3

Everything had fallen apart. I felt incomplete. Empty!

I knew I had changed yet I didn’t know what actually did change. I was most certainly going through anger issues.

Everything was going slow yet so fast at the same time. Three months had gone by since father passed away yet it felt like years.

I started getting these strange feelings. Different. That’s how I felt. I felt different from the people around me, I could somehow sense it. Ever since father left, that crescent mark on my chest started to hurt. 

There is something greatly odd about that mark. I used to ask father about it all the time.

“It’s a birthmark. You were born with it Aura” he used to tell me.

It’s not like I don’t trust him. I trust him blindly. I believe what he said was true but I just don’t really think a white crescent moon on my heart is a birthmark. If he told me it was a tattoo that would be more believable. I was born with it? Sure. But a birthmark? I’m not so sure about that. Since it’s in the middle of my chest I’ve always avoided wearing low or deep necks. People ask questions and pass quick judgments.

Nightmares were killing the little chance of sleep I was getting. It was always the same my dream. I was lost inside a dark forest. My heart was pounding my legs were giving out. Still, I kept going forward. All I knew was that if I stopped I won’t see the light of another day. So no matter what, I kept moving forward. I hear dangerous low growls behind me. Suddenly, I just stop and turn around. It’s too dark to see anything. But it’s there. Something was following me. It was there gawking at me. Focusing, I see it. A pair of electric blue eyes meets mine and my chest feels heavy and it’s hard to breathe but I want to scream. I wake up. Sweat dripping from my face and back soaked completely. And then there it was…the ache on my mark.

At some point, it became frustrating. Why was I not seeing father in my dreams? I wanted to see him. I thought of him all the time especially before going to bed. There was this crazy part of me which hoped that if I sleep with him as my last thought maybe, just maybe, I might dream of him.

It never worked.

In fact, I didn’t dream of him at all after his death.  

What really bothered me was the meaning of my dream. I wasn’t quite sure what it meant. It had no significance to my father or me for that matter. Or did it? Why was I dreaming of being inside a forest, petrified and lost? Why was I dreaming of those blue eyes? Whose were they? Why was I being followed?

These questions were only adding to my misery.

Asher’s POV:

“You do realize you have to marry soon, Alpha” Gray reminded.

Getting up from my desk, I spoke softly, “I don’t need you reminding me that every second day, Gray”

“I know, I know, I’m just trying to glue it to your thoughts. Other pack Alphas are practically throwing their daughters at your feet…”

“What Gray is trying to say is that you have got limited days to search for your mate before there is an arranged marriage set up by the Assembly for you. You can only delay it but,” Cole shrugged, “It’s going to happen sooner or later, Asher”

“Jeez,” I held my forehead, “You guys are giving me a headache. I’m going out for a run” with that said, I loosened up my top buttons. Passing through the training ground, I observed the young wolves. They were smarter and skilled. Yet they had so much to learn.

I transformed into my black wolf, Axel.

I know Axel was tensed. The thought of not being able to love from within was keeping him on edge. Arrange marriage meant loving a stranger. When you are mated, you create a bond but it’s different in the other case. You have to learn to love them internally until the mate bond is created and in a werewolf’s case, its way tougher.

Running at a fast pace, he let himself loose. He was running near the road side. With a solid grip to the ground, he halted; his posture firm and ears straight.

What is it? I asked.

He didn’t answer. All of a sudden, he started running again, getting closer to the city. He stood upon a cliff gazing at the distant busy city. There I sensed it. A girl! Something from within me sparked. Axel sniffed the air. He stood there gawking at it for a while.

Did you feel that? He asked.

I wasn’t sure what I felt but there was something so I just hummed. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

I caught a glimpse of dark brown hair. Her hair!

I came out of the shower. My mind had been cooled off and Axel seemed fresh too. I threw myself on the sofa and as soon as I did Coles’ words recited inside my head. The vampires have been attacking pack grounds.

It’s most definitely Derek. That vampire has been out for blood since I became the King Alpha. He created an army of blood thirsty vampires and his aim is to only weaken the pack foundations and eradicate any possibility of keeping truce between vampires and werewolves. An extremist you can say. He finds his race dominating and so proves by killing our people.

Pathetic is what I would like to call him.

There still hasn’t been any attack on our base. I sure as hell hope it doesn’t happen any time soon. There are many callow wolves this year and targeting them would be easy.

I am the Alpha of the Alphas. For centuries there hasn’t been an Alpha King this young. I am strong and bold. I am King. My pack army is stronger than any. We have the largest territory and due to my alliances and friendships my pack gets the strongest support.

Therefore, it is also important for me to get my bride as soon as possible. Every King needs a Queen. And to get that title many, many and I will repeat again, many women are going to be thrown at my feet for a proposal, especially by the Alphas.

When a wolf is unable to find his mate, which is highly unlikely, arranged marriages are held. In cases of the higher positions such as the Alphas, the Assembly arranges the bride. You can think of the Assembly as a government. The Assembly is formed by twelve elders of the twelve strongest packs in the world. They get to make such decisions and oversee royalty, also known as me. 

A flash of her hair appeared in front of my eyes. I closed in reflex. Who is she? I could sense her presence from so far away. It was so strong. Mate!

I took a deep breath and rested my head on the back of the sofa. Opening my eyes, I gazed at the ceiling.

“Where ever you are, I hope I find you soon, my Queen.”