Onyx's POV
"So how is our strong warrior fairing in the mighty castle of our Alpha?" Warren joked as we carried large, heavy sacks to the pack house.
"Good, he's keeping me busy. So busy I almost miss running drills all day."
"Almost?" He asked surprised, "You sound like you're actually having fun spending time there," I gave him a look as I went back to the truck to grab another sack.
"Is this about the Alpha's daughter? Is she as beautiful as everyone says she is?"
"No, she isn't," I mused as I dropped the sack down next to the pile we've already made outside. I sat down on the sack and ran my hand over my face to wipe away the sweat. I watched as he did the same.
"Well, spit it out then. Is she ugly, or is she just beautiful but with a shit personality?" He joked as he nudged my arm with his elbow. We looked out across the ocean as I thought about what to say.
"It's not that, I mean she's even more beautiful than anyone has ever described. You know the statue of the Goddess Selene in the pack gardens? It's a haunting resemblance to the Anastasia, it's like the Goddess has blessed her with her beauty. She's also naïve, her parents are forcing her to mate with the Rabid Mountain packs Alpha, Aspen. She says it's what she wants, but you can tell it isn't," as he listened he would nod a few times, trying to process everything I was quickly saying.
"So what are you going to do about it?"
"There's nothing I can do," I looked over at the truck, we had a lot more sacks to deal with before I had to return to the Alpha's home for my shift.
"My friend, you are one of the last Lycans in existence. He's the Alpha of a werewolf pack, you could easily challenge him and win her love if you wanted too."
"And for what? What life could I give her? She would be the Head Warriors mate and that is all. Someone like her should have more than what I could ever give her, I have no title, no land, for fucks sake Warren, I live in a Cabin when I'm not sleeping in the room next to hers."
"Okay, okay, you have a point but you're also missing one. If you were to challenge the Alpha you would be granted that title, and his entire pack. You would have the authority to give her more than what any man ever could, including Aspen. Do you honestly think she would be happy there, with him? You've heard the rumors, just as I have."
"I can't make that kind of decision for her. I've always hated how old fashioned the packs are, and that's not how I want to start a mating."
"Right, because we can all afford to do things your way. She's the Alpha's daughter, old fashioned is basically what makes up her entire personality. If you want her, you're going to have to show her that you want her. Challenge him, obviously before they're mated or you will lose your chance, forever. You know as well as I do what will happen to her if she doesn't submit to him."
The image assaulted me, just the thought of something like that happening to her angered me to the point that I growled out at Warren. I quickly stood and walked back over to the truck, I flung two sacks onto my shoulder and tried to work the anger out, Warren stayed seated where he was as he watched me.
"Look I know your a-"
"Enough, Warren," I murmured out a warning, "I get it, but none of this changes how I feel. I don't want to force anyone, especially her into a mating, I just- I just want her to want me the way that I want her."
"And I get that, man. I really do, but that's not our way. The strongest, get the strongest, that's how stations work. You are easily the strongest out of all of us, including the Alpha, if there wasn't a Lycan on the Council I'd even put you above them. Everyone knows that, so why you're not trying to prove that you deserve a high ranking status is fucking crazy. Just imagine all of the women trying to get your attention, how many would fight to prove to you how worthy they are to mate with you."
"That's your dream," I laughed.
"That's every mans dream! My dream however is to have a bed full of beautiful women-"
"So then you don't want a mate, because if we're still talking about the old fashioned ways then any woman who tries to catch your attention will be known as only one of your conquests and will never be respected among any pack," I mused as I dropped another sack onto the pile.
"I did say it was a dream, a man can have them."
"Right," I laughed, "Are you going to help or are you enjoying the view?"
"On no, you have it covered. The Ocean is actually beautiful today, I could watch it for hours," I looked towards the water and saw a woman running around on the sand with three kids of different ages under ten, they were laughing and playing as they went.
"Sure," I tossed one of the sacks I was carrying at him and he caught it, "Get up and help, lover boy."
"Yeah, I'm the lover boy," he mocked, "You're the one swooning over the one woman you can possibly never have. Her father wouldn't allow it unless you prove yourself, and even then I doubt it's possible. Their family line is cursed, they've been trying to have a girl born in that family for generations and she's the first, he won't give her up that easily."
"Yet he's giving her to the one man who would crush her, he doesn't care about her wellbeing, only this fucking arrangement that was made centuries ago. And weren't you the one telling me to fight, to challenge them both for her, why turn the tables now and tell me I can't?"
"I'm not saying you can't, it's just going to be a rocky road with a lot of speed bumps on it. For now, just enjoy getting to know her, you have three months to have fun with her. Maybe just try and get her out of your system before she leaves," he winked at his last suggestion before getting back to work, "That's what I would do anyways. I mean it's not like you'd ever see her again once she leaves."
"That's the thing, I have to go with her when she leaves. I'm her bodyguard until she's fully mated to him."