Bound by Fate: The Alpha's Promise

Chapter 7- The Untold Stories

The university lobby buzzed with life, a mix of laughter, chatter, and the rustle of pages turning. Sasha sat in a corner, her iced coffee untouched, the condensation forming rivulets down the cup. She stared blankly at the floor, her mind a storm of thoughts, each crashing wave pulling her further into despair. *Why can’t I just feel normal?*

Maya, with her bright smile and vibrant energy, spotted Sasha and made her way over. “Hey!” she chirped, plopping down beside her.

Sasha managed a bittersweet smile, but the heaviness in her chest didn’t lift. She handed Maya the iced coffee, a silent offering of comfort.

“What’s with you? You look pale. Is there any problem?” Maya’s brow furrowed in concern.

Sasha shook her head, the movement barely a whisper.

“ You can't lie to me babygirl. Why do you look depressed? There must be something.” Maya squeezed Sasha’s shoulder gently, her eyes searching for answers.

At that, Sasha’s composure broke. Tears welled up and spilled over, leaving trails down her cheeks. “Hey, why?” Maya asked, glancing around as if the answer might be written on the walls. “Just tell me what happened.”

“I was just thinking about my mate,” Sasha finally confessed, her voice a mere murmur.

Maya’s brow knitted together in confusion. “Uh? I don't get you”

“Yeah, I’m 22 years old but I still haven’t found my mate. I can’t even feel my wolf until now” Sasha’s voice cracked, the weight of her words pressing down on her. “Am I going to be wolf-less and mate-less for the rest of my life? And just going to die like this without getting marked ?” Tears flowed freely now, each drop a testament to her anguish.

Maya shook her head, vehemently disagreeing. “No, you will meet your mate very Believe me, the Moon Goddess reserved the best for you.” She cupped Sasha’s cheek tenderly, trying to infuse her with hope.

“Don’t calm me down, Maya. I already know my fate. Most wolves find their mate after turning 18, but I’m still here alone.” The bitterness in Sasha’s voice was palpable.

Maya took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Mostly, but not all wolves will find their mate quickly. Remember Alpha Ryan? He’s 25 and still hasn’t found his mate. You the one told me this.”

Sasha nodded, but the spark of hope flickered dimly. “You will find your mate at the right time. I’m praying hard to the Moon Goddess to find a good mate for you, someone who will love you to the end. Your parents’ blessings will always be there.”

Sasha listened, the warmth of Maya’s words wrapping around her like a blanket.

“ But, your fate is not as bad as mine Sasha” Maya continued, her voice quieting. “Even though I have a mate, I’m just like a slave in his eyes—oppressed, unloved. He doesn't want to mark me, and don’t even want to reject me.”

Sasha looked at her friend, feeling a heaviness settle deep in her gut. “Your mate will love you, believe me. You will be the queen of his heart.”

A small smile broke through Sasha’s tears, and she wrapped her arms around Maya in a tight embrace. “Thanks for being there for me, babe. I don’t have to worry about being alone because you’re by my side. As a family.”

Maya’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears, but she quickly changed the subject. They began to chat about classes, a lighthearted reprieve from the weight of their conversation.

Just then, a figure approached—an admin from the university. “You’re Maya Smith, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” Maya stood up, a hint of apprehension in her posture.

“The Dean wants to meet you,” the admin said, her expression unreadable.

Maya exchanged a glance with Sasha, a flutter of nerves dancing in her stomach. “Can you tell me why?”

“I’m not sure, but the Dean told me to meet before 2 PM.”

Sasha’s eyes darted to her watch. “It’s already 1:45 PM!”

Maya nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay, we’ll go now.” The tremor in her voice betrayed her uncertainty. What could Dean Victor want? Had she done something wrong?

With a deep breath, Maya rang the bell outside Dean Victor’s office, Sasha at her side for support.

“Come in,” came a voice from within, smooth and authoritative.

Maya pushed the door open, her heart racing. Dean Victor sat behind a large desk, a name tag proclaiming his identity. “Good afternoon, Dean Victor. Can my friend Sasha come in?”

“Oh, Sasha, right? I wanted to meet her too. Ask her to come in.”

Maya felt a rush of relief and called Sasha inside. They stood in front of Dean Victor’s desk, the air thick with anticipation.

“Both of you can take a seat,” he said, motioning to the chairs across from him.

Once seated, Dean Victor handed each of them an envelope. They exchanged puzzled glances, confusion etched on their faces.

“You can open and read,” he instructed.

Maya’s eyes widened as she tore the envelope open, while Sasha gasped beside her.

“Is this true, Dean?” Sasha asked, her voice trembling with disbelief. “We don’t have to pay our class fees anymore?”

Dean Victor nodded, a smile breaking across his face. “Everything has been paid.”

“Who paid the fees, Dean?” Maya asked, struggling to contain her excitement.

“Alpha Ryan paid all the fees.”

Both girls blurted in unison, “Alpha Ryan?”

“Yeah,” Dean Victor confirmed. “He’s chosen some students randomly to help by paying their fees at the university. Fortunately, you two were chosen.”

“Thank you so much, Dean! We didn’t expect something this meaningful!” Maya exclaimed, her heart racing with gratitude.

“That’s right, Dean. It’s a huge amount to pay, and we really appreciate it!” Sasha added, her voice bright with joy.

Dean Victor beamed, pride evident in his tone. “If you’re grateful, tell our Alpha. He’s the one who helped you both.”

As they exited Dean Victor’s office, Maya felt a thrill of disbelief and gratitude wash over her. “I can’t believe it! Alpha Ryan…”

Sasha smiled, her earlier worries momentarily forgotten. “He really is a good Alpha. We’re lucky to have him.”

The sun dipped low in the sky as the day wore on.

That night, Maya lay awake in her bed, unable to close her eyes. Ryan’s face swam in her thoughts, making her heart race.*How can someone be so perfect?*

Turning to her side, she caught sight of Sasha on the other bed, scrolling through her phone. “Is Alpha Ryan a very nice person?” she asked, unable to suppress her curiosity.

“Very, very nice,” Sasha replied, her tone dreamy. “We, as pack members, are lucky to have an Alpha like him. He follows in his father’s footsteps.”

“Who is his father?” Maya inquired, leaning closer.

“Alpha Xander, our ex-Alpha. He was a very responsible person who loved his pack members,” Sasha explained. “My father is very loyal to Alpha Xander. After my parents died, he wanted me to live with them in the pack house, but our ex-Luna, Lily, didn’t like my mom. So she never let me live with them.”

Maya’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why doesn’t Luna like your mom?”

Sasha fell silent for a moment, her brow furrowing. “Because my mother is Alpha Xander’s mate.”

Maya’s mouth fell open in shock. “What? Why didn’t your mother marry Alpha then?”

Sasha sat up slightly, her expression serious. “Luna Lily is cunning. She can do anything to get what she wants. Back in the day, Alpha Xander was my mother’s mate, and he was willing to wait to mark her. But this Luna, she was crazy about him. She used many tricks to marry Alpha. When she found out my mother was the true mate, she kidnapped her.”

Maya’s eyes widened. “Kidnapped?”

Sasha nodded, her voice low as she continued. “Not only did she kidnap mom, but she tried to kill her. My mom is a gamma female, so she’s physically stronger than most wolves. She managed to escape. But when she returned, Luna Lily begged her to reject Alpha Xander.”

“Wow,” Maya gasped. “That’s intense.”

Sasha smiled faintly. “My mother understood Luna’s love for him and lied, saying she was in love with Beta Noble, who is my father.”

Maya shook her head in disbelief. “That’s so complicated.”

“After the rejection, Alpha married Luna Lily. Ironically, my father turned out to be my mother’s second-chance mate.”

“Interesting,” Maya replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “How do you know all this? Did your mom tell you?”

Sasha settled back into her blankets, her voice softening. “Yeah. Alpha Ryan has a younger sister named Bella. She was a junior at my primary school. Whenever Luna Lily saw Bella with me, she would scold her. I only told my mom about it when I joined high school, that's when she told me all these stories.”

“Oh, I see. Poor Luna Lily’s future daughter-in-law,” Maya said, and they both erupted into laughter, the sound echoing in the quiet night.

But as the laughter faded, the weight of their realities lingered, a reminder that their lives were intertwined with the complex web of pack dynamics, love, and the looming shadows of their pasts. Each girl, in her own way, grappled with the choices that lay ahead, unaware of the trials yet to come.