Chapter 2

Liam

I am looking forward to getting home. I have not seen my family in over a year now. As I am preparing to take over as Alpha, dad has had me moving up and down a lot meeting our international business partners as well as checking how our businesses are doing.

We stop at the territory border and the guards cheerfully greet us as they spot me and Joel in the back seat of the black SUV. Joel is my best friend from the day we both learned how to walk, he is also my Beta just like his father is my father's Beta.

"Feels good to be back home." He says just after we get through the border.

"You can say that again," I say while looking out the window.

I can see a few things have changed in the past year we have been away. All the roads are done, a few new buildings here and there. New houses too, our pack keeps growing every day as my father and mother keep taking in new people.

Our pack is known for its generosity, whenever our allies need help with warriors, we always send our best and my parents are always willing to take in small packs that survive after raids.

"Do you think the Alpha will finally allow you to take over?" Joel asks.

I can feel his stare and I choose to keep my focus on the view outside my window. My father said it once and that was enough, 'find your Luna then I will step down for you to take over.' He said this on my 20th birthday three years ago and it has stuck. Him saying it once was enough.

"Time will tell." That is all I say.

Within a few minutes, the car comes to a stop right in front of the packhouse. The doors are opened for us and we have some of the Omegas waiting to welcome us home. Usually, our parents and siblings are at the front door to welcome us back but today it's just the omegas.

"Welcome back Alpha Liam and Beta Joel." They bow.

"Thank you. Where are our parents and siblings?" I ask.

"The Alpha and Beta Convel are in the Alpha's office. The Luna and Mrs. Convel are in the family room. Ms. Camila is at the hospital by her mate's side while Ms. Christine has gone to visit her mate's family." The omega explains.

Christine, Joel's immediate younger sister is the only one among us who found her mate right after she turned 18. Joel and I are still waiting, and Camila.... Wait did the omega say….

"Camila is by her mate's side?" Joel asks in shock.

"Yes, Beta Joel." The omega responds with a smile.

Wow, a lot has happened in the past year, but how come no one told me about my little sister finding her mate and why is her mate in the hospital?

I walk into the house and Joel follows right behind me. Using our link, I ask him to follow me to the family room where both our mothers are as the omega mentioned.

"Liam, Joel. Thank goodness you are here." My mother says sounding very devastated.

I open my arms wide and hug her.

"What is wrong?" I ask.

I can sense something is wrong.

"Tragedy." She cries out.

I look at Joel's mother who is now standing next to her large son who still has an arm wrapped around her shoulders

"There was an attack, a terrible one." Joel's mom says.

An attack where?

Joel and I look at each other puzzled.

"We need to send warriors to check if there are any survivors." We hear my father say as he walks into the family room with his Beta, Joel's father.

Survivors? Joel links me.

"Son, you are back." He doesn't sound as excited as always.

"Dad." Mom lets go of me before I move toward my father to hug him.

"Beta Convel." I nod at Joel's father when I pull away from my father.

"Welcome back Alpha Liam." He nods back. "Son." He says to Joel before embracing him in a hug.

Which pack was attacked? Our pack looks okay but from the looks on their faces, it must be a close pack. They all look gutted.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Please take a seat both of you." My father says in his commanding voice.

Everyone takes a seat. My parents on their favorite couch together, Joel's parents, and then the two of us on single seats.

My father looks at Beta Convel who gets the signal to explain to us what is going on.

"In the early hours of today, a man showed up at our border badly injured asking for help. He said his pack was under attack. Before we could get more information from him, he passed out. He was rushed to the hospital and while there your sister discovered he was her mate and then we learned of his identity." Beta Convel pauses.

"Scott Hardulf from the Lotus pack." He says and my mother breaks down.

Mom's childhood friend is the Luna of the Lotus pack. I have met her a few times at parties and other functions but I vaguely remember their family.

"From the little information he gave us, the attack was bad. Now that we know where he is from we want to send warriors." Beta Convel explains.

"I will go too," Joel says with a determined look on his face.

The past year has been boring, I want to go and check this out and see if there are any attackers left. Joel links me.

Is that Ralph speaking? I ask.

Both of us are thirsty for a kill. Joel links back.

I understand him. Derek needs this too, the past year has been boring for all four of us.

"Me too!" I say in my Alpha tone.

Both my father and Beta Convel look at me.

"Aren't you tired?" dad asks.

I turn to look at mom who is mourning the possible death of her friend and their pack.

"We leave in a few hours," I tell them all then excuse myself.

I need to see Cam, I haven't seen my sister in a long time. I also need to congratulate her on finding her mate before me. I pray he survives, from what Beta Convel said, he is in a bad shape.

"Liam!" I stop in my tracks when I hear a familiar voice call out to me.

No one in this pack aside from my parents, sister, and Joel calls me by my name. Everyone else addresses me as Alpha Liam since I was 18, except Beth.

I turn around and see her fast approaching.

"It's Alpha, not just Liam," I tell her and a giggle escapes her mouth.

"Please, tell that to someone that doesn't make you cum." She says.

She stops in front of me and then wraps both her hands around my neck. The moment her hands touch my skin, I yank them off and her reaction changes to pure shock.

"Lia..."

"Don't ever do that again!" I tell her in an Alpha commanding tone.

Beth was the first and the only woman I have touched in this pack. We always thought we would-be mates. When we were 17 we slept together thinking we would bond or something but that never happened.

We both turned 18 and nothing happened still. A few days after her birthday, she found her mate and she rejected him thinking there was a way of us being mated to each other but that was a big mistake. The moon goddess gave her a mate and she didn't waste time rejecting him to be with me.

I should be happy she did that for us to be together but over the years I have lost interest. A part of me wants to find my mate and experience the mate bond. My mom has repeatedly told me it is a beautiful thing and so I want it. My father has also told me he will not let me be Alpha of this pack if I choose Beth to be my mate.

"What has changed?" she asks still looking disappointed.

"A lot, if I were you I would go find Peter and apologize." I then continue on my way.