The secrets of the shadow pack

Chapter 10

Funeral Day

Alpha Axel

Knock knock knock, "Come in." I watch my beta's daughter, Imani, walk in wearing lingerie. F*ck. This girl has really been pushing for me to f*ck her. She has this idea in her head about becoming the Luna to my pack. She is not my fated mate. She isn't even the only one though. Lately, so many she wolves have been throwing themselves at me. It is getting harder to decide if I want to wait to find my mate or not. I'm 18, and so far, nothing. I traveled for a couple of months after I turned 18, but have not found her yet.

"Well, it is coming. I can feel her already. She is close by, so get this sl*t out of here so we can focus. When I find my mate, I want her to fall in love, so you have a lot of work to do." My wolf is an a$$h0le.

I really hope so, because possibly having to wait for her for years sounds painful. "Don't be weak. Our mate will be worth the wait."

I pass the comb through my hair, but Imani takes it from me, and she begins combing my hair. "You know, last night I was up late, thinking about us." Here she goes again. She is always talking about us hooking up and having a mating ceremony. How it's the best thing for the pack, because our parents have led together for years and we know this lifestyle. She claims she and her family worry that I will end up with an unworthy mate, and that the future Luna won't be cut out for the job. I thought about it momentarily, but my wolf and I discussed it, and what's best for our pack is our fated mate. Imani is tripping and will surely change her mind when she meets her mate.

I know that whoever the moon goddess pairs me with will be amazing and perfect for my pack.

I stand up to get away from her. "We both have a fated mate out there somewhere," she scoffs. "Why risk getting stuck with a weak mate?" She walks over to me, and she puts her hands on my chest. "But we can discuss all the details later, right now, I was thinking that maybe we can have a good time, and I can make you feel good." She gets on her tippytoes and is about to kiss me. My wolf is growling in my head, and my door bursts open.

"Axel, Imani. What's going on here?" My mom shrieks. I step back, and I look at my mother, who has a pained expression on her face. She is taking us both in, and she looks hurt and disgusted.

"Nothing. Imani was just leaving," I say. She rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on. Are we all going to act like this?" she points at herself, then at me. "Aren't you and I becoming mates the best thing for our pack? I'm tired of having to explain this. Axel, you and I make a perfect couple. Don't you think so, Luna Mika?" My mother shakes her head.

"You two are not fated mates. Our goddess did not make you for him or him for you. You both have your other half out there in the world. If you accept each other, you will never feel 100 percent complete. You will always feel like a part of you is missing. Do you really want that?" Mom asks her.

"I think you all need to stop with the idea of a mate. This isn't a fairy tale. Plus, don't you guys want grand pups? Axel and I can start making them right now." My mom's cold, hard gaze sets on me. "And what do you think?" she asks me. I shrug. "Mom, I think you need to relax. I know what I'm doing," my mother steps back. "Fine, I just came to get you. We are all ready to go. The funeral will start soon, and I do not want to be late." She walks out of my room without another word, but I can feel her anger through our family link.

I turn to the beta's daughter. "Don't come back in here, Imani. Just worry about yourself. Stop worrying about my pack." I head out. Today my mother says goodbye to her best friend. She has not been okay since we heard their wolves. She hasn't heard anything else besides the obituary that came in the mail. Their pack was locked down, and there has not been any communication from anyone. I am actually surprised we are still invited to the funeral and as I drive into their property, I see they have been busy.

I follow the guards telling everyone where to park. "What the f*ck is going on here?" dad says. We park and get off. "I just want you to know that I am disappointed to have found you and Imani alone in your bedroom. Why was she wearing lingerie? Why were you two kissing? I hope you haven't done anything you can't take back," she says. She gives dad a kiss and walks away pulling Amerie with her. My wolf is yipping in my head. Probably happy she said that. He hates Imani, and loves when mom scolds me. Little do they both know that I plan to wait for my mate.

"You and Imani?" Dad asks. I shake my head. "She wants to," he sighs. "Do you?" I shake my head. "I want my mate,"

He claps my shoulder. "Good. I'm so glad to hear that. I won't lie, her father and brother have made comments before on how strong the pack would be if you took her as your mate, and her mother has made comments calling you both cute." I shake my head. "Why would the betas want their daughter to reject her fated mate?" dad shrugs. "I am not sure, but I will tell you that nothing prepares you for your mate. It's an indescribable feeling. Being with your mate.." he looks flustered. "Just, don't make the same mistake I made. Wait for your fated mate." I am surprised to hear him say that.

"Wait, you and mom didn't?" he shakes his head. "You know Janielle, Armando's wife?" I nod. Armando volunteers in our fire squad in the pack. "Janielle, and I grew up together. Went to school together, we played after school together. When we got older, we trained together. We were close, like you and the beta's children. Eventually, I became Alpha, and she was always there.

One day. I made a grave mistake. We were at a party, I drank alcohol, so did Janielle, and we ended up having our first time together. I met your mother the very next day. It was the worst feeling in the world. Your mother was so proud to have waited for me. She came from a pack who are trained to wait for their mates. It is sacred there. I disappointed my mate from the moment I met her, and although she said it was okay and accepted me, I have never forgiven myself.

They have something called purity ceremonies in her pack for couples who wait for each other, and your mother didn't get one, because of me." Oh f*ck. "Is that why mom has never returned to her pack?" he nods. "Her family pressured her not to reject me. They wanted her to find someone who was as disciplined as her, but she accepted me, so her family cut her off. The sad thing is that I could feel her relief at them cutting her off. She was so embarrassed when her parents had to announce to their council that their last child would not be having her purity ceremony, because her mate has no self control. They called me a weak Alpha, and honestly I have carried that with me all of these years." Damn, why didn't I know this?

"That's horrible, and weird." he nods. "It's weird to us, but packs have different traditions, and that is normal for them. Who are we to judge? I'm just happy that your mother has never brought it up or made me feel bad about it. She claimed it was before her, and I had no clue I would find her the day after, but I will always carry that guilt." Now I know why dad is the way he is. "Mom's the best," He nods and smiles. He looks over towards her, and he starts walking where she is standing. He turns to me, and he gives me that look that I know very well. "And she is always right!" he waves at me before walking off completely. Like I said, I am waiting for my mate.

"I am glad to hear you say that, because our mate is here." My wolf says.

My heart begins racing.

I take a deep breath in and take in the sweetest scent.

"Follow the scent to get to our prize." He is now pacing.

Mine is all I say, before I go find my mate. I wonder who she is.