Chapter 1: The Chosen Mate.

They glared at each other, ready to attack as they grunted heatedly. Elise pounced towards her nemesis but unluckily, she missed and got pinned to the ground. Her nemesis groaned, retelling her who the boss was. She heaved a sigh of defeat.

“Okay, fine, you win, Mom. I give up,” she said, declaring defeat. Azzura chuckled softly and pushed Elise’s head even harder to the ground, making her wince in pain. “And?”

“And you’re the best Linda the Alpha could ever get… and you’re unbeatable… can you please unpin me now? You’re crushing my head,” Elise mumbled as she grimaced in pain. Azzura scoffed happily and got off her daughter. She sighed instantly when her mother released her.

She got to her feet, arising back to her human form. Her mother did the same. “Great fight, Elise. I have to admit, your reflexes are getting better, but they can never pass the one and only Linda of the Scuris pack.”

Elise rolled her eyes just as she chuckled. “Yeah, yeah wait till I start running my own pack,” she declared and Azzura heaved a sigh, hugging her closer. “I hope so too, Elise. But don’t forget your father’s…”

“Yes, mother. I have not forgotten; you’ll have to find your mate and build your own pack before you can be declared a Linda, I have not forgotten that ridiculous policy father made.” She could feel the rage surging in her. She was irritated, so angry that she couldn’t do as she wanted because she was the daughter of the Alpha and there were some boundaries to that—also because she was a female werewolf!

It was exasperating how female werewolves get relegated whenever it comes to wars or hunting or leading. They are regarded as weak and expected to stay indoors and give birth, and raise the children, and cook.

Elise wanted to have children but she wouldn’t want to be a stay-at-home mom like her mother, Linda Azzura. She wanted to also come out and lead a pack, go hunting, fight their nemeses.

She despises how they were always ordered to stay in and hide whenever there was chaos. Only Linda was allowed to come out and fight, and that was very rare in their pack. The Alpha and his pack warriors were always the ones that do the fun stuff—as Elise declared. She saw fighting as a fun activity.

“I have to start working on dinner, sweetie. Are you coming to help out?”

Elise slightly shook her head. “I have to catch up with Miley and Daniel by the waterfall.”

“Okay, sweetie. Don’t stay out too long like you did last night.” Azzura kissed her goodbye and they parted ways.

She strolled passed the pack of omegas chattering away and enjoying their evening. They suddenly went silent when they spotted her. She hated how almost everyone was afraid of her. No one dared to come close to her, not after knowing who her father was and what he’s capable of doing over his only heir.

The last werewolf that picked on Elise and hit her was Alex, and he got sent out of the pack, a few days later his body was found in the bushes. He must’ve trespassed another pack’s territory and they dealt with him.

She heaved a sigh and walked past them to the waterfall, where her two friends Miley and Daniel were waiting for her.

Miley is six months younger than Elise. She’s the daughter of the Alpha’s beta. Her father is the second strongest werewolf in the pack, after Elise’s father. They’ve been best friends since they were a year old, till date.

Daniel comes from a decent omega family. He’s older than the both of them. He’s like a father figure to the two of them. He never gets in trouble even though Elise and Miley were always looking for one. He knew they’d be let off with a warning but he might not get that grace. He’d put his family in danger or even get kicked out of the pack.

“What took you so long? Or have you already built your territory and moved out of Alpha Anakin’s pack?” Miley said flippantly but Elise didn’t find it funny. Daniel suppressed his laugh and cleared his throat. “That is not funny, Miley. Give some respect to our future Linda…”

“Thank you, Daniel.” Elise joined them by the edge of the waterfall. “That’s if she manages to find a Mate…” Daniel clasped his palm over his hand when Elise glared at him. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled while Miley laughed out without caring that she’d annoy Elise.

“You guys aren’t helping matters,” she lamented and slumped her head onto Daniel’s shoulder. He heaved a sigh as he wrapped his strong arm around her petite body. She snuggled in and hugged his torso.

“Don’t push it, Elise. Sometimes, you just have to stop worrying, wondering and doubting. Have faith that things will work out, maybe not how you planned, but just how it’s meant to be.”

Elise had her eyes closed as she smiled at the words Daniel said—this was one of the reasons why she’d never trade him for anything. He was good with words and he knew exactly what to say to make her feel at ease.

“Yes, and you should be lucky that no female werewolf in this pack or any other pack would have the guts to compete against you. You two would have to fight till one’s dead or you have to get lashed until one of you gives up. Your only quest is to find a mate, that’s all. And you’ll be the Linda of your own pack.”

Elise sat up and looked over to Miley. She was right, her pursuit was so easy. She only needed to find a Mate to be her Alpha. She never thought it was going to be hard until every single werewolf in their pack tried to pursue her into accepting him just because they wanted to be Alpha, not because they loved her.

She heaved a sigh of frustration. “What if I don’t find my mate?” She blurts out and Miley immediately hits her head. “Ouch! What was that for?” Elise glared at her.

“You will! Because you’re beautiful, intelligent, wise… you’re so independent that you don’t even need a Mate to run a pack but you can’t do that because the Alpha would kill you and kill us because he’d obviously find out we talked you into it and we told you that you’re independent…” Miley spoke breathlessly.

Elise stares at her in awe. She has never met a person that overthinks and speaks impossibilities like Miley.

“We? Hey don’t pin this on me. I have never said she was independent… no I mean you are, Elise. But I’d never talk you into running your own pack even though you’re capable of doing so on your own. But please don’t…”

“I am not running my own pack alone… no one would follow me and believe I’d be able to protect them.”

Miley and Daniel heaved a sigh of relief.

“Now…” Elise got to her feet and took off her shirt. They knew what she was about to do. “Enough with this dampening pep talks and join me.” She slipped out of her jeans and dived into the crystal-clear water. It was so cold but Elise didn’t care. She loved the water and she found swimming relaxing—especially with her only two friends.

Miley took off her clothes and squealed as she joined Elise in the water. Daniel didn’t like the idea at first but just like every other day, they always end up convincing him to join them.

He did. And it was always fun splashing water on each other’s faces and laughing about it until it gets dark or they got tired.

An hour later, they got dressed and left the waterfall. The sun was already down and it was getting dark. Elise looked at the sky as she heaved a sigh. She wanted to stay out with her friends but these days, it was impossible—not with the way the Alpha was being more protective of her. Maybe because she announced that she wanted to be a Linda when she turned eighteen in six months?

“Hey, why don’t we go by the cliff to watch the full moon before we head home?” Miley suggested. Elise and Daniel weren’t convinced. “Can’t, I have to head home before my father does. Can’t skip dinner like yesterday.”

“Yeah, me too. I have some chores to do. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Daniel waved before parting ways with the girls.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Miley.” Elise gave her a brief hug and hurried on toward home.

Her heart beat fast as she approached their house. She could see the pack warriors and also new faces she wasn’t familiar with by the entrance. She knew it meant only two things; The Alpha was home and he had visitors from a neighboring pack.

It was rare—they hardly got along with other packs as they were in so much competition. They all wanted to be better and ahead. So, they rarely visit another pack or have them over.

For Elise, she has never been to any other pack’s territory. She only knew her pack and that was it. She always looks forward to when the Alpha visits a neighboring pack but he never takes her with him. He always told her how dangerous it was and how things might go south with the other pack.

The Alpha was always being dramatic and overreacting—she mused to herself, strolling through the entrance.

Her mother’s garnished roasted beef hits her nostrils, reminding her of how hungry she was. She smiled and hurriedly approached their eating area. “Hey, mom…” she paused at the sight of the new face.

He looked up and bored his light brown eyes at her. He was handsome from the depth of his eyes to the calm expressions of his voice. He had the kind of face that stopped you in your tracks. She had never in her countered years seen a man as handsome as the one sitting before her and also admiring her.

She let out a shaky breath and broke eye contact. She might faint if she sees his werewolf form. It must be ten times better than his form now.

Her father smiled, pleased with their first eyesight. It gave him hope for what he had in mind. He’d get what he wants and also fulfill his daughter’s wishes.

“Hunter, meet my daughter, Elise.”

Elise looked at her father as he introduced her to the man he called Hunter. She felt the urge to roll her eyes or giggle or even blush. She wasn’t sure of how to react.

Hunter gently got to his feet and Elise looked up. It was at that moment Elise noticed how tall he was. He was somewhat too tall for his build; if he was a few inches shorter, he wouldn’t be that handsome. It was as if he stopped growing only to be stretched on one of those medieval racks a half-foot more. His face was mostly obscured by a dark silky beard that clung to his skin like winter-ravaged ivy tendrils.

He meets her gaze again, not with shyness but with a blunt refusal to avert his gaze first. How odd to see those half-familiar features devoid of warmth, like they were stolen.

“Pleased to meet you, Elise.” She heard his booming voice over her head. He stretched out his hand and she briskly looked at her father. He smiled as he nodded at her.

Her mother also pushed out a smile toward her. She wasn’t at all convinced with her husband’s idea, especially knowing how their daughter was stubborn and wouldn’t budge on what she didn’t have in mind. She only hoped for the best and prayed Elise would welcome the idea.

Elise took in his hand and he kissed her knuckles. She felt the shock pulsing through her veins and how soft his lips were on her skin. It was her first time experiencing that type of feeling. It felt good. And she would trade anything to feel it again—on her lips.

Her heart felt like flying and the world seemed to stop. She managed to smile and nod her head at him. She was awe-structed by how calm he was though she could feel something off about him.

He offered her a seat before returning to his own seat.

They had dinner together and chatted while eating. The whole time Elise had her head ducked and didn’t say a word until she was asked to. She felt uneasy and her mother noticed—she grabbed Elise’s hand and squeezed it lightly. She looked up at her mother and smiled. It made her feel relieved by how her mother never ceases to hear her sorrow amid chaos.

She could never trade her mother for anything.

The Alpha cleared his throat to get their attention. Elise’s heart skipped a beat as she set her eyes on her father. She knew there was something edgy that was going to follow. She couldn’t tell what it was but she was ready for it.

“Hunter is an Alpha from a next-door pack, The Umbris Pack. He suddenly lost his wife not long ago. He is a well-respected man who has done so many great things. Out of my pack, he is the only werewolf I can say that I trust. Which is why when he asked for you to be his Mate, I agreed.”

Her brain stutters for a moment and her eyes widen as she stares back at her father. Every part of her goes on pause while her thoughts catch up.

Hunter was here because he wanted her to be his Mate, he wanted a strong female werewolf to replace his dead Linda so he chose her? Out of all the female-werewolves he could’ve chosen from his pack. He chose to shine his eyes beyond his limits and choose the only heir of the Scuris Pack Alpha’s daughter. How egotistic and heedless.

“You wanted to be a Linda, Elise and you haven’t presented a mate…”

“No! I don’t need anyone to choose my Mate. And I most certainly wouldn’t want my mate to be from another Pack… at least not his pack,” she spoke out of anger and disbelief.

“I will not have you cutting me off as I speak or talk back at me, young lady.” She could feel the heat in her father’s voice. She didn’t care. She wasn’t going to mate with someone she was not pleased with.

“My pack is filled with great citizens and I assure you…”

“Do I have to repeat myself? I said no! And you or my father or anyone else is not in the place to decide for me. I have proclaimed and that’s final…”

“Then you will never become a Linda as long as I live!” Her father yelled as he drove his fist on the table, causing her to jolt in terror. She stares at him for a moment before getting to her feet and storming out of the place.

“Elise,” her mother called out but she had already stormed into her room and locked the door.