Mated To The Wrong Alpha
Chapter 3

In the morning Ava awoke to replace herself alone in bed. There was dent in the pillow beside her, the covers rumpled confirming the previous night hadn’t been a dream. She and Arthur were mated despite the fact there was no love between them.

If it had been Seth, they would have made a b***d-bond, biting each other’s necks to mark the fact that they belonged together. It would have forged a mental connection that would grow throughout their lifetime. Arthur had made no move to do this and while she was relieved not to bear his mark, she also was unaccountably miffed by the fact. She would have liked the opportunity to refuse and earn a small victory, proving she was still loyal to Seth.

With a soft sigh she raised her head and looked around. There was no sign of Arthur so she listened carefully, wondering if he was in the next room. All was silent. Well, at least she didn’t have to face him right away, though in some ways getting that first awkward greeting over with might have been nice. Rolling out of bed she made her way across to the bathroom, her feet silent on the soft carpeting.

The previous night she’d been too keyed-up to take in her surroundings, but now she looked around with interest. She seldom visited the cabins but knew her father had recently had them renovated. The decor was natural wood and colonial furnishings with splashes of colour found in the draperies and cushions; it was simple but pleasantly welcoming. The bathroom, while small, contained all the needed amenities . She made use of them then dressed in pants and a T-shirt.

She wasn’t sure what the day would hold and was musing about the fact when the door opened and Arthur entered the room.

“Good morning, Ava. I heard you in the shower when I came in, so I made some breakfast for us.”

“Oh. Thanks.” She glanced at him, then looked away feeling awkward in his presence.

He extended his arm, ushering her into the kitchenette. The table was set, bacon and eggs, juice and toast waiting. “I wasn’t sure what you liked to eat, but this is what I can cook. I hope it’s suitable.”

“You cooked this?” She looked at him in surprise. Her father had never set foot in the kitchen, always too busy with his work as Alpha.

“I am capable of fending for myself, you know.” He chuckled at her expression and helped her into a chair. “And, I can’t have you undernourished. People might think I don’t know how to take care of you.” This final remark was accompanied by a k**s on her cheek and a casual caress.

She froze at the unexpected gesture, but Arthur sat down opposite her as if nothing had happened and began serving.

“We’ll need to take a few days to get used to each other, to become acquainted with various likes and dislikes. Is there anything you aren’t fond of eating?” He paused in the middle of scooping up some egg and looked at her enquiringly.

“Um…not really.”

“Good. I’ll eat almost anything myself. Do you like to read? Watch movies?”

The meal progressed with Arthur asking her questions and her supplying answers. When she didn’t question him in return, he would fill in his own preferences. She had to admire him for the effort he was making. He was being friendly and polite, showing an interest in her. Apparently, he was committed to making their union work.

After a while, she began to relax and found herself expanding on her answers. Arthur smiled at her, obviously pleased that she was making an effort.

“Our territories adjoin to the east, and with our packs under an alliance, we technically have miles and miles of forest to roam in now,” he explained, leaning back and sipping his coffee. “Personally, I love a good run over rugged terrain. How about you? When I first saw you, it was apparent that you’d just come in from exercising.”

“Yes, I’d been out with…a friend.” The smile that had been on her face faded at the memory. If only she’d known it was to be the last time she would ever be with Seth, she would have savoured the time even more, storing every sight and sound and scent.

“And this…friend…would he be the young male who was looking daggers at me yesterday?

Tall with sandy hair, and about twenty years of age?”

She hesitated but knew Arthur could replace out from anyone in her pack. Her friendship with Seth had been no secret. “Yes. That was Seth. He’d hoped to speak to my father about being my…mate.” She looked away, her eyes misting over.

“And you?” Arthur prodded softly. “How did you feel about that?”

Staring at her hands, she whispered her answer. “I… I was hoping for the same thing.”

“I see.” He was silent and then sighed heavily. “I’m not surprised. You’re beautiful and it would be strange if no one in your pack had wanted you.” He continued, seeming to choose his words carefully. “You know, Ava, sometimes our lives have moments of great disappointment. It’s difficult at the time, but we have to move beyond.” He reached across the table and put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Our union was of great importance to the wellbeing of both our packs. It’s our duty to them to make this work, agreed?”

His amber eyes bore into hers, the authority of his position evident and, after a moment, she nodded in agreement. He was right. Duty to her pack, and duty to his, necessitated making their relationship work. He stood and extended his hand to her. Hesitantly she reached out, placing hers in his. Warmth enveloped her hand and slowly worked its way up her arm. Smiling encouragingly, he pulled her to her feet.

An hour later, Ava stood at the edge of the forest waiting for Arthur. After cleaning up from their morning meal, he’d headed to the pack house to deal with a few pressing matters, saying he’d meet her in half an hour. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to run with him—it had been an activity that she and Seth had enjoyed together—but knew that she needed to make their union work.

Running could turn out to be one of the few things they had in common.

It was another lovely fall day. The trees were painted with orange, red, and gold while the sky was a bright clear blue. Heat from the rising sun was burning off the morning mist but wisps still swirled low to the ground giving everything a faintly magical appearance. She loved this land and knew every square inch by heart. Closing her eyes, she visualized running down the twisting paths, leaping over fallen logs, splashing through streams. It really was the best place in the world and she couldn’t imagine ever being this comfortable or at peace anywhere else.

Inhaling deeply, she let the fresh, crisp air invade her lungs and energize her body. Arthur was later than he had thought he’d be and she began to move around restlessly, bending to touch her toes, stretching her arms over her head then twisting side to side.

She glanced towards the house. How much longer would he be? As Alpha, she knew his time would not always be his own, but did that mean that her time must be spent waiting, doing nothing? She stared deep into the woods. The land was calling to her. Did she dare go ahead without him?

Her father had expressly forbidden any pack member to go out by themselves. Hunters sometimes laid illegal leg traps and a wolf could be caught and shot before anyone in the pack was aware. That was how her mother had died.

“Good morning.” A voice spoke behind her and she jumped. Spinning around, she saw Seth standing a few feet away. The sun was shining on his sandy brown hair, giving it a golden glow.

“Seth!” Her heart leapt with joy and she rushed over to hug him, only to have her friend step away when she was but a foot away. His movement brought her headlong rush to an immediate stop. “Seth? What’s the matter?”

“What do you mean, what’s the matter? You know what the problem is.”

“No, I don’t.” She shook her head puzzled at the change in her friend. Seth was usually so happy and easy going. Now he sounded bitter, a scowl marring his normally handsome face.

“You’re mated to Arthur. I can smell his scent on you.”

His words cut like a knife into her heart. How could he be so cruel? “You know that wasn’t my choice! The Elders decided on the need for the union. You were at the ceremony yesterday and heard the speeches just as I did.”

Seth looked away, his mouth tightly compressed. “I know. It’s just…” He seemed to be waging some type of internal struggle, his fists clenching and unclenching. Finally, he sighed deeply, the scowl fading away leaving sorrow in its wake. “I had hoped to be your mate.”

“I know.” She took a step closer and laid her hand on his arm. “I’d hoped for the same thing.” She took his hand in hers. “This union was for the good of the packs, but it doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped caring for you.”

He turned and looked at her, his gaze drifting over her features. “And I still care for you.” He reached out and stroked her cheek, his focus settling on her lips.

Silence stretched between them and she realized that he was leaning closer to her, his intention of kissing her evident. Her conscience pricked and she knew she should step away. Seth wasn’t her mate. Arthur was.

Before she could act, a twig snapped behind her and Seth jumped away, pulling his hand from hers. They both turned to see Arthur standing nearby, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he took in the two of them.

“Ava, I’m glad you found a way to keep yourself occupied while I was finishing off pack business.” There was an angry edge to his voice which made her skin prickle with anxiety.

“I… I was talking to Seth,” she stammered. His expression frightened her and she stepped back.

“So I see.” Arthur shot her a brief glance, and then focused his attention on Seth, a look of disdain on his face. “This is the…friend…you spoke of this morning?”

“Yes, this is Seth. We’ve been friends since we were young.”

Arthur gave Seth an almost imperceptible nod. “I’m glad you had someone to keep you company while you were waiting. However, it would do your ‘friend’ well to remember that you are now my mate and off limits to all others.”

Feeling her face burn at his innuendo, she tried to defend her actions. “We were just talking, nothing else!”

“I don’t appreciate other males standing quite so close when…talking…to my mate.” The words rumbled from his throat and Seth retreated, instinctively acknowledging Arthur’s dominance.

“Ava, I’d better go. I… I’ll see you around.” Regret laced his voice.

“Yes, I’ll see you around.” Sadness filled her, knowing that it was unlikely Seth would approach her again. Their friendship was over. Anger bubbled up inside her and she kept her eyes fixed on the retreating figure, while addressing Arthur. “You didn’t need to chase him off like that.”

“I didn’t chase him off. I merely let him know that you are my mate now and a proper distance needs to be maintained.”

“He was just—”

“I know what he was just doing,” Arthur interrupted sharply. “I could scent his desire for you and I do not share my mate with anyone. We are bonded and you are mine. No other male is allowed to sniff around you.”

“Sniff around me?” She turned to stare at him in outrage.

“Yes. That boy needs to remember you are off-limits before he makes a grave mistake.” She huffed indignantly. “Arthur, you—”

“Ava, this conversation is over.” His tone was firm, implacable. “You are my mate. Seth will stay away. End of topic. Now, are we going for a run or not?”