*** Matthew's POV ***
My office is a pretty typical one, maybe a tad larger than average. Between the two dark espresso built-in bookshelves, a floor-to-ceiling window is located just behind the dark mahogany office desk. Two soft, see-through curtains break the harsh light, giving the window a soft glow. In front of the desk, there are two navy-blue soft velvet fauteuils with deep button tufting. The room also has two matching black velvet couches with similar button tufting on them sitting on both sides of the room with a dark espresso French coffee table directly across them both.
Barely making it behind the desk, I hear someone knocking on the door.
-"Come on in." I instruct before sitting down and taking a deep breath.
-"Morning, boss!" Morgan says with her cheerful personality.
Morgan Bates is my pack's Gamma. She is relatively young, 21 years old, to be exact. She has earned her Gamma position with hard work and dedication. Both her parents are regular members of the pack, but Morgan always stood out from the crowd. She might not have immense strength, but I tell you, this five-foot girl can stand up to my best warrior in a fight. She is small and light, making her super agile. Brains over muscles. Literally.
-"Report." I give a dry command leaning back on my chair and while pinching my nose bridge. My head is starting to hurt.
-"Someone is in a bad mood today!" She points out while sitting on the blue fauteuils to my right, her left.
- "My day is not going as planned, and it's not even ten in the morning."
- "Okay... Well, we spotted a few rogues north from here. We don't know their intentions or plans. A couple of days ago, a human village was attacked. Fortunately, the Underworld Council had operatives nearby, who intervened just in time. Only a few human casualties were reported."
- "Hmm, why would the Underworld Council have operatives so close to our territories? Are they keeping tabs on the rogues too?"
Supernatural warriors and leaders form the Underworld Council. They consist of magical creatures such as vampires, shapeshifters, elves, fairies, etc. Their main objective is to keep us hidden from human society. They are what we consider our world's police departments. The council doesn't have any werewolf representatives, mainly because we're territorial and pack-oriented. We don't like strangers interfering in our business. So, they always leave us alone to take care of our problems.
-"Well... According to my source, the increased dark magic usage throughout the region might be correlated with Shadow Witches. I think the council was following the witches' lead when they came across the rogues' situation. Another source thinks the rogue attacks seem to be somewhat organized as if they have a leader telling them what, when, and how to attack next. My instincts tell me the witches and the rogues might be working together. We were following the rogues while the council was following a witch's lead, and, somehow, we all ended at the same location. Isn't that too much of a coincidence, boss?"
-"Yes, something is up. Morgan, I would like you to keep an eye on the council while following the rogues up north. We need more information on both parties if we are to be a step ahead. Regarding the witches and the black magic, didn't you have a friend that was a 'good' witch? Maybe you can ask her if she heard anything."
-"Yes, and they are called Light Witches, boss! Their power source comes from nature and good deeds. Witches that use black magic are called Shadow Witches; their power comes mainly from necromancy and bad deeds." She giggles, "I can't believe I have to teach you this every time." I give her a severe look. "You know, there's no harm learning about the culture of other supernatural beings."
- "I know about it! Bad Witch, Good Witch!
- "Hahaha, NO! It's a LIGHT witch and SHADOW witch!
- "You think you're so smart, huh? What do you call a vampire who attacks during the day?"
- "Duh~Daylighter!" She answers confidently.
- "Nope, he is a Daydrinker!"
She starts bursting out laughing upon hearing my epic joke. I couldn't resist and join her. She is always optimistic. I have a lot to thank her for. She makes Susie laugh when she needs it the most. And just when I needed it too, she bursts through the door spreading her cheerfulness.
- "Now go rest before the party tonight. I am sure Susie will love to catch up with you."
-" About that... I am really, really sorry, but I won't be here tonight. A group of rogues was spotted just a few miles from here. The tracks are still fresh, and I don't want to let this opportunity go to waste. I'm sure Morris mind-linked you about it. So, I would like to leave as soon as possible."
-"Morgan, Susie will kill me if you don't stop to at least say hi. She adores you like a sister."
-"Alright, alright! I will say hi before I go. I miss Little Alpha so much."
- "His name is Carl!" I correct her as she makes her way to the door. But, before she exits, she turns around and attempts a serious face.
-"Alpha, I owe you and this pack everything I have. You gave me a chance to be who I am today." She then smiles. "Please know, whatever happens, we have your back!"
She bows her head to me and leaves the room. Feeling reenergized from my conversation with Morgan, I stuff my face in the never-ending paperwork set on my desk. When I finally looked back at my watch, it was already five in the afternoon. The guests were already arriving, and I still had to check the area before welcoming them.
- "Alex, you wanna go for a run? We have to check the house's perimeter, and I figure you would like to be in control for a bit." I suggest to my wolf and feel his excitement.
-"I thought you would never ask!" He replies.
Squeezing my way through the servants, who were arranging the flowers and making finishing touches here and there, I make my way down the ballroom stairs and exit through the French doors leading to the garden, quickly removing my clothes before shifting into my wolf form and giving Alex complete control. My wolf's fur is jet black, just like my hair. His eyes also matched mine, sky blue. I could have shifted with clothes on, but it would have been a waste. Werewolf's body structure is enormous, like in the Twilight movies. Yep, they got that one right, not the shinning vampires, though.
~~~
On my way back from patrolling, I shift into naked human form before entering the house through the kitchen's back door. This area of the house was an organized chaos in preparation for tonight. I wiggle myself through them into the service elevators. Now, werewolves are used to seeing each other naked. It's like second nature to us; that's why no one pointed out a crazy dude wiggling his way through the kitchen butt naked. The elevator makes a quick bell sound as it reaches the third floor. Since Susie got pregnant, I started to spend the nights in her room, eventually moving there when the baby was born.
Susie and Carl are still napping. The party preparations had tired them out. I tiptoed across the room towards the master's en suite and shower quietly. After going through my wardrobe, I decided to put on my navy-blue royal tunic. Navy-blue is one of our pack's colors, and it also happens to be my favorite. The other colors are red and white. I leave the room, making sure I don't wake up my sleeping beauties, and head down to the ballroom. A couple more minutes of rest will be good for them.
It's 5:50 p.m., the ballroom has taken a life of its own. I welcome the various pack leaders, group by group, which leads me to the garden just a few minutes past 6 p.m. Once out there, I catch up with our allies and cross paths with Susie's cousin and current Grayfang Pack's Alpha, Robert Lawson.
-"Matthew, long time no see, my old friend!"
-"Indeed, Rob, how have you been? Did you find your mate yet?" We first bump like two old-school buddies.
- "Oh, I haven't yet. I am looking for him right now!"
-" What? He is here?" I question, curiosity making me look around.
- "I know, from all the places, it had to be here. You are like my fairy godfather!" He chuckled.
- "Last time I checked, I still had a tail, not a pair of wings." Rob gasps in disbelief and playfully slaps my right shoulder.
-"Anyhow. How do you know he is here?" I changed the subject before my race joke had a chance to set in and became inappropriate.
-"My wolf, William, can sense it. He also told me our mate smells like lemon custard, and it's coming from your house."
- "Alright, Juliet, let's go find your Romeo, shall we?"
-"It's Cinderella. Juliet didn't have a fairy godmother!"
We both walk through the second pair of French doors, which is closer to the staircase. The other set was by the main ballroom's entrance. As I walk inside, I inhale the sweetest aroma ever—a combination of raspberry, black currant Chambord, sparkling nectarine, and sugared musk.
Out of nowhere, my wolf Alex growls and fights for control. Something was up.
-"What's going on, Alex?"
-"She is here. Our true mate is here. I can feel her. She smells like..."
-" ...raspberry, black currant sugared musk." I finish his sentence.
*** Matthew's POV ***It can't be. Why was she here? Why now? Did the Moon Goddess listen to Susie? I look around the room to find her, but I don't see her. Maybe outside, I thought, but before I could walk out again, two massive growls erupt from the middle of the room, and the word "mate" soon follows.I turned to see what was going on to see that Robert had found his mate. They both were hugging, burrowing their heads into each other's necks. What worried me was the older gentleman, obviously Rob's mate father. If looks could kill, the gentleman's son would be a dead werewolf. The look of disappointment was set on his face, and you could feel it from a mile away. He lets out a warning growl breaking the couple apart. I approach them to make sure a war doesn't start in my ballroom.
*** Matthew's POV ***Alex and I ran for what seemed like an eternity, with no destination in mind. A mixture of despair and anger filled our chest. The pain was now bearable but not gone. She had been so close, and now she was gone.- "It's all your fault! I knew our true mate was still out there. We shouldn't have married Susie." Alex is full of sorrow and regret.-"How can you say that? We have been through so much with her. She gave us a pupthe cost of her health! How can you be like this?"Alex closes the link between us, allowing me to regain control. I run back to the mansion, still in my wolf form but shifting back to human as I approach the mansion's fr
<One year and half later> *** Naomi's POV *** I had attempted to reject him, my mate Alpha King Matthew Stevens, but my body had betrayed me, and I fainted just before I could reject him. The magnetic pull is still there, and I can feel the achy need to see him, to be in his arms. I can't bring myself to try to reject him again. The first time I tried, it was so painful that I don't want to experience that type of pain ever again; it's too much. After the first year of finding him, I was submerged in dark thoughts. Depression seemed to be my only companion, and to make matters worse, Gabriel had rejected his 'Alpha-to-be' position, leaving our pack to be with his mate. Saying our father was furious was an understatement. He never acce
<One year and half later> *** Matthew's POV *** "Matt... Matt, wake up. Carl is crying."Susie's mind-links, waking me up from my slumber. In my boxers, I get up from our bed and drag my feet toward Carl's room, just across from ours. There is also a room next to ours for our guests, should any decide to stay over. It used to be my room before we had Carl. "Hey, bud, I am here," I reassure him as I open his bedroom door. He steadies himself on the crib's rail with one hand while the other opens and closes towards me, letting me know he wants to be picked up, which I do, as he cries non-stop. -"Shh, I am here, baby."
Two years after the silver chains ***Naomi's POV*** It has been two long torturous years, and a lot has changed. Firstly, I was forced to train with our elite warriors. And when I say forced, I mean it. I would just sit by the training ring and wait until it ended the first few times. But my father decided to join the training, and if I refused to participate, the warriors were ordered to beat me up until I was unconscious. In the end, I had no other choice but to experience and learn how to defend myself. Although my parent's room was on the fifth floor, soon-to-be Lee's floor, I could hear them argue about my situation every night. Mother had become extremely upset with my father's behavior towards me. She even threatened to leave the pack if he didn't stop.
*** Morgan POV *** Naomi told me she wanted my help. We are still at the bar, and I have to be extra careful not to alert the two giant werewolves sitting behind us at the far left corner. I don't know what it is about her, but the moment she walked into the bar, something compelled me to help. It wasn't just me. My wolf Lily was too unsettled, especially after we realized the men she walked in with were watching her like hawks. It didn't feel right. Let's not forget all of her scars. It felt as if she was a prisoner. I pondered for a second, maybe they were rogues, and she was their victim, but they didn't smell like rogues. They didn't smell of burn and decay flesh. Naomi walks to the guys and tells them she's tired and wants to go back to her motel room.
*** Mathew's POV *** My pact is a mess. The loss of their Luna two years ago had left them demotivated and disorganized. In part, it was my fault. After Susie's death, the void she left inside me was constant torture. I had become a disgrace, drinking my sorrows away bottle after bottle. Without her companionship, I felt lonely again. I sit on the floor, enclosed in my room while holding one of Susie's pieces of clothing close to me and drowning my pain in whiskey. This room isn't the one that Susie and I shared. That one has been closed since she passed away. Standing up, I steady myself against the dresser. The movement causes the mirror to shake. I lean in closer and observe the man reflected in it. I can't recognize myself with the long messy blac
***Matthew's POV*** Carl and I spent the afternoon together after picking him up from the packhouse Daycare, which isn't too far from the mansion. Just a 20 minutes walk down the road, five by car. I decide to take him out into the children's park. I watch him as he plays with the other kids. Boy, he had so much energy. He sure resembles Susie. They share the same blond hair and emerald green eyes. I watch as he leads his group of friends and makes sure everyone is included. He treats girls with extra care and makes sure they are safe. I can already tell, by the way, he plays with the other children. He will be a good alpha. Charlotte had done a great job of educating him while I was absent. -"Daddy, wanna come to play with us?" He shouts across the playgro