The Unknown

Chapter 18

The two hour plane ride was quiet. Most people are sleeping or watching a movie. I spend most of my time curled up in my blanket sleeping with my earbuds in.

When I feel a tap on my shoulder I jump. Yanking out my earbuds I turn to see who had tapped me.

"We are about to land," one of the guards my dad sent says.

I nod and slowly begin to sit up.

Once the plane finally lands I stand and stretch out. Folding my comfy blanket up neatly I place it in my seat for safe keeping. Since we own a privet plane and no one else will be riding it I know that the blanket will be here when it's time to go home.

When we get to the pack I'm horrified along with everyone else. Pack members normally live in houses near the pack house or in the pack house like a little village, so we aren't shocked to find all of the houses tucked in the woods. What shocks me is all of the damage done.

The hunters really did damage. Some of the houses were missing a wall or have broken windows. The landscape its self is pretty bad also with up rooted trees and turned over cars.

Inside the houses can't look much better.

A man in dark jeans and a white under shirt walks straight up to me. Power radiates off of this man which lets me know this is who I need to talk to.

Colton tries to stand in front of me as if to protect me but I gently push him out of my way and step forward.

The man extends his had out to me. As I take it he says, "You must be future Alpha Mia. We have been expecting you and your people. I'm Alpha  Anthony."

I shake his hand and motion to the people behind me. "We are ready to work, so give us jobs."

Alpha Anthony doesn't waist any time putting us all to work. I help clean up some of the rooms in the pack house for anyone that needs a place to stay. That is the only building that was left alone thankfully since it had all of the young in it.

Before I know it I hear one of the elderly women yelling out saying its time for dinner and the sun has set behind the trees. Everyone is quiet as we eat, lost in thought from the days events.

After eating we are done with today's work and everyone heads to their rooms. As I go Colton sneaks up behind me and grabs by arm.

"Mia, come for a walk with me, please."

I smile and follow him as he leads me into the woods. His hand stays on my arm as I follow.

Following the sound of running water I lead us to a small stream. Sitting I pull Colton down with me.

Colton is the first to break the silence, "Tell me about yourself. I feel like I barely know anything about you."

"What do you want to know?" I continue to look at the stars as they twinkle in the sky.

"Well, what do you want to do in the future?"

I turn and observe him as he looks at the stream. "Before it really sunk in that being Alpha was actual going to happen I always dreamed of being a nurse for kids. I was going to go to collage and become a neonatal nurse and save premature babies. But now, all I can see in my future is the pack. Don't get me wrong or anything, I absolutely love my pack, but I won't get to go to collage because I can't leave them. Now I see myself ruling over my pack with my mate by my side just like my parents did before me. I can only dream to one day be as great as they are.  What about you? What do you see yourself doing down the road?"

"Like you my dreams have changed recently. I use to think that I was going to be forced to live a life I hated. Being trained to kill isn't all it seems. Now, as I sit here with those I was trained to kill, I wish that I was born into your life. Not you personally but your kind. I don't know what the future will bring for me, I just hope that being forgiven for all the pain I have caused is in the future for me."

He turns and looks be in the eyes. I reach over and grab his hand again and give it a tight squeeze. " I have already forgiven you for that horrible night." I give him a small smile.

"Soon you'll think different" I hear him whisper almost to faint for me to hear.

He changes the subject before I have the chance to ask him what that meant, "So once we get back do you think your dad would give me premission to take you out on a date?" he smiles and is so hopeful.

I slide my hand out of his and bring my knees up to my chest. Wrapping my arms around my legs I sigh knowing that I can't let that happen. It is unfair of me to keep leading Colton on like this when I know full well I can't let this continue.

I look back into his eyes, mine filled with sadness and his filled with worry. "Colton I can't go on a date with you, ever. I know I should have told you a long time ago but I just couldn't bring myself to tell you. Once we get home we won't get to hang out as much. You see, I have already kind of been promised to someone else." I look back in the stream, too afraid to meet his eyes.

"What do you mean promised? Promised as in an arranged marriage? That is crazy!"

"Colton what you don't understand is that ruling a pack by ones self is too much. Once a wolf reaches the age of 12 they can begin to find their mate, the person they are meant to be with. Some find their mate right way where as others go years without theirs. Once I reach the age of 17 if I haven't found a mate Oliver will step up to take that position so to speak. Nothing will be office until I reach the age of 21. By then if neither of us still hasn't found our mates we will preform the ceremony making us mates. If by chance one of us finds our mate things will end and I'll either have my mate or have to find another."

"Wait, aren't you going to be 17 soon?"

I looks in to his eyes once more as a tear slides down my check, "In exactly 2 weeks, the day of the winter formal."

Colton suddenly stands up, "That is absolutely crazy! Your dad can't actual believe you're going through with this can he?"

"It wasn't his idea" I whisper as Colton runs off leaving me alone and crying.