Alpha, Mate, and So Much More

•CHAPTER ONE

(UNEDITED)
"Avalon." My mother says quietly as she knocks on the door. I pretend to be asleep, hopping she'll just leave. "Lonnie." She says more sternly.

"Five more minutes." I mumble, words getting drowned out by the pillow. The door creaks open and I can feel my mothers eyes on the back of my head. I sneakily get a peek at the clock. 6:00. 6:00 A.M. Why does my mother hate me, I ponder.

"Honey, I know it's early but we have to get ready for the gathering. It's at noon and it's a two hour drive. Maybe you could've slept longer if you packed last night like I said." She says, a smirk tugging at her lips. I bolt up when what she says sets in. The gathering. By the look she's giving me I know she can tell I forgot.

I sigh, exasperated. "What's the point of going to some arrogant, selfish alphas territory, just so he can find his stupid mate. It's not like it's gonna be me, and I thank the moon for that!" By the end I'm panting and out of breath.

"That arrogant, selfish alpha is the most powerful alpha out there. You never know maybe you are his mate but until we find out you will look your best and behave." She says with a stern look but I can here the humor lacing her tone.

"Me? Behave? Do you even know me dear mother!" She stares at me for a few seconds before we both break down laughing. "Okay. I'll try and be on my best behavior, but if he talks to me about how 'great he is' I swear to god I will lose my mind." I say seriously. My mom nods giving me a knowing look and strides out of my room. We both know I'm all bark and no bite. No matter what I'll just suffer till he finds his mate and we can leave.

I make my bed and neatly set my stuffed animals on my bed. I always tell people that I can be as childish as I want until I reach 18. I still got have a year until that happens so the stuffed animals stay. I tip toe against the cold, hard wood floor into the bathroom. After taking a shower and blow drying my longish dark brown hair I put on some mascara and chopstick and decide to keep it pretty natural, including my wavy hair.

I step back into my room slipping on my light blue dress that shows off my top half, accentuating my waist, than flows down reaching right above my knee. It makes me look nice and shows me off well without being provocative. If it was my decision I would be covered in as many layers as it takes to cover all my skin. I slip on some nude pumps and a gold necklace with my birth stone at the end. A ruby. The only thing I have left of my real parents. I was left on the door steps of Jackie and Mark. The people I now call mother and father. I never had the urge to look for biological parents. I never had the empty void other people describe when they don't know their parents. I always felt complete.

I stand in front of the mirror and skim over my plain brown hair and average face, not the beautiful dress that I give no justice to. Although I will admit the dress does make my blue eyes look nicer than usual. I decide that I look fine, It's not like he'll be paying attention to me anyways. His focus will be on his mate.

Although I dislike the alpha I do hope he finds his mate. Most find them by 21 ye he is 24 and still looking. I can understand how frustrating it must be for him and no matter how selfish he may be I know he'll treat her well. No matter the person, cruel or kind, they all care and love for their mate. It's instinct.

My mother calls from downstairs l, breaking me out of my thoughts. I make my way downstairs, bag in hand and my father greets me while guiding me too the car.

The ride went as expected. My father with hopeful eyes and my mother telling him not to get his hopes up. I sat there quietly watching the woods pass by, just wanting to shift into my wolf and run the rest of the way. I end up dozing off and be shaken awake by my mother letting me know we're here.

I step out of the car only to look up at the most beautiful house I've ever seen. It's modern but HUGE. You can see inside most of it because of all the glass but its tinted so you can see it clearly. Most people are already there, the parents mingling, the inmates girls chatting nervously. A smug smile plays at my lips. All these girls with their hopes up and a dreamy far off look in there eyes. The chance of them being the alphas mate is one in a million. Most, like me, probably don't even know his name.

A deep, silky voice booms over the intercom saying, "Ladies, if you are unmated we ask you at this time to please line up." Some girls rush to get to the front of the line while others stay in back. I over hear a blonde bimbo saying how confident she is that it will be her. I let out a small chuckle as I pass and she grabs my wrist, pulling me back. She looks angry and says, "Why are you laughing you basic bitch." I just smile, amusement evident in my eyes.

"Because your so confident that it's you when we all have the same chance as you. And the fact that there's toilet paper hanging out of your dress that probably should be a short also adds to my humor." I responded, walking away. I smile when I see her frantically searching for toilet paper that's not their.

Deciding that I don't want to stand in a line when he most likely won't for another hour, I go find my best friend Ella. I search the crowd and my gaze falls upon a beautiful blonde that I call my best friend. She sees me and excitedly waves and runs over towards me. She's so graceful even running in heals. When she reaches me she wraps me in her arms, her 5" 10' towering my 5" 4'. "Hey I need to go to the bathroom real quick. If my parents are looking for me please let them know. Kay?"

"Yeah, no problem." She replies, and I walk off into the huge house. The first thing I notice when I walk in is how open and spacious everything is. You can see a kitchen, living room, and den all at once. And that may be great and all but none of those are useful to me at the moment. After ten minutes of searching I found a small bathroom and thanked to moon for that. I did my business and made my way outside when I realized a familiar scent.

I sniffed around and the scent disappeared, and I search my memories for who that scent belonged too. When I know I can't remember I make my way back to Ella who shushes me because she's trying to listen. That's when I notice every one is quiet. A booming voice hushes the crowd that's already silent and starts talking.

I'm assuming this is the alpha who introduces himself as Lucas. I doze off as he drones on about how he is so happy we could be here for this and blah blah blah. The only thing I'm thinking about is how long it's gonna be with me being in the back of the line. And what if his mate isn't here? I'll have to mate in this line just so he can look into my eyes and smell me for a few seconds. I'm getting annoyed just as Lucas says for the first girl to come up then dismisses her and he does that with the next and the next and so on. When I see Ella go up I know that it's half way through.

This would be great for Ella if she was his mate because she would be Luna for the biggest pack on Earth. When he goes to smell her he takes longer than the others and I feel my smile growing. He whispers something in her ear and I'm starting to full out grin but that disappears when she nods and he dismisses her calling the next girl up.

As she walks away she glances at me and I give her a confused look to which she just smiles at me and then walks away, adding to my confusion. Another half an hour later and the girl in front of me walks up. Why has it made its way to me? I mean shouldn't he have found his mate by now? Or maybe he has but he wants to make everyone feel like they have a chance? That means that it's probably Ella! That makes so much sense now! Oh god I'm so happy for-

I get cut off by the calling of my name and I look around to see all eyes on me. My cheeks turn red as I walk over to the alpha. This is the first time I actually see him and when I do I do a double take. He's huge but not in a bad way. You can see his muscle through his suit and with his black hair and green eyes it could make any girl swoon. But I'm not any girl and soon enough I'm standing in front of the man with the familiar scent.