The Unexpected Mate

“You want me to go pick you out a nice studded collar Axel?” I barely turned my head to look at Harper. A very dry expression on my face.

“You are lucky I like you Harper or I would beat the shit out of you,” I told him and he shook his head a bit.

“You’d be broken chaos without me,” Harper stated.

“You’d be dead without me,” I replied.

“Touche,” Harper commented as he drove. I was leaned back a bit in the passenger seat. A foot up on the lower part of the door and my arm resting on that knee. I hated meeting with other alphas and leaders. Part of me just wanted to attack them all and take what they had. The smart part of me knew it better to play the game and not be an animal in all regards.

“Is our issue alpha going to be here?” Harper asked. My eyes narrowed as we came to the meeting space. I felt a growl in my throat, I knew that if Nate was here and challenged me there was going to be a dead man in seconds. He’d be lucky if I didn’t just go for him.

“You mean the dickless prick of North Pack? No, he’s using our relocation of goods as an excuse to not show, but he will be on the conference call. Though I think he is not showing more because a lot of questions are raised over who owned what we took anyways,” I said and Harper let out a breath.

“No one will lose sleep if you take out that trash,” Harper commented a darker tone of his own.

“He is not going to stay in power. I am already contemplating issuing a challenge to him. Do you know that his plans for Layla were to breed her all the while having her sister at his side because Layla is an omega and weak?” I asked him and my eyes were black as I tipped my head slightly to look at him. I saw Harper clench his jaw and a black tinge to his own eyes.

“Then he clearly did not see the worth of that she-wolf. Breeding she-wolves is outlawed,” Harper stated and I was looking forward as we parked.

“It is, and all the more reason for me to tear out his throat. No one is enforcing the laws in territories well, we are governing ourselves. I can promise you though he will not be around much longer if I have anything to say about it,” I commented.

“Good,” Harper said with an edge. Seeing what nearly happened to his sister I knew it was personal to Harper to hear such a thing. I hated Nate more hearing his plans from Layla for her. If you were not mated, it was not easy to conceive. Though a she-wolf in cycle could become pregnant during that time unmated. It was not common but it happened, and omegas had the highest chance for this. He would not go unpunished for such a thing, the disrespect to Layla would not go unpunished. No matter how long we knew each other and if this was before or not.

We went up and entered the place, immediately I wanted to leave. I was not fond of large gatherings. I was not fond of being around too many that could want my head. Harper stood next to me strong and silent. He was truly one of the few that I trusted completely. We might as well be considered brothers at this point, and that took a lot for me to say. I had no family left, my life was full of betrayal. I was a lycan raised in a time of war and brutal ways from the pack I left and had helped destroy. So yes, I had some fucking issues with things.

This meeting was a lot of bullshit, and there were others on a conference call. We tended to have one large meeting every few months to make sure that all territories were following common laws and rules. To bitch at each other most in my opinion. Of course this time there was a lot of shit thrown at me.

“Yes, I did,” I said not denying that I went to the North Hospital and took drugs. The thing about this group, half of them still seemed to think they were going to back me into a corner. Like accusing me of shit was going to make me fold, fuck no. I would tell them straight to their face if I came and took. If I attacked, and I know that did not make me friends, but it did get me respect believe it or not. It had been a long time since I was not able to truly justify my actions and the why.

“Care to explain why you could not solve this civilly?” This was from a fae. He was large and a powerful fae. I just shrugged.

“Anyone going to come and help take it back or just stand around here bitching at the North and River territories about it like children? Those drugs and medications were to be delivered to me and then I would have distributed them. I have never failed in this and my word is good whether you like me or not. Did you not receive your requested amount and what you paid for?” I asked looking about the room. All the territories that had gotten their shipments today were dead silent.

“That’s what I thought. How about we ask North Pack and River Coven why they have been taking extra shipments off transports and into their territories? Not like anyone died because of what I did. Though I believe there are seven that did die who did not get their medications in time for what was needed in other territories because of this.” To this, there was silence again. I was fine being blamed even if I was not the only territory that helped attack a few places several days ago. The others though would answer.

“Nate or Kavin? A lot of us would like to hear why you had a surplus and despite the way it was properly distributed out, you should not have had it in your hospitals or locked stores.” Another spoke up and it was quiet for a moment longer.

“I am not required to return what was miss-delivered to me,” Nate said. There were a few that shook their heads in disbelief. Some had died because he kept what he should not have.

“I wasn’t asked to return it,”

“That’s bullshit. I have plenty of records stating you were asked to return it. I have saved evidence each time Nathan of your lying bullshit,” I spoke up. No one was shocked at the way I spoke.

“Says the man who kidnapped my mate and soon-to-be Luna. Where is she? Everyone cares about their drugs, but my mate was taken and not one word has been said yet. Axel just goes and does whatever the hell he wants, and takes unfairly. The one that should be held accountable is him. How many times has he acted the animal he is and you just let him?” Nate spoke over the shared call.

“She is my true mate, and she is not currently being held against her will. There is nothing to talk about in regards to this. If I am not mistaken, did you not state that her sister Ashley was to be by your side? Unless you were planning on using Layla as a breeder which is outlawed and grounds for dismissal or challenge of pack lands,” I said calmly. There was a bit of a murmur.

“I am not currently mated. You have no grounds for the accusation just to try and turn the tables on me. To accuse me of what your plan yourself. I absolutely planned to have Layla as my mate and she agreed….”

“How about you and I have a private conversation then outside council time Nathan?” I used his full name with a tartness knowing he hated it.

“I think that would be best, the female in question has not requested aid and was seen earlier today. She appears in good health and is not being imprisoned. This will be a personal matter between the two of you,” I felt a smile as Nate was not going to get his way.

None of the wolves in this room were going to challenge my claim that she was my true mate. A couple of council members had come to my pack lands earlier just to check the claim that I was holding a Luna hostage against her will. I took them to the hospital and Layla told them that she was not. Honestly, I had been a little unsure if she was going to say that yes I threw her over my shoulder and walked out with her.

There were witnesses to that, and that was why they came. She however did state that she was my true mate. The claim was accurate and she never had an intention of mating with Nate of North Pack. She had been planning to leave, and that was a huge relief for me. After all, we did not know each other well yet.

The bond would let us mentally and physically be one and we would know each other far deeper then, but right now it was hard to know. I knew what I wanted, but she was strong and fearless. If she wanted to, she could have made it a point then to try and leave. She had not, and it eased the fears I pretended I did not have inside. As I said, I had some fucking issues alright?

Finally, we were finished after another hour of bullshit talking. I just wanted to roll my eyes and turn and go. Harper reminded me of course with a look that we had to play nice. I was quite lucky to have him as my beta. I knew that, but still, I did not like being told to relax. I tolerated it from him, hence his position. He was good at reading me.

As we were leaving I was stopped by a couple of other territories. Both having helped with the retrieval of the medications and drugs taken. They were allies, and strong territories too in their own right just small. Mine was large and had the greatest number of lycans along with a good number of strong wolves and other species. My people were tough to get through and they all knew it. I had loyalty more than most. That’s what happens when you fight with your people and not from behind a screen.

After talking with them and making some plans for hospital supplies for building up my hospital, we were leaving. It was nearing night and I just wanted to get home. For more than one reason. I was excited to get home to Layla and continue what was started. You bet your ass I was hoping she was in her cycle.

In all honesty, I never thought that I would be affected this way so severely by my mate. Maybe because she was my true mate it was so intense. This craving and need just had not been there for me until I met those beautiful silver eyes that held such fire. Harper was right, should probably get me a collar.

“Well, it could have gone worse,” Harper said as we were driving back. My leg was bouncing a bit as I sat there thinking. I turned my head to speak but my phone went off. I reached down and looked at the screen and raised my eyebrow. The number calling was not in my contacts, I answered it anyways just sensing that I should.

“Who’s this?” I asked tartly.

“You are not going to keep getting away with this shit you keep pulling,” Ah, fuck boy was on the other end.

“I didn’t realize you had the ingenuity to figure out my personal number Nate. Kudos to you, but I really don’t have time to spend talking with weak little shits like you,” Harper had a smile on his face.

“Don’t you hang up on me. You might have all those others fooled or scared of you but I am not. I want the shipments you took, not just from the hospital and you are going to return my female back to me or we are going to be at war Axel,” I was picking at my nails a bit finding him dull to talk to.

“Then we will be at war. I know nothing about shipments other than what I returned and as for Layla,” I made sure to enunciate her name. His female, I was going to rip this male’s throat out. Couldn’t even call her by name, and she was not his.

“There is no returning a living breathing person, she made her choice. She is with me and we are true mates. We really have nothing further to talk about.”

“I know you are holding her against her will. She is an omega, and you are lycan trash. There is no possible way she would be a mate to one like you. She belongs to me, return her or action will be taken,” It was pretty obvious to me that Layla was something he liked owning. He did not see her as a living being but an object he liked to control

“Funny, it wasn’t your name she was screaming as I sank my teeth into her to mark her. She came begging me for more on her next breath as I did it,” I said this to piss him off and it worked. “Threaten me all you want, but threaten her and you’ll find my teeth in your neck while you sleep.” With that, I hung up on him as he started to talk. I just turned off my phone and dropped it in the holder next to me.

“He’s a piece of work,” Harper stated.

“Yes, he is. I’m going to challenge him for his territory,” I said. His action right now sealed his fate. “Don’t worry, I’ll follow the rules so the claim can’t be contested,” I added at Harper’s raised brow. That son of a bitch was going to be six feet under. I just pushed that to the back of my mind. He was not my main concern. Layla was, and the sooner we were mated and bound, then the sooner no one could try and take her from me.