Alpha of the Shadows

Lucianna’s POV.

It was impossible to contain the overwhelming joy I felt. I felt like dancing though there was no music, I wanted to sing but couldn't find the right song, which left me humming and giggling every other second! If someone had seen me like this, they might have thought I'd lost my sanity.

And I felt like I might have soon!

"Let's run, Ash!"

I talked with my best girl over the phone, Ashira. It had been days since the mapping and I finally knew where my mate was! He was from the Shadow pack! Mapping was a pack tradition. Every pack in every region did it once a year for She-Wolves to locate where their mate resided.

The mate bond for females would be activated once at the age of eighteen. The Mapping served as a guide for us to find our mates, then we would travel to that pack to attend the Mapping Ball.

The only party I had ever dreamed of attending!

Ahhhh! Finally!

"I can't. I need to do some things."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on! I'll leave the pack tomorrow! Don't tell me we won't bond before we go? And! You haven't told me why you run off after the mapping! From which pack is your mate? You didn't say a thing!"

"I don't want to go out. Just come here if you want and I'll tell you."

I snorted. "Fine. I'll train for a bit then I'll stop by your house."

"Okay."

I hung up the call with a wrinkled nose. Ashira was no fun! But then, she had always been like that since I met her. I was the noisy type, the extrovert, and she was the silent one.

Hmm, maybe that was why I befriended her when I saw her at training. She was easy to be with, and she was okay with my noisiness.

I shrugged to myself.

I was an orphan. My parents had been killed in a war with the rogues when I was eight years old and the pack had taken care of my needs since then. I had continued living alone without any guardian, but the pack consistently visited to check on me.

I headed out with my training equipment. I was one of the best fighters of the North Region, having won various exhibitions with Prime pack and Trivian pack in the She-Wolf Fighters Game.

Ever since my parents died, I had resolved to become strong. To improve, to protect myself, and to fight for my pack.

"Hey, Lucy."

I stopped and looked at who called my name. It was Gamma Sol, the Alpha's third-in-command.

"Good morning, Gamma." I bowed slightly, showing respect.

"So you found your mate? Is he from the North?" I nodded. "Which pack?"

I smiled sheepishly, excited and proud of the person I was yet to know, but I was sure was worthy of my praise.

"He's from Shadow pack." I grinned and Gamma Sol laughed at my reaction.

"I can tell you're happy." He laughed once more when I scratched the back of my head. "Well, I can see you're out here to train. Don't build some muscles or you'll scare your mate, okay?" He grinned.

"Oh, I won't! I'll give him the beauty he can't resist, Gamma."

We laughed before parting ways. Gamma Sol was always like that to me. He was old and would stoop down from his position as third-in-command when his son turned twenty-one. I had become close with him because he was the one who visited me often when I was young and alone.

After my daily training, I went straight to Ashira's house and found her sulking in the living room. I couldn't sense anyone in the house, so she was probably alone.

"Hey, where's your brother?"

Cruz wasn't her real brother. She had been a lone wolf before Beta Eric found and kept her, but they treated her like their own blood.

"I don't know. I woke up and everyone's not home."

"Hmmm." I slumped on their couch and looked at my phone. Ah. I couldn't stop looking at the time and date. "So! Where is your prince charming?"

I could tell that my eyes were sparkling as I waited for her response. I hadn't had the chance to know the result of her mapping because she had run away, shifting in the air and showing off her white wolf.

Ah! I envied how beautiful her wolf was.

Mine was the same color as my hair, a shiny golden-brown wolf, but taller than Ashira because of my long-legged gift. I had gotten that height from my father. Oh, damn. I hoped my mate was taller than me.

Well, as if I could choose, right? Whatever he looked like, he would still appear perfect in my eyes once I met him.

How I loved the way mate bonds worked!

"Prime pack," she said with a bored expression. Ugh! This girl was killing my vibe of enthusiasm!

I decided to ignore her lack of interest in the mate bond and focused on the news I just heard.

"Wow! Ash! That's the strongest pack of the North!"

The continent was divided into four regions: East, West, South, and North. Each region had groups of packs, and our North held five.

First was the Prime pack, the strongest. The Shadow pack came second, where my future baby daddy lived. Oh, yes! The third was the Trivian pack, then my pack, Regal, came fourth. The fifth and last on the list was the Ravenous pack.

They had strength in numbers and skills, and that was how they rated which was the strongest, same as the Alpha.

As of that time, Alpha Aiden of the Prime pack was the strongest in the North. The Alpha's strength came from the members of its pack, which meant the larger they grew, the stronger the Alpha became.

"I'm not interested in this mate thing."

I rolled my eyes.

"Wait until you meet your mate, I'll bet you'll fall on your knees." I stuck my tongue out and she just sighed. "When will you depart?"

"The day after tomorrow. You?"

"Tomorrow is when they scheduled me. Shadow pack is farther, huh?"

Ashira nodded. Oh, sweet Lord. My energy was reduced by Ashira's absentminded behavior. What was wrong with this girl?

I decided to shut my mouth. Maybe she was lonely because she would leave the pack?

Hmm…

Just when I was lost in deep thought, Cruz entered through the front door, catching our attention.

"Where have you been?" Ash asked with a low voice.

"At the Hall. Ahhh! What a busy day." he slumped tiredly onto the couch beside me. "Hey, Luce," he greeted, but he wasn't looking my way, just closing his eyes.

"Hi. What's up at the Hall?"

He exhaled. "Well, the Alpha of Shadow pack was supposed to visit for a meeting but he canceled at the last minute."

"That's weird," Ashira commented. Oh, so she was here, huh? I had thought she was still in her own world. "Dad mentioned that it was an important meeting."

"It is and he is weird. I heard Alpha Jacob was about to enter the border when he backed off."

"I don't think that's weird." I needed to defend the pack where I would soon belong! "Maybe they got something important to do."

Cruz shrugged. "Still. That's inappropriate."

I pouted. Why was I even defending that pack when I wasn't yet a member of it? Would I see my mate at the mapping ball? What if he was out on a mission? Nooo! Then I would need to wait for another year to rejoin another mapping ball?!

Oh, damn! What if he had died on the mission?!

No!!!

"I need to go and pack."

"This early? You'll leave the next day, pack tomorrow and stay," Ashira insisted.

"I can't! I'm too excited!" I stood up and stopped when Cruz laughed.

"You sure can't wait to meet your mate, Luce," he said.

I rolled my eyes at him. "What I can't wait is to have my own family. Duh."

I walked out and shouted my goodbyes when I reached the door.

It was sad but it was true.

To have my children with a loving husband, to be able to feel living in what I could call my home.

I had managed to live alone all these years, but that didn't mean I wasn't longing for a family. And since I knew it was impossible to bring back my parents' lives, I had started dreaming of building my own family to experience the warmth of what I seemed to have forgotten.

That was what I was after with this mate thing.

Oh, and the sex, of course.

Lucianna’s POV.

“Hi!” I greeted a group of girls, female wolves like me. We had just arrived at the Shadow pack, and the van we had ridden in had dropped us off in front of the pack guesthouse. Of course, I wanted to make some friends! The Shadow pack would be my new home; it was better to know someone.

The three of them looked at me without any sign of friendliness. They eyed me from head to toe, and I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.

I recognized that look; I was familiar with it.

They didn't say a word or greet me back; instead, they walked away. Okay, they didn't like me. I got it.

The nerve! We had come from the same pack, we were the same age, and I even knew one of them! That was Leslie, one of the Regal pack’s well-known whore! How could they ignore me like that?! Argh!

Okay, calm down, Lucianna. There are other girls from the other packs. You will gain a friend.

I tried to shake off the negative vibes and looked around. It seemed better to befriend strangers than those from my former pack.

Looking around, I noticed that most of them were in groups, in pairs or more. Every girl—there were around forty-five of us—seemed to be getting along.

Except for me.

I sighed.

Back in the Regal pack, I had only one friend: Ashira. And seeing how hard it was to make friends here made me miss her even more.

I had thought the reason no one wanted to be around me back at the Regal pack was because I had grown up alone, without anyone. I had no parents to protect me from bullies as I grew up, and I had no other relatives. I had believed that was the reason, but coming here…

Maybe I was just not meant to have friends.

Okay! No worries! I would find my mate tomorrow and he would be my one and only savior from this lonely world!

I was sure of that! One wolf was destined to only one mate. That was how it worked. A male wolf could only produce a child with his fated one. The mate bond was so strong that no one could break it. One look, and boom! Absolutely magical. I was certain he would love me wholeheartedly.

Ahhhh!

I couldn’t wait to meet you, darling, husband, love of my life! I would call you every name I could think of once I found you!

Just like that, just thinking about my mate and the prospect of finding him washed away my negativity. It had been helpful to me ever since I learned about mates and bonds.

When I discovered that there was one man destined to be with me until my last breath, I felt as though I had been given a reason to live.

Reflecting on it, I was around eight and a half when we were first taught about mates in school. At that age, I was on the verge of giving up, allowing my loneliness to consume me, feeling hopeless after learning of my parents' deaths and believing I was truly alone.

That one school lesson about mates gave me the will to live up to this day. It instilled in me the hope that I wouldn’t spend the rest of my days in solitude, that someone out there was waiting for me!

Oh, and I had also heard that intimacy with one’s mate was mind-blowing! I couldn't wait to experience that level of connection!

“Hello, everyone,” said a deep voice that made my head turn to the guesthouse entrance. There, a man in his early twenties stood, facing us. He was wearing a suit, and his expression seemed very formal.

A man made of stone. That was what I thought of him.

“Welcome to the Shadow pack. You have the rest of the day to enjoy yourselves but it is highly suggested to not stray beyond those red signboards.” He pointed to a spot, and I noticed signs that read, 'Do not go beyond this point.'. “The purpose of that rule is to prevent your mates from catching your scents and causing a ruckus before the Ball.”

The Mapping Ball will be held tomorrow night. It's a pack tradition: an event where the she-wolves, whose mates reside in a specific pack, attend the ball to meet their fated ones at that party!

Ahhhh! I was so excited!

I was in awe that my mate was from the Shadow pack, the second strongest in the North Region. This also meant there were more werewolves here than in my previous pack. I always loved crowds, though they didn't always love me back. Regardless, I loved people! I was a sucker for get-togethers and such. We seldom had those in Regal, and I wondered how often the Shadow pack held parties here.

“Everyone will have each room to stay in, the invitation for the Ball will be given together with your breakfast tomorrow. Never lose it. That’s all and—”

“I’m sorry, but can we ask your name?” one of the girls asked, squealing like a fangirl with her newfound friends.

I had to agree that the guy looked handsome, but he hadn't smiled even once. He appeared annoyed that someone had interrupted him, his jaw clenched tightly.

I couldn't believe the audacity of these girls! I hadn't met my mate, but I felt as though I'd devoted my whole life to him. Yet these girls were fawning over the guy up front like crazy! Hello! They were going to meet their mates tonight! And that guy surely wasn't theirs!

He wouldn't answer them. I'd bet my coins on it.

“Have a great day, everyone,” the guys said and walked away.

Pfft! I knew it! I had been observing people for a long time, mainly because I could only observe; no one wanted to be with me. But that had honed my skills in reading people well.

“Ugh! What a snob!” said the girl who had asked for the guy’s name. Everyone began to enter the guesthouse and collect the keys to their designated rooms while I waited for the line to shorten. It was okay to be last; I didn’t want to mingle just yet since my first attempt had been a failure.

I chuckled to myself as I watched the girls, feeling a mix of rejection and embarrassment. No, they were ashamed. Even if no one talked about it or teased them about what had happened, they still felt embarrassed because of that aloof guy.

I was lost in my thoughts and subtly observing the ladies around me when I was suddenly pushed to the ground!

Ouch!

“Oof! Sorry!” said a guy with shoulder-length dark hair. He held some boxes that smelled like meat, probably for dinner. “Wait.” He placed the box down and extended his hand to me. “Here, let me help you up.”

Okay, he seemed like a good guy, though clumsy. And he wasn't my mate; I couldn't feel the connection even though we were looking each other in the eyes.

I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up. “I’m really sorry. I was in a hurry,” he apologized.

I nodded and smiled at him. He didn't mean to, so why would I be angry, right?

“It’s okay, just be careful, some girls can be bitch anytime,” I said in a friendly voice.

***

Jacob’s POV

It was her.

She was my mate.

I looked at the girl from afar, using my enhanced vision. I couldn't be seen close to the guesthouse, and I knew I was breaking the rules, but damn it! I couldn't stand the sweet scent lingering all over my pack since they arrived. Since she arrived.

She was tall, and even in those shabby clothes, I could tell she was fit and curvy. Her long golden-brown hair had natural curls at the ends. I loved how the shape of her eyes matched her high cheekbones and— Oh, fuck. Not again.

I could feel my cock reacting just from looking at her. And even from this distance, her scent was so intoxicating that I couldn't help but be enticed by it.

Fuck. If I hadn't been an Alpha, I wouldn't have had this much control! I might've run down this hill to reach her, to claim her, mark her, kiss her—oh, damn!

Watching, I observed her approaching three girls. Were they her friends?

I enhanced my hearing and decided to listen to their conversation.

“Hi!”

Oh, damn! Her voice even sounded so damn erotic to my ears! Why was I torturing myself? Why did I even come here to check on her?

My jaw dropped when the girls she had greeted turned their backs on her. Had they just ignored my mate?!

A low growl escaped from my chest. I hated seeing her cheerful face turn gloomy, because— Oh, wow. She was smiling again.

I guessed she wasn't bothered by those rude girls, huh. I smiled, finding myself even more intrigued by my mate, wanting to know more about her.

Alright. Time to check her shadow.

Move forward, mate. Expose yourself to the sun, let me see your soul.

I was the Alpha of the Shadow pack, the second strongest pack in the North Region. Our pack's name wasn't without meaning; there was a secret behind it.

The Shadow ability.

For centuries, this ability had been passed down through our bloodline. It was a gift bestowed by a powerful enchantress when she mated with my ancestor, an Alpha at the time.

If one possessed this ability, he or she was called a "shadow eye." And I had it. I could perceive a person’s intentions, discerning whether they were weak or strong. Whether they were happy, sad, envious, angry, or even aroused, I could see it in their soul.

To my eyes, a person’s shadow was colorful, varying depending on their emotions. It remained black, but a shade of a specific color tinted their shadow based on how they felt.

Red indicated anger. Green denoted envy or insecurity. Yellow signified happiness. Blue represented sadness. Purple implied arousal or being turned on.

The shadows of the strong were pitch dark, while those of the weak bore a gray shade.

To my dismay, my mate possessed a full gray shadow. What the hell!

I was in a daze as I watched her shadow; I wasn't mistaken. She was just a weak wolf. I had been matched with a weak being!

I observed her as she talked with a guy who had bumped into her. That was Lawrence, one of our most experienced fighters. Instinctively, I enhanced my hearing and focused on their conversation.

“I promised, I will,” Lawrence replied to my supposedly weak mate. And why the hell was she being so friendly with a stranger?! What was with that smile? Did she like him?

“Oh, let me help you with this,” my mate offered and grab on the box the same time Lawrence grab on it. Their. Fucking. Hands. Touched.

A loud growl escaped my throat, and it was my wolf, feeling possessive over our mate.

I saw how Lawrence's shadow turned purple! That dog was getting aroused by my mate!

Enhancing my vision further to observe my mate's shadow, I couldn't discern any other shade in her gray hue. How could she not— fuck, no one lacked emotions! And she was smiling sweetly at a male wolf. How could her shadow not react?!

“Oops,” my mate almost whispered, and her voice sounded so damn luscious! Was she trying to seduce Lawrence?

I found myself trembling as I watched the two of them part ways.

My eyes never left my mate as she followed Lawrence with her gaze. I could feel the anger inside me growing at that unsettling sight.

I got a weak, flirty wolf as my mate.