Chapter 3
1610 Words
CHAPTER 3
KEITH’S POV
“Keith, are you even listening to me?” Drake's voice brought me back to reality.
That was when I realized that he had been talking to me for the past few minutes.
I ran my hands over my hair trying to avoid his gaze. “Sorry, I was distracted.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” He replied. “You've been off ever since you got here. What happened? And please don't give me that usual “everything is fine”. I know you well by now.”
The initial plan was to pay for a night with the girl. I never knew that she would turn out to be my mate. I couldn't see myself doing that.
I looked at that Drake, and I knew he wouldn't believe me if I lied. So, there was no point in doing so.
“It's her.” I finally said.
“Her?” Drake asked, leaning in closer.
“Who's her?”
“Keep up, Drake. The girl I was supposed to meet today.”
“What about her?”
I hesitated for a bit. “She's my mate.”
Drake's expression turned serious. “ Well, that's a huge turn.” He said without a kind of mockery smile on his face.
“So, what did you do?”
I tried to keep the frustration from showing in my voice. “I walked away.”
“You did what?” He stared at me bewildered.
“You heard me.”
I didn't want to waste much time on the conversation.
“You walked away? From your mate? Why?”
“Because I didn't need her.” I snapped.
“Keith, having a mate isn't a weakness. If anything, they make you stronger.”
It was clear that he was baffled by my words.
“Maybe for some people. But I've built my life on my own. I don't need her.”
“Look, give it some thought. You have to get your mate back. How could you just walk away from her? Do you know how she must have felt?”
“Can we not talk about this anymore?” I asked, already feeling annoyed.
Drake his head. “Fine, walk away if that's what you want, but don't come to me when you realize you made a mistake.”
I stood up from my seat. “Thanks for the advice, Drake. But I don't think it'll happen.”
He gave me a disappointed look without saying anything. I walked out of the bar without saying anything as well.
I returned home to find my father sitting in the living room. “Hey, Dad,” I said, attempting to go up to my room.
“Keith, I need to talk to you.” He said, still maintaining his position on the couch.
I nodded, though I could already guess what was coming next.
I went ahead to take a seat.
“Son, the pack’s strength is tied to the bloodlines. It ties back to the leadership.”
He began, and I wondered where he was heading with this.
“I understand. Is something wrong?” I asked him.
“As an Alpha, do you understand the pack?” He asked without an expression on his face.
“I understand what the pack needs.”
“ Do you?” My father raised his brow clearly in disappointment.
“You have been given more than enough opportunity to look for a mate and cement your standing. But here we are, all the same.”
“You make it sound like I haven’t been trying. It’s not exactly something that is within my control.”
I was expecting him to bring up the matter of my mate but it didn't seem to be going that way.
The line of his father’s mouth became stern when he responded.
“It might be difficult for you to put a leash on it, but the pack has its timeframe. Your uncle— your uncle has been chosen to be next in line for Alpha if you don't get a mate.” He said.
“What?” Uncle?” I asked in shock.
“Yes. I just got the news.”
“What I don’t understand is why Uncle should be put next in line.”
I got really angry fast. He couldn't just come and take what was rightfully mine when I was still alive.
“You haven’t been back in a while. You know the drill. Pack becomes restless after an age if an alpha has not found a mate.”
I gritted my teeth, trembling with rage. A part of me knew my father was, unfortunately, correct.
If I do not discover my mate soon on the horizon, leadership will be given to his uncle and his faction.
Another thing was that I already knew my mate but my dad had no idea.
“You expect me to give him the title without any contest?”
“It’s not that I desire that. But this is not about our desires. It’s about what the pack demands.”
“I think you already saw it coming, didn’t you, Keith? You understand that being an Alpha is a responsibility and not something to be given. And at the moment, your uncle appears to be the less risky choice according to the pack.”
“I understand, Dad. I j- just need a little bit more time.”
His father gazes at him intensely. “Time? You’ve had years, Keith. You are endangering the pack.”
My anger intensifies knowing that the pack was seriously thinking about my uncle becoming the next alpha.
My uncle and I had always been distant. He was always calculative and powerful- so we never got along.
“Is that how far you are willing to go? Would you allow him to take my position? There is no way my uncle fits that description. I know you get it just as much as I do.”
My father’s gaze turns gentle, for a split second.
“If it was possible for you to locate your mate, no one would dispute your claim to leadership. But without her… a lot of possibilities become impossible.
I hope it does not come to that, Keith. But if you’re not prepared, I have no other options.”
“Let's not forget, Keith. This is not only about you. The pack needs reassurances. They need to see that you are capable of filling the shoes of a leader.
And a mate, the connection… it is an important source of power for an Alpha to possess.”
“And if I don’t find her?”
“If you can’t, then… your uncle is a viable choice. The elders believe he has the experience, the stability.”
This idea alone caused my blood to boil. No way in hell would I allow my uncle to take what was rightfully his.
“I won't let him take my position,” I said, his tone heavy.
“Then find her, Keith. Do whatever you must to find your mate. Only then will the pack acknowledge you as their true Alpha male.”
I knew there was no more time for me; I had to find my mate if I was to claim my position.
There was no way I was going to allow my Uncle to take the property I rightfully owned. I was willing to go as far as necessary.
“That isn't going to happen on my watch.”
My father gave me only a nod. He had already lost hope.
I made my way to my room with anger all jammed up due to anger.
Reaching for my phone, I punched in the digits of someone I didn't think I would call today for this reason.
I dialed Drake's number whose voice I heard after the second ring.
.
“Keith? ” I heard Drake say over the phone.
This wasn't something I wanted to tell him but I knew he would be the right one for the job.
He also said I would regret it and I did. I wasn't expecting it this fast but I guess he won after all.
“We need to talk. That… woman. Out there. That was meant to be my mate. I have to look for her or… my uncle will become the Alpha male.”
“Ohh?” He said mockingly.
He knew he was drowning in the fact that he was right but I didn't care. I couldn't lose my position to some uncle who I hardly knew.
“Are you going to do it or not?”
“That’s pretty intense. You want me to figure out who she is?”
He knew it wasn't time for jokes.
“Uh-huh. And I need it done within the shortest time possible.”
I told him.
There was no time to waste. I've already wasted so much time. I couldn't lose any more
“I can get that done for you. I will go in search of her and get back to you as soon as I find something.”
“Thanks,” I said, almost hanging up the call.
“But did something happen?” he asked almost too fast.
“What do you mean?”
“Just a few hours ago, you claimed you weren't going to need her, and all of a sudden you want to know everything about her.”
Just do what I asked you to do, for now, Drake. I'm going to tell you what you need to hear later.”
- Writer
