Chapter 4

Lucas’s POV

"Enough with this! Cease discussing the idea of a selected Mate!"

Repeatedly, I endured this bunch pestering me incessantly during every single gathering with the Elders.

I've informed them numerous times that I refuse to pick a 'fitting Luna' from the options they continually shoved at me.

I stood resolute in my choice to await my genuine mate's arrival, regardless of her position or standing; it was irrelevant. I'd embrace her unconditionally.

I banged the door closed upon exiting,

and my Beta, Jax, held the car door open for me, regarding me with empathy in his gaze as he sought to comfort me.

"Lucas, relax. No reason to rage at those old relics; we have the event at the Nightfall Pack to attend, and we must rush. We're running behind already."

"I don't see why you're griping. It's not as if I overturned the table or such, Jax. At least I attended the cursed meeting."

The car glided forward towards the Silvercrest Pack's location, and I dozed off in the back seat from the exhausting day I had. 

Suddenly Jax, my wolf, let out a primal, savage roar, the energy emanating from my shape was so powerful that it spooked our driver - making him lose control momentarily, send the car swerving sideways, striking the curb before he could gain control.

 Jax looked back in disbelief at me from the front passenger seat.

I was about to ask what Jax was going to do when the image of a breathtaking silhouette appeared suddenly in my mind.

Her long hair tumbled down her back like a waterfall, her elegant dress hugged her figure perfectly, and her violet eyes seemed to call out to me full of allure and mystery.

My breath was heaving so hard it felt like it was on the verge of crowning from my chest. 

Who was this lady?

"Lucas! It's our mate!"

"Mate?"

I peered out the car window as we entered the Silvercrest Pack's Domain, and I sensed immediately that my mate was present somewhere nearby.

We halted at the checkpoint, and after identifying myself, they permitted us passage without trouble. Prior to proceeding, I directed Jax to ascertain Alpha Damien's whereabouts.

Shortly after, Alpha Damien approached us. He was accompanied by a small

 woman who didn't resemble Luna judging by her attire, and both appeared clearly astonished upon spotting me.

"Lucas Stormridge! I have to say, it's an honor to host you! Regrettably, a dreadful incident occurred at the banquet, forcing us to conclude prematurely." Damien welcomed me, inclining respectfully in the process.

"You ought to address me as Alpha, Damien," I prompted as I eyed the girl trailing him. 

She must have been alarmed by the way I looked as she cowered behind Damien, as though she wanted to hide from me in some way.

I tilted my head inquisitively... There was a strange smell coming from that girl, and I was unable to tell what it was. 

"My regrets, Alpha Lucas." Damien responded quickly as he inclined once more and pivoted to soothe the diminutive girl behind him.

"My mate resides within this pack," I declared, "Locate her and deliver her to me."

"This... Alpha Lucas, apologies, but that's unfeasible..." Damien winced.

"You have five minutes, and I demand to see every female in your pack," I snarled.

All I desired was to discover my mate, and intuition suggested she wasn't in a favorable situation currently. 

"Alright, Alpha Lucas," Damien yielded hesitantly as he ordered his Beta to assemble all as swiftly as feasible.

I observed as a cluster of female wolves materialized before me and proceeded past me sequentially, exposing their necks and inclining submissively while saluting me.

I shut my eyes and drew in each of their lingering scents, yet none resonated correctly.

No, my mate wasn't among them. Where could she be?

I exited the vehicle and marched to Damien's position, my eyes gleaming gold in my wolf's wrath as I seized him firmly by the throat and hoisted him airborne.

"I commanded you to present all your females to me." I growled viciously.

The assembled females inhaled sharply in terror, and the frailer ones collapsed to the floor quaking in dread as my Alpha presence enveloped them.

Solely one female remained standing, shivering intensely. "Your Majesty, we represent all the pack's females. Each of us is present.." she murmured timidly.

"Alpha Lucas, kindly release me," Damien objected while attempting to escape.

I scoffed and intensified my grip on his neck, smashing him into the wall.

"How the hell do you plan to halt me with your feeble power, Damien?"

"Lucas! Please!"

"I already instructed you to call me Alpha, Damien! Don't force me to reiterate!" I bellowed, hurling him to the earth.

"Luna..Our Luna! She's confined in the dungeon!" One of the servants abruptly interjected from her crouched position on the floor.

I needed to locate my mate urgently, and regarding Damien squandering my time, I'd address that subsequently.

"She's my Luna! What the fuck do you intend to do about it?!" Damien bellowed from behind.

I adjusted my suit and glanced at him and the woman who adhered to him like a parasite, having been frightened since her initial sighting of me.

"Your Luna? You imprisoned YOUR LUNA in the dungeon?"

I exchanged a glance with Jax before departing the vicinity and grinned inwardly as Damien's furious tone pursued me.

"What are you up to?! Halt him!"

Even amid the futile efforts of the guards to impede the Embermoon Pack's Alpha, I encountered no difficulty repelling them.

I curled my lip as I disappeared from their sight and straightaway headed to the dungeon. The farther I went, the more I sensed the pain and sadness in my mate's soul.

What exactly had happened to my mate to cause that? I had no idea what was causing it, so all I could do was run and look in all the cells for her.

It was dark and damp, the grates let a glimpse of the woman who had so suddenly stepped into my imagination.

Bright moonlight shone through the window, casting light on her body in somewhat of an ethereal light. Although the cell's grime already had stained her elegant clothing, it still clung to her figure in a way that was visually pleasing.

Our eyes ran down the water-fall of chestnut locks until it finally landed on her polished tear-stricken face.

 As we stared into each other’s eyes, my heart raced as her presence rendered me breathless for I was daring to join hands with such a beautiful woman. 

I have at last discovered you, my mate.