The Alpha's Forgotten

Chapter 13

AMETHIA

More days passed in a blur once again. There were daily pack meetings up until today. Today was finally it. The day that Narien was going to announce to the pack that I was his mate.

I laid in bed alone, staring up at my ceiling. Immediately my mind flew to Laila. Oh God (Goddess?) she was going to kill me if she found out at a pack meeting.

But did she already know? Who already knew? I had asked everyone who did know to keep everything on the downlow but how downlow really was… well, downlow? I quickly thought of my loud-mouthed brother Torka who told my dad before I could even say boo. I grabbed my phone from my bedside table and scrolled through the few notifications I had.

I sat up and stared at the screen for a few moments before finally finding the courage to send Laila a text.

hey lala are you home today?

She replied almost immediately.

THE ILLUSIVE AME TEXTS ME FINALLY. ya what’s up?

just wanted to talk for a bit, if that’s ok?

omg yeesssss !! are u still with ur dad at the alpha’s house?

yea, i am.

ok i’m omw.

Of course she was on her way already. I pulled my massive blanket off me and dressed myself quickly. I picked out a hoodie and shorts since it’s nice outside, but not excessively hot yet. I pulled on my single pair of sneakers and dashed out of my room.

It was already late into the morning by now as I trudged down the stairs and made my appearance. The only people downstairs were Erandius and Kaela and they both looked up at me and smiled.

“Where are you off to my dear?” Kaeala asked politely.

I blinked a few times. “I uh… To see Laila.” I said awkwardly, scratching the back of my head.

“Do bring her by the house, that girl’s practically been missing since she found her mate.” Erandius said with a low chuckle.

“I will,” I nodded before opening the front door and exiting onto the porch.

Laila was already sitting on the porch steps waiting for me. “There you are!” She exclaimed, jumping up when she saw me. Her blonde hair bounced around her slim face as she pulled me into a hug.

“Hey, Laila…” I replied meekly, hugging her back.

She released me, but not before pulling me down the steps and for a walk. “So? Why’d you call me out here?”

“Because I wanted to talk… Well, I have something to tell you.” I said slowly.

Laila stopped. “You’re not dying, are you? Or are you gay? Cause if you’re gay man I totally support you!” She went off quickly.

I laughed. “No, no it’s nothing like that.” I looked down then looked back up. “It actually has to do with why I came back and why I’ve been kind of… hiding lately.”

“Well you came back because your dad was worried after Ithalia’s attack, right?” She asked slowly. “He was telling me that he’s concerned that the attack on Erandius and on you are related, although it doesn’t make much sense.”

“So that’s what they said, huh?” I asked slowly, kicking at the dirt. “I didn’t come back because my dad asked me to. It’s because I, despite being a normal human being, have a mate.”

Laila’s jaw dropped to the ground. “You WHAT?” She screeched loudly.

I tried to hush her a little bit as best as I could before trying to explain myself. “Do you remember when I left, like, a few weeks ago?” I asked carefully. “There was kind of a big… fight?”

“Right,” she mulled slowly, thinking to herself. “You and Narien started fighting, right? I didn’t hear what happened, word around the pack was that you were upset at the way he was treating you and your family? Is that what happened?”

I nodded thoughtfully at her words. “That’s funny, but no.”

“Wait what?”

“It’s Narien…” I trailed off.

There was a pause before Laila scooped me up into her arms and crushed my body with how strong she was. Wolves, man. They just don’t understand how fragile I am sometimes. I laughed with her as she spun me around a few times before setting me down.

“So you’re staying then? Because you have to stay if you’re the Luna. If you’re really serious about this, I mean.”

“I don’t really have any other choice, now do I?” I drawled slowly. “It’s kind of the like, Werewolf law, isn’t it?”

Laila pressed her lips together and sighed loudly. “Well,” she said lowly. “You could, technically, reject him… As your mate.”

“Wait… That’s a thing?” I asked softly.

Laila nodded. “Well, yeah. But it’s only something you do if you really just… I don’t know… hate your mate? The thought has literally never crossed my mind and so I’d never understand why someone would do it.”

I blinked. “I was never given that option.” I said blankly.

“Well it’s not something that people usually want to offer up right off the bat y’know.” Laila quickly retorted.

I took a deep breath. “Well I would’ve appreciated having the knowledge of this!” I began to shout, my eyes filling with tears. “Sh it…”

Laila tried to pull me into a hug. “Ame, c’mon you can’t blame him.”

I shook her arms off of me. “But I can! I don’t know these things because I’m not a wolf, Laila! So right now, I feel very VERY taken advantage of. I feel manipulated. A few weeks ago, I wanted nothing more than to be away from Narien and that’s why I left. I never wanted this life! I wanted to live a normal human life for God sakes!”

“Ame…” She said my name slowly.

I nodded in response, wiping my face. “You’re right, I’m overreacting, I’m sorry.” I said softly. “I’m just really freaked out about this whole thing.”

Laila pulled me into a hug for real this time, without my protest, and she pet my hair slowly. “I’m sorry. I probably freaked you out a bit too. You went from being a normal girl and in a split second you suddenly had your whole future laid out in front of you.”

I laughed. “And the weird part is, I yell and shout and protest. I say that this is never what I wanted, which is true, but deep in my heart I know I want to stay and I want to be with Narien.”

Laila laughed, releasing me. “That’s the mate bond, silly.”

I gave her a playful shove. “I know what it is! Doesn’t mean I freaking understand it though!”

“C’mon,” she said, continuing our walk. “Why don’t we get some girl to girl one-on-one chat about this thing. You know, the kind of thing our moms would’ve probably told us about.”

“If they weren’t dead,” I laughed.

“Yeah, if they weren’t dead.” She laughed back. We always made morbid dead mom jokes to one another. It was our own personal bond.

When I returned to the Alpha’s residence, Narien was waiting for me on the front porch. He quickly jumped up from the porch swing and ran to wrap me in his arms. “Ugh, there you are!” He said happily nuzzling his nose in my shoulder.

“Hi,” I replied, relaxing my head against his own shoulder. “Should we move the PDA inside though?” I asked with a small laugh.

“No, I don’t care anymore.” Narien replied, continuing to hold me in his large, muscular grasp. “Everyone will know later tonight anyways, who cares what they see now.”

I held my hands on his head, enjoying his warm embrace. This was a really good feeling, I realized. This was a feeling I wanted to have over and over again. Narien’s warmth enveloping me and the mate bond that kept us glued to one another.

“Hey,” he spoke softly, his eyes still held shut. “I really love you Amethia. Please don’t leave me. I don’t want to ever be without you ever again.”

I smiled at his words. “Nah, I’m gonna reject you.” I said playfully.

Quickly he pulled back and his eyes were wide like a puppy’s when they wanted something. “Amethia that’s not funny!” He pouted when he saw the sly smile on my face. “You can’t joke about that kind of thing! I would hurt so badly if you rejected me. I thought that’s what you were doing at first when you left. You told me to leave, you then left the pack house and I was so afraid and I just… I really don’t want to lose you Amimi, okay?”

I laughed. “I’m sorry Narien, I was just teasing.” I said softly, my eyes fixing on my hands. So that’s why he never told me about rejection, because he thought I already knew what it was. That made sense, and I’m relieved that I was able to calm down when I was talking with Laila earlier.

“Good.” He said with a firm voice before grabbing my hands and pulling me inside. “Let’s find something to eat, shall we?”

I smiled. “Can I cook for you?”

Narien picked me up in one swift movement. “Of course my beautiful mate can cook for me!” He exclaimed happily and suddenly I was glad that I couldn’t see anyone else in the Alpha’s residence right now.

Time flew by before it was time for the pack meeting. I could feel my heart racing and it seemed to make Narien nervous too. The fact that he was nervous made me even more nervous. We were a continuous cycle of nervous-ness.

Kaeala noticed this when she came out from her room. Narien was pacing and I was curled up on the couch, picking at my nails. “Okay,” she sighed loudly to get our attention. “Stop freaking out you two, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Sorry,” Narien and I mumbled in unison. He looked at me and in doing so I giggled. I felt calmer now all of a sudden and I realize it was likely because Narien calmed down too. Stupid Wolf things I don’t understand, screw you for making me feel things against my will.

“We should go now,” Erandius said, rounding the corner from his bedroom as well. Kaeala approached him and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. Seeing those two in love gave me a weird sense of hope for my future.

Narien walked up to me and offered his hand. I took it, standing up and meeting his gaze. “Holy s**t…” I mumbled softly to him. “We’re really about to do this.”

“I’ve got you,” Narien said calmly. “Everything is going to be perfect Amimi, I promise.”

With that, we set off to the pack house. When I got there, my father and brothers along with Marsen had just finished setting up the seating. Both Katson and Torka bounded up to me when they saw me, giving me a massive family bear hug.

“I’m so excited,” Torka said happily. “Our little Sister gets to show everyone who’s boss!”

Katson elbowed Torka. “I know you’ll do great, Ame. Everyone here loves you already, there’s nothing to worry about.”

I smiled at their words. “Thanks guys, I’m just… awkward about it all I guess.”

Katson was about to reply when our father interrupted us. “The pack is arriving, we should go sit.” His eyes scanned the three of us before landing on me. I smiled at him and in response he hugged me and my brothers, squishing me in the process.

“I love you three more than you’ll ever realize,” he said happily. “I know this isn’t exactly what you wanted Ame, but knowing that you’ll all be together with me in the pack has brought an old man so much joy.”

“I’m actually right where I want to be,” I said happily, and I felt his hug tighten on us. Katson and Torka both donned goofy grins before we were finally released and allowed to take our seats. The pack house was filling up bit by bit and before I knew it, I watched Narien take the podium in front of me.