THE ALPHA’S TRUE MATE: EMBRACING DESTINY

One

In a quiet murmur, my father muttered over the letter, his eyes glued to its contents, a hint of anxiety flickering in his gaze.

"What's happening?" I asked, my voice tinged with nervousness as I chewed on my lip.

"When is it happening?" my mother questioned, her arms folded around herself, her face etched with concern.

"Tonight. They're on their way now. All the packs involved will already be nearby," my father responded gravely.

With a shake of his head, my father forcefully dropped the letter onto the kitchen counter, his breaths labored. "I haven't heard of one of these occurring since my great-grandfather's time. What kind of foolish Alpha still enforces this?"

"What's happening?" I questioned, my brows knitting together in concern.

"The Dark Night," he replied grimly.

My fingers trembled as I nervously fidgeted with them, and I unconsciously chewed on my bottom lip. "You mean the actual Dark Night?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

My mother glanced at me, gently tucking my chestnut brown hair behind my ears. "I never wanted any of my children to witness one of these, but all those over eighteen must attend," she explained softly. I swallowed hard, my sensitive soul already bracing for the ordeal ahead.

The notion of witnessing the Dark Night had never crossed my mind. My parents had assured me it was a thing of the past.

"There's no way you're volunteering for this, Emily!" My father's sudden outburst made me take a step back in surprise.

"Of course not! I would never willingly participate in something like that!" I exclaimed, feeling a rush of indignation.

My father let out a sigh of relief, running a hand through his hair. "Good. My child will not be subjected to such horrors just to become a Luna of a pack she knows nothing about."

I nodded in agreement. Becoming a Luna had never held any appeal to me. I was content with my life, surrounded by friends and family.

Yet, the thought of witnessing the Dark Night filled me with dread. Our pack was small, so the volunteer would likely be someone I knew and cared about deeply.

"What if there are multiple volunteers?" I inquired, my mind racing with possibilities.

"The Alpha selects one from all the volunteers—only one wolf per pack is permitted," my father explained.

"Any idea who might volunteer?" I pressed further.

Both my parents shrugged in uncertainty. "It's hard to say. This caught everyone off guard, so it hasn't been discussed," my mother replied.

"Speaking of which, I need to head over to Michael's place. He'll likely call a council meeting any moment now," my father announced, planting a kiss on my mother's forehead.

"Alright, take care," I said as he hurried out the door, making his way towards the Alpha's residence. My father served on the pack council. Ours was a fair and inclusive pack. Alpha Michael valued input from all members, regardless of rank, ensuring everyone's voice was heard in decision-making.

I was aware that not all packs enjoyed the same harmony as ours. Some Alphas ruled with an iron fist, instilling fear to maintain control. There was an unspoken boundary no one dared to cross, for fear of dire consequences.

But Alpha Michael was different. He eschewed violence, opting for banishment over bloodshed. While some deemed him weak, I saw his strength in his refusal to wield power through fear. Michael sought respect earned through leadership, not intimidation.

Our pack, though small, was tightly knit—a stark contrast to larger packs boasting hundreds of members. We numbered around sixty at most.

"Get dressed in something nice, Emily. We want to represent our pack well," my mother instructed gently.

"For whom? Who's hosting this event?" I questioned, puzzled.

"Alpha Liam Lucas," she replied, her words causing me to shake my head in disbelief, my brows knitting together in consternation.

"Why can't we just decline? What makes this Alpha so powerful that he can host such an event?" I voiced my frustration.

"It's how things are, Emily. Alphas must eventually mate to continue their bloodlines," my mother explained with a tinge of sadness, acknowledging the flaw in the system. Despite her discomfort, she knew the harsh reality had to be confronted.

"Why does it have to be like this? Why subject these wolves to such pain and suffering?" I questioned, my voice tinged with frustration.

"Alphas seek strength, Emily. They desire wolves who are mentally and physically resilient, and this is their way of testing it," my mother replied, her tone growing harsher, her eyes darkening from their usual light blue to a smoky grey.

"Mom, what if no one volunteers?" I pressed further.

She turned to me, her eyes now a deep black, and held my gaze for a moment before speaking. "Then the choice will be made at random."

"Just behave, Emily. Be polite, don't cause any trouble. The last thing we need is a scene," my father chimed in, his words fading into background noise as I tuned him out. I had already decided on my approach: keep my head down, stay quiet, and wait for it all to be over.

I resolved not to look, not even steal a glance. I refused to let images of wolves being subjected to such brutality sear into my memory for eternity.

As we made our way to the clearing just beyond our territory, my mind raced with questions. Who would step forward to volunteer? Surely it would be a single she-wolf, likely young and without children.

With around thirty females in our pack, roughly twenty of them were either elders or mothers. I couldn't shake the chill of realization that one of the volunteers could be a friend, someone I had grown up with.

As we rounded the corner, my breath caught in my throat at the sight before me. The once-empty clearing, usually filled only with the howling wind and swirling dust, was now packed to the brim, making it nearly impossible to maneuver.

Thanks to my petite stature, I struggled to see over the crowd, a fact for which I was grateful. Yet, I knew I wouldn't escape the sounds that would echo through the clearing. Nervously, I fidgeted with the hem of my blouse, hoping fervently for a swift and uneventful gathering.

"Is everyone present?" boomed a commanding voice. "Good. I'm Beta Dante."

"The Alpha is running a tad late, but he's instructed me to kick things off, and he'll be joining us shortly. It's time for each pack to present their volunteers!"

A dozen she-wolves emerged, striding confidently into the center of the clearing, their attire ranging from flowy dresses to smart blouses paired with jeans. Yet, beneath the facade of innocence in their clothing, we all understood that soon those garments would be torn and stained with blood.

I strained my eyes, craning my neck in an attempt to identify the females standing at the center, but to my dismay, I couldn't recognize any of them. Turning to my father, I found him staring, his eyes wide with disbelief.