The Alpha King is My Mate?

9

Completed, word count: 1453

Isabella stands still for a moment when she gets outside, not sure where to go but as soon as she sees an opening in the forest she runs barefoot towards it as fast as her legs could carry her – she needed to find Tobias.

'This would be so much easier if I could transform' Isabella thought to herself.

One thing about Isabella that she didn't like to talk about was the fact that she had only ever shifted once on the full moon of her thirteenth birthday like all other werewolves but ever since it had not happened even though everyone else around her turned on every full moon afterwards like she should've done. In some ways, Isabella was glad she didn't have to keep going through it because it was the most painful thing she had ever felt but she never felt normal or included when everyone would go out as a pack to hunt every month, she would be left at the pack house with all the people too ill and weak to transform so that's what she became known as: Weak.

Alpha Jax would try to encourage her every single month as if telling her enough times she could do it would make it happen but it never did. Isabella had a good sense of smell and relatively good balance just like the other werewolves but couldn't turn like everyone else.

Soon enough it was accepted that Isabella was simply different but Alpha Jax never treated her any different because of it, he would simply tell her that she was his special girl whenever she was feeling down about it.

Just as Isabella was coming to terms with being different and that maybe it wasn't a bad thing, Alpha Jax had died and suddenly Isabella was not welcome in the pack anymore. Isabella was teased mercilessly about it being told she wasn't a real werewolf, she was an embarrassment, and nobody wanted her around.

Tears had been streaming down Isabella's face since she had ran from the bedroom, half because the fear of never seeing her best friend again but the image of Hunter's shocked face kept flashing through her mind – this wasn't how things were supposed to be and Isabella was terrified that she had already ruined the best thing that could happen to her.

As the adrenaline was starting to wear off, Isabella realised that she was running barefoot on twigs, leaves and mud which made things painful and much harder to run when she was already becoming increasingly worn out.

After some time – it felt like forever to Isabella but she couldn't be sure – Isabella started to lose hope, she had been running around in circles and still had seen no sign of Tobais, she could no longer smell his trace anywhere so had nothing to go off to find him. Isabella slumped against the nearest tree before sliding down it to sit down, she brought her knees close to her chest and rested her cheek on her knee as she cried softly.

Everything around Isabella is eerily quiet with the only sounds being her heavy breathing... that is until she hears the stereotypical horror movie, snap of a branch close by which brings Isabella to attention, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up on end.

Isabella stands up and steps forward to see where the noise is coming from even though she couldn't fight anything off if there was something dangerous waiting for her. Isabella isn't sure if the yellow eyes deep within the bushes is real so she goes to get closer, even though her inner wolf is screaming for her to move away for some reason she doesn't feel scared.

As Isabella takes another step, there is rustling behind her so she quickly turns round to see Hunter walk through the trees with anxiety in his eyes which turns into relief when he sees that she is okay. Isabella spins back around in the direction of the eyes but they are gone making her think she had imagined it all.

"Isabella?" Hunter says softly not walking closer until he knew how she was feeling

"I said don't follow me" Isabella sighs, it wasn't an angry sigh – not anymore as she knew he hadn't realised how important Tobias was to her, not to mention Isabella knew he would eventually follow her no matter what she said – he was the King after all.

"You knew I would" Hunter starts as if he's reading her mind "I brought us some things so that we can have a stake out until we find the cat... Tobias" he quickly corrects himself with a nervous smile on his face.

Isabella hadn't even noticed the backpack he had with him full of things, one minute she was thinking how sweet he was, feeling her tummy warm with happiness but then she started to cry again.

"What if I never find him?" Isabella asks through her tears.

It was at this moment that it truly made sense to Hunter at how much Tobias meant to Isabella which meant that he would do anything to find the cat and let it live with them even if he thought it was the oddest thing he had ever seen. Hunter knew he would do anything to ensure his mates happiness.

Tobias was to Isabella what Jackson was to Hunter. They were best friends and would feel like their were missing a limb if the other was gone. If Jackson went missing, Hunter wouldn't rest until he had found him and that was exactly what Isabella was going to do so as her mate, Hunter would be there throughout it all.

Werewolves were pack animals so it was very rare to find a werewolf within a pack who didn't have any friends but Hunter knew that something wasn't right with the pack that he had found Isabella in but now wasn't the time to question that.

Hunter pulled Isabella into a hug, she flinched at first but very quickly settled into it, neither Hunter not Isabella could stop themselves from smelling the other person – it was the most addictive thing either of them had experienced.

"You will find him, I promise. Look, about a 5 minutes' walk is a lake – its my favourite place to go and sit while I think about things, why don't we go there? There is no point in running around, getting upset but never finding him, let him come to us when he is ready" Hunter explained

Isabella who was still pressed against Hunter's chest (A place he didn't really want to move her from) nodded. Isabella took a deep breath and started to walk in the direction Hunter pointed but he noticed that she was uncomfortable walking as she was limping so he went behind her and lifted her bridal style into his arms making her squeal in surprise. Hunter catches a glimpse of the bottom of Isabella's feet where are covered in scratches in cuts which makes him angry – he isn't even sure who or what he is angry at but knowing that his mate is hurting angers him.

Hunter carries Isabella with ease until they reach the lake – even in darkness it was one of the most beautiful, relaxing places he had ever seen. Hunter gently placed Isabella on her feet telling her not to move as he didn't want her to have further damage to her feet.

Isabella watched as Hunter reached into the bag and pulled out a blanket which he lay on the floor and told her to sit on.

"A blanket? Really? You really did think of everything" Isabella teases playfully with a small smile on her face but Hunter could still see the anxious lines on her face as she looked around hoping to see Tobias.

Hunter sat down next to Isabella and pulled her close to his body to keep her warm, he kissed the top of her head never wanting this closeness to end. Of course he wanted to make her happy by finding Tobias but he was glad of him disappearing just because he could experience this moment.

"This could be a long night so I thought I'd make it as comfortable as I could" Hunter shrugged as if it was nothing.

Both Isabella and Hunter fell into a comfortable silence, all of Isabella's thoughts being about Tobias as she felt like thinking about anything else would make her head explode. Hunter's thoughts were whirling around so quickly he barely had time to contemplate each one but it was mainly due to his new mate, his pack and the prospect of life never being the same again.