The cursed wolves: Fated Mates

CHAPTER TWO

3 WEEKS BEFORE

It was my 21st birthday today and i had woken up to find out I would be getting married the following month!

There had been alot of talk around the pack house lately that my step-father was feeling his age and looking to retire. My mother and I had lost my father 15 years ago and my fathers Beta Malcolm had been voted in as Alpha. Normally it would go directly to the next heir, me. But seeing as I was only 6 that was pretty much impossible so the pack voted nearly unanimously for it. I always assumed he was OK, I was too little to know any better. Within a year him and my mother had wed and became second chance mates and as she was already Luna it then made sense to wait until I had mated to hand over the Alpha status. Especially with me being a girl, the idea of a female Alpha was just ridiculous apparently!

I was so happy on my birthday, it was the one day my mother truly became herself again and we always enjoyed celebrating together. Bit of lunch, some shopping, it was always perfect. Always just the 2 of us, no Malcolm in sight.

There was always something off with my step-father but I could never quite put my finger on it. Every time I brought it up with my mother she just shut me down putting it down to me being such a loner in the pack and never getting involved.

The pack was weird, I didn't want to get involved! I missed training whenever I could, I never ate in the pack house and I certainly always tried to avoid his little squad of soldier wolves. They were all disgusting pigs.

Due to this I also hadn't yet met anyone I liked enough to pick as my chosen mate. I wasn't just going to grab any old wolf who passed along, sure I had dated a few times in high-school but who I chose would become Alpha of the pack, of course I was going to be picky!

Not that it mattered now.

Going down to breakfast that morning I discovered they had all been planning a huge surprise for me. Most people would have been ecstatic....me not so much!

My lovely birthday surprise was a visit from the surrounding towns, all the pack leaders within the circle where bringing their apparently 'worthy' sons for me to mate with.

There was to be a celebration In the clearing in the forrest this evening where they would all be introduced to the Alpha and myself. They would then spend the next 2 weeks competing in a variety of trials to prove who was the most worthy to become mated to the high Alphas daughter and become the next pack Alpha.

So all in all a great birthday celebration for me that would end with me being promised to whichever muppet managed to complete each of the challenges set by Malcolm. Securing them as the next Alpha of the Twilight moon pack and more importantly allowing my step father to continue being in charge through whomever was chosen to play as his puppet.

After the 2 weeks of trials were complete I would then be batroved to next chosen Alpha and we would wed on the next full moon.

In 26 days!

That evening I had, after a very lengthy argument with my mother, agreed to at least attend the celebration this evening and meet the lovely contestants.

I wasnt the worst person to look at more a subtle beauty like my mother. Unfortunately however i took after my father and got my Tom boy attitude from him. I would rather sport jeans and a T shirt over girlie dresses and heels. Again tonight was all about impressions so I had let my mother have her way. Instead of my usual casual look I wore a long floor length summer dress, apparently this made me taller, along with some nice uncomfortable wedges. I had my long brunette hair draping down my back elegantly and had even put on some make up to make me stand out a little more. It was all for show for my mother, I really didn't care what these guys would think of me.

When we entered the clearing the party was in full swing. Everyone laughing and having a drink, some of the younger ones enjoying the music and dancing around the bonfire. It actually looked like a fun time, maybe this won't be so bad.

I regretted my thought as soon as it entered. No this was going to be the worst night of my life!

Every male in the centre had stopped moving and were all glaring over at me like the dinner bell had just been rang and I was the main course. The disgust I felt running through my core just from the attention of these wolves told me how bad this was going to be.

I could never be mated to anyone here. I will never put my wolf through the agony of spending a life with these mongrels.

After Malcolm had introduced me to each of the pack leaders and there sons i made my escape. The good thing about not getting involved with the pack is that they assume your shy and they barley notice when you disappear. I was sat alone in the shadows, trying desperately to figure out how to convince my mother of stopping this crazy plan Malcolm has to mate me out like stray dog when a noise made me freeze. I could see In the distance Malcolm and a few of the other pack leaders creeping off back towards to pack houses.

Curiosity getting the better of me I snuck off to follow them. As I neared the edge of the forest I realised they had stopped and where having a slightly heated conversation.

"Alpha, please I appreciate that she is now older and should be mated but is this really the way to go around this?"

"Vincent I don't care about her age, I don't even care about her mating. I have asked you here to swear you into secracy and to share my plans with you all."

I could see the confusion on the faces, it matched my own. If he didn't care about me mating why go through all of this to chose the next Alpha? Why not just allow me the time to chose myself?

Malcolm continued "Now that I have you all here I want to inform you of the truth. The truth is I won't be replaced with any of your sons. They will not now and not ever be the next Alpha."

"What's the meaning of this, how dare you summon us and then..."

Malcolm cut him off with a swift back slap across the face.

"Do not interrupt me, I'm not finished."

"None of them will become Alpha as I intend for my eldest son Matteo to become the next Alpha. I see your confusion my friends but let me explain."

"I am Alpha, Sophie is not my heir and she will never be an Alpha. I refuse to have my own blood line swept aside as nothing whilst another bloody line takes over as Alpha. Sophie will wed and be mated to one of your sons, they will go through the trials but it will not be to secure Alpha status but to secure the right to become the next Beta. Once wed my dutiful son in law will be the next Beta to the pack along side Matteo as the Alpha."

"But Alpha, as long as Sophie lives she is the next heir to become Alpha, her mate will be the next Alpha." Vincent spoke quietly. Clearly not wanted to endure another hit.

"Let me make myself clear, Sophie will never be Alpha. She will not live long enough for her mate to take over and she will nolonger be the thorn in the paw messing up my plans. Do you all hear me!

Now that you have all heard my plans....

Do you swear to your Alpha that this will remain between only us, this is the only way we can become the higher species. We can not allow our pack to be tainted by her bad blood line."

They all stood tall and bowed towards Malcolm, repeating one another

"Yes Alpha"

"Yes Alpha"

"Yes Alpha"

"Yes Alpha"

Even Vincent after a short pause "Yes Alpha"

THE PRESENT

Jake POV

"And that was when I ran, I had no idea were i was going but I knew as long as I stayed I was in danger." Sophie finished.

I couldn't help but reach my hand out to hers. The pain and agony coming from her sweet angelic voice, I needed to comfort her. I didn't understand why I felt the way I did for this girl I barely knew but the need to protect her was there and I knew I would do anything for her.

"Right well that settles that then eh boys." Caroline piped up, not one for silent moment.

"Jake? Any chance you could help me haul these mutts out of here before they wake. I'm thinking dump them down by the swamp haha."

"Once that's done we can get organise. Sophie hun I want you to pop upstairs and grab your bits, we can't have you staying here alone now can we."

The confusion must be showing on my face.

"Well she can't stay here, they know where she is I'm sure they will be back. I'm thinking either the pack house or yours Jake, which ever you prefer." She finished with a wink.

Oh great my attraction was clear to everyone then.

Sophie was looking at me confused.

"You don't live in the pack house?"

OK. That's not quite what I expected her to say.

"No Sophie I live in my private family home. The pack house is more the Beta's domain."

"But your an Alpha?"

I knew she could sense my Alpha status, the same as I could hers. This connection we seem to have is beyond just attraction, our wolves are in tune with one another I can just feel it. I wonder if she can?

I had just opened my mouth to ask when a slight movement to my left caught my eye. Before I could even react the wolf had leapt to his feed and was currently catapulting Caroline across the room and into the bar.

Sophie POV

Jake was staring at me with such confusion, I was desperate to know what he was thinking. Its a shame we weren't in the same pack I would love to dig around his head in my wolf form.

He had just opened his mouth to speak when Caroline was thrown directly onto the bar by one of the now not unconscious wolves and fell to the ground unconscious.

I ran towards her instantly to try and help but before I could reach her another hand grabbed at my foot. In one swift moment I turned on my feet to defend myself and with the wolf still griping my lower half I fell backwards and smashed my head against the table.

It was all weirdly in slow motion, I could see Jake in the backround taking down 2 of the wolves and see the 3rd wolf going toward Doug to attack but there was nothing I could do but fall. I felt a sharp stab on the back of my head and then nothing, everything went black.

It was just me and the darkness now.