Xander's POV

"Xander, your mother and I would like to see you in your office," my father murmured after peeking his head into my card room. I released a puff of air from my lips as I laid my hand of cards down.

"Oooooh, someone's in trouble with Mommy and Daddy," Donovan, my beta, teased in a baby voice. The other guys around the poker table laughed as I rolled my eyes.

"Piss off. I'll be right back," I grunted, pushing my chair back and hoisting myself up. I made my way to my office just down the hall. I figured they probably had some new information about one of the packs we would visit starting tomorrow morning.

"Pops?" I asked, entering the room and shutting the door behind me. I leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to my mom's cheek as was customary before sitting on the couch across from them. When neither of them spoke, I raised a single eyebrow in question.

This can't be good.

"What's this about?" I pressed further.

"You know that your father and I love you very much and we just want what's best for you-" You've got to be kidding me.

"What did The Council say this time?" I growled, feeling a tinge of guilt for taking my anger out on them, but unable to control it. The Council had been in my damn business the past two years about my lack of a mate. The fact I had completely quit answering all of their calls made it so they were forced to relay their messages through my parents. I'll admit, it was childish on my part. However, so was their constant badgering.

"They've decided you're no longer fit to run the pack on your own. They've found a mate they deem suitable for you and the pack-"

"What?" I sneered. Unable to contain my instant burst of anger, I shot out of my seat. My fists clenched and unclenched, my knuckles turning white as I just barely restrained my wolf under my flesh. I was aware I was only further proving The Council's point at the moment with my inability to control my rage, but dammit!

"And if I don't go through with this mating?" I asked after a few moments, my voice more wolf than man despite my best efforts.

"If you choose to reject this mating you will be immediately removed from your position and your cousin, Justin, will take over."

"He doesn't have a mate, either!" I yelled indignantly, beginning to pace back and forth in front of them. How could The Council not see how ridiculous and unfair this whole situation was?

"He hasn't met his mate yet. He will - likely soon - and they believe he'll be more suited to handle the needs of the pack once he has," my mother explained softly. She was clearly doing everything she could to keep from provoking my already tense wolf.

"What if Mika agrees to step up to her position?" I asked, grinding my teeth. An impending headache loomed over me just at the mere thought. However, it was better than having a group of old wankers decide who I was going to spend the rest of my life with. Decide who was going to rule my pack. My people.

"That option has already been considered. Every council member was in complete agreement that Mika is wholly unfit to hold any position within the pack. Especially one of such importance as that of being Luna," my dad said. I growled, unable to stop myself from grabbing the first thing near me and launching it across the room. It was a glass container that held mints, resulting in it shattering into a hundred tiny pieces and scattering the candies all over.

"This is unfounded!" I yelled. "I'm doing a fine job running the pack! You both could have vouched for me!" I exclaimed. A feeling of betrayal washed over me. "The pack has been thriving under my rule! We're more profitable and secure than ever! These accusations are...baseless. Concocted!" I hissed before slamming my hand against the wall, causing a minor dent from the force of my anger.

"But for how long will this be the case? We've already started to see a change in you, Xander," came my mom's soft voice. "You're not taking care of yourself. Your office and house are constantly in disarray. Your wolf has a temper that's becoming increasingly difficult to manage. You don't sleep enough. And..." she trailed off, her expression turning sorrowful as she turned to my dad for comfort and silent support.

"And?" I pushed her to continue.

"The pack needs an heir," she finished the sentence, though I could see it pained her. I swallowed thickly. "As of right now, you can't provide one. And..." she trailed off yet again, looking as if she were unsure if she should continue, grating against my already inflamed nerves. "The pack is suffering in some areas. Sure, profits and security are the best they've ever been, but the orphanage is a mess. The children aren't getting what they need. The daycare doesn't have the management and leadership to keep going for the long haul. The morale amongst the women is at an all-time low. Our female warriors have begun to feel as though they aren't important with how all the attention has been focused on the men. And..." she hesitated for a breath before a steely look took over her face, "and even after everything you've been through, you continue to let Mika prance around this pack treating anyone and every one however she damn well pleases," she growled, raising her voice at me.

"She has terrorized the women of this pack to the point of near alienation. The men won't say anything because she's not their responsibility. She won't listen to me, because the last time she and I got into an argument you let her off the hook behind my back. She knows you'll continue to take her side, even if she's in the wrong. It gives her the confidence to do as she pleases day in and day out," she finished.

I didn't know what to say back to that. What could I say back to that? I just avoided her gaze, shame washing over me.

"My wolf still sees her as our mate," I husked out. I was a pathetic man, but the other half of me yearned for that....woman every day - even if he hated her as much as I did.

"Well, she's not anymore. I know you love this pack too much to just give it all up. This is your one opportunity at true happiness, Xander. Your father and I - as well as The Council - expect you to give this a real chance. Do it for yourself, honey. You deserve to have someone take care of you the way you take care of all our people every day. And if not for yourself, do it for everyone else that's counting on you. An alpha's true potential is never fully achieved until he's been mated. Think of all the amazing things you could accomplish for the pack with a mate by your side. You've already proven to be a great leader without one - minus a few hiccups. It's the only reason the council has let this situation go as far as it has," she spoke, her voice thick with emotion and eyes filled with hope.

"Did she leave her mate, or did her mate leave her?" I grunted out, finally sitting back down. I leaned over to rest my elbows on my knees. It seemed like an odd question to ask, but it was one I had to know the answer to. Maybe it was selfish of me, but I didn't want to - no, scratch that - wouldn't deal with yet another woman pining after another man while with me. Not a damn chance.

"The council has been very tight-lipped about her situation. All we know so far is that there's absolutely no way her ex-mate will ever be in the situation again. She left him. They've told us his name, but required us to sign an NDA agreement that restricts us from telling anyone else except for all high-ranking pack officials - but only after they've also signed an NDA and The Council has been faxed the paperwork evidence of it," my dad explained.

Now this piqued my attention immensely.

"Who's her ex-mate?" I asked. He didn't reply, just pushed a piece of paper across the coffee table toward me. I raised a single eyebrow before taking the pen he was holding out to me. I signed my name and waited as one of our pack lawyers came to notarize and fax the document to The Council. It was only a few minutes before he gave us the okay and left us alone once again.

"Eric Strickland."

"Beta of the Sablefur pack?" I asked, shocked. "I didn't even know he'd found his mate," I pondered aloud. We weren't allies with the Sablefur pack, but we weren't strangers either. Our pack lands were relatively close, so we often communicated with them for trading goods or hosting events to help our members have a better chance of finding their mates.

"Neither did anyone else. It was a shock to your mother and I. If the NDA wasn't a red flag, that bit of information definitely was. If his mate ran, you would think he'd be alerting every Alpha and pack in the continent to be on the lookout."

"Unless he didn't want the council to find out, which could mean-"

"No. We're not going to do this. It's not our place to try and play detective to figure out what transpired between your mate and her ex. If the council is being this tight-lipped it's because she's asked them to be. I've never seen the council utilize this many precautions ever before. We will respect her wishes and allow her to tell us the story in her time," my mom snapped. My father and I immediately shut our mouths.

I wiped my hand across my face to hide the smirk I was sporting. To outside humans, our communities seemed intensely traditional. There have been a few times it's been stipulated that we're patriarchal cults of some sort. However, they couldn't be more wrong. When our women say jump, we ask how high.

Sure, our men were usually the only ones people usually saw outside of pack grounds, but that was because most female wolves chose jobs they could work either from home on their computers or within pack limits. Our women were the backbone of our society. Without them, we'd be lost. It made sense why I was being forced into this predicament - though I was still pissed.

I sighed deeply. "When do I meet her? And how long before we're expected to be fully mated?" I asked.

"She will be arriving tomorrow, probably after you have already left. As far as mating goes, it's up to her, but within reason. The Council originally wanted it to be said and done within a week of you being introduced, but Elder Adelia amended the terms. They're giving her a month to get comfortable here and with you," my dad said.

"With how severe the situation appears, I don't foresee a month being nearly enough time but it's not our decision, it's The Councils," my mom added with an eye roll. I nodded but kept quiet.

"We'll leave you to think about all this," my mom murmured before standing from the couch. My dad lingered for a few seconds until my mom cleared her throat and gave him an expectant look.

"Oh, right," he rushed out, getting up and following her out the door. I rubbed my face harshly with my hands. Hoisting myself off the couch, I picked up the things I'd childishly knocked over in my fit of anger and did my best to get all the glass and mints up as well. I poured myself a drink of the strongest stuff I kept hidden in my office before making my way back to the poker game I'd left behind.

"You were gone for longer than we anticipated. We ended up starting a new game," Donovan called out when he heard me re-enter the room. I just slumped back down into my seat and stared up at the ceiling, contemplating.

"What happened?" Griffin, my gamma, asked as his face turned serious and he set his hand of cards down. This captured everyone's attention. I could feel their eyes staring at me from my peripheral vision.

"That damn Council set up an arranged mating for me," I mumbled monotonously, still deep in thought.

"What?" they all balked at the same time.

"There hasn't been an arranged mating in...damn near a hundred years," Donovan commented, shock lacing his tone.

"Does Mika know...?" Griffin asked. I clenched my teeth and just shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't give a shit less what she did or thought these days. Working through the bitterness has been easier said than done.

"This is gonna have more twists and turns than the trash drama T.V. shows my mate makes me watch," Andre, our head warrior, commented with an amused smile. When we all just gave him looks of confusion he continued. "You know, like Love Island? Why are you all looking at me like that?" he growled before crossing his arms. We all gave a quick chuckle at his expense.

"Maybe you should set up a planned dinner with our women. They can give you pointers on how to be a good mate," Donovan commented while cleaning up from their last game.

"You think I need pointers on how to be a good mate?" I grunted with a raised brow and a, 'I'm going to hand you your ass' expression. He held his hands up in surrender.

"All I'm saying is you've been out of the dating game since you were nineteen. Might be nice to get a woman's perspective."

"Might be a good idea..." I thought out loud. "I'll wait until we're back, though. She'll be with them for a week while we're away, so they'll be able to give me some better insight then. Why don't we call it a night, boys? Go spend time with your mates and kids before we have to leave," I said. They all nodded respectfully before slowly trickling out of the room. Donovan, however, stayed behind.

"So?" he asked, leaning back in his seat and eyeing me thoughtfully.

"So?" I repeated.

"C'mon, dude. We've been best friends since we were in diapers. We all heard the commotion. Tell me what's going through your head."

"I'm so tired of being screwed over, man. This is just another thing to add to the damn list it feels like," I growled lowly before tipping my cup back and finishing my drink in one gulp. He scoffed before crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at me. "What?" I grunted somewhat defensively.

"You know I love you and think of you more like a brother, but pull your head out of your ass. What alpha do you know that gets a second chance like this? Regardless if we understand them or not, The Council has a reason for the things they do. More often than not, it's about trusting and having faith that they know what they're doing," he insisted.

I sighed. "Do you know an alpha who doesn't have a faithful mate?" I challenged back, my pride butting its ugly head.

"I get it. Mika messed around, but that's a rarity. Mika completely screwed you over, no one can deny that. But maybe this is fate's way of changing your story for the better out of this situation. For all you know, this could be The Council's way of delivering you the most amazing mate in the entire world on a silver platter as a way of saying, "sorry the first one screwed it up the first time around". You just gotta give it a chance and have an open mind. If you don't, you'll always wonder 'what if?'," he insisted. I sighed deeply before running my hand through my hair and roughing it up.

"Yeah, you're right," I mumbled with a nod. "Riley's a lucky girl," I said with a small smile that he mirrored.

"Damn right. Speaking of which, it's that perfect time of night when the boys will be in bed and she might still be awake. If I'm lucky, we can slip in a quickie if I leave now," he rushed out with a boyish grin. I rolled my eyes and waved goodbye as he lightly jogged out of the room and in the direction of his wing of the pack house.

Left alone with my thoughts, they naturally wandered to my arranged mating.