The Alpha's Secret

Chapter 2

The alpha’s cabin potrays power, its sturdy wooden beams and stone hearth built to weather both time and conflict. The dining room, however, was silent but for the clinking of silverware on plates. Selena sat across from her father at the long oak table, tension rises in the air. The smell of spiced venison and fresh bread filled the room, but Selena had little appetite.

Alpha Gregory, a man of imposing stature with graying hair and a gaze that seemed to pierce through walls, regarded her with cool expectation.

“You didn’t sleep well last night,” Gregory noted, his voice as sharp as the morning chill.

“I was restless,” Selena answered, keeping her tone normal. “There’s been too much on my mind.”

Gregory placed his fork down with a soft clink. “Restless minds make leaders take wrong decision, Selena. You can’t let distractions cloud your judgment.”

Selena’s jaw tightened. “I’m not distracted. I’ve been doing everything you’ve asked me—training the pack, preparing for the alliance meeting, even overseeing patrol.”

Gregory leaned forward, his gaze hard. “And yet, you’re still unmarked. You turn 21 tomorrow, Selena. The pack expects their future alpha to have a mate.”

Selena nervous at the statement. The expectation of finding a mate felt like a chain around her neck, one more duty to fulfill for the sake of the pack.

“I’ll find my mate when the time is right,” Selena said, her voice steady but her hands firmly holding the edge of the table.

Gregory shook his head. “The time is now. Our neighbors grow restless, and alliances are fragile. A mate isn’t just about love— it’s about power, strategy, and stability.”

“I know that,” Selena said, her frustration beginning to surface. “But I can’t force the bond. It’s not something I can control.”

“You’ll control it when you meet the right person,” Gregory snapped. “And if you don’t, you’ll have to consider other options.”

Selena’s heart sank. “Other options?”

Gregory’s gaze less severe for a brief moment, but his tone remained firm. “Sometimes, leadership means sacrifice. If the bond doesn’t come, you may need to choose a mate for the good of the pack.”

After breakfast, Selena stepped outside into the crisp morning air, seeking quiet in the forest beside the alpha’s cabin. Taking a deep breath, letting the scents of pine and earth calm her racing thoughts.

Her father’s words reminiscing in her mind: A mate isn’t just about love— it’s about power.

Is that all I’ll ever be? A tool for alliances? A pawn in someone else’s game? What about what I want?

Mia, Selena’s best friend, appeared from the path leading to the training grounds. Her auburn hair brighted in the sunlight, and her warm smile offered a small cancellation from Selena’s inner problems.

“There you are,” Mia said, joining Selena. “You disappeared right after breakfast. Let me guess— your father gave you another one of his pep talks about mates and alliances?”

Selena huffed, crossing her arms. “You could call it a pep talk. I’d call it a lecture.”

Mia bumped her playfully. “You know he just wants what’s best for the pack. And maybe, deep down, he wants what’s best for you too.”

Selena shot her a look. “Best for me? He’d marry me off to the first alpha who offered an alliance if it meant securing the pack’s future.”

Mia’s smile faded. “He’s under a lot of pressure, Selena. You’re the next in line. That comes with responsibilities.”

Selena sighed, resting against a tree. “I know. I just wish I could figure it out on my own— without feeling like the entire pack is breathing down my neck.”

Later that day, Selena joined a pack meeting in the main hall, where Gregory addressed the leaders of the patrol groups. The hall was loud with voices, the air thickened with the scent of wolves.

Gregory stood at the head of the room, his commanding presence silencing the murmurs as he began to speak.

“We’ve had another rogue sighting near the southern border,” Gregory announced. “This is the third incident in two weeks. It’s clear that the rogues are testing our defenses.”

One of the patrol leaders, a burly wolf named Kade, spoke up. “Do you think they’re after something, Alpha? Or someone?”

Gregory’s gaze swept the room. “That remains to be seen. But we will not let our guard down. Patrols will be double effective immediately.”

Selena listened closely, her sharp mind picking up on the underlying feeling in the room. Some wolves exchanged wary glances, their confidence in the alpha’s leadership faltering.

The pack trusts him, but they’re scared. If I’m going to lead someday, I need to find a way to make them feel safe.

After the meeting, Caleb, the beta, approached Selena. His smile was charming, but there was something calculating in his eyes.

“Big shoes to fill, huh?” Caleb said, nodding toward Gregory as he left the hall.

Selena shrugged. “I’ve been training for this my whole life. I can handle it.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Caleb said smoothly. “But leadership isn’t just about strength. It’s about knowing who to trust— and who not to.”

Selena frowned, unsure if Caleb’s words were a warning or a veiled threat.

As Selena left the hall, her thoughts troubled with doubts about her father’s leadership, Caleb’s mysterious comment, and her own ability to lead. Unknowing to her, Darian watched from the shadows, his expression unpredictable as he pieced together fragments of the pack’s dynamics.

They don’t see it yet, but their unity is already cracking. If I don’t find the traitor soon, this pack will tear itself apart.