The Alpha’s Prophesied Mate

Chapter 4: Mate

Evercrest Estate — The Wood Residence

“How long are we going to keep pretending I’m not here, or that you’re not aware of me? I’m not getting any younger, and nothing is going to be solved by putting off the inevitable.”

Alexander finally turned his gaze toward the woman sitting on a bench a few yards away. She was right. He had been aware of her presence since before he stepped into the garden, but he had decided to silently enjoy the serenity her proximity offered while reflecting on the events of the day. He knew that the moment he returned to the house, his siblings would descend upon him, so this brief respite was his opportunity to put his thoughts in order.

“I met my mate. She’s human… The f*****g prophecy was true,” he finally said, his voice tinged with bitterness as he looked once again toward the forest in front of him. “She has roots here. She owns the only café in town.”

“Alexander…”

“I always thought what they said was an exaggeration,” he continued, unable to handle the compassion he heard in the woman’s voice, “and that, in the unlikely event she ever appeared, I wouldn’t have any trouble walking away and getting on with my life. In fact, I was sure the mere possibility would make me change direction and stay as far away from her as possible.” He smiled sarcastically as he remembered how he had behaved at the time. “However, all those thoughts lost their meaning the moment I walked into that café and sensed her presence. Instead of running, I did the opposite and went after her. If it weren’t for Eleonor, I’d probably still be by her side, or sitting in a cell facing harassment charges. And the worst part is that I’m still trying to understand my behavior. My reaction to her.”

“The attraction is ju—”

“It’s not mere attraction, desire, or sudden love,” Alexander cut her off, turning toward her. “I grew up believing that what you felt for your mate was some variation of one of those emotions. I felt none of that, Margaret. I don’t have a name for it or a way to define it, but the usual explanation falls short. My world narrowed to her, and then there was everything else, and I don’t even know her.”

“Your soul does.”

“My soul?” Alexander asked. “Does it even have room to get involved in something else?” He moved closer and sat beside the elderly woman. “You know better than anyone what will happen if I accept this mating. What it will set in motion. My life isn’t the only one that will be affected. What if moving forward is a mistake and it ends up hurting innocent people?”

“If you accept it? Do you really think you have a choice?” Margaret asked, looking at him intently. “You can’t control everything, Alexander. And whether you like it or not, you’ve never had the power to stop what is going to happen. I know you and your brothers want to leave everything behind, but that isn’t their future. There’s no point in being willing to sacrifice your happiness. Fate will find a way to make everything that is meant to happen come to pass. You are the best example of that.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

For the next few minutes, neither of them spoke, lost in their thoughts. Alexander knew Margaret was right. It was foolish to reconsider what he had accepted at first. The problem was that there was too much at stake, and he wasn’t sure it was worth risking everything for something that might ultimately prove to be a mistake.

“How could my mother do that to my father, her mate?” Alexander suddenly asked, finally giving voice to the root of his reluctance. “If she felt even a fraction of what I experienced today… how could she betray him?”

“Ah… so that’s it.”

“Yes… I just don’t understand it. They had years together, five children. I’ve only just met Evelyn, and I can’t even conceive of hurting her. How could my mother betray all of us?”

“You know I’m not the most unbiased person to—”

“You’re precisely the right person. She was… is your sister.”

“But I’m not impartial.”

“Because she also ruined your life… so tell me.”

Margaret studied him for a few seconds, then sighed and turned her gaze toward the trees in front of her.

“Mating doesn’t change a person’s nature, Alexander. Your mother was never a good person, but she was exceptionally good at pretending to be one. Becoming the Alpha’s Luna only made her worse. She had power, wealth, everything, but soon that wasn’t enough. When you’re at the top of the hierarchy and you want to climb higher, you only have two options. Either you elevate the position you already hold, which was what your father was trying to do by creating agreements and uniting the packs, or you find a bigger one and leave the old one behind.”

“Or you sacrifice it.”

“Yes.” Her answer was short but emphatic. “But your mother is the exception. You can’t use her as a basis for comparison. She represents everything a Luna should not be, and your mate deserves a blank page on which to write her own story. So stop worrying about the damage she might cause and focus first on how you’re going to win her attention and affection. She’s human. She doesn’t feel the bond, so you’ll have to win her over… Is she single?”

“Yes, although Dominic found online that she almost got married a year ago, but the wedding was called off. Apparently, her fiancé and her sister ran away shortly before the wedding.”

“Wow… Every family has a gem… And how does that make you feel?”

“What? That she almost got married, or that she was left at the altar?”

“Both.”

“Well, she’s human. It’s not as if she knew she was someone’s destined mate. On the other hand, I’m not going to lie and say I’m particularly sad that her fiancé didn’t go through with the wedding. It must have been painful for her, but she’s free now, which works in my favor.”

“And what impression did she make on you, setting aside the bond?”

“She’s beautiful…” Alexander smiled while pulling his phone from his pocket and searching for the article Dominic had sent him about the café’s opening a few months ago. “…and expressive.” He could still see her astonished expression and how every emotion had played across her face: surprise, fear, confusion… “She looked almost the same today,” he said, showing Margaret the header photo, “but with her hair pulled back.”

“She’s gorgeous,” Margaret said after examining the image for a few seconds. “And I know I’m biased, but I love that she has a widow’s peak. A special touch for the Luna of a powerful Alpha…” She kept staring at the photo, her expression shifting into something Alexander couldn’t quite place.

“Margaret?”

“There’s something different about her… she draws me in, almost as if she’s calling me.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure yet... I’d like to see her in person before I say anything else. So don’t take too long.”