Mates Of Fate

Final preparations for the Day of the Moon celebration were being out in place. I strode through the pack grounds doing a quick sweep. I spotted my best friend moving towards me waving his hands.

He caught up to me and fist bumped me.

"Markus come with me." He said pulling me towards him I stood in place and gave a stupid look did he forget I was on duty?

"Caleb with all due respect I'm working right now." I released myself from his grip and started moving away from him. I knew he was up to no good. Caleb was never up to any good.

"I need help to get away from Vivian---I shrugged--- she won't let me breathe." He pleaded with me. He got himself in trouble with her I had warned him beforehand.

I gave him a condescending look as I started to speak "you're Alpha to be and you can't even ward off someone like Vivian." He shot me one of his sly grin. Of course Caleb could ward her off but he didn't want to. He could be a royal prick.

"Sod off." I walked farther away from him. I knew I had him off my back for a little while.

I went to sit at a spot where I could see everything that was happening. This field had been cleared of all shurbs and weeds. Chairs and tables had also been arraigned so it could host three hundred and seventy-nine werewolves.

My second in command Anne had come to give me her scouting reports I knew by how she was looking everywhere for me. She didn't need to look much cause as a warrior her eyesight had been trained to be able to percieve whoever she was looking for in a matter of minutes. I nodded at her when she caught my gaze.

When she got to where I was seated and gave a salute I returned it with nod of my head.

"Boss, we've swept every perimeter of the pack grounds and it is in the clear."

She reported maintaining her stoic posture. Anne had always been my favourite fighter because of how good she I. She never flaunts orders and knows what to do. That's why she was my second in command. If I ever left the pack military she'd takeover from me.

"Good." I said as I continued watching over things. We were experiencing a year of peace. No loss of werewolves this year, werepups were being born in many and our harvest was flourishing it was almost too good to be true. I was just happy that my people were enjoying a time of peace.

Fights usually broke out amongst packs every now and then, causing loss of lives and properties. But since this year we've not experienced one loss just an endless string of blessings.

"This quietness is too good to be true." Anne spoke up. I looked at her as she looked at me back. I understood her perfectly well.

"Well, let's enjoy it while it lasts." I commented folding my hands against my chest.

"I have a feeling things are going to go bad real soon. It's a nagging feeling in the out of my stomach and I can also feel it at the tip of my tongue." I faced her squarely now.

Not everyone was gifted as a wolf. Originally all wolves had the sight of premonition. But as we grew in numbers, we evolved leaving most of us with a gut feeling that was too right, some with visions that went as fats as they came, some with dreams and a very few with the sight of premonition. Anne was among the first few, those with gut feelings which were so damned right.

"Or maybe you're just scared that you'll meet your mate soon." I winked at her. A blush appeared on her face as she faced downwards.

"Now your fingers are interesting Anne? You're such a girl. You're so tough but at thr mention of a mate you turn tomato red." She was getting redder by the minute. I let out a low laugh. What was it with all the females and getting extremely shy and blushy when the subject of a mate was brought up.

My little sister kicked me in the family jewels when I made mention of a mate to her. Speaking of the devil, I hadn't seen her all day and we were supposed to go home together. So we could stop at the farmers market and pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables for tomorrow's dinner.

"Anne, have you seen my sister today?" I asked her when she was done with her blushing episode. Her face was back to that of a fighter. She just shrugged at me.

It's funny how my sister, Selene, and Anne went from bestfriends one day to bitter rivals the next.

They were always competing with each other and it was suffocating.

"I asked a question Annette." I said to Anne she flinched as I used her real name instead of the shortened version.

"I don't know Markus, stick your head in a bush and you might find her." She said and walked away. As much as I'd like to know what really caused this rift between Anne and Selene I made sure to keep myself out of their business.

Women problems never ended.

"Trouble in paradise?" A voice asked I looked up and saw Caleb. The raking bastard was back.

"More like Annette Vs Selene problems." I answered him while I counted the grass. When I'm troubled I do weird things.

"They were the epic girl group while growing up, the distance between them is worth a question. Should we set them up to talk and listen in on them?" Caleb asked as his eyes twinkled in mischief and excitement.

"No, you always have weird plans brewing in your head."

"Well I'll have to have weird plans brewing in my head cause I have a pack of stubborn animals to control in my future."

"Caleb, you're thinking of your future? I'm shocked, I might just have a heart attack." I said while holding the area of my chest where my heart laid underneath with shock on my face. Caleb gave me a light bump on my shoulder.

"Oh, look there's your sister." I turned back to see my baby sister Selene, standing amongst pack members. She looked as she had always looked, like a wild young woman. Her brown hair cut to the shoulder length and her brown eyes hooded. No matter how long she slept she always had dark circles under her eyes.

"And there's my sister." I looked at the angle Caleb was pointing and surely there stood his twin sister, Ciara. She was nothing like the buffon who stood next to me. Sometimes I think Caleb was the female in their mothers womb so he cheated and changed genders with Ciara.

She walked towards us with a huge smile. Caleb intersected her as I was about to walk up to her.

"My other but definitely not better half." He said planting kisses on her face while she tried to ward him off. Caleb had become way touchy with his sister and we all knew why. There was a high possiblity she'd find her mate and then leave with him to another pack. Everyone knew she had been predestined to mate with an Alpha. I left them to talk as I said a quick goodbye.

I turned and headed home. I was the head of the first man army for younger wolves, I had duties but also I had privileges. Privileges like going home without reporting to anybody.

"You should really stop thinking of her, you know." Selene's voice sounded next to me. The little mutt had decided to join me walk back home.

Our resemblance was quite uncanny. We were both adopted by this pack when I was five and Selene barely a year old. I had stayed here for a year and two months before my father found Selene in the woods, close to were they found me.

They had a choice to send her to the packs nursery for orphaned and abandoned children but they went straight to bringing her home. It was the best day of my life. Maybe living together for so long made us look like eachother.

"Selene I'm not thinking of Bridgette. She's been off my mind since forever. Let it be." I said not wanting to start a conversation with my sister.

"Not that dummy, I meant Ciara. You'd never have her." Ever brutal Selene and delivering her blows. But who was I kidding, Ciara would marry an Alpha and I wasn't one. Heck I wasn't even a true member of this pack to even fight for their Princess.

"Selene thank you, but I really don't want to have this conversation." I said and she kept quiet.

The walk to our house was long and pitiful. Pitiful for me cause the truth was that no matter how long I'd love Ciara, she'd never be mine.

"Caleb please leave my hair alone." I cried. I had always been my brother's test subject and lab rat. Today he was tugging my hair and trying to fix it.

His caring towards me had increased and I had a sick feeling that something was up, something that no one was telling me about.

"Caleb are you going to tell me what's up or do I have to get it from you." I queried.

"Goddes, Ciara. Would you just keep your head at a place and let a man work?" He smiled as he continued. I studied his face from the mirror I sat in front of and dammit he was hiding something from me. Something important.

"Cale, it's about my mate right?" His smile faltering before he quickly fixed it up. I pulled away from him and stood face to face with him. He just gave me a questioning look.

"Our whole family is keeping something away from me." My voice came out and it got higher as we spoke. "Can you just calm down." Caleb said as he moved closer to rest a hand on my shoulder. I stepped backwards so that his hand dropped he liked at me with a resigned expression.

"C. Honestly I don't want any of this for you." He started but I cut him short.

"You don't want any of this for me,- I said as my hands were moving in demonstration.-–dad doesn't want any of this for me, mom doesn't. But it's happening." I moved closer to him "you know who it's happening to Caleb?-–I poked his chest hard-– it's all happening to me."

My hand went to my hair as I ruffled and tugged at it then I fell to the ground. I heard Caleb's footsteps get closer to me.

"I know what I must do, but what if the Alpha is not my mate Caleb? That's the big question, what if he's not my mate?" I sniffled.

"Has anyone thought what I would feel like? What if I met my mate before the Alpha arrives? I'll have to reject him. This Alpha coming here, what if he has a mate who he keeps hidden and makes me his other woman? What if I don't like him?" I rapped out.

My brother wrapped his hands around me.

"Ciara I don't want this for you. I've thought of all these 'what ifs' you're mentioning. I swear I've thought of it all, but there's nothing you or I could do. You've been given a fate no one can change." He rocked me back and forth as my sniffling was slowly turning to a full time crying session.

"I've long since accepted my fate but now it's starting to feel all wrong."

"Is it starting to feel all wrong because you've seen a guy you like?" I froze. Of course I had someone I liked. He was nothing but an ordinary wolf and he also might not be my mate.

"He's someone in our pack right?" Caleb asked and I nodded. I really couldn't keep anything from him.

"I won't ask who. But I'm sorry you're going through this." Caleb and his nobleness. Not everyone saw the goodness in him. He could be a brat, playful and all that but he had the heart of gold.

A knock sounded on my door.

"Come in." I said. I and Caleb turned to face the person it was an omega. Chi-Chi. She entered and bowed her head.

"Young Alpha and Princess dinner is ready." She said her head still bowed.

"We'll be there in a moment." Caleb said as he stood up from the floor. I stood up with him. He walked to the door existing my room and then stopped abruptly.

"Chi-Chi, help my sister in cleaning up." He said and walked out.

"Princess." Chi-Chi greeted again.

"You know I've told you to call me Ciara like everyone does." I scolded her.

"I'm so sorry Princess but I am only an omega and your royal name isn't something that should come out of my mouth easily." I shook my head at her explanation.

"You being an omega doesn't make you less of a human being. You know." I said and walked to my wardrobe. I heard my door open and close.

"No it doesn't." A new voice said. My mother's.

"Your highness." Chi-Chi greeted again. If I heard one more greeting I was going to snap.

"Chi-Chi you can go." My mother dismissed her. Caleb must've told her I was crying. When I turned to face her, I saw her with a tray of food. Goddess bless my mother.

"How long will you keep avoiding your father Ciara?" Oh basically she was here to scold me. It funny how my father turned from my best buddy in the world to my enemy.

"I'm not avoiding him." I said. Still facing inside my wardrobe.

"Yes you are Ciara. Today you left without joing us for breakfast." My mother complained.

"Because I was busy."

"And yesterday when you didn't join us for picnic? Wait don't answer that or for the past three weeks that you've been avoiding your own family like a plague?" She queried.

"Mom you don't know what I'm going through right now. Just leave me alone." I turned and faced her. It was like looking at a more mature version of myself. I possessed every feature of my mother's face except from her doey hazel eyes. Instead I had my father's striking and piercing sky blue eyes.

"Ciara in all you're going through don't shut your family out, don't shut me out. Please." My mother's pleading voice hit me. I reverted my eyes away from her gaze.

I honestly didn't want to hurt anyone but I hated the fact I couldn't control my own destiny. Why is reality so cruel?

"Mom I'm sorry." I walked up to her and hugged her. "I'm so sorry. I can't do this alone it's so suffocating." I said tears starting to spill out of my eyes again.

My mother rocked me back and forth just like Caleb had done.

"No one has been able to defeat John for a long time now, how'd they expect me mating an Alpha to be the redemption of all werewolves in the northern packs?" I asked my mother.

"As we can not explain destiny so we can not also explain the workings of fate." She replied. Stroking my hair.

She pulled my fave up so I could look her in the eyes. "Ciara, no matter what happens or any decision you take, know that I love you and I'll always support you. But please don't do the wrong thing." I gave her a small nod.

"You can't change destiny. You can take a different part, you can delay it but you can't change it as so long as you're walking destiny's path."

She said and walked to my bed.

Everything she said was true I just have to resign myself to my fate.

Finally the long awaited day of the moon had come, the pack was ready and I'm upstairs getting ready.

I hate pack meetings and gatherings but sadly I'm an Alpha's pup what do I have to say

Someone barged into my room I turn and look at the intruder at the door; it's Caleb, my twin.

I can see the tiredness in his eyes he also hates planning events. Sadly as he was Alpha to be he had to plan and also attend them.

He strides to my table and takes my hair-comb in his hand, it's one among the many things we both share. Unhygienic, yes but Caleb was always loosing his combs. Mine was for emergency. He had a comb emergency everyday.

He does his hair and walks out of the room. A moment later, I hear my door creak open I raise my head it was Caleb again.

"You look pretty." he said as he comes closer to me, picks up my comb and starts doing my hair.

I know that's not why he's here, we both know why he's here, my father's many great plans is giving him lot to think about.

"I'm fine Caleb." I give him one of the most reassuring smiles I could muster as I stare at his reflection on the mirror.

"You know you really don't need to do this." he says. Oh Caleb do I look like I have a choice. My face falls and I sigh.

"I could wear a wig and trick them again." Caleb said trying to make the air in the room lighter.

I smiled remembering our childhood stunts when he'd wear a wig and pretend to be me.

"Caleb, father would kill you" I said producing a small smile.

"If he gets his hands on me, Pa is getting weak so he ain't got shit on me." I smack his hand as he 'ohhhs' like a two year old.

"Mind your language when referring to our father"

"Yes Alpha Ci-a-ra" he answered with a mock salute. The room goes silent again.

"You know I'd love to know what college looks like" I said touchingand admiring my hair Caleb had done he smacks me, I growl at him and he laughs.

"College would look like a whole lot of fun, badly Alpha's don't get to go and if you weren't an Alpha's child you would go too." he said picking up my make-up kit. Yes, my brother the Alpha to be, knows how to do make-up he only does mine and mum's no one else.

"And who told you if one of us wasn't going to be the an alpha twin it'd be me?" I asked him.

"Well for starters your skinnier than my painting brush,

Secondly your so light on your feet,

Thirdly you swoon over our head guard,

Fourthly and lastly you're a girl." He shrugged.

"I do not swoon over Markus" I say as my cheeks turns red. Caleb cocks a brow at me and now I grin like a fool he stares intently at me and now I'm sure my whole face is tomato red.

"I do not shwoon over Maacus" he says and moves in an annoying girly manner that I pick up my pillow and throw it at him making sure I get him hard. He laughs out loudly. It's been a while since we had quality sibling time like this, finally we stop and I drop on my bed panting.

Caleb drags me up and takes me to the chair murmuring how I'd smudge his masterpiece.

He adds final finishing touches to my face and beckons me to look at my reflection in the mirror.

I look at the mirror I look beautiful just too beautiful I look up at my brother and he smiles endearingly at me he gave me that everything would be fine smile. We both stare at the mirror once more lost in our train of thoughts then he breaks the silence.

"What if you find you mate tonight, what would you do Ciara?"

"I would do what I am supposed to do for my pack."

"Many lives will be hurt in this journey." he says.

"Maybe this is fates choice for me." I say and sigh.

"Fate might be cruel, but on the bright side he might be your mate." he said trying to give me hope. The 'he', Caleb was referring to was the Alpha who my father had arranged for me.

"He might, he might not." I said Caleb gives me a warm hug and turns away when he gets to the door he pauses;

"Ciara, I know your heart is with another person, but I need you to know I will forever have your back in any choice you make."

"Including eloping" I gape, my eyes grow wide did Caleb just offer me to elope?.

"Yes baby sis, eloping if need be I'll help you out". I run to him and locked him in a warm embrace, I love my brother too much we were still locked in a hug when my door was kicked open there's only one person in this universe who'd kick my door open.

"Ashleyyyyyyyyy." I growl at her.

"Be a dear and keep you inner monster away it's time for you to get dressed." she said dropping my dress on the bed.

"I'll be going." Caleb said.

"Hey Ash, bye Ash" he greeted her and walked out.

"That was weird." I said looking at her she just shrugged and I got into my gown. Tonight's gonna be a goddamned long night my future is going to change from tonight.

The pack grounds was filled I noticed as I got there. I stared around well our hard work really paid off, the setting was marvelous.

It was just the regular Day of the Moon, I wonder why it wasn't named the night of the moon.

The event is to be carried out on the pack ground, the biggest land reserve in the pack.

I could see the tables all set in perfect order.

The first table it was made of oak wood it was for the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Huntress and Zeta.

Next table was for the warriors, scouts and pack hunters. The table after that was for the rest of the pack members subordinates, omega's and pup watchers the pups were pumped when I, Caleb and Markus told them we will be having a day of the moon festival.

I spotted my father Alpha Conan and next to him was my mother Luna Lilith as they sat at the top table.

I watched as my Papa pulled out a seat and whispered her in her eyes as she sat down she giggled like a child; moon goddess why not give me this kind of a relationship.

Next was my brother, Caleb being Caleb wore plain black pants, a black shirt and silver cufflinks and an earring seriously Caleb a half moon earring his outfit was same as mine a black gown which hugged my curves well was open at the back and shimmers when I moved I had a little charm bracelet which had the other half moon which Caleb wore it was our twin gift to each other the only jewelry we wore.

Next to him was Markus the Zeta of our pack, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him he always looked so good but tonight he looked heavenly also dressed in pitch black with only a golden wristwatch he wasn't facing me but talking to his sister Selene the Huntress leader of the Gamers. She was one of the females I liked.

I couldn't spot Malcolm our Beta, he must be out giving orders that guy works way too much.

Next to Markus was Annette, his Eta who was his second in command.

Last but not the least was Conan the Xonar.

Next table had the scouts, Gamers, and Warriors, the table after that the next table had the subordinates and omegas.

The next table held the pups and pups watchers.

Everyone was seated then my father stood up to start the proceedings of the event a hush fell on the people as he started speaking...