The Mark of Betrayal

Chapter 3: Alpha Party

Roman

“Remind me again, Sawyer, why I need to go to the southern packs for this Alpha meeting?” I ask my best friend.

“Because we need to make sure they remember that we are the stronger packs,” he says, chuckling.

“And how did you get out of this?” I ask him.

“My Luna’s belly is large with my pup and she’s due to deliver our child any day now. I can’t leave her in case she goes into labor.”

Sawyer had stepped in, taking over as the Alpha of our friend’s pack after he and most of his family were decimated in an attack nine years ago. As a second son of an Alpha, he was the natural choice. I couldn’t take over that pack, or what was left of it, because I am the first son of an Alpha, and I had my own pack that I was going to inherit less than a year later.

Together, Sawyer and I, along with his brother, Dylan, have led the northern packs to strength and prosperity. I’ll admit, I’ve had an easier time of it than Sawyer who had to build Theo’s pack from the ground up, but my pack is stronger than even his brother’s established pack.

Thoughts of Theo remind me of Samara. We never found her. I can only hope that she wasn’t captured and taken hostage by the attacking pack. After we won the battle, I had taken my own army to the pack lands of the Alpha who had sent his men to attack. He barely had time to beg for his life before I removed his head from his body. I had searched everywhere in his pack, the cells, his Alpha suite, every inch of his pack lands searching for her, but I never found her. Finally, I had to admit to myself that she was dead. I don’t know how I’ll face my friend when my time comes, and I go to the Moon Goddess’ realm. I don’t know how I will tell him that I failed him and couldn’t save his youngest sister.

Part of me wonders if it’s that failure that has kept me from finding my mate. At twenty-six years old, I’ve been searching for my mate for eight years, ever since I turned 18. But, I haven’t found her. It’s possible that this Alpha meeting will bring me in touch with her, finally, after all these years. But, in truth, I’ve begun to believe that I’m being punished for not saving Samara.

“Come on, Roman. You know there’s a very high possibility that you’ll find your mate there. Every unmated Alpha female will be there, hoping to find her mate. Now’s the best chance you have of finding her,” Sawyer says, echoing my thoughts.

“You’re right, I know you’re right, my friend. Alright, I guess I’ll see you when I get back. Let’s hope it’s with my Luna in tow,” he chuckles before I hear his mate in the background.

“I’ve got to go,” he says.

“Give your Luna my love,” I say before disconnecting.

I pack my bags, ready to be away for several days. I meet with my Beta, Austin, to go over everything he needs to cover for me while I’m away.

“Think you’ll find our Luna?” he asks. Austin is a few years older than I am and found his mate nearly eight years ago. They have two pups, one girl and one boy.

“Goddess, I hope so,” I say, but I don’t believe that it’s going to happen. In the hopes that I would find my mate someday, I’ve been careful not to sleep with too many she-wolves in my pack and never for any length of time. I wouldn’t want my mate to be uncomfortable and I wouldn’t want any of my she-wolves to think that they were going to be taken as my chosen mate. I may decide at some point to take a chosen mate, but I’m not there yet. I want to find my fated mate. Every Alpha I know who has found his fated mate has been happier and more content than the Alphas who take a chosen mate.

The next morning, I set out to the southern packs. It’s an eight-hour drive, one that is fairly boring, but I think through everyone that will be in attendance, everyone I want to make connections with, and everyone that I’m sure will want to make connections with me. I am, after all, the strongest of all of the Alphas. My pack is larger than any other. Physically, I’m stronger than any Alpha that has ever tested themselves against me, including Sawyer and Dylan. And I’ve continued to increase my pack’s wealth, wealth that has been in my family for generations.

By the time I arrive, I’m tired and I just want my bed. However, I know there is a meet and greet tonight.

When I step out of the car, I smell a delicious scent and my wolf, Pierce, stands up in my head.

‘Pierce, what’s going on?’ My wolf has incredible senses, and I learned at a very young age to always trust his instincts.

‘Find the source of that scent,’ he says.

I feel my heart skip a beat. ‘Is it our mate?” I ask, hopeful that I’ve finally found her.

‘I won’t know until I see her, but I think it’s her,’ he says. I take a deep breath, committing the scent to memory, green tea, white ginger, and vanilla. It’s a light, clean, pure scent and it makes my mouth water.

“Alpha Roman. Welcome to my pack,” Alpha William says, stepping up and distracting me from the intoxicating scent.

“Alpha William, thank you for hosting all of us for this meeting. Alpha Sawyer sends his regards, but his mate is about to have their third pup, and he didn’t want to leave her alone.”

“I understand,” he says. Alpha William is one of those older Alphas who found his mate late in life. It’s Alphas like him that give me hope that my mate is out there, maybe she just hasn’t come of age yet. He’s in his early 40’s and his Alpha heir is only twelve years old.

“I’ll have one of my omegas show you to your room. Our cocktail party won’t begin until 6pm. There will be food and drinks available then. If there’s anything at all that you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” I say, following the omega into the packhouse. When I walk in, the scent becomes even stronger and I know that whoever the scent is coming from, she’s part of Alpha William’s pack. Pierce begins purring in my mind, and I become even more sure that my mate is here.

Gone is the fatigue from a few moments ago and when I arrive at my room, I make a point to change into appropriate clothing for tonight. I look at my watch and realize I have an hour before the cocktail party begins. I decide to search for the scent of my mate, hoping to find her before the party begins.