Prologue

Eternal. The word eternal can be defined as an everlasting or universal spirit representing the Moon Goddess lasting or existing forever.

Let that sink in.

I wasn't always an Eternal Wolf. Before I was ever an Eternal Wolf, I was the Alpha Queen. Becoming the Alpha Queen wasn't easy by any stretch of the word, but being the Alpha Queen shaped me into the she-wolf I have become.

I didn't know it then, but I was destined for greatness. The Moon Goddess made sure of that. Saving my people, and really the earth realm from absolute destruction wasn't something I was thinking about when I was a young wolf. Little did I know.

Before wolves, fae, dragons, angels, succubi, witches, and warlocks lived in harmony under my eternal rule, we all lived to serve ourselves and our kind.

The Great War was fought amongst the wolves before my time, but ended with my grandfather, Henosis, becoming the first Alpha King. He ruled over the wolves peacefully for fifty years and eventually passed leaving the title to my father, Alpha King Harmon.

When my father failed to produce a male heir, it created imbalance once again with the wolves and the council of wolves.

The council consisted of the alphas of the 11 packs and one elder wolf from each making a total of 22 wolves on the council.

Ari’s POV

My father summoned me to his office again. I love my father. I wish I could say the same for the wolves on the council.

“You asked for me father?” I entered his office without knocking. He never expects me to knock, just everyone else. 

“Come in sweetheart. Shut the door behind you.”

I did as he commanded and went to sit in a chair in front of him at his desk. 

“What’s up?” I asked in a chipper tone. We were days away from the Mates Ball and Claiming and my nerves were on edge. 

For every unmated wolf across all packs, every year, a ball is thrown to launch the week-long festivities of finding our mates, meeting new people, making and maintaining alliances, and claiming our mates. Each year the ball is hosted by a different pack, and this year, to be sure I meet my mate, my father is hosting it. Not that I mind, since the last three years of Mates Balls other packs have hosted have resulted in complete disasters for me because I’ve never actually made it to the ball. My dad just wants to be sure nothing gets in the way of my ability to attend this year. 

“We have some business to discuss before the ball. We need to prepare to present you to the council this afternoon,” my dad stated plainly. 

Everyone calls him Alpha King Harmon, but I call him dad. I am the apple of his eye being that I am his only child and heir to the throne since my mother, his mate, died giving me life. It has been lonely at times, just dad and I, but I have my friends and they keep me busy. Without a male heir, my dad was pressured to step down, abdicate, or let another take over as Alpha King that could carry on the lineage, but I knew that didn’t matter to dad. He knew our bloodline was powerful enough to shut everyone up. And for many years, it did. 

Growing up, I didn’t really pay attention to the way I was treated in comparison to other kids my age. I didn’t think I was any different from the other kids. It wasn’t until the year before high school that kids really started to make me feel different. Jealousy and envy were the reasons I had a target on my back. I didn’t care though. I gave them a taste of their own medicine when they tried to dish out put-downs or do things to pick on me. I never let them get the last laugh though and I always exact my revenge. That’s also about the time when my dad formally announced that his successor and heir to the throne would without a doubt be me. 

“They want to discuss this NOW?” I asked surprised. 

My dad nodded his head, “They want assurances before the start of the Mates Ball and Claiming. Fen will be there as well. You will both be interviewed by the council and after the interview, they will either give you until your 21st birthday - 3 more months - or they will opt to pass the title to Fen now so that they can focus on him establishing an heir with his mate.”

“Did he magically find his mate and he has failed to notify all the she-wolves he sleeps with?” I asked sarcastically but my dad could hear how perturbed I was with the tone of my voice.

“He hasn’t found one yet, but they seem to think he will definitely be finding his mate this season so the focus is an heir.” My father tried to explain.

“That makes no sense dad! I haven’t even reached twenty-one and Fen is TWENTY-FIVE! He’s had five to six years MORE time to find a mate than I have. What kind of logic do these old ass mangy wolves have?!”

“I didn’t say those ‘mangy wolves’ made a lick of sense sweetheart. I agree with you, but you know the council carries a lot of weight. If I do not have their support, I cannot successfully run this nation as you will soon find out once you take over.”

I nodded my head a little discouraged. Patriarchal societies were so hypocritical. I wanted to really give those bastards a piece of my mind, but I have to mind my p’s and q’s for them and smile and nod so they elect to give me time. 

“They will ask you personal questions. Are you still pure? How many wolves have you had any sexual encounters of any kind with and with whom? Do you still maintain a relationship with any of them? How do you feel about producing an heir immediately after finding your mate and claiming him? What if you reject your mate? How will you react to your mate taking a mistress if that were to occur? If your mate is from another pack, he will be expected to live here and help you rule. How will you handle this? What is your stance in regard to intruders? Other supernatural beings? What is your plan to address the growing problem with vampires? I don’t want to overwhelm you, but these are all questions they could potentially ask you.” 

Those questions DID overwhelm me and piss me off. How were my sexual experiences any of their damn business? Apparently being royalty also meant you couldn't have privacy or dignity.

“Most of those questions are about topics that are none of their business! How can you let them ask me such questions?!” I glared daggers at dad.

“They have every right to ask questions about topics that directly impact the future lineage of the pack bloodline, YOUR bloodline. Who you have been with, what you’ve done or haven’t done, if you are still involved...those are all questions that directly impact the possibility of a future heir, which they are itching for at this point.”

“So, do I just answer them directly? What am I supposed to say?” I was feeling a bit exposed. I didn’t want to admit to my sexual conquests...or lack thereof...to my own father and his cronies!

“Will Fen have to answer the same questions?” I throw in.

“Be honest and be yourself. They may or may not ask Fen the same questions. He has done an excellent job of maintaining a clean and wholesome image.” Dad further explained.

“What, and I haven’t? What the hell?!” I was so over these hypocritical wolves.

“No one said that. I am just trying to prepare you for the possibilities.”

Just then his phone rang. It was the council informing him that they are ready for me now.

When I arrived at the council chambers Fen was walking out. They just finished interviewing him.

“Come to submit to me sweet cousin? You know I can't wait for the day I have you on your knees in front of me,” Fen smirked and walked by me with such a pompous and arrogant demeanor about him I wanted so badly to slap that smug smile right off his face. 

I rolled my eyes instead, “You know that will never happen, cousin. Keep your slimy paws off my throne and stay in your pack where you belong and we will continue to get along just fine.” I smiled with a tone and look that said ‘Fuck you Fen!’ If only I could actually say that to him!

He chuckled at my response. His laugh was so fake it irritated me. “Sure princess. They’re ready for you in there. Go...save what little time you have left.” He calmly stated sounding so confident.

I rolled my eyes at him and turned to walk into the council chambers. Why did I feel so dirty and disgusting after every encounter with my cousin? He’s such a creeper and yet everyone just LOVES him and eats up the shit he’s selling right out of his hand. Behind closed doors, he’s such a jerk and really the bane to my existence. I loath him.

“Princess Arianna. So glad you could finally join us.” Elder John of the Silver Claw Pack stated, glaring at me as I walked in.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” I smile trying to put on my polite princess look.

“We have some questions to ask you before we come to a decision about whether to continue your time limit to the end of your 21st birthday or whether to end it at the commencement of the Claiming before passing the throne to Fenry.” Elder Horis from our pack, Black Claw, stated.

“I am happy to answer any questions the council may have if the answers ease their minds and instill confidence in their decision.” I continue my ‘playing nice’ routine.

“Arianna Erickson, as you stand before us you stand to inherit the throne of Wolf Nation and the position of Alpha Queen should you find your mate. There is no nice way to ask some of these questions so we will be frank and direct. Arianna are you still innocent?” Elder Earnest of the Slick Paw pack inquired.

Admitting this to my mate was one thing...admitting this to an entire room of wolves that are old and practically salivating to see a youthful she-wolf stand before them wasn’t something I was jumping to answer. Dad warned me that they would ask. He also told me to be honest. This is so embarrassing!

“If you mean to ask if I have kept myself intact, remaining a virgin, for my destined mate, then yes. I am innocent.” I smiled confidently, hiding how embarrassed and insecure admitting to this made me feel. Some of the elders' shoulders relaxed visibly. Were they banking on me not being a virgin so they could use that as their excuse to deny the time? 

“That is good to hear. What sexual encounters have you had and with whom?” Elder Don of the Goldfang pack pushed.

I had to think on this for about one second, “I have kissed, but nothing more. The wolf I had this interaction with is now a very decorated warrior within our pack and mated.”

“His name?” Elder Earnest urged.

“Tanner...Tanner Bogany.”

The councilmen nodded their heads.

“If you find your mate before you turn twenty-one, what will your first priority be as Alpha Queen?” Elder Ellis of the Dreamwalker pack inquired.

“Well...to speak plainly, I’d think it obvious that my first priority will be producing an heir since finding my mate would obviously lead to completing the mate bond by mating. That would likely result in me becoming pregnant, so it doesn’t sound like my body has much of a choice on that matter, but aside from that, my first goal will be to secure our borders and rid the nation of these vampire attacks that seem to be causing problems for packs.” 

They were surprised by my answer. I don’t know if they expected me to be so aware of the political climate, or if they were surprised that I actually said producing an heir, not that I want to, but I know if they are already sweating there not being another heir yet, I wasn’t going to get out of that anytime soon. I feel so violated with these questions. I wanted nothing more than to bolt out the door while giving the whole council the finger on my way out. If I want to remain the heir, I can’t do that though. I have to entertain this charade. 

“And how do you plan to address the growing vampire problem?” Elder Tomas of the Moonwalker pack asked.

“Well, without much current intel, I can only speculate, but I would start with addressing all the Alphas to find out what resources they lack to secure their borders and how many warriors they currently have on patrols. I would then defer to Alpha Lucian of the Freedom Ridge pack to look into security systems that would help monitor these intrusions and provide some additional form of defense so our warriors are not out there without any form of backup. Technology continues to evolve daily and we would be foolish to think our enemies and threats aren’t using these advancements to benefit their causes. We need to also reach out to our supernatural allies to see what ways they could possibly assist us or reinforce our defenses in a mutually beneficial way. To further this, I would form ‘kill teams’ to seek out the vampires and clear them from our territories. We would also need to begin working together to create traps to assist in drastically reducing the vampire numbers without risking warriors in the process.”

All of their eyes grew wide, some even visibly had dropped their jaws in shock that I would even have an inkling of an iota as to where to begin on military tactics and defense.

“How will you handle your mate if he takes a mistress?” Elder Don inquires as he sits back in his chair squinting his eyes to study and focus on my response.

I had to think about that for a minute. I would be devastated. Wolves mate for life, so for my mate to break our mate bond by taking a mistress, I would have had to do something horrible to push him to that point. But what if he’s a creep like Fen? I can’t reject him. The council would put my head on a spike and surely call up Fen to do the honors! If I tell them I would accept this it would make me appear weak to the elders, but if I tell them I would kill his mistress and him for breaking our bond, that would make me also look weak for appearing to react out of jealousy. It’s almost as if he is setting me up with a trick question to throw me off and vilify me instantly. Could I do any of those things really? I thought of another approach to answering this honestly without appearing weak.

“If I am satisfying my mate's desires, he would have no need of a mistress, to begin with, and I plan to satisfy my mate THOROUGHLY and to the fullest extent at all times. Also, I would never deny my mate his right to my body and all its uses either, so there is no need to take a mistress given how readily willing I am for my mate,” I smirk with an air of sexual prowess...not that I actually have any but they need to see that I am confident in my abilities regardless. It made me feel kind of slutty, to be honest, but these wolves are old-fashioned so appealing to their notions of traditional roles, and the idea that I would fall in line and play my part as a submissive Alpha Queen was my strategy for this.

“Thank you, Arianna. That will be all.” Alpha Peter of the Mystic Hills Pack concluded, dismissing me.

I bowed to the council before turning and leaving. I took a deep breath and exhaled as I left the room. I was nervous. The decision this council was about to make could alter my life forever. It could also do absolutely nothing if they chose to give me the time originally agreed upon. I sat outside the chambers nervously pawing my fingers and nails as my father spoke to the council and they made their ruling. I assumed Fen went back to his room to wait for their decision. They did say they would call us with the decision, but knowing my dad is in there with them, I'm staying put until he comes out!

Time felt like it stood still. I felt like I was going to go bald before they ever came out with a decision. I could hear shouts inside the chambers. They were very heated about this decision regardless of the way it ends up going. That made me feel good. They WERE taking this more seriously instead of just letting Fen have the throne like I had expected them to do.

FINALLY, my dad emerged from the council chambers. He had no expression on his face. I hate not being able to read my dad’s face. It must be one of his Alpha abilities - the ability to hold a poker face so no one can read your face or thoughts! I doubt that’s actually a thing but if it was, my dad would have written the book on how to do it! 

“WELL?” I got up barely holding onto my sanity and breath.

“They are giving you until your twenty-first birthday!” He smiled at me reaching to envelop me in a warm hug. Dad always gives the best hugs. I instantly relaxed and sighed. 

“Apparently you impressed them with your answers and strategy for handling the vampire problem.” 

I smiled knowing I still had three months to find my mate and get busy.

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