Alpha King, Unknown Mate

Chapter 4: Ralph, Raven, and Amber's School Days

“Order up!” Bella’s shout echoed through the bustling cafeteria. It was a routine she’d mastered—delivering food with the precision of a five-star chef in a school cafeteria.

Amber smiled as she placed the steaming cup of coffee in front of Ralph, her best friend, and his brother, Raven. Both were hunched over their gadgets,but Ralph was deep in their final-year assignments. As the top student of their class, Ralph didn’t just excel—he dominated.

“Take a breather,” Amber said, filling Ralph’s cup as she also topped off Raven’s.

Raven didn’t look up from his phone, and Ralph paused his typing long enough to meet her gaze, his deep brown eyes flickering with a mixture of exhaustion and determination. “I can’t, not yet. I still have this project to finish. Plus, I’m reviewing for you both when I’m done.”

Amber leaned in slightly, her voice teasing. “Are you sure it’s the project, or is it just the idea of becoming Alpha that’s keeping you up at night?”

Ralph gave a half-smile, his lips curling in a way that was both charming and pained. “Maybe a little of both, Amber.

Being Alpha... it’s a lot of weight to carry.”

He glanced at Raven, who was too busy scrolling through his phone to care about the conversation. Amber had known both of them for years, but Ralph’s burden had always been heavier. As the first-born son of the shadow Pack’s Alpha, he was bound by duty, though he was never quite ready to embrace it.

Amber chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re not fooling anyone, Ralph. You’ve got it all under control. You’ve always been the leader, even before they gave you the title.”

Before Ralph could respond, two girls—Alexa and Akela—approached, their gazes sharp as they eyed him with the kind of judgment only classmates with too much time on their hands could muster.

"Still weak, Alpha?" Alexa sneered, crossing her arms. "How are you supposed to protect the pack if you can’t even defend yourself from a couple of girls?"

Amber’s grip on her coffee cup tightened, and Ralph’s hand slid over his face, as though trying to push back the frustration rising inside him. Raven, who had been completely oblivious, finally glanced up from his phone, sensing the tension.

“Amber,” he warned, his voice low.

But Amber wasn’t having it. Without a word, she stood up and shifted into her wolf form, the transformation happening so quickly that it startled even Ralph. Her golden fur rippled as she lunged at Alexa, knocking the girl to the floor with ease. Akela, seeing her friend in trouble, turned and bolted, disappearing into the crowd.

“Amber!” Ralph’s voice was firm as he rushed to his feet. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Amber, breathing heavily from the adrenaline, didn’t even pause. She barreled into the restroom, her wolf form disappearing as she quickly shifted back to her human shape, leaving her clothes in tatters. Ralph’s eyes softened as he hurried to grab his jacket, holding it out to her through the door.

“Next time, don’t do that,” he said quietly. “What if they had overpowered you?”

“Please,” Amber’s voice was muffled from inside the restroom. “You know they couldn’t. And I couldn’t just let them insult you like that. Not in front of everyone.”

Ralph exhaled deeply, leaning against the door.

He was worried about her, but he knew she wouldn’t listen to reason when it came to protecting him. Amber was fiercely loyal, and that loyalty sometimes made her reckless.

After a long silence, she emerged, wearing his jacket like a dress, the sleeves hanging past her fingers. She looked up at him with a grin that made his heart race.

“Let’s go before the entire school hears about this,” she said, her voice teasing, but there was a softness in her eyes that made Ralph’s chest tighten.

As they left the cafeteria, whispers filled the air. Everyone had seen the display. Amber had always been known for her strength, but this... this was something else.

"She’s a lioness," one student whispered, watching them pass. “The Alpha is lucky to have her by his side."

“Yeah, no one can mess with him when she’s around,” another added.

Ralph barely heard them. His attention was fixed on Amber, who, despite her defiant nature, had a look of vulnerability that she only showed when they were alone. She caught him staring and raised an eyebrow.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice quieter than usual.

Ralph’s gaze softened. “Yeah,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I’m just... not used to people looking out for me.”

Amber snorted. “You should be. You’re not some invincible leader, you know.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be,” he muttered under his breath, but Amber heard him.

“You don’t have to be. Not with me around,” she said, her voice firm. Then she grinned, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “Besides, you need someone to keep you in check.”

Ralph’s lips twitched. “I’ll never hear the end of it, will I?”

“Nope,” Amber replied with a wink.

As they reached the parking lot, Raven was already at the car, leaning against it, his arms folded, and he had a slight smirk on his face. “Took you long enough.”

“Shut up,” Ralph muttered, climbing into the back seat.

The drive back was quiet, but the tension that had been there earlier had faded. Ralph’s thoughts were preoccupied with everything that was coming: his upcoming coronation as Alpha, the weight of the leadership, and, of course, the inevitable mating with Una.

He looked out the window, lost in thought until Raven spoke up again.

“So, Una turns eighteen soon, huh?” Raven’s voice was casual, but Ralph could sense the underlying concern.

“Yeah,” Ralph said, nodding. “It’s part of the pack’s tradition. When she shifts into her wolf, she’ll become Luna. It’s... it’s a big deal.”

Amber, who had been quiet up until now, turned to face him. “Are you ready for that? For the responsibility? For everything that comes with being Alpha?”

Ralph’s heart skipped a beat. He knew what she was asking. He had never talked about Una with her in such a direct way before. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I know I want it. I want her. And I want to make sure she’s ready for all of this.”

Amber’s gaze softened. “You’re going to have to let go of some of that control, Ralph. You can’t do everything alone. Not anymore.”

He looked at her then, really looked at her, and for the first time, he realized how much she meant to him. More than a friend, more than an ally... Amber was the one person who had always been there, always had his back, and he couldn’t deny the connection between them, even if he tried.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the car pulled up to the mansion. The moment was lost, for now.

But as Ralph stepped out of the car, he couldn’t shake the feeling that things were changing. And not just with Una, but with Amber too.