CHAPTER 6

Soon we are in the car for the long drive to the Midnight pack. When the car starts slowing down, I look out of the window and I can tell that we are almost at our destination. I start drumming on the seat anxiously and I catch Beta Leo staring at me. Although he is quiet I can tell that there are a lot of things you want to say. But thank the goddess he is not talking, the last thing I need is for anyone to talk around me. He still sits in silence even though he knows that we have gotten to our destination. Maybe he is silent because he is not ready to face me or he can sense my simmering discomfort

I decide to stare out of the window instead. The pack house is beautiful. Decorated everywhere was different colours of light to add to the celebration. The car stops in front of the pack house and a service man rushes to usher me in with a bow. “Welcome how far Alonso of the Alistair Kingdom,” he says as he ushers me and Leo in

I mutter a small, “Thank you,” as I take my steps behind him, I am trying to be majestic, or rather I am majestic

As we walk towards the main venue, I can see the guards bowing down to me in reverence. Of course they would, the almighty Lycan king of the Alistair Kingdom is in their midst

“Wow,” Leonardo finally broke the silence between us. “They treat you like a king…”

“I am a king,” I say with a straight face as we still follow the service man

As we approach the grand hall and the fleet of staircase, I hear a loud voice booming from within the hall- probably that of the MC,  “Announcing the arrival of Alpha Alonso, the Lycan King of the Alistair Kingdom”

As if on cue, I enter immediately when the announcement is being made and the room falls silent, all eyes turning to me as I step through the grand door. I feel uncomfortable. I wanted to come in silently, but now all eyes are on me- eyes, mixed with the smell of both cheap and expensive cologne, roasted meat, blood, wine and ladies on heat- some of them could not really control themselves?

I scan the room again, I see dignitaries and common people, both seated and standing. They were having a fun time before I stepped in. Now they look at me in awe, some in amusement, some in confusion, some in lust- especially the ladies.

I hate the attention! I hate the Whispers! I hate it all! I just came to find a white wolf and I hope to be mated with her. My time is running out. the council of elders are on my neck- they threaten to withdraw their support if I don't find my mate as soon as possible

But what did I expect when I was coming? So I shoved my head back up. I made sure to put my shoulders on my back upright. I straightened myself and make sure my posture is speaking confidence, then I walked into the grand hall

“Alpha Alonso,” Alpha Kayte, the Alpha of the UmberShadows pack walks up to me with a big grin on his face. “I have not seen you in ages! Why are you hiding from everyone? Although I have heard rumors of you attending a lot of balls lately,” his grin widens and I cannot tell if it is sincere or he is mocking me. “I think your presence here confirms the rumours”

“Oh,” I fake a chuckle. “It is nothing, I just decide to go out of my space more often,” I am pretending now

More and more alphas and Betas come, and I have to endure the fake pleasantries and smiles I am forced to give them. I hate the small, useless conversations. If not for my predicament, I would not even attend something as stupid as this. It is dumb, and draining. I turn around remembering that Beta Leo is supposed to be by my side, under usual he should have read my mood and ward off all these visitors, but no- he is not by my side, instead I see him forlicking with a few young ladies. I curse under my breath. But I will not blame him, I have been snapping at him almost all through the day

Finally I am able to ward off all the Alphas and Betas that are gathering around me like flies on decaying corpses, and I finally find a chance to retreat. I go to a far corner of the hall that is dark and comfortable for me- if my fated meat is going to find me, she would find me no matter where I stay at. Thankfully there is a bar man near me, so I order for a glass of his best whiskey and when he handed it over to me I gulp it down in one move

“You have started hiding again?” I can tell it is Leo approaching me. How did he even find me in this big crowd? I thought he was having a time of his life with those ladies

“I am not hiding…” I tried to reply but he interjects

“If you keep hiding how would you find your mate?” he seems to laugh at me

“I said I am not hiding!” my voice is more gruff because of the alcohol I just took in

“Then what are you doing here?” He says again, his insufferable voice sounding louder as he came closer to me

Ignore him and instead I pretend to enjoy the music in the background. I nod my head as I try to sing along to the music but I end up muttering rubbish. I didn't give up even though I know that I am singing rubbish- I know I have to pretend to enjoy this party if not Leo would not let me be

“Don't look too quickly,” Leo is finally changing the topic. “But I think the most beautiful girl in this party has spotted you”

Against my better judgment, and against Leo’s instruction, I find myself instinctively turning my head to the direction he asked me not to look in. There, walking towards me is a slender, curvaceous lady with brown eyes and flowing brunette hair. I admit that she is a beautiful lady, but I am instantly not interested in her

“I said don't look at her, goddess damn it!” Leo snaps through gritted teeth and a low voice as the girl is now very close to us

“Alpha Alonso, right?” she smiles as she is is still trying to close the distance between the both of us

“Yes,” I almost say with a growl, but I decide not to chase her away with my uninterest. Who knows, she might be my mate

“I… I…” maybe I sounded too harsh because now she is stammering. “I am so pleased to meet you…” she suddenly sounds scared, her bright smile is no longer there. I know her cheeks are reddening in embarrassment

“Thank you,” I say nonchalantly as I signal to the bar man to give me another drink. Leo on the other hand is not having it, he keeps giving me a disappointed stare, but I don't care. I am not interested in the lady in front of me. If she was my mate, my beast would have recognised her already by now

“Can… I have a dance with you,” she manages to break a small smile

“I am not interested,” I let the words come out of my mouth very sharply. And I don't care because I am not interested in her, simple

She is flinching at the intensity of my voice and her cheeks redens even more. “I am sorry…” she whispers before she left quickly

“What the hell!?” Leo is trying to attack me as she leave

“Don't even start. She is not my mate,” I warn him

But as the girl left, it is like she went to inform other girls in the hall about my way about because they said trooping in like a chain reaction

“Alpha Alonso, you are so handsome. Can we talk?” One lady came again

“No!” My reply is immediate when I realised she is not my mate

“Alpha Alonso, can we have a drink together?” Another one came in excitement

“No!” I give her my reply harsh again. She is not my mate! Why can't my mate just approach me already!?

Leo is already tired of me. He keeps complaining about my lack of effort, but I am not even listening to him neither am I doing anything to help it.

“Why don't you just write it on your forehead that you are not interested!?” he shoot at me

“Why don't you just do your job and make them stop coming!?” I attack him back

He tries a few times to make me more receptive, but I refuse to. When he sees nothing is working, he get tired and he leave me alone to my fate- even better

“Alpha Alonso,” another came

“No!” I reply before she even starts speaking

“Damn, I need to leave this place and find another hiding place!”

“Alpha Alonso!?” Another feminine voice comes when I groan in frustration

“I am Leah!” she sounds so excited- too excited

“And I am not interested!”