MY MATE

Isabella.

“Improve your stance, Dan. Your enemy will have an easy time taking you down if you use that stance in battle.”

I move closer to the young male and guide him, trying to correct his stance, “Here, widen your legs and don’t balance on your hind leg if you’re going on the offensive.”

I continue my inspection, taking note of my young warriors’ improvements. I believe in training every day. You never know when your enemy is lurking around, preparing to strike.

And as the Beta of Pack Loren, it's my responsibility to see to their training. My brother—Alpha Ledger Lenovo—rules the pack with what some people may refer to as an iron fist, but it’s all really for our own good.

We’ve been targeted by so many enemies in the past and we don’t want to leave an opening or weakness for our enemies to exploit, which is why both male and female wolves train, as long as they are up to 18 years old.

While walking around observing the young warriors, a messenger runs up to me, “Your presence is needed at the Alpha's office, my lady.”

“I will be there,” I dismiss him right away and  signal to my second in command to take over while I go to drop my weapons.

Hurrying towards my brother's office, I try to imagine what would be so urgent as to demand my attention.

“Thank the goddess, you're here. I was about to send another messenger to you,” my brother remarks as soon as I enter.

“What's happening?” I ask as I glance around the room. My brother is seated at the head of the table with my twin sister, Carmella, seated on his right.

The rest of the seats are filled with elders, leaving the seat on my brother's right empty. Huffing at the silence at my question, I sit and clasp my hands together on the table.

“We're staging an attack today and we need warriors,” Carmella tells me pointedly.

“Which pack are we attacking? And why is this impromptu? Is the plan solid?” I rush out in one breath, trying to hide my shock.

Carmella adjusts in her seat as she replies, “We're going to be attacking the Cordon Pack—”

I don't let her finish before I interrupt, “What?”

Looking at Ledger, I ask. “You're on board with this?”

Ledger lets out a heavy sigh before dismissing the Elders of the pack, leaving only Carmella and I inside with him.

“Isa…” he starts, using the nickname he's always called me.

“No Ledger, come on. Why exactly are we planning on attacking innocent people?”

Carmella cuts in before Ledger could reply to me, “Innocent people? They have been planning to overthrow us for years now and we just can't sit still anymore.”

“What do you mean overthrow?” I ask. Because as far as I'm concerned, there has been no relations or communication between Pack Loren and Pack Cordon.

“How are you not perturbed by the situation? Other packs do not take us seriously because they feel we are just a bunch of young adults running a pack without elderly guidance. It has always been that way since the death of our parents and that is not what they would have wanted for the park. That was not their vision for Pack Cordon.”

I stare at Carmella in disbelief, “So your plan now is what? To make a surprise attack on an unsuspecting pack and by doing so you want to somehow and the respect of other packs? How does that even work?”

I relax in my chair as I look towards my brother who manages to plead with his eyes for me to go along with the plan.

I sigh deeply as I think over the plan in my head. But before I could get a word out, Carmella butts in, “Don't forget that Ledger is not only our brother, but he's also the Alpha of this pack and his word is law. If we can't appeal to you as siblings, then it is within his right to enforce his will on you as your Alpha. Don't forget your place.”

I scoff and stand, making my way to the door before pausing.

“I have one thing to say. Ledger, don't forget that Alpha Ryan was your friend. You let Carmella get into your head about this so-called bulletproof plan, but also remember that Pack Loren has one of the best defenses in history.”

I turn to face them and find my brother deep in thoughts with his chin resting on his open palm, but I know he won't change his mind as Carmella had already gotten to him.

“Don't jeopardize what we have for what we want and might never have. I'll go and round up the pack warriors, Alpha. I just thought you should know my opinion as your Beta.”

And with that, I walked out hoping Ledger would change his mind. My fears were confirmed when the next morning, he made an announcement of the ambush we were going to lay on Pack Loren.

We begin our journey, leaving Carmella to stay with the rest of the pack members.

As soon as we got to the outskirts of Pack Loren, I sent out two young assassins to take care of the guards around the pack borders.

And then, we shifted into our wolves as we attacked the peaceful town. It was when we got to the middle of the pack settlement that I realized that they had a festival but then, it was already too late and there was nowhere else to go than forward.

I gave up full control to my wolf’s instinct, not wanting to think about the lives I took, even as I took them. I was not made the beta of Pack Cordon for just a title. I was one of the best trained warriors of the pack.

But then, everything seemed to stand still when I smelled him—my mate—somewhere in the crowd. My wolf got into a frenzy, wanting to get to him before anyone else did.

And when I finally saw him, I froze because at that moment, it seemed like all my dreams had come true.