Prince Reagan novel Chapter 3

 

The air is chilly outside, but I feel warm thanks to my wolf. The moon is big and bright up in the sky as I continue to stare at it. It almost feels like it’s trying to comfort me as it looks down to me.

Nights of full moons are one of the best for shifting into a werewolf. We are stronger then, and our senses are more heightened. We feel more connected to our inner wolves during this time as our first shifts are mostly during a full moon.

I had mine during one too. It was painful, my bones cracked into different positions, and I remember crying a lot that night. But after shifting a lot of times, I’m used to the pain, and it hurts less.

After the inauguration ceremony is done and over with, most werewolves will take off into the forest to shift into their wolf form. We do not miss the opportunity of a full moon since it happens only once in a month. Brad would lead us as the new Alpha through the woods, and together, we all would howl at the moon all night.

I will not be joining them tonight, though. Anything that deals with Brad irks me. I hope my wolf quickly heals so I can find an unmated wolf from another pack and get out of this one.

I love my pack. I grew up here, and my parents live here. It will be hard to say goodbye, but if I wanna completely move on, then I need to distance myself from that prick.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” I hear someone sigh in relief behind me, startling me out of my thoughts. I turn to see Lana by the doorway of the balcony, looking disoriented while puffing out breaths. Something doesn’t feel right.

The balcony is now empty as everyone had gone inside to watch Brad take the title of Alpha except me. But the packhouse is eerily silent, which is the opposite of what it’s supposed to be. By now, Brad should have been named Alpha, and there should be howls and whistles of merriment.

I scrunch my eyebrows in suspicion as Lana exhales in relief but still looks…scared?

“What’s wrong?” I slowly ask, making my way towards her. She pauses, looking unsure with a puzzled look on her face.

“I’m not sure either, but…you’re being called inside.” She announces. I stiffen in response as dread washes over me.

Was that why it’s silent inside? Because of me? But why? The only reason I could think of for the ceremony to halt for me is if…if they knew about me being Brad’s real mate.

My eyes widen in horror as I stare at Lana. She seems puzzled also, not knowing why I’m being summoned.

This is bad. This is really bad. If alpha Benson knows about Brad and me, he will force Brad to break his bond with Stacy and then mate me. I don’t wanna be a mate to a jerk like him. I still am a bit attracted to him, but I don’t want him anywhere near me. It’s a hot and cold situation.

But how did they find out? Had Brad revealed this to them? But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would he? He had made it clear that he wanted Stacy by his side and not me.

“Are you alright?” Lana asks, probably noticing the pale look on my face. I quickly shake out of my thoughts and put on a fake smile.

“I’m fine. Just a bit surprised.” I lie. She nods in return before grabbing my hand and leading me inside.

“We have to hurry.”

I feel the tension in the air immediately as I walked in. The whole place is so silent, you would think the room empty and not filled with hundreds of werewolves. Our packhouse is large enough to hold thousands of people, and some werewolves reside here. But they’re mainly people with higher authority, like the Alpha, his beta, and the rest. Some omegas live here too as servants.

Everyone’s heads snap to me as I walk in, and they make a passage for me to walk through. Lana has already left my side, and I suddenly feel very nervous with everyone’s curious gaze on me.

Apart from that, I can feel a powerful aura coming from the front, and my guess is that the Prince is here.

Not even our former Alpha has such a strong aura.

Swallowing down my nervousness, I brush my sweaty palms down my gown before walking forward. More people clear the path for me to pass by. But I notice the farther I go, the more everyone’s head is bowed down with their neck open in a sign of submission. Even I feel the urge to bare my neck open like that, but it’s somehow different. Like I can ignore it if I want to.

I let my eyes stray down to the floor, though, as I move forward, and the aura gets stronger. There’s a thick earthy masculine scent in the air mixed with an expensive cologne. And it smells so heavenly, I can’t help myself but breathe in more. It gets stronger too as I walk forward, and my hands grip the side of my dress in anticipation.

I do not look up till I reach the end of the line, but something pushes me too.

There, in the middle of the raised platform, sitting in a lazy and bored posture is the most handsome, no, beautiful man I’ve ever seen. His hair is a golden color like the sun, and he has high cheekbones on a sharp jawline.

He may look bored, but his eyes are blazing as he stares right back at me. I can feel the intensity in them as he raises his hand, stroking a floral scarf in them. Wait! That’s my scarf.

My eyes move to his side, where Gina stands with a serving tray in hand. Her neck is bare in submission like everyone else, but her eyes move up to meet mine at that moment, and I could see the angry glare directed to me. I furrow my eyebrows in question, but she looks away back to the floor.

My eyes move around to see everyone in this same position, including Brad and alpha Benson. I do the same as them, not understanding what was going on.

I feel a chair scrape on the floor before hearing soft footfalls, and they are striding over to me. My eyes are looking at my silver heels in interest as my heart’s beat accelerates. I’m sure all the werewolves in the room could hear it beat faster.

My body is frozen to the spot as I see a shiny pair of Oxford shoes come into sight. My neck aches from staring down, and my muscles feel tense. I can see the owner of the shoe slowly walk around me before stopping behind me. Then I suddenly feel his hand brush away my hair from my neck, leaving it bare. His palm grazes my skin, and I shiver at his touch.

That’s odd.

Usually, my wolf and I would recoil at another male’s touch. Maybe it’s because she can sense the power radiating from him, so she doesn’t want to seem disrespectful.

I feel his breath suddenly fanning the area he left open before I hear him inhale a deep breath. My hands clutch my dress tighter as his nose skims that area of my neck before he stops and moves back. I’m already beginning to regret wearing an off-shoulder.

He walks back to my front before using his thumb and forefinger to raise my head up, and I’m met with the most beautiful pair of glowing golden-brown eyes.

“Mine.” A growl rumbles through his chest with his eyes fixed intently on me.

Wait! What?!

I’ve seen that possessive look before. I’ve seen it in the look Brad gives me sometimes, but this one is different. More intimate. Like he’s already claimed me and couldn’t wait to pounce on me.

I gasp, taking a step back in surprise, and his eyes darken as he watches my movement. He stretches his arm out to wrap around my waist and slams me into his chest. I could feel sparks of electricity in the air between us and down my body.

My hands come up to his chest in the intent of pushing him away, but I’m left dazed by his magnificent face structure. He leans his face down, and I feel his lips by the shell of my ear as he whispers,

“Mate.”

“No!” Another voice roars behind him, and I feel him stiffen under my hands.

I’m rigid to my spot, not sure what is going on yet. Did he just call me his mate?! That’s not possible, Brad is my mate…or rather, was.

The man in front of me let’s go of me and spins to face who dares challenge him. He pushes me behind him as if to shield me, and I hear him let out a loud snarl. I notice he isn’t too bulky, but neither is he too thin, just lean, muscular…and perfect. His skin seems to glow, and he’s really tall. I can’t even see over his shoulder with my heels.

I tilt my head to the side to get a better view of what’s happening, and I roll my eyes at the sight of Brad having on a jealous look. His fists are clenched by his sides, and his whole body is shaking, trying to reign in his wolf.