Fated or Mated

Christopher

Episode 8 Not a Beta

Alpha Anna Julia's POV

"Breathe Julia, just breathe." I keep repeating to myself, Anna Christina is sedated and stable.  My mate has been up all night devising a plan and our Beta Michael set me up with supplies to endure at least seventy-two hours in seclusion. After Anna Christina was born an incident revealed my lack of self control when it came to my daughter.  Juilio and I built this cabin near the border of our territory as both a training center and escape for me.  As the years passed we began using it as a holiday house for our family.  There are so many memories of her here.

Images of my daughter collapsing in crippling pain keep playing in my head.  What good is it to be a powerful Alpha when you can't protect your daughter or even ease her suffering?  All my strength and might was meaningless at that moment.

Poor Kira, I could feel her fighting to keep the pain out of my daughter's consciousness.  She's shaping up to be quite a powerful little wolf.  I thank the Goddess for her.

Still, my sweet little girl doesn't deserve this.  Despite being a young she-wolf,

 she's controlled her urges.  Werewolves are s****l creatures by nature, driven by raging hormones in our youth. Saving herself for her fated mate couldn't have been easy.  Especially considering the way Sean looks at her.

Ah Sean, he would have been a perfect mate, but he's not an Alpha and I'm sure the Goddess wants our lineage maintained. That poor boy, I saw the look in his eyes and he still summoned the strength to perform admirably.  The three of them did.  My daughter couldn't have chosen better friends.  

How is she going to feel about all of this, I wonder? She claimed not to be interested in finding her fated till at least thirty. I chuckle to myself, did she really think she could withstand temptation that long? Ah, my little girl, always attempting the impossible. She at least must be curious about who her mate would be? I certainly am, especially now.

Why would an Alpha take a chosen mate knowing the consequences?  My wolf, Achilla,howls. She is in agony for our pup, and pain is a dangerous emotion for us.  Pain quickly turns to anger and anger to destruction.  I've never hurt an innocent wolf before but knowing myself, I can't take any chances. Hence the precaution of seclusion.

"Julia, my love. How are you holding up?" My mate and co-Alpha mindlinks me.

"Please don't waste energy worrying about me, our Christina needs us. What's your progress honey?" I replied through the link.

"I may have found him and will leave shortly with Josh to investigate."

My canines are elongating and my claws extend at his words.  I want blood. He tried to kill my daughter, my only daughter! I don't care why and care less about starting a war. Achilla is trying to break free and take the reins.

"I feel your anger and it's not helping my own." Alpha Julio confesses through the link.  

I have to control myself or we could end up in a vicious cycle of ever increasing anger feeding off each other's energy. Several deep breaths later I assure him of my self control and plead for an update as soon as possible.

Waiting is the hardest thing to do.  After hours of meditation my concentration is abruptly broken. I hear something run onto our pack lands not too far from my cabin.

"Patrol, intruder, tracking" I mindlink my warriors.  Word has probably gotten out about Christina.  The only question is, what does the intruder want?

The scent is faint and familiar though not from our pack.  When I notice the trail leads to the pack hospital my heart races.  They're after Christina.  Instinctively I want to have my warriors surround the hospital.  But I need to catch this trespasser alive. After seeing Christina in so much pain my warriors may give in to the temptation of vengeance. Hell, I'm not sure my own emotions won't get the better of me.

One of my top warriors mind-links that no scent was picked up.  I order them to expand their perimeter and double up on patrols. This wolf can mask it’s scent?  Curious?

Standing outside my daughter's hospital room my Alpha ears pick up on a man's voice.

"Goddess you're beautiful. Why am I having these strong feelings towards you? Stronger than the mate bond?" He whispers. I can hear his breath hitch a couple of times before everything goes still and silent for a while.  I don’t know how long I wait outside my daughter’s hospital room.  The temptation to apprehend this wolf while he’s cornered is growing. Something about this wolf assures me he’s no threat to my daughter or our pack.

“I don’t want to move”, the intruder begins to speak again. “Someone could come in here at any moment and kill me for trespassing but being away from you would be worse.  How do I tear myself away? What are we to each other?”  He takes several deep breaths then continues, “if your hold on me is this strong while you sleep, what chance do I have when you're awake… when my name falls from those sweet lips.”

I hear Christina stir. "Achilla, can you reach Kira? Is that their fated mate?" My wolf responds, "Kira is certain that he's not but admits feeling a strong attraction. Christina’s aware of his presence as well and they are trying to fight off the sedatives to see him."

Things just keep getting curiouser.  I need to find out as much as I can about this man.  Suddenly, a figure emerges from her window and runs towards the tree line at an incredible speed.  Shocked, it takes me a moment to begin my pursuit. Who is he and why did he come here? Everything about him points to a powerful Alpha, he's drawn to my daughter but not her mate? Could it be?

His trail encircles my pack in an ancient patrol pattern only an Alpha could execute. My curiosity grows but so does my need to be with my daughter. She's awake and leaving the hospital.  Careful to maintain my stealth from a healthy distance, I continue my pursuit and surveillance. 

"Alpha, an Xavier requesting permission to see Alpha Julio and Gamma Josh." My top warrior mind links us."

"What the hell is he doing?" My mate asks.

"Who is he?" Achilla growls through the link.

"Alpha’s, if I may, he's alone and no threat" Gamma Josh interjects. 

"He may not be alone Josh, I'm still tracking an intruder who's most likely an Alpha."

"What!" My mate exclaims. 

"Still not a threat, let's allow this to play out" Beta Michael adds.

"Agreed" we say in unison through the link.

"Permission granted Hunter", I link my top warrior.

Refocusing my attention back to my pursuit, it seems the intruder is observing the approaching Alpha. Even venturing dangerously close to our pack house.  I can smell my Beta Michael and Christina in the garden. If I can smell and hear them the intruder can too.

Gamma Josh informs them of Xavier’s presence and an almost imperceptible growl emanates from the intruder.  Okay, I can’t wait to figure out what that means, I think to myself.  Observing the exchange between my daughter and Beta,I can't help but feel a twinge of pride hearing her assert herself with him.

"Alpha, Chris is being stubborn and insists on confronting Xavier." Betta Michael mind links me.

Unable to stifle a giggle I respond, "leave her be, unless you want to see just how powerful she is?" I watch my Betta roll his eyes while following behind my daughter without another word of opposition. 

The intruder circles our pack house once Chris is inside.  He's definitely fixated on her and that just confirms my suspicions about their connection.  It's not long before I hear my daughter begin her rejection and Xavier’s pathetic pleas.  The intruder now has a perfect line of sight into the Betta's office from his position.  Knowing my daughter and the others are headed there I prepare to attack and shift.

Alpha Xavier offers his hand and then a menacing growl comes from the intruder. In position, I pounce and the intruder is quickly subdued. It was a bit too easy but pinning him is so satisfying I howl in victory.

"You will not move or I will end you." I threaten while keeping him pinned.

"Yes Alpha Anna Julia. I mean no harm." He responds.  Only an Alpha can mind link in wolf form, so that seals it.  This is an Alpha, but not just any Alpha.

"Why trespass then and why are you familiar to me?" My voice carries the extent of my anger. The intruder shifts and my eyes go wide.

"Christopher? Why, how are you here? Do your parents know?" I release him and he stands pulling on a pair of shorts. I walk behind a tree with spare clothing so I may shift and dress as well.

"Walk with me Christopher."

"Alpha Julia, how do you recognize me when I was barely five years old the last time you saw me?" He asks.

"You are the spitting image of your father, Christopher.  Also, I tailed you long enough to gather enough evidence of your heritage." I say laughing.

" Well then, my stealth skills are not as good as I thought.”  Christopher says smiling.

"Don't be ridiculous, like anyone would stand a chance against me. Now, let's have it.  Why are you here? What’s going on?"

"It's a long story but Xavier’s my Alpha."

I raise a suspicious brow, but let him continue. 

"He sought my counsel when he learned of Alpha Julio’s impending visit accompanied by your Gamma.  My investigation led to Christina.  Fearing for the safety of my Luna I came to investigate."

"Thank you for your honesty. I sense your Luna is important to you on a personal level.  Normally I wouldn't pry...but given your lure to my daughter and her current situation." I tell him.

"Understood Alpha Julia. I was caught off guard because I've met my fated mate." He explains. 

"Oh?" I expose his marking spot to make it obvious he's unmarked.

"It's complicated," He replies.

"Christopher, you've been caught trespassing on my territory and have no explanation other than long and complicated stories?" I question, eyeing him suspiciously. My goodness how he's grown, he's taller than his father.  I’m a tall she-wolf at six foot and he dwarfs me with his six and a half foot frame.  He has his mothers sandy colored hair and green eyes. With his father’s olive complexion and features.  Despite my nostalgia I must remember that knowing his parents has no bearing on the current situation. I don’t know the werewolf pup next to me and have a decision to make.  I mindlink my mate for his input while walking quietly with Christopher. Julio and I agree to allow Christina to handle this on her own. If our assumptions are correct, she's the only one that can sort this out.

I've led Christopher to the edge of our territory when my Gamma updates me on Christina. 

"Christopher, I wish you all the best and if I catch you trespassing again you will be punished.”

Christopher's POV

Running at top speed in my wolf form I'm flooded with her scent, touch and impossibly beautiful face.  I'm beyond enamored with Christina and have no idea how I'll handle having her at my pack. Christina, the mere thought of her name makes my heart skip a beat.

I have to beat them home. It'll be interesting to see how Xavier’s going to handle having his fated and chosen under the same roof.

Reaching the Ice Moon pack house I see Xavier’s car is not here yet.  I shift and run to take a quick shower.  As I’m rinsing the soap off I get a mindlink from Pearla, “What’s going on?  Why am I being sent away?” She whines.  I used to crave her mindlinks. Now her interruption of my Christina daydreams annoys me.  I cut off the link and block her.

I had enough time to eat before Xavier returned with Christina.  Why did they take so long?

Christina’s POV

Xavier opens my door and offers his hand to assist me out of his car.  I try to pull away but he grips my hand tighter and leads me inside.  The Ice Moon pack house is modern and minimalistic.  Large multi story windows, gray walls, white floors and white furniture.  

“It must be impossible to keep this place clean?” I joke.

“We have an amazing house staff,” Xavier winks.

He leads me up the right side of a double staircase, I freeze half way up. “It’s him, I smell him” I say out loud breaking away from Xavier’s hand and darting up two flights of stairs. I stop on the landing of the third level, breathless while Xavier catches up.  In that hall I see the most breathtaking man in the world. He’s breathing as hard as I am.  Shoulder length sandy hair framing a chiseled jawline, green eyes that glow against his deep olive complexion and his lips.. oh goddess those full lips.  As if pulled together by an invisible force we approach each other.  I have to crane my neck upwards to meet his eyes.

“What’s your name?” I managed to ask him.

He caresses the side of my face sending shivers down my spine. “Christopher Cravin, Alpha Anna Christina.” he responds.

“Christopher,” I say.  He closes his eyes and bites his bottom lip sending heat straight to my core.

“I can smell your arousal,” he says and inhales deeply.  “I can also smell Xavier!” he roars. I’m pushed behind him as the two large men clash exchanging punch for punch.

“Stop!” I command, allowing my Alpha aura to flow freely. 

Xavier hastens to my side, “I’m sorry, my Beta doesn’t know you are my fated and was carried away by your beauty.”

Christopher looks stunned.