The Alpha's unexpected Red Mate

Chapter 3

~ Rhett ~

The feast with the Crystal Moon pack was approaching. I cannot say I wasn't growing nervous each day. The turmoil inside me kept me restless, and I couldn't focus well on my work, let along during my training sessions. An arranged marriage... The thought of it didn't frighten me, it was the uncertainty of what comes after it, and during it, that was torturing me. The wedding remains the easiest part of all this. You get dressed, be at the venue on time, exchange rings with your future wife and then go on with the rest of the day pretending you enjoy the meaningless conversations with family, pack members and friends who are all so thrilled you got married, believing it will make you forget that it is all a farce. And then, the dreadful wedding night with the person you chose and with whom you have perhaps not even the physical attraction. How is one supposed to love and respect someone whom you know nothing about? And then ensure to have children? By forcing that person who was already forced into a marriage without her consent? That just plain horrible.

"What is wrong with you?" Master Klaus said in a low, menacing voice. "You have become slow and quite predictable in your battles."

"Sorry, Klaus, I don't sleep very well. I cannot focus on my training properly." I answered. I sounded pathetic, like a high school child.

"It's Master Klaus, even for you." he reminded me, clearly unhappy with the way I addressed him. "And I don't care, sleep better and improve your attack and defence. You are dismissed. Go take a shower."

This man! Always so rigid and strict. Almost like my father. I knew very well he was right, yet I tried finding excuses for my downgrading performance. If I was to be the future Alpha, I had to ensure to win every battle I could. At this instance, I was not up to that task.

I went to the bathroom of our training facilities and removed my clothes. I jumped into the shower cabin and opened the faucet to test the water temperature with a swift move. After a few seconds, the warm water started pouring, and I could turn on the shower. I put both of my hands on the wall and let soaked my head first under the water, letting it slide down my entire body. Even this could not alleviate the heavy thoughts troubling me. I was again falling into the despair of thinking nothing but the worst about the arranged marriage my father was organizing. The only thing I could do to make it slightly more bearable was to choose myself a spouse who would at least have some similar tastes and interests I had, and who would at least be a bit more intelligent than the average female from the Crystal Moon pack. Everyone knew it was one of the richest pack from across the border, yet they were not the smartest werewolves out there.

I started rubbing the soap all over my body, removing the sweat from the training when suddenly, I heard someone step into the locker room. Most probably it was one of our Betas who also finished with his training. 

Rhett, son, come to my office in ten minutes. I have something I want to discuss with you. My father interrupted my thoughts through the mind link. 

Alright, I'll be there. I responded and went on with rinsing the soap foam from my back and thighs. The person who came into the locker seemed to have vanished since I didn't hear any other sound than opening and closing the entrance door. No one came to take a shower, and no one was busy with any of the lockers. I stepped out of the shower cabin, put the towel around my hips and went straight to my clothes sitting on the bench between the two rows of dark grey lockers. I sat next to my things and tried enjoying a few more minutes of solitude. The water was dripping from my hair onto the cold floor below my feet.

"Is something bothering you?" I heard a man's voice behind me. I wasn't startled, I expected this would be the same person who came in while I was in the shower.

"Not particularly. Why do you ask Christopher?"

"You're not much of a liar, Rhett. I followed your last two training courses. What is bothering you? You can tell me." I knew he was right. Christopher was a man who can keep a secret, and he was always very discreet.

"Have you already reported my performances to my father? I will see him in a bit, so I'll know."

"No, not yet, but I think he has the right to know. After all, you will inherit..."

"The pack and the business... Yes, yes, I know. And I have to live up to the task." I sighed and turned myself to face my father's advisor.

"True, but don't forget that I will also work for you. It's in our mutual interest that we get along and that I get to know how you think and what troubles you so that I can be of utmost help." Christopher reminded me of this non-negligible detail. 

"You are right, Christopher. I have been restless since the last meeting with the business partners. I've discussed my situation with my father, and we agreed on an arranged marriage with a girl of my choice from the Crystal Moon pack. So far, nothing impressive. But what keeps me restless is that my father expects me to choose business and that arranged marriage over my mate if I ever meet her. I know my father accepted to be in an arranged marriage with my mother, but he never found his mate. It seems so easy for him to expect me to follow the same path he had during his life." I finally spilt my guts.

"No one says it was easy for your father. Especially when your mother died, I know this because I was there and I watched him suffer. As for you, he just wants to make sure that you are successful in your future and that you maintain the pack's position as it is, once you take over. Maybe even improve it. As for your marital life..."

"I am supposed to reject my true mate the moment our eye meet. That's what he told me. To throw away my happiness and live a life with some other she-wolf, perhaps in misery." I interrupted Christopher as I felt anger build up in me. Our gazes locked for a few seconds in utter silence. I have noticed the time flying by on a clock above Christopher's head, and I started quickly putting on my new, clean clothes. I had to be in my father's office in a minute, and I felt I was starting to run late.

"First of all, you don't know if you will ever meet your true mate. Secondly, you shouldn't be angry at your father, especially that he..." 

"I am not interested. My father clearly cares only about business and our pack's position at the Council." I couldn't let him finish. I was too consumed by my thoughts and anger. I was not ready for any excuses Christopher tried to give me on behalf of my father. I was starting to believe my father became a ruthless businessman whose emotions have recently vanished into thin air.

I passed next to our advisor, leaving him alone in his thoughts and headed straight to meet my father in his office. I almost ran through the corridors of our manor house, servants looking at me as if I was crazy. I must have looked ridiculous. When I found myself in front of the wooden door of my father's office, I paused for a few seconds, trying to calm my respiration. Finally, I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard my father's approval, and I pushed down the doorknob.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Ah, Rhett! Indeed, we need to discuss recent events in Malthai."

"Malthai? Why? What is going on?" I approached myself to the chair in front of father's desk and sat down.

"It's the Barath pack. They disagree with the current deal we have with them and are at the brink of organizing riots. Christopher and I had a meeting with our Deltas who are in charge of the negotiations with the southern countries, and we all agree that a new deal has to be offered to Baraths to keep the peace. Otherwise, we lose control over the southern region, we lose votes within the Council, and our pack loses its position everywhere."

"I see. So what do you plan to do?" I asked, although I already guessed what was on his mind.

"I want you to travel south and deal with this. This will be your introduction into the business matters you will have to deal with once I step away from the light." My father looked at me straight in the eyes. This was his plan all along. This was my baptism of fire and I had to prove I can live up to the task.

"Alright. When do I leave?" There was no point in beating around the bush.

"Right after the feast. Now, let's go over the deal you will be offering to the Baraths."

We sat in the office for hours, discussing the deal and the tactics. The feast seemed so far away now, almost as if it was not supposed to take place in three days. I was somewhat relieved to know that this business matter will keep me away from the whole arranged marriage thing. After all, a change of scenery could be what I needed to calm myself and accept what awaits me after I choose my future wife.