HIS HATED MATE

CHAPTER 2

Loud slams woke me up from my slumber. It was barely three hours since I managed to fall asleep. I was still in my clothes from earlier. I opened the door of my room and stepped outside. The guards were gone and I couldn't see anybody in the hallways. Where then was the slamming coming from? I continued down the hallway, turning at the bend and bumping into Michael.

"Why are you here by this time? What's going on?" He was never in the main house by this time.

"There's been an attack" My eyes widened.

"Attack?" I was shocked. Who could be attacking us? As far as I know, Father was on good terms with all the neighboring packs and even distant packs so who could be attacking us so suddenly?

"No time to waste. You have to go back to your room. Father sent me here to ensure you're safe"

"And Ines? Gaius?" The other servants in the pack house and the people who lived close to the borders.

"There are guards watching them. Come on, let's go back to your room" I nodded and turned around, returning in the way I had come from. I entered my room but Michael lingered at the door.

"Aren't you going to come inside?" If he was going to guard me through the night, then he would be more comfortable inside than outside the door. He shook his head.

"I have no reason to. I'll guard you from the outside" His voice was off but I nodded, not willing to ask further because I wanted to respect his decision and he closed the door. I stripped out of the clothes and took a much-needed bath. And I lay in bed after that, falling asleep and forgetting that there was an attack...and possible war going on. The next time I woke up, it was to a gentle knock on my door. I grabbed my dressing gown and went to see who it was. Father's beta was pacing outside.

"Good morning" I greeted.

"Get dressed and come out. We need to talk" he walked away before I could respond and I entered my room to do as he instructed. Once I was dressed, I marched to the family room where he was waiting with Michael and Ines.

"We were attacked by the full moon pack" he dropped the bomb.

"What? Why? They are aware we are in mourning" Ines asked angrily.

"That is precisely the reason for their actions. They think we are weak because we just lost our alpha"

It didn't make any sense. They shouldn't attack us just because they thought we were weak. We opened our borders previously to them and even supported them in their battle against another pack. Attacking us at our weakest was unfair considering all we've done for them.

"But this seems deeper. I hear the buildings closest to the border were completely destroyed and lives were lost" Michael said and his father nodded.

"They may differ little in size with us but they have a formidable army. They are dangerous" Ines muttered.

"We can hold our own against them" Uncle responded to her.

"But how many lives will be lost" We are still trying to get over the death of our alpha. We don't have an alpha yet...no set structure. That puts them at an advantage over us"

"Stop speaking Ines. You know nothing about war"

"I know enough and all I want is what's best for the pack. We have to do something to stop the war immediately"

"So what is your clever suggestion then?"

"The war cannot continue. Why don't we try to negotiate with them and see what they want? Maybe we can come to an agreement with them and..."