Chapter four

Leo’s Pov:

Caden and I are in my black Cadillac AUV driving into our pack lands. It is amazing to be home we roll down the windows and a breeze blows by and I smell this intoxicating aroma. It sends shivers down my body and awakens my wolf, Luke. This smell I need to find it. I then hear Luke in my head say “Mate”. There is no way we found our mate plus the smell is blowing in the wind it could be anyone even a rogue wolf. I decided not to pursue it for now and I told Luke “Calm down we will find her.”

Even though we are back on pack lands it still does not feel like home ever since mom died. We pull up in front of my family cabin I turn the engine off and we get out of the car. Caden with his huge muscles button-down shirt dark jean pants and brown boots with his blonde curly hair. I follow behind him in my black tank top black jeans black belt and black shoes I have curly black hair that stops before my ears. With my tattoos showing on my arms we walk in and see my father Alpha Preston “Dad” I shout as I run to hug him it has been two full years since I have seen him.

We catch up and then he asks “Son can I speak to you in private?”

Caden takes this cue and says “I'm going to catch a shower”

My father and I go to sit at the table “What’s up Dad?”

He looks at me and says “Leo I've been thinking a lot and when your training is done and you are back here I am going to step down as Alpha. You will be more than ready. Plus it will give me time to enjoy my life before I am too old.”

This comes as a complete shock to me.

“I promise I will make you Proud!” I tell him

“I know you will. Caden and Julian's fathers have been thinking of stepping down too. But they haven't told their pups yet.” all of us being promoted at once seems like a dream come true!

“Any luck at finding your mate son?” My father asks.

“Not in person but ever since arriving on pack land I’ve smelt the most beautifully addictive smell. Like the ocean on a beach day. Luke even said, mate. But there was no one around.” I inform him.

“It's the alpha in you being able to smell your luna from acres away,” he tells me.

So she is here Luke questions inside my head. I tell him not now. We will go for a run later to find her.

About 15 minutes pass and Caden is out of the shower. I hear a knock at the door Caden and I immediately know it is Julian. He completed his training a lot faster than we did but I think having a mate waiting for you at home gives you the motivation to finish a lot faster. When he comes in I hear him exchange pleasantries with my father. We envelope him in a hug. Something is different though… the smell Luke smells it too. Maybe it is someone he goes to school with?

We sit, talk, and game. I update them on pack business Caden and I value Julian's opinion since he loves within pack limits. Julian mentioned more activities for the pups as well as more security on the perimeter. He also mentions there is a concern for our forces that sustain the pack land.

I hear him and tell him “Observe and think of solutions and we will address them when I take over.”

He nods his head and then looks at the time “I would love to stay but I promise my future wife a late-night picnic.”

He informs us I can not believe they are going through with this arrangement instead of finding their goddess-given mate.

Then Caden asks what we are both thinking “So are you really going to give up your goddess-given mate for Aria?”

Then Julian tells us “ I could never see myself loving another woman I can't wait to mark her and make her mine. Which is why I went into town yesterday and bought this.” He pulled out a gorgeous diamond ring of course at this time we had to joke with him.

“Leo our boy is becoming a man,” Caden says

We then offer our congratulations and then he leaves. I look at Caden and say “My mate is somewhere on the pack lands.” he looks at me shocked

“Where did you see her?” he asks

“I wish we arrived on pack land and the smell hit me. Luke immediately said, mate. Want to go for a run and try to find the scent?” Caden lights up at the idea of a run. We both stand up and take our clothes off. When a wolf shifts the changing of the anatomy causes our clothes to rip off. So to keep from ruining our clothes when it is not emergent we take our clothes off to shift. At this moment you hear the cracking and shifting of bones. My wolf is now physically present but I'm staying in control mentally so Luke doesn't resort to animal instinct should we find our mate.

I turn around and see a tall gray wolf which I know is Caden. My wolf is the biggest in our pack besides my father. I'm white with gray on my fur. Jordan Julian's wolf is black. We then leave the house patrolling the border. We get halfway and I stop my hair standing up Luke is ready to move. We smell that excites our whole body I immediately run towards it. I tell like “You know we can’t just mark her on the spot. There are rules” Luke responds saying “I know I have been in training with you this whole time I know the laws and protocol.” he follows the trail as we approach the lake somewhere along the run I lost Caden. I am watching from afar not that I can see much. I see two figures I try to smell who the other person is but my mate's smell is too consuming. Then the wind blows and I catch the other scent it smells like a freshly baked cookie. I know that scent I’ve smelt my whole life it smells like Julian but that can't be.

Then the lights turn on and I see her… in all her glory. My mate. But it can't possibly be… Aria… then I remember the ring. Will she say yes? How could she throw away this feeling? Then I see my worst nightmare come to life Julian is down on one knee I see my beautiful mare jump up and nod her head yes then kiss him. This infuriates me. All of a sudden I get a mind link julian tells me she said yes so I mind link back congratulations. What else am I supposed to say neither of them knows. I stand there for a little while longer and see my mate begin to have sex with him… one of my best friends… My second in charge. At this point, I run home where I meet Caden

“Dude where did you go?” he asked.

“I don't really want to talk about it,” I respond he doesn't push me on this and we go to bed. I spend the night tossing and turning. Just thinking of her… of him… touching her, kissing her, thinking of building a life with her. Thinking of the fact she said yes to marrying him without even meeting me as her mate. It makes my blood boil. What will happen when we see each other at the ball? Will she reject me? will her father let her reject me? he wanted a strong lineage you can't get stronger than an alpha. I worry so much about if I have to watch her with him for life. I can't Banish him or kill him I need him he’s my Beta. Plus if I do anything to him she will hate me. Why does life have to be so complicated? I have to either watch the woman of my life marry my best friend mate him and have his children or watch her go through heartbreak while waiting for her to heal just to help her find her way to me. I don't want to watch her hurt. Why couldn't we just have a normal love story where we Find each other fall in love and live happily ever after?