Soul Mate Education

Humans always keep mating a personal thing. But for werewolves, it meant the same as eating food!

"The soul mate can please the werewolf by giving him/her freedom of choice and speech. If she wants to leave the werewolf, he should allow it. He should not force her into this soul mate thing and should not mark her against her wish. In short, he should let her go..."

She was speaking her heart when the class suddenly growled. She looked at her teacher, only to find her glaring at her.

"Get out of the class. You get no marks," her teacher said, anger evident in her voice.

Maybe I shouldn't have said anything about the leaving thing! Aadhira thought. But it was too late now.

She left the class and walked to the next one. The first lecture was about to get over anyway.

AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES

"Are you insane?" Shraddha scolded Aadhira as they sat at the first bench of their next class: Drugs and Their Mechanism.

"I don't think I said anything wrong! It's their problem if they can't hear anything against themselves!" Aadhira scoffed.

"That's okay! But what about the marks? Aadhira, you know you can't fail this paper! Even though this subject might not be significant in terms of getting a job, we still have to pass it in order to get our degree!" Shraddha explained.

"I know, Shraddha! It's not like I'm doing this intentionally. What I said was... what I felt was right. Forget it... it's only a month more! Our final exams are approaching, and after that, we'll get our degree and finally be free from this hellhole!" Aadhira said and forced a smile.

"By the way, do you know where our exam center is going to be?" Shraddha asked.

"Don't tell me it's far from here! I've already spent enough money this time, and now, I'm on the verge of poverty!" Aadhira pouted.

"Don't worry! It isn't far this time. It's near the South Werewolf Headquarters."

"Thank God! But how will I go? I'm sure Jay will be dropping you there!"

"Stupid, you can come with us!"

"As if Jay will allow it?"

"Oh, don't worry about him! He will do exactly what I want!" Shraddha said with a big smile.

"How?"

"Do you know what I asked for the first promise?" Shraddha asked.

"What's the first promise?" Aadhira asked.

"You seriously don't know anything about soulmates?"

"Yes, I don't! And I don't want to know either! Why would I want to learn about a species I have nothing to do with?"

Shraddha sighed and decided it was better to just get to the point.

"The first promise is a promise that a werewolf gives or takes for his soulmate. Stupid, I know. But for the first time, he would do anything she asks him. So, I asked him to let me be friends with you!" Shraddha said happily.

"Oh my God! Why did you waste this first promise thing on me? You should have asked him to let you go!"

"First of all, the first promise doesn't include letting the soulmate go! And secondly, that dog was forcing me to leave you and join other b!tches. This is why I asked him to let me be friends with you," Shraddha said.

"That's so... sweet of you, Shraddha! I love you," Aadhira said with a genuine smile.

Shraddha laughed and nudged her.

"Don't ever say that in front of Jay! Or else, he will kill you out of jealousy," she laughed

-One Month Later-

"Alpha, how was the meeting with the King?" James asked Arnav.

Arnav entered his house with such anger and irritation that James preferred to stay quiet. But as the Beta of South Goddess Moon, he knew he had to gather the courage to ask his Alpha about the meeting. It wasn't a casual matter when the Alpha King summoned someone on such short notice.

"Fine," Arnav replied. His voice, as usual, was deep and strong. He made his way to the massive sofa in his living room and sat on it with a thud. His Beta, however, didn't dare sit as his equal—that was the place reserved for his Luna.

"The officials are eager to know why the Alpha King summoned you," James asked hesitantly.

Arnav took a deep breath to calm his anger. He knew it would be wrong to lash out at his Beta, who had been nothing but loyal to him.

"The King called me to remind me that I have only two more years to find my mate. If, during these years, I fail to present the Luna to the South Territory, I shall be asked to resign from my Alpha position," Arnav said.

He wasn't upset about losing his position, but the mere thought of not being able to find his soulmate was eating him alive. A casual werewolf could recognize their soulmate at the age of eighteen, while Alphas and Betas could sense theirs as early as sixteen.

But he was twenty-eight years old and still hadn't found his destined one.

"That's not fair! There is no better person to rule the South Territory than you, Alpha!" James confessed.

It was true. Arnav was everything a good Alpha should be—powerful, disciplined, sharp, and, above all, a pureblood. His mere presence could make all werewolves, except the King, submit to him. He was ruthless and cruel, no doubt—those qualities came as an additional package if you were an Alpha.

He had everything, except his soulmate.

And he needed her—not just for himself, but for his territory too. A Luna, the soulmate of an Alpha, provided internal strength to the werewolves. Without her, that strength would wither.

Arnav chuckled at his Beta's comment.

"I'm glad you think like that, James. But the King isn't wrong. He has the full right to guide me. And without my mate, I will eventually fall apart. Then, who will look after the territory? I'm sure you don't want an insane wolf commanding you," Arnav said.

His voice should have been sarcastic, maybe even humorous, but it wasn't. His face remained serious, as if he were discussing a war strategy. His Beta knew this. He understood what his Alpha was going through.

The absence of a soulmate could do this to a wolf.

James himself had felt like he was going insane before he found his own mate. When he did, he finally felt safe. All he could wish for now was for his Alpha to find his mate as soon as possible.

"I would like to be alone now, James. I'd be glad if you could leave," Arnav said.

"Sure, Alpha. But I need your signature on some documents."

"What documents?"

"The medical colleges of Jaipur and Girija have organized their final semester exams here. The venue isn't far from the headquarters, so they need your permission to hold the exams here."

"Why can't they organize the exams at their own colleges or somewhere nearby?"

"Alpha, it's a rule of educational institutions to hold exams outside the city they live in. This way, students can see more areas of the South Territory."

"I know that... Ask them to choose another place. Haenden—the city where the headquarters of the South Territory is located—is not for this sort of thing."

"Actually, Alpha... I… I already gave them permission on your behalf."

Arnav's wolf bristled. His Alpha instincts flared as he glared at his Beta.

"And who gave you that power?" Arnav asked furiously.

"I'm sorry, Alpha! I thought... maybe… just maybe, one of them might turn out to be your soulmate!" James replied hesitantly.

Arnav calmed down as realization hit him. He was glad his Beta cared for him. But how could he tell James that he had almost lost all hope of ever finding his soulmate?

Almost.

"Fine. Give me the papers."

Arnav signed the documents and lazily tossed the pen onto the table.

"So, will you come with me to the exam venue?" James asked.

"Do I have any other option?" Arnav muttered, closing his eyes as he leaned back on the sofa. There was no doubt—he was exhausted.

James smiled. He had a feeling his Alpha would find his soulmate soon. After all, the Moon Goddess couldn't be so cruel as to deny him one forever.

James left the Alpha's house, but not before saying, "I know you will find your soulmate soon, Alpha. We will get our Luna soon."

Arnav remained still. He didn't open his eyes. He didn't reply. But James' last words echoed in his mind.

Soulmate.

Words couldn't explain how much he longed to meet her.

The lonely house. The empty bed at night. They made him feel more desperate than ever.

He envied other werewolves. They had their soulmates in their arms—he didn't.

He had no one to hold. No one to hold him.

He envied his Beta. He envied his warriors. He envied even the most regular wolves.

Hell, he envied the Alpha King too—just because they had their love by their side. And he didn't.

From the moment he turned sixteen, he had demanded that his father build him a separate house—a home where he and his soulmate could live together. Naturally, his father refused. How could children survive on their own?

But the moment Arnav became Alpha, he fulfilled his own promise.

He built his dream house—the home where he and his love would live forever, until death.

He waited.

Waited.

And waited.

But his wolf never caught the scent of his soulmate.

Years passed slowly, as if time itself was mocking his inability to find her.