A Worthy Wolf?

I walked through the hallways of the packhouse with anticipation swirling within my belly. I adjusted the cute little purple skater-style dress I was wearing as I near skipped my way through the increasing crowds. The hallways were hectic with the business of a usual day in the pack. Everyone moving with determination as they went about their daily plans, all oblivious to what was happening... Another meeting with the man my parents and my Alpha wished for me to marry. An arranged marriage, admittedly, but one I was not about to argue with. The man was heavenly! Life as the only female heir within the hierarchy of a pack meant I held great value but also came with what many would consider the great sadness that meant holding out for a fated mate was a long-forgotten memory. Truthfully, the possibility of not finding my fated mate did not affect me. Many did not find their fated mates anymore. They were becoming increasingly rarer. Hence, the need to marry off so many of us... And as daughter to the Beta of the Shadowed Storm Pack, my time had arrived to be the one to be married off. Used as a bargaining tool, I suppose you could say. Whereas my brother, Teddy, and his friends, Roan and Kian, as the sons of the Alpha, Beta and Gamma of our pack, would be somewhat more privileged, and have the honor of screening for their own mates. The idea did not appeal to me, and I had long since accepted what my future would hold. So, meeting the man they planned to make my husband was more than pleasant enough of a surprise... Images of Brayden Sterling, Gamma of Fallen Forest Pack flickered through my mind. His sandy blond waves of hair that fell over his emerald green eyes... His masculine jawline... and an intense gaze that was enough to make a she-wolf's heart stop... “Raven!” I heard my mother’s exasperated voice, as she disturbed my wandering imagination, from where she stood at the edge of the hallway which turned off to the Alpha offices. I could see her furrowed brow from where I was, and the panicked expression. She was forever stressing over one thing or another, even more so since this wedding plan had been announced. “What has taken you so long?” She demanded. I gave her a cheeky smile. “I have to look good for my new husband, don't I?” I motioned to the new dress I had taken a lifetime selecting. Well, perhaps not a lifetime, but a girl had to take her time choosing the correct dress... not to mention the time it had taken to perfect my smoky eye look, and select my chunky-heeled sandals. A girl had to look perfect for the man she was going to marry, right? I had only had the chance to meet him a handful of times, so each opportunity I had was important. I needed to make a good impression! My Mum rolled her eyes in what appeared to be sheer despair at me. “Hmm. He is not your husband yet. Alpha Alexis needs to agree to the terms yet.” I sighed. The agreement of terms was what appeared to be taking the time. This had to be the third or fourth time they had met to discuss them; it may even have been more, and I was simply not aware of them. I knew that for at least two of the previous meetings, I had not been present. They were all taking this far too seriously; determined to get as much out of one another as they possibly could. Meeting upon meeting to battle it out, and that did not include the many back and forth emails that flew between them. Anyone would think I was a rare antique that my pack did wish to let go... You would think the Fallen Forest Pack could just say, we will give you this, and my pack would say, we offer this. They agree, and the job would be done. Sadly, neither pack was quite so agreeable. Or maybe both packs were just greedy? Beta's daughter, and the bride-to-be, or not, I was not important enough to have been involved in the agreement of terms, despite being a big part of them. The truth of the matter was, I would happily marry the man for nothing. He was so handsome. Had the best sense of humor. And when we had spent time together, he had been the most charming. Such a gentleman... What more could a she-wolf want? ‘A man that we know?’ My wolf warned, and not for the first time. Sable, for some reason, did not appear to be on board with the arranged marriage. I could only assume it was because it was not our fated mate. But she, like every other wolf of this generation, had to accept they were becoming rarer. Chosen mates were the most common type of mates now... ‘We do know him.’ I teased. ‘We know he is handsome. He is rich. He is..’ ‘Not worthy of you.’ Sable interrupted, and I faltered. I did not know why she thought that for a moment. The man was a Gamma. Yes, I was of Beta blood, but that did not make me much higher in rank. I was not a Beta myself. My father was. There was no way of knowing who or what rank my fated mate would have been if I had been allowed to wait for him, assuming he even existed... “Stop dawdling Raven! For Goddess’ sake, the man will decide you are not worth waiting for and go and find another bride.” My mother snapped, and I gave her a grin. I did not think for a moment that Brayden would do that. We may not have met many times, but we had spent enough time together for me to know that the man was always meant to be mine...