Mythical Mate for an Alpha

Chapter 10

At 8am, I sat in the gardens at a small wrought iron table drinking my coffee, staring back at the Hotel Belle Apoque. This year, the International Council was hosted by the Black Forest pack in Germany. Our pack, Black Crescent, along with two packs from France, the Fountainebleau and Sombre Lune packs, were lodged here. My French was a bit rusty, but they seemed amicable enough. 

It was creeping toward September and we had already been here two weeks. I was starting to really get restless. Every day it was more of the same at the council meetings. We would hear endless detailed updates by each pack, their plans, their issues, and so on. By the end of each day I felt like my ears were bleeding. I didn’t understand why every Alpha in the world needed to know how each other ran their packs. 

I wanted nothing more than to spend time getting to know the local population. More specifically, the German beer and the local female population. I had only been to the taverns twice since we have been here. My Father made such a commotion about going out and how it would make me look as Alpha successor. 

Honestly, I didn’t care. I have never wanted to be Alpha. The only thing about me that is remotely close to an Alpha is having one for a Father. I don’t want to lead and I certainly don’t want to die before getting a real chance to live. If anyone should take over as Alpha, it’s my sister Trish. 

Trish is smart, determined, and respected. She is an excellent fighter, even though I have to say, I am way better. There is still something to be said for being a male and having Alpha blood after all. But when it came down to it, tradition still reigned supreme in the werewolf world. 

It’s not to say that Female Alphas were forbidden. In fact, the Alpha of Vit Fjall from Sweden and the Alpha of Niebla Gris from Chile were both female. It just wasn’t common, and if I am being honest, they are not as respected by many of the other Alphas. As strong as they may be, the older generation of Alphas could not bring themselves to see another female Alpha as their equal.

I was lost in my thoughts, listening to the rhythmic splash of the fountain when my Beta, Owen, dropped into the chair beside me. I looked him up and down, taking in his haggard looking face. 

“Seems like you had another rough night.” I poured him some coffee from the silver pot into a delicate tea cup. By the look of him, I would need about twelve of those small cups before he would start to resemble himself again. 

He grunted in acknowledgement before taking the cup. We sat in silence for a few minutes, each sipping our coffee as the smell of fresh cut grass wafted past us. It was stunning here and the hotel was incredibly charming. I hate to even use that word, but that was the best way to describe it. If only one of the town lasses would come over to share the charm with me.

A smile crept across my face at the thought while I looked back to Owen. “How is Orla?” I asked.

He looked up at me and I could tell he was worse than yesterday. My smile dropped instantly. I felt bad for Owen. When a wolf is away from their mate for too long, it starts to physically affect them. While the Council meeting was important, it was getting to be too much for Owen. Since he and Orla had only been mated a short time, their bond was really suffering from the distance. 

“She is doing the best she can. It’s her crying that is tearing me apart. She tries to hide it, to be strong from me, but I can hear it. I can tell. As much as I love Orla, I am pretty jealous of you Syrus.” Owen said sadly. 

“What? She’s your mate! Of all the guys here, I didn’t think you would be the one wanting to run into another chick’s arms.” I was a bit shocked. Owen was a much better guy than me. He had even saved himself for his mate. 

He looked back at me confused before disgust and then mirth crossed his face. “You are such an i***t Syrus. No, I don’t want another woman. There isn’t another woman in the world that could compare to Orla. I mean I am jealous that you don’t have to feel this pain.”

“Oh! For a second, I thought I was going to have to demote you. I might enjoy female company, but a mate is something entirely different, well for you and everyone else of course. I don’t intend to ever have one,” I stated comically, pouring us both more coffee.

“You just wait,” Owen started. “When you find your mate, there is no way you could ever even think of them no longer being there. That first look is all it takes for your whole world to spin on its axis.”

“I hate to break it to you my friend, but that won’t be me. It is actually something I have been thinking about quite a bit. Being here at the Council, here in Germany, there is a world full of women. Not to mention, did you see the sorry excuse of an Alpha from Jade Moon pack? Look at what he has become since he lost his mate.” I shook my head. “If the Moon Goddess has decided to curse me with a mate, I will have to send the poor creature on her way.”

“You can’t be serious Sy!” Owen shouted. HIs face was both panic and anger.

“Of course I’m serious,” I said irritatedly. I didn’t like him questioning me like this. He had a mate. Great for him. Right now, it made him miserable. Who was he to decide that was a fate I should suffer. While most others saw the appeal, I was part of the minority who did not.

“But how could you do it Sy? A mate is the greatest gift you could get from the Moon Goddess aside from pups.” Owen said heatedly.

“Pups? Have you lost your mind! You are thinking about Pups? Owen you are 18!” I was completely shocked. Not only did my best friend, my Beta, not want to go drinking and partying with me, now I am hearing that he has pups on his mind.  

Owen’s features were hard. He took one last swig of his coffee before setting it down and looking at me with a hard stare. 

“Out with it.” I commanded. “You have something you want to say and you have wanted to say it for a few days. Let’s hear it.”

Not dropping his gaze, Owen responded. “You are soon to be the Alpha of this pack, whether you choose to or not. This has always been your fate since the day the Moon Goddess brought you to existence. Accept it. Look around you Syrus!” He gestured his arms wide, toward the hotel and scenery. “This is all real. This is your life. This is my life. This is what we were born to do.”

Owen sighed and continued. “Yes, I want pups. Yes, I love my mate. 18, 28, age doesn’t matter to me. I am a wolf. You. You, Sy, are an Alpha wolf. We are not restrained by timelines of humans. I know you want so badly to just be free, to be carefree, to party and bed women freely. That is not meant to be our life. And I for one and grateful to the Moon Goddess for that. One day soon you will lead us. Our growth, our safety, our prosperity will be your responsibility. Right now, that scares the hell out of me. You have gotten nothing out of this Council meeting. All I can hope is that, when the time comes, you are ready. In the meantime, I am going to learn everything I can to be the best Beta I can. For the pack’s sake.”

With that, he got up and walked away as I sat there speechless. I had no idea that Owen felt that way. For years, he and I had been inseparable. His father is my father’s Beta. We grew up together, learned together, trained together. This is the first time in all of those years that I feel so far apart from him. If I didn’t know better, I would say he is ashamed. 

Why can’t he see things from my point of view. I didn’t want this. I have no choice in the matter. While the others are deciding between being doctors, bankers, business owners, I am being shoved into the role of guardian for 700 wolves. His stupid mate and pups will not only be his concern, but mine too. Alpha takes care of all of them, but there is no relief for the Alpha. 

As if my mood wasn’t already sour enough, my father decided to come and take the seat that Owen had just vacated. “Good morning son.” He said blandly.

“Yeah, great morning.” I grumbled in response as he took one of the remaining tea cups from the tray and poured himself coffee.

Looking up at my father he continued his blank expression, fixing his coffee the way he liked it. He was a good Alpha and a good father. I could never be the Alpha he is. While some of the other Alphas were starting to show more wear from age and being away from their mates, my rather had only the slightest hint of shadow under his eyes. He was still as strong as when he was my age, and physically just as built. His hair was black like mine with the same green eyes as Trish and I. 

“How is Owen?” my father asked. 

I blew out a breath and looked down into my cup. “Not well. He is not doing great without Orla. He is tired and cranky. The council meetings are also starting to wear on him I think.”

“Oh?” my father asked. “What about them specifically?”

“I don’t know. He feels like there is so much he doesn’t know, so much he should be doing. I told him he is being too hard on himself. We have plenty of time to figure it out. He just won’t listen.”

My father only nodded, sipping his cup and gazing up at Hotel Belle. His eyes were focused straight ahead, not even for a second looking in my direction. I couldn’t read his expression, but I could tell he wasn’t pleased. 

“Ok Dad. I get it. You have something to say too. Owen already ripped me this morning for wanting to have a life outside of being an Alpha. So let me guess. I am clearly a disappointment to you, just like I am to him. I haven’t been searching for a mate, I haven’t been taking notes during the council meetings, and I have had three different girls in my quarters since we’ve been here. I have told you, both of you, I don’t want this. Yet here we are, with everyone still shoving it down my throat, disappointed when I don’t live up to the expectations. Being here is pointless. It should have been Trish and you know it.” I was fuming. 

The whole time, he never turned to look at me. His aura was roiling with different emotions and I didn’t have the mindset or energy to decipher them. I just didn’t care anymore. How does a family push this kind of responsibility onto a teen? For Goddess sake, I am only 18! Humans don’t have this s**t to deal with. Owen can go around and pretend to be an adult. Fine. But I will not pretend to be anything other than who I am.

When no response came, I set my cup down on the silver tray with a clash and left the table. I headed back to my room and slammed the door. I jumped in the shower hoping to spend a few minutes relaxing away the tension I was feeling. 

Under the heavy spray, I rested my head against the tile wall. Maybe what Owen said was right. He was just like me until he found his mate. He didn’t want the pack falling on his shoulders. He wanted to hang out, play games, go to bars, and flirt shamelessly with every human girl and she-wolf he came across. Would it change for me when I found my mate?

I pulled the towel from the bar on the wall and wrapped my waist. I ran my fingers through my hair and headed back into the bedroom. There on the edge of the bed was the maid I had met my third day here. She was a cute human girl with brunette hair, small mouth, and brown eyes. 

“I thought you might need some extra towels.” She said shyly, as she patted the stack sitting next to her on the bed. I knew she wasn’t here for the sake of those towels. 

“Well, now that you mention it,” I started, “I guess I could use a fresh towel” as I dropped the one around my waist to the floor. I headed closer to my bed and the girl waiting for me. There was no way in hell I needed a mate