One
Marisol
Every year as a gift I get to spend one week with my family, and I just can’t help but count down the days until I get to see them. 32 days to be exact.
Maybe this time I’ll be able to find and pair another one of my siblings with their mate. It’s been about a year since I had helped James find his mate. That day was the happiest day of my life.
She smiled as she put her pencil down and stared at the words that she had written. She knew that she probably should have started off writing about her week, since it had been an eventful one but she couldn’t seeing how with how excited she was.
A knock on her bedroom door startled her. She quickly closed her journal and shoved it in her desk drawer as her door opened.
“Marisol, your food is going to get cold if you don’t come down soon, and you know Ben prefers it when we all eat together.”
Marisol looked up at Izumi, Benjamin’s beautiful soulmate. She could never look at her and not be mesmerized by her beauty. She had caramel brown skin, dark curly hair that was a little below her shoulders and light brown eyes. She is perfect mate for Benjamin, and the perfect best friend for Marisol.
Izumi smiled at Marisol before holding out her hand to her, “Come on now, Ben is excited to hear about the vision that you had today!”
Marisol smiled right back at her, and placed her hand in Izumi’s. Izumi was quick to drag her through the small cabin. Izumi was always excited when the three of them ate dinner together, she loved to hear Marisol and Ben about the visions they received and the advise each other on how to help the fated mates find one another.
“Will she be joining us today?” Marisol asked Benjamin when she and Izumi had approached the table.
Benjamin smiled at her. “Not today, but she will soon. She is very proud of us and how we have been helping these stubborn wolves lately.”
Izumi giggled as she sat down next to Benjamin, and Marisol took the seat across the table.
Benjamin gave Izumi a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to face Marisol. “Alright let’s all trade stories on how we spent our days apart.”
Before Marisol or Benjamin could even gather their thoughts on their journeys Izumi was to interject. “Marisol you go first I know you got to help an Alpha! Please please tell us about it?” She practically begged. Her palms were placed flat on the table and she leaned forward out of her chair slightly.
Marisol and Benjamin placed their hands on their mouths to stop themselves from laughing at Izumi's enthusiasm, but the noise still left their lips anyway.
“Alright I guess I’ll go first, but after I want to hear about what you’ve done these past few days as well.” Marisol said after she was able to compose herself. Her cheeks flushed a deep red after Izumi put her on the spot, but she didn't mind.
Izumi quickly agreed. When Marisol first mentioned that she received a vision of the minor alpha and his mate to Izumi was more excited than anyone else. She was over the moon at the fact that Marisol was going to pair an alpha.
“This is going to be a bit of a long one.”
“That’s fine, Marisol you know Izumi prefers the long stories.” Benjamin said with a laugh and Izumi laid her head on his shoulder as she silently agreed.
“Well you both know that I saw the vision of an alpha a few days ago, he was with a she wolf dancing at what looked like a wedding. It was Alpha Kane."
Just as Izumi was about to make about to start cheering, Benjamin wrapped his arm around her and cupped her mouth, pulling her into his side.
"Please continue." Benjamin said as the left corner of his lip tipped up slightly.
“Well five nights ago in a dream I caught the name of his mate, Willow Ives. When I finally got her name I went to the South West lands as fast as possible only to have them attempt to accuse me of trying to infiltrate their pack in attempt to kill the Alpha.”
Izumi's gasp could still be heard even with Benjamin's hand over her mouth.
Izumi and Marisol's eyes traveled down to Benjamin's hand that was shaking as he gripped his fork. Marisol's eyes widened as the fork slowly started to bend.
“What did they do?” Benjamin asked his eyes narrowed. Even though his tone was calm both girls knew better. There was no doubt in their minds that he was going to tell her about what happened and the South West pack might have to face the wrath of an angry goddess.
“Honestly, it wasn't that big of a deal, I was prepared. They attempted to interrogate me but I held firm until the Alpha came.” Marisol tried to reassure him.
“Nonsense!” Benjamin yelled as he slammed his fist on the table as he stood up. “They know what our moon goddess looks like, so they should know that you are one of her children and you were there to help!”
Benjamin rarely gets mad at anything, so seeing him angry startled his mate and Marisol.
Benjamin did have a reason to be mad, they are usually welcomed into all packs with open arms and the members are always ecstatic to see them knowing that they were usually visiting to help wolves find their mates. However, lately there has been a shift in the air, the wolves apart of packs have been paranoid. Even to one another.
“Benjamin calm down they were just trying to keep their pack safe, don’t you want to hear the rest of the story Izumi?” Marisol asked tilting her head in Benjamin’s direction.
Izumi quickly pulled Benjamin back in his seat and started to run her fingers through his hair and the tension left his body immediately as he melted into her. “Yes, please continue.” She stated before she began to press light kisses on Benjamin's cheek.
Marisol couldn’t help but smile at the two, her older brother and his mate. Most people wouldn't like the PDA that they are displaying, but Marisol loved it. She couldn't help but gush over the love the two wolves had for one another.
“I was in the interrogation room for about half a day before they finally let me see the Alpha. I decided that if his wolves were acting paranoid about me then he would probably be worse. So I forced my vision onto him." She cringed a little after saying the last part.
Sharing visions between consenting parties rarely hurt, but when a vision is forced it is nothing but pure agony. Marisol and Benjamin try to avoid forcing visions onto anyone because of the pain that it brings. Sometimes it has to be done because of how stubborn wolves can be.
“I didn’t feel like I had any other choice they were all convinced that I was an imposter attempting to gain information to help the rogue wolves.” Marisol placed her face in her hands, it has been a day since it happened and Alpha Kane had forgiven her but it does not take away from her guilt.
“You don’t have to explain, Marisol. I have had to force my visions on a few wolves as well we do what we have to do.” Benjamin stated and then nodded for her to continue.
“Well he obviously was in immense pain and fell to the ground immediately, and his warriors immediately went to attack me-” She tried to rush through that part of the story so they wouldn't react but Benjamin's growl pierced the air.
Izumi was able to console her mate quickly with more gentle caresses and soft kisses.
“Right as they were getting ready to probably kill me they were stopped by their Alpha. He ordered them to release me and commanded that everyone leave.”
Marisol took in a deep breath through her nose, this would have to be her favorite part of what she does. “He looked at me and he smiled. He asked me if I knew where she was.”
Izumi sighed dreamily, she loved hearing the stories of how the wolves react when they find out that they are going to meet their mate soon.
Marisol had a feeling that Izumi wasn’t going to like this part though. “Well I told him that while I didn’t know where she was I did know her name, and that I was willing to help him find her. He agreed with me, but when I told him the name he did a complete 180.”
“Who is Willow Ives?” Benjamin asked.
"His beta's daughter, she is twenty years old.”
“Wait if she is twenty then why didn't they feel the mate bond with one another?” Izumi asked.
“Well." Marisol dragged the word out a little bit. "She left the pack when she was seventeen to join another pack.”
“I’m not seeing the problem wolves leave packs all the time, it’s in our nature to wander.”
“She didn’t leave because she wanted to wander. She left because Alpha Kane humiliated her in front of the pack.”
Marisol frowned at her food realizing she was so into telling them her story that she had forgotten to eat it, but looking at Benjamin’s and Izumi’s plates she saw that their food had been forgotten about as well.
“Tell us what happened.”Benjamin demanded.
“Well she loved the Alpha before she was even a teenager, and she wanted him to take her feelings seriously or by the very least acknowledge them and have a conversation about it. So on her seventeenth birthday she was thrown a party and the whole pack was there to celebrate. She felt like since she had turned seventeen that Alpha Kane that he would see her as an adult and they could see what could be done about her feelings for him. He shut her down the entire night, but she kept pushing until he forced her to submit to him and agree to not talk to him about her feelings again.”
Izumi gasped she was horrified about what she was hearing. Now Benjamin was the one consoling her as her eyes welled up with tears.
“He did this in front of the whole pack?” Izumi asked as she fanned her eyes in an effort to fight off the tears.
Marisol nodded. “I suspect that she knew that they were mates the entire time.”
“I came here to rest, but in two days the Alpha and I will set off to the North-Western pack.”
“Why is he waiting?”
“First he has to grovel to her parents and get their blessing, and then he needs to figure out how to grovel to his mate.” Marisol with a giggle.
“Enough of talking about that for now, Izumi tell us about your day.” Benjamin said with a wide smile.
All Marisol could do was watch the two of them in awe, seeing them only made her excited for her future when she finds her own mate.
Judah
Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Alpha King Judah glared at his reflection in the mirror.
He was absolutely disgusted by the way that he looked at the moment. His chocolate brown hair has grown fat too long for his liking. He hadn't shaved in five days so the hair that has grown on his is unacceptable. Yet, he can't find it in himself to clean up his looks.
There hasn't been much time to focus on personal grooming. All of the packs within the pack lands have been on edge. No one can explain why, but something hasn't felt right for a while now. All of the wolves can feel the tension in the air, and their actions are showing it.
Fifty years as Alpha King without a Queen by his side has taken a toll on him. It has taken a toll on all of the wolves apart of the pack lands. No Queen by his side to help him through the trials and tribulations that come with him living the life of a king. No Queen to help guide him through the emotional help that all of the pack members will eventually need. No one has said anything, but they all are craving for him to find his Luna.
He stepped out of the bathroom and swiftly grabbed his crown off his night stand before carelessly putting it on his head. He didn’t care for his appearance, and his pack knew better than to say anything about his lack of care.
They all knew that ten years without a mate after the age of twenty is enough to drive a male wolf mad, let alone the fifty years he has been without one.
“My Alpha, My King.” His beta, Charlie said as he bowed his head to him to show his respect.
“Beta Charlie.” Judah nodded his head to show him respect also. “I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour.”
“It’s fine, it’s my job to deal with these kind of things.”
Without another word they both started to walk in the direction of Judah's office, and when they finally made it they saw everyone who was waiting for them.
His two gammas, Alexander and Luke. As well as his top warriors, Sofia and Cole.
When they reached the office all four of them stood and bowed their heads before stating, “Alpha King, Beta King.”
Judah nodded his head in respect to them before taking his place at the desk.
“Someone inform me what was so important that we all have to be up at two in the morning?" Judah asks as he leans back in his chair.
Cole cleared his throat before speaking up. “Rogues have viscously attacked the South-East pack, the Alpha of the pack, Wren is critically injured.”
It had been over fifty years since the last war with Rogue wolves. Pack wolves and rogue wolves for the most part stayed out of each others way. This attack on the South-East pack must have completely blindsided Alpha Wren.
“That isn’t even the worst part.” Sofia sighed in-between her statements. “The rogues had witches with them.”
There it was, the real reason why the rogues attacked. Witches. They have been a thorn in Alpha King Judah’s side for the past ten years.
The witches had turned their backs on the wolves a long time ago after attempting to eliminate them from the world, but during the last ten years the witches have gotten bolder and more desperate. Feeling entitled to the resources that grow on the wolf packs lands and attempting to steal the land right from underneath them.
Judah let out a string of curses before standing up and pacing the room.
To say he was frustrated was an understatement, he is the king. He should have seen this coming. “Cole, Alexander and I will personally escort one hundred and fifty of our best warriors to the South-East Pack.”
They all nodded in agreement.
“On top of that you should also bring Scarlet along with you she will be able to survey the damage and see what type of spells that these witches were using.” Sofia added in.
Scarlet was one of the few witches that were apart of the wolf packs. Most of the packs had one or two but the South-Eastern pack had no witches. Scarlet was almost as grumpy as the king and as old as dirt, but she was useful.
“Good thinking Sofia." He complimented. "We will be parting fifty warriors to each minor pack to help them prepare for anymore attacks. No one will be ambushed again.”
“Alpha Wren is in critical condition should we bring our doctor as well?” Sofia asked.
“Yes, good thinking Sofia go alert the doctor, he needs to gather his things now we leave before the sun rises.”
Sofia nods before rushing out of the room.
“Gamma Luke in an hour wake Scarlet and tell her to prepare her items as well.”
Luke nodded before bowing his head, and walked out of the room.
Judah slumped back into his chair, he was too stressed to even care about how his pack might look at him right now. It was two in the morning, and they had to leave by five to get the South-East pack if they wanted to get there within a timely fashion just incase the rogues and witches decide to finish off the pack.
He overhead Beta Charlie give Alexander and Cole orders but didn’t pay attention until they both bowed their heads and rushed from the room.
“These damn witches.” Beta Charlie said with a grumble before taking up the seat that Luke had occupied.
“Sneaky cowards is what they are, waiting until most of the pack is asleep to attack. I need to send word to have all packs have at least 10 wolves on patrol at all times.”
Beta Charlie nodded in agreement. “You best prepare to leave soon Alpha King, I will try my best to run your kingdom in your absence as smooth as you do.”
“I know you are capable.” Judah said with a nod before getting up. “Round up the soldiers a lot of them have long days ahead of them.”
Beta Charlie nodded before walking out of the office.
After his Beta left he quickly took his crown off before placing his head into the desk. He was sick of dealing with these damn witches and it only infuriated him more that they had wolves on their side. The very wolves that the witches wanted rid of. He is sure that the witches have given the rogue wolves that joined them false promises, there is no other reason to explain why they have joined them.
He slowly got up before placing his crown on his head. No time for self pity when there was an Alpha fighting for his life.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
