Today is the day I have to go to the Scarlett Pride Pack's land for the match.
After dad replied to Dominique's (aka Alpha Douche) email informing him that I had accepted the request to the match, I had been given another reason to despise Dominique.
He insisted that I stay for three weeks. His excuse? So that I'd have time to get to know the area and have time to practice and familiarize my self with where I was going to fight and since it is his land after all, I had no choice but to obey.
That was one of the many patriarchal and misogynistic rules I hated in the werewolf world.
Despite Alpha Douche being true to his name, I'm still excited for the match. When I told Leah and Morgan that I'd accepted after they'd been pestering me, they squealed in excitement and then when I asked them if they could come with me, they charged at me so they could hug me but they damn near suffocated me and they obviously agreed.
They were my best friends but also warriors in the New Dawn pack which is our pack if I hadn't already mentioned this.
I'd also be taking Taylon and Sam with me because I love the assholes that much.
I took a quick shower and as I was getting dressed, Tay (short for Taylon) came rushing into my room. For some unknown reason, she looked happy and she was glowing. Or maybe it was the make up.
"You're gonna kill me for what I'm about to say but I hope I find my mate. I'm 27, still a virgin and mateless. I want a mate. I want kids. I want someone I can build a home and a family with." She said, the happiness leaving her beautiful face.
Years ago when she turned 18, she was so crushed when she realized her then boyfriend who was a few months younger than her, wasn't her mate. It became worse when she realized that her mate wasn't in our pack. She had this fantasy in her head about her mate but it was shattered when she turned 18.
I walked over to where she was sitting on the edge of my bed and sat next to her.
"Tay, your mate is somewhere out there. Just because you haven't met him doesn't mean that he's non existent. And you would make an excellent mother and wife. Even if you don't find him during these three weeks away from home, you'll find him someday and you'll be so grateful that you waited ever so impatiently for him. You are a beautiful, intelligent and amazing young woman. The fact that you've never had a dick up your vagina doesn't change that and it definitely shouldn't change the way you think of yourself." I must say, I give dope pep talks.
She wrapped her arms around me and I did the same to her.
"I don't know what I did in my past life to deserve a sister like you but I definitely did something right. Thank you. For everything." She said, emotion thick in her voice.
"You're welc-" I didn't get to finish my sentence as Leah and Morgan burst into my room and made their presence very much known.
"We're here!!" They saw Taylon and I in each other's embrace and stopped dead in their tracks. "Who died?" Morgan asked.
"Not who. What. And that what would be your common sense." I retaliated.
Tay burst out laughing, removed herself from my embrace and walked out of my room.
I got up to continue getting dressed as they sat themselves on my bed and we laughed and conversed about absolute nonsense.
**********************
"Bye, my angel. I'll see you on the day of your match, okay? You behave yourself and remember, not everything you think has to come out of your mouth." My mom said as she held me tight in a bone crushing hug since she didn't want to let go.
I knew for a fact that I wouldn't obey the last part of her statement but I nodded anyway.
I couldn't bring her and dad to accompany me since they're my Luna and Alpha but they would most certainly be coming the day before my match to support me as my mom and dad and as my Luna and Alpha.
We eventually let go of each other and I went to hug dad.
"Like your mom said, not everything you think has to come out of your mouth. Keep Rou in control but other than that, have fun! I love you munchkin." He said as he kissed the top of my head and ruffled the hair I had straightened this morning.
"DAD! My hair!" Everyone, myself included, laughed uncontrollably as I got into the backseat of the car. Sam was the one driving us for the two hour trip to the Scarlett Pride pack.
He started the car and hooted as we exited the gate of our home.
************************
One and a half hours later, we had arrived. We were greeted by a huge board which wrote in bold letters "The Scarlett Pride pack welcomes you!"
As soon as we passed that board, a strange but comforting smell invaded my nostrils. Cinnamon and eucalyptus with a hint of lemon. It was a very strange combination but for some reason, I found it pleasing.
"What's that smell?" I asked and then I realized that Taylon and I had asked the same question at the same time.
Tay whipped her head back to look at me, Sam looked at me through the rear view mirror with an arched eyebrow and Leah and Morgan had the most knowing looks on their faces. Almost as if they knew something we didn't.
"What on earth are you two talking about? There's no smell of anything. Unless you count the smell of wet dog lingering in the air." Sam spoke as he looked at the road ahead.
"Cinnamon, eucalyptus and lemon." I said as Taylon said "peppermint, sage and sandalwood."
"Okay. Both of you are homesick. There isn't a single smell of anything either of you just mentioned so we'll ignore this and act like it never happened." Sam spoke as he turned up the volume forcing us to shut up.
Sam had been here before so he knew they way to Alpha Douche's house which is where we would be staying for the next three weeks.
The closer we got to the house, the more the smell of cinnamon, eucalyptus and lemon overwhelmed my senses but I welcomed it willingly.
We got to the gate of the house and we were greeted by guards. Sam explained who we were and they let us in.
When we got to the door, Sam didn't have a chance to knock before a beautiful little girl opened the door with a grin on her face.
Sam was caught off guard but I'm not stupid like him so I spoke to her instead. "Hello, angel. What's your name?" I asked her.
"Sage. What's yours?" Before I could answer, a woman came running towards the door. "Sage Lee Danielson, get back here right now!" She yelled.
The little girl, whose government name I now knew, squealed and grabbed onto my leg and hid behind me.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry. You must be our guests from the New Dawn Pack. Please, come in. I apologize profusely for the not so warm welcome you got. I'm Avery, your designated tour guide, wife to the Beta of this Pack and mother to that little troublemaker clinging to your leg like a koala." She said whilst huffing and puffing.
"Look mommy! I made a friend. She's really pretty but I don't know her name yet. Can I be friends with her? Please mommy, please?" Sage said as she looked between her mom and I.
"Well, I'd love to be your friend my angel but you have to listen to your mommy, okay?" I said to her softly as I picked her up into my arms.
Avery moved out of the way so we could enter the house and the smell became increasingly overwhelming as we headed to the lounge.
"Alpha Dominique apologizes for his tardiness and he should be here any minute now. Would any of you like anything to head or drink as you wait? I could order takeout if you like."
*******************
Ten minutes later we decided on pizza so Avery took care of placing the order.
"Eva, remember that smell you were complaining about earlier in the car?" Morgan asked through the mind link.
"Yeah? What about it?"
"That's the smell of your mate. Both yours and Taylon's mates are in the Scarlett Pride pack."
You've got to be shitting me!
"How sure are you? You better not be fucking around with me!"
"That's how Daniel and I knew we were mates. I smelt him on the morning of my eighteenth birthday party as soon as I woke up. I just didn't know it was him until he hugged me." She explained.
Oh shit. You couldn't always smell out your mate so you would have to have physical contact with that person to see if they're your mate or not. If the person is your mate, you feel sparks shoot up your arm or wherever you made contact.
If you smelt them, the sparks were an added bonus and they never disappeared. Nor did the smell.
I looked up at Morgan only to see her already looking at me with and arched brow. I turned my attention to Tay who looked to be deep in thought.
"Tay, your mate. He's in the Scarlett Pride pack. So is mine. That's what the random scents we smelt in the car were. Can you still smell it or is is a bit faint?" I asked her through the mind link.
"I can still smell it but he's not a member of the Scarlett Pride Pack. His scent is strong in the house meaning he's been here recently or he's around but he's not a member of the pack." She said, sounding a little excited but scared.
I didn't have the chance to respond before the front door opened. Alpha Douche and three other men walked in and the scent invaded my nostrils again though this time it was a lot stronger.
That could only mean one thing.
My mate was among the four men that just walked in.
"Good afternoon. I'm Dominique. Alpha of the Scarlett Pride pack. Welcome to the land of Scarlett Pride pack. I hope you will enjoy your stay with us. To my left I have Luke who is my Beta. Anthony who is my Gam-"
"Daddy!" Sage jumped down from her seat and ran to her father who caught her before playfully mishandled her in his hold before showering her with kisses.
"Sorry uncle Dom. Continue." Sage apologized before forgetting we all existed and she held on to her dad for dear life.
"As I was saying, Anthony who is my Gamma and Alpha Keegan of the Blood Pearl Pack."
Did that I mention that Alpha Douche has the voice of an angel? Sweet as honey and all that good stuff.
Luke and Anthony gave nods of acknowledgment but Alpha Keegan... He was intrigued by something else. Rather, someone else.
That someone? Taylon.
My sister just found her mate. And he's an Alpha.
I wasn't sure who my mate was between Alpha Douche and Anthony.
They all came around to shake our hands and as Keegan and Taylon made contact, they both whispered: "Mate!"
We only heard them because of our enhanced hearing that our wolves gave us. We all stared at them and I had the widest grin on my face from happiness for my sister.
Dominique got to where I was standing and we made eye contact. I hate eye contact.
As he took my hand in his, I felt a million sparks shoot up my arm.
Fuck.
That could only mean...
"Mate!" Rou yelled in my head.
Dominique stared at me for a few seconds but it felt like an eternity before he said "My mate" loud enough to wake the dead.
Alpha Douche is my mate.
Dominique Hendry is my mate.
Crap...