The Fated Mate of the Alpha's

**The Pack Ball - Where It All Begins**

Dissatisfied, skeptical, and dazed-that's how I felt. I knew everyone could see the shock written on my face. I tried to hide it the best I could, but I knew that was the worst smile I had ever shown. Ridiculous, I know, but I couldn't let him get the better of me. On the other hand, my nails dug into Tyler Blackwood's arm-my best and only friend. He knew how I would feel seeing Nick Marshall again.

When I looked up at his towering 6'2" frame, which literally made me have to look up as if he were a streetlight planted in the ground, I caught a glimpse of anger and confusion flashing across his face for a few seconds before he managed to return to what I would call his usual calm expression-or, really, that stone-cold look that showed no respect or empathy for anyone.

Nick Marshall was simply the Alpha of the SilverPack, the biggest and strongest of all the packs, and every woman at the Ball wanted to be his mate. But Nick never wanted any of them to be his. He was never seen with anyone. And me? Well, I was just another one who admired him silently with a racing heart, totally annoyed by all the gazes turned toward him like that, knowing full well that his eyes would never truly land on me.

What few knew was that, at midnight, I would turn 18. Unlike everyone else, I had already received my wolf, but the others hadn't. I know that usually mates can smell each other, but I can't smell mine, I don't feel his presence. I confess that I'm desperate at the thought that my mate might simply not exist, or worse, that he could just be some random jerk. Truthfully, I know there's a way to mask my wolf's scent, and I've been doing that ever since I received Any. But they say it's impossible to hide from your mate.**

I had never felt so relieved and pleased to be wearing the dress Becks made me buy.

The dress was red and made of silk. It had extremely thin straps, and the cutout neckline revealed more of my chest than I would normally want or feel comfortable with. The dress hugged my breasts and waist perfectly, falling down to my ankles with a slit that reached up to my thigh. I wore golden heels with straps around my ankles and jewelry with gold details.

My brown hair was down, styled in waves, with one side pinned up. Becks had done my makeup with a smoky eye that made my violet eyes pop and stand out. She convinced me to wear a bold red lipstick, and I felt absolutely beautiful, even though I was completely out of my comfort zone. But when I looked in the mirror, I felt stunning. Honestly, I could handle anything in this dress. Well, maybe not anything.

I clearly remember Tyler's expression of total surprise when he saw me. His mouth formed a huge "O," and the words came out slyly, "You look stunning." Becks kept insisting that I would find my mate tonight and that I had to be the most beautiful one at the Ball for that to happen. I knew they were both in full flattery mode, so no compliment from Tyler or Becks would truly comfort me. Despite what I saw in the mirror and what they were saying, none of this really felt like me.

The Ball followed tradition. It was the night many awaited each year, the night when most received their wolves and found their destined mates. Even though some rejected their mates, most were satisfied with what fate had given them-or simply accepted it.

When the moon reached its peak and the clock struck midnight, howls could be heard from outside the ballroom. That was part of the ritual, something many were familiar with, yet it still made me uncomfortable. I felt my eyes burn, and the hairs on my skin stood on end. My wolf was restless that night, pacing back and forth. I could see her snow-white fur and violet eyes, just like mine, appear in my mind, and I heard low howls, even though all that could be heard in the ballroom were people talking and soft background music.

I felt my skin burn as if someone were watching me-I was sure of it. I looked around, but no one had their eyes on me. Yet something told me that someone definitely was. I heard a voice in my mind say, "Look up, Lyla." When I looked up, his water-green eyes met mine, and my heart raced, making my breathing grow heavier. That's when I heard the faint sound of the word "mate." Maybe I was hallucinating, maybe Any was just overly excited, or perhaps my heart was playing tricks on me. Whatever it was, I knew he had never looked so handsome. It had never felt so good to see him as it did in that moment.

I couldn't have been more wrong-Nick Marshall could never be my partner. My family has never been among the traditional families of the pack; we're more like the common folk, the working class.

"Any, are you sure?" I ask in my mind, watching Any as she continues pacing back and forth.

"Yes, Lyla, they're ours."

"You know that could never happen, don't you? We'll be rejected-I just know it."

Any stays silent, as if bracing herself for the worst moment of our lives. Being rejected would be a disgrace to our family. There has never been such a great rejection in our history. My eyes burn, and my hands are sweating. I thank the gods that I'm alone at this moment.

I couldn't have been more wrong-Nick Marshall could never be my partner. My family has never been among the traditional families of the pack; we're more like the common folk, the working class.

"Any, are you sure?" I ask in my mind, watching Any as she continues pacing back and forth.

"Yes, Lyla, they're ours."

"You know that could never happen, don't you? We'll be rejected-I just know it."

Any stays silent, as if bracing herself for the worst moment of our lives. Being rejected would be a disgrace to our family. There has never been such a great rejection in our history. My eyes burn, and my hands are sweating. I thank the gods that I'm alone at this moment.

The smell of coffee woke me up. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was only 4 a.m. I knew my mom, Lily, was an early riser, but even for her, this was earlier than usual. She never had to start her omega duties before 7 a.m.

I sighed, realizing something must be wrong.

Slowly, I got up and made my way toward the door, my eyes still heavy with sleep. I opened it, but the creak was much louder than I had planned. I stumbled and nearly fell down the stairs, which caused my mom to jump abruptly from the kitchen stool where she was sitting. She quickly wiped away her tears, but not fast enough for me to miss them.

In seconds, I remembered what could be causing those tears. This was the date when my father, Vince, and my brother, Nate, were murdered, right inside our home, without any chance to defend themselves. My mom and I had been lucky not to be there, but when we returned, we found limbs torn apart and blood splattered all over the place.

The pain it still caused my mom broke me inside. She never got over it. She said, "Nothing will ever compare to the love and bond I shared with your father. It hurts even to think about loving someone else again."

I hugged her tightly. We stayed like that for a while until I had no choice but to get ready for school.

She mentioned that Meghan, the Luna, had called her and needed her a bit earlier today. My mom was her personal omega, or assistant. She got paid no matter what she was called for, which was nice-especially since we only had one income.

When my dad died, we moved to the SilverPack. My mom got this job with the Luna of the SilverPack thanks to their childhood friendship. She said we needed a fresh start and never talked much about the past. It's a sensitive topic for both of us, and I know that if I learn more about it, the pain will be even greater than it already is. She doesn't even mention where we came from, and I stopped asking a long time ago.

"Why does the Luna need you so early?" I asked, still seeing the tears in her eyes.

"The Luna wanted an early start to plan the welcome party for Nick and the Annual Ball, which will be celebrated together this year. It's going to be a big event, with many other packs attending."

She looked at me as if she'd said something she wasn't supposed to.

"Yes, it's fine. I'm okay."

My wolf, Any Light, began pacing back and forth, breathing heavily in my head. She rarely spoke much.

I got my wolf just before I turned 17, which was really unusual. Most people receive their wolf at 18, and some alphas as early as 14. But I'm not an Alpha, and I'll never be a Luna. Our original pack is dead and forgotten with my father's death. From the little I know, my mom fled with me because whoever killed him wanted to take both of us too. I never questioned why. Some packs are constantly at war over territory and power-I wouldn't want to live like that.

When I received Any Light and shifted for the first time, it was a full moon, and it happened in front of my mom. She told me I should never shift in front of anyone but her. She looked so scared. It was from her that I learned to hide my scent and always stay away from trouble.

My wolf is pure white, which is extremely rare. She told me I would be hunted if anyone found out. I haven't shifted since. Well, at least not that she knows.

The worry on my mom's face made me wonder if that was why my father had been killed.

My wolf never complained-she was usually silent, except for a few growls and sighs. Sometimes she used words, but not often.

I couldn't help but feel she was upset with me. Maybe because I'd fallen in love with someone without knowing if he was my destined mate or not.

POV of Lily Lansky (Lyla's Mother)

My daughter thinks I don't notice the change in her mood and body language every time Nick is mentioned. I thought she knew he would be coming home at the end of this summer, and maybe she does know, but she's trying to push it into some hidden corner of her mind.

But she seemed genuinely shocked when I said that Luna Raya and I were starting to plan his welcome home party.

Luna Raya and I have suspected for a while that they might be destined mates. They were always drawn to each other. Nick is older and always teased Lyla, but on countless occasions, he protected her. Every day, he would follow her into the woods and watch her from afar. She knew he was there and always cursed at him, but he never left. They were both sweet and irritated kids at the same time. They fought constantly, but always found a way to stay close. It was like being apart from each other was almost painful.

When Nick stopped talking to and looking for Lyla, she didn't tell me at first. But one day, when I came home early and heard her crying in her room, I knew something was wrong. She'd been acting depressed and quiet for weeks. She had always been quiet and shy, but this was different-she had never been like this with me.

I slowly opened her door without knocking. I didn't want her to send me away and act like she hadn't been crying.

She'd been crying almost every night for a week, and every time I asked, she ignored me as if it were nothing. I tried to respect that. I thought she would come to me when she was ready. But I was starting to wonder if that was ever going to happen.

I didn't force her to tell me. I just lay down next to her on her bed. She told me everything on her own. It was like she couldn't hold it in any longer.

She told me, "Nick hasn't looked for me in a whole month. He hasn't even texted or called. He's ignoring all my calls and messages."

My heart broke for her. My motherly instincts wanted to go hit him at first. But then the thought crossed my mind-maybe he had found his destined mate at Alpha school.

Maybe he loved her-it sure seemed that way to everyone-and maybe he just didn't want to break Lyla's heart. I had warned her that something like this could happen, or the opposite. She could find her destined mate and break Nick's heart.

She insisted she'd be fine, but I couldn't help worrying at the time, and I guess those instincts were right.

Lyla has a good group of friends. She spends most of her time with the gamma kids, Beck and Tyler Blackwood. I knew I didn't have to worry about them. They would always protect her, and she would need all the help and protection she could get when my secret was discovered. It's only a matter of time now that she's no longer a child, and soon she'll find her destiny with someone.

I noticed that Tyler had always been attracted to her too, but Lyla always kept him as a good friend. I really hope she doesn't get involved in something that ends with her heart broken again.

Tyler is a good man-more on the goofy side, more fun-loving.

I've protected her so much that I feel like she needs friends like Amber and Myles. Maybe more of Tyler than Beck. That girl is wild. One thing is for sure-Beck will always be the life of the party.

I pushed all those thoughts aside and watched her leave to get ready for school.

I hurried off to the packhouse.

When I went to say goodbye to Lyla, she was already gone.

I

POV of Lyla

I ran to my room, trying to catch the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. The pain of just mentioning his name triggered waves of memories I had been trying to push away.

Flashback

I ran through the field of flowers behind my house. The wind slowly blew my brown hair back. My purple sundress flowed around me as I started to spin in circles, falling onto the soft, tall grass. I loved doing that-feeling free and letting the wind hit my face like nothing else mattered.

I gently closed my eyes, breathing in the scents that surrounded me. Autumn was coming. The fear and sadness that scent brought were unbearable. I knew that with it, he would have to leave, and my heart just couldn't handle that right now.

The smell of vanilla and sandalwood hit my nose. I smelled him before I felt him lie down beside me.

I turned my body toward him, looking into the most beautiful emerald green eyes. There was so much love and adoration in his gaze. Just looking at him made me feel important-like I was something much more than an omega.

Nick took a strand of my hair that had fallen across my face and slowly tucked it behind my ear. His face so close to mine was pure torment. I loved the way he smelled and the feeling of his skin so close to mine. It was the best part of my day. He placed his hand behind my neck and pulled me toward him. I felt my skin tingle at his touch. He kissed me softly. As he pulled away, he looked deeply into my lavender eyes and smiled.

"Lyla, I love you so much. I promise these two years will pass so quickly that soon I'll be back in your arms, you'll see. Promise me you'll wait for me. I'm not sure if we're destined mates, but every bone in my body tells me we are. Just promise to wait for me."

"Nick, I love you too. I've loved you since I was six. From the moment I first saw you, I knew there would be something between us, even if it was just friendship. And of course, I'll wait for you. I'll always wait for you. But what if the pull to your mate is so strong that it's unbearable to stay away? What if I'm not your destined one? All of this haunts me in such a painful way."

"I would reject anyone who wasn't you, Lyla. I would be incapable of loving

End of flashback

I knew back then that the chances of an alpha mating with an omega were slim. But at that time, I believed everything he said-it was exactly what I wanted most. In that moment, I didn't want that feeling to end. I couldn't

I wiped away the tears that had started falling from my eyes and quickly got dressed in jeans, a pink shirt, and a p

I tied my long brown hair into a ponytail

I never wore much makeup. I didn't think it was necessary. I wasn't trying to imp

I grabbed my cardigan as I rushed out, realizing I'd be late if I didn't hurry.

Why he stopped calling after just two months away still haunts me. I still don't understand why he didn't answer my calls or texts without any explanation.

I felt like I didn't matter enough for him to give me at least that-a decent answer. But whatever the reason, I knew that when he came back, I would have to act like he hadn't hurt me.

I haven't dated anyone since, and honestly, I didn't want to. I kept the promise I made, even though we were a secret, even if he had found someone else. I kept my word, and I would always wait for him until he showed me he didn't want me anymore. Deep down, I knew he probably didn't keep his word, and that broke me a little more with every second of the day.

As soon as I walked into school, a very muscular arm was thrown over my shoulders.

I looked up into his deep brown eyes. His hair was cut in a very boyish style, styled as if he were going to be on the cover of a best-seller magazine.

"Hey, Tyler, has Beck's arrived yet?"

"No, you know my sister is never on time for anything."

Tyler was Nick's future gamma, and his sister was my best friend. We all grew up together since my mom was always with the Luna. I got to hang out with all the ranked members' kids, including the future beta, Landyn, and his sister Brooklyn.

Landyn and Nick were in the same grade, and the rest of us were two years behind them.

"Tyler, I heard Nick is coming back. Why didn't you tell me? You're going to be the future gamma pretty soon."

"Lyl, honestly, I didn't know how to tell you. I know what Nick did to you, I know he broke your heart, and I felt really bad having to say he'd be back soon. And when he stopped talking to you out of nowhere, I just didn't know what to say. I'm still confused about the whole thing. He always told us how much he loved you."

He took a deep breath.

"I thought maybe you already knew but just didn't want to talk about it. You know how quiet you can be.

"Tyler, you're one of my best friends, and if it was really love, he would've at least made an effort to tell me why he suddenly stopped talking to me. He didn't love me; I was a fool, deceived, and just a pastime for him all this time."

I stepped back, looking away. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Tyler and Becks were the only ones who knew the truth, the only ones who knew what Nick and I had.

As far as everyone else knew, we were still together-or at least they thought we were. I'm not really the type to keep up with rumors, and everyone talked about us, but we never made anything official. It was like just a good friendship. I avoid gossip, even if it's about me. Either way, I made him a promise. But deep down, we both knew that promise wasn't meant to be kept.

As far as everyone else knew, we were still together-or at least they thought we were. I'm not really the type to keep up with rumors. Everyone talked about us, but we never made anything official. It was like just a good friendship. I avoid gossip, even when it's about me. Either way, I made him a promise. But deep down, we both knew that promise wasn't meant to be kept.

As I looked up, I was shoved to the ground by Brooklynn and her followers. "Followers" was a better term. She seemed to change friends weekly, never able to keep the same ones.

I started picking up my things when another pair of hands helped me gather my books. I looked up and saw Tyler. I gave him a small smile; he was always like that-protective of me.

"Brooke, why do you always have to be so mean to Lily?" he asked.

"Ty, she needs to learn her place as the omega she is. When I become Luna, she'll serve me just like her mother serves Luna Raya. We all know Nick would never choose a little omega like her to be his Luna."

I could never fully understand the depth of anger and hurt I felt upon hearing her say that, and deep down, I really believed her words. Still, it was painful for me.