Alpha's Christmas Mate

Restless Shadows

The Hale pack territory was tense. Snow crunched under paws and boots alike, though no one ventured far from the lodge. Inside, the common room hummed with low murmurs, the fire crackling but failing to warm the heavy atmosphere.

Veyra paced near the hearth, her eyes narrowing at the window that framed the snowy forest beyond. Serena, seated on a long bench, rubbed at her temples, trying to quell the tightness in her shoulders. Dustin leaned against the wall, arms crossed, jaw tight, every line of his body radiating frustration.

“No word from Rowan,” Veyra said finally, voice sharp. “He was supposed to return yesterday.”

Serena glanced at her, brow furrowed. “He’s capable. He’s probably fine. But… it’s unusual for him to be this long without checking in.”

Dustin’s eyes flashed, anger simmering beneath the surface. “Unusual? He’s out there with some human girl, isn’t he? Typical. Rowan gets distracted, and now the pack is left waiting.”

Veyra’s ears twitched at the jab. “Dustin—”

Dustin cut her off. “I’m serious. We’ve got territory to monitor, packs nearby to check on, and our Alpha is off… off playing protector. For how long, exactly?”

Serena raised her hands in a calming gesture. “Enough. Worrying ourselves into a frenzy doesn’t help anyone. Rowan is… unconventional, yes, but he knows what he’s doing.”

“Unconventional?” Dustin barked a laugh, tone harsh. “That’s one word for it. Reckless is another. Disappearing into the snowstorm without informing anyone, leaving the pack unsettled—what would the Moon Goddess think?”

Veyra scowled. “We manage while he’s gone. That’s what betas and gammas do. No need to scold him when we don’t know what’s happening yet.”

Dustin’s gaze hardened, green eyes flashing. “I know what happens when the Alpha ignores protocol. He puts us—and the pack—at risk. Especially with outsiders involved. I don’t trust this human girl.”

Serena shifted uncomfortably, glancing toward the window. “We don’t even know her. But the territory hasn’t been breached. Rowan’s instincts are sharp. If there was danger, he would have sensed it.”

Dustin snorted. “That’s just it. He senses, he acts… but for some reason, he hasn’t returned. That tells me something is off. Something he’s not telling us.”

Veyra crossed her arms, gaze sharp. “Dustin, the pack is not yours to control. You’re a beta. You enforce order, yes, but you don’t dictate the Alpha’s choices. Rowan knows the stakes. Trust him.”

“Trust him?” Dustin’s voice was incredulous. “He trusts too easily. And this girl—if she’s the reason he’s gone, then we need to be prepared for the consequences.”

Serena’s shoulders slumped slightly. “He’s not reckless. He wouldn’t abandon the pack. And he’s not acting blindly—Rowan’s never been careless in his life.”

A tense silence fell over the room. Outside, the wind rattled the walls, a reminder of the snowstorm blanketing the forest. Veyra finally broke the quiet, voice low but firm.

“We can sit here and speculate, or we can prepare. Scouts should check the perimeter, hunters stay alert, and keep communication lines open. Rowan may be absent, but the pack still functions. That’s what he would expect.”

Dustin’s jaw clenched, but he nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But if anything happens while he’s gone—”

“Nothing will,” Serena interjected sharply. “We’re strong. We know our territory. And we’ll manage. Rowan trusts us for a reason, Dustin. Try to remember that.”

Dustin’s green eyes softened slightly, though the tension lingered. He gave a curt nod. “I’m just saying… we can’t underestimate the unknown. Especially with wolves fresh from shifting out there.”

Veyra raised a brow. “You mean the young female rogue?”

“Yes,” Dustin said, finally admitting the name. “If she’s new to this, and Rowan is gone, the pack is vulnerable. I don’t care how harmless she seems, we need eyes on her. One mistake, and…” He trailed off, frustration evident.

Serena let out a quiet sigh. “We’ll handle it. But we wait for Rowan. He’ll return, and we’ll know how to proceed. Panic helps no one.”

Veyra crossed her arms, tapping her foot. “We’ve been over this. The pack must stay organized. Scouts will report, hunters will stay vigilant, and the lodge stays secure. Rowan is Alpha. He makes the calls. Until he returns, we execute his plans as best we can.”

Dustin grunted, still simmering, but he fell silent, grudgingly accepting the arrangement. Serena’s gaze softened toward him. “He trusts you, Dustin. That’s why he left, not because he’s reckless. Remember that.”

Outside, the snow continued to fall, covering the forest in a thick, white blanket. Inside the lodge, the fire flickered, and the pack’s members carried out their roles—scouting, monitoring, preparing.

Still, unease lingered. Rowan’s absence was unusual, and whispers of his mysterious whereabouts began to ripple through the pack. Some speculated he was tracking a rogue wolf or scouting nearby territories. Others suspected he’d found something… or someone… significant enough to distract him entirely.

Veyra exchanged a look with Serena. “We’ll know soon enough,” she said quietly. “Rowan always returns. But until then, the pack must stay ready—for anything.”

Dustin muttered under his breath, a low growl of frustration. “If anything happens because of this girl…”

Serena shot him a sharp glance. “Focus, Dustin. Control what you can, not what you can’t. Rowan’s absence doesn’t mean the pack falls apart.”

The three of them sat in tense silence, the fire casting shadows across the walls. Outside, the storm raged, isolating the cabin and the forest beyond. Inside, the Hale pack waited, restless, alert, each member keenly aware that their Alpha’s absence was not just unusual—it was a reminder that even the strongest pack was vulnerable when the threads of fate began to shift.

And somewhere out there, in the snowstorm, a young, freshly shifted female wolf lingered—unknowingly connected to the Alpha’s mate, stirring instincts and bonds that none of them fully understood yet.

The pack didn’t know it, but the quiet tension building in the woods, the mystery surrounding the cabin, and the secrets hidden in the snowstorm would soon reach them all.

And when Rowan finally returned, the Hale pack would find themselves at the edge of something that would change the hierarchy—and the lives within it—forever.