Casper
I squared up to the large black wolf in front of me. I snarled with my teeth bared and felt tingles go down my spine as all my fur stood on end.
The black wolf circled me, mirroring my actions. He was impressive looking when he was stood like that. But I wasn't worried. I could easily take him.
I quickly jumped forward and nipped his back leg, making his head fly round in my direction. This was what I had been waiting for.
I lifted my head up and sprang from my powerful back legs, landing with my nuzzle on the back of his neck. I clamped down hard.
The black wolf twisted round, almost moving within his skin and managed to throw me off.
I jumped back round, on guard, facing him again.
I could see I had wounded him, but I also knew that it wouldn't stop him.
The dance started again as we circled round each other once more.
I needed this. I felt the tension and stress of the past few days filter into every sinew in my body. My muscles were primed. I felt invincible.
In a flash of teeth and claws I managed to pin him to the ground. I felt my teeth sink into his neck and tasted blood.
A sharp whine from the wolf snapped me out of my trance and I quickly got off him, and turned back into my human form.
"Shit, Jamie, are you ok?"
My beta wolf changed back also, his hand pressed firmly onto his neck to stem the blood flow.
I quickly bent over and assessed the damage. It wasn't too bad. Enough to potentially kill a human, but not a werewolf. Thankfully we clotted quickly.
"Damn it Casper, what were you thinking about?" Jamie asked, slowly removing his hand now the wound had sealed.
"I don't know. Just the usual I guess." I said with a slight shrug of the shoulders.
Jamie looked at me and raised an eyebrow. I could see that he knew I was keeping things from him, but as my Beta, he also knew not to press me further.
Jamie was my right hand wolf. The one I depended on. The one that was always there for me no matter what. In human terms he would be my best friend, but in reality I couldn't really call him that. No matter how close we were, I would always outrank him, and it was inbred in us to feel that way. But I knew that he was the closest thing to a best friend I would ever have.
"I think that's enough training for today. I'm going to go for a run. Maybe work off some of my pent up anger," I said grinning at him in apology.
I changed back into my wolf and set off running.
As a wolf, there is no better feeling in the world than running. It was the one thing guaranteed to make me feel better. It made me feel alive. It made me feel free.
I was turning 23 in a few months and I still hadn't found my mate. This meant that in a few months I would be free to choose my own. Or so it was assumed. In reality I would have very little choice. I knew that my dad had already lined up a selection of "approved" females and I would be expected to be married to one of them as soon as possible.
I don't know what upset me the most. Having to choose one of the bridezillas that my dad had selected, or the fact that I would never meet my mate.
I knew she was out there. I felt it. It was like an extra heartbeat thumping deep inside me. Yet here I was nearly 5 years later and I still hadn't found her. I had met and shaken hands with hundreds of female werewolves, yet nothing. Not a thing.
It was unusual for an alpha not to find his mate. That was because every female werewolf in the country would make it their mission to shake your hand, hoping that they were the one. And my father had arranged countless balls over the last five years, giving high ranking werewolves from around the country, the opportunity to come and meet me and shake my hand.
I had come to the conclusion that there were 3 possible reasons why I hadn't met my mate yet:
She was younger than me and so may have only recently turned 18, thereby making the window of opportunity for meeting that much smaller.
She was too low ranking for my father to have invited her to one of the balls
They weren't a she-wolf.
Number 3 could mean one of two things. It could mean that my mate was human, or it could mean that my mate was male.
I know both of these were unlikely, but believe me, after 5 years of searching and wondering, I began thinking anything could be a possibility.
I turned around and started heading back to the manor.
By the time I arrived the sun was setting and it was beginning to get dark. I changed into my human form and made my way to the back door.
I often went in through the staff entrance after a run. I was wet and covered in mud and didn't want to dirty the main entrance carpet.
As I walked through the corridors, I could hear the sounds of the staff working in the kitchen.
There was no one around so I quickly peeked in through the glass window of the door.
He wasn't there. He was never there.
I was beginning to think I had dreamed the whole thing.
I went into the bathroom and locked the door. The staff rarely used this bathroom as it was a washroom as opposed to a toilet. It had 2 shower cubicles in it. And there wasn't really any need for the staff to take showers here, so I sort of commandeered it as my post run shower room.
I showered and dressed in some jeans and an old t-shirt that I had left here. Not a common outfit for me, but they would do until I got to my room.
I headed out and set off towards the stairs that would take me to the family's living area of the house.
"Master Bournville might I have a word?"
I spun round to see Duncan, our head butler standing before me with his head bowed.
"Of course," I said and followed him into his office.
I liked Duncan. He had been with the family a long time and had earned our respect and trust.
"I'm sorry to bother you but I just wanted to confirm a few details about Saturday."
"Ok, sure, what do you need to know?" I had no issue with discussing Saturday's ball with Duncan but I did think it was a little odd of him to ask me about it. My mum and dad usually dealt with all the logistics. I merely turned up, and quite frankly they were lucky I even did that sometimes.
"I was hoping you would just take a quick look over the seating plans and make sure they look ok," Duncan said, pulling out a huge plan and laying it down over his desk.
I looked over at Duncan wondering whether he felt ok. What did I know about seating plans?
He kept his eyes firmly on the plans so I went round and stood next to him to take a look.
It all looked pretty standard to me so I nodded my head while I swept my gaze over the bewildering number of tables and names.
Of course, I hadn't heard of most of the names, as the whole point of the ball was to introduce me to female werewolves that I hadn't met before. My eyes glanced over the plans until my gaze landed on the family table.
I squinted at the names.
No. Surely not.
"Um, Duncan, does that say 'Emily Hartley' in the seat next to mine?" I knew the answer to my question because I could see it, but somehow I didn't trust my mind. Surely my dad wouldn't have invited a Hartley.
Duncan swallowed nervously but remained silent.
Suddenly his question made sense. "Is this what you wanted to show me? Who is she coming with?" I quickly scanned the other names on the table.
Gerald Hartley. Uncle to Emily and Brother to Archie who was the alpha of the Hartley pack.
"Why would he invite them?" I asked Duncan. Like I said, Duncan was a trusted member of the family and dad would often confide in him. Duncan often knew about things before I did. Not that it bothered me. I knew that dad would go to Duncan because Duncan couldn't argue back like I would.
Duncan cleared his throat nervously. "I think he's trying to finally bring the packs back together."
I let out a snort of derision. Surely there was too much bad blood for that to happen.
It all happened just before I was born. The Huntley pack and the Bournville pack had been close allies for years. But that all changed when a female omega in the Bournville pack married into the Huntley pack, only to later discover her true mate back in her home pack - the son of the pack's Beta. She couldn't resist the pull of her true mate and was discovered by her husband in the clutches of another wolf. Driven by jealousy he killed the Beta's son which led to 5 long years of tit for tat fighting.
The whole feud cost the lives of nearly 100 wolves from our pack, and I'm let to believe a similar number from Hartley's pack too.
Of course time had passed since then, and the feud was no more, but people in the pack still remembered those times, and still grieved for the dead. Duncan included.
"I'll talk to him," I said, but even as the words left my lips, I knew it would be no use.
"Oh god, I hope she's not my mate," I said in horror, resulting in a quiet chuckle from Duncan.
I was pleased he was smiling. This was probably hurting him more than he let on.
A sudden thought popped up in my head. I considered it for a moment and then used the excuse of needing a change in conversation to bring it up.
"I don't know if you'll be able to help me at all Duncan, but about 3 weeks ago...on a Monday I think, I saw a member of staff acting inappropriately..."
"Oh goodness, I am sorry" Duncan interrupted. He took great pride in his staff and it was rare that we ever had any trouble with them. "Who was it Sir? I'll make sure they are dealt with straight away."
I coughed nervously. "Erm, that's the problem. I don't know who they are and I haven't seen them again since, which is a bit worrying. We're they even staff to begin with? Should they have even been in the kitchen at the time?"
Duncan paused in thought, then said, "Monday...about 3 weeks ago.....could you describe them for me?"
I felt a slight blush threaten to creep onto my cheeks as I pictured the guy in question, but I quickly pushed it back. I was only worried about security. There was no need for me to be worried about asking.
"He was in his late teens I would say. Average build, a few inches shorter than me. Thick wavy dark hair, cut short on the sides. He was wearing black trousers and a white shirt so I assumed him to be waiting staff." I could have added that he had stunning hazel eyes with a ring of gold around the pupils, but I shouldn't know that.
Duncan closed his eyes for a second, and I could tell by his expression that he knew who I was talking about. And I could see he was disappointed.
"Yes, I know who you're talking about. What did he do?" he sighed.
The corners of my mouth twitched at his tone. "Am I guessing this is not the first time he has been in trouble?"
"No. He was always a bit of a problem child." I saw a brief look of panic flash across his face before he quickly added, "Not in a bad way. Gosh no, he's never been in any real trouble. What I meant to say is that he's just a bit.....well... spirited at times."
Hmmm, spirited. That description seemed to suit him well.
Duncan frowned a little, seemingly puzzled by the grin that had taken over my face.
I quickly discarded the grin for a more serious expression. "So does he work here then?"
"Yes," Duncan replied. "That day you saw him, he was just here for an interview. He's now working in the kitchens, so you shouldn't come across him again." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Is the behavior you saw something I need to address Sir?"
I considered my reply for a second. "No, not at all. We both of us didn't give off the best impression on that day."
Duncan smiled, looking clearly relieved.
"You mentioned knowing him as a child," I added, "do you know him well?"
"He's my nephew, Sir," came the response.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Well then, I definitely don't have anything to worry about do I? I'm sure he'll turn out to be just as valued as you are Duncan."
"Thank you Sir, that means a lot to me."
I smiled before getting up and leaving Duncan's office.
So the boy did work here then. So there was a chance I would bump into him again.
I jogged up the stairs taking them two at a time, a smile on my face, and Emily Hartley momentarily forgotten.