The Witch's Mate (completed)

Shot with a Sleeping Dart

Today is my twenty-first birthday. There will be cake and partying and a little bit of drinking. But it is to be like any other day. According to my father, that is.

I listened to concerns of my pack members and reported back to my dad and gave suggestions of the best ways to tend to the pack's needs. Then there was training. Lots and lots of working-out and mock fighting.

I was jacked. Over two-hundred pounds and just a tiny bit smaller than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. But I was by far a lot stronger than him. Thanks to my werewolf abilities, that is. My hair was no longer shaggy. After turning eighteen, my dad made sure it stayed short, along with any hair on my face. I always had to look clean. My face was very manly and strong. I don't smile much, but I'm told I have an adorable one. I'm told my cheeks don't rise like most smiles but instead creases appear on my cheeks and I look like a Ken Doll trying to resist plastic.

I'm proud of the way I look. I am by far the strongest young male in the pack. I'm stronger than my dad, for sure. He knows it. Everyone knows it. No one can beat me at the tournaments our pack puts on.

I'm tough. I've killed. I've banished people. I've done all my dad reared me up to do. I'm a future alpha.

After training, I was to bond with the future Beta. His name was Cab. We've known each other all our lives and many think we're best friends but in all actuality, my dad and his dad have had this planned all our lives. We're not that close, even though we train together everyday. I've never bonded with him.

Actually, I've never bonded with anyone. My dad's made sure to always keep me busy. I know every single wolf in the pack but ... I've never had a best friend.

Sometimes I can't wait to meet my soul mate. She's supposed to be the one to help me through it all. Support me. Support the pack. She's to be my backbone. She's to be my best friend. Sometimes I need one. Someone to just talk to. Express my anxiety and worries of becoming the future alpha. Or just have someone to complain to about my dad and the burdening responsibilities he places on my shoulders. Sometimes it's really hard to find that person. I live in Vancouver. My soul mate could easily be Chinese in China! My parents aren't soul mates. A lot of werewolves aren't. It's hard.

So, sometimes, I lose that hope of having that best friend.

Bonding with Cab meant going on a hunt with him.

"Black-Tail, right there." Cab pointed out through mind link. I nodded in my wolf form. Mind link only works when transformed. I wish it worked while we are in human form but it doesn't.

Cab and I snuck up and once the animal heard us, it booked it. We began chasing it hoping to even come upon a herd.

My eyes were set on my target. I could hear my Beta beside me, keeping pace with me.

My heart was racing.

My ear picked up something. Then my nose.

Humans.

Then, a click.

The sound was just as fast and ear-piercing as the feeling that shot through me was sudden and pain-striking.

One paw got in the front of the other and I tumbled to the ground. My Beta quickly came to a stop and ran back to me.

"RED! What's wrong? What happened?"

"I've been shot!" Cab looked at my leg and realization hit him when he saw the blood.

"This is bad."

"No s." I growl and the sound I'd heard went off once more. Cab whimpered as a bullet grazed his ear. "Come on, we need to get out of here!" Cab nodded and I quickly got to my feet.

We began running back as the shouting of men was heard. More shots were fired and then ... I felt pain again. Not as bad as before, but like I was getting a needle injection.

I tumbled to the ground once more and went to get up when I felt another needle. I cried out and then howled.

"RED!"

"Cab! Get out of here! Go warn the others! But don't lead the hunters to our pack! Be smart!"

"But ... what about you?"

"RUN! Go! That's an order!" With a slight hesitation, Cab quickly went back to running. I watched as his tail wagged behind him and his figure got smaller and smaller, as well as blurrier and blurrier as my eyes began to get heavy. Footsteps were behind me, cracking on the fallen leaves and twigs.

"This guy's huge!" I faintly heard one say.

"He'll be worth so much!"

"Oh yeah,"

I lost conscious, not knowing what was going to happen to me.