The Tribrid's Revenge

Chapter 3 Damien

When I first got the invitation for the mating gala I was filled with dread. Every year it is out together, is another year that I don't find my mate and that is the whole purpose of the gala in the first place. The pressure for me to find my mate gets higher each day because an alpha can't successfully run hispack without a luna. I know I will find my mate when the time is right so I see no point in trying to force it, but being an alpha I have to go. I packed enough clothes for a two day stay which is more than I wanted.

This year the gala is being held at the Blackforest pack and their reputation proceeds them. Rumor has it, the beta became the alpha ten years ago after the old alpha and luna were murdered by rogues. It is said their eight year old daughter helped the rogues plan the death of her parents but no one knows what happened to the little girl. The story of the murder never sat well with me. I could never figure it out but there is no way am eight year old helped rabid rogues sneak into the pack territory in the middle of the night and into her house without being detected and kill them. 

Everytime Maximus was asked to host the gala he refused saying he was doing repairs on the pack house, but he always managed to attend it when it was held elsewhere. Once every three months, all the alphas of surrounding packs meet and go over rogues and treaties and this year everyone voted for the mating gala to be at Blackforest to find out what Max is hiding. I have never liked the guy, he's always rubbed me the wrong way. He thinks and acts like he walks on water. 

My best friend Jackson Reed is my beta and a damn good one. As i walk out of my room to load my bag into my truck so were can leave with ten of our unmated warriors Jackson comes barreling into me with excitement.

"Are you ready for this man?!" He asked with the excitement of a child in a candy store.

"No, I'm not. If I were to have a mate when I turned 18, I would have found her. The only thing I'm excited for is to find out what Max has been hiding the last ten years. And I want to know what happened to their daughter." I answered honestly and we climbed into my truck parked out front to leave with 3 cars to follow. Even if I lied he would know, he knows me better than anyone on this planet. 

"Yeah you're right, she'll come to you when the time is right. It makes no sense why he won't allow anyone there. And the way everything went down all those years ago doesn't sit right with me. It never has." He said the last part with sorrow. His belated parents use to be close with the old alpha and luna.

The drive was about 3 hours, I could have made it in an hour and a half running in wolf form but I already had a long day and it was coming up on 10:30pm. Most of the ride was silent as Jackson slept most of the ride. When we got 30 minutes away from the territory, my wolf started to get really antsy. It's not like him to be like this but he wouldn't answer me why. Out of the blue jackson jumps up and wakes up.

"Man my wolf is very antsy. But he won't say why and he keeps howling and it's making it hard for me to sleep." He said with a very annoyed tone.

"It's not just your wolf, mine has been doing it too and ignoring me on it too." I told him. My curiosity was peeked that both of our wolfs were acting the same way.

"Dude what if its because were are about to meet our mates?!" The joy in his tone made me chuckle, but it did make me think he has a point. 

As we went over the plan for our two day stay here to find out what Max has been hiding, our wolves became more anxious. When we pulled up to the territory gate, we were dumbfounded by how think the wall was and how you couldn't see inside a little bit through the gate. Who needs this much seclusion?

"I have never seen anyone guard their territory like this, must be something big that he is trying to hide in there." Jackson stay with curiosity. 

We had to show our pack tattoos and give our ID's to the guards before they even opened the gate and it annoyed me. When I started to pull through the gate, I noted the ten guards that lined the driveway by the gate like they were waiting for something to happen. I haven't heard of an attack on this pack for ten years, what's with the tit nit security?

"Is it just me or does this pack an overbearing amount of security measures?" I asked Jackson as I watched one of the guards stare us down as we drove by. 

"Nah man, it's not just you. Something seems to be off. We have to get this figured out and take care of it." His voice was laced with annoyance and anger.

"We will but we will do it the right way. We will get proof and take it to the elders and leave it in their hands. Last thing we need is other packs saying we faked evidence just so we could absorb this pack." I told him.

It's not uncommon for an alpha to absorb another pack by taking out the alpha, but normally it's a different alpha not the beta. I don't need his pack, mine has become one of the biggest and strongest in the country the last five years. I have the warriors, my people are well taken care of, I started some companies so that way my pack members could earn their own money per their request. I'm not going to complain though, it gives them a sense of safety knowing they are making their own money and paying for their way around.

Driving up the driveway I could not have been more disgusted in my life. All the trees and plants were dying or already dead and withered away. The grass is yellow and dry due to poor maintenance. There was no wild life running around, and even pack members weren't roaming around in wolf form, but what peeked mine and Jackson's interest was the closer we got to the pack house, the harder it was to keep our wolves at bay.

When we pulled up to the front of the house, I was surprised to see Maximus standing on the front steps to great us. Jackson and I gave each other a look of dread before we stepped out. When I opened my door I was hit with the scent of warm honey suckle and cotton that made my mouth water.

"Mate!" Jackson and I repeated at the same time.

"Damien and Jackson, it's nice to see you guys again. I see your wolves sense your mates. We have some beautiful unmated she-wolves, they will be lucky to have you." Maximus started with fake excitement.

"We are just ask excited as you are." Jackson snorted at him as he opened the back seat up to retrieve our bags.

I can see just how uncomfortable he is having the mating gala on his territory, which makes my suspicion grow that he is indeed, hiding something. I push all that aside as I'm too distracted by the scent of my mate. It is taking everything inside of Jackson and I to not tear this excuse of a pack house apart and look for our mate only because we want to leave our respectful imagine intact. 

Max showed us to the room we would be sharing during our stay since he doesn't have the space to house all visiting packs in their own rooms. After we both got showered and in sweats to go to bed we decided he would sleep on the couch tonight and I tomorrow night. I couldn't help but think of the strong scent of my mate that filled this whole house, even in my room. After five minutes of laying down Jackson was out. I laid awake for another hour trying to picture what my mate looked like and what kind of personality she has. Tomorrow is going to be a day full of events, I can feel it and so can my wolf. 

"Be prepared." James, my wolf, whispered as my eyes became too heavy to keep open and I started to drift off to sleep. What could he have meant by be prepared?