Chapter 5

“Mate”

Caden’s POV

It has been three days and there is still no sign of Amara. My father mind links me and asks me to come to his office. When I get there, I knock on the door, and he invites me in. My mother is sitting on the loveseat, and my father is at his desk.

"We have a question," my father begins, his tone serious. "You have been pushing to find Amara and we wondered why you are so worried about her."

You would think they would be too since they took her in, but I can’t tell them the truth – that she was my mate, and I rejected her because she was beneath me. An omega mated to an alpha just won't do. She wouldn't have the training nor the ability to be the leader I need her to be. My parents would have a fit; they believe in the mate bond wholeheartedly, and I would never hear the end of it.

"Telling my parents that she is a pack member and no matter what the rank we have to make sure all of them are safe and accounted for," I say, trying to sound like the alpha I am supposed to be.

My father nods in agreement. "You're right. Every member of the pack is important."

My mother stands up, her concern evident. "We just hope she is safe. whoever has always been a part of our family and pack, even if she was treated horribly."

With a sense of relief, I leave the office. The guilt of rejecting my mate weighs heavily on me, but there is no turning back now. I must find Amara and ensure her safety, for the sake of the pack and perhaps, to redeem myself in her eyes.

Waking up the next morning, I receive another mind link from my father. It is the fourth day, and we still haven't located Amara. Looking disheveled, I respond to the link, telling my father I will be on my way. As I make my way to his office again, my heart pounds with anxiety. Walking into his office, I find him with my mother. It seems like those two are never apart.

"Son, you look horrible," my mother says. Knowing it's true, I don't respond. I haven't slept much, I smell like the outdoors from searching for Amara. Bags under my eyes and I haven't showered for two days.

"Caden, it's time you find a chosen mate," my father says. "You didn't find her at the party, which is concerning. I cannot allow you to take over the pack without your mate. She will make you stronger."

Little do they know, I did find her, but I didn't want her at that moment. I was upset with the Moon Goddess for pairing me with someone who did not have a wolf or a lycan.

"Also, tonight is the full moon. It will be your first. We will see if you are like your mother and have a wolf or like me and have a lycan," my father says.

The full moon. The thought sends a shiver down my spine. Uncertainty and anticipation gnaw at me as I think about what tonight will bring. Finding Amara remains my top priority, but now, the weight of my destiny as a leader grows heavier with the impending full moon.

On another note, Amara still hasn’t been found. "She can't be dead because, with me being alpha, I would have felt her passing, and she has yet to denounce the pack because I would have felt that too," my father says to me. Relief for a second passes over me. She must be alive, but where?

"Don't forget in two days' time we also have a meeting with the Lycan king, Blake! Everything must be up to par and clean. We will hold a greeting party with myself and your father, you and your sister, and the beta and gamma families. We must prepare a wing for the king since he will be staying with us a few days as we go over the details of the treaty with him. He is looking to expand and buy into our corporations," my mother says.

The weight of both responsibilities presses down on me; finding Amara and preparing for the Lycan king's arrival. The pressure mounts, but I can't afford to falter now. I take a deep breath, trying to center myself.

"I understand, Mother. I'll make sure everything is ready," I assure her, though my thoughts are still clouded with worry for Amara. The pack's future and my own hinge on the actions I take in the coming days.

With renewed determination, I head out to continue the search, knowing that time is running out. The full moon tonight will reveal my true nature, and soon after, the Lycan king will arrive, expecting nothing less than perfection. I must be ready for whatever comes next.

As my mother and the omegas prepare for the arrival of the king, my father starts to brief me on pack matters and my upcoming shift. Generally, when a son turns 21, he is granted leadership of the pack so his parents could step down and retire. That doesn’t look like it is going to happen for me. “You need a Chosen, son,” my father says for the second time. “As we all know, mates are not guaranteed. So a Chosen will be best. Your Chosen will make you stronger once you mate and mark her, and she will make shifting easier and less painful,” he says to me.

Fenrir huffs in the back of my mind. “We will not take another mate when we have found ours. She is the gift the Moon Goddess gave us, and I only want her,” Fenrir says with an attitude, withdrawing to the back of my mind. Right now, our wills are different, which is common for a human and his or her counterpart until they start shifting. The more they shift, the more they become one.

I sigh heavily, feeling the weight of my father's words and Fenrir's resistance deepening my already profound sense of conflict. The thought of taking a Chosen mate, someone other than Amara, fills me with a sense of betrayal, not just to her but to myself and the bond he believes we are destined to share. Yet, the practicalities of leadership and my father's unyielding stance press upon me relentlessly.

“Father, I understand the importance of having a mate by my side,” I start cautiously, “but I believe in the bond that the Moon Goddess has given me. I need more time to find my own mate. I cannot accept another while she is out there.”

My father’s stern expression softens slightly, though his resolve remains. “So this is why you have been hell bent on finding her.” Letting out a sigh, looking at me I already know what he is about to say. “ if all you want is your mate then why haven’t you found her?” not having the guts the say I just remain quiet. “we will keep searching for her but Time is not a luxury we can afford, Caden. The pack needs a strong leader, one who is complete.”

The words sting, and I clench my fists, feeling the frustration rising. But I know he speaks from a place of concern, not just for the pack, but for me.

“Let’s focus on the immediate tasks,” I say, trying to steer the conversation away from the painful topic. “Tonight’s full moon and the Lycan king’s visit require our full attention.”

My father nods, accepting my temporary diversion. “Very well, but remember, you cannot delay fate forever. Prepare yourself for tonight. Your mother and I will handle preparations for King Blake.”

With that, I head out once more, determination and uncertainty warring within me. The demands of my duty and the call of my heart seem irreconcilable, yet I know I must find a way to honor both. As the sun dips lower, thoughts of Amara and the approaching full moon mix into a whirlpool of anticipation and dread. Tonight, my destiny awaits, and I can only hope to emerge stronger, ready to face whatever comes next.

Blake’s POV

I heard a knock at my door, I roll over in the bed to ignore it. Suddenly a mind link come through and its Jason, my beta. “Sir we have to get going. The meeting with the Munnin Pack is in 2 days” he says. Letting out a heavy sigh I push Celeste off of me and roll out the bed. Opening the door to let Jason in, running my hand through my hair. “How many days until we arrive?” I ask “3 days if we go on foot Blake, 1 and half days if we shift into our lycans and 1 day of we drive with our escorts” Jason replies. Wanting to get this treaty done and over with I let him know we will be driving as I rub the bridge of my nose.

Jason sits on the couch while Celeste and I get showered and dressed. She comes into the bathroom while I am naked, making me rather annoyed. I have been annoyed with her since I got a whiff of the waffle and pecan smell. Not knowing why though. “I’m not in the mood Celeste finish getting ready so we can leave” Celeste and I have been “dating” for about 3 years but I never marked her to make her mine. Plus Black, my lycan is against this is he wanted me to wait for my mate.