MY MATE

"Can you just hear me out, Valle?" Allen asked, his voice laced with a hint of frustration.

Valle's eyes flashed with anger as he turned to face his brother. "Know your place, Allen. We may be brothers, but I am still your Alpha. You will address me as such."

Allen let out a deep sigh, accustomed to his brother's outbursts. "Fine, my king. Can you hear me out?"

Valle's expression remained unyielding. "There's nothing to hear. I never told you I needed or wanted a wife, and yet you've gone behind my back and arranged for me to marry one."

Allen's pause was deliberate, as he carefully chose his words to avoid arousing his brother's suspicion. "You've not even heard the reason I did this," he said, his tone measured.

Valle's eyes narrowed. "Your desperation to have me marry makes it seem like you have something to gain from this, more than I do. Is that a lie?"

Allen's hesitation was brief, but telling. "I'm only doing this for you, my king. I know how much you crave power, how much you desire to conquer and expand our territory. Have you considered what having an heir could do for you? Right now, you're feared and revered, but without an heir, your reign will eventually come to an end.

The air was thick with tension as Valle's gaze bore into Allen, searching for any hint of deception.

"...if you marry and have an heir, it would solidify your position and ensure the continuation of our pack's dominance. You would be seen as a strong and wise leader, not just a fierce warrior. And I know you want that, Valle. I know you want to be remembered as a great Alpha, not just a feared one."

Valle's expression remained unreadable, but Allen could see the faintest glimmer of interest in his eyes.

"Think about it, Valle. With an heir, you would have a legacy that would outlast you. You would be able to pass on your knowledge, your power, and your vision to the next generation. And I've taken the liberty to find a very suitable match for you."

Valle's eyebrow shot up, his expression skeptical. "You've taken a lot of liberties, Allen. I'm not sure I appreciate your...initiative."

Allen took a deep breath, aware that he was walking a thin line. "I did it for you, Valle. For our pack. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to ensure our success."

Valle's voice was laced with suspicion. "And what do you get out of this, brother?"

Allen hesitated, knowing that this was the make-or-break moment. "I...I get to see you happy and fulfilled, my king. I get to see our pack prosper under your leadership. And I get to prove my loyalty to you, once and for all."

The silence that followed was oppressive. Finally, Valle spoke, his voice cold and detached. "Fine, let me see her."

Allen clapped his hands, and the door to the chamber creaked open. Alexa walked in, her head bowed in deference. She didn't raise her eyes, her gaze fixed on the floor. Allen opened his mouth to speak, but Valle raised a hand, silencing him.

Valle strode to Alexa, his movements deliberate. He reached out and gently raised her head, his eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, they held a silent conversation, their gazes locked in a power struggle.

Finally, Valle spoke, his voice low and commanding. "The wedding will take place in a fortnight." He waved his hand dismissively, and the room seemed to exhale in relief.

"That's two days away, Va-my king, don't you need time to....

"My word is final. You may leave."

With a bow, they both exited his chambers. Allen quickly sent for servants and tasked then with the responsibility of transforming Alexa into a presentable bride, and arranging for the dreaded Luna – a night of forced intimacy, meant to seal their union.

She was given a room to stay for the night, work would begin tomorrow. As the doors closed behind the departing servants, Alexa felt the weight of her fate settle upon her like a shroud. She was trapped, with no escape from the prison of her own life. The thought of marrying the king, a man as cold as the stone walls that surrounded her, was suffocating. She felt like a pawn in a game of power and control, with no say in her own destiny.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she thought of her parents, who had sold her to Valle without a second thought. They had always been cruel and heartless, but she had never thought they would stoop to this. And now, she was to be married to a man who seemed to care for nothing but his own power and authority.

Alexa's eyes rose to the moon hanging low in the sky, and she felt a pang of desperation. She had prayed to the moon goddess for a better life, but it seemed her prayers had been ignored. Why had she been born into this life of misery and suffering? Would it not have been better to never have been born, or to be dead?

* * * * *

"Off with your clothes"

She didn't want to but she couldn't refuse. He was the alpha king and his voice came with a certain compelling force that no one could refuse.

With fear, she took off her clothes but what came next was not what she'd expected. The moment his hands touched her, her wolf went insane, her body began to burn with desire.

"Mate" Alena, her wolf said in her head

How was this possible? Just how? Did he know? Was this her happy ending? Did...

The cold tongue on her skin put a pause to her racing mind. She fought hard to not let the moan out but it came

As the alpha king's hands roamed her body, Alexa's wolf thrashed about in her mind, screaming "Mate!" over and over. The sensation was overwhelming, like nothing she had ever experienced before.

The king's cold tongue sent shivers down her spine, tracing a path from her neck to her shoulder. Her eyes snapped to the king's, and for a moment, they locked gazes. She saw a flicker of surprise there, but it was quickly replaced by a burning intensity.

The king's hands continued to explore her body, setting her skin aflame with desire. Alexa's wolf howled in triumph, and she felt herself melting into his touch, her resistance crumbling beneath the onslaught of her own passion.

Did he know? Was he aware of the bond forming between them? And what did it mean for her future? Would she find happiness with the last person she expected, or would this be a union of convenience, a mere power play?"