Arlo
The moonlight shone the brightest at eleven in the evening, the Blood Shadow pack being vivified by its brilliant luminance. Today was Sunday. It was different from the Sundays when the pack usually rested. Excitement flooded the hall as people started chatting about today’s main event. Today was the day— the day of my coronation.
“Pleasant night to all of you!”
The crowd erupted into cheers as my father’s voice encapsulated the entire venue. I peered from behind the curtain and felt my breath get caught in my throat when I saw that there were much more attendees than I was expecting. It seems like my parents had also called the other packs to join my coronation since the seats were jam-packed.
“You can do this,” I whispered to myself. “You’re not the incoming Alpha of the strongest pack in the world for nothing.”
Once I said those words to myself, I felt a surge of courage enter my veins, and the nervousness I felt was replaced with excitement.
My father clears his throat into the mic, making sure that his voice is clear before speaking.
“As we all know, an Alpha’s duties do not last forever, and I’m afraid that it is the time for me to pass my title onto someone else. However, do not fret, for the one I’m going to pass my title to is far more competent than I am… I was paid to say that, by the way,” my father jokes, eliciting a chuckle from the crowd.
I let out a small smile as I listened to my father speak. He has always had a knack for words.
“Time has gone by so fast, and the little boy that once ran around the playground of our packhouse now holds the greatest title in our land. I’m not going to delay this any further since my wife is already impatiently gesturing to her watch off stage.” The crowd laughed once again. “Everyone, put your hands together for your new Alpha— Arlo Zayden Ford!”
I spread open the curtains and flashed the crowd a dazzling smile. The cheers of the people almost deafened my ears, and I felt a warm feeling in my chest when I saw their looks of trust and admiration. I bowed my head as a sign of respect, making a silent promise to the people that I’ll protect them with all that I have. Still, with my head bowed down, I felt a cold sensation on my scalp, and I straightened my neck to keep the crown in place.
This is it. I’m finally the Alpha.
I raised my hand up and said in a booming voice, “Long live, the Blood Shadow pack!”
“Long live, the Blood Shadow pack!” The crowd echoed and raised their hands with me.
All through the night, I kept interacting with people I have never met before. Some were eager to make new alliances, but it was still too early for that. Instead, I had my eyes set on finding the person that I’ve been waiting for my entire life. My eyes searched the venue, but nothing felt out of the ordinary. Nothing felt special.
After some time, the party finally started dying down as the guests made their way back to their respective homes. For some reason, I felt a little bit melancholic, so I sat down on the couch and rested my head on its backrest.
My parents, Emery and Kairo, sat down next to me and gave me a warm smile.
“What’s wrong, Arlo? Aren’t you happy with your coronation?” My mother asked.
I shook my head and let out a sigh. “No, mom. I’m very happy that you entrusted me with this title. It’s just that… I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to find my mate tonight.”
My dad chuckled and patted me on the shoulder. “Relax, son. You just turned eighteen a couple of hours ago. You still have plenty of time to meet your mate.”
I slumped down on the couch and frowned. “But, you met mom on the day of your coronation, dad! You know that I’ve been waiting for this moment for my entire life.”
My mom held onto my dad’s hand as they both smiled at each other. “We were just extremely lucky, then,” dad said. I looked away. Their sweetness was too intoxicating to witness.
My mother held onto my cheek and looked at me with sincere eyes. “You’ll find her soon, Arlo. I promise.”
***
That event happened exactly four years ago. Now, at 22 years old, I still haven’t found my mate nor even caught a glimpse of her. I let out a sigh as I looked at the mountains of paperwork on my table. Is it going to be like this forever?
I mean, I don’t get it. Ever since my father taught me about mates, all I wanted was to find mine and make her feel like the most loved person in the entire world. Is this the price of leading such a happy life? I have a wonderful family, plenty of friends, and heck, I even have the greatest title in all of the lands, but I can’t seem to get my hands on something that I really want— my mate.
My thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open. My brother, Devyn, peeked into the room with inquiring eyes.
“What is it?” I grumbled.
“Geez, you’re such a grumpy cat so early in the morning. It’s even your birthday, for god’s sake! I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but I missed it when you were a narcissistic asshole. At least, you were funny back then. Now, all you do is sulk and sigh in this room,” he said while closing the door.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. “Sorry. I’ve just been swamped with work this last couple of weeks,” I said, gesturing to the papers on the table.
“I could see that. But you deserve a little break on your birthday, don’t you think?”
I did not respond and placed my reading glasses back on.
He sat down on the chair in front of me and looked me straight in the eye. “I know that the paperwork isn’t the only reason why you’re sulking again. Come on. Tell your brother why you’ve been having depressing episodes lately.”
I sighed. “You know. Same old, same old.”
“Is it your mate again?” He asked in a soft voice.
I nodded my head dejectedly. “I’m getting old, Dev, and I’m starting to lose hope. I can’t help but think that maybe it’s my destiny to dedicate my entire life to the pack. Maybe the Moon Goddess really did not give me a mate, and I was fated to be alone.”
Devyn gently flicked my forehead. “Don’t say that, silly. You’re just 22! Many people meet their mates when they’re already 30. You still have plenty of time to meet yours.”
I looked down on my lap. “But, what if I don’t?”
He let out a deep breath and held onto my hand. “Don’t think like that, Arlo. I’m sure that you’ll meet your mate very soon, and I’m sure that she’s going to love you with all of her heart.”
Hera“Gross,” I said as I watched the two teenagers kiss on television. It was a reality show that my parents were religiously watching, and it revolved around the lives of teenagers traveling around the world to find their mate.Cy and Saran turned back to me with smiles on their faces. “Gross?” Saran chuckled. “You’re bound to do that someday, Hera. You’re already 17, so you’re going to find your mate very soon, and I’m sure that you’ll take back those words once you meet him.”I clicked my tongue and shook my head. “Never in a thousand years,” I said in a resolute voice.“Is Hera shitting on your favorite show again?” River, my brother, said while trudging down the stairs with two luggages in hand.“Language, River,” Saran exclaimed while turning off the TV.“Cut me some slack, mom. It’s my last day here, so forgive me?”
HeraIt has been a week since River moved out of the house, and things are going back to normal once again. At first, Cy and Saran called him on the phone thrice a day, but now they only contact him at night. Things have gotten pretty awkward in the house now that River wasn’t around, but it’s nothing grand. My adoptive parents and I have been in a distant relationship ever since I found out that they weren’t my real parents anyway.I was currently sweeping the floors in Cy’s office when I accidentally stumbled on his bookshelf. Some books fell out, and I clamored to pick them up on the floor. I carried the books in my arms and was about to place them back on the shelf. However, what I saw next made me freeze in my spot.A beam of light came from the spaces where the books usually were, and it seems like there was something beyond this room. Motivated by my curiosity, I peeked into the bare spaces and gasped in shock when I saw that there
HeraEver since I found out about my possible relationship with Kamala Ahearn, I’ve become warier inside the house. Everything seems to be suspicious, and I can’t help but think that Cy and Saran are truly hiding something from me. Even right now, they’re acting out of the ordinary.“You’re not going to watch your favorite show?” I asked, perplexed why Cy was already turning off the television.“Not today, Hera. Saran and I have some things to talk about. So, we’re just going to watch the replay or something,” he said while standing up from the couch.I frowned. They never miss their favorite show! Ever since it started airing two years ago, they’ve never missed an episode up until now. When the annual meeting with the elders clashed with the schedule of their show, they even opted to postpone it! Something’s definitely going on.“I’m heading to bed then. Good night,&rdqu
Hera“1, 2, 3…” Click. “One more time,” I said while readjusting the camera lens. “Yeah, that’s great. You guys look good together,” I complimented both of them.It was the day of my 18th birthday and also the day of my planned escape. Cy and Saran were dressed in formal attire, oblivious to the fact that I had already packed all of my belongings upstairs.“Why don’t you join us for one photo?” Saran asked, holding out her arm for me.I hesitated for a minute.“Come on, Hera. We don’t have a proper picture together now that you’ve gotten older. Just think of it as a commemoration of your 18th birthday," she coaxed.I sighed. “Alright,” I said.I squeezed in between them and flashed a small smile. The camera blinked for ten seconds until it finally flashed, signifying that the picture had been taken.“Let me see,” S
Arlo“Aren’t you going to get ready?” Devyn asked while bursting into my room. I just finished training the newly-assigned pack warriors, and I wanted to take a quick nap before going over some paperwork.“For what?” I asked, confused.Devyn looked at me incredulously. “Have you forgotten? It’s Laura’s coming-of-age party! Didn’t you notice the decorations around the house?”My eyes widened. “Oh, shit. Is it the 19th already? I thought that was tomorrow. Fuck,” I cursed. “Don’t tell Laura about this. She’s going to kill my ass if she knows.”“Don’t tell me about what?” A soft yet intimidating voice asked.My shoulders stiffened as I heard her voice from outside the door.“Laura! My sweetest little sister is finally turning 18, hmm? Are you excited for your birthday? You look beautiful, by the way,” I said while
Hera“Phew,” I said, wiping the sweat off my brow. That was tough. I didn’t have an invitation to show to the guards, so I had to climb over a wall in the very back of their packhouse. I didn’t think that I had to use my muscles so early on in this plan!I stealthily walked through their garden, going unnoticed. It was a really good choice that I wore all-black today since I blended in with the dark background. From where I was, I saw people clad in fancy dresses and suits going inside the huge packhouse.I looked down at my own clothes and shook my head. Yeah, I’m definitely going to stand out if I go in looking like this. I need to stay as low-profile as possible if I want to execute my plan perfectly. Guess I have to watch through the windows this time.I walked closer to the house and found an unobstructed window. It was a little bit far from the main scene, so I couldn’t make out their faces that much. However, I c
ArloIt was so fun teasing my mate. She would get red and all, and her eyes showed so much emotion every time I went near her. I didn’t plan on teasing her so much, but she insisted that she wasn’t my mate when she clearly was.My wolf, Shadow, practically started shouting in my mind, telling me that the girl in front of me was my mate when I first saw her. There’s no denying that we’re mates, especially when our skin made contact with each other. I felt like a thousand bolts had just flown down my body.I moved closer and closer to her, leading us to go into the house. Her back was against the brick wall, and she was glaring up at me. Even now, I find her adorable.“Happy now? What the hell do you want from me?” She said, her voice sending chills down my spine.I smiled. “I’m very happy. There’s nothing that I want from you because it’s YOU that I want,” I said in a deep voice
HeraEven if I couldn’t hear his footsteps anymore, I still kept my fast speed in fear of him coming out from the dark. I already kicked him in the family jewels, but he was still able to run after me! What kind of wolf is he?I sighed in relief when I saw the cottage in my vision. I quickened my steps and fumbled to get the key from my pocket. I swiftly opened the door and slammed it shut, making sure that it was locked before I plopped down on the dusty couch.“That was close,” I said as I leaned my head on the backrest. I looked up at the ceiling as I remembered what had just happened in the packhouse.I lightly touched my lips and still felt some sparks on the sensitive area. I bit it and remembered the way the handsome man moved his lips against mine. Oh god. That was my first kiss. I just lost my first kiss to a stranger! To someone I don’t even know the name of! Well, granted that he is my mate, but it still doesn’t ch