The Lycan King’s Female Alpha Mate

King Arlo Caddel

 "Arlo, you aren't ready yet?" My eyes traveled over to the door and saw Ivan, my best friend and Beta standing there with a frown on his face.

 "I already am..." I said looking at the golden rimmed full body mirror to see what was out of place and then my Beta's sigh coming all the way from the door.

"Why can't you ever let the royal designer do her job? no offense, your highness... but this attire is far too simple.. they might even confuse you for a mere Alpha wolf,"

I laughed off his worries placing a curled arm on his shoulder. "Oh, it's not that bad.. is it?"

"It is," Ivan said firmly.

I walked over to my king sized bed, sinking on it with a sigh, I wasn't even in any mood of attending the ceremony at all. As a matter of fact, left for me, I would move my throne over to my bedroom, but I was a King and there were certain duties I couldn't neglect even if I wanted to.

This ceremony was one, I had been specially invited so I had to show the courtesy of gracing the occasion. I didn't want to be there, the goddess knew that for a fact. All I wanted was to lay on my bed and soak up memories of.. her. 

"Are you still thinking about her?"

A crooked smile covered my face as I got up. By "her" he meant Brandy, my chosen mate.  I had never gotten the opportunity to meet my mate before, so my parents and elders of my pack thought it best that they found someone worthy of standing by my side as my luna. 

My relationship with Brandy was not that of love at first, but I believed we could make good partners. Brandy was beautiful, intriguing and very intelligent. She walked and talked like a true queen, and I trusted her.  Soon, that trust grew to love. And when she informed me of her pregnancy, I was overjoyed. To me, Brandy was more important than any mate the goddess could have ever given me.

We were smitten by each other, and we fell in love.  Or so I thought... Until she gave birth to a boy that wasn't mine. Hell! The child wasn't even a wolf. He was a bloody hybrid, a vampire's son.  I did not know which hurt more; her betrayal, or the fact that I was cheated on with a being as cunning as the vampires, when all I had ever done was love and adore her.

When I failed to speak, Ivan looked at me and sighed.  "Your highness, I know that you are not a piece of stone, what happened to you would have broken anyone... but you are still a King... A Lycan king at that."

"And I have duties... and I'm doing my best not to break down while I'm at it, because everyone has expectations of me and I need to live up to them... I know..."

It was not easy being a king, especially when you had to tuck your personal feelings to bed and do only what was expected of you. I placed my palm on my face.  

"Arlo, I'm sorry... I..."

"Don't worry, let's just get going." I didn't want to be so cold to my second in command, but it made my blood boil. Just hearing about that woman was enough to make me like this.

I had waited my entire life to meet my mate, but the moon goddess had not blessed me with that. It was an experience I doubted I would ever forget. It hurt me, it tore me open.

She wasn't even my mate, but she had succeeded in.. in.. breaking my heart.