Daniel

They say time flies when you're having fun. Well, I'm not having fun at all. In fact, I never had less fun in my life! I was so busy running the pack that I barely noticed how the week flew by. Low and behold it's Saturday again and I only realized it because the breakfast was later than weekdays.

While I grew up in the pack house, we had a schedule for everything. Time to wake up, have breakfast, go to school, to train and do your homework. Everything was timed til the hour you go to sleep. Somehow, I thought that when I become an adult and school was finally over, I'd have time to have fun and enjoy life.

Naturally, I underestimated the amount of work an Alpha has to put in. Now, it's even worse than when I studied. At least then, I had the weekends off. Now time off is relapsing the pack. And I can't afford that! Honestly, I don't know how my dad did it for so long and so well. And still had time to raise a family.

We're eating breakfast. Everyone's at the table, including Daphne and Felix, who arrived last night.

"So, how are the preparations for the party? I can't believe it's just one week away!" - I asked my mom, taking a bite of my pancake.

"Everything is mostly ready. We're just missing the RSVP from the Fords." - Mom informed me.

"Wait! Aren't your parents coming?" - I asked Felix in a worried tone.

"They are. My dad's just a little sore that our birthday party is here and not at our house. But I explained to him that this house is bigger. And all our friends live closer to here." - Felix replied, a little annoyed.

"I see." - I said, looking pensive. - "Was he okay with you spending time here, Daph?" - I sounded apprehensive.

"He has to be! By now, there's not much he can do about it. Not without upsetting my mom, anyway. But he is not particularly happy about it!" - Daphne replied, her face looked a little defeated.

"Well, at least he's not arresting Nate. Love wins!" - I toasted, awkwardly.

"Please don't remind me! I don't ever want to be arrested again in my life. Jail sucks!" - Nate grimaced.

"But my mom is very excited! I think this will be a good distraction from the fact that her daughter will go to college soon." - Felix pondered. He looked excited.

"Yes and her only son is not planning on going to college whatsoever!" - Daphne snickered.

"How am I supposed to go to college and abandon Dan?" - Felix rebuked.

"I'm not abandoning anyone! I'm just taking some time away!" - Daphne replied, sounding annoyed.

"It's different for Felix, Daphne! Please understand that all I want is what's best for him!" - I tried to reason with her.

"I know Dan, I'm not accusing you of anything! It's just that what happens to him if you die? They'd just throw him out of the pack? I mean, he's not even a werewolf!" - Daphne spoke. She sounded upset and everyone stared at her. Felix's gobsmacked.

"Daphne!" - Felix shouted at her.

"It's okay, it's a fair question. And you deserve to know: no one is throwing Felix out of the pack! If I'd die, he would cease to become Luna and would have to vacate our bedroom. But he'd remain living at the pack house for as long as he'd want." - I stated in a somber tone.

"Sure, okay. But how he'd support himself? That's exactly my point, he wouldn't have any trade craft or college degree!" - She pondered. She wasn't letting this go, apparently.

"Daphne, that's enough! I'm not worried." - Felix interjected loudly, there's worry in his voice.

"But I am!" - She exclaimed. - "I am worried that you'd have nothing if anything happened to HIM!" - She shouted, pointing at me.

"You're not wrong to worry, Daphne. I get you. I worry about it too. It'd be easy to say that you're crazy and it's never gonna happen. But I can't say that!" - I argued, visibly distraught.

"I take your point, cariño, more than you know! I mean, I left my entire family in another city to come here alone, without knowing anyone." - Mom chimed in, caressing Daphne's arm.

"And if anything happened to my husband, I'd be devastated!" - She continued, looking sadly at my dad.

"That's why the pack have insurance policies in place for the Alpha, Beta and all of the warriors. At least, so that their families are covered if the worst happens." - Dad stated, also trying to deescalate the conflict.

"That's good to know, Mr. Huntington. But that only applies for family members. Felix as it is has no legal standing. I mean, legally he's nothing to Dan but a boyfriend!" - Daphne said but Felix had enough.

"Thanks for ruining my day, Daphne!" - Felix stormed out of the dining hall, crying and visibly distraught.

My eyes turned pitch black and that spooked Daphne, which in turn startled Nate.

I take a moment to breathe. And then...

"You're absolutely right to say it, Daphne. I apologize for my eyes but my wolf reacts when my mate gets upset." - I explained to her, back to my normal self.

"Excuse me, everyone." - I said as I take my leave. I went after my mate.

"I am sorry, guys! I didn't mean to upset them!" - Daphne apologized, looking at my family.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You didn't say anything wrong!" - Nate said as he embraces her. She was clearly upset as well.

At the Alpha's quarter, I enter to see Felix lying down crying and it broke my heart.

"Please don't cry, baby! She's your sister. She worries for you. You're her only brother, it would be weird if she didn't feel protective of you!" - I consoled him as I lay down by his side.

"She always does this! Always say the worst possible thing at the worse possible moment!" - Felix shouted, angrily.

"I understand, baby. I wish I could say she didn't make any sense..." - I pulled him closer and start caressing him.

"I know she's right! But that's not something it should be discussed during breakfast. I mean, for one, the pack members don't need to know about our business!" - Felix spoke, very upset.

"You're right, of course! It's just..." - I said and stopped myself.

"What?!" - He looked at me worriedly.

"There's something she said that didn't quite sit well with me!" - I replied, nervously.

"Which one? She said a lot of things!" - He snickered.

"She said that you're nothing to me, legally. She called you my boyfriend!" - I spoke as the realization dawns on me.

"Of course, I'm not legally related to you! But I'm pretty sure I'm not just your boyfriend..." - Felix argued but I interrupted him.

"Marry me!" - I proposed, out from the bed and getting down to one knee.

"What?!" - Felix's jaw was on the floor. He looked so shocked.

"That's right, marry me!" - I insisted.

It's late in the afternoon. After I dropped that bomb earlier, Felix didn't say anything back to me, just that he had to think about it. In fact, he even skipped lunch, which made Daphne think it had something to do with her.

I'm in my office trying to concentrate on pack affairs. Nate is here with me. And I couldn't resist the urge to talk to him about it.

"Your mate really did a number on Felix today!" - I started, grabbing his attention.

"I know, these twins will be the death of us..." - Nate spoke in a defeated tone.

"She was upset too, you know. After Felix left." - He continued in a somber tone.

"I could tell. I'm sorry you had to be the buffer, brother." - I told him, sadly.

"I'm thinking there'll be a lot to buffer in the future!" - He joked in a gloomy tone.

"Absolutely! Speaking of the future, you'd never believe what I did today!" - I teased him in a mysterious tone.

We're interrupted by a knock at the door. A moment pass and the Delta of the pack enters.

"Good afternoon, Alpha, Beta. I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm here to report that the patrol encountered a couple of rogues near our border. They tried to chase them but they managed to escape." - Delta informed in a very serious tone, after he bowed his head to me.

"That's okay, thank you for bringing this to my attention. Double the patrols until either they're found or there's no trace of them in our land!" - I commanded him.

"Yes, Alpha. That'll be done!" - He said, bowing his head one more time. But then he lingers for another moment.

"Is there something else, Delta?" - Nate asked, curiously.

"Yes, Sir. It's probably nothing, but I must also report that the Luna is out. He was last seen going to the woods." - Delta told us and my heart sank.

"OK, just tell the warrior accompanying him to turn back and return to the pack immediately!" - I spoke with a deeply worried tone.

"Alpha, Luna Felix left without an escort!" - Delta replied and I lost it.

"What?! Why? How did you let him leave without an escort?" - I spat at him. I was livid. My eyes were already pitch black in anger.

"He said he was just going for a walk and it wasn't needed! I didn't want to disrespect him!" - Delta tried to justify himself.

"Get every available warrior of the pack to track him down NOW!" - I commanded, yelling nervously.

"Yes, Alpha!" - He replied, bowed and left in a haste.

"Nate, would you help me look for him?" - I asked him, my eyes were already misty.

"Of course, let's go!" - He said and we left in a hurry.

I didn't want to worry but I was desperate. Rogues have no concern for hierarchy or humans, for that matter. And if they find out he's mated, that's even worse! Some rogue werewolves took pleasure in killing human mates. As if it's something to be proud of. It's a horrifying feeling even to imagine it!

Felix

I enjoyed walking. It calmed my troublesome mind. Honestly, I could walk for hours. If there's any advantage of living in the country was ample space to walk. And there's a lot on my mind.

Not only was I troubled by Daphne's words, I also had to contend with Dan's proposal. I mean, he fucking PROPOSED to me in the middle of myself crying. Now, I know in the pack's eyes we're already married. That's what the acceptance speech and mating ritual are all about! But I'm not a werewolf and even if I was, mate bond is not exactly legally recognized by the State.

Which is why Dan proposed in the first place. I get it, if you like it then you should've put a ring on it, so says the famed singer. And she's right, of course. That's what people do. Just usually not at 18, which I still wasn't for another week. And so I walked.

I took in the sights, the smell of fresh grass, the hot summer breeze and so many trees. I loved it all. But then I hear a disturbance. I feel like I've seen this film already! I go see what it is and end up encountering something dangerous. Not this time! This time I took a U turn and started walking in the opposite direction.

However, the creatures must've heard me cause in a second, there they were, right in front of me: two wolves.

By now, this shouldn't scare me. I am the Luna of the pack after all, I've seen plenty of wolves thus far! And they've seen me. But this time is different. Pack wolves know me, they would never be growling at me menacingly. Not if they knew what's best for them.

I remain calm and try to appease them.

"Hi, there. Are you okay? I'm Felix. I just want to say I'm an ally. I'm a friend if you need one!" - I said, trying very hard not show fear, though they can certainly smell it on me.

One of the wolves are showing me teeth, it does not look friendly. The other one seemed confused by my attitude. I hear a growl and the first wolf nears me.

"Please, I mean you no harm! I swear, look I'm on your side!" - I told them as I show them my mate mark.

The second wolf sees it and then it realizes I am mated. It stopped showing me teeth. But the first one seemed more irritated than ever and darts in my direction. I tried to run, of course, but I barely get 3 steps in before it bites my leg.

I stumbled and fell. The first wolf goes for the attack but got interrupted by the second wolf barking. It looked a little distraught by me bleeding, I could tell it was trying to reason with the first one. Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears.

The wolf attacks me once again, it tried to bite my neck but I protect myself with my arms. So it bites my arm instead. Now I'm really bleeding, which only makes its appetite grows. As I watch my arm and leg bleed profusely, I know there's nothing much left I could do.

It's going for the final blow. And its mouth is salivating still with the taste of my blood.

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