The Forbidden Mate

Alex

I have heard from Joseph, and I need to tell my grandfather what he has found out as soon as possible. I managed to tell Katy that I won’t be able to come to her tonight.

I make my way to his house in the woods. I haven’t been there since the night of the attack. I have been too busy dealing with the aftermath of the raid and spending every night with Katy.

I knock at the door and wait patiently for him to answer. He opens the door, beckons me in, and I follow him into his sitting room. There is a fire blazing in the hearth, and I select to sit on one of the comfortable leather chairs which adorn the room.

When we are seated, he asks “have you made any progress on discovering the reason for the attack?”

“We have lost the trail of the rogues who escaped. Euan is still searching for them, but we think it is unlikely that we will be able to capture any of them now.” I tell him.

“I doubt that they would know the real reasons for the raid. They would have been sent because they are expendable” he says. “No, the mastermind of this little plan would not expect them to succeed in inflicting serious damage on us. But what could the real reason be?”

“I agree that this was not designed as a serious attack. I believed that Lucius was behind it, but like you I couldn’t figure out what his motive was. That is why I reached out to Joseph and asked him if his spies within Lucius’ pack had uncovered the reason for us being targeted. He has confirmed that the Black Moon Pack masterminded the attack, they are using rogues to probe the defences of packs that they see as a threat. To see how well trained and prepared they are to face an assault. He thinks that Lucius is intent on starting another war, and this is the first step.

He is using rogue attacks, as way to weaken the packs. Wasting their resources and losing warriors while they fight off the rogues. The Wolf Moon Pack have been subject to seven attacks in the last month. They are smaller and weaker than us, and the rogues have caused serious damage.

Fortunately, the strength of our defence seems to have discouraged them from launching another attack for the moment, but he expects Lucius to intensify his efforts in the coming months. It is all part of his plan to conduct guerrilla warfare against the packs without actually declaring war or admitting that he is responsible.”

“Clever move” my grandfather tells me. “You will need to move the warriors to a war footing without making it obvious to your father or his beta. We need to make sure that we are prepared for what he throws at us next.”

“I have already increased our patrols and doubled the training regime. I have used our search for the rogues who have escaped as a reason for the new measures. The pack have been told that we need to hunt them down and kill them all if we are to restore our good name.

“Good” he says. “I am glad you have things in hand.”

“There is something else that Joseph mentioned. Lucius has become obsessed with the rumour that the female royal has survived. He doesn’t seem to know where she is, or how she escaped, but he is fixated on finding her. He thinks that she will be the key to his winning the war.”

“It would be a blow to our side if he found her and killed her” he states.

“If she exists” I say sceptically.

“I know you think that this is a pipe dream that old men like me cling to, but her body was never found, and if Lucius had killed her, he wouldn’t be obsessed with trying to find her” he says logically.

“True, but it just seems unlikely that she could have survived without anyone finding out, there is no trace of her. No evidence that she survived”

“Or, perhaps whoever has concealed her knows how much danger she would be in if anyone suspected where she was. They have been very clever in making sure that she is well hidden.”

I thought for a moment, his argument made sense, and for the first time I thought that he and Joseph might have a point.

“But not here” I interjected

“No, I don’t think that she is here” he says. “She would be too difficult to hide here, I have known the royal family for over 70 years, and so have many of our older pack members. We would have recognised her for what she is.

Besides it would be too dangerous. If she was found here, there is no guarantee that your father wouldn’t just hand her over to Lucius. No, I think she will have been hidden in one of the loyal packs. If Lucius is actively looking for her now, then her hiding place may no longer be safe. It is more important than ever that we find her before Lucius does.”

“The relief effort for the survivors of the attack is coming to an end, and there is only so much that I can do now to find the rogues responsible. I will offer my help to Joseph. I am not sure how much I will be able to do, without arousing my father’s suspicions, I could potentially travel to some of the local packs.

“Perhaps you should restart your search for a Luna as a pretext for travelling?” he suggests.

“NO” I say vehemently.

“No? My grandfather asks quizzically surprised by the intensity of my response. “You do still need to find your mate, and it might be the best way to conduct the search.”

“I don’t want a mate at the moment, and I am sick of pretending that I do.”

“The pack needs a Luna, and you can’t delay for much longer. There has been a gaping hole since your mother died five years ago that needs to be filled. Your duty to the royals is important, but so is your duty to the pack.”

I sigh. If my grandfather thinks like this, what hope do I have. He has always supported my decision to delay my search for a Luna. How can I tell him or anyone else in the pack, the truth? That I have found my mate. That I love her and want no one else? They wouldn’t accept Katy.

“I will think about it” I manage to say.

Fortunately, he doesn’t press me.

……………

I am sitting in my office updating Euan on my discussion with my grandfather.

“I have increased the patrols along our borders. If you want, I can start to visit some of the local packs, it might be easier for me to do this than it would be for you. I can approach them and suggest sharing intelligence about the rogues” he offers.

“That sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, it won’t solve the problem of my mate. I am still going to face pressure to provide a Luna soon. If my grandfather is keen for me to find my mate, my father will be even worse.

“There is still no way you can think of to tell them about Katy? he asks me.

“No, it feels impossible. I can’t see how I can stay in this pack and still have her”

“You would leave?” Euan asks.

“I don’t know. I can’t give her up, but at the same time I don’t want to abandon my duty to the pack. I just can’t see a way that I can do both, and each day the urge to mark her gets stronger and stronger.”

Euan puts his hand on my shoulder in sympathy. “Maybe if we can solve the rogue attacks and help find this royal this will give you more freedom to tell people who your mate really is.”

“Perhaps” it is a hope that I cling to but I know that it is not very likely. I just can’t see a way forward.

“I think you should tell your grandfather. He may not totally approve, but he is your closest family, and he may want to help you” he tells me.

I say nothing. I know that this is my only option, but I dread telling him. If he is against us, then we stand no chance.