*Summer’s POV:
I was being drawn somewhere. I quickly put on a dress and fixed my appearance before exiting the room. After all, it was still my birthday. I had to look beautiful, especially after what happened. I imagined Samantha’s reaction, and it made me feel even worse. Finally, I opted for a turquoise dress. I fixed my hair into loose waves and put on some makeup, then headed for the door.
Somehow, I still had this strange feeling, that I was about to meet my mate. It couldn’t be Marcus: he was no longer in the pack house and the scent was very different. Besides, it felt like whoever this was, he was a lot stronger than Marcus.
Alexandria was urging me to follow that feeling, and eventually, I did. I slowly went down the stairs, taking the time to sniff around. There was a unique scent in the air, I couldn’t really tell what it was, but it was warm and comforting.
It had strong smoky influences, but also a sweeter note, like some sort of vanilla. The more I walked, the more the smell became stronger. It flooded my nose and throat, and I almost felt like I was drinking a very sweet scotch.
“What are you talking about? We’ve never had scotch…” I thought to myself, and Alexandria. She just shrugged in the back of my mind. Of course, these descriptions were dictated by her…
I was now standing right outside the meeting room and the smell was all over the place. I could hear my father’s voice inside, as well as Chris. Suddenly, I felt someone coming up behind me. Lemon-grass and sea waves… It was Marcus! As I turned to try and move out of the way, he walked past me with an indifferent look that made my heart ache. He opened the door, like I wasn’t there, and entered the meeting room. I heard him say:
“Sorry for the delay, Alpha, my Prince, I came as fast as I could…”
He turned to close the door, but before he could, a gravelly voice reached my ears.
“You can leave the door open, Beta…”
I was standing there, in shock. It was the sexiest, most masculine voice I had ever heard. Could it be? I didn’t even care that Marcus was there anymore, and tried to focus on the voice, imagining what it would feel like to hear him say my name, but he didn’t say anything else. My insides were stirring, and I simultaneously felt like I was freezing.
Was it possible to have a second mate, so soon after losing the first one? I couldn’t see who it was, all I could see was my father’s back, as Marcus had gone inside and left the door only slightly open. All I needed was to look at this person, like my life depended on it. I reached to further open the door, and…
“SUMMER!”
I literally jumped!
“Rose, what do you think you’re doing? This is the third time today you’ve scared me half to death!”
“What are you doing? There’s an official meeting going on there!”
Before I could argue, she pulled me from my hand and out of the house:
“The party has already started, let’s get you mingling. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find your mate too!”
*Lucian’s POV:
As I was sitting in Alpha Storm’s meeting room, I felt my wolf fidgeting in the back of my mind. He was growing more restless by the minute, it was the strangest feeling.
“Ghost, focus, what is going on with you?”
“We need to GO!”
“Calm down! We need to discuss the rogue pack with Alpha Storm. Their territory is in danger and we are responsible for hunting the rogues. Father will be furious if another pack is attacked.”
Blood Ghost was trying to take over. Un-f***ing-believable! Never since we first shifted has he tried to disobey me. I turned to my Beta, Samuel.
“Something’s wrong with Ghost. He won’t stop messing with my head.”
Samuel was 27, which meant he was a lot more experienced with wolves. Although Blood Ghost was a lot stronger than his wolf, Bolt, he was the one who taught me how to control myself and my wolf, and strengthen the bond between us. So whenever something was off, like right now, I always asked for his advice.
“Maybe he wants to massacre another pack,” he joked.
I gave him an annoyed look.
“I know I shouldn’t have lost my temper, but…”
“But, nothing. You need to have more control over your wolf and over yourself. The Alpha King has declared that if you have an heir before your elder brother, you will become King after him. I doubt a King who murders his people will be welcomed with open hearts.”
He was right, as always. But I wasn’t about to admit it. I leaned back in my chair and put my feet on the elegant red oak table. My father had awfully complicated things when he made that stupid decree. Now Nathaniel, my older brother, barely ever speaks to me.
He has been mated for a very long time, yet was unable to produce an heir for our bloodline. My father was furious at his failure, and decreed that he was no longer his official heir. Whichever one of his sons managed to have pups first with their mates would get the official title of Heir to the throne.
After this decision, Nathaniel started to see me as a threat. It was painful, but I mirrored his behavior and distanced myself from the court. Hunting rogues, making our kingdom safe, killing traitors: I considered this much more important than making love to a she-wolf and getting her knocked-up. But, my father had a different view on things.
Lately, he’d been sending me more and more messages, urging me to find a mate and claim the throne. Apparently, my brother was growing cruller by the second. His poor wife was surely paying the price for not being able to give him pups. I really didn’t have any ambition for the throne, almost wanted to become heir, just to spite him. Of course, being named heir would require me first finding my mate. It had been 5 years since my first shift, and despite all my travels, I hadn’t found her.
Suddenly, it hit me. Maybe this was why Blood Ghost was telling me to move! Before I could further analyze his behavior or ask him, Alpha Storm came in, along with a young blonde wolf, probably his Beta.
“Prince Lucian, it’s an honor and a pleasure to host you”, he bowed his head in respect.
I liked his aura, he seemed like a genuinely good Alpha, so I took my aura down a notch and lowered my feet. I stood to shake his hand.
“Alpha Storm, I hope you understand that this meeting is of the highest importance. Your pack and family are in danger.”
“I understand, your royal highness, and we appreciate your help more than we can say. This is my acting Beta, Chris, and mate of my daughter and heir.”
Acting Beta? That’s weird. I felt a slight touch of disappointment, however, when I heard his daughter was already mated. But it wasn’t the Beta’s fault, of course. I nodded in his direction.
“This is Samuel, my Beta, whom you’ve already met a few years ago.”
They both nodded. Samuel was mated to a young wolf from the Storm Pack. A few years ago, I had sent him to their aid, as rogues were attacking their borders. Samuel saw her and immediately recognised the mate bond. Lucky b*stard… I thought before immediately saying “let’s not waste anymore time. The rogues have gathered into a pack. This is a problem, obviously, and a problem we’ve never had to face before.”
“I understand, my Prince. As I have said before, we really appreciate your help and presence.”
“Now, before we start, where is your real Beta? As this is a matter of the utmost importance, there is a need-to-know protocol in place. I am wondering if your acting Beta should actually be in this meeting.”
Alpha Storm exchanged a look with the blonde young man, Chris, I believe his name was. They were hiding something… He then turned to answer me:
“My Beta Marcus has had some personal issues today. I have summoned him, but he has yet to come. His mate-bond was broken, and…”
I was seriously starting to feel annoyed, but I couldn’t lose sight of why I was here.
“Very well, Alpha Storm. If you trust this acting Beta of yours, so be it.”
“I trust him.”
“Let’s proceed, without waiting for Beta Marcus.”
All those included in the meeting took their places around the table as I started explaining my plan. We were still discussing the details when the door suddenly opened. A young wolf, whom I could only assume was the real Beta, walked in.
“Sorry for the delay, Alpha, my Prince. I came as fast as I could.”
He turned to open the door, and that’s when I spotted her.
“MATE! IT’S OUR MATE! GO AFTER HER!”
I tried my best to ignore Blood Ghost’s pleas to get out. I was feeling ecstatic, of course, but this meeting was too important. Her scent reached me and I was very close to losing it.She smelled like freshly baked cinnamon rolls, my favorite treat since I was a kid.
I didn’t know if she felt or saw me too, but knowing I had a mate here which only made this meeting more important: if my mate’s family and friends are killed, I will forever be ridiculed in front of my subjects. Before I could start looking for her, I had to make sure her and everyone she loved would be safe.
--Don’t worry, little wolf. I’ll find you soon and take care of absolutely everything, from now on…
*Summer’s POV: Everything looked perfect. There were two sets of colors: a light lilac theme for me, and a vibrant red for Rose. I had no idea how they managed to do it, but the two were perfectly matched. Rose was dragging me all over the garden and making me greet our guests. There were many familiar faces, along with strange ones. Finally she halted and said: “Guess who came to see you?” Two small hands reached from behind my neck and closed my eyes. I would recognise this touch anywhere. “LINAAAA!” I was screaming with excitement, and soon Lina and Rose joined me. I turned to see her and hugged her. That’s when I noticed a huge bump. Lina was pregnant! “Oh my goddess, when did this happen? Why didn’t you tell us?” “I wanted to surprise youuuu”, she laughed. Lina was a couple of years older than Rose and me. She had been our closest friend and always looked after us when we were younger. After her eighteenth birthday, she had found her mate: he was the Beta of the Second Pr
*Marcus’ POV: The pack house was beautifully decorated. As I walked inside, I saw many pack members staring daggers at me. Of course, everyone knew I rejected the Alpha’s daughter. This was the only possible explanation. But even though I had tried to give up my rank and leave, I was still their Beta. I stared back, and made my aura as menacing as possible. I watched with satisfaction as they lowered their heads in respect. After the Alpha refused to let me go, I’d allowed Brutus to take over and we went on a small hunt. I was both exhausted and at peace, and I finally felt like I had it together enough to face Summer at her birthday party. I didn’t answer when the Alpha summoned me back for the meeting about the rogues, but the least I could do was show up to the meeting. That way, at least, I would uphold my rank and responsibilities. I also felt like I owed Summer some explanations, so I could go back to being Beta without feeling guilty or anxious every time I encountered her i
Pushing the Prince away, I positioned myself between him and Marcus.Seeing the turn in events, my dad took matters into his hands:“My Prince, I believe it is only right that we listen to Summer. After all, she is the one with a choice to make.”The Prince didn’t answer, but he didn’t try to stop me or order his henchmen to hurt Marcus, so I took that as a positive sign and started pleading with him. I had to convince him not to kill Marcus, otherwise war would surely break between the kingdom and my pack, and everyone I loved would be in danger. Even though the Prince had more authority than my father, ours was a proud pack. I knew having his beta killed would make my dad retaliate, despite all reason.“Marcus is the beta here, he is a member of my pack. I will not watch you kill him like you would a rogue”, I told the Prince.His eyes were studying my face. I could tell he was annoyed.“If you want me to be your mate, you have to respect my opinions. It’s true, Marcus was my mate u
*Lucian’s POV: After deciding to lead a joint attack on the rogues, finally, it was time to prepare both armies. I quickly took the lead, as it was my duty before all else to ensure this operation would go smoothly. Thankfully, Alpha Storm saw no inconvenience in this, and he didn’t mind me commanding his troops as well as mine. “Though if he did, he would have more problems with me than the rogues…” I thought to myself. “He is our mate’s father, we could never harm him”, Ghost tried to scold me. I didn’t answer, and merely frowned at the thought of Summer having more difficulties accepting our bond. I couldn’t believe that after all this time looking for my mate, just when I had found her, she was already mated to someone else! And not someone of royal caliber, but a mere beta, who had the audacity to reject her. I pretended to go along with his stupid challenge just to please my mate and soothe her temporarily, but there was no way in hell I would let her mate with him over me. I
*Summer’s POV:I was floating around, in this black fog. My body felt weightless, and my mind felt free. Distant voices reached me through the fog. “...know who did this, I will have their heads.” It was a familiar voice, but more filled with emotion than I had ever heard it. “I agree with Prince Lucian. Whoever attacked Summer wasn’t a rogue. We made sure to keep them busy, and none of them escaped unharmed. I don’t think an injured rogue would have been able to attack Summer.” Chris was here too… “Samantha found her. Maybe she was the one who…” “No, my sister would never harm her.” Marcus interrupted Rose. “Not physically anyway, she knows she’s my mate.” “She is not your mate, beta. I forbid you to call her that.” They were arguing, again. The fog surrounding me was getting thinner and thinner, and I could finally see something other than the pitch black void I was floating in. “She’s waking up!” I heard my father’s anxious voice, and movements around me like people were r
I was still deciding whether or not I should follow the Prince. On one hand, I knew everything he said was true. The way my pack looked at me when I shifted, the way they always looked at me, ever since I could remember… Being weak was not allowed, when you were the Alpha’s daughter. Every single training session was agony, despite Chris and Rose always having my back. In fact, even Marcus would occasionally step in to remind warriors and other pack members that I was their superior: they weren’t allowed to make fun of me in my face, but I knew they didn’t refrain from it in my back.Like being weak wasn’t enough, apparently now I was wolfless! Who knew how long Alexandria would need to recover? Our pack doctors may be qualified, but the palace doctors were surely more so. I looked over hesitantly, to my parents and sister. They were the reason I couldn’t bring myself to accept this offer. Maybe it was just time I accepted my weakness and just stepped aside. I could reject the Prince,
*Marcus’ POV:I left the hospital ward and headed straight to the pack house. I needed time to think, and of course time to cool off. Brutus was so angry, I could barely restrain him. Even though we knew it was the Prince and we needed to respect him, the way he attacked me and humiliated me in front of Summer was just too much. I started pacing back and forth in my room, when the person I wanted to avoid the most barged in. She stood right in front of me and started screaming:“WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THE HOSPITAL? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO VISIT THAT SKANK?”“You better leave me be, Samantha. I’m not in the mood.”My patience was already worn out. I wasn’t going to take it from her either. She scoffed.“If only you were mated to her sister, that would make more sense. But that weak b**ch! I don’t understand what you all see in her, you, even the Prince! She doesn’t deserve him! And now he’s taking her with him? She should have just died in those woods when she lost control!”I could fee
Summer’s POV:I was still stunned by Lucian’s kindness and his generous gift. He showed such vulnerability and opened up to me truly. All I could think about was how this was the exact opposite of how Marcus treated me: he shut me out when all I wanted was for him to accept me, he rejected me cruelly, without any second thought. I looked at both men, and it hit me how different they were. Marcus was always the playboy, but he had this funny, bubbly way about him. He's also got the power and the spirit. Yet inside, he wasn't all that determined and decisive, nor was he secure, let alone trusting others. I knew all too well the demons that haunted him. Prince Lucian was the contrary: he looked very cruel and dark on the outside, but the more I got to know him, I learned he was actually sweet and fiercely loyal to those he loved.“Prince Lucian… I feel so honored that you would give me this dagger. I don’t know what to say…”I looked up at him, and he came closer. I could feel his sincer