Chapter 3

"It's our birthday. Wake up. We're eighteen, and our mate is out there waiting for us," Sequoia yells in Wisdom's head.

Wisdom sits straight up and looks around her bedroom. She shakes her head and rubs her forehead. "I must be hearing things." she chuckles, looking into the hallway.

"No, it's me, your wolf. My name is Sequoia. It's good to be able to communicate with you finally. Sequoia talked about when they were young kids, and she wanted to talk with her. She doesn't know why today is different, and Wisdom can finally hear her. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Sequoia is a beautiful name. Our parents say a mate loves you unconditionally. As for our mate, I'm looking forward to meeting him too. Let's hope the Moon Goddess has designed a caring, strong man. I hope he doesn't get on my nerves and doesn't talk too much. I dislike a man who talks too much. " Wisdom slides on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top and jogs out the back door.

Wisdom runs through her backyard and doesn't stop until she's at her parents' graves. She sits between them, telling them about her wolf and how much she misses them. She has yet to decide what she wants to do, especially now that Alpha Carmine is retiring. She lays on her back, looking at the clouds. "Why didn't you two and the Alpha let me learn to fight? Now that my wolf is here, I must learn to protect her and me. I hope you all will forgive me. I decided to start training. I won't shift for now, not until I have a heart-to-heart talk with the Alpha. I hope you two can forgive me, I must do what is best for me. I have a strange feeling something terrible is coming my way.  I love you both. Talk with you tomorrow," Wisdom kisses both headstones. 

*****

Alpha Carmine knows Beauden can be quick to do foolish things. He wants to watch how Beauden conducts himself and treats their members. That is one of the reasons he decided, after much consideration, not to retire for another year late last night. Now he has to break the news to Beauden. He's sitting across the table, looking at his son and playing with his eggs.

Beauden looks out the window. "I need to go to the mall after training. I want to watch the pack train. I need to know how good everyone is. I take it Deshal earned his position as the number one warrior." 

Being questioned by his son isn't sitting well with Carmine. "All of the warriors have earned their positions Deshal is the best fighter here. Just as his father was before he stepped down, Lonergan felt it was time for some new blood. We always had a competition, and Deshal was the best at every event. You seem to have a problem with that young man?"

"How can I have a problem with him? I don't even remember him." Beauden drinks his juice.

Carmine shakes his head. "The first thing an Alpha must do it's to know all of the members of their pack. Deshal was born here. I highly suggest you make it a point to get to know everyone here. Since we're on the subject of the pack, you'll be the Alpha, as we had discussed, but I'm not fully out of the picture until some months are a year. I'm only observing, but I'll step in if necessary."

Beauden throws his napkin on the table, points at his father, and then shakes his head and hands " Basically, me returning home was a waste of time. I can't deal with this right now. I have somewhere to be."  He storms out of the kitchen,

"He took that better than I expected."  Carmine mumbles. "No, it can only mean he's about to do something stupid. Why does he dislike Deshal?" He taps the table. "I'm not liking this, whatever it is."

Beauden walks outside, and he's met by Roarke but staring at Deshal.  "Tell me what you know about him" He turns his nose up.

Roarke looks to see who he's talking about. He points at Deshal "Nothing, much. My father said he's one hell of a fighter and very close to a girl whose parents were killed a month or so ago. If you need him and can't find he'll be with her."

"Oh, really, we'll see about that. Make sure his ass is on patrol tonight." Beauden walks toward the garage. "I don't need his ass showing up and fucking up my night"

*****

Alpha Boyd Mosier is in his office reading a stack of financial reports. "Damn, this is good. Oh yes," he glances at Stanley. "You did an excellent job. Everything I need to know is right here.

"Thank you, does this clear my debt?"  The man lowers his head and glances at the Alpha.

Boyd nods. "Remember, don't mention a word about this to anyone."  He looks back at the reports and thumps them.

Stanley runs out of the office and leans against the wall. "Damn, I can lose my job over this. Better my career than my life. "He walks down the hall, looking back at the office door. Stanley bumps into a 5'7, young, pretty lady with red hair and brown eyes. Stanley bows. "Excuse me" He runs out the door.

"Father didn't kill him. The old moron must have come through," Maeve walks into her father's office. "I still don't understand why I must attend this meeting with you. That Alpha is as old as you are. I wouldn't enjoy myself or him."

"Then we better do something quickly."  Herb walks into the office and slams the door. "Doc is complaining about some equipment that isn't functioning right. Next time, close the door before you discuss this crap you two have gotten yourself. Roslyn was in the hall, mopping. We all know that woman is worst than the damn internet when it comes to spending gossip."

"Well, Alpha Carmine, get ready to get your socks knocked off,"  Maeve down the glass of Brandy.

****

Wisdom turned her cell phone off after Alpha Carmine, Deshal and Idris called to wish her a happy birthday. Deshal and her were beginning to wonder if she had a wolf. She thought about telling her friends about her wolf surfacing but thought that news is something you tell someone in person.  

She washed her hair and took a long hot bubble bath. Wisdom pours herself a glass of Pinot Grigio, takes a sip, and sets the bottle on the coffee table. "Let's see what Alpha Carmine sent me for dinner."  She takes out gorgonzola steak salad,  stuffed mushrooms, and pasta primavera with asparagus and peas. Wisdom laughs and claps her hands, looking at two ice cream smores cupcakes. "Alpha, you never failed me yet." Wisdom puts one of the cupcakes in the freeze while eating the other cupcake when her doorbell rings.

"Now, who in the world could that be" She sniffs and smiles. "Clary Sage and Sandalwood."

Sequoia screams, "mate"

Wisdom rushes to the door and opens it looking at Beauden holding a bouquet of red roses and a wrapped present.  Her mouth falls open, she shakes her head and gives him a stern look. Then look around her yard and then back at him.  Beauden looks behind him to see who she is looking at. When he turns back to look at her, she points at him. "You're my mate?"

He winks at her and smiles. "Yes, my beauty, I'm your mate." He walks inside the house.  Beauden looked at the food on the coffee table and the bottle of wine.  "Happy birthday," He lustfully looks at the beautiful 5' 8, long brownish black hair and grey eyes young lady.

Wisdom frowns and looks at him, confused. "Thank you."

"These are for you."  Beauden gave her the roses and sat the present on the table. "I'm the future Alpha Beauden Ralston. You, my dear, are the beautiful Wisdom Ledger my father talks about all the time." He points to the bottle of wine. “May I join you?”

“Sure, excuse my manners." She walks to the bar to get a wine glass. "I have heard a lot about you also.” Wisdom pours him a glass of wine and notices the way he’s looking her up and down. She realizes she is in a robe and doesn’t have anything under it.  "I should go change" 

"My beautiful mate, You don't have to change. After all, we're mates."  Beauden licks his lips and drinks the wine, looking at his mate sipping her wine. "Have you enjoyed your special day so far?  Have you done anything special to celebrate?" Beauden is hoping she mentions the spa and movies that Deshal treated her to.  Klondike is ready to mark and mate with Wisdom. He wants a mate, but Beauden is still telling him he doesn't want a mate. Klondike calls him stupid, childish, and arrogant asshole before he closes their link.

"Hung out with my friends" Wisdom is feeling uncomfortable because of the way he's looking at her. His eyes keep changing from tea green (lightest green) to forest green (darkest green) like he and his wolf are talking to each other. 

Beauden can't seem to be able to take his eyes off of her.  He never expected Wisdom to be so beautiful.  He sees that she is a little nervous. "Ah, open your present. I wasn't sure what you like. I hope you like it.  Father told me today was your birthday."

"I'm sure I'll like it. It's beautiful. I love it, thank you" She took out a ten-carat rose gold and diamond heart infinity necklace.

He takes the necklace from her and motions for her to turn around.  Wisdom slowly turns her back to him and raises her hair up. Beauden puts the necklace on her, runs his finger down her neck, and kisses it.  She jumps and gasps as his tongue slowly circles the back of her neck.

"Mmm, delicious,"  he whispers on her neck.

Wisdom feels her body getting warmed, she closes her eyes for a few minutes to gather her thoughts. She turns to face him. "I should go changed." Wisdom stands up quickly, not giving him a chance to object. 

Beauden chuckles and refills his wine glass. "I must say the Moon Goddess designed a gorgeous mate for me. " he narrowed his eyes, looking at the stairs Wisdom went up.