Chapter 3~ A mate

**Rowan's POV**

“Is this even necessary?” I growled, looking at the invitation card in my hands with the Whitecrest Pack seal. “Since when do I go to such events?”

“We need to mingle with other packs if we want to make alliances with them,” Flynn said, looking at me seriously. “This is important, Alpha. We can’t miss this opportunity.”

A scoff escaped my lips. “What opportunity are we going to miss? What does the Crescent Moon Pack lack?”

Flynn sighed heavily like he had the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. He was my beta and had been for the past five years since I took over from my retired father.

I think he was finally starting to get tired of me. Soon, he might leave just like everyone else.

“We may be the richest and strongest pack, but we will soon weaken if our Alpha has no Luna. Most of our pack members haven’t been able to find their mates because we’ve closed ourselves off. We don’t interact with other packs, and we can’t have people who just have chosen mates. We need fated mates too. It’s the goddess’ wish.”

I arched an eyebrow. “So, you want me to go to this shitty event to play around just to look for a mate? Dude, I’m twenty-seven. If I had a mate, I would have met her by now.”

“Oh really?” Flynn asked. “She would have dropped from the sky?”

A growl escaped my lips. “Don’t speak to me that fucking way.”

“Sorry, Alpha,” Flynn said, straightening his back, but I knew he wasn’t afraid. He was the only person who could tell me off, and my wolf would tolerate him. “We all just want you to find your fated mate. And most of our pack members are looking forward to meeting theirs too.”

I fell silent for a few seconds before saying, “A mate? I’m not interested in such a useless thing.”

Flynn inhaled sharply, and I was sure he would give up on me now.

“Alpha, please… this is your father’s wish. He knew you got an invitation and accepted it on your behalf. Who knows? You might find our Luna,” Flynn remarked. When he saw that I was still not interested, he added. “He also said if you don’t find your mate, then he will arrange for you to marry Brooke–”

“The fuck?” I growled, and Flynn smirked at finally getting my attention. “Why the fuck would I marry Brooke?”

“Oh, you know why… she was the late beta’s daughter and since she’s an orphan and your father promised to take care of her, making her your Luna would be the best course of action.”

“He should marry her then,” I spat, furrowing my eyebrows.

Brooke? Is he kidding me?

That she-wolf was irritating and fake as fuck. Why would Dad want to make her my Luna?

“He’s serious this time around… he might use something that you’ve always wanted. And you will end up giving in… and choosing Brooke as your mate.”

I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

“Oh hell no.”

“Oh hell yeah… if you don’t want that ending, you've got to go to this event. At least you can say you’re searching.”

I frowned deeply.

He was right.

I needed to placate my old man somehow. But I knew I wouldn’t find my fated mate. That’s because I had already found her, and she’s dead.

The day I found her is the day I lost her. I’ve never told anyone… she was a rogue, and was already dying at that time.

I didn’t see the need to tell anyone my Luna had died.

There’s no way I would find a second chance mate. That kind of miracle never happens in our world.

You only get one soulmate for life.

“Fine… when is this event again?” I asked, and Flynn grinned from ear to ear.

“Why are you so excited? You already have a mate,” I murmured.

“I’m happy you’re finally willing to try,” he said. “It’s in a few days. I’ll get a few of the pack members ready.”

I sighed when he walked out of my office, excited like a little kid.

Well, it won’t hurt to get some air in another pack. Perhaps that fool, Silas, won’t annoy me this time.

…

That was what I thought, but the moment I laid my eyes on Silas Fenwick, the Alpha of the Whitecrest pack and my former best friend, a murderous growl reverberated in my chest.

He approached me with a blonde female clinging to his arm like she was trying to mould herself into him.

“You’re late,” he said.

“Yeah… the rules don’t apply to me,” I replied cockily, looking around the area.

The place was empty, and I could hear some thudding sounds in the distance, signalling that the forest ahead was occupied.

“So, what do I have to do?” I asked.

“Well, for this game, the one who captures the biggest animal wins, and they will get an anonymous prize,” Silas said. “More like the prize will be decided after the games are over.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What happened to granting a wish?”

He sneered, and the female beside him laughed. “Well, someone was becoming too delusional, so we changed the rules–”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” I cut her off icily, and she flinched, her heart racing.

“Come on, Alpha Rowan. Don’t scare my lady… she’s already scared of you thanks to your reputation.”

“Ah… you mean the rumour that I fuck women to their deaths?” I scoffed, glancing at the blonde woman. For some reason, she annoyed the fuck out of me. “You have no reason to worry. You wouldn’t even get a chance.”

I saw something flash through her eyes before she smiled at me. “Alpha Rowan, since this is your first time coming to such an event, I would like to recommend the areas that have the biggest animals. If you go towards the east side, you’re sure to find something big there.”