Alpha Mate

Chapter 2

Calum Pov

I ran my hands across my face as I left behind a stack of papers in my office to meet with my beta. As an alpha of a pack, there was always work to be done and problems that arose on top of the usual tasks. My beta, Lance, had notified me through the pack link that there was an encounter with rogues on the border.

It wasn't frequently that we saw rogues near our pack's territory with how strong our borders were guarded. However, every now and then rogues dared to try to sneak past. Though the threats were often swiftly dealt with, it was always a situation that demanded my attention to ensure everyone's safety within the pack.

"Are the rogues taken care of?" I asked my beta as soon as I reached him.

"Yes, sir. The men are disposing of their bodies as we speak," Lance told me.

"Good. I expect a full written report on my desk by tomorrow."

Lance nodded. He knew the drill. If anything appeared to be suspicious about the attack, like there being signs of more rogues, he would tell me immediately. Otherwise, a report was given to me shortly afterwards so I could add the attack to our records and track any trends for the activity of the rogues.

"Before you go, there's one other thing you should know, Alpha."

"Spit it out then. I don't need you wasting any of my time by just standing there."

"When we found the rogues by the border, they were attacking others. A woman and her pup. Both mother and child survived, but the mother acquired several harmful injuries trying to protect her young." Lance reported.

I cursed under my breath. Only rogues were monstrous enough to attack an innocent woman and her child.

"Where are they now?"

"We took the woman to the infirmary. It was clear she needed immediate medical attention. We're also holding the pup in the nursery with your sister. We did only what was necessary until we could obtain your orders."

"Is the woman in any state to talk?" I asked.

"As far as I know, she's still unconscious."

I sighed. The woman needed help, and as long as my pack was able to provide her with the support she required, she was welcome to rest and receive medical attention. I had no problem with what decisions Lance had made without me present. What weighed on me was that there was a chance someone was looking for her. We have no idea why she was in our woods and how she had gotten the attention of rogues. The only one who could answer these questions was unable to at the moment.

"When she wakes up, the very first thing you do is notify me. I need to find out whether this attack was random or not since it happened so close to our borders. There's a chance she's drawn more rogues to our territory or her pack may want a fight if they seek her return. She does belong to a pack, correct?"

Lance nodded. "Yes, sir. She didn't smell like a rogue."

"What if she was running away?"

Lance furrowed his brows. It wasn't often that I asked him questions like that. Usually, I was more focused on getting the truth than theorizing circumstances.

"It's possible, but that doesn't explain why the rogues were chasing her. Unless, however, she encountered them after she ran. There's no way to know for sure until she wakes up."

"Very well. Is that all?"

Lance looked away briefly before turning his gaze towards the ground. He looked as though he was wrestling with whether to tell me something or not. He was the one person I trusted the most because he was consistently straightforward and never held back from me. As my beta, he was obligated to tell me all the information that related to the pack. It was just as I was about to demand he say what was on his mind that his eyes met mine once again.

"Actually, I do have some unrelated news, Alpha."

"Yes?"

"Riley and I are expecting our first child." Lance announced. The corners of his mouth lifted up instantly at saying the words, as though he couldn't help himself. Pride radiated from him as he shared the news.

Without a second thought, I pulled him in for an embrace and slapped him on the back. "Congratulations."

As one of the closest people to me, I couldn't be happier for my best friend. He and his mate, Riley, had been together for a couple years already and I had known they've been wanting to become parents for a while. The love the two shared was one of the most marvelous things in the world and they were going to create an amazing family.

Despite my joy for my best friend and his mate, there was a small voice in my head that brought with it a feeling of envy. Where was my mate? Why should the beta of the pack start a family while I had yet to find my luna. It didn't help questioning the moon goddess' timing, but I wanted to make sense.

There were wolves that met their mates at the mere age of eighteen. I was twenty-four and had yet to meet mine as if eighteen years wasn't already long enough to wait for the soul that could make mine whole. On top of that, a Luna played an essential role in every pack. The fact that I was an alpha should have meant that I have the chance to meet my mate sooner. A pack needs a Luna to keep everyone together and nurture the peace. Not to mention I would need an heir to take over as alpha one day. The longer I waited for my mate, the longer it took for the pack to meet their future alpha. I wanted to experience the love that is unique to mates and the raising of our child to become a strong leader.

Lance and I stepped out of the embrace, but my hand remained firm on his shoulder.

"Thank you, sir. I'm hoping for a boy so he can take over as beta someday."

"Boy or girl, it will be a beautiful baby so long as he or she takes after Riley."

Lance shook his head, but chuckled all the same.

"I'm only messing with you. I hope it's a boy too. You would raise him to become a great beta."

Seeing the smile on his face at my encouragement wiped away all the concerns I was feeling about my mate. I trusted that I would find her one day, even if I wished she hadn't made me wait so long for her. Right now, I needed to focus on my beta's happiness. He deserved to have a family and I would be by his side through everything.

"We have our next appointment with the doctor this afternoon. She's far enough along that today we will be able to hear the baby's heartbeat."

"That's incredible."

"It is. Anyway, there are guards at the infirmary waiting on the woman to wake up. I will let you know as soon as I hear word from them that she is ready to talk."

"Good."

Lance nodded at me once more before heading off to meet with Riley for their appointment. Since we had to wait to take care of the issue at hand, I walked back to my office where I could complete more work until I heard news from Lance.

Once at my desk, I returned to the stack of papers that held information about requested updates to pack treaties along with proposals for improvements within the pack. Each report seemed more tedious than the last. I worked away at the stack for hours until I saw the typed words against the back of my eyelids each time I closed them.

It was another day that I left my office exhausted. I yawned as I walked through the hallways. The first thing I did when I entered my room was collapse onto the bed. My eyelids became heavy and I let them fall.

It could have only been a few minutes that my eyes had been closed before a knock on my door woke me. I would've loved nothing more than to roll over and ignore them, but no one came to my bedroom door unless there was a pressing matter.

When I opened the door, Lance stood in the hallway. "She is awake, Alpha."

"Does she have all her senses?"

"Yes. Our medics are some of the best. She is well."

"Then I must speak with her. Take me there."

Together we walked through the pack house and to the infirmary.

Though I had just been asleep, my mind started racing about what led this young woman to be attacked outside of my borders by rogues. Not only did I have to find out if there would be others, but there were also things her presence put into question. There would be more work ahead of me if she did run away and we would start the lengthy process of accepting her into our pack, or I would need to get in contact with her alpha so that she could find her way back safely.

The closer we got to the infirmary, the less I wanted to spare much time on this woman. There were already so many responsibilities I had as alpha when the pack was practically running problem-free. There was too much exhaustion I faced from my work to concern myself with her situation. I would be happy once it was over and hoped to send her back to where she came from in a quick manner.

Once we arrived at the infirmary, Lance led me through the halls to her room. We stopped at the door that read 203.

I took a deep breath as I stood before the door. A slight tingly sensation began from my fingertips as I neared the room. "Wait for me out here, Lance. I can handle the questioning on my own, but if I need you for something I will call for you."

"Yes, Alpha."

I turned the knob and entered the infirmary room. The tingling increased throughout my limbs as the scent of cherry blossoms and feathers hit me in an instant. When Lance told me the news, I never once expected that it would be her. My mate.

I took in my mate's appearance as she laid on the bed. Her skin was fair but looked unnaturally pale from barely surviving her encounter with rogues. Her thick brown hair was strewn in tangles across the pillow and her brown eyes held a dull warmth that I suspected to be more comforting when she was in perfect health. Despite my mate's disheveled appearance, she was gorgeous.

It had taken her only a second to realize my presence. When she did, she stared back into my eyes. Her expression was one of shock as though she may become overjoyed once she have a chance to process seeing me for the first time. For several seconds, I couldn't bring myself to break her gaze. When I did, I turned straight back towards the door and walked out of the room.

Lance immediately stood upright from the place on the wall he had been leaning on. He met me with a baffled look on his face. "What happened? How could you have your answers when you were only in there for ten seconds?"

"There was no need for talking. It's truly nothing of your concern," I wasn't ready to tell him that her and I were mates. It was information I hadn't worked through myself yet.

"What do we do now?"

"Find out from the doctor when she can be released. As soon as she is able to leave the infirmary, I want you to take her to a guest room in the pack house. Her and the baby can stay there together, but I don't want her roaming around the pack. Arrange for someone to bring them meals. You will give me updates on every stage of this process as well as her condition," I ordered.

"I don't understand. Why must she be kept in a guest room?"

"Are you questioning my orders?"

"No, sir. It just doesn't make any-"

"I'm the alpha and you will obey my orders without question. See to it that what I said gets done."

"Yes, Alpha." Lance bowed his head in submission.

As I walked away, part of me felt guilt for the way I had talked to Lance. Making orders was part of my role as alpha. As much as they were necessary at times, I didn't like using my rank on my best friend. He didn't deserve for me to take out my frustrations on him. I confided in him about all my decisions, but this one, I needed the reason to be kept a secret for a while longer while I sorted through the anger and mix of emotions that were building up inside of me.