Your Alpha Mate

Chapter 6

Members of different packs sat around the table, and though Jayden was trying to blur pack lines, they were clearly clumped into groups. Large plates of food sat in the middle of the table filled with rice, pasta, salad, and varied protein choices. Everyone was already having their fill as I took the place at the head of the table.

Willow was sitting with some of our pack members making casual talk. I hadn’t told her yet, but another reason I brought her along was to begin her training. I wanted to be there to guide her through everything I could. She was ready now, and I could see the change in her attitude. She was more serious, more aware. Her recovery, though quick, was tedious and I know she never wants to be put in a situation where she is vulnerable again. 

I served myself a plateful and forced the food into my mouth, even though I had lost all my appetite after what had just happened with Jayden. His energy was overpowering, his scent had been completely intoxicating. I could smell him from here, the change in his scent when he grabbed my chin and made me look up at him. The woodsy tinge to his scent had deepened and I wondered if he could smell the change in my own scent as heat spread in my core.

I shook my head at the thought. That could never happen again. We had been too close. I could barely hold myself together in such close proximity. If it hadn’t been for that housekeeper interrupting us, I don’t know what else I would’ve let happen. I was on the edge of losing everything I’d been building for the last three years and I couldn’t let it go to waste.

I knew he was in the room before I even saw him. I knew by the way the hairs on the back of my neck stood. I turned to see him striding into the room, his eyes fixed forward. The muscles on his jaw clenched and his fists clenched at his sides. Everyone’s heads turned to him and I admired the way he could claim attention like that. He reached the other end of the table and then he let his eyes fall to me. I dropped my gaze onto my plate.

He waited a second before speaking, “I would like to thank all of you for coming here for our common good, I hope you find the facilities accomodating,” The wolves grunted in approval, “There will be more pack members arriving within the next couple of days, I trust we will all get along, I want to encourage you all to put aside your pack differences and come together as one during your stay here, the display of pack colours and emblems will not be allowed, not even my own,” His voice was strong and final. There was no room for protest or argument.

“While members from other packs may take a few more days to arrive, your training will begin tonight with the full moon, we’ll see where your abilities lie when it comes to your wolves.”

And with that he sat down and started piling food onto his plate, dismissing everyone’s attention. Chatter began again across the dining hall, and faint background music started playing too. Willow had made her way over to my side and she sat down with her plate of food in front of her.

“Are you okay? You seem worried,” Her eyebrows scrunched in silent question.

“Yeah, I’m just a bit tired,” I said and forced a convincing yawn to come out of me. But the truth is I was not okay, I was indeed worried. One thing was being a human and having full, or almost full, control over myself. But as a wolf, I couldn’t trust myself to stay away. My instincts will drive my actions and I know my first instinct as a wolf will be to be with my mate. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself.

❈

As the sun set on the horizon, all the different pack members gathered in the open arena. No pack colours or emblems to be seen. Just black and grey shirts and serious faces. Somehow I knew that they were still clumped amongst their own packs, but this was a start. I smiled softly as Willow walked up to me.

“Are you ready?” I asked her.

“Surprisingly, yes, I really am,” She smiled back her eyes already a bright green that belonged more to her wolf than her human form.

“Be careful please,” I pleaded, “we may be here in peace for a common purpose but wolves are territorial, and while Alpha Jayden’s pack may have received us with open arms their temper might get the best of them as wolves,”

“Wait, are you not coming?” her head tilted.

“No, I think I want to watch from a better vantage point… Just to get a good look at what I’m working with,” I winked and hoped that was convincing enough. She didn’t question me.

Alphas were not compelled to shift by the full moon like regular pack members. We could decide if we wanted to shift. However, there was nothing more delicious than giving in to the full moon and letting your wolf run free. What most people don’t know is that after my first full moon transformation, the moon never compelled my shift again, even before I became an Alpha.

I would’ve enjoyed tonight, I would’ve liked to run until my lungs collapsed. I couldn’t let myself though. Not with everything that’s at risk. Willow joined the rest of the wolves and began loosening her muscles.

His scent hit me first, and his looming presence overcame me all at once. I involuntarily took a deep breath, taking in his scent.

“What’s this I hear you’re not joining tonight’s training?” he spoke and I knew he was standing right behind me, he could’ve leaned over and whispered it in my ear if he had wanted to.

I refused to show him how much he affected me.

I shrugged, still refusing to turn to look at him, “I don’t think it would be a good idea,”

“And why’s that,” He came to stand next to me.

Shit, maybe I shouldn’t have said it like that.

“What I mean is I’d like to get a good vantage point and see what everyone’s got, I won’t be able to see everyone if I’m right there in the middle,”

He looked like he was actually considering what I was saying.

“That’s not a bad idea, though it’ll be a lot less fun,” He said teasingly, but I refused to humour him.

“Well I didn’t come here to have fun.”

The glint in his eyes faded at my cutting tone. But he gave me a forced sarcastic smile.

“You know what, I might just join you,” He clapped once before I could protest, and everyone turned their heads.

“Listen up everyone, I don’t care what pack you’re from, I don’t want to see any unfriendly nipping or growling, the only time I want to see you be forceful with each other is under my and Alpha Cali’s instruction, understood?”

A collective echo of the words ‘Yes Alpha,’ rang out across the arena. There were at least 80 of us here.

The sun had just set finished setting and the sky was a dark blue colour, the full moon rose with each minute. I could physically see the strain it was for the warriors not to shift immediately upon its glare. Any second now…

“I want you all to get your run in and then come back to the arena to begin training,” He finished and motioned them with permission to shift now.

Almost instantly, the warriors began their shifts. The collective sounds of bones snapping and cracking almost made me cringe. I don’t think I’d ever seen so many people turn at once like this. Some faces were contorted in pain, but it was worth it. As the wolves rose, they immediately started running towards the woods behind the arena. I watched Willow in her wolf form run with the rest, her beautiful brown fur reflecting the moonlight.

I knew what she felt, and I envied it. That feeling of running under the full moon is indescribable. It’s freedom. It fills your whole existence with purpose and meaning. Nothing else matters in that moment. That’s why Jayden asked them to come back after running. It’s almost a necessity to run when you shift on a full moon. If they didn’t they wouldn't be able to concentrate. Their instincts would be pushing them to run the whole time.

I allowed myself to look at Jayden and I could see the longing in his clear blue eyes as he watched the wolves disappear through the trees. I sighed.

“Just go,” I said without thinking.

He turned to look at me, his eyes wide.

“Come with me,” his voice was serious, almost commanding.

I let out a small laugh, “Yeah right,”

“Why don’t you want to?” his fists were clenched at his side, and I could almost feel the itch he had to reach out to me.

“Have fun.” I waved at him, ending the conversation.

He clenched his jaw, he was getting fed up.

He seemed like he wanted to say more, but he shook his head and a low growl erupted from his chest as his bones started snapping. He took mere seconds to shift into his wolf form. He was completely black, and massive. He was probably one of the biggest wolves I’d ever seen. In this state, his blue eyes shone with a light that mirrored the moon's. They bore into me with such intensity that my wolf writhed and struggled within me. It urged me to turn. To join him.

Somewhere in the distance, howling began to echo through the woods. It was a howl of happiness, ecstasy from the full moon. I felt my control slipping from my hands as my wolf instincts pushed me into a corner.

Jayden could feel it too, his eyes were looking into my very soul and I took a step back in a helpless attempt to regain control. A low and threatening growl escaped him as he took another step towards me, and I knew that his wolf had completely taken over. He looked at me like a predator and an Alpha. I backed up until my back hit a column. s**t.

His ears were flat to his head as he snarled in dominance. He was trying to submit me. His growl deepened and I knew what he was demanding. He was trying to get me to shift by submission, and I was not gonna have it. Even my wolf stopped her writhing as she realised what he was doing. He wanted me to change so we could come together in our wolf form. He knew I’d have no control over myself in that state.

He might be my mate, but he will not command me. Ever. Every part of me was furious, my wolf instincts kicked in. As an Alpha, he was challenging my dominance, and I’d be damned if I let him. Who did he think he was?

I stood straight and let my wolf show, I knew my eyes had turned a bright green as his widen. I looked at him viciously. He stopped his advance. I took a confident, threatening step towards him as my own bones started to snap, I barely even felt it. He took a step back, but I didn’t care. All I saw was red. I was not going to give myself up, not even for a mate.

I pounced and my human form shredded away revealing my wolf. I was up in his face in an instant and I couldn’t stop myself as I growled at him. I had completely lost myself in the anger, in the frustration. He seemed taken aback by my outburst. In my wolf form my size was comparably smaller to him, but as an Alpha I was bigger than most wolves. His ears remain flat to his head and he refused to back up. I snarled, my last warning for him to back up. But he wouldn’t.

My instincts took over as I lunged at him. I knew I caught him completely off guard as his body toppled easily under my weight. My teeth sank into his jaw and he responded with a growl that turned into a whimper. At the sound I halted my attack, my heart clenched as I realised what I’d done, but it was too late to take it back now. I let go of his jaw but used my paws to push him to the ground. I tried not to whine at the sight of his blood pooling at the wound.

I got off him and turned my pack to him. Off the corner of my vision, I saw him prop up onto his side. Eyes wide. I was shocked too. Guilt hit me first. I can’t believe I attacked my mate. Wait, no. Guilt? Seriously? No. If anyone should feel guilt it's him. He tried to submit me. I’m a f*****g Alpha. He crossed a line and I pushed back. I have nothing to feel sorry for.

I regained control of myself and let my wolf form slide away. I sat naked on the floor, my knees to my chest. This had gotten out of hand way too fast. I was just glad there hadn’t been anyone around to see. I looked over my shoulder at Jayden, he too had shifted back to a human and was sliding on a pair of shorts.

A minute later he approached me with a long shirt in his hand. He didn’t look at me as he offered it down to me. Oh so now he was trying to be respectful? I snatched it from his hands and slid it over myself in a swift movement.

“Cali, I-“

“Stop.” I said as I pushed off the floor and stood. My arms over my chest.

“I don’t care who you think you are, I am an Alpha too and you will never challenge my authority like that again,” I looked him dead in the eye and to say that he looked shocked was an understatement.

I turned on my heels and walked away. He can deal with tonight’s training. I’m done.

I only allowed myself to look back once and regretted it instantly as I saw his arms hanging limp at his sides, his jaw bruised.