Fated or Mated? (SEMI-PERMENANT HIATUS)

Leave Her? No.

Aisling

We arrived at the pack house to find everyone in the front yard. It would have been terrifying to a human to see over 200 wolves the size of a pick up truck sitting at attention, all facing the largest wolf of them all, my father, the Alpha. I'll admit, I'm meant to lead these wolves one day, and the sight even intimidates me.

I took my place next to my father and Alexis took her place next to her father, the Beta of our pack who sat slightly behind my dad. My dad looked at me with a look of disappointment. Being the Luna and future Alpha, I should have been here first, not last.

Where the hell were you, Aisling?, I heard his voice echo in my head.

I wanted some time with my mate, father

He growled quietly, since he hated it when I called Alexis my mate, but he cut off our private communication when he addressed the whole pack.

Thank you for coming, everyone. I know this is last minute, but we've received some disturbing Intel.  It seems that there is a large group of rogues only three miles from our border. We didn't get an exact number on the size of the pack, but it's estimated to be in the hundreds.

The whole pack stirred, they were snarling, barking and speaking over each through the mind link. All of us confused at the news.

I don't understand,  Father, I interrupted, Rogues don't travel in packs. It's rare to see more than one Rogue at a time. Why would hundreds of them be together? And how do you know they were Rogues and not just another pack?

Our scouts reported different scents among them meaning they aren't a pack and some were Marked. My father said, mildly annoyed that I interrupted. Though I could feel his emotions and he was happy I was at least paying attention. He continued, They seem to be led by a powerful Alpha but we don't know the Alpha's identity at this moment. We are to remain on guard and double the patrols along the border. We will leave them be for now but war will be officially declared the moment one of them crosses into our territory. That's all for now. I want teams 2 and 4 on the first patrol, the rest of you are dismissed.

I waited for the crowd to disperse. About 12 wolves ran of into the woods towards the border while everyone else went back to the pack house.

Dad, are you-

Walk with me, Aisling, He interrupted

I gulped because he only uses my real name when he's mad, but i nodded and followed him without another word. We walked in silence, in our human forms until we reached the lake. My father sat on a fallen tree and patted the spot next to him as an invitation. I sat next to him cautiously, afraid of what this conversation could be about. I wanted to ask him about the rogues but he clearly wanted to talk about something else.

He took a deep breath before turning to me with a serious expression, "Aisling, this is gonna be a hard conversation for both of us." He took another deep breath as he paused, "You... You need to b-break it off with Alexis. I know you love her but she isn't your mate. I'm sorry, love, but our species doesn't work that way. You can't have a same sex-"

"Stop," I interrupted, "I'm not doing this again. Im not leaving her. I don't care what the council says, Alexis is my mate. I know she is."

"It isn't the council!" He suddenly yelled, "It's history! Thousands of years of wolves have had heterosexual relationships! You are not going to be the one magical couple that gets what they want!"

I held my composure, trying not to show my fear and hurt from his tone, but he must have seen it in my eyes because his voice softened.

"I'm sorry, Ash, but that's the way it is. In two years, you will have to start looking for your male mate. Once I'm gone, you will take over the pack and you will have to rule alongside a man. Alexis will always be by your side, but as your Beta, not your Luna."