CHAPTER 4

Alec's POV

I undo the top button of my navy blue shirt as the blistering heat causes the material to stick to my neck and chest. I gratefully take the cold beer my brother Shane hands me as his mate Christina hands Selena an iced coffee.

"Excited about being host on Friday, brother?" Shane jokes as Christina jabs him in the ribs.

"Ignore your brother, Alec. I'm very excited that you may find your Luna soon." I don't miss the sideways glance that Christina shoots to Selena who tries to hide her frown.

Shane slaps a hand on my back as he beams his widest smile at me. "I got to hand it to you though, bro. I don't think I would be able to take all that pressure. Hosting, meeting countless beautiful women, dancing with every single one of them. I consider myself damn lucky that Christina found me quickly."

My brother's wicked smile soon turns soft as his wife pulls him down for a quick kiss and then affectionately wipes the smeared lipstick off his lips. My sister-in-law then turned to me, taking the finished beer bottle from my hand and placing it on the nearby table. She adjusts the collar of my shirt and then gently smoothens the length of my sleeves like an affectionate sister.

"I have no doubt that whoever the Goddess blesses you with, will be an amazing mate and Luna to the pack. You have a bottomless pit of love to offer to that lucky woman, Alec. So do not lose hope or settle for less." This time, her gaze lands and stays on Selena for more than just a brief second, making my childhood friend bristle beside me.

Shane lets out a nervous chuckle while reeling his wife back in to stand beside him. He wraps an arm around her waist and holds her tight as Selena slams her half-filled iced coffee on the table and walks off in a huff.

"Was that necessary?" Shane asks Christina whose icy stare doesn't leave Selena's retreating back as she goes.

"Yes. It very much was. Childhood friend or not, she needs to know that she cannot covet what is not hers in the first place." Christina looks at me, her gaze never wavering. "I mean it, Alec. I heard from your mother that you mentioned taking a chosen mate and I will not allow that kind of thoughts to be swimming in that mind of yours. Your fated is out there."

I sigh as I run my hand through my hair. "I know. And I hear you loud and clear, Chris. I just….Selena was just…"

"Your back-up plan. Why would you need one? Alec, what are you not telling us here?" Christina and Shane are now both looking at me with their best 'Spill it now' looks as I glance over my shoulder to see that Selena was now long gone. "Do not look back for her! She's a big girl, she can find her way back home."

Shane motions for us to take our seats at the table and I find myself looking across the gleaming white top as the beads of precipitation on the outside of Christina's coffee cup slowly stream down the side and pool onto the surface of the table.

"I've been having these weird dreams. Like some kind of rude awakening." I started to say as I take a deep breath and have to pause momentarily when the faintest whiff of caramel entered my nostrils. I turn in my seat and look around in the crowd until I feel someone tap me on my shoulder.

"Dude, I'm sure Selena is binge shopping somewhere to burn off her steam," Shane jokes as Christina rolled her eyes.

"It's not her, I just thought…." There it was again, caramel like it was freshly melted on top of sweet chocolate. Gideon began to stir ever so slightly but my mind suddenly went cold when a small cart filled with deep fried churros and donuts pushed itself through the crowd and stopped just behind our table on the sidewalk. Sighing heavily, I turned back to face my brother and his wife. "I guess it was nothing…. anyway…."

I managed to tell them about my ominous dreams about being mated to a weak mate and my thoughts about how the Goddess may be testing me in some way before I'm able to become Alpha of the pack. My brother watched me silently as Christina shook her head.

"You need to stop that. Do not let those emotions and insecurities cloud your judgement, Alec. Both my brothers found their mates later on and one of them is an Omega, but that didn't stop her from becoming one of the most respected elders in their pack's council. Being Alpha, Beta or Omega doesn't define the person's strengths, nor does it make that person any less a person." Christina watches me seriously as I fight the emotions swirling in my mind.

"I know that. I just, can't help but feel like I'm being dealt the shorter end of the straw here because of the fact that my father had to open the ceremony to every single female now. I couldn't find my mate in a pool of Alpha and Beta females. That does not look good as the future leader to our pack."

"Who cares! So, what if your future Luna turns out to not be an Alpha's daughter? What are you saying here, Alec? Are you going to reject your fated mate chosen for you by the Goddess herself?" Christina glares at me while Shane's face becomes ashen.

"Bro, you can honestly think that…."

"I know! Dad already spoke his mind on it. He says he'll revoke my title ceremony if I do that. I just….I don't know. I need some air."

I push back my chair and walk off into the crowd as I hear both Shane and Christina calling my name behind me. I continues to walk aimlessly as I try to move away from the crowd of people on the main street. I find myself all the way to the end of the plaza and standing across the road from the lake that ran between Blood Moon pack and the islands of the Royal Court. I watch as the rays of the evening sun glisten the top of the lake's surface and find myself becoming calm with the serene sight before me.

As I feel the tension start to seep out of my tight shoulders I'm knocked slightly off balance when someone bumps into my back and something cold sloshes onto my shoes. I look down to see ice cubes and frothy liquid pooling on the crowd while a startled gasp sounds behind me.

"Oh, crap! I am so sorry! I'm such a klutz. Here, let me give you a napkin for…"

"Elena, hurry up!" A voice calls out in the distance.

As I reach to accept the offered napkin from the bent over brunette head at my feet, the feint scent of caramel and chocolate enthrals my nose again. My mouth open to speak but the wave of bouncy brunette curls turns quickly and moves behind me as fast as I could blink.

"I'm coming! Sorry again about the shoes!"

And just like that, the scent goes with the retreating form of flowing curls swaying like a mesmerizing wave of honey and sugar as the woman hurries into the waiting car parked just ahead at the side of the road.