How it all began

Luke

I could still remember the last time I'd been with Jamie before the fight he started. We'd both walked out of the council chamber in the packhouse. It had been a week after we lost the war to the Blue Moon pack and ever since then, I hadn't felt comfortable going out to the Beer House or anywhere I could actually have fun. But Jamie always managed to drag me out and each time, he'd always win because I was considerate. I considered Jamie as my best friend, long before he became my Beta and I, an Alpha.

"Come on , Luke, you need to chill out!" Jamie roared, gripping my wrist, and dragging me towards the Beerhouse where only the royal members went to drink. I knew my sister would be there and I wasn't ready to face her yet. I was still healing from the loss of the war.

"Let it go, Jamie " I replied straightforwardly but that didn't stop him from dragging me to the beer house.

I pulled out his hand and watched my Beta. I couldn't believe he was feeling good after the loss.

"Listen, Alpha, I was on that field too and I didn't just decide to leave that behind. Look around, our men are hurt, and we can't even fight for now. And if the Blue Moon attacks us now, what do you think would happen? We are all gonna die, our women would be raped and enslaved. You want that? I'm sure you don't. That's why we should do something now. We should take them by surprise."

I had no idea he was going to bring this up at the next emergency meeting and that it would give rise to the absence of my mate.

I wasn't scared to fight but I knew it wasn't just the right time yet. I needed to find my mate and make things right.

And aside from that, I had a plan B, and I would only execute that plan once I found my mate. I'd never disclose what that plan was with anybody except my sister.

The Black brothers of the West were known for their savagery, and brutal fighting. They had power and didn't think twice to show it. They were feared by many people and nobody dared to go into their territory to fight them. They were that powerful. They had everything, larger people, houses, and riches.

The Black brothers were three brothers who ran the Black Moon park. The first brother who was the king, Astrid, did well by his lovely wife, Simone, and the second and third brothers Jasper and Cole were war lords.

Before my father died, he had told me about them. But they were never able to cross paths before he died. Then one day, when I was training in the woods with my men, I heard the snaps of a tree and an arrow shot toward me, hitting the tree behind me while grabbing my dress sleeve with it. I was surprised. Who dared to shoot at the Alpha. Until I saw two familiar rugged-looking men approaching, they were the Black Brothers, Jasper, and Cole, except their older brother.

They'd apologized for shooting at me and told me they knew who I was.

"Legend says that you'd need us one day, Alpha, " Jasper had said with a big smirk on his lips. But I had seen him as a big joke. We were about the same age, and he was just a mere wolf while I was an Alpha. If I had any business with them, it would be with his older brother, Alpha Astrid, not him or Cole.

They'd left smiling.

What I didn't know was that my father had an alliance with them and that one day, they would help him unconditionally. But I never told Jamie any of this and hoped to keep it that way. I got to know that Jamie had bad energy and was planning something ever since the war loss. I'd often see him talking to some guard behind my back.

And after all that Jamie said, I replied with, "everything is under control, Jamie."

I tried to leave but stopped when Jamie asked, "What about your mate then? Is that still under control?"

Jamie hadn't found his mate too so why would he keep making a deal out of this? Of course, I was the Alpha and I owed that to him and my people. I thought of walking away but turned around instead, turning my anger into a long smile. Spreading my arms apart, I said, "do you have something else you wanna talk about? Or do you just wanna talk about my mate all night long?"

Jamie had smiled back before he replied, "nothing else, brother! Since you don't care for a drink tonight, I'll go anywhere you wanna go. "

I nodded and walked away, Jamie following suit.

Just then, we came across my sister, Liana. I had been avoiding her ever since I returned from the war, and she understood too. She'd been there, at the war front, and seen the pain in my eyes when I lost to that Gregory of the Blue Moon pack.

She couldn't believe just a couple of months ago this same pack had offered a marriage proposal to her with one of their ranking warriors. She had rejected it right there and then and spit in front of the men who came. She would never be a wife to some warrior regardless of their high ranks, especially not to the enemy. She knew her mate was out there, and she was going to keep waiting.

Among all other proposals, I had been glad she rejected that one. I would never give my sister to the Blue Moon. After that, the real fights began and it never stopped.

Looking back at everything now, I knew things could never be the way they used to be anymore. I'd never be able to hold my sister anymore, and her mate had no idea she was dead.

I'll never be able to live with myself if I lost my Valerie. She was everything to me and she may not know that yet, but she was and I'll do everything to protect her.

My wounds healing by themselves had agitated her this morning. Maybe I shouldn't have come out so plain to her. I couldn't stop thinking about her, wondering where she'd gone or who she was meeting. She was probably with Blake and the idea didn't settle well with me. She was only gone for a few minutes, and I already missed her.

Even though Shelby was still in the house, it didn't feel like it because the silence was deafening. I knew she was just doing her job.

I looked to the side to find her picking up some bottle and looking into them through her glasses.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, her eyes still glued to the bottle in her hand, her voice unserious.

"I'm just wondering what you're doing, " I replied.

"I wanted you to rest, Luke. You shouldn't be talking."

"I'm fine, Shelby."

"Alright," She walked closer to me, a bandage bundle in her hand. "Let's get your wound checked."

I didn't think she'd freak out too much about my healed wounds. So, I let her take off the plaster. I couldn't avoid it anyway. I saw the shocked look on her face after taking it off and her eyes instantly averted to mine questioningly.

"What happened Luke?" She asked.

"I healed."

"That's not possible. Is this what Valerie was talking about?! "

"Look, I'm fine Shelby. Maybe something you gave me healed me, and I'm fine now, okay?" She looked confused at first but after a while, she let it go.

"I still didn't understand how you magically healed Luke, but I can tell you I've never seen anything like it."

No, you haven't.

"So. how did you end up like this?" She asked, sitting on the high stool next to the bed.

"Well, you'd probably not believe me if I told you, but I can't recall anything."

I knew telling Shelby about the truth of how I got here was a bad idea. The last thing I wanted was jeopardizing my stay here before I could get my head straight.

She nodded instead and said, "I understand, but you'll be better after a few days of rest. Don't just do anything stressful, just rest."

I nodded.

Silence again.

"So, what type of job did you do before?" She asked, chuckling in between.

I knew she was driving at something. I didn't know who she was to Valerie but she was beginning to sound more than just her doctor. She was curious about who I was. And I totally get it.

Searching my head, I started browsing about something that I can use to describe being an Alpha. " Well, I own some company. It's kinda hard to point out where right now. You should understand, right?"

"Of course." She nodded her head.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"Where was Valerie going?"

"Oh, she went to meet with Blake."

I groaned angrily, low enough to keep her still talking. She went out with him, right? I knew my doubts were right. I knew what she did wasn't technically my business but since she was my mate, it was one hundred percent my business. But she wasn't aware that she was my mate yet.

". . . I think it has to do with school or something." Shelby completed.

"They go to school together?" I asked, shocked by that tiny bit of information.

"Yeah, always."

I felt anger boiling inside me. I didn't know why but it was just there. I had no idea what they were doing right now or if he was really her boyfriend. I'd kill him if he laid a hand on her. Suddenly, I didn't know how to get them out of my mind anymore. I was zoning off Shelby's conversation and each time I tried to leave my thoughts and reply to her statements, I found myself saying things that were completely off point.

Soon the conversation became boring, and Shelby couldn't keep up with it. She left the room and went back out, returning later with a plate of milky food. She eats quietly, checking her time on her wrist frequently. I probably made her feel uncomfortable.

After a while, we started talking again and she was asking more about me. I didn't know what to say when my mind was always occupied with thoughts about my mate, about what she was up to at the minute, what she was doing, who she was seeing.

And as the hours passed by, I realized I missed her too much then I'd normally do about anything and couldn't wait for her to walk back through that door and stay. For good.