Chapter 1 - The Mistress

Laureffaine let her eyes roam around the jewellery store as she searched for a gift for Xavier. She wanted to surprise him but nothing would come as a surprise to Xavier, because he was definitely going to expect a gift from her.

This was his 29th birthday and the 22nd birthday that they had spent together. The sad thing was, this birthday, just like Xavier's previous birthdays for the past five years, were spent just like best friends.

Then they'd meet secretly and enjoy the last few hours of Xavier's birthday as the Alpha and his Mistress. She was his mistress and yet it was her he spent the first and last hours of his birthday with because she was the one he loved and not his chosen Luna.

Yes, you heard it right, she was his mistress and she actually loved it. To her, Xavier was the love of her life, they grew up together, then fell in love.

This wasn't your werewolf or shifter era where the Moon Goddess had a fated mate made just for you. The times had changed and mates were the rarest thing in their world.

The elders of the wolf councils and Priests from various Packs strongly believed that the Moon Goddess wasn't really pleased with her devotees and destroyed the mate bond, leaving the bond for the few wolves she had chosen herself, for the mate bond was her blessing to them.

Most people also believed that only the Arashitaves were blessed enough by the Moon Goddess to have a fated mate. But nobody accepted the Arashitaves because they were a curse to every supernatural being, they abused people with their power.

At least, that was what they all were made to believe since infancy.

Laureffaine actually didn't know if to be thankful that there was nothing like fated mates or to be upset, because she believed that chosen mates were a curse and that anyone with a true fated mate was truly blessed.

But then a fated mate would be in her way and she would have no way experienced this wonderful feeling with Xavier.But a look at Xavier and his chosen mate, Kate, had her questioning "The Choosing Process."

If there was a chance of a fated mate for her, she wanted it to be Xavier. If it wasn't Xavier, she was better off mateless and as a mistress, Xavier's mistress.

Between Xavier and Kate there was no love, no commitment, no nothing, Kate was just the Blue Lake Creek Pack's beautifully decorated Luna.

At least, with your true mate you knew very well he wouldn't cheat on you and the love of the bond was there. But with chosen mates, here Xavier was, cheating on his Luna, with her. She shook her head.

She knew it wasn't right but she used the fact that Kate snatched her love from her to tell herself that she was doing nothing wrong, just taking back what was rightfully hers, but deep inside she sometimes burned with guilt.

"Can I help you decide on something ma'am?", The sales girl behind the counter asked, bringing Laureffaine's attention to the actual world.

"Oh, I just want a really nice men's wrist watch", she replied with a ghostly smile sounding a little bit unsure.

"Are you sure ma'am?", The girl asked just to be sure. Some customers were quite picky and they'd always get angry with you for no particular reason at all.

"Yep, a nice men's wrist watch will be just fine", she finally decided.

"For your boyfriend I suppose, I don't see any bite marks on your neck and neither do I smell a manly scent on you, so I assume you don't have a mate", the sales girl brought out a vast number of gold, silver and diamond wrist watches for Laureffaine to choose from.

Laureffaine couldn't help but internally roll her eyes.

"Which of them wolves really had mates,was it not only the Moon Deity's favourites?", she thought and internally snorted.

"When did sales girls become so inquisitive", she thought.

"Since the beginning of time, it just happened more in the human towns", she reminded herself and internally giggled.

This girl was really bold enough to tell her she should go and get herself a mate. The girl didn't say it directly but Laureffaine wasn't stupid, she knew just what the girl meant.

She wasn't even that old. Was she? For the werewolves she was, at her age, she was supposed to already have her first pup.

"Pack the diamond Rolex watch for me please, and talk less, because your chosen mate could be cheating on you", Laureffaine said rudely as the sales girl gasped.

A big ugly frown etched on her face. She wasn't pleased with Laureffaine's rudeness but nonetheless hurriedly wrapped everything up. She took her money and without no welcoming words from either side, Laureffaine walked out of the jewellery store.

She quickly walked to her ride and hopped into the driver's seat. The jewellery store was in the middle of the town-square which was a little far from the Pack house. She buckled up and hit the gas, a thirty minute drive to the Pack House.

She had to train the teenagers before lunch and make sure everything at the border patrol was all good. As lead warrior, every wolf wanted their pups to be trained by her or the Alpha or Beta. She turned on the radio to listen to some slow music.

The thirty minute drive ended as fast as it started and she quickly went to her room to avoid bumping into Xavier. He'd ruin the surprise she had for him and she also needed to change real fast and get to the training grounds.

🎀 🎀 🎀

"Stop surrounding each other and attack", Laureffaine yelled as she watched the kids fight against each other in human forms.

Some were to young so were yet to shift, but others were old enough. But the Blue Lake Creek Pack always made sure that they were well trained in both human form and wolf form.

"Cowards attack from the back, fight with bravery", she shouted the mantra she was thought how to fight with.

She had been training them for hours and was physically exhausted herself so she could see their energy level already down.

"Lily and Jorge", she called the youngest mated couple in the pack. Lily was fifteen and Jorge eighteen. Eighteen and mated was old enough but the fifteen was the first Laureffaine had ever heard, it really made her too old to be mateless.

"Fight", Laureffaine yelled.

They were mates but everyone sure knew Lily was going to give Jorge a had time.

They went for each other, attacking without no mercy but careful enough not to hurt the other. Lily tackled him down but Jorge rolled them over.

She smirked and kneed him in his family jewels. As soon as Jorge's hands found his groin she flipped them over, locking his legs in the process, her elbow pressing on his throat, her thighs pressing deep on his groin.

He moaned in pain and raised his hands up, showing his neck as a form of submission.

"Congratulations Lily, this is how I like my she-wolves", Laureffaine congratulated.

"See you same time tomorrow", she waved them bye and left from there. She hurried to her room to quickly freshen up before heading to the dining hall for lunch.

She quickly grabbed a plate of noodles, giving Xavier a wink before leaving for her bedroom again.

Half way through her meal, Xavier enters.

"Anything for me?", He asked.

"Naa."

"I have a lot of Pack work today, I should get to it, see you at dinner", he kissed her forehead.

"I won't be at dinner, I have border patrol. Come meet me at thirty minutes to twelve", she smiled.

"As usual, I wouldn't miss it for anything", he winked and left just as fast as he came. At the moment all Laureffaine could do was finish her food and sleep before her patrol shift.

🎀

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

This was the exact phrase that went through Laureffaine's head as she laid in bed, she was exhausted from border patrol. She should be resting and not chasing after other people's mates.

She was twenty-six and still mateless. Even though in their era, fated mates were rare and you could only stick to a chosen mate, she was still mateless.

"And isn't this partially my fault?", She whispered to herself as she tugged on her hair.

She was pretty and anyone would love to choose her as a mate but she had her eyes on her best friend and Alpha,Xavier who was already mated.

And here she was, lying in her bed waiting for someone's mate and husband, instead of sleeping.

She was Xavier Lambeth's mistress and she loved it. It felt so wrong and yet so right. She had vowed to never be the other woman to make her fellow woman unhappy but here she was doing the direct opposite.

She loved Xavier, at least that was what she thought and believed. And Xavier loved her too, she knew he did. He only chose Kate as his mate because she had Alpha blood in her and was a good choice as Luna.

"He'll soon leave her for me", Laureffaine chanted in her head.

This was what she had made herself to believe these past years. Xavier had been her best friend ever since forever and they have also been more than friends. Xavier would have chosen her if the council hadn't asked for an Alpha's daughter as a mate for Xavier.

And now she was stuck with him as his mistress. She was going to hold unto that for now. Soon enough, he was going to leave Kate and be hers.

She shook her head to escape her thoughts as she slowly welcomed sleep, she had a big day the next day, she had a pack to train, she wasn't Lead Pack Warrior for nothing.

"Come in", she whispered as she heard a knock on the door.

She sat up as she spotted the mop of Dark brown hair that she loved. She smiled as she got up.

"Xavier", she smiled as her arms went around his waist.

"You were able to come, I thought you weren't coming", she sobbed.

"This is our thing Laure,ever since

forever, I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world", he replied and hugged her tighter.

"A minute more to your birthday",she said as she pulled away, looking at her watch in the process.

"And like always I'll spend the first and last hours of my birthday with you", he vowed and kissed her forehead.

Laureffaine couldn't get enough of him. Even if they weren't fated mates or chosen mates, still he was like the air she needed to survive. She could get lost in his chocolate eyes and he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

"Happy birthday Alpha Xavier Lambeth, I love you so much and the Moon Goddess as witness to our love, I'll love you until my last breath"

"I love you too Laure", he smiled leaning in for a kiss when she pushed him away.

"Hey, where is my gift?", Xavier questioned.

Laureffaine quickly went to lie down on her bed.

"And who said I got you a gift, you're getting nothing from me.

"I'm the Alpha here, I know everything and besides you always get me a gift", he joined her in bed.

"Fine, I'll give it to you tomorrow, at our secret time every year", she rolled her eyes.

"Hey you, don't you dare roll y-

"What is it?", she asked as she realized he was just sniffing the air.

She jumped to her feet as the scent hit her in waves and the eight lettered word left her lips.

"Vampires."