My Human Mate

Chapter 1

Axel POV

"The pack needs this contract and treaty. Don't fuck up. If we get it..." I put the phone on my chest, muffling the sound of my father nagging at me. 5 years retired and he still didn't believe that I could lead this pack. My Beta, Robbie, was resting next to me in the same plane. He looked like he was sleeping, but I knew better.

"Former alpha still riding your back?" Robbie asked after I cut the call.

"My dad has some serious trust issues."

"He's just worried because you're 26 and still haven't found your mate yet," he countered.

"So? You're my age and you haven't found your mate yet either."

"You're an alpha. There's a difference." I scoffed at this. In truth, I was worried as well, but before I could reply, the plane stopped and we were caught up in the slowly rushing crowd. Is there anything more annoying than the crowd leaving an airplane? I guess you could say that I'm impatient.

The subject was soon forgotten when I saw my friend, Ian, waiting for us after we left the airport.

"What's up, mate?" Ian had a twinge of an Australian accent. He and his pack had moved from Australia to New York when he was still a teenager. I met him a few years later when I had accompanied my father to New York to see his pack and make a peace treaty. A lot has happened since our rebellious days back then.

"The usual. How are you?" I replied grabbing his outstretched hand and pulling him in for a brohug [AN: if someone knows the proper term for this, please tell me].

"Great," grinning, he lead me to his car with Robbie who he also greeted with enthusiasm. His car was a silver BMW like mine.

//

Ian and I used to always walk around the woods and talk whenever we visited each other so we decided to have our meeting outside.

Our meeting was fairly quick because we're friends and have no plan to break off our treaty or friendship so we just continued talking about our pack and lives while walking in the woods outside of his pack house.

In mid-sentence we both stopped. There was a human here, but sniffing a little more, we realized that it was just a child. Just a boy who probably wandered into the forest to play.

Ian and I shared a look before we stalked toward where the scent of the boy was coming from.

A little brown haired boy lay beneath the trunk of a tree, sleeping.

"Do you know this boy?" I asked.

"Never seen him before. I wonder how he got past my guards."

"No parents would leave their child sleeping here. Maybe he ran away. Let's take him back to your pack house," I picked up the light little boy.

"A human in the pack house?"

"He's just a child. After he wakes up, we can question him and then drive him home," I explained. I'd hate to see this child suffering. I felt obliged to help him. Like it was fate to meet him or some shit like that. The feeling was weird and I couldn't place it.

Ian opened the door to the house which we had all to ourselves since it was midday and mostly everyone was at work or school. Robbie was in a guest room working on several pack plans. I set the boy down on the couch and shook him awake.

He mumbled something before opening his hazel eyes. "Who are you?" his little voice trembled.

The soothing voice that came from my mouth surprised me, "My name is Axel. This is Ian. We found you in the forest. What's your name and what were you doing there?"