The pack's herald bowed before his King who sat on his throne, gracefully ready to listen to the announcement his messenger had brought in for the pack. The message of the pup choosing another mate has been sent to the Autumn pack and the herald has come to deliver the King's reply.
"Go on."
"Message from King Huston, Alpha from the Autumn pack," the herald started and opened up the scribe that King Huston had signed on. He continued, reading through the scribe. "Hello, Alpha King. It seems you aren't ready to adhere to my decision but there's not much of an issue since the pup had agreed to choose his mate from your pack," The herald announced and the King smiled at the response.
"I guess we are good to go," King Cowell said to Beta Craig and Rae who were present and the two nodded in agreement.
"Send a message to the King and tell him the pups should be here by tomorrow to pick a mate," he said to the Herald and turned to Rae, "Announce this to all the ladies who are interested in the pup. Tell them they should prepare," he ordered.
Dawn came sooner than expected for the LockHearts pack as elders, the king's associates, the high courts and Gammas of the pack gathered inside the hall in the pack building. They all watched the ladies who were interested in the pup, arrange themselves in the centre of the hall.
After waiting for about twenty minutes, the giant door to the hall was opened and pack fighters ushered the shifters from the Autumn pack who had accompanied the pub to choose a mate for himself.
They finally got to the front of the throne and bowed to Alpha Cowell who accepted their greetings. Then, they took their seats beside the elders.
As usual, the King spoke first, "You're welcome to the Lock Hearts pack again, Can I ask what your name is?" The King requested with great authority.
"I'm Caren," the pup answered.
"Alright, Caren. Alpha Huston said you've agreed to pick out your mate from any ladies in our pack, is that correct?"
"Yes, your highness," Caren replied.
"You're very sure about this?"
"Yes."
"You aren't going to regret mating with someone else?" The King inquired again to be sure but Caren kept quiet. Surely, it wasn't going to be that easy for him to mate with someone else but what could he do? His mate got mated with someone else too.
Caren finally spoke up after a short silence, "If my ex-mate can survive and not regret mating with someone else, I guess I'll also be fine," he divulged but the shifters present could hear how faint he sounds.
"I'm glad to hear that from you but why did you choose to mate with another in this pack?" The King conveyed. Although he didn't have to ask, he just needed to maybe he could save some stories.
"I was happy when I discovered my mate is from one of the powerful packs in Texas. Only to discover she has been marked by another. I went into grief unable to let go but since you have proposed another option from me, I guess I have no choice, whereas it would be an honour to have a mate from the Lock Hearts pack," Caren confided as everyone listened to his sad story and felt pity for him.
The King heaved a heavy sigh, "You have also chosen the wise choice. I'm so proud that you are eager to choose someone else, so please would you find your mate among the ladies present?" The King made a hand gesture towards where the girls were seated.
Caren also shifted his eyes only to see beautiful faces staring widely at him. He stood up immediately and walked over to them. They were about fifteen. He grinned and turned to Alpha Cowell on the throne. "I feel proud to see that there are still ladies who are ready to mate with me."
King Cowell laughed at his outburst followed by other shifters who were in the room.
Caren was about to roll his head back to the girls when his eyes caught Aurora. She was standing at the other side of the throne with some of her acquaintances and Fennick beside her. Her beauty caught Caren's attention and seeing her batch, he knew she was the courageous leader of the pack fighters that everyone praises. Caren veered around completely from the other girls and began to make his way to Aurora while everyone watched in a daze not knowing what he was up to.
Caren finally got where she was, stood in front of her and sloped his head to smell her. He uttered, "You don't have a mate yet. I will like to mate with you," he mumbled and Aurora gazed largely at him, stunned by his statement. Caren formed a smirk on his lips and turned to the King again. "I think I would love to mate with her."
"Never!" Aurora divulged, making him turn back to her.
"You don't have a mate yet."
"Who told you that?"
"He hadn't marked you," he said and let his hand swift over her hair, exposing her neck. Immediately after he did that, a loud growl filled the hall and within seconds Sage was by herself, snarling at Caren. He has been watching from the throne where he sat beside his father waiting for what Caren was up to but he couldn't hold up when Caren touched Aurora.
"She's mine!" He growled at Caren who stood shocked to smell the strong aura from him. The same goes for everyone too except the King, Sage's father and Fennick. They stared in amazement when Sage pulled Aurora by her waist closer to him. Then he clasped his lips on her kissing every taste he could achieve at that moment before unlocking the kiss.
With respect, Caren took some steps backwards and turned toward the throne. He stood in front of King Cowell and bowed his head. "He hasn't marked her and he claims to be her mate," he confided but the King already knew what he was planning. He let it out, "I will love to have her as my mate and no one else."
With his inhumane speed, Sage caught him off guard, tugging him by the collar of his top with his wolf acting, "Don't ever think of it!" He sneered while Caren whimpered in his grip.
"Stop it, Sage!" King Alpha's hoarse voice commanded and Sage was forced to pull away, controlling his claws and canines fighting to come out.
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