Chapter 2:

LORENZO

I had spent nearly twenty years of my life searching for my mate until searching had become more like a routine than a one-time thing. At this point, I let myself know the Moon Goddess basically hates me, and there was nothing, not even killing myself, that would get her to like me.

Tonight would be the eighteenth time I was attending the mating ceremony. It's the eighteenth time because I had skipped some years for some reasons best known to me, knowing that not attending was the same as attending and returning with no mate.

At some point, I became envious of the other Alphas because finding a mate was so much easier for them. Just walk in, wait for the bell to ring, and there she is, sitting like the very Luna she is yet to be.

But mine...?

Honestly, I don't care who the Moon Goddess would eventually give to me. Fat, beautiful, skinny, ugly — as long as I could build a home with her, I was very much okay.

I was so buried in my thoughts that I didn't realise Kelvin, my Beta, stepped in until he asked, "Are you attending this mating ceremony tonight?"

Kelvin had been a good friend of mine since childhood, to the point we no longer saw each other as friends, but brothers. He knew my predicaments so well. He had always followed me to the ceremony, despite having found his mate. According to him, he didn't want me to feel any bit of loneliness. I was very much grateful for that, because having Kelvin beside me wasn't just having a brother, it was having a partner who didn't realise how important they were to someone.

Not to mention my Gamma, Josh. He had found his mate last year, and I haven't stopped feeling like the only cursed soul in the Crescent Pack.

"Still contemplating on it," I replied, "But I can't promise myself I would."

He let out a heavy sigh, understanding the situation. "How about we try this year?" he asked. "Something positive can happen, you never can tell."

"I kept telling myself that for eighteen years," I said, frustrated. "Yet, here I am. Nothing's changed."

"How about Lisa?" he asked, and I snapped him a deadly look. "What? You two have been pretty close for some time. Everyone already thinks something is going on between you two."

"Tell me you are not one of them." I was ready to strangle his neck if he was. And then he proved me right.

"I have eyes, Renzo. I see a lot of things."

I wanted to punch his cheeks so hard, but I realized we would only end up circling the entire pack house, so I held back.

"I see you're a lot less busy," I said instead. "Maybe I should assign you to the pack borders. The last I heard, we need more guards at the checkpoints."

"Well, the last time I checked," he said, making himself comfortable on the couch, "I am your Beta and not some hired pack guard. And before you go further talking, I already assigned some guards to do the check, so we don't need any." He winked at me.

The nerve of him to even do that. I gave up trying to look annoyed at him, because Kelvin was one person who took my emotions for granted, except he had seen the reason for my anger himself.

"Jokes aside," he started, "Lisa—"

I didn't let him finish talking when I snapped. "I'm fucking serious, Kel," I growled. "The next time you mention her name to my face, I swear I'm going to make you count your toes with your teeth."

He raised his hand in a surrendering way, trying so hard not to laugh. "Okay, okay, calm down."

"Good," I said.

Lisa was one person I wish I never met. She was, in fact, a nightmare to my sleep. I had met her five months ago for the purpose of a one-night stand. I don't remember mentioning two, but being the desperate lady she was, she found her way in my most weakened state. I had only realised it was her the next morning, and when I asked her to leave, she had somehow convinced half the entire pack that she was my girlfriend. What I still haven't figured out was how the hell she had made them trust her this much.

She had even walked up to me one night and whispered to my ears, "I am going to rule this pack alongside you." She said it with a smirk. "Watch me."

The memory of it made me laugh. But what made it more funny was the audacity of her to even think I would let her step on the throne.

"You seem happy," Kelvin observed. "I hope it's not what I'm thinking." He raised an eyebrow like he was trying to read through my mind.

"Kelvin," I called, fighting the urge to throw the couch pillow at him.

"Yes, Alpha," he stood up smiling. As though he knew my next motive, he made it to the door before I could grab the pillow.

"Get out!" I eventually threw the pillow at him, but it landed on the door instead.

Just when I thought he was gone, he opened the door and peered in. "I love you."

"I hate you!"

I sat there for as long as I could remember, wondering how tonight would turn out. Was it really necessary, showing up for the ceremony? Will I end up returning home just like every other night?

I was pondering on it when a knock sounded on the door. I almost thought it was Kelvin, so I yelled a "get out" when a different voice responded.

"Alpha, it's me."

I felt embarrassed of myself. It was rare for me to display such an attitude.

"Coming," I admitted.

The young guard stepped in, his face buried to the ground like he had found it quite fascinating, more than staring at my face.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Sir, we received word that Alpha Loki is on his way to the pack house. He's—" he paused, staring at his wristwatch, then at my face. "Six minutes away."

Loki was one reason I never missed the mating ceremony. Despite having a mate, he saw the mating ceremony as a means to entertain himself. So whenever he showed up, I had no reason to refuse.

Just then, another guard came to inform me that Loki had arrived. I let out a heavy sigh and stood up, heading for the door.

I met Loki in the sitting room, sitting on one of the couches with his legs crossed and his eyes moving at every side like it was his first time showing up in my home. The second he saw me, his face lit with a smile and he stood up, walking towards me.

"It's been a long time, brother." We hugged each other, like we were just meeting for the first time in twenty years. He broke the hug, staring at my face. "Tell me, brother, are you attending the ceremony tonight?"

I wanted to say 'yes', but another part of me, the same part that wasn't ready to face yet another heartache, said no. He seemed happy by my response, like that was the perfect answer he wanted to hear.

"Well," he clapped his hands. "How about we go hunting tonight?”