with me, ‘you slept with him but you didn’t even know about his family. Real classy Z.’ I growled at him in response awarding both of us some looks from around the room.

“I can’t wait to meet them. And speaking of, when am I meeting them?” Neither one of us had talked about me moving with James to his pack. We all knew it would happen, it was tradition but we never talked about the timeline of it all.

“As soon as you are ready, I sent John back home last night to get everything ready for your arrival. I know you have some things to fix here before you go so take your time. But unfortunately I have to leave tomorrow at the latest, urgent pack business I’m afraid.” He was seriously perfect right? The no pressure, no demands just wanting me to be happy. I would have wanted a lot of time to prepare myself for moving a couple of hours away but I knew I couldn’t stay away from him that long.

“Tomorrow is fine, it give me the day to pack up my essentials and then we can just send for the rest of my thing later?” I looked at my parents for a yes, nod or just any reaction and when I got it I turned to the stove as to not burn my pancakes.

“I think we could work some things out. I know Stacy would love to visit you and make sure your stuff doesn’t get lost along the way.”

”Oh my god!!” I squealed.”That is kind of brilliant! Who knew you were so smart father?” That earned me a stern look from him.

“Keep that up and you will never..” he didn’t get to finish. I think our father mindlinked him in command to shut the f**k up.

After that the conversation grew easier and even Jake behaved as I finished up the last of the pancakes. Every single pancake was gone within minutes, hungry wolfs is all I’m saying. After we cleared the table my father, James and I walk over to the office to sign all the boring papers so there would be no confusion. Since I’m an alpha by blood I still had responsibilities to our pack even if I moved and became Luna of another. I still had voting rights of real issues and a right to know what was going on with the pack. This let me stay on our packs mindlink, if I hadn’t been an alpha I would have lost that to everyone except my family.

James then took of in the woods to let his wolf run free for an hour as I started to pack my things. It wasn’t hard to get Stacy to join me since it would be our last day together. We talked about memories, all the good and the not so good ones as well. I’m not gonna lie it was a lot of tears, but we knew we would see each other in a week or two when she escorted the rest of my things to the Moon Creeks territory. I knew nothing about this place but that’s what I loved about it. A whole new city to explore and fall in love with.

 I was finally done with putting all my most important clothes and shoes into suitcases, my makeup, hair products, jewelry and such in a box that I was gonna take with me in the morning. Along with one of our family photos from three years ago, Rebecca was pregnant there as well but with their second pup. And a photo of me and Stacy was a given. I was now curled up in James’s arms on our garden lounge set looking at the stars. I hadn’t seen him all day and it almost killed me inside. We just sat there not saying a word. The silence wasn’t awkward at all, it was this comfortable peace surrounding us.

We said our good nights just like the previous night. We talked over mindlink for a few minutes before my body was taken over by the exhaustion of today. When I woke up the next day I put on the tight grey dress and sandals I had put out yesterday and put on natural looking makeup before putting my last things into my purse. I met James on the stairs and he kissed me sweetly before telling me ‘good morning’. There was a calm breakfast with the whole family today before David, a pack member, told us all my stuff was packed in the cars that would take me to my new home. We now stood on the front porch saying our goodbyes.

“Promise to write and call Rai” Marcus said as he gave me a hug.

“Of course! How else can I know when I have to rush back here for pup number three?!” I answered him, hugging him even harder.

“And you look out for her, okay James.” It wasn’t a question it was a command.

“I won’t take my eyes off of her.” He promised as they did the whole guy hug thing that guys do. Don’t asked me about it cause I’ll never get it.

“I’m really gonna miss you Z!!” Stacy said pulling me in for another bone crushing hug.

”I’m gonna miss you too Stace!!”

”I will mindlink you an insult every day so you don’t forget about me.” Chris reasurred me.

“No one can forget that weird looking face, ever.” We both laughed knowing very well that he would mindlink me that insult as soon as I got in the car.

“I’m gonna miss you princess. Take care and don’t go all Alpha on anyone. Okay?” Dad knew me too well.

“I will do my best.” I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“FaceTime me every day so I get to see that you’re okay!” Unlike my father’s words, moms weren’t up for debate.

“I promise mom. Love you.” I gave her a tight hug before looking to my brother. “Come on Jake, you know you’re gonna miss chasing me around the forest and fighting over how I dress.”

“You know I will. It gonna be different not having you around to make my job harder. I love you sis.” We didn’t want the hug to end. But it had to.

James and I got in the Escalade and I waved at my family as we drove away. It was scary being so far away from everyone but it was an adventure I couldn’t wait to begin.