Chapter 1 – His Search

Conrad is the oldest son of Alpha Carlos from the Snow Mountain Pack. Their pack is suitably named as they reside near the mountains, which become covered in snow during the winter season. Also, their wolves normally have white fur. Those native to their pack, anyway. Since there’s been a mix up with other packs due to mating, not everyone has a white wolf. The alpha’s family, though, carries the dominant gene. Regardless of mating with someone outside their pack, the resulting offspring would be white wolves.

Conrad has a younger brother named Caleb. They were two years apart. And though their father and the elders wanted to train Caleb as well, his brother isn’t interested. He’s a good fighter, though. He trains hard as a pack warrior.

Their mother is sweet, gentle, and kind. She has a very nurturing nature and helpful to everyone. She rarely raises her voice. Her boys wanted to have mates as wonderful as their mother. Of course, she taught them that, too. As pack leaders, their mates should understand the responsibility as well.

But Conrad is now twenty-eight years old and he hasn’t met his mate yet. This does not discourage him. Their pack is only one of many residing in the country. They have allied with the others and there’s an existing agreement of peace to make finding mates easier for everyone. Mates are very important to werewolves. It’s the moon goddess’ choice for every Lycan. There’s a certain pull towards one another, though it doesn’t exactly override one’s choice or will. Mates can be rejected. You can mate with someone else of your choosing. There are second chances, too.

Conrad’s confidence and hope wane every year that passes by. He hopes to meet his mate before he turns thirty. His Luna. He has already visited majority of the packs in the country. The scope of his search is getting smaller each month.

Who knew that it was her who would stumble into their territory?

The premise isn’t good, though. A group of rogues has stepped into their grounds, while being pursued by hostile wolves. The report came to his father and Conrad joined in checking the situation.

He perked up when his senses caught her scent. It smells like fresh apples. He lightly growled. There’s fear in the air and he heard a woman scream. He ran faster. He hoped that scream didn’t originate from his mate. She’s finally here! He’s finally gonna see her!

His father did sense the change in him and asked him through the mind l**k. He merely replied with one word. Mate!

As the next alpha of the pack, his mate is considered someone just as important. Carlos ordered everyone in his command to protect the newcomers, especially the women.

Your future Luna may be one of them. He directly informed them of the reason. That would make them take it seriously. Given that those wolves are rogues, it’s common to view them with suspicion and hate. There’s no genuine desire to help them.

That won’t be the case today, though.

Alice rarely transforms into her wolf. She’d only done it twice before. While everyone is already fighting in that form, she remained in her human one. She gripped in her hands two daggers that her mother gifted her on her eighteenth birthday. They’re sharp and she’s used to using them to protect herself. Against huge wolves, though… it doesn’t seem much. They hoped this pack that they encroached upon would help them, but her hopes aren’t that high.

Alice only met this group two months ago. Everyone has been running for quite some time. Her? She’s been on the run for almost a year now. Someone took pity on her early on and gave her a potion that masks her scent. It ran out a couple of days ago.

She doesn’t fight well. The way she defends herself is haphazard. When Conrad approached her, she almost sliced through him.

“Hey, there… easy.” It isn’t the time to admire her, Conrad reminded himself, but he could really spend days just looking at her.

Alice looked at him, confused. He’s in his human form and though he’s taller than her, she immediately noticed the way he protects her. Only then did she realize the newcomers. Are they safe now? She wanted to sob. Her legs gave in from a combination of hunger and fear.

“Are you okay?” His voice… that’s when the scent hit her and her eyes constricted. Mate! No!

He has one arm around her waist, having held her when she slumped down. He was reluctant to leave her, but knew he must.

“Stay here.” His voice was soothing the fear in her heart and she watched him transform into the whitest wolf she’d ever seen. Her body trembled. Is he…? Is he her mate? She took a deep breath and his scent was mixed in it. It was calming her nerves. It must be from exhaustion but she felt her body weakening and she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Softly, she slumped on the ground, covered in a thick layer of grass.

Their pack warriors drove most of the hostile werewolves away. Some were killed. They were tough and put up quite a fight. The rogues who encroached in their territory were rounded up and taken to the camp. As for his mate, he didn’t allow anyone else to touch her. He carried her in his arms.

His mother and a few other pack members checked the wounded.

“Do you want to put her in a nursery room or are you taking her to your room?”

There was that teasing tone from his mother and he knew his father told her.

“She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”

He appreciated her compliment, but he has no answer to her question.

“I don’t know yet.”

“She doesn’t have any fresh wound on her, just scratches here and there. You can put her in your room if you want.” His mother instructed and he obeyed. He needed to go and check on the group she came with. Rogues, huh? She doesn’t have a pack?

After tucking her in to his bed, he pressed a kiss on her forehead. A smile slowly appeared on his face. Mate. He finally found her. As he gazed at her face, he couldn’t be more thankful.

He only left her alone when his father mind-linked him and asked for his presence in the conference hall. He won’t be gone too long anyway.

When he arrived at the hall, he counted eleven rogues in total. Her mate will make that a dozen. Three are currently being treated for serious injuries.

“Have you interrogated them already, father?” He asked as he stood next to the alpha.

Before his old man could reply, a middle-aged woman directed a question at them.

“Where’s Alice? What have you done to her?”

His father turned to him, allowing him to answer.

“Is that her name?” He asked, repeating the name in his head. It’s as beautiful as her.

“Where is she?” There was concern and worry in her voice. Conrad doesn’t think she’s a threat.

“She’s safe, sleeping soundly in my room. You don’t need to worry about her.”

“In your room?” Now, there’s a hint of anger in her tone. Her eyes were glaring daggers at him.

Conrad sighed but his father decided to answer on his behalf.

“She happens to be my son’s mate. She will not be harmed, if that is your concern. Now, tell us how you stumbled upon our territory and who were after you earlier? Which hostile pack are they from?”