Alder's POV

I am Alder Volcik, the Lycan King. I am 187 years old and have been king for more than 150 years. Lycans are known to be the strongest among species. We are created to protect the werewolves and to maintain balance among all kinds of supernatural species. We are immortal unless we have been beheaded and our hearts taken away at the same time. We heal faster than werewolves and way faster in speed, and a normal lycan can take down an Alpha.

Yes, we are powerful. That's why we try to be responsible and make sure that none of us over use our power to bully anyone of any kind of species. Once someone did that, he or she had to go on trial and the punishment was severe once he or she was proven guilty by the council.

As a royal, I have abilities that other lycans don't have and I have no intention of telling them that unless necessary. But I have used my ability many times in trying to find my mate.

I had been running the kingdom without my mate whom I had been waiting for ever since. But us lycans had a hard time finding our destined mates. None of the lycans I knew found theirs as soon as they turned 18, mostly they reached more than 300 years old before they could finally meet their soulmates. That's why many of us decide to get a chosen mate.

But I am not going to do that. I am willing to wait for mine even if it will take me a thousand years. I am not an angel, so yes, I have been with female lycans. Not for a relationship, but only for my release and they knew that. I was always clear that I was going to wait for my fated mate, so everything we did was pure s**. Being a Lycan myself, my urge for intimacy is way more intense than werewolves. But I tried to minimize that need as much as possible and I was careful not to make any of them pregnant. I will only have my heir with my mate and no one else.

"Alder," Lance my beta called me. I allow him to call me by name because he is my best friend and so is my third in command, Charles. We were in my office and he was talking about attending a luna ceremony in Raven Claw Pack in Canada. I didn't want to attend something like this because I am sure that everyone will be inviting me once they found out that I made time for the Raven Claw.

"What?" I asked lazily,

"You have to attend this because the Luna got her title by challenging the Alpha's fated mate." I looked at him. I can't believe that they were still doing something like that. I thought that kind of practice had been abolished many years ago. We can be destined for a weak mate, so strong werewolves or lycans can steal the mates of the weak ones, and the previous Lycan King who happens to be my father made a royal command about that. Challenges can only be made if the one to be challenged is found to be unworthy.

"Why did that happen?" I asked, now he got my attention and curiosity.

"The fated mate was known to be a sl*t and the challenger believed that she had no right to become Luna." he answered.

"So, the challenger is a virgin?" he looked at me and laughed along with Charles. "I mean if she is, then she has the right to challenge her. But if she's not, she is also not qualified to be Luna. The only difference is the number of wolves they had."

"We know that, but I think the Alpha himself didn't like his fated mate as well, that's why he let the challenge happen." Charles said,

"You know what was curious?" Lance asked with his serious face, "The fated mate is a gamma's daughter and yet she lost to an ordinary she-wolf." he added.

"Now, that sounds more interesting," I said, and the two of them nodded. Luna's ceremony will be held in two weeks' time, so I had to finish everything I needed to do to prevent my work from piling up once I returned. We will be leaving a week from now. I was planning to stay there for a week or so.

I decided to bring a few of my warriors along with my Beta, Lance. Charles didn't like going on such occasions, so I put him in charge while we were away. "I will be back as soon as I can, so make sure that everything is in order when that happen."

"Of course," Charles replied," and I know that he is going to do his job, but what worries me is that, I know how he is. Compared to Lance, Charles is the kind of Lycan who wanted to meet his mate but wanted to fu** every second as well. I don't know what he will do when his mate comes while he is with another female Lycan.

"Is everybody ready?" I asked Lance.

"Yes, his highness," he answered, which made me roll my eyes at him and they both laughed before we left my office. From the palace, we will go to the hangar where the palace's private plane is. From there, we will fly to Canada, which will take about 4 hours. There is a private hangar near the Hill Crest Pack that is owned by every pack in the region with financial aid from the palace of course. It was for travel convenience of all pack members, especially Alpha's, and then, from Hill Crest, we would drive to Raven Claw Pack.

Our convoy entered the pack's territory and I was impressed by how beautiful the pack was. I can tell that it was well maintained the moment we entered their border. The patrol guards on duty stopped us and after finding out who we are, they let us in. I don't mind being stopped at every border because I respect their security procedures and I have nothing against it. I will be less worried if I am sure that every pack is safe and well.

We ran on the concrete road with hedges on the sides and middle that separates the two-way lanes. The Raven Claw Pack is one of the wealthiest packs in the region and that is because of the former Alpha, John. I met him and he was very kind, as well as his luna. I was expecting an exemplary new Alpha in the person of their son, and now the current alpha.

But, because of the challenge incident, I don't think that I will be able to like the new one. Even Charles and Lance told me that they didn't like him. I mean, no mate would let their mates be challenged just like that, especially when you're an alpha. It only testified what Charles had thought, that the new alpha didn't like his mate at all.

Our SUV stopped in front of a huge pack house which I think was a 5-storey building. On the landing porch, standing, were the former alpha and luna along with the others whom I think the two in between them were the new ones. I looked into the new luna and I saw how she blushed. Did she think that I had my eyes on her just because I looked at her?

They knew who I was because I made sure to let them know. I excrete a huge amount of aura so they will all bare their necks at me, especially those two. I let Lance greet them because I didn't want to get myself entangled with the two new leaders because I saw how the bi*** new luna eye fu****g me.

"His highness," Former Alpha John greeted me, I gave him a nod and maintained my serious appearance. I want him to know that I didn't like what had happened to the pack. Annie, his Luna, was now beside him as she gave me a respectful smile, and took John's hand. I smiled at her in return because she never changed from being sweet to her mate. I admire women who know how to be loyal and submit to their mates.

"John, where are we going to settle during our stay?" I was supposed to ask the new alpha, but as I already said, I didn't like him a bit. John and Annie looked at their son before they gave me an answer.

"The villa is ready for you and your convoy. But we would like to invite you for a meal before we send you to the villa to rest. That is, if it's OK with you, his highness."

"You know that I would want to eat with you and your luna. You reminded me of my parents who were fated mates and had not been separated until their last breath."

"That is a pleasure, your highness. If that's the case, please follow us to the dining hall." he replied, and I looked at Lance and he looked at our warriors and told them to follow. The two new leaders were both speechless, they didn't even try to talk to me. Just what kind of leaders are they?

We entered the pack house and I was amazed at how the inside screams wealth. For a moment, I thought I was inside the mansion of a wealthy businessman. I prevented myself from giving them so many compliments about their wealth because I didn't want to offend John. I know how hard he worked, talking to people, especially humans to do business with him.

'His highness, look at the new alpha, I think he was pissed that you neglected him and his luna.' Lance told me through our link.

'I don't care,' I replied and I heard him chuckle, which I decided to ignore. We were all seated as the omegas were almost done filling the table with food.

"His highness," John said, so I looked at him, "This is my son, Vlad and the new Alpha of the Raven Claw Pack and his Luna Monique." he added. I looked at him and then at the two he was referring to.

"John, just so you know. I agree to be here because of the fact that comes into my knowledge that she is not the true Luna. I want to investigate the validity of the challenge to be fair with the fated mate." I told him and he had his and his luna's head down. I saw worry on Alpha and Luna's faces and I was now sure that something was going on.

"Now, I didn't want to ruin the feast that you prepared for us. I value the hardship of those who work in the kitchen and in the pack house, so everyone will be able to do their duties without worry." I said and paused, "Can we eat first and discuss my visit first thing in the morning?"

"Of course, his highness." Both John and Annie replied and we continued eating. I noticed Vlad and Monique looking at each other and I smirked as I realized that something had gone wrong.

The meal was good and we left the pack house full and Lance would be happy to stay in the pack house with the food alone. It would take 10 minutes to drive from the pack house to the villa, so I decided to go there by foot. It was also a means of exercise for me and I would be able to look around as well. We were accompanied by three warriors because I didn't want the new alpha to come with us and I didn't want to bother John and Annie because I had a feeling that they were the ones who made themselves busy for our visit.

"The villa is just there, his highness," One of the warriors said and I nodded, and at the same time as the wind blew, there was the most delicious smell that I have ever smelled in my whole life. Honey and Vanilla. It was so intoxicating and my Lycan was now very excited and was howling in my head. I looked around trying to find where the scent came from.

"His highness, is there something wrong?" Lance asked. He may have noticed my uneasiness.

"Did you smell that?" I asked and everyone looked at me, including the Raven Claw warriors.

"What smell? I don't smell anything special." Lance replied and my eyes roamed around.

"His highness, there was no unusual smell around here." the warrior who informed us about the villa being near said, "Though, I smell Clover." he added. I looked at him intently.

"The leaves?"I asked,

"No, Clover, our supposed to be Luna." he answered with his head down.

"You mean the defeated luna?" I asked just to make sure.

"Yes, his highness." I nodded my head in understanding.

"Let's go," I said and we continued walking. I didn't expect that I would be able to find her here. Of all places, why here?