The Alpha's Fated Mate

I frown at the notification on my phone from the pack news app. It’s accompanied by a photo of the man I cursed out at the coffee shop earlier today.

His hair is dark, almost black, and brushed back from his face in an artfully messy way. His eyes are a piercing green, and his complexion has an olive skin tone. His chiseled, stubbled jaw is capped with a playful smirk, and even though he’s wearing a suit, you can tell his physique is all muscle.

He looks like a stuck-up playboy bachelor. He’s good-looking, and he knows it.

I huff and lock my phone. Of course, the arrogant man from the coffee shop is the new alpha of the Harvest Moon Pack. Within seconds of meeting him, I already made up my mind about him—I don’t like him.

The pack coffee shop is a small space, and his large frame took up all the air in the room. He stood there, not moving, even after I asked him politely, multiple times, to move to the side so I could pass.

Then the asshole pretended to be deaf. And when I signed my apology, he had the nerve to laugh at me and tell me to brush up on my signing skills.

It’s hours later, and I’m still fuming over that big lump of shit. He was such an arrogant twat, and silly old me felt like a horrible person for yelling at him when I thought he was deaf.

My best friend, Carly, tried to calm me down afterward, but I was boiling up inside. I just turned eighteen and received my wolf a few days ago, and now my emotions are more intense. It’s been an adjustment, and I’m still trying to work through it.

Though my wolf also doesn’t like him, I can tell.

I try to put it all behind me as I prepare for my first shift. It’s a special night. Carly is helping me get ready, and I can’t help but envy her. She turned eighteen over the summer. She went into the woods a girl and emerged a woman.

That’s the way it is with our pack. Until a woman’s first shift, she retains her child-like looks. Even though I just turned eighteen, I still look fourteen. I’m short and flat-chested, with no curves to be found.

Six months ago, Carly looked like me. Then she received her wolf and shifted for the first time. Now she’s nothing but curves. I was jealous at the time, but tonight’s my night. My night to become a woman of our pack.

Our ancestors believed that the Moon Goddess blessed the women of the Blue Moon Pack with protection against rogue male wolves who would want to claim us before we were ready. Now, a woman’s first shift is a cause for celebration.

There’s a knock on my bedroom door right before my brother, Ewan, pokes his head in and whistles at us. “Ladies, I must say, you look phenomenal.”

But then she bursts out laughing, and so do I.

“Come on, let’s go, girls. Everyone went all out for you, brat. I think you’re going to like it.”

I smile and follow Ewan down the stairs. It warms my heart to think that everyone would put in so much effort for me.

Mom squeals excitedly when she sees me, and Dad starts tearing up. There are too many emotions swirling around inside me right now, and I’m starting to feel warm and tingly, like I want to jump into the snowbank outside our front door. My wolf is itching to get out, and it’s almost time.

We make our way to Alpha Sebastian’s house for my celebration dinner. Sebastian took over as alpha five years ago after his father died in a horrific battle. He’s a fair but firm alpha and runs a tight ship with my brother as his beta.

As we approach the front door, I look toward the guesthouses and see that one of them has the lights on. There’s only one person visiting right now that would get the honor of staying in the alpha’s guesthouse: the prick from the coffee shop. I shake my head and move forward. I refuse to let him ruin the night of my first shift.

Alpha Sebastian stands with a glass in his hand, raised for a toast. “Thank you all for attending this little shindig. I’m not going to be as formal as I normally would because tonight, I’m not only dining with friends but with family.”

He turns to me, and I can’t stop the smile on my face.

“Laura, I’ve known you since you were a tiny pup. We were raised side by side, and I see you as my little sister. As much as you probably hate this right now, tonight is all about you.”

My cheeks burn red as everyone turns to stare at me.

“Just know that you will always be under my protection. May the Goddess grant you everything you want in life and more.”

Everyone claps, and I wipe a tear from my eye.

Georgia, Sebastian’s wife, grabs my arms in excitement. “Tonight is such a special night, Laura. It’s a blue moon! Your first shift is going to be under the pack’s most sacred moon.”

Sebastian places his hand on her very pregnant belly. “Georgia and I were looking at the pack records earlier. There hasn’t been a first shift under the blue moon in almost twenty years. Legend has it that wolves who shift for the first time under the sacred moon of their pack are given special gifts from the Goddess herself.”

My brother chuckles slightly. “Come on, Seb, it’s just a myth. Don’t fill her head with ideas.”

Georgia shoots my brother a look, and he bows his head in deference to her.

“Ignore him, Laura,” Georgia says. “No matter what happens, this will be the most magical thing you will ever go through in life. You and your wolf will become one. That feeling is unlike any other.”

“Except for when you find your mate,” Seb pipes up, giving a loving look to Georgia.

My mother turns to me, pulling me up from my chair. “Come on, Laura, it’s time.”

“Harder, baby. Fuck me harder,” Kelsey pants as I pound her wet pussy from behind.

“That was amazing,” she breathlessly gets out, and I grin to myself.

“It was. Now, if you don’t mind, flower, I’m going to have to ask you to escort yourself out. I have a very busy day tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep.”

I can tell from the look of disappointment on her face that she was expecting to stay the night, but she doesn’t argue and gets herself dressed.

I slide my boxers on before pulling her into my arms one last time, her firm buttocks nestled in my hands.

“I know you want to stay, baby, but if you stay, I won’t get any sleep. And an alpha needs his sleep. I’ll text you soon. It was lovely catching up with you, Kelsey.”

Yup, that worked. Like putty in my hands.

She smiles, and I plant a kiss on her lips. As she turns to leave, I spank her ass, causing her to squeal with excitement on her way out the door.

I head to the en suite bathroom, losing the boxers on my way into the shower. My mind drifts as the hot water hits my body.

Kelsey is a lovely girl, but she is weak. I’m expected to produce an heir, and when that time comes, I want the mother of my pups to be of pure royal blood like me, not some little mutt slut from the Blue Moon Pack.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy her as my playmate. She’s a good fuck, and exactly what I needed after a day of traveling with Jenson, my beta.

This time yesterday, I was relaxing at home, getting ready to go out and party when my mother stopped me in my tracks. I was informed that I would be attending the Blue Moon Pack Annual Christmas Gathering this year. No exceptions. And that I would leave early this morning.

I tried to argue with her, but it was futile. The plans were already in motion. She had arranged that I would stay with Sebastian, the Blue Moon Pack alpha.

While I used to enjoy spending time with Seb, I haven’t seen him in years. He became stuffy ever since he met his mate. He went from a playboy wolf, eager to attend exclusive parties, gamble the night away, and fuck any pretty thing that came our way, to someone who embraced steadfastness and responsibility.

Our relationship became strained. My actions didn’t help the situation. One night, after a few too many drinks, I made a move on Georgia, his mate. Seb saw red, and all hell broke loose. We shifted, but his golden alpha wolf was no match against my black lycan.

My beta was able to pull us apart, but only barely. In the fallout, Seb forbid me from stepping foot on his land until I became alpha of my own pack. I didn’t expect to see him for decades. But that changed when my father unexpectedly got sick and died.

I’ve been alpha for two weeks, and am struggling to find my footing. My father was all about tough love. We didn’t always get along—we were so alike that we fought a lot—but he loved my mother and our pack.

I know I need to change my ways, but after years of doing whatever I want, it’s hard to retrain my brain to do what’s best for the pack.

There’s also pressure for me to find my mate. But that won’t happen. Mates make you weak. I saw it with Seb. And I’m watching it with my own mother.

She’s become more and more fragile these past two weeks. The heartbreak from losing her mate, my father, aged her more quickly than I ever thought it could. Her once vibrant red hair has begun to fade, the gray peeking through more and more. Her face is drawn and tired, and I can tell she is slowing down.

No, I don’t need that weakness in my life. And if I happen to find my mate, I will reject her. I only need a female wolf for heirs.

I switch the shower off and wrap a towel around my waist before opening the patio doors and stepping outside. I light a cigarette and take a drag, feeling the hit at the back of my throat as I look out into the surrounding woodlands.

I love the highland scenery from my home in Scotland, but the Blue Moon Pack’s countryside is beautiful. There are lights in the distance and people standing in the garden of Sebastian’s house.

When I arrived earlier, Sebastian told me to stay away from the main house tonight, but that doesn’t mean I can’t watch from the shadows.

My blood is pumping, and I need to go for a run. Tyson, my wolf, is still pumped from our sexual encounter, and the only way I will get any sleep tonight is by going for a run and tiring him out.

I close the patio doors with a smile and start getting dressed.