Austin's POV
"Careful there Austin." Paul warned me again, eyeing me warily from where he stood. I ignored him taking another swing at the punching bag. It felt good. I reveled in the burn of my muscles. Working out was second only to running in my wolf form.
"Yeah, yeah. I hear ya." I finally acknowledge him, deciding I'd had enough for the day. I start taking my gloves off and unwrapping my hands. Paul comes over with bottled water.
"Jeff said he had some news for you before you left for the Alpha meeting." He informs me. I drain my water contemplating what it is Jeff has to tell me. Technically, since I'm twenty I am the Alpha of the Midnight Moon Pack but Dad still has a lot to teach me and he will be accompanying me to the meeting. Jeff is my Beta so though he is loyal to me as my second, he won't be going to the meeting with me.
"Ok. Tell him to meet me at the pack house." I tell Paul.
"Sure thing. But don't make me look bad again like the last time you said you'd be somewhere but went off with Holly or Molly or whatever er name was." He playfully warns me. I roll my eyes.
"No promises." I grab a towel, wipe my neck, and head out to my car that seems to wink at me in the sunlight. I slip on my ray bans and can't help but smile. Everything is really good right now. I expertly drive down the road to the pack house. My thoughts drift to the meeting. It will be my first Alpha meeting as an Alpha myself. I'll admit I'm a little nervous. I want more than anything to live up to my dad's legacy in the pack, but what if I mess it up? Nope, I can't think like that.
............
"Wait, so let me get this straight, you were on patrol of the borders when you heard a voice and followed it?" I'm desperately trying to make sense of Danny's ramblings.
"Yes. The voice called to my wolf like no other before. It was weird. From my vantage point in the woods I couldn't see her but I could hear her so clearly, and her voice reached me, wrapping me up in it and making the hair on my neck raise...
"I think we found Jamie."
"Jamie!"
"He must've been one hell of kisser."
"He was. So why are we leaving so soon? I was just getting started."
The voices Jeff recalls play in my head through the pack mind link. I instantly pick out the one he mentioned that seems to pull me in.
"Mate." I state. My wolf whines, hating that were so far from our mate, yet so close. Jeff's eyes widen.
"Are you sure? I- I mean I wasn't sure why her voice called to me but it makes sense..." He trails off taking in my glare.
"Of course I'm sure." I snarl. "Now I just need to find her."
"How are you going to do that?"
"I'll figure it out."
"Okay but-
"Austin. You ready to head out for the meeting?" My Father appears, briefcase in hand.
"Of course. Let me just go get my bag." I answer and swiftly head upstairs to my room in the pack house to retrieve my things. I can only hope I don't disappoint him, and that knowing my mate is somewhere out there close won't distract me.
.........
"So what do you propose we do about the rouges threatening the Mountain Ridge pack border?" Alpha Frederick questions the circle.
"We could always offer you more protection on that end of the border." Suggests Alpha Benjamin of the Sun Rise pack.
"There is always the option, though typically less popular, the idea of talking to the rouges and possibly reaching a compromise or at the very least hearing them out." I look to the man who spoke. I think he is the future Alpha of Starry Night pack. The woman at his side smiles proudly at him. Must be his mate.
"Yes, I agree. Any way we can avoid violence nd future conflict sounds good to me." I put in my two cents, glancing at my father from the corner of my eye.
"Agreed. Thank you." Alpha Fredrick ends the discussion. "We will further discuss plans for this action at a later date. Now onto the Alpha Harding's mate." We all turn to Alpha Harding.
"I'm sure you've all heard of my predicament. My mate is human." He pauses. Poor man. A human mate for an Alpha is rare, as it is hard for them to cope as it is, let alone become Luna and gain the pack's respect.
"Do you think you will tell her about what you are and introduce her to our world? Do you trust her to keep the secret?" Alpha Fredrick inquires.
"I fully intend on telling her once I'm sure she is ready to handle it all." Alpha Harding assures the group.
"Very well. Keep us posted." Alpha Fredrick tells him. The rest of the meeting went similarly and finally we were allowed to leave.
"Hi I'm Alpha Austin, I don't think we've properly met." I reach out my hand.
"Ryan. Future alpha of the Starry Night pack." He places his hand in mine.
"Pleasure to meet you." I smile and glance at the petite red head at his side.
"Oh, excuse me. This is my mate Brooke." He introduces us with a big grin.
"It's wonderful to meet you." She tells me, holding out her tiny hand for me to shake.
"And you too The pleasures all mine.." I take her hand in mine and nod my approval at Ryan. "Well it was lovely meeting you two but I'm afraid I must be off. Long journey ahead of me." I nod at them before heading off to find my father.
"I will tell him." I hear my father's voice.
"Good. In time I feel he shall become a great leader." Alpha Fredrick, the eldest alpha spoke.
"We shall see." My father replies, not revealing his thoughts.
"See what?" I inquire, after Alpha Frederick departs.
"We were just talking about you as a leader is all." He dismisses, "You know you will need your mate to gain your full alpha leadership and power." My father states mater o factly, a frown line appearing in his forehead.
"What?"
"It's true. Having a mate gives us our full potential. Until you find her you aren't complete. You better hope she's a good one too. Willing to take on the role as Luna and respected by the pack." He explains, and I can only hope I am on fate's good side.
.........
"We should probably stop for gas here." I suggest. We're running low on fuel in my pickup truck and there won't be another station for a while. My father and I are on our way back from the meeting to our land. I receive a grunt for an answer as I pull up to a pump. My father gets out and makes his way inside mumbling about getting something to eat.
"Hurry up, I'll just be a minute." He assures me. I lift the pump into the truck fuel slot, and climb back into the driver's seat. I vaguely hear laughing from the store and realize who it is when I see a group of girls make their way out.
"You and your cravings." The blonde girl shakes her head at the stunning brunette.
"Hey, I can't help it. Blue slushies' are the best!" Her musical voice reaches my ears, and my wolf purrs.
"Between you and Brooke I don't know who is more addicted." The third girl, tall with midnight hair, says.
"Well let's not forget Ryan. He always has to get those powdered sugar donuts. I don't know how he stays in shape." The blonde states. Wait. Brooke? Ryan?
"Easy. He works out." The beautiful brunette says.
"Plus now that he has Brooke he'll find other ways to stay in shape." The blonde suggests wiggling her brows. The brunette wrinkles her nose. Damn she's cute as hell when she does that. Wait does that mean she has feelings for Ryan? I suppress a growl. Mine. My wolf says. Looks like I'm going to be paying the Starry Night pack a visit.
"Ready?" I'm snapped out of my thoughts when my father reappears in the passenger seat.
.........
"How was the meeting babe?" I'm greeting by my mom and her cooking.
"Good." I shrug reaching for the heavenly smelling dish on the stove. She slaps my hand away.
"Hey. Get those paws away from my hard cooked meal." She scolds playfully. "Go tell your brother to wash up and while you're at it how about you wash up too." She dries her hands on a dish towel.
"Martha you need any help hun?" Jeff's mom comes into the kitchen offering her services.
"Oh sure Susan you can chop up those veggies for the soup." She gestures to a pile on the counter. I leave them to the cooking and go off in search of my little brother. I find him on the X box. Shocker.
"Yo, little bro. Mom said its time for dinner and to wash up."
"Yeah, yeah just let me finish beating the shit outta this guy." I roll my eyes, and reach to turn the TV off.
"Hey!" He protests. I just shrug my shoulders, smirking at him. He tackles me to the couch. "You're so gonna get it."
"In your dreams lil bro. try me." I challenge playfully. A few minutes later I have him in a head lock rubbing my knuckles into his hair.
"Ok, ok, I give!"
"Boys! Dinner!"
"You got off easy this time Tyler." I tell him playfully nudging him in the ribs.
"Yeah whatever." He rolls his eyes and pushes me into the couch cushions before getting up to head downstairs. Our family dinners are always eventful and never cease to entertain me, however tonight I just couldn't get my mate out of my mind and what my father had said about finding her to make me a full alpha. I hope that she accepts her place as my Luna.