Chapter 3

Edwina Sinclair. As the name dawned on him, he tried to recall everything that happened at that time, about five years ago maybe. He doesn’t remember much.

***FLASHBACK. FIVE YEARS AGO***

As an alpha who had just ascended the throne, alpha Xander had been looking forward to meeting his new mate, a lot of night howler families had approached him, offering their daughters hand, but he’d refused, reason being that he prepared to wait for the one the moon goddess had prepared for him. Her name was later revealed in a dream, a direct message from the great goddess herself.

His excitement to meet her was short lived when he’d found out about his supposed mates’ deficiency, this he found out after a visit from her father, John Sinclair. He was in the packhouse courts that day when instead of his mate, her father was the one who answered the call he’d sent in search for her.

“Good day sir,” John bowed upon entering the night howler pack courts where the alpha was seated.

“Good day to you,” Xander replied, wondering where he’d seen this wolf from before, he couldn’t recall summoning him here earlier. “Who are you?” Was the question that followed from the alpha.

“I am John Sinclair sire, a senior Omega of this pack.”

Xander shrugged, “I don’t recall sending for you, John Sinclair.”

“Yes, I know that sir. You did not send for me but my daughter, Edwina Sinclair.”

His ears prickled as he heard the name. That same name the goddess had told him, the name which belonged to the person he’d summoned here. Alpha Xander got to his feet immediately to meet with the man standing in front of him.

“Where is she? Did you bring her along with you? I want to see her now.” John could make out the desperation in his voice as the alpha spoke. Not to worry, he’d come here with a better offer than just ordinary Edwina Sinclair.

“No sir. Unfortunately, I did not.”

Xander wasn’t expecting that response, and you could tell he was far from pleased as he returned to his seat.

“Can someone tell me what the hell is going on here? Why is this old man standing in my court instead of my mate?”

Officer Provo, one of the guards who had led John in was the next to speak. “He insisted to meet here with you instead of his daughter, sire. He seems to want to make an offer that he claimed you might be interested in.”

“I am not interested in hearing about any offers. I only want to meet my mate. Let him get out and bring Edwina Sinclair for me.”

“Sir, please just hear me out. It would be a failure on my part if I do not reveal the truth about my daughter to you before you meet her. I do not want you getting disappointed then, that’s why I came here.”

This supposed “truth” about Edwina Sinclair seemed to get the alpha’s attention once more, as he turned back to face the old man.

“What are you talking about?” Xander asked him. “What do you mean I’ll get disappointed if I meet her?”

Not wasting time, John went straight to the point. “Edwina has a deficiency sire. She is ordinary. Plain.”

“How could you use such words to describe your own daughter?” Xander asked vexingly.

“I’m sorry sir. Believe me when I say that it hurts more for me to say it like this, but it’s the truth. It’s been the truth ever since her birth. Edwina is one of us, but different. She carries no mark of a night howler. She was born without a wolf.”

John’s words seemed to stir up a lot of attention as suddenly, they began to hear whispers and murmurs in the background in the court from those seated.

“Silence!”

Xander then got up from his seat again to meet with John where he stood.

“That’s impossible. I have never heard of a wolf giving birth to a non-wolf.”

“I also thought it was too sir, until the birth of my second daughter. Not only did she kill her mother, she decided to bring shame and disgrace to my family by being born ordinary. Everyone now thinks that we are cursed because of her.”

“And how do you expect that I won’t think the same thing others are thinking too after hearing this?”

John got on his knees, “please sir. I know you are a wise man. You can seek council from the ancient sages too. There must be something in the books about Edwina’s condition. It might be hereditary or even a curse affecting only her, but I assure you, nothing is wrong with the rest of my family.”

“Why did you come here, John Sinclair? Did you come only to tell me about Edwina’s condition? That I shouldn’t get married to her? How then does that favor you as her father if you let her miss out on a chance to be mated to the alpha?”

“I came here not only to discourage you from marrying Edwina, but also to offer you the hand of someone more befitting. Someone who is free from any such sicknesses and will bring you everlasting happiness.”

“I do not want anyone else apart from the one the goddess has told me to marry. What makes you think I would marry who you want me to?”

“I mean no disrespect to the great mother sir, but I think she might have chosen wrongly this time. Edwina is not worthy at all to be the alpha’s bride.”

“Let me be the one to decide that. Let me meet her first, let her tell me herself about her deficiency, and then let me decide if I will accept her or not. You have no right at all to come in here and offer me someone else!”

“Please sir. I know that what I did was wrong, but it will be worth it once you realize the trouble I saved you from. Edwina would not have even told you the truth. She might have wickedly kept it and let you enter a union with her disabilities.”

“How do you know that? Has she done such a thing before?”

“She is my daughter, sir. I know very well the kind of things she’s capable of.”

“Nonetheless, that does not excuse the fact that you should have let me meet her before coming here to say all this.”

“I apologize once again sir, and of course you will meet Edwina after this but please, consider what I said, and also consider the offer I give you to marry my first daughter, Sonia instead. She will make a much finer bride and you will have no fears of your cubs inheriting any such deficiencies. Imagine if you’d marry Edwina, and it turns out that the heir to this seat does not carry the mark of his pack. What would happen then?”

A gasp was heard amongst those seated in the court as the conversation between John and Xander continued. The old man was taking a wrong approach with his actions, but he was making a valid point.

“It took a moment for Xander to see reason before he shook his head, “Enough of this. Please, get out of my court, John Sinclair, and bring Edwina for me.”

John got up from his knees before exiting as he spoke, “your wish is my command, sir. I will send Edwina here right away as I have done my part in letting you know what you’re getting into. It is now left for you to decide the best course that will favor your people in the future.”

***END OF FLASHBACK***