RALPH
As I pulled into the yard of the Blood Moon Pack, the image of the human lingered in my mind like an unwelcome specter. Her pleading eyes, desperate to convince me of her innocence, haunted me still. I couldn’t seem to shake her off my mind. The fact that I could feel every emotion of hers drove me nuts.
“And the fact that you refused to heal her from the pain yesterday drives me nuts too,” my wolf interjected.
Before I could respond to my wolf, a sudden knock on my car jolted me back to reality. Aaron, my former Beta, turned Alpha, stood outside, a wide grin on his face.
“I bet you were thinking about your mate,” he said, his tone teasing yet warm.
Aaron had stepped into the role of Alpha after the passing of his mate’s father, the former Alpha. It was a responsibility bestowed upon him in the dying Alpha’s final moments, a testament to the trust and confidence placed in him. From what I saw here, he was doing a very good job. His pack loved and respected him. And, of course, they had to. He’s their Alpha. As I looked at him, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pride for the man Aaron had become.
“What makes you think she was the one I was thinking about?” I inquired as I stepped out of the car.
“I know you too well to not know where your mind went,” he replied with a knowing smile as we embraced. “It’s been a while since I saw you, Alpha,” he added, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.
“Same here, man,” I replied, returning the sentiment. It had indeed been too long since we saw each other, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie rekindled in our reunion.
As we made our way towards the house, his mate Sheila stood on the porch, her hands cradling her burgeoning belly, a radiant smile lighting up her face. I turned to Aaron, my eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be a father?” I inquired.
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” he responded with a grin.
“Well, surprise achieved,” I remarked, then turned to Sheila and pulled her into a brief gentle hug. “How are you doing?” I asked her.
“Fantastic, Alpha Ralph,” she replied cheerfully.
“Does he give you a hard time?” If he does, just say the word, and I’ll kick his ass for you. She chuckled, her eyes sparkling.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said with a chuckle before excusing herself.
Once settled in his office, Aaron cut straight to the chase. “I asked you here because I could tell from the last call we had that you were not doing okay and needed someone to talk to.”
“It’s about your mate. Right?”
“If I’d known that was your agenda, I might have declined the invitation,” I confessed with a sigh.
He leaned forward, his expression serious yet empathetic. “I understand it’s not an easy topic since it’s about your mate, but I want to help. Even though I am also an alpha, you’re still my alpha, and I care about you.
I exhaled heavily, feeling a burden lift from my shoulders as I sensed the sincerity in his words. Since he left the Moonrise pack, I’ve failed to find a replacement. Aaron is irreplaceable. Perhaps it’s because he’s been by my side since the day I became the Alpha at eighteen. He understood me like no one else. I desperately needed someone to confide in. Yet, I hesitated to burden him, knowing he had his own pack to manage.
“You’re right. It’s about my mate.” I admitted, my tone softening. “It’s just been… challenging lately. I feel like I’m at a loss.”
From the moment I laid eyes on her, I harboured a deep-seated resentment. But when my wolf marked her, the mate bond grew so strong that it began to erode the walls of animosity I’d built.
As much as I resisted, the inexorable pull of our bond gradually began to soften the hardened walls around my heart. Despite my initial animosity, I couldn’t ignore the undeniable connection that tethered us together. Yet, when I attempted to mate with her, it proved futile.
“What is that?” Aaron inquired, his brow furrowing with concern.
“The mating process,” I confessed with a heavy heart. “I couldn’t feel her. It signifies one harsh reality: nothing will ever work between us. The only recourse left is to sever this sickening bond and return her to her family, even if it necessitates enlisting more witches to dissolve the tie. I’ll endure the pain; after all, I’ve grown accustomed to such pain,” I murmured, gazing out of the window, grappling with the weight of my decision.
“Fine. I’ll support your every decision,” Aaron said, striding toward me. “But I want you to remember that if you cut ties with her, there’s no other chance of another mate, and in less than five months-”
“I’m aware of that, Aaron,” I snapped, cutting him off. “And I’m tired of everyone reminding me. I know all too well that I might become human.”
“The same humans you don’t like,” he added curtly. I gritted my teeth at the thought of becoming one. Having one human under my roof and a mate was hard enough to bear, but becoming one myself was an entirely different challenge.
“Look, Alpha” Aaron began, his voice softer now, drawing my attention back to him. “I know how tough this is for you because I’ve been there. Sheila and I used to hate each other to the extent of wanting to rip each other’s throats, but look where we are now. We’re expecting a child.”
“That’s because your situation was different from mine, Aaron,” I retorted, my agitation evident. “We’re talking about a human here. A fucking weak human who knows nothing about werewolves.” A fucking human from the humans I loathe .
“No offense, Alpha, but please plant it in your head that that human is not your stepfather,” Aaron persisted, his tone unwavering.
His mention of my stepfather ignited a rage within me, and without thinking, I punched him across the face.
“Why do you have to talk about that asshole?” I growled, my voice dripping with venom.
“But she’s not,” he responded, undeterred by my outburst. “Do you think the Moon Goddess would send her to you when she knows better how you feel about humans?” Okay let’s say you’ve cut ties with her, then what about the pack? “Are you going to abandon it to Zac? “Are you willing to let him take over and lead it to ruin?” “Because the moment he becomes the alpha, it’ll be the worst nightmare of Moonrise Pack.”
For the sake of your wolf and the Moonrise Pack, bear with your mate for only five months, after that, you can do whatever you want. But firstly think about your wolf and the pack.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging within me. Aaron’s words struck a chord deep within me. He wasn’t just reminding me of my responsibilities as Alpha; he was urging me to consider the bigger picture, to look beyond my personal reservations and fears.
“Fine,” I muttered, my voice laden with resignation. “I’ll try to see things from a different perspective.”
He nodded, a hint of relief flickering in his eyes. “I know it’s not easy, Alpha. But sometimes, the hardest decisions are the ones that lead to the greatest outcomes.”
I grunted in response, still scuffling with the weight of what lay ahead. The thought of forging a connection with someone I despise was daunting, to say the least. But as Alpha, it was my duty to put my pack above my own desires.
“I won’t and will never abandon the pack, and I won’t let Zac take over. But as for her…” I trailed off, uncertainty creeping into my voice.
Aaron placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I believe you will figure it out, Alpha. And who knows? Maybe she’s not as clueless about werewolves as you think.”
I offered him a weak smile, grateful for his unwavering support. “Let me hope for the best, then.” With a collective nod of understanding, I turned back to the pressing matters of his pack.
~
As the evening came, I drove back to the Moonrise pack. The pack I would sacrifice everything to safeguard. Yet, the greatest danger to their safety lay within: my human mate. Thank God I’d talked to Aaron. Otherwise, I’d have been suffocating to death. I’ve missed my beta so much.
Upon parking my car, I headed straight for my room, desperate to freshen up and clear my head before tackling anything else. As I ascended the stairs, the person who had become my biggest problem trailed behind me: the human. I chose to ignore her presence, but upon reaching my room, she followed me in. With a swift turn, I confronted her, only to have her bump into me.
“What do you want, human?” I asked through clenched teeth, my patience thin.
“First of all, I am called Keilah, not human,” she grumbled. “Secondly, I expected you to at least inquire about what happened to me since you saw me limping.”
I couldn’t help but chortle, my amusement mingled with irritation “Get out of my room before I make you.” I retorted sharply.
“It seems you have enemies even within your own house,” she muttered, her tone suggestive.
I shot her a silent glare, unwilling to entertain her insinuations. but she persisted.
“And one of those enemies offered me protection in this house. But in return, I have to spy on your every move.” Before I could interject, she added, almost casually, “I accepted his offer.”
RALPH
As I pulled into the yard of the Blood Moon Pack, the image of the human lingered in my mind like an unwelcome specter. Her pleading eyes, desperate to convince me of her innocence, haunted me still. I couldn’t seem to shake her off my mind. The fact that I could feel every emotion of hers drove me nuts.
“And the fact that you refused to heal her from the pain yesterday drives me nuts too,” my wolf interjected.
Before I could respond to my wolf, a sudden knock on my car jolted me back to reality. Aaron, my former Beta, turned Alpha, stood outside, a wide grin on his face.
“I bet you were thinking about your mate,” he said, his tone teasing yet warm.
Aaron had stepped into the role of Alpha after the passing of his mate’s father, the former Alpha. It was a responsibility bestowed upon him in the dying Alpha’s final moments, a testament to the trust and confidence placed in him. From what I saw here, he was doing a very good job. His pack loved and respected him. And, of course, they had to. He’s their Alpha. As I looked at him, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pride for the man Aaron had become.
“What makes you think she was the one I was thinking about?” I inquired as I stepped out of the car.
“I know you too well to not know where your mind went,” he replied with a knowing smile as we embraced. “It’s been a while since I saw you, Alpha,” he added, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.
“Same here, man,” I replied, returning the sentiment. It had indeed been too long since we saw each other, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie rekindled in our reunion.
As we made our way towards the house, his mate Sheila stood on the porch, her hands cradling her burgeoning belly, a radiant smile lighting up her face. I turned to Aaron, my eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be a father?” I inquired.
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” he responded with a grin.
“Well, surprise achieved,” I remarked, then turned to Sheila and pulled her into a brief gentle hug. “How are you doing?” I asked her.
“Fantastic, Alpha Ralph,” she replied cheerfully.
“Does he give you a hard time?” If he does, just say the word, and I’ll kick his ass for you. She chuckled, her eyes sparkling.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said with a chuckle before excusing herself.
Once settled in his office, Aaron cut straight to the chase. “I asked you here because I could tell from the last call we had that you were not doing okay and needed someone to talk to.”
“It’s about your mate. Right?”
“If I’d known that was your agenda, I might have declined the invitation,” I confessed with a sigh.
He leaned forward, his expression serious yet empathetic. “I understand it’s not an easy topic since it’s about your mate, but I want to help. Even though I am also an alpha, you’re still my alpha, and I care about you.
I exhaled heavily, feeling a burden lift from my shoulders as I sensed the sincerity in his words. Since he left the Moonrise pack, I’ve failed to find a replacement. Aaron is irreplaceable. Perhaps it’s because he’s been by my side since the day I became the Alpha at eighteen. He understood me like no one else. I desperately needed someone to confide in. Yet, I hesitated to burden him, knowing he had his own pack to manage.
“You’re right. It’s about my mate.” I admitted, my tone softening. “It’s just been… challenging lately. I feel like I’m at a loss.”
From the moment I laid eyes on her, I harboured a deep-seated resentment. But when my wolf marked her, the mate bond grew so strong that it began to erode the walls of animosity I’d built.
As much as I resisted, the inexorable pull of our bond gradually began to soften the hardened walls around my heart. Despite my initial animosity, I couldn’t ignore the undeniable connection that tethered us together. Yet, when I attempted to mate with her, it proved futile.
“What is that?” Aaron inquired, his brow furrowing with concern.
“The mating process,” I confessed with a heavy heart. “I couldn’t feel her. It signifies one harsh reality: nothing will ever work between us. The only recourse left is to sever this sickening bond and return her to her family, even if it necessitates enlisting more witches to dissolve the tie. I’ll endure the pain; after all, I’ve grown accustomed to such pain,” I murmured, gazing out of the window, grappling with the weight of my decision.
“Fine. I’ll support your every decision,” Aaron said, striding toward me. “But I want you to remember that if you cut ties with her, there’s no other chance of another mate, and in less than five months-”
“I’m aware of that, Aaron,” I snapped, cutting him off. “And I’m tired of everyone reminding me. I know all too well that I might become human.”
“The same humans you don’t like,” he added curtly. I gritted my teeth at the thought of becoming one. Having one human under my roof and a mate was hard enough to bear, but becoming one myself was an entirely different challenge.
“Look, Alpha” Aaron began, his voice softer now, drawing my attention back to him. “I know how tough this is for you because I’ve been there. Sheila and I used to hate each other to the extent of wanting to rip each other’s throats, but look where we are now. We’re expecting a child.”
“That’s because your situation was different from mine, Aaron,” I retorted, my agitation evident. “We’re talking about a human here. A fucking weak human who knows nothing about werewolves.” A fucking human from the humans I loathe .
“No offense, Alpha, but please plant it in your head that that human is not your stepfather,” Aaron persisted, his tone unwavering.
His mention of my stepfather ignited a rage within me, and without thinking, I punched him across the face.
“Why do you have to talk about that asshole?” I growled, my voice dripping with venom.
“But she’s not,” he responded, undeterred by my outburst. “Do you think the Moon Goddess would send her to you when she knows better how you feel about humans?” Okay let’s say you’ve cut ties with her, then what about the pack? “Are you going to abandon it to Zac? “Are you willing to let him take over and lead it to ruin?” “Because the moment he becomes the alpha, it’ll be the worst nightmare of Moonrise Pack.”
For the sake of your wolf and the Moonrise Pack, bear with your mate for only five months, after that, you can do whatever you want. But firstly think about your wolf and the pack.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging within me. Aaron’s words struck a chord deep within me. He wasn’t just reminding me of my responsibilities as Alpha; he was urging me to consider the bigger picture, to look beyond my personal reservations and fears.
“Fine,” I muttered, my voice laden with resignation. “I’ll try to see things from a different perspective.”
He nodded, a hint of relief flickering in his eyes. “I know it’s not easy, Alpha. But sometimes, the hardest decisions are the ones that lead to the greatest outcomes.”
I grunted in response, still scuffling with the weight of what lay ahead. The thought of forging a connection with someone I despise was daunting, to say the least. But as Alpha, it was my duty to put my pack above my own desires.
“I won’t and will never abandon the pack, and I won’t let Zac take over. But as for her…” I trailed off, uncertainty creeping into my voice.
Aaron placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I believe you will figure it out, Alpha. And who knows? Maybe she’s not as clueless about werewolves as you think.”
I offered him a weak smile, grateful for his unwavering support. “Let me hope for the best, then.” With a collective nod of understanding, I turned back to the pressing matters of his pack.
~
As the evening came, I drove back to the Moonrise pack. The pack I would sacrifice everything to safeguard. Yet, the greatest danger to their safety lay within: my human mate. Thank God I’d talked to Aaron. Otherwise, I’d have been suffocating to death. I’ve missed my beta so much.
Upon parking my car, I headed straight for my room, desperate to freshen up and clear my head before tackling anything else. As I ascended the stairs, the person who had become my biggest problem trailed behind me: the human. I chose to ignore her presence, but upon reaching my room, she followed me in. With a swift turn, I confronted her, only to have her bump into me.
“What do you want, human?” I asked through clenched teeth, my patience thin.
“First of all, I am called Keilah, not human,” she grumbled. “Secondly, I expected you to at least inquire about what happened to me since you saw me limping.”
I couldn’t help but chortle, my amusement mingled with irritation “Get out of my room before I make you.” I retorted sharply.
“It seems you have enemies even within your own house,” she muttered, her tone suggestive.
I shot her a silent glare, unwilling to entertain her insinuations. but she persisted.
“And one of those enemies offered me protection in this house. But in return, I have to spy on your every move.” Before I could interject, she added, almost casually, “I accepted his offer.”