The Alpha King’s Saving Mate

Talia The music blared loudly at our house while I sat on the sofa with two of my best friends, Terra and Darius, and chatted with them. "Hey Sis, I just made a new wine cooler. I will put it on the table. Ben and Brody almost drank up the other bowl," said my twin brother Josh when he came out of the kitchen and rolled his eyes. "Yes, sounds good," I said laughingly. My brother's buddies were a funny group who only had nonsense in their heads. We were about to celebrate our nineteenth birthday and accordingly organized a house party. Our parents, Alpha Rafael and Luna Olivia of the Emerald Moon Pack in West Virginia, were just visiting another pack for a business matter. So we were able to fully enjoy the house party. I also loved how our pack is equipped. Each family had their own home. In our pack house there were only living areas for guests and otherwise only office rooms and conference rooms, so that not everyone lived in a heap under one roof. The higher-ranking pack members such as the families of the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta had their homes in the ultimate proximity of the pack house. Josh put down the bowl with the wine cooler and gave Terra a kiss before disappearing back into the kitchen. It took a little getting used to at first when two years ago my best friend and my twin brother turned out to be mates, but now I'm happy that the two of them found their luck with each other. Terra has always been like a sister to me anyway. Lesa, another friend of mine had also found her mate in one of my family members. My cousin Fynn. The only ones in my circle of friends who don't have a mate yet were Carissa, Jack and... Darius. With the latter, however, it was a sad story. I haven't met mine yet either. Whoever he may be. I turned nineteen today and werewolves are able to find their mates from the age of seventeen, since we get our wolf at this age and many actually find their mates immediately after the seventeenth birthday. But like I said I haven’t found mine yet. It wasn't like I was interested in finding my mate at the moment anyway. "How about you, Talia? Doesn't it make you a little restless because you haven't found your mate yet?" Terra asked me as if she had read my thoughts that this topic was plaguing me again. "No, not really. You actually know that I'm secretly happy about it because I'm not convinced of the concept," I answered her almost annoyed. And that was true. I believed in love as long as you freely chose your partner yourself, but not in the concept with mates. I trust the moon goddess. But I found something repulsive about the fact that she chose the partners for life for us instead of giving us a free hand in this matter. I asked myself whether it is really true love or whether this so-called love is only based on the mate bond. Would you even like each other if it wasn't for the Mate Bond? It just didn't seem real to me. "I have to agree with Talia. Mates are totally overrated,” Darius answered dryly, sitting to the right of me. My heart started hurting for him. Darius was the son of our Beta Cameron. Until the beginning of last year, he and I were a couple until we came to the conclusion that we were better at just being friends. Also, there was always the question between us as to what would happen if one of us found their mate. In fact, three months after our break up, Darius had found his fated mate Sophie. Somehow everyone could see that her lively, cheerful nature was just a facade, but Darius was immediately blown away by her. Unfortunately, things didn't go well for him. The day before their mating ceremony, he caught Sophie in bed with a future alpha from a pack that was in the immediate vicinity of her pack. Instead of completely freaking out, Darius remained calm and just said to her that he needed distance and left. Shortly thereafter, he canceled the mating ceremony and rejected Sophie the next day. It was clear to everyone that he wasn't doing well, but he didn't let anyone get close to him and didn't talk to anyone. He withdrew more and more. Shortly thereafter, a phase came in which he was constantly hanging around at some parties and in various clubs. In the meantime, that had subsided. He was almost the old one again. Except that he has lost hope of ever falling in love again. His attitude towards women has also changed. It almost seemed like he hated them. Unless it was about making out with some random girl, he would otherwise stay away from the female s*x. Terra and I were the only ones he had a normal way of dealing with. What Sophie pulled off was the worst. We understood Darius. Nevertheless, Terra and I hoped he would take off his fuckboy image. Because of my silver wolf, the moon goddess blessed me with some skills. Many werewolves dominated an element. Either fire, earth, water or air. I mastered all four elements, which was extremely rare. Another gift of mine was to be able to read other people’s emotions. Most of the time I tried not to use them because it felt like I was invading someone's privacy. Often, however, I had no control over it. It just came over me. Just like now, for example. The gift makes me feel a certain taste or a strange feeling flows through me. That’s how I read someone’s emotions. When we started talking about mates, I suddenly felt a pain that didn't feel like physical pain. Physical pain usually tastes like hot chili or feels like acetic acid or ice cold water. No, what I felt was mental pain. A torment that feels hot and burning and like pinpricks. It came from Darius. He still hasn't processed what happened with Sophie. Her betrayal. "I can understand very well why you're not thinking highly about the Mate Bond, Darius but I think Talia is totally overreacting. She even wears a ring that prevents her mate from recognizing her as his if she meets him,” Terra replied. Our pack has a seer who I asked a few weeks ago to create something for me that prevents my mate and I from being able to perceive each other. She said there was nothing that would work on both sides, but at least this ring prevents my mate from recognizing me as his. It's not ideal that I can still find him, but that should be enough. "I just want to decide for myself who I want to be with for the rest of my life. And I think that's my right," I countered. Before Terra could say anything else, Lesa and Carissa suddenly appeared. Both in a pretty cocktail dress, Lesa had made her blonde shoulder-length hair curly and Carissa had put her long brown hair up. Somehow both seemed excited. What was going on? "Guess who found her mate yesterday. Our dear Carissa here. You're not going to figure out who he is either," Lesa blurted out as she put an arm around Carissa, who was grinning broadly. Oh dear god, when will the topic finally end? I thought, rolling my eyes inwardly, even though I was happy for my friend Carissa. Darius also had to make an effort to avoid making a face. "Oh, congratulations, my dear! Who is it?" Terra asked excitedly. "It's Jeremy Johns, the Millennium Pack's Delta," answered Carissa. "What? The Alpha King's Delta is your mate?" I asked her in amazement. Terra and Darius' jaws dropped. The Millennium pack was led by the Alpha of all Alphas. The Alpha King, whereat the term was a little outdated. They meanwhile called themselves the Millennium Pack instead of the Royal Pack. And the Alpha King was called the Millennium Alpha or Alpha of the Millennium. Each pack basically acts on its own and has its own alpha. However, the laws and rules are determined by the Millennium Alpha and the normal pack Alphas enforce them in their packs. Sometimes the Millennium Alpha visits some packs to see if everything is going well and whether the pack members are satisfied with their leadership. However, there has been a new Millennium Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta for about a year. I haven't seen any of them yet. "Wow, congratulations," I congratulated her, too. "You introduce him to us soon. I've always wanted to get to know one of them personally," Darius asked. "Yes, soon. Unfortunately, he couldn't come to the birthday party today, but this Saturday the mating ceremony of the Millennium Pack’s Beta and his mate will take place. I'm invited and I’m allowed to invite you all to the celebration afterwards," Carissa said excitedly. What? I was invited to such a big festivity?