Chapter 3

Riven

"You are late, Riven."

I didn’t answer. I just walked to the empty seat at the table and sat down. Every eye in the room was on me. The elders, the older men of the council, all sat still with emotionless faces. Maybe they were expecting me to say sorry or something. But I didn't give a fuck about being late. They can stare at me for all I care.

My father waited until I was settled before he spoke again.

"The reason we called you here tonight is important. It is time for you to prepare for your future. The pack needs a strong Alpha, a leader who is ready to take his place."

He looked at me, but his eyes were a million miles away, like he was staring at the idea of me and not the real me.

"We have decided," he continued, and his voice held no room for argument, "that in five full moons, we will prepare for your coronation. The Alpha of this pack will finally take his place."

A quiet hum of approval went around the room. The elders nodded their heads in agreement, their faces full of pure satisfaction.

But for me, it felt like a cold stone was being placed on my chest. Five full moons? That's approximately three months. That was all the time I had left to be just Riven. After that, I would be the Alpha fully. The title, the duties, the crown, all of it would be mine. That's okay. I mean, it is what it is, right?

"And with that," my father said, his voice dropping a little, "comes the matter of your Luna. Lara has been chosen since she was a little girl. And as you already know, you two were born for this." He paused.

"We want you to begin the marriage counseling course with her immediately. You will be getting married soon."

The words hit me like a slap. My heart started to beat faster against my chest. Marriage counseling what? He was talking about my life, my future, and he was making decisions about it like it was just a business deal?

I couldn't stay quiet. My mouth was already moving before I could stop myself.

"I'm sorry, Father, but you can't just decide my life for me." My voice was a low growl, and the words felt like fire on my tongue. "I don't want to get married to her. Not now. Not until I'm sure."

The room went completely silent. The elders, who had been nodding so proudly, now looked shocked. My father’s face went from stone to something darker, something dangerous. His eyes narrowed, and I knew I had gone too far.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his voice low and threatening.

I knew he wanted to threaten me. Make me feel intimidated by his presence. But at this point? Fuck him. I don't give a fuck.

"I said no!" I snapped, the anger finally bursting out of me. "My life is my life. I am the Alpha, yes, but I am also Riven. I'm a person. I have my own will. You cannot force me to marry a woman I don't love. She is not even my mate. You can't just sit there and decide my future for me!"

Elder Xavier, a man with a gray beard and calm eyes, spoke up.

"Young Alpha, you must calm yourself."

Another one added,

"This is not a matter for you to decide, Young Alpha. This is for the pack. This is for all of us."

"It's not about what you want or whatever your childish will says," my father said, his voice now a quiet thunder. "It's about what the pack needs. You will marry Lara. You will begin the marriage counseling. And you will do as you are told."

I pushed back my chair so hard it made a loud, scraping sound on the floor. I stood up, my whole body shaking with anger. My hands were clenched into fists, and my jaw was tight. I felt like I was going to explode.

"I am a man, I'm not a child, and I'm not your puppet!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the silent hall. "News flash, Alpha. You cannot make me do what I choose not to do!"

I turned on my heel and started to walk away. I didn't care about the rules. I didn't care about the council. I just wanted to leave that place, to be free from the suffocating pressure that loomed in that room.

"Riven! Get back here!" my father's voice boomed behind me. It was a clear command from the Alpha. "I order you to return here now!"

But I didn't listen. My feet were already moving. Each step I took seemed like I was floating in the air, like I was practically running away from the hall, from the council, from my father, and from my whole life. I ran until I was outside, in the cool night air. Finally.

My head was hot. I could still hear my father’s voice: “Fifth full moon, marriage, you will do as I say.” Nonsense. So full of themselves. Evil. Greedy set of people. Him and his council, all of them.

They had already decided my future for me, sealed it up like an envelope and handed it to me. The anger in my stomach was burning and burning. I wanted to smash something, to tear that room apart. But I was the Alpha’s son so I just walked out.

Okay, that's a lie. I didn't smash anything because I already knew I was in trouble. I wasn't about to complicate my life any further.

•• Hey Alpha. How did it go? ••

Stiles’s voice intruded, in my head, soft and light.

He was my Beta, but he was also my best friend. He could always tell when my temper was about to boil over.

•• It didn’t go well. ••

I thought back, my own voice a low growl.

•• I know. I felt the pressure.

Did they talk about Lara again? ••

I swallowed hard. The thought of her and the fact that they wanted to shove her down my throat made me sick.

•• Worse, •• I thought.

•• This time they had already set a date. Fifth full moon. ••

There was a long silence from Stiles, a silence that was full of his own shock. He knew what that meant.

•• Holy Moly! That’s rough. Dude… you’re about to be a groom. Damn, I could only imagine you looking so fine in that damn suit walking down the aisle. ••

His voice was trying to be light. I knew he was trying to tease me out of my mood, but I could hear the worry behind his teasing words.

•• Don’t start, ••

I snapped back, a little too harsh. I felt bad right away.

•• I just want to get to the rink. I need to hit something. ••

•• Alright man, I’m on my way. Take it easy ••

I pushed him out of my head and just focused on walking. The fire was still there, but now it had a new mission: to get me to the ice.

…

The rink was full of noise and light. The team was already there. Everywhere was loud and full of energy, with their skates scraping against the ice, and their sticks making a sharp tak-tak-tak sound. I laced up my skates quickly. I just wanted nothing more than to hit the ice and channel all that anger into something else.

Pip!!!!

The coach’s whistle was a sharp sound that cut through everything. The boys all skated to the side, gathering around the coach. Their faces were all sweaty and smiling, full of that youthful, carefree energy that I wished I still had.

The coach clapped his hands together.

“Alright, gentlemen, listen up! We have a new addition to the team.”

The team started to boo playfully.

“We don’t need a new guy!” one of them shouted.

“Send him back!” another one said, and the team laughed.

This was how we welcomed every new player — with noise and a bit of a challenge. It was usually fun, but today — or should I say now — I just wanted quiet.

Suddenly, a new scent hit me. It wasn't the smell of sweat and ice. It was something else. Something sweet that smelled like something I knew yet didn't know. Ford went crazy inside my chest. And then he said something.

The word was a loud, deafening roar in my head.

Mate.

My body just froze. I didn't move. I just stared at the door that led to the locker room. My blood ran cold and hot at the same time. The team’s playful booing faded into a blur of sound. I was only aware of two things: the new scent in the air, and the boy who walked onto the ice.

He was tall, with broad shoulders. He walked with so much confident grace that made every eye in the rink turn to him. He was a new face, a boy I had never seen, and my world, which was already on fire, had just exploded.

The coach, unaware of what was going on, walked over to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder. He brought the new boy with him.

“Riven,” the coach said, his voice loud and clear. “This is Sky Gale. He is on transfer. He’s a talented forward, and I’m entrusting him to you. Get him up to speed with the team. You show him how we do things here!” he ended with a cheer, resulting in more sounds from my teammates. But everything was just background noise now.

My mind was screaming. My world, which was already on fire, had just exploded. I looked at the boy standing beside my coach — the boy they wanted me to show how things are done.

He was my fated mate.

A boy.

Like a fucking Male gender.