Bonded ✔️

Chapter 2 ✔️

Present Day

"Jonathan, I don't understand why I even have to do this. I've been Alpha for two years, why wasn't I forced to do this when I accepted my position?" I sighed, aggravated by how ludicrous the situation was. "Honestly, at this point, it would be just as easy for the other Alpha's to come here. I don't have time to visit all of the other packs."

I had been in my office working on pack business when he had informed me that it was time for me to go on diplomatic visits to the other packs in the region. My response to this information had earned snicker from my Beta, and I shot him a glare. He immediately stopped, ducking his head to hide his smile, once he took notice of my anger.

The other Alphas in the region have respected the privacy you requested during the power transition. These visits are customary, and although there are other ways you'd prefer to spend your time, you need to go on the other packs," Jonathan explained to me with his arms crossed over his chest, almost like he was daring me to argue the point further.

When I raised an eyebrow, unsatisfied with his reasoning, he continued, "Harley, you just turned eighteen. Before now, you weren't capable of identifying your mate. We all know that if your father was still alive you'd be going on these visits for a completely different reason- consider that before fighting this any further."

He was right; if my father was still here I'd be going on this trip to find my mate. It was something that all Alpha daughters did once they became of age. I pursed my lips to keep a snarky remark from escaping my mouth and nodded, acknowledging that I understood what he was trying to say.

Jonathan had taken on the role of a trusted advisor, a position that I'm sure my dad would have held had he still be alive. Before I was able to completely prove my worth to the pack as a leader, he had facilitated their acceptance of me. Now, I had earned their respect due to my actions, but without him I might not have ever gotten the chance. I appreciated his guidance, even if it was infuriating for me to hear.

My eyes shifted towards Rowan when the topic of mates was brought up. He had found his shortly after his eighteenth birthday; she was a member of the pack and a couple years younger than us. Growing up we had secluded ourselves so much that neither of us had known much about her at the time, but I quickly realized that she is one of the kindest people I've ever met. As happy as I was that he had found his soul mate, I did not, and still don't, envy him in any way.

He swears that I'll feel differently once I met the one I was destined to be with, but I don't agree. The night before my eighteenth birthday I was sick to my stomach with worry, dreading the possibility that I would encounter my mate the next day.

The delicate balance that I had managed to create between myself and the pack would have been completely destroyed if my mate had been a male member of my pack. It would have been a disaster to deal with the uproar that would have followed any attempt to hand responsibilities typically given to a Luna to one of our males. The pack tolerated the unconventional setup to a point, but I knew that anything more than dealing with a female Alpha would be pushing it too far.

The way that I operated the pack was very different than the other Alpha's in the region, but still very similar to the way my father had led our people. I served as both the Luna and Alpha of the pack, but in doing so was effectively working myself to death. Rowan, in turn, had to help me handle a lot of the smaller responsibilities that typically came with the position of Alpha, like scheduling and maintaining our border patrol.

The hardest part about the situation was balancing my pack's need for a nurturing and supportive Luna figure, while also requiring a strong Alpha. It was important for me to encourage a compassionate atmosphere among my people because it was something my father had been able to maintain almost effortlessly in the absence of my mother. No matter the cost, I was determined to do the same.

"There's nothing I'd love more than being toted from territory to territory waiting for some male to attempt to stake a claim on me," I rolled my eyes with a huff.

"Now they'll also be trying to stake a claim on your land," Jonathan warned with a stern look. "This is new territory for everyone, not just the members of this pack, and it shouldn't be taken lightly."

I was not ignorant to the opportunity many Alphas saw in me, it had been something that had been very obvious my entire life. They thought that if their sons, boys that I had known since early childhood, happened to be my mate that they would have a right to not only me but my land and people as well. As far as I was concerned, they were sadly mistaken.

"We don't know for sure that they will take it that far," Rowan countered with a casual tone while he pushed himself off the wall. "Besides, just because you're someone's mate, that doesn't mean you have to complete the bond immediately."

I looked at him with my eyebrows raised, waiting for him to explain whatever thought had entered his mind.

"I mean, maybe the relationship that you have with your mate isn't supposed to be conventional from the start. It could start as a friendship and progress from there. Everyone should understand that you're between a rock and a hard place with the whole situation. I really don't think that anybody is going to pressure you into immediately completing a bond," he elaborated.

"Unless it's an Alpha who is looking to capitalize on a strong mated pair," I added begrudgingly.

"Well hopefully that doesn't happen," he relented before walking toward my office door. Training was about to end for the day, and he needed to catch a glimpse at the warriors' progress before they wrapped up.

When the door closed, leaving me alone with Jonathan, I turned to him with a skeptical expression on my face. "He does have an interesting point," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Let's just hope that I won't even have to bother with it. There's too much I need to do, I don't have time to worry about a mate right now," I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands, allowing myself a few seconds of relaxation before I got up from my desk. I had to get down to the nursery, I had promised to read to the younger children in the pack today.

"You leave tomorrow," I heard Jonathan's voice from behind me as I walked out of my office.

"Can't wait," I thought to myself as I walked downstairs, dreading the trip ahead of me.

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"Love is not what you were expected, love is not what you can predict.. Maybe love is not ready for you, maybe you are not ready for love."

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