The Ice Wolf Alpha’s Fire Wolf Mate.

Chapter Two - The Ice King

Christian’s POV

I paced in my office as my Beta Eric, bombarded me with requests, questions, and issues relating to the upcoming election of a Luna. Apparently a lot of members in the pack thought what I was doing was wrong and went against the moon goddess’ wishes.

“Chris, the pack is in a frenzy, there has never been a platonic alpha and Luna and they don’t believe that is is the way things should be.” Eric spoke, he was a quick speaker and always got to the point, it was one of my favorite qualities about him. I had a short attention span, not to mention my packed schedule, and listening to someone beat around the bush was not on my to-do list.

“I don’t want to force myself to love someone and then die, only to be reunited with my true mate. Who I will then have to tell I was unfaithful.” I said flatly, narrowing my blue eyes at him as I saw him shrink back a bit, softening my expression at the realization. While Eric knows I wouldn’t hurt him, and has a lot of guts around me compared to everyone else in the pack, a wolves instincts around an alpha were strong. If an alpha raises his voice or displays aggression, it is nearly impossible not to shrink back a bit in submission.

“Even your mother is in distress, she believes your mate is still alive and that this will cause havoc and confusion for you and the pack when you do find your true mate. She is worried it will affect your relationship.”

As much as I didn’t want to hear Eric’s information, it was his job to relay it to me and aid me in making my choices, as always I heard him out. In this situation however, my decision was already made.

“You can tell everyone that I already made my choice. The election will proceed and it will happen tomorrow at sundown just like traditional mating ceremonies.” I told him, before I walked out. I needed time to myself, time to think about all of the things that were happening in my life.

I walked out of the back door of the pack house, the “backyard” was vast forests and they went on for miles, it was nestled in the very center of the forest. There was only a small area where the trees had been cleared away for the rose garden that my mother had planted years ago. She had every type and color of rose in that garden and it was her pride and joy.

I walked into the woods, my mind racing. The forest was empty and quiet expect for the occasional rustle caused by a squirrel or the chirps of birds. My mind wandered to my soulmate. I was 20, why hadn’t I found her yet? If she wasn’t dead, then where was she? I had looked at every pack I knew of on this earth over the past two years and she was not there, I checked again every year until this one. I had come to the conclusion that It was no use. I had convinced myself she was either dead, or that I simply hadn’t gotten a mate.

Logically though, everyone told me this was likely not true, as I would have felt it if my mate had died, even if we were unmated. Losing your mate is the worst thing a werewolf can experience and more often than not ends up killing the remaining mate. It would have felt like I was stabbed in the heart physically and mentally and it would have been torture for months if not years.

As for not having a mate, it simply doesn’t happen. There is someone for everyone. Even the most evil and vile wolves in history have had a mate, even if they killed or rejected them. I could never reject my mate, I would be eternally grateful just to have a living and breathing mate at this point.

But if I had a mate, and she was not dead, where the hell was she? Was she a rogue? A part of some forgotten pack? I feared that I would never find out.

I was snapped out of my daze when one of the young warriors came running over to me with panic written all over his face. Tim was a young and promising warrior in training, he was 16 years old and he was Eric’s son, meaning he was likely to be the pack’s next Beta unless I or my heir specifically chose another candidate for the position.

“Alpha Christian, sir, there has been a rogue spotted on the west boarder. It is a lone she wolf, she seems harmless enough but we took her into custody for you to question either way.” He spoke quickly and efficiently, just like his father. Tim was just a mini Eric basically, and I saw a lot of potential in him.

“Good job Tim, you may go rest.” I told him, it was clear he was exhausted from running around helping everyone and delivering messages back and forth throughout the day. He looked grateful to get a chance to rest and bowed his head respectfully before walking away.

My heart skipped in my chest, just like it did whenever a lone female rogue was found on the property. It was most likely if my mate was alive, she was a rogue, and not a part of a pack, since I had visited them all. I hoped that fate would draw her to me one day.

I made my way to the pack house where I had just came from and as I got closer I continuously hoped I would smell my mate, that my wolf would go absolutely nuts in my head and I would be able to run over to her and embrace her.

It never came. I walked into the pack house, and started making my way downstairs to the dungeon/cellar.

The pack house was massive, to be able to accommodate all of our highest ranked wolves and anyone who may need extra protection, while still having room for guests, it had been added onto many times over the years and was as old as the pack itself in some parts of it.

I had modernized it a bit when I became alpha, giving it a more open floor plan and adding more neutral colors that were less hard on my eyes than the bright colors that used to decorate it. My father was a very artistic man and loved using various different colors in everything.

I walked down the stairs which creaked under my feet due to lack of maintenance, I needed to get those fixed. When I reached the bottom of the cold stairway I saw some of my warriors positioned around the rogue making sure she didn’t try to leave or retaliate, though she seemed harmless. My guards seemed to understand this though and weren’t even physically restraining her. It was clear she wouldn’t be able to outrun them anyways once I saw the state she was in.

She was small, frail, and looked scared. She couldn’t be older than 16. I could smell that she was a wolf, but I couldn’t smell her wolf itself which meant she had not shifted many times if at all. I was snapped out of my train of thought when she looked up at me in terror, like I was the big bad wolf. Many people believed that I was worse than him.

I frowned and got down on one knee in front of her in hopes to seem less intimidating. “You are dismissed.” I told the guards who quickly left, leaving me and the young girl to speak privately about how she had ended up here.

“I am so sorry if my friends hurt you or scared you in any way.” I spoke softly, removing the chains from around her waist that they’d used to tie her loosely to a chair, she stood when I untied her but did not attempt to flee, simply stretching her limbs a bit. Her clothes were dirty and torn, she had clearly been outside for a while.

“What is your name?” I asked her again, she looked at me once again with the fear in her eyes still present, she looked as if she was hesitant to answer and it took a moment before she spoke. “My name is Ellie.”

Her voice was small, broken, hoarse, I felt my heart ache for her as she clearly had been lacking in proper care for a long time. This was not uncommon for rogues though. Although most rogues did not reproduce, so it was not usually a huge issue with children.

“Ellie, you seem to be in need of some food and water, how about you come upstairs with me and we can talk about where you came from, and why you are here, while you get some food and water?” I asked, standing back up as I towered over her. She had to be at most five feet tall, while I was a staggering six foot five.

Ellie just nodded her head slightly before following me back up the stairs and into the hallway, some guards looked at me questionably but I mind linked them to clear out of the house. I didn’t want her feeling overwhelmed or like a prisoner.

I suppose technically the girl was a prisoner, but I had no intention of keeping it that way unless she gave me a reason to.

I had a soft spot for children, and had taken in a few rogue children or children from defeated packs who needed help since I had became alpha. Many pack members frowned upon it. Something about bloodline purity. I never did care about that.

Ellie sat down on one of the tall wooden barstools in the kitchen as I went behind the bar to get her a glass of water, she seemed a bit shy and uncomfortable still but the stench of fear radiating from her was fading rapidly and I could see her beginning to relax.

“Can you tell me what happened to you?” I asked her, handing her a glass of water as I spoke. I could not imagine how such a young and seemingly sweet girl was all on her own.

Ellie quickly took the water and drank half the glass then and there, I smiled slightly at the sight before leaning against the bar to listen to her response.

She cleared her throat before looking down at the glass in her hands. “Firstly, I’m adopted. I was adopted by a human family when I was eight. I knew my parents. Them and everyone else in my pack was killed in a war though and I did not think I would ever shift after the psychological affects it had on me. I was wrong.”

I frowned to myself, racking my mind for any wars that happened around eleven years ago, I knew one pack was wiped out around that time but there was said to be no survivors. She paused her explanation to take another drink of water.

“I turned sixteen two months ago. That night, I turned. My adopted family was absolutely horrified by me. Not only had I just turned into a wolf in their living room, butI had set their couch on fire with seemingly my mind. Long story short, I was literally thrown out of the door faster than I could even process that I was a wolf.”

I tried to read her expression, but she was expressionless as she finished the glass of water, I took it from her and refilled it as I gave her a chance to continue, not wanting to interrupt. I felt horrible for her, she had lost not one, but two sets of parents.

“After that I was just.. on my own in the woods. I don’t think I’ve barely eaten since I left either. I caught a couple rabbits in my wolf form but I hadn’t turned back until your warriors found me and forced me to.”

I placed a sandwich I had just made her on the counter as she finished speaking. I wasn’t the best chef, it was really my best work. She didn’t seem disappointed though.

“I’m sorry.” I spoke after a moment, not sure exactly what to say. It was not unheard of for these situations to happen, and it usually didn’t end well, lots of children like Ellie would be killed on sight by either a pack they unintentionally trespassed on, or by other rogues.

“You are more than welcome to stay here at the pack house, and become a member of our pack if you would like. Tomorrow we are hosting an election for our new Luna.” I paused as I thought of a way to include her in the event, as I had already made most of the arrangements by that point.

“Perhaps you could help me by making a playlist for the events after party?” I asked, watching as her face lit up and she nodded enthusiastically, causing a smile to tug at my lips.

I glanced at the clock and realized I had to meet some of the omegas at the packs event center in fifteen minutes to discuss decorations and other arrangements for the next day.

“I will call one of our maids to show you to a room, you will be more than welcome to ask her for anything you need and are welcome to use any of the items that you find in your room.” I said, leaving her in the kitchen to finish her sandwich before walking to my office where one of the maids and an old friend of mine from high school, Sierra, was cleaning.

“Sierra.” I spoke when she didn’t notice me after a moment, causing her to jump slightly before turning to face me.

“Yes Alpha?” She questioned, dipping her head in respect before meeting my gaze. I used to tell her to just call me Christian after I took my position, but it never worked.

“Please escort the new she wolf to a room and help her with anything she might need. She is in the kitchen eating at the moment.” I explained what I needed to her.

Sierra nodded and quickly packed up her cleaning supplies and went to go put them away. I sighed in relief that I had that situation covered, before I exited my office into the hallway, and exiting the pack house through the front door.

The event center was just across the street, and many wolves could be seen rushing around inside and out making preparations.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan, as I walked into the building. It was basically just a wide open building, used for parties and balls, stuff like that.

The lead planner, Eric’s brother Aaron ran over to me. “Do you see anything that displeases you Alpha?” He asked me as he wrote something on his notepad.

“It all appears to be coming along. I have someone working on a playlist for the party now. Do we have catering figured out?” I asked, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

Aaron glanced up at me before looking back down at his notepad which I assume contained a checklist of what was done and what still had to be done.

“The female omega’s are to prepare a Mexican style dinner for the after party sir.” He informed me, looking back up at me through his glasses, which he pushed up his nose. I had always seen him as a very scrawny and nerdy type.

How had he found a mate and I hadn’t?

Christian that’s toxic.

My wolf, Jake butted in after I had the thought. Causing me to roll my eyes.

“Alrighty. It sounds like everything here is good then?” I asked Aaron, who nodded his head.

“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I told him before turning on my heel and leaving.

I was not looking forward to tomorrow, event planning seriously stressed me out, that’s what a Luna was supposed to do, and having to chose someone to partially put the fate of my pack into their hands was even more stressful. Maybe there was a small chance I would find my real mate, I mean wolves from far and wide, rogues and pack wolves alike would be attending.

I hoped I found my mate. It would make everything so much easier. It’s like I missed someone I’d never even met.