Two Alphas One Omega

5. Mate?

Soren POV:

The last few hours have dragged on painfully, transforming into an utterly dreadful experience that felt like an endless cycle of monotony. It was filled with an excessive amount of handshaking—each grip a reminder of superficial interactions—and lengthy recaps of my time away from Iron Claw, an endeavor that offered no real depth or engagement. The constant photo-taking and other trivial activities only added to the sense of futility, making it all the more frustrating to endure. I yearned to seek out the person carrying the delightful scent that seemed to pop up randomly throughout the palace; I smelled it in the Alpha's hall, the foyer, and the kitchen; it haunted me... the sweet smell that set my soul on fire. Yet instead, I was forced to stay here in this tiresome parade of meaningless gestures and idle chatter, forced to entertain people.

However, I managed to find an opportunity to escape and seized it, fleeing into the private dining room instantly, I felt a warm buzz throughout my body, and my c**k became hard as a rock; that addicting scent was here... and Xartoth began howling, "Our mate was here," Thats, what he's been claiming for the past few hours, that the smell belongs to our mate, and I've just been going with it, this wasn't our first rodeo; we had caught a tantalizing whiff before, only to find ourselves trapped in a web of disappointment, this tantalizing aroma cloud lead us astray yet again. It felt like a cruel game, and I couldn't endure another letdown after five years of relentless searching! The thought of hope flickering and dimming once more sent a shiver through me, a haunting reminder that each hunt was a dance with despair. "I'm certain it's our mate this time!" Xaorth declared, his confidence radiating from him. Yet, a nagging feeling within me whispered that this might be too good to be true, but I wasn't going to rain on his parade; tonight, I'd allow him to be hopeful; one of us should be, I guess...

“Soren, honey?" I heard my mother calling from the hall, and my mood instantly darkened as her footsteps drew closer. “There you are,” she beamed, smiling wide as she rounded the corner. I groaned internally when I saw Darcy trailing not too far behind her. Damn, couldn’t I have just one minute to myself? “Not in this life,” Xaroth teased.

I rolled my eyes, wishing we could swap spaces so I could hide away in the depths of our minds while he entertained all these people. I'd rather be plotting an attack against the rogues; I wanted to be out with the warriors, not stuck in here having cocktails.

"Hey, Mom," I said, steadying my voice to hide my mixed feelings. I knew how much effort she put into everything, especially with all the stress of the mating moon preparations, and I just wanted her to know I appreciated it. She smiled back at me, her joy reflecting all her hard work."Are you enjoying your party?!"

"No!" That is what I wanted to say, but I didn’t. Instead, I put on a fake smile; "Yeah, I’m having a great time, Mom! Thank you."

"Why are you hiding here?" she asked, tenderly stroking my face, her eyes reflecting both concern and a trace of mischief. I turned to Darcy, who was grinning as if she knew something I didn’t. "It's nothing, just a headache from all the traveling."

"You’re an alpha… Alphas don't get headaches," Darcy said with a sly grin. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes; if only she realized she was the actual headache. Instead of arguing, I turned to walk away, but my mom stepped right in front of me, blocking my path. "We’d love to chat for a minute," she said warmly.

"We?" I questioned, looking back and forth between her and Darcy. At that moment, my dad, accompanied by Darcy's parents, entered the private dining hall. I sensed that whatever was happening was not good. "Sit down," my father instructed, his tone firm and authoritative, and I complied. My mother positioned Darcy beside me while she sat next to my dad. Darcy's parents joined us, all wearing broad smiles on their faces.

"What's going on?"

"Tonight, during the ceremony, you will join me in leading the wolves in the hunt," I held my composure, but internally, I was screaming; I didnt want anything to do with the mating hunt.

"Father, I planned to go beyond the wall with the warriors tonight. This way, I can help safeguard our territory and closely monitor the rogues."

“Like a true King,” my father said with pride, but I knew there was a but coming… "But there haven't been any rogue sightings; they were all scared off last night!" He sighed, dismissing my concerns. "You need to prepare for the hunt because tonight, under the blood moon, this will be your last chance to find your mate!" That caught my and my wolf’s attention. This is our last chance? Seeing my confusion, my father held up his hand before I could ask questions. "If you don't scent your mate tonight, you'll have to choose a chosen mate." My heart fell into my stomach, and I couldn’t hide my disappointment. My mother smiled warmly at me and then at Darcy, smiling as she held hands with her parents. I wanted to rip that smile off her stupid face. There was no way in hell I would be mating Darcy, and if that's what this ambush meeting was about, they could all kiss my ass.

"I choose my mate, and my mate only!" I declared, my voice imbued with a firm intensity that echoed in the charged atmosphere. Struggling to maintain my composure, I felt Xaroth seething within me, furious and desperate to break free, his snarls reverberating like thunder in my mind. I forced him down with a steely resolve, my breath shallow and measured. My father's features twisted into a formidable mask of determination as he began to speak, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Listen carefully, son... I want you to find your mate. I fully understand its significance, but if you don't find her tonight, then Darcy will step in as your chosen mate,"

"What?"I asked, stunned. My chest felt tight as Xaroth stirred within me. He hated Darcell more than I did. Her words from earlier haunted me, "you and I will be mated under the Blood Moon..."

"We have wasted enough time. We can't afford to look weak, and people are worried... it's been five years... and you still haven't found your mate," my mother said. "I know," I replied, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration—trust me, I know." The pain of not finding my mate after all these years has been a burden, but I wasn't going to give up; I knew she was out there somewhere, and whoever she was, she was worth waiting for.

"Father, I can't just take a random mate," I tried reasoning. "Soren, " He cut me off, "We are not mere wolves with the luxury of waiting for our fated mates to fall into our lap. Some of us are blessed to find them, but others have to form alliances for the greater good of the pack. You must realize that your duty as King supersedes your desires. I understand the immense sacrifice you're facing, but it's a necessary burden you must carry for the good of our realm. With the rogues acting the way they are... our kingdom needs to be a united front.” I fell back in my seat, defeated, knowing she was right, but I couldn’t agree with this. I just couldn’t.

"Come on, honey. Cheer up. Darcell is beautiful and charming, and she would make a good queen," my mother said, rubbing my arm. I wanted to flip the table. Darcy would make a dreadful queen; she only cares about herself, not about people. With the attention span of a fly, how could she lead a realm?

"She would make a terrible queen," I spat, "the only person worthy of holding the title of queen is my mate!" Darcy gasped as tears filled her eyes, but I didnt feel a hint of remorse; I told her just like I’d told them all.

"Soren," my mother exclaimed in shock, struggling to grasp the source of my anger, as if I hadn't made it clear for years that Darcy would never be my mate... not now, not ever! "No," I said firmly, "You're not choosing for me," I could feel my temper flaring, my wolf equally as pissed off as I was; her mother cradled her in her arms and ushered her out of the room while her father glared at me, but again I didn’t care. This was my life, and I wouldn’t be tied to Darcy my entire life. Sure, we slept together a few times as teenagers, but it was never anything serious; that didn’t stop her from telling everyone we were a couple. On top of that, she dared to win over my mother, earning her approval and making her the ideal candidate for Queen Luna. But let me make this crystal clear: there is no chance in hell that I will ever be with Darcy or anyone other than my mate! The thought of being forced into a path devoid of my fated mate was unbearable. Choosing a mate seemed daunting, and I sure as hell didn't want Darcy as a mate; she was a b***r killer, an annoyance, and a thorn in my side.

“I need a moment," I said, annoyed, not bothering with anyone's approval. I left the dining hall and immediately caught a whiff of that sweet scent again, and this time, I didn't hesitate. I was going to find out who the scent belonged to, secretly hoping it was my mate so I wouldn't have to mate some random high-born.

I scanned the surroundings, and my eyes landed on a child. My brows rose in curiosity. Is that Silas? I wondered aloud, slowly realizing it was indeed him. My little brother was surrounded by his royal guards and two of his nannies. The last time I had seen him, he was just a pup!

"Silas," I said, scooping him into my arms. He was caught off guard for a moment but then laughed. "Soren? Wow, you've gotten huge!" he exclaimed, his blue eyes widening. "So have you, buddy," I replied, ruffling his hair. A faint scent of sweet nectar and vanilla wafted off him, causing my heart to race. I picked him up again, inhaling deeply—his hair had a lingering sweetness. I inhaled again, and Xaroth purred, clearly enjoying the smell. Silas laughed and pushed my face away. "What are you doing?" he giggled. "Put me down!"

"Apologies, Silas," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Who touched you? You smell different." He stared at me in confusion and then shrugged. "I've been shaking hands with random people all morning.” I suppressed a laugh; of course, he has.

"But I have to go now. Mother says the hunt will be starting soon, and I have to stay in my room, " he pouted. I patted his shoulder and smiled, "You're not missing out on anything. Silas, I'd rather stay in my room, too,"

"I don’t believe you," he said, following his nannies up the stairs, “but I'm glad you're home, Soren. I missed you,” he called out, a warm feeling caressed my chest at my kid brother's words, but it wasn't enough to suppress this feeling of dread of Darcy being my mate... I couldn't let that happen.

***************************

Hours had passed, and my mood was getting darker by the second; I had long lost the sweet scent that had helped me get through my day. I got lost in random conversations, and when it was nearly midnight and the blood moon was high in the sky, I marched into the woods, holding the sacred candle alongside my father and all the other mateless male wolves awaiting their fate. As we approached our stop, ancient tribal music played throughout the forest. We all stood silent; the tension rose as the males grew increasingly anxious; some had already shifted into wolves, and others looked like nervous wrecks. I was bored, waiting until the moon reached its peak so the ceremony could finally begin.

Once it did, I blew out the candle, and my father howled into the night sky—a long, piercing howl reverberating off the trees around us. Not long after, my mother responded to his call. The hunt began, and howls filled the night. My father looked at me and said, "Go on, son." He patted my back encouragingly before quickly shifting to search for my mother. Taking a deep breath, I silently prayed that my mate was somewhere nearby as I howled as loud as I could into the night.

I waited for one breath... then another, and nothing happened. I didn’t hear a returning howl, but I sniffed the air; the sweet scent of nectar and vanilla filled my nostrils at an overwhelming rate... "Mate," Xaroth barked, clawing for control. I couldn't believe it... Our mate was really here, but why wasn’t she returning the call? I quickly abandoned the candle and followed the scent that would lead me to my destiny. As I raced through the forest, I barely took notice of the wolves running around me; I was laser-focused on finding my mate. I howled again... adrenaline pumping through my veins; I could barely feel my feet hitting the earth beneath me, but again, nothing... she wasn’t going to respond... That made me more determined to get to her... why wasn’t she responding? I know she heard it... the sweet scent of her arousal to my call was beckoning me closer and closer.

Her scent led to the side of the palace; I looked around but didn’t see anyone except a few guards who fell to their knees upon seeing me. My aura was evident, booming out of me, and I didn't plan to stop it; I needed my mate…With every bit of power I could muster, I let out my third and final howl and pushed through the side doors. The enticing smell drew me toward the bunkers, sparking my curiosity. This spot is usually ignored. It’s just a shadow of its former self, acting as a home for rats and other critters. But my feet continued to press forward, the sweet scent becoming stronger and stronger until I landed upon bunker 216. I stood for a moment, trying to control my emotions, but it was tough. The moment I had been waiting for—the person I had been waiting for nearly five years—was behind that door. My heart raced, but then I heard the sounds of crying and yelling.

"Mate," Xaroth growled, nearly catapulting me at the door with such force that I pulled it off its hinges. "Stop, you i***t, you're going to scare her!" I exclaimed, panic rising in my voice. To my astonishment, there was a man in the room—a man I recognized all too well and had never liked... Ezra, the new queen's guard, what on earth was he doing here? I frowned, knowing he couldn't be my mate. His eyes blazed at me as he assumed a protective stance in front of something... He clearly hadn't anticipated my presence here either.

"He has our mate," Xaroth voiced darkly. "He made her cry," My eyes clouded with a possessive hunger that seemed oddly new. Just as I launched myself toward him, a small figure emerged from behind him, bringing the moment to a standstill as if time had frozen. She was petite, yet there was an undeniable presence about her. Her sunkissed skin glistened with moisture from a shower, catching the light in a way that highlighted her natural beauty. Long, curly strands of dark hair cascaded down her neck and shoulders, each droplet glistening like tiny jewels as they fell. It was a captivating sight that evoked desire and hunger, making the air thick with an almost palpable tension. I could feel myself growing stiff in my pants as I stared into a pair of wide, jade-green eyes.

“Mine,” I chanted... Damn.... she was so beautiful... Wait? I narrowed my eyes at the beauty before me, looking closer. "Rosy?" My eyes widened in disbelief as I focused on the pup I used to enjoy teasing, the girl that had taken over my mind all five years I was away: Melrose Marques... aka my Rosy... At that moment, dread washed over me. We didn’t have a good history; fear of rejection clouded me, but at least I found her. Finally, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. Before I could stop him, Xaroth surged forward, seizing control.

"Mate!" we said together.

I reached out to touch her, but in a flash, Ezra yanked her behind his back, his eyes blazing with fury as he snarled at me, a low growl rumbling in his throat, sending Xaroth into a maelstrom of rage...