The Trials of The Alpha and His Mutt

Chapter Five: The Call

Riever POV

At 11:58pm, the music was lowered substantially for Bradley to make a speech. He was positioned on the first landing of the packhouse stairs, and someone brought him a microphone. Beside him, I stood with my arms around Angelica.

We'd been dancing all night. I hadn't let her leave my side, the anticipation of what was to come was too strong. Several people throughout the night had joked that she wouldn't simply vanish if I let her breathe a little. And, maybe they were right, but Angelica wasn't complaining, and as long as the two of us were happy, that was all that mattered.

“I know this is kind of lame to interrupt the party for a speech, but it is my best friend's big day, so I prepared some words,” Bradley started. The crowd was very drunk, and while some groaned at the loss of the music, an equal part was receptive. I couldn't help but laugh- it was just like Brad to stop a party for a speech, after all. He pulled on the collar of his shirt nervously, “I've known Riever since we were kids. He was never the voice of reason. He was the exact opposite. Riever's been all about living large and living uninhibited. The thought of this guy being a legal adult is terrifying!” He, and several people in the crowd, laughed. “I wanted to say, as your voice of reason, and probably the guy that's going to be roped into doing your taxes for you, happy birthday, Riever. Now, according to my watch, it's 11:59. How about we count Riever into his official special day? 10! 9! 8!”

The crowd took over, counting down to midnight. My hands were clammy, my knees weak. My future mate and Luna looked stunning, in a white cocktail dress and heels. In just 7 seconds, she would be declared mine forever.

7! 6! 5!

She ran her hand up my arm. I heard all about the mate bond, and how it turns touches into static, kisses into lightning storms. From now on, everything between us would be electric, vibrant and intense. I leaned closer to inhale her sweet scent. Like strawberries and cream, she smelled like a fresh spring day. Part of that, of course, was her body spray that I had to buy her consistently, but who was I to complain?

4! 3! 2!

Her eyes fluttered slowly. Those beautiful blue eyes, that I already got lost in. I couldn't wait to take her up to my room. We'd already talked about how I would mate and mark her right her, right now, tonight.

1!

I felt it. Like a tsunami rising within me, I felt it. My wolf howled with excitement. Angelica smiled up at me, beaming excitedly, but I realized it was not her touch that was electric, nor was it her scent that enticed me. I looked at her puzzled, and after a moment, her smile faded.

“Happy Birthday!” A crowd of near-strangers screamed at me, as I stood on the stage looking at someone who I thought would be my future.

“It's not... me... is it?” Angelica whispered. She looked crushed, as if this was the worst thing that could have possibly happened to her.

I could only shake my head. I released her, stepping back. Perhaps a kinder man would have stayed and consoled her. My mate wasn't Angelica, but she was here, and the pull of her scent was overtaking my senses. The music snapped on full blast, and I disappeared into the crowd, leaving Angelica to her heartbreak alone.

Bradley grabbed my arm, looking confused and concerned. “What happened man?”

“It's not her,” I growled, “But she's here. Somewhere. Somewhere in this goddess-forsaken crowd.” I pulled free of his grasp and descended the stair, into the throngs of partygoers and pack members. Most of Crescent Ridge high school was here, even if most of them didn't know the importance of the night.

Following the scent proved more difficult than expected. The packhouse was a cacophony of smells, and though I could sense her, feel her near me, the scent was faint. As if masked.

I managed to get close to the source. My oldest friends- Harper, Rose and Jenny- were standing around the new girl, looking at me with worry. They glanced amongst themselves, as if wondering which of them it could be. I approached them, feet moving on my own until they were firmly planted in front of her.

Miya Summett. My hands grabbed her shoulders of their own accord, and the electricity shot up my arms in an eruption of pure physical attraction like I'd never experienced. The scent was so faint, it almost took that for me to feel the true bond. But it was her. I'd found her.

The way her eyes widened and darkened, I could tell she felt it too. Those pretty lips formed a quiet, “Whoa,” and she stepped closer to me.

My wolf howled, content. I lowered my head, burying it in her hair so my lips brushed her ear ever so slightly when I whispered the word.

“Mine.”

The smell of her arousal hit me like an ongoing wave, and I took her by the hand and started to pull her through the crowd and towards my bedroom. Of course, I wanted to insert her into my plans, to mate her and mark her immediately. She was human though, so maybe we would just talk. Or make out. Perhaps a bit of both. Before I had the chance to follow through with those plans, I was intercepted by one of my own, standing in front of me with her arms crossed.

“Rose, move.”

“Not on yer life!” she said, buckling down. She had the audacity to reach forward and pluck my mate's arm from my grasp, pulling her back to her side. “This one's coming with me.”

“No,” I replied, as calmly as I thought I could manage. It still came out a bit... growled.

“Yes! Cinderella is leaving this ball,” Rose said.

Jenny rounded over to my side. She touched my shoulder with a feather-light touch and whispered, “She's human. She's drunk. Not like this.”

My wolf quelled at the words. Inspecting my mate again, I saw how Miya was staggering and giggling, and I knew Rose was right. I brushed Jenny's hand aside and turned to face Miya. I towered over her- she was only 5'4". I took her in a gentle embrace, ignoring the worried looks of my packmates. “I'll find you at school Monday,” I planted a kiss on her forehead, then allowed Jenny and Rose to wrangle her. Harper followed along after, equally drunk, but willing to follow her friends, at least.

Miya looked back at me with those warm, dark eyes, and I melted. I would find a way to get her close to me as soon as possible, no matter what.

~*~

First thing in the morning, I received a mind-link from dad requesting my presence in his office. I slipped on some sweatpants and a tank-top and obliged. I was happy for once to have taken the partying lightly in lieu of identifying my mate. Otherwise, I would have to sit through this headache of a meeting with a headache. I rapped lightly on the doorframe with my knuckles when I made it. “You called?”

Dad was fifty-three with salt and pepper hair, stern grey eyes and a physique befitting an alpha. “Sit,” he said.

An alpha's command was particularly compelling to other wolves. I could feel that compulsion, but being his heir, it didn't dictate my actions. I still sat, though I knew I was in for an earful. Single-word commands always meant he was unhappy.

“You didn't mark Angelica,” he said, taking a seat himself. “Why is that?”

Oh boy. This was going to be a whole conversation. I rubbed my temples, suddenly wishing I had drank more. Maybe if I was more hungover, I could postpone this meeting. “She's not my mate.”

Dad raised his eyebrows. “I thought she'd said she could feel the pull?”

“She did say as much, but when midnight struck, I felt nothing,” I said with a sigh. “I mean, nothing for her.”

“So, you did find your mate, then?” Dad asked, brows raised. “Wonderful. I assume you haven't marked or announced her because you're... taking it slow?”

“Not quite,” I said. I took a deep breath. This was not going to end well for me. “She's human.” I omitted the part where Rose took her away from me. That kind of insubordination infuriated my father. I was a bit more understanding- after all, I was carried away by emotions and wolf-instinct, and Miya wasn't ready for any of that. If anything, I was grateful to Rose and Jenny, for being such good friends to my future Luna. After a moment, I realized how silent my father had become, and hesitantly raised my eyes to meet his.

He sounded calm when he spoke, but his eyes betrayed his fury. “A human, Riever?”

“Yes,” I replied, swallowing. “She is human.”

“Reject her immediately. Mark Angelica instead,” he said, his voice dripping with absolute authority.

I swallowed hard again, “I... I want to give her a chance. The goddess wouldn't pick a mate for me that wasn't suited for the job, and-”

“Absolutely not,” father said, his voice booming in the hallways. I could hear the shattering of a plate from an omega that was passing by. He stood and slammed his office door, then with a heavy sigh returned to his seat. Now it was his turn to massage his temples. “Riever, this is unprecedented. Never has an alpha of this pack- or any other in the area- had a human for a Luna. Accepting her would make our pack a mockery.”

“Accepting Angelica would make our pack a mockery,” I replied, instantly. “She clearly lied to me about feeling the mate bond and attempted to manipulate her way to Luna. Someone like that is unfit to be Luna.”

“A human is unfit!” he roared. “I will not have my son mate a human, and that's fi-”

“Wait!” I said, standing and slamming my palms down on his desk. The gears turned rapidly in my head for a solution. If only I could make him see or understand. There was clearly a reason the goddess put Miya in front of me, and the way I felt towards her... the strength of the bond already, when I hadn't talked to her but once... I couldn't turn it down.

I'd heard of wolves that could deny their mates, reject them at the first meeting. It hadn't even crossed my mind when I saw her. She'd been drunk, red in the face, sweaty hair sticking to her cheeks, but still managed to look absolutely flawless to me.

“Let... her prove herself...” I said, finally. “Let's test her. Whatever tests you want. If she passes, she can be my mate. If not, I will resign myself to any other female you so choose.”

Father stood still for a long time. “Any female I choose, you say?”

I laughed dryly, “If they are not Miya, it hardly matters who they are.”

Dad smirked at me, then extended his palm. “Riever, you have a deal. If she can pass my tests, I'll accept her no matter what.”

“No matter what,” I repeated, with a sigh. I left the room with a swell of panic in my chest. No doubt, father was going to make the tests impassable.

I returned to my bedroom and grabbed my phone, flipping to the group chat. I thought again, then made a new group chat without Angelica. If I would have to reject her, I at least wanted to prolong my time with her. I wanted to get to know the woman that should have been my Luna.

Let's all hang out on the cliffs today. Bring Miya.