The Alphas Hidden Mate

Chapter 9; Bad Idea

CRACE'S POV

It had been a few days and in every spare moment I had, I was with Serena. I hadn't spent the nights with her though. It had become too risky and we needed to practice spending time apart. Things had been getting more tense around the estate. Between Dad and Gabriella, I was starting to get a migraine. Serena could no longer help with her aura. Turns out, having such a source of power can cause a really huge mental drain. Whenever she uses the aura, she needs to rest to recharge. She couldn't be doing it every day. She had work and training and other commitments and she couldn't afford to keep doing it. We agreed that she would only use it if it was absolutely necessary.

Gabriella was proving to be a problem and I was running out of excuses to not have s*x her. I couldn't keep avoiding her. We lived in the same estate so it was becoming increasingly difficult each day to avoid her. She just kept popping up everywhere. She was relentless. Today was no exception.

"Crace" She called out to me as I walked to the estates backyard. I wanted to focus on some different fighting techniques today. It looked like I was going to be practicing my patience as well. I kept walking, pretending I didn't hear her. "Crace!" She called again. I pursed my lips and picked up my pace a little. The clicking sound of her heels tailing me was like a clock ticking, counting down to the moment she would catch up with me. I took a deep, calming breath. Within seconds though, she was in front of me. She was of Omega blood, after all. They were known for their speed.

I stopped in my tracks, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, Gabriella." I said, feigning surprise.

She sighed in annoyance. "I have been calling out to you" She said, frowning. Today, her blonde hair was pin straight and down her back. Even after running, there was not one hair out of place. She wore plain, denim blue, skinny jeans and a tank top. The outfit was completed with a pair of nude heels.

"Really? I didn't notice." I told her. I began to look around the yard, planning my solo training session, I must have looked disinterested, but it was because I was. I really wanted nothing to do her anymore. If only Serena could just get past her anxiety and allow me to make her my Luna and mate in public, then  I wouldn't have to deal with Gabriella anymore. However, that was selfish and I wouldn't force her into anything. 

"Yeah, I could tell that." Gabriella huffed. She noticed that I wasn't looking at her. "Hello? Are you even listening to me?" She whined, trying to get eye contact. 

I sighed and looked at her. "Yes I am, Gabi. Now what do you want that's so damn important that you had to run?" I asked her. 

"People are starting to question us and whether we are still together." She explained, raising an eyebrow. 

"And...?" I prompted, unsure why this was so important. They were just rumours. They live and die as quickly as fruit flies.

"And I am starting to question it too, Crace. Remember? We couldn't find our mates so we hooked up and it looked good for us so then we continued. You were even talking about making me your chosen mate. I thought that meant something, Crace. I thought I meant something to you, I thought we meant something." She whined again, sad. Seiko snarled for me at her words. 

"You thought many things, Gabi. How many times do I have to tell you? I need space. We've seen each other practically every day. It's okay to spend time apart." I told her. I began to walk again, to the centre of the garden and took my shirt off. I started to warm up for my training.

"Crace, it's been a week! Most mates spend, at the very least, one day together a week. Plus, they usually sleep together because of the mate bond. If we really are to be chosen mates, we have to start getting used to that." She said, walking up to me. She began to tap her foot, annoyed.

I held back a growl of my own. See! Relentless! I started doing my warm up push ups. I channelled my anger and annoyance at Gabriella into each push. "What do you want from me, Gabi? Do you want to start spending one day a week together?" I asked her. After 20 push ups, I switched it up and put an arm behind my back while using my other to continue the push ups. 

Gabriella threw her arms in the air in exasperation. "I want us to start acting like we are to be mates. We will be each other mates. So let's start acting like it. We will spend no more than three days together a week, you will include me in any important meetings coming up. We will spend each night together. Finally, one month from now, you will make me your chosen mate in front of everyone and crown me as the Luna of Silver Bullet." She demanded. 

Seikos fur bristled at her tone and he began to pace restlessly. He really wanted out so he could teach her a lesson. My anger rose too. I don't usually stand for this  but I had no choice. I had to accept it to avoid suspicion.

"Fine!" I said, pushing myself up off the floor into a standing position seamlessly. "If that's what you want, then sure."

"It's not about what I want, Crace. It's about what we want, and we want what's best for the pack. This is what is best. Crace, You're nearing your mid-twenties, and you still don't have a mate. You are an Alpha and an Alpha needs a Luna in order to run the pack effortlessly."

"I agree, Gabriella. I agree with everything. In one month, I will make you my Luna and chosen mate. Now, can I continue on with my workout or do you plan on joining me dressed like that?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow. She laughed and flicked her hair back. Though, there was still not a hair out of place. So she was flicking nothing but hair.

"Of course, babe. I'll see you tonight?" She said, biting her pink glossed lip. 

"Not tonight." I said, a tad quickly. She opened her mouth to say something but I amended myself. "I have some things to sort out first. Tidy my room and whatnot." I said, smiling at her. She looked at me for a second before nodding.

"Okay, tomorrow night then." She agreed.

"Tomorrow night." I replied. She smiled and turned to leave. Once she was out of sight, I sat on the grass and let out a long groan of stress, anxiety, annoyance and anger. Well, it mainly just stress and annoyance. The only thoughts in my mind was a long line of cure words. Seiko pawed the ground and paced as well. He began to howl in sadness. 

Oh Seiko...what am I going to do?  I thought as I fell to my back and stared at the sky.

Gabriella's P.O.V

"You're right. He is different." I said. The cloaked man stepped forward a little. He had asked to meet in an alley. Gross. I didn't want to - I'm not an alley cat - but I didn't have much of a choice. There were very little private places we could meet and only a few I was comfortable with.

"As I had said, the young Alpha is not himself. He is distracted. He keeps forgetting what it means to be an Alpha as well. I've been told by my sources that he's showing an Elder disrespect and has caused tension amongst the packhouse estate." The man said, chuckling. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"How do you know that? Why is it funny?" I asked him

"My sources are protected by confidentiality. It's funny because what the young Alpha doesn't realise is that soon, he's going to get himself renounced as Alpha. We won't even need to do anything. He's doing it all himself." The man laughed and a chill ran down my spine. Goosebumps rose on my skin. Creepy.

All of a sudden, there was a bang and a clatter and I jumped. I turned to the noise - only to find an actual alley cat standing on top of a trash can with a large dead rat in it's mouth. Eugh...why was I even here? This was disgusting.

"That wasn't the plan, though. The plan was for me to be Luna, and you would be able to wreak havoc as you wanted." I complained, rubbing my arms to get rid of the goosebumps.

The man groaned and rubbed his temples. "So whiny." He sighed. "That's still the plan, you imbecile. You will be the first Luna to run a pack without an Alpha. You will make history." He explained.

"Oh..."I said, then frowned. Wait...I was confused. "Wait, how can I be a Luna if there's no Alpha?" I asked him. 

The man snapped his head up from what he was looking at. He moved to me in an instant and fear filled me just as quickly. He picked me up by the neck and squeezed a little, constricting my airways. I looked at him, afraid, eyes wide. "MUST I EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU IN SIMPLE TERMS, GIRL!" He growled. A flash of yellow appeared and I realised it was his eyes. The rest of his face may be shrouded but those eyes appeared to shine through the cloak. His eyes turned yellow and I became even more afraid. Yellow eyes...that was not normal, was it?

I clawed at his hands, trying to get him to let me loose. He continued to hold me like that for a few more seconds and dark spots began to cloud my vision. My head began to feel light and I could feel my heart slow. I began to wonder if he might kill me. I tried bringing my wolf forward but for some reason, I couldn't connect with her. It was like there was some kind of broken link between us. Thankfully, the man let me go and I fell to the ground, harshly. I gasped, inhaling as much air as my bruised windpipes could take.

The man walked a few steps away and seemed to examine the wall in front of him. "Forgive my outburst. Sometimes, I forget that wolves don't have the same intelligence as we do." He explained. 

"We?" I croaked. "There are..." I tried to talk but my throat protested. I swallowed, trying to lubricate my oesophagus. "There are more of...you?" I croaked again. 

"Of course there is." He snarled. "We are the most superior creatures in the world." He said, as if that explained everything...it didn't. "Anyway, to answer your earlier question. You're right. One can't become a Luna without an Alpha. However, a Luna's status remains even after the passing of the Alpha..." He explained. He waited for me to realise what he was saying. 

"Oh my god..." I said, as I realised what he was telling me. 

"So you see, it is simple. You must help the Alpha keep his status until the time is right. Let him ruin his reputation. However, you must appear as a devoted mate, supporting him but steer him in the right direction. This will help you gain a rep as a smart leader and a compassionate mate. Meanwhile, his rep will be tarnished from his outbursts and poor decisions." He laughed again. The chill came over me again and I shivered. "Do you understand your task, girl?" He asked me, finally turning to face me. His face still shrouded by the hooded cloak. 

"Yes." I answered. Those yellow eyes bore into mine and I found myself bowing to him, slightly. He nodded, releasing me and I began to walk away. I walked a few steps before turning to look back. He was gone. Just like all those other times. 

As I left the alley, I knew two things. One, Crace would eventually met a painful death and two, no matter what, I would be the future Luna of Silver Bullet...