Alpha Lance

Calliope’s POV “Goddess, this place is even more boring than being at home!” I grumble unhappily. “Why can’t I go anywhere or do anything fun?” “Patience, my pet,” mother croons like I’m some tiny pup who is easily placated by her soothing calm aura. “We are here in the Emerald Kingdom to get you your promised mate. Then we will be busy planning and preparing for your Queen Luna ceremony! That will be fun, won’t it?” “Yeah, sure,” I reply sarcastically, but I doubt mother took any notice of my tone. She’s too busy scrolling the internet on her phone for the latest in Luna ceremony fads and fashions. “When do I get to meet this paragon of a mate that daddy wants to shackle me to for life?” “There’s a meeting scheduled for tomorrow,” mother informs me, not even looking up from her phone. “Your father is still hammering out the details of the deal, but if all goes well he’s hoping to upgrade your future mate from a mere alpha prince up to his older brother the new Lycan King!” “And what if I don’t like either the alpha prince or the new king?” I ask, disgusted that all of this had been planned without my knowledge or approval. “Why can’t I wait for my fated mate, like you and daddy did?” “What do you think about this dress for the ceremony, Callie?” Mom asks, shoving her phone towards me in an attempt to change the subject. It shows a very revealing low cut white sequin and lace monstrosity with a slit up the front almost to the crotch. “The king won’t be able to keep from ravishing you in this gown!” “Classy,” I say sarcastically. “I’m sure the werewolves here in Seattle will love to get a first look at their new Queen Luna in a such a demure gown. It’ll really show off my best assets in a positive light. But I promise you won’t catch me in that dress, dead or alive! If all I’m supposed to be is some brain dead breeder for the king to f**k, you can count me out!” “Tsk, don’t let your father hear you talking like that,” Mother says, making a sour face at my coarse language. “As a member of the Rising Moon kingdom, you will do exactly as your father the king demands. The contract for your betrothal was made years ago and we’ve benefited greatly already from the trade deals that were a part of it. There’s no backing out now for you or for the Emerald Kingdom. It’s only due to an error on their part that we might be able to land you an even better mate.” “Ugh!” I sigh dramatically, and flop rather unladylike onto the nearby chaise lounge. Thankfully mother seemed inclined to ignore my angsty outburst, and went back to ignoring me while scrolling on her phone. I’m SO bored! Then why not go enjoy the moonrise from your balcony? A strange and unfamiliar voice comes from somewhere in the depths of my brain, and I’m startled at first. “Excuse me?” I ask aloud. “Hmm? I didn’t say anything,” mother mumbles, not looking up from her phone. “Maybe you’re hearing the celebration out on the terrace below.” I’m your lycanthrope, Snowdrop! Haven’t you been expecting me? Sweet goddess, thank you! I’m so relieved to finally meet you, I think in my head. I was starting to think I would never get a Lycan. My 21st birthday is only a couple weeks away! I can hardly keep my composure as I make some lame excuse to my mother to withdraw to my own bedchamber within our guest suite. Then I do a happy dance around the entire room while Snowdrop and I get to know each other better. It’s stuffy in this room, Snowdrop complains after we run out of things to ask each other. Let’s head out onto the balcony! Alright, I agree. So I push the heavy drapes aside that had been closed in an attempt to keep out the harsh summer heat, and open the door so that I can step out onto the small private balcony I have on the fourth level of the palace. It’s still very warm out this evening, but a slight breeze coming off of nearby Lake Washington makes it tolerable. Down below I see what looks like at least 250 wolves on the terrace, all awaiting the rise of the full moon. I spot daddy at once, talking to the Lycan king of this territory. Or wait, I guess he’s the former king now since I’m told he was going to declare his eldest son as the new Lycan king sometime this evening, a celebration I hadn’t been invited too thanks to still being underage. I was only brought here at all because of the betrothal contract. I think that must be Lycan King Alexander over there, Snowdrop directs our eyes to the edge of terrace where a tall handsome stud of a shifter was standing, surrounded by family, diplomats, and well wishers. Isn’t he a hunk? He’s not too bad I guess, I think just his cloak is suddenly thrown aside as the moon rises and moonlight begins to shine on him. Umm, WOW! I can honestly say I’ve never seen such a finely chiseled male body before in my life! And this is supposed to be my contracted future mate? If only he was my fated mate I could now become very enthusiastic about that prospect. And anyway, he may look like eye candy, but I know nothing yet about his personality. What if he’s a cruel ruler, and hates pups? What if he’s greedy and lives high while his packs suffer and starve? I could never respect any mate like that! Then I watch, entranced as Alexander quickly shifts into an equally impressive and almost sparkling blue-ish black Lycan, and then swiftly runs off into the small copse of woods on the palace grounds. He’s soon out of my sight. Meanwhile most of the rest of the onlookers had begun to disrobe as well and shift into their wolves to go frolic with the new king. But I see the old king and his queen Luna approach two shifters I just noticed below my own balcony who look surprisingly similar to King Alexander, and I’m curious to know just who they are. The younger looking one runs off first to shift, while the former king and Queen Luna talk to the remaining wolf for a few minutes. I wish I could hear what they say, Snowdrop complains. But unfortunately for us the noise of everyone shifting was too loud, and the conversation below was too quiet. Soon the conversation was over and the elder royals walked off to shift and join the revelry on the grounds along with the others. I can’t help wondering who the remaining wolf is, or what the talk had been about. Is he perchance my original betrothed? He’s not too bad looking, Snowdrop observed as he removes his remaining clothes in order to shift. And once he completed his shift, she had a lot of positive things to say about his massive golden brown Lycan as well. I wouldn’t mind being chased through the woods by that fine specimen of a wolf! I might even let him catch me… I watch until the last wolf had finally joined the others and they all began to howl at the full moon. All in praise of the moon goddess, Selene, because she has been so good to us! I long to be a part of it all. It was getting late at this point, so I decided it was time to head back inside and go to bed. Only sleep was elusive for a while as the room was warm and I couldn’t stop thinking about the new King and the other wolf. And when I finally do manage to fall sleep, I dream about those two wolves.