Josephine's Secret

1. Not a Surprise

1. Not a Surprise: Archer's Pov

*Josephine and Archer in the picture above

Josephine: joe • seh • feen
Archer: ar • chur
Camille: cuh • meel

QOTC- how did you find Josephine's Secret?

"SCREW THIS!" I shout in frustration. I've been to all seven continents and have visited all of the werewolf packs in the world, but my mate has not been found yet. It wasn't until last week that my older sister, Camille, gave me an idea. She said that since I didn't find my mate anywhere else, that my mate is here in my own pack.

At first, I thought that her idea was stupid since I hold 'Mate Finding' gatherings and invite all of my pack members each year, but it wasn't until Camille mentioned it that I realized that not everyone attends. It's mostly the females of the pack who crave the power of being Luna who always claim to be my mate. Their tactics never work because I never socialize at the gatherings. I'm the first one to arrive and the last one to leave so that I make sure that I don't miss anyone who might be my mate, but no wolves seem to interest me.

Three days ago, I pulled out a list of all of my seven-thousand pack members and started to narrow it down. By crossing out the mated wolves, that leaves me with three-thousand. Exclude the wolves who ever attended the 'Mate Finding' parties, and I'm left with only four-hundred wolves.

I've already visited the four of the five high school and college campuses with no success. If I don't find my mate in the last school that I'm visiting tomorrow, then the stories about me not being able to feel love might be true.

As Alpha of the largest and most powerful pack in the world, I have to eliminate any potential threats to my pack. People know me to be a merciless killer and a coldhearted bastard, but those labels are stuck to nearly every Alpha. Some think that I killed my mate years ago, there are even rumors going around about how I keep my mate locked up and only let out for personal use.

I would never do that, though. My parents raised me to respect women and made sure that I knew that Lunas are equal to Alphas.

*** (tomorrow)

"Is this everyone?" I ask the principal of the school.

"There aren't any absences today, Alpha." the principal vaguely answers, causing me to let out a growl. My pack members know better than to answer me like that; if I ask a question, I want exact answers.

"Is this everyone?" I repeat, my eyes scanning over the crowd of students in the gym. It's an all werewolf school, so everyone knows why I'm here.

"Everyone except for the students in ISS (in-school suspension)."

"How many wolves is that?"

"Two wolves, Alpha. Do you want me to show you the room they're in?"

As the principal leads me through the hallways, I can see him trembling as if I'm going to kill him at any given moment. Not all of my pack members fear me as much as this man does, but they know that even the smallest things can tick me off. "She's here." I mutter as we approach the ISS room. I start to feel angry that this man suspended my mate, but the strawberry scent is all that I can concentrate on.

Excitedly swinging the classroom door open, my smile quickly fades when I see that there isn't anyone in the room besides the principal and I. A male scent lingers in the classroom as well as my mate's. "Call off the assembly." I tell the principal. "I've found her."