Alpha Kieran's Mate

“You’ve waited three years, through six blood moons, why don’t you just choose your mate from the pack and be done with it?” my father sneered from the head of the table.

“Dad, I believe my mate is out there and I want the woman that the moon goddess intended for me. That’s the only way I can be sure that she is the right Luna for our pack,” I sighed as I cut into the steak on my plate.

“Our pack will accept whoever you present them with. Love is just a bunch of drivel, she just needs to be fertile and bear the next heir for goddess’ sake!” he snarled.

“Dad, I want the pack to love my mate just as I want to love her. Our pack needs the love of a Luna, it’s been too long since mom died,” I explained in defense. He’s been an insufferable b*st*rd since my mother died and anyone with half a brain can see that the pack morale has suffered since.

“Don’t you dare use your mother as an excuse to be weak. You are my heir, it’s about d*mn time you acted like it!” he shouted as his steak knife flew past my head.

I looked up from my plate and slowly placed my utensils down while maintaining eye contact. “I’m not weak just because I want what is best for my pack. I believe I have had my fill of this, I’m going out,” I said as my chair scraped against the floor when I stood. I did it intentionally, it pisses him off.

“We’re not done here. You were not excused from this table!” he shouted as I tossed my napkin down, never breaking eye contact.

“Perhaps you didn’t hear me clearly. I’m finished here and I am going out. I’ll be back when I get here,” I said and turned to exit the dining room.

He jumped up in a flash and was on my back with his arm wrapped around my neck. “You won’t disrespect me boy! I am your father and your Alpha!” he shouted, tightening his grip.

I elbowed him in the gut and as his hold around my neck loosened I spun around and planted my fist in his face. A shiver of excitement ran through me as I heard and felt the satisfying crunch of his nose. He staggered back and braced himself with the table, so he didn’t fall to the floor.

“I said I was done here. Touch me again and I won’t ascend to the Alpha title, I’ll take it. You should probably do something about that, won’t want to get blood on your precious floor,” I growled as I turned and left.

I stepped onto the porch of the Alpha mansion and breathed in the fresh air before I sent out a mind link. ‘Billy, Xav, Tommy, Tristan, meet me on top of the Blood Moon Hill. Someone bring me squares and suds, I’m letting Thunder out for a run,’ I said and cut the link. I didn’t need to wait for their response, they were my best friends in the world and they wouldn’t let me down.

I quickly stripped and tossed my clothes on the front porch before letting Thunder come forward. ‘Blood Moon Hill, Thunder. You take the lead, I need some thinking time,’ I told my wolf before I relinquished full control.

I felt the first few seconds of his paws pounding against the earth as he headed off in the direction of our destination before I completely tuned everything out to be alone with my thoughts.

I hate that my father is so hung up on me finding my mate that he has disregarded something so sacred. I have been tolerant of his asinine behavior because I know he has suffered since mom was accidently killed by hunters, but he doesn’t realize that he wasn’t the only one who lost her that day.

I may be the future Alpha of the Cold Moon pack, but I am not ashamed to admit that I was totally a mama’s boy. My whole world crashed around me the day my mother was killed. In reality that was the day I became an orphan, even with one parent still alive.

Something more than the bond snapped inside my father that day. He instantaneously went from loving to cold and callous. That was the first time he beat the hell out of me, the last time he attempted it was right after I got Thunder. That day my wolf gave me the strength to end the torture. Not that he doesn’t try now and again like he did today, but he knows I am already stronger without officially holding the title of Alpha.

I have never threatened him like I did today though. Could I really end the life of my last living parent? I mean I have never been the sort to resort to unnecessary violence in the past, but it isn’t like this is a little spat that started today, no this has been going on for six years. Six years that I have watched my pack suffer, four of which I took the brunt of his anger. Yes, for the future of my pack I most certainly could end my father’s life and take the Alpha title that is rightfully mine.

Why couldn’t the old b*st*rd just leave me alone and let me find my goddess given mate? Then everything would be as it should be, with the exception that I intend to banish the b*st*rd. The pack doesn’t need the reminder of how awful the last six years have been, there’s probably something to that out of sight, out of mind thing and I want him out of sight while our pack finally heals from the loss of my mother.

The feeling of my bones snapping and reforming drew me out of my thoughts and I came forward next to a tree where we kept clothes to change into after shifting. ‘Thanks Thunder,’ I murmured as we switched places in our mind.

I heard the rumble of Xavier’s old pickup truck coming up the hill just prior to the sound of paws pounding the earth and the happy yips of my friends as they came into view. I couldn’t stifle the grin that split my face seeing my ride or die best friends come into view.

“Sup Kieran? Did they finally find oil on Uranus?” Bill snickered as he shifted back from his wolf, Rip. I just rolled my eyes at him as I tossed a pair of shorts in his direction.

“Dude, I was out of smokes so I swiped a pack from my mom. They’re lights instead of full flavor, sorry. The case of suds was full though, so there’s that,” Xavier said as he popped out of the cab of his truck.

“Just tell me they’re menthol at least. Regular lights are like smoking air,” I replied as I caught the pack of cigarettes first and the lighter that followed. I read the pack that at least said menthol before I tore off the cellophane and flipped open the top and plucked one from the pack. I used the lighter which had a picture of a woman in a compromising position on it to light my cigarette and exhaled a sigh after taking the first drag.

The guys all passed the pack and lighter around as Bill opened the case of beer and passed one to each of us. I topped the top of mine and downed it in one gulp before anyone said a word.

“So what’s going on Kieran? Is your dad still the first oarsman in the douche canoe?” Tommy commented. I nodded and sighed in response. It was just like Tommy to be observant enough to know what the problem was without me having to say a word. That’s why he’s going to make the perfect Lead Warrior when I ascend to Alpha.

“Yeah, his d*ck is all twisted over the fact that I haven’t found my fated mate yet and he suggested that I take a chosen mate from the girls in the pack,” I explained as I opened the second beer and took a drink.

“It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to choose your mate. I love Kayla with every fiber of my being, I don’t even think that I would have loved Sandra that way,” Tristan replied sincerely. I know that he means well, but it isn’t the same.

Tristan’s fated mate was from a pack of rogues and was killed during a battle moments after he found her. But he did have a point, he and Kayla were quite possibly the picture perfect couple. However, the reality is that there isn’t anyone in this pack that I am remotely interested in.

“It’s a thought Tristan, but in all reality there’s no one here that is even vaguely appealing to me. I certainly don’t want any of those airheads that bat their eyelashes and toss their hair over their shoulder the second I walk by,” I scoffed.

“What are you gonna do then Kieran? You can’t keep dodging the bullet on this, our pack really needs you and our Luna. I have heard talks of some pack members applying to become members of other packs, people are miserable here,” Xavier questioned.

“I don’t know man. I can’t take a chosen mate from this pack, there isn’t anyone that I think would fit my idea of the perfect Luna here. Don’t get me wrong I do believe that once I become Alpha and if something were to happen to me, that Suzie or Melissa would make wonderful Lunas. It’s just, I need my Luna, I need the girl the goddess created specifically for me. My mom always told me that my mate will complete me like no other could and I believe that. Besides, the only girl I have ever been good friends with will be my female lead warrior,” I responded, explaining it the best I could.

“Have you thought of inviting Cicily Martinez over on the night of the blood moon? She came to live over in Rip Claw when that d*ckh**d Hollis found Luna Graciella at one of those mating balls,” Bill questioned earnestly.

“That’s Luna Graciella’s twin sister, right? Hard pass. I have nothing against the new Luna and her twin, but the thought of having a mate that looks like Hollis’ mate is freaky. I don’t care if their pack is closest to ours, there’s something not right about him, he gives me mega sleazeball vibes,” I replied with a mock shiver.

“You never know man, she could be the one and the moon goddess sent her with her sister for you. At any rate, what about going to one of those mating balls that Hollis went to? Maybe your mate will be the shy, sweet, little virgin hiding in the corner hoping nobody will notice she’s sweating bullets worried about the fact that her shoes aren’t exactly a perfect match for her dress,” Xavier teased.

“Then you can walk up to her and throw her over your shoulder and say ‘Don’t worry little lady. Me heap big Alpha and you complete me even with ugly shoes.’ Then drag her off to a quiet place and take her virtue,” Bill chimed in.

“The f*ck is wrong with you? You went cowboy, to caveman, to Jerry Maguire, to rapist in one sentence. Why did the goddess give me a dipshit like you for second in command?” I scolded and smacked the side of his head at the same time. “You might be onto something though Xav. If I made plans to attend one of those balls for the next blood moon it might get my dad off my back,” I added as the thought rolled around in my head. The idea really wasn’t a bad one, to be honest and I really wouldn’t mind having a shy, sweet girl to love and cherish.

I pushed that thought to the back of my mind as the subject changed and we talked about normal things that a bunch of guys did when together. After we had each had 4 or 5 beers and polished off the pack of cigarettes Tristan changed the subject again and things got a little serious once more.

“Kieran, I know you asked if I would consider being your Delta, but I kinda have my heart set on a simpler life. I don’t really wanna be responsible for pack problems and stuff, I kinda wanna be the guy people come see when they need a pick-me-up or to take a load off,” he confessed.

I rolled to my side and propped myself up on one elbow, since we had all been laying on our backs looking at the stars. “Listen my dad is never going to agree to having a bar on the pack’s land and I’m not so sure I would really want one either. We don’t need a bunch of warriors getting drunk and rowdy after a particularly shitty patrol shift or something,” I stated. I’m obviously not opposed to alcohol, but I am concerned about what making it easier to access could mean.

“That’s not what I meant, Kieran. I was thinking more along the lines of taking over Winters Coffee Shop. Old man Winters is one of the pack members who has applied for membership to another pack. I was thinking maybe when he leaves Kayla and I could take it over and keep it open. When we go off territory there is this coffee shop in the neutral territory that we like to go to. Kayla made the comment that it would be fun to be able to serve coffee and chat people up all day. I want to give that life to her if the opportunity arises and I kinda want to do it by her side,” he explained sheepishly.

Tristan was a d*mn good warrior and I wanted to bestow the title of Delta on him, but who was I to stand in the way of his dream. “I tell ya what, if old man Winters really does leave, I will make sure the coffee shop is yours. If he doesn’t leave, you’ll talk to Kayla about becoming the Delta couple of the pack under my lead. Deal?” I asked, extending my hand to shake his.

Tristan extended his hand and shook mine. “Deal,” he agreed. “No offense, but I really hope he leaves. I would really love to be able to tell Kayla that we are going to live out her dream together,” he added.

“You know what Tristan? I do too. It would be a positive change for the pack, old man Winters is kind of a sourpus anyway,” I conceded. “Okay guys, I think we should probably pack it in for the night. You all have mates to go home to and if I don’t show up soon, my dad is liable to flip his sh*t and send out a search party,” I added with a tinge of regret.

We made sure that all the cans and cigarette butts were in a trash bag and tossed that into the bed of Xavier’s truck before we stripped and tossed our shorts in there too. Everyone but Xavier shifted and with unsaid ‘see ya laters’, raced back towards our homes.

I managed to slip into the house last night without encountering my father. I know my luck is about to run out though because I am required to be at the breakfast table by 0730 each morning. I rolled to my opposite side and looked at the clock on my nightstand, realized that I had two hours before the inevitable bitchfest would begin, and decided to go for a run.

I grabbed a pair of sweats from the dresser drawer and slipped them on, before slipping my feet into my favorite beat up tennis shoes. I quietly slipped down the back stairs and out the back door and exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding. I did a quick round of stretches before I started off at a slow jog.

As I ran I slowly increased my pace and tried to focus solely on my breathing and the coil and flex of my muscles. Each time my body started to be comfortable, I would increase my pace, pushing for the next level. Running the perimeter of Cold Moon territory was often my route of choice, that