Chapter Eleven

Ellie

I was beat. I guess I had no right to whine. I’d asked for this, but I was pretty sure Seth was doing it to mess with me.

No other warriors were on patrol every single day. It was usually every other day. At most, they’d do two days in a row.

But for the past week, I’d been on night patrol, every single night. That meant ten at night until four in the morning.

By the time I got home and showered, it was five. If I was lucky, I’d get five hours of sleep before I had to get ready for the war room briefing. After that, it was training time.

My social life was a ghost. Not that I had much of one to begin with, but any chance of seeing anyone was pretty much zero. I hadn’t even found time to see Olivia. She was due to have her baby any day now.

I knew if I complained, I’d probably lose my patrol shifts. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Seth and Dad were teaming up against me.

I wasn’t being paranoid. At least, I didn’t think I was. Ever since I started getting flirty with Kayden, I suddenly had no time for anything. He was even training at different times than me.

Add to that the talk Dad gave me about mates and waiting for them. He never said that about Seth. Not until he knew for sure we weren’t mates. It was probably because he didn’t like Kayden.

I walked into the bathroom and started the shower. I quickly stripped off my dirty clothes, tossing them aside, before stepping under the hot water.

I rolled my shoulders, letting the hot water wash over me, cleaning away not just the dirt but the stress of my day—or rather, my night.

Tomorrow was my birthday, so at least I’d get a day off from patrols. I knew that because Dad had told me there was going to be a big party.

I should’ve been grateful, but I wasn’t. Not really.

It was just an excuse to show me off to all the unmated males, to see if my mate was in the pack.

No one said it, but I knew they were all thinking it. Keep the royal line going. Find Ellie her mate.

It didn’t matter to anyone else that the one person I wanted to be my mate wasn’t. And they didn’t want me either. Just because there was a chance we couldn’t have babies.

Most female wolves my age were excited for their eighteenth birthday. Excited to find their mate. I knew Olivia had been. I wasn’t.

I groaned inwardly. ~Stop thinking about it, Ellie,~ I scolded myself as the hot water washed over me.

I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. I quickly dried off and headed back into the bedroom.

I pulled on an old T-shirt, then pulled back the duvet and climbed into bed.

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon.

I hated running the night patrol because I hated sleeping during the day. That’s why I was so tired—I didn’t sleep properly. I just napped.

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to claim me.

***

I woke to the sound of my dad’s voice and the smell of coffee.

“Come on, sweetheart, wake up,” he coaxed.

I groaned and opened my eyes, rubbing away the sleep with my thumb.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart.”

I blinked.

“What time is it?” I mumbled, reaching for the cup of coffee he’d put on the bedside table.

“Eleven,” he started, “I’ve made you breakfast...or brunch,” he smiled, “and you have a visitor.”

I propped myself up on my elbows and frowned.

I took a sip of the coffee.

“Who?” I asked.

Dad just looked at me and smirked.

“The sooner you drink your coffee and get dressed, the sooner you’ll find out.”

I sighed but nodded anyway, watching him walk towards the bedroom door.

When he opened it, he looked back at me.

“Don’t look so miserable, Ellie. It’s your birthday. It’s a big day.”

I groaned as he closed the door behind him.

“Don’t I know it,” I muttered.

If I hadn’t been curious, I probably wouldn’t have hurried. But I was also hungry. One of the downsides to spending all night on patrol and not eating.

I could’ve grabbed something to eat when I got in, but I was always too tired. That didn’t help my mood. I was always a bit grumpy when I was hungry. I guess that’s how my brother felt. He had an excuse though. Lack of food. I, on the other hand, didn’t, except for the fact that I was being run ragged by our jerk of a beta.

When I walked out of the bedroom after showering and dressing, I expected to see maybe Clayton or Olivia.

The person I saw chatting and laughing with my dad was the last person I expected to see.

“Grandfather?” I asked.

He turned to face me and smiled.

“Ellie. It’s good to see you.”

He held his arms open as I walked towards him. When I reached him, he wrapped me in a hug.

Then he gently pushed me away from him, holding me in place while he looked me up and down.

“You look just like your grandmother,” he beamed, “now we just need to find your mate.”

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I didn’t. That was all he was here for.

“Why are you here?” I asked, knowing full well why.

“You think I would miss my own granddaughter's birthday? Your coming of age?” he replied.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I perched myself on one of the bar stools as dad handed me a huge plate of food.

I immediately started to dig in.

Dad looked at me and shook his head.

“You should really try and eat more regularly, Ellie. I know you’ve been running the night patrol, but you still need to eat,” he chided gently.

I rolled my eyes.

“Perhaps you should take that up with the Beta. He’s the one assigning me to patrol every night,” I grumbled.

My grandfather turned to me, his brow furrowed.

“Why are you on patrol duty?”

His gaze flicked to my dad, then back to me.

“You’re the Alpha King's successor. You should be safeguarded.”

I shook my head, letting out a heavy sigh.

“That’s what I train for,” I grumbled.

Grandfather rose to his feet, crossing his arms.

“No, Ellie. You trained to defend yourself, not to join the warriors on patrol. If something were to happen...”

I slammed my fork onto my plate, creating a loud clatter.

“No!” I snapped, “You don't get to waltz in here and dictate what I should or shouldn't do. I train alongside the warriors. I am a warrior. When the war arrives, I’ll be fighting side by side with the warriors.”

I pushed myself up from the table and stormed towards the front door.

“Ellie? Where are you headed, sweetheart?” Dad called after me.

“Out!” I snapped.

I was fed up with people trying to control my life. Dictating who I should or shouldn't see, who I should or shouldn't befriend.

I slammed the front door behind me as I left the house. I needed to breathe. I needed to escape from the people trying to manipulate me.

It wasn't any easier with Nix’s voice echoing in my mind.

‘Our mate is still out there’.

We hadn't been talking much lately. She knew my desires, who I yearned for. She disapproved because he wasn't my mate.

I made my way to the place I always visited on my birthday.

I’d been frequenting this spot since I returned from the mountains. It was a place I knew like the back of my hand.

It hadn't changed much in eight years. Except for one detail.

The cave entrance remained the same, but just outside of it was a stone marker. Carved into the stone was a name;

~‘Sammy’~

Beneath it, a few simple words.

~If the days won't allow us to see each other...memories will~

I sank to my knees in front of the marker, letting my fingers trace the rough stone, gliding over the grooves that spelled out his name.

“Damn it, Sammy. Why can't you still be here? Why couldn't you have been my mate?”

I hastily wiped a lone tear from my cheek.

Then I caught a whiff of it. The most intoxicating scent.

I lifted my head, trying to pinpoint where the smell was coming from.

Then I spotted it. A large wolf. Its fur a deep brown. It wasn't from our pack.

~“Mate.”~

Nix whispered in my mind.

I rose to my feet as the wolf approached me.

Something was off.

As I studied the wolf, his lips curled back in a snarl, growling low and menacing.

Drool dripped from his fangs as he lowered his head, stalking me as if I were his next meal.

~“Mate.”~

Nix repeated in my mind.

How could this be? How could he be my mate? Mates were supposed to love you. Protect you. One look at this wolf told me he had no intention of doing either. In fact, it looked like he was ready to pounce!