THE SIGMA'S MATE

CHAPTER 8 - CLEVER SIGMA

The scent sings lullabies to my soul, drawing me into its seductive and alluring embrace, promising sweet nothings. It's as if everything else fades from existence - the music, the crowds… I inhale deeply, closing my eyes in the moment of bliss. I can almost taste it on my tongue. It's a powerful feeling driving me forward, focusing my attention on the direction that the masculine aroma is coming from. My vision grows sharper, my sense of smell heightening, becoming accurate enough to pinpoint exactly where he should be. My wolf is more active than she's been in years and it's both exhilarating and terrifying. I follow the divine trail eagerly as the crowd mingles and mixes together. A whole new battle has begun on this memorable day, only this time it's between the sophisticated and educated elites of the Werewolf Nation.

Who do you know?

Who do you socialize with?

How much influence do you hold?

On and on the criteria to be recognized and accepted gets longer. Ever changing. I should be winning support in aid of my campaign to become Queen, but what is all that power worth without him? First I need to secure my king. So instead, I brush off attempts from guests to converse with a simple nod, worried that I might lose him if I don't hurry. My mate's scent is becoming strong - so strong I am almost overwhelmed by it's intensity. It leads me to a group deep in conversation, a tall man with his back towards me. When I place a hesitant hand on his muscular arm, the man turns his head to look, slightly surprised by my forwardness. It hardly matters, he isn't Alaric Castor. The disappointment is crushing. I find myself looking at Alpha Paul of House Gravous and surrounding him is his small family. My nose is bombarded with the scent of Alaric, he must have been here very recently for there to be such a prominent presence. Strange. It almost seems like the scent is clinging to them. They smell exactly like him... It's identical. I would be concerned if I didn't know that everyone has a unique scent that enhances their body odor. It can never be covered up with perfume or cologne, a true mate can always track her or his mate.

"Princess Lyra Agron." Paul says, bowing immediately, along with his sons and lovely looking mate.

The Gravous sons are only a few years older than me. Jason and James. I've known them most of my life. My first ever kiss came from the likes of Jason Gravous, back when we were still teens, running around the palace and hoping my brothers didn't find us. The memories are somewhat, bitter sweet.

"How lovely to see you all, truly. Mind my rudeness, but have you seen a tall man with red hair?" I ask, assuming that Alaric would not come here as the Sigma. He would want to blend in, like the night of the Blue Moon.

"A friend of yours?" Jason asks and there's a harshness to his tone.

You see, we didn't stop after the first kiss. We secretly saw each other for a while, on and off. It helped that he was and probably still is stupid enough not to be scared of my brother. The last time, things didn't end well between us and he has held a strong dislike for me ever since.

Oh well…

The Alpha shakes his head, smiling politely, "I'm afraid not, your highness."

"That's unfortunate." I say with a strained smile, to which Jason rolls his eyes in annoyance.

Gosh, I don't know what I ever saw in him. What I feel for Alaric, even after only a handful of meetings, is far beyond anything I ever felt for Jason Gravous. I hurry away from their scrutinizing gazes. I move around the venue at a pleasure pace, a frown turning my lips as I try to see if I can once again pick out his scent from the bustling crowds. Sooner than I expect, I pick up on the scent again. I'm grinning widely, impressed that my wolf is finally doing something useful for a change. Like a bloodhound, I am within inches of a darkly dress person, clearly male. I'm bursting with uncontrollably happiness, using the help of my wolf, who is as eager as I am to see the male fated to love me. Again she leads me to a man that is not him. Then again and again I am met with faces that are not his, until the scent is filling the hall from multiple sources. My wolf is crawling to get out and search for our hard to find mate herself and for the first time in my life, I am battling against her for control.

"Stop!" I whisper angrily to her, massaging my temples with my fingers. "Please don't…" I snarl under my breath.

I move closer to a large window, inhaling fresh air in an attempt to clear my mind. I have a piercing headache from my wolfs relentless struggling. I rub at my eyes, I understand her frustration. Something is wrong here. I don't understand what is going on…

"Princess Lyra Agron." A new voice calls sweetly.

I lift my heavy head to narrow my sights on Lady Pearl. A lesser noble of the court. She smiles warmly, but I don't return the gesture. She reeks of HIM!

Why?

Why!

"Why do you smell like him?" I whisper so softly it's almost eerie.

My heart is beating rapidly and a chilling, cold sweat is breaking out across my forehead. I feel dizzy and sick at the theories my wolf is throwing my way. I would have gasped at the feeling of my claws piercing my palms, but I can't take my eyes off of her! I've never wanted to hurt someone so badly in my life.

"Tell me!" I demand in a voice that does not sound like mine.

The girl's lips part in confusion before she shakes her head vigorously, "Princess, I swear I don't know what you are talking about!" She promises, reaching out a hand.

I slap her attempt to touch me away viciously, my wolf taking the opportunity to draw blood, "Do not lie to me." I hiss through my teeth, flashing my canines at her, "I hate liars!"

Lady Pearl blinks for a moment or two as if trying to process the situation as she cluthes her hand to her chest. Her voice grows higher, "I can assure you, your highness…"

I cut her off in a fit of fury, attracting more attention than I would normally welcome, "You smell like him!" I insist as Jayden appears from the corner of my eye. He won't be the only one.

Her eyes dart to opposite sides around me and that's all she has to do to assure me that my warriors are close. She starts to speak and then pauses. I see the mental pieces fall into place inside her head. Like a puzzle she fits them together perfectly. There is only one reason I would be able to smell the Sigma so strongly. Her eyes widen and for the first time I see true fear in her eyes.

"Oh my goddess…" She whispers, a hand flying to cover her mouth.

The music screeches to a halt and the lights flicker in a surge of power above and all around the hall, as if they are attuned to the rage I feel burning in my veins. So much anger, so much boiling rage. Is this how werewolves normal feel with strong wolf's tampering with their emotions?

"He knows and he doesn't care." She dares to say, "He doesn't want to be with you."

"If you don't tell me what I want to know, you are going to die." I promise with true intent.

I hear the sound of metal sliding against metal as swords are drawn. The fatal sides are pointing directly at Lady Pearl who looks close to choking on air.

She smiles sadly, resigning to her unfortunate fate in this lifetime, "Then you are going to have to kill me." She says simply, and I notice the strain it takes for her to keep her features in check.

Jayden leans closer, "Whatever it is that you are wanting from her, she is telling the truth. She would rather die first."

I remember Lazarus saying that Jayden has an uncanny ability to detect a liar.

She is not the only one, I tell myself.

My rage disperses upon the realization that it's not because she is sleeping with him. Clever mate. He has multiple people wearing his scent to confuse and prevent me from finding him. Multiple people who are loyal to him and not the royal family. Oh he has made a grave error indeed.

I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin as I realize that there is only one other thing that equates to death. "Remove Lady Pearl and her entire family. They will no longer be welcomed at court." I command emotionlessly, hearing the gasps around us.

Social suicide. They will never be welcomed into polite society again. Jayden gives me an odd look before taking hold of her arm. Just then fingers wrap around my upper arm and a hand rises to halt Jayden's slightly too eager actions.

"What are you doing?" An angry voice hisses in my ear.

It's a voice that has sent people to their knees, begging for their lives and a mercy that seldom ever came. I turn my dark head to meet Lazarus furious blue eyes. I match his hard stare.

"Are you going to undermine my authority?" I ask politely.

His lips part in surprise. He doesn't. It would place the royal family in the realms of chaos since he is not king yet and therefore, still unable to overrule me. Belavina could throw her support behind him, making two royals opposed to my verdict but she doesn't and the Pearl family is removed.

"We need to have a little chat." Lazarus snarls in my ear, steering me towards a private room.

I grunt in response, allowing him to practically drag me from the hall. My eyes fall on a tall figure watching intensely from across the room. Of course, he would know exactly where I am. I didn't try to hide away from him. He is without his famous mask and the stern expression tightening his features let's me know that he is beyond displeased with my actions. Good. He has made a grave mistake sharing his scent with his followers. The thought excites me, because now I know exactly who is under his control within our court. He has just shown his deck of cards and given me an advantage that is irreplaceable. I smile at him victoriously, because for the first time since meeting him, he is not looking at me with mild feelings of pity or disinterest. He is not looking for a way to get rid of me as quickly as possible. For once, he is looking at me with blazing anger, like he wants to wrap his hands around my neck. And if anger is the only way to make him really pay attention to me, then so be it. I'll make him simmer in it.