Destiny's Tethers

Chapter 3 - Lavender

A Year Ago

The blonde haired man watched the scene around him, swirling the wine in his glass and trying not to look bored or frustrated.

He knew the significance of this annual function-it was for each pack to present updates of local happenings, mingle and also get to know and maintain relationships with the Alphas, Betas and Lunas of the other packs.

As the strongest pack in the Evergreen Wilds, the Silver Arrow Pack was always the host, and while he had no problem with that, getting through the dinner each year was a strange balance between amusing and excruciating.

He was the Alpha of the Moon River Pack, the second strongest in the region, which meant there were plenty of others who wanted to talk to him and possibly butter him up.

Not to mention that as of now, aside from Alpha Bradley who had lost Luna Tess to a rogue attack a few years prior, he was still the only Alpha amongst them who was still yet to find a proper mate for himself. He had just been made Alpha a year ago after his father stepped down - still young and single, as some would put it.

And so here he was, consistently subject to conversations from other Alphas or Lunas which veered very conspicuously towards the fact that their daughter(s) was/were of age, and they could arrange a meeting. And if said daughter(s) was/were present, which happened often, they were between the 'politely sitting there' and the 'downright flirtatious' types.

He had already developed a default response as they kept coming, especially since he'd already dealt with this during his first time last year.

"Your daughter(s) sound(s) pleasant, but I'm afraid I'm not interested." He said one too many times, some instances even having to move himself away when the young women tried to brush or grasp his arm.

If the individual still tried to press the subject, his wolf Lark would come through and his eyes would turn from their usual dark blue to bright yellow, scaring off any further attempts at setting him up with anyone.

At one point, he got up and walked to the balcony for some air, only to find that he wasn't the only one out here as he was hit by a sweet lavender and honey scent.

"Are you okay?" The brunette asked him cautiously-she didn't look that old, perhaps a few years younger than him at best. She was wearing a silvery dress, her hair braided elegantly down one shoulder.

The man blinked, for some reason feeling his wolf stir at the sight of her.

"Oh uh...yes. Why do you ask?"

The brunette shrugged with a soft smile.

"You look tired....well, 'done' might be a better word for it."

The man chuckled in return. "Perhaps you could say that. I've just...been talking to the leaders from all the other packs all night and...a lot of them are definitely angling to set me up with their daughters."

The brunette laughed, and he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter slightly-she had a wonderful smile. Not to mention how her laugh sounded so melodious.

"I see...so that means you're Alpha Landon from the Moon River Pack, right?"

Alpha Landon grinned and nodded.

"Guilty as charged."

"Well...it makes perfect sense." The brunette spoke as they stood on the balcony together, the evening breeze brushing through their hair. "You're the only unmated Alpha here...if there's a chance, someone will want to take it."

"I suppose..." Landon briefly wondered if she had learnt that saying from someone else.

"It does make sense, and perhaps marrying another alpha's daughter would make my pack stronger but...I'd rather not. I don't want to meet my future Luna through an arrangement. I want it to happen naturally."