His Match

Chapter Three

Dinner was uneventful for the most part. I kept my mouth shut, because I was above ruining dinner in front of pretentious Alphas. I had bigger plans. Music quietly played through my headphones as I sat on my window sill, looking at the calm territory. Occasionally a car would drive down the road, probably heading home. My parents entered my room and I continued to stare out the window. "Yes?" They both sat on my bed and my mom set a gift bag on my bed. "What's that?"

"It's for you," my father motioned for me to come over. Slowly, I stood up and walked to the edge of the bed. I poked around at the bag, until finally reaching inside. Pulling out a dress, my mouth dropped. It was the dress that my mother and grandmother had worn on their eighteenth birthdays, which was also the day they both met their mates. The dress was a baby blue color, that was tight until it fanned out at the hips.

I shook my head, "I can't wear this."

"Why not?" My mother frowned and my dad held her hand.

"Because I'm not going." I was not planning on making an appearance at my birthday party, and all in attendance would probably be glad. I was one hundred percent sure that my pack wasn't planning on ever seeing me again.

My father gave me a disapproving look, "Oh yes you are."

"This dress is like a," I struggled to find a word, "it basically sets me up to find my mate."

My mother tilted her head, "What's wrong with that?"

"I don't want a mate." It was the truth, I didn't like the idea of mates. I didn't believe in the Moon Goddess, and I certainly didn't believe that one person could make me act so irrationally like in the stories I had heard. Mates, to me, were stupid.

My father sighed, "Having a mate is not a choice."

"That's why there's rejection," I remarked. Although highly uncommon, rejection was the act of refusing to have a mate bond with someone. I, personally, knew rejection would be my go-to, if I ever found my mate.

"Even if you were to reject your mate, you have Alpha blood in your veins. The bond will be too much for you to withstand. No matter what, you will be with your mate," my father calmly stated.

His words angered me, "Maybe you're too weak to 'withstand' the bond, but I certainly don't plan on submitting to someone, mate or not."

"Don't talk to your father like that!" My mother snapped at me. Never had I heard her yell, in my life. My father was always the one to raise his voice at me. She always stood to the side, upset. She calmed down, "Having a mate is not about submission, it's about partnership. As mates, you complete the other. Going without a mate is like running without legs."

"I run fine," I crossed my arms.

She sighed and ignored me, "A mate is a vital part to a wolf's life. Some people grow insane after losing their mates or just never finding them."

"Well then call me insane."

My father was about to speak, but my mother stopped him. "Please come tomorrow and wear the dress. You're mate won't necessarily be there. And after, if you still are opposed to the idea of staying with us until finding your mate, you can leave. You can take your trust fund and move into our penthouse in New York City, or wherever you want."

I was intrigued but confused, "But who will become Alpha?"

"We always planned to give the Alpha title to the Beta's son, if you chose not to take it," my father stated.

I was surprised to say the least. My father was offering me the title. One that would allow me to control the pack. They sent me to reform school for a reason. "I can still take the title?"

"Why wouldn't I allow you to? You're my eldest and only child. It was never really taken away from you to begin with," he shrugged as if it was common knowledge.

"But reform school," I commented. I don't know why I said that. What if that would make him change his mind?

He exhaled loudly, "Well we were hoping it would change you, make you more responsible."

I nodded, "It has." It was a lie, but then again reform didn't 'fix' me.

"You need to prove it to us before I fully step down from Alpha," he said.

"How?"

He looked at my mother and back at me, "I think we can all recall your disputes, let's put it that way, with Charles' son."

"He insulted and hurt me!" I defended myself.

My father held a hand up to silence me, "Maybe so, but you are both adults now. If you can contain yourself and not prank, injure, or ship Ashton off anywhere while he stays in our lands, you may obtain the title."

"You're asking a lot," I crossed my arms. My mom and dad glared at me and I threw my hands up. "Kidding."

"So, I take it you want the title," my mother piped in.

I nodded firmly, "Yes, I do."

"Well then you better behave like a mature adult," my dad spoke in an even tone.

I turned around and walked back to the window. "We'll see," I muttered under my breath. My parents wished me a good night and left the room. Once they closed the door I pushed the window open. "Well, it's my last night as a free woman," I said and reached for the rope in a secret compartment I built when I was eleven for sneaking out. After attaching the rope to the window sill, I climbed down and fixed my jacket. "Here's to new beginnings."