Xander’s POV
The ticking clock on the wall was relentless, each second winding down the last few hours before I’d have to step foot in the Silver Moon Pack territory, home to Alpha Kendrick and his soon-to-be Luna. I leaned back in my leather chair, loosening my tie slightly as my Beta, Luke, filled me in on our arrangements. He was pacing as he spoke, his voice steady and informative.
“Silas has everything arranged for our stay,” Luke reported. “We’re set for Alpha Kendrick’s engagement dinner and wedding. The Silver Moon Pack is, as always, pulling out all the stops.”
I grunted in acknowledgment, more focused on an uneasy feeling that had been gnawing at me since morning. This whole engagement felt off to me. Kendrick and Priya… the union was more like a strategic front, a display of power and alliances, but there was something missing. And it served as another reminder that, at 25, I was still without a mate. Unlike Kendrick, I had no desire to force a bond that didn’t exist, especially not for power or convenience. I wanted to find my one true mate destined for me by the moon goddess, the one meant for me alone.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and pulling me out of my reverie, startled, my mother swept in, followed closely by Caitlyn, who was decked out in a fitted dress that screamed “Luna material.” My stomach sank.
“What is it this time, Mother?” I asked, my voice a low rumble.
She folded her arms, casting a sidelong glance at Caitlyn before fixing me with her steely gaze. “Xander, I need to discuss your plans for the Silver Moon event.” She glanced at Caitlyn and smiled. “I think it would be a good idea for Caitlyn to accompany you, as your plus one. After all, she’s a fine choice, isn’t she? And soon enough, she would be your Luna.”
I sighed, trying to keep my patience. “Caitlyn isn’t my mate. I’ve told you this countless times, Mother, I’ll wait for my true mate. I’m not interested in any other arrangements otherwise.”
Mother scoffed, clearly exasperated. “Oh, Xander, you can’t keep holding on to this childish fantasy of yours. Caitlyn is from a good family, she’s a well-bred Omega. You’re 25 and the Alpha of the most revered Nightfang Pack, people are starting to talk, questioning your ability to lead this pack without a capable Luna by your side. You need to set an example… .”
“Mother,” I interrupted, my voice firm, “a good family and status doesn’t make a true mate. I’m not taking Caitlyn with me just to satisfy the curiosity of the other Alpha. When I meet my mate, I’ll know. And no one, not even you, can force me into a union I do not approve of.”
The look on my mother’s face hardened. She glanced at Caitlyn, a faint sigh escaping her lips as she resigned herself to my stubbornness. Without another word, she turned on her heel and swept out of the office, Caitlyn following close behind, casting me a lingering look over her shoulder. Luke, still standing by the door, raised an eyebrow at me once they’d left.
“Alpha, if I say” he said carefully, “Your mother does have a point. Other Alphas seeing you arrive without a Luna would sense it as… weakness.”
I silenced him with a sharp look. “Luke, I don’t care what they think. I’m not going to chose a Luna just to impress those power hungry Alphas. When I find my mate, it’ll be on my terms.”
Luke nodded, knowing better than to push the topic further. With that, we left the office, heading to the car. As the driver started the engine, I leaned my head back, closing my eyes for a brief moment. “Moon Goddess,” I prayed silently,
“if you’re listening, I need you now more than ever. Help me find her”
The drive to the Silver Moon Pack territories was uneventful, the dense forest around us turning into open fields as we drew closer. I tried to shake the irritation from my earlier encounter with my mother. But even so, the frustration lingered, making the drive feel longer than it actually was.
As we reached the entrance of their pack house, our car slowed, passing through the main gates. And then, suddenly, everything shifted.
A faint scent drifted in through the open window, delicate, intoxicating, much to say addicting, like wild jasmine mixed with morning dew. My wolf, Cain, surged forward, snapping to full attention as a force I couldn’t describe took hold of me. The world around me sharpened, every sense locked in on one thing. Or rather, one person.
“Stop the car,” I murmured, barely recognizing my own voice.
The driver glanced back at me in confusion, but one look at my face and he obeyed. I threw open the door, stepping out, my eyes scanning the surroundings in search of where the addicting scent was coming from until I found her.
She was walking across the lawn, carrying a bucket of water, her steps graceful but determined. The breeze caught her hair, blowing loose strands across her face, but she didn’t seem to notice. She was… perfect regardless of her ragged look. My heart raced as the pull between us grew stronger. I could feel it in every cell in my body, this undeniable force that connected us. I didn’t know her name, but I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she was mine.
“She’s my mate! I’ve found my mate!” I whispered, the realization washing over me like a tidal wave.
Luke stepped out through the other door, frowning as he followed my gaze. “Who?”
I nudged toward her, unable to take my eyes off her as she approached the pack house, her figure moving closer and closer to the doorway. “There. She’s my mate.”
Luke’s face split into a grin, but he quickly masked it. “Well, that’s… quite unexpected. What do you want to do now Alpha?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Find out everything you can about her before the end of the day.”
With a firm nod, he slipped back into the car, signaling the driver to move ahead. My mind was already racing with questions, my heart pounding with anticipation as I took a deep breath, once the car stopped I got down and made my way to the front of the pack house, where Alpha Kendrick and his supposed fiancee, Priya, waited.
Kendrick offered his hand, a polite smile on his face. “Alpha Xander, welcome. We’ve been looking forward to having you here for this celebration of love.”
I forced myself to focus, shaking Kendrick’s hand with a calm that I didn’t feel. Behind my polite mask, my wolf was restless, urging me to go after our mate. But this wasn’t the time, not yet.
“Thank you, Kendrick,” I said, my voice steady and glowing with its usual charisma. “Congratulations on your engagement. It’s… quite the event.”
Priya smiled politely beside Kendrick, but there was a glint in her eyes that told me she was overly thrilled. “We’re honored you could join us,” she said, though the words were strained.
The rest of the greetings and formalities were a blur, my mind entirely on the woman I’d just seen. My mate. I kept catching myself glancing back, hoping for a glimpse of her again, but the doorway remained empty. Beta Silas led me to my quarters, giving me a brief rundown of the planned events. But none of it mattered, I was barely listening.
Finally, Silas left, almost immediately Luke walked in, unable to hold it in any longer. “Did you find out anything?”
Luke smirked. “Patience, Alpha. From the little I have noticed, it seems she is one of the Castle slave , I have been watching her from a distance, she has been keeping to herself. Doesn’t seem like one to draw attention.”
My mind was racing, thoughts of her filling every space. A slave, huh? That didn’t matter to me. She was my mate, my equal, the one I’d waited my whole life to find. And no rank or title could change that.
I paced the room, restlessness taking hold of me again. Every second away from her was like a tug on my heart. I had to see her, speak to her, confirm what I already knew, that we were meant to be.
But I knew I couldn’t just storm out into Kendrick’s territory asking around for her without raising suspicions. My position as Alpha demanded that I handle this delicately, at least for now.
In the quiet of the room, I closed my eyes, sending a silent thank you to the Moon Goddess. I had asked, and she had answered.
“Luke,” I said, my voice low but filled with purpose. “I need more information!.”