CHAPTER ONE

FROSTBORNE PACK…

“Derek, you have to get married!” his father yelled. "Father, not now” he replied for the umpteenth time. Of course he's not ready.

“You've been saying that for four years now,” his father added.

The old Alpha, Alec, was weary and needed replacement and for the fact that he has only one son, pressured him to get married in order to take over the pack. He feared that his son had interacted so much with humans that he now preferred the human world to the wolverine world.

“You are a wolf, Derek. Do you always forget that?” His father questioned.

“I know Father,” Derek replied.

“No, you don't. You act like you don't” his father added. Derek said nothing.

He hated to travel back home because of this same reason. 

“You're not saying anything to him, Maris” Alec turned to his wife who acted like she wasn't paying attention to the father and son loggerhead.

“Marissa!” Her husband called her name in full this time. This only proves that he's already very angry.

“Give the young man more time, My Lord. Marriage is not something to be rushed” she said. “Besides, won't it be better to get married to his mate, rather than your friend's daughter?” She added. Alec shook his head in disappointment. He wasn't expecting that from his wife. He expected her to back him up and not back their son up.

Derek mouthed a ‘thank you' to his mother for helping out. The room suddenly felt stuffy, he needed air. “I'll take a walk” he said and walked out.

Immediately he was out of sight, Alec turned to his wife, “he listens to you, Maris” he said calmly.

“I know, and I've tried to convince him, but he's been adamant for four years” she informed, “maybe give him a little more time?”

Alec nodded knowingly. “We have to make it happen. We can't keep letting him have his way” he said. “I am old and have little time to be here. I can't continue to shoulder the pack when I have such a young and vibrant son doing nothing” he said.

“He's not doing nothing, Alec. Your son is a successful man, you should acknowledge that” Marissa said.

“But I have enough fortune for him and his descendants already. He didn't need to mingle with humans and have his head messed up. Now he doesn't know his priorities” Alec said.

Marissa smiled and touched her husband's arms

“Relax, Derek is a grown man. I'm certain he knows his priorities” she said with a soft smile.

Alec smiled at his wife. Her smile still has a way of calming him down even after being married to her for ages.

He held her hand and kissed it. "I hope he finds what he's looking for,” Alec said.

Marissa smiled and nodded “I hope so too”

★★★★

Derek took a deep sigh of relief as he walked out of his parent's presence. His mother was beginning to talk to his father and that made him feel a little at peace. Unlike when they were both on his neck about him getting married. Marriage was the last thing on Derek's mind at the moment.

Though successful, he wasn't ready to commit.

He has been around humans and now understood that marriage was not everything, as the wolverine world believes.

You could get married anytime – when you're actually ready.

Being the heir to the Alpha's throne, he was obligated to get married and take over from his father years back, but Derek wasn't ready to be confined to the pack, so he declined coronation. It's been four years of back and forth.

He cared so much about his people but he also had people outside the pack, whom he cared about too.

Derek was just 28 years old, he doesn't plan to get married until he's in his 30s. The fight of getting married started when he turned 24 and has lingered for so long.

A lot of she-wolves have been brought to him, but never has he found any interesting.

He was more into human girls, though he knows he can't marry one as an Alpha. His father always stressed the need for a wolf Luna because a Luna helps her Lord secure the pack. He would always remind him that humans are weak and can't protect a pack of wolves. So he knew marriage to human was impossible but at least he can have fun with them.

His father believes he could find a wife among his Alpha friends’ daughters.

“Humans are weak and vulnerable” his father's words rang in his head. That's like his favorite punchline.

Derek also knows humans are weak, but doesn't think they're as vulnerable as his father always says. 

“How do you intend to balance everything?” Rowan, his friend and Beta asked, stepping into his room.

“Always announce your presence” Derek reminded Rowan. Rowan mouthed an “oh” and immediately rushed back out the door.

“Rowan is here to see you, master” he announced mockingly. He and Derek laughed at his childish act.

“I saw your parents in the living room, they seemed to be talking about you” Rowan said

“They always talk about me,” Derek replied.

“So much for being an only child, huh?” Rowan mocked. “Don't mention” Derek sighed.

“But man, you've got to do something. You can't keep running away forever, it's been 4 years already” Rowan said 

“I know,” Derek replied. He's not much of a talker, even to his best and only friend, Rowan.

“We're not vampires, else I would've advised you to bite a human girl and bring her home, since you don't find our girls very enticing,” Rowan said.

Derek gave him a weird stare, “don't be ridiculous” he said “Turning her into a werewolf automatically makes her a werewolf, so my intention of marrying a human is defeated” he further explained to Rowan. “Well, it's not possible anyways, we're not vampires, so forget about I said anything” Rowan replied.

“How's your fiancee doing? Derek changed the subject of discussion. Rowan smiled like a baby who was just gifted lollipop, “she's very fine. I wish you could understand this” he replied.

“Bastard!” Derek cursed, throwing a pillow at Rowan, who caught it and laughed.

★★★★

MINNESOTA…

“You're sure that's all you need?” Andaline asked her daughter. “Yes, mom. That's all” Brianna replied.

“Sure? It's going to cost a lot to waybill anything to you” Cooper, her dad added.

Brianna rolled her eyes, “dad, I'm sure” she replied. "Let's comb your room one last time” her dad suggested. “Oh gracious!” Brianna sighed in frustration.

“Come on! That was how you forgot your stationary the other time and remember how much we spent on that” her mother said, dragging her towards her room.

“I got a new one and asked you guys not the waybill the other but you didn't listen” she defended. “It was better than the one you got. You kept complaining” her mother reminded her.

“Don't you need this?” Her father said, holding one of her old hoodies. “Dad, that's old,” she said.

“But it could serve” he said

“I got a new one, remember? Besides I have up to 3 hoodies, that should serve me” Brianna said.

Her father nodded, still snooping around her room.

“I'll be late for my flight” she announced. “You've got 4 hours until the flight,” her father reminded.

At this point, Brianna was frustrated. The mistake of forgetting her stationary the last time was because she was in a hurry to leave and catch up on her flight. So this time she took one whole day to pack her stuff and was sure she got everything she needed. Afterall, she was a final year college student.

Her family is a Catholic family and had suggested she attend a Catholic school. Brianna didn't want to school in Seattle, so she applied for Fordham University, New York. Her parents were against it at first, given the nature of New York, but gave in after praying a 9 day novena for her.

“Let us pray,” Cooper said after making sure she didn't forget anything. “In the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy Spirit” he began

“Amen” Brianna and Andaline chorused.

“Our help is in the name of the Lord”

“Who made heaven and earth”

“O Lord, hear our prayers”

“And let our cries go up to you”

“Our father….”

★★★★★★★★