Darius POV
I woke up in a panic state, glistening with sweat on my forehead. I let out a deep sigh as I wiped it off. "It was just a bad dream," I mumbled quietly to myself. I sometimes have dreams that feel so real, like a distant memory. It was a dream about a young pup, presumably me, being chased in the woods. I always woke up just when the people chasing me were very close. Their faces were blurry, but I could sense their anger and hatred.
I let out a weary sigh. The air seemed thicker and colder than usual, which sent chills all over my spine. All the hair on my skin stood up, there was just a gut feeling that something huge was going to happen today.
My wolf growled restlessly, sensing the unease in my heart. I gently placed my hands on my chest to calm down. I took a deep sigh and headed out to the general hall. I preferred staying there to listen to the complaints and challenges of my pack.
It was a large hall filled with pictures of former alphas all dressed in ceremonial attire. My throne was placed a few steps higher than the floor for all to see. It was adorned with opulent decorations that made it look regal and presidential
I sat on my throne seat as my Beta Cameron, alongside my bodyguards, slightly bowed to me respectfully. I nodded in approval after sitting down. Instinctively, from the facial expression of Cameron, I sensed he had unpleasant news. He was always hesitant to deliver such news, not to upset my mood.
"What is it, Cameron?" I quietly grunted, my wolf growled in anticipation of the unexpected information.
"My apologies, my Alpha, I just received an invitation to Alpha Damon of Moonfall pack's wedding." He said in a hoarse voice. My wolf grunted viciously at the mention of the name 'Damon.' I bit my lips just to calm it down, and Damon have been rivals for many years. He tried numerous times to overthrow me and claim my pack, but all his attempts were unsuccessful. Eventually, we formed a truce. But Damon is famously known to be a conniving, back-stabbing alpha who can't be trusted.
Naturally, any news from him is seen as a setup or another strategic move against my pack. "What if I reject the invitation?" I snapped. My wolf growled for us to attack him, but I managed to retain control.
"My Alpha, I think that will be seen as an open declaration of war. I humbly suggest we accept it to keep the truce," Cameron replied in a respectable tone. Logically, I knew he was correct, however, my wolf wanted to tear Damon limb from limb. Eventually, logic reasoning won, and I decided to go to the wedding.
"Ahem..speaking of wedding-" He averted my gaze with a cheeky smile on his face. "You sneaky wolf." I thought to myself. I knew exactly what he was referring to. It was customary when becoming an Alpha to mate and choose my Luna. Yet, I remained adamant in finding the 'right soulmate' which exasperated the whole pack.
"I will choose my mate only when I'm ready." I shot a glare at him. He coughed mischievously to clear his throat. I calmly dismissed everyone in the hall as I pondered what surprises Damon had in store for me.
The trip to the Moonfall pack took several days. I travelled with my Cameron and a few of my personal warriors to their borders, the wolves that stood guard patrolling it were already informed of our visit. Yet, there was still tension as we walked passed them.
"Welcome, Alpha Darius of the Silverfang pack. We've been ordered to escort you and your men directly to the palace. For your…safety." One of the border warriors curved his lips slightly as he bowed. A lump was stuck in my throat. My wolf snarled aggressively at that statement. I clenched my fists till blood came out. It seemed to calm my wolf as I signaled my subjects to stand down.
We continued the journey through the Moonfall lands in a cautious manner. The rest of the trip was awkward as everyone stayed alert, as I couldn't shake off the malicious intent in the eyes of our escorts.
Along the way, my wolf became restless and growled aggressively. My forehead was beaded.
With sweat. My heart started beating quickly. I tried to calm my wolf, but it continued growling. At that moment, I knew exactly what this new sensation was. My mate is on this land. A wave of hope washed over me as we approached Damon's palace.
We arrived at his castle when the full moon was clearly visible in the sky, illuminating the exquisite wedding decorations and floral adornments spread all over the place. It was aesthetically pleasing as we were ushered in respectfully inside. The throne room was massive, filled with Damon's personal bodyguards positioned tactfully. Most of them were involved in the battles between our packs, so the atmosphere was tense as we walked through.
We finally reached the stairs of his throne. He had a smirk on his face as he approached me.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation, my fellow alpha." Damon twisted his lips slightly. I nodded in approval as we shook hands together. By his side, I saw a young lady dressed in a ceremonial white gown with their pack's sigma stylishly printed on it. The gown accentuated her figure. Her blonde hair flowed naturally on her shoulders, revealing her swan-like neck. From her appearance, I sensed she was the new Luna. I slightly tilted my head as a sign of respect to her. She respectfully nodded back.
"It's my pleasure, Alpha Damon." I forced a smile on my face, I sensed the fighting spirit of his wolf as it clashed with mine in aura. Yet, we both managed to restrain ourselves from lunging at one another. After exchanging pleasantries, he signaled his warriors to bring in something.
"I have a present for you-" He pointed his hands in the direction of his favorite warrior, Serena. She had in her claws a young, petite girl who wore outdated clothes, looking shabby and unkept. Suddenly, the frantic reaction of my wolf earlier on our way to the palace returned. That's when I realized, to my surprise, this is a mate.