CHAPTER 4 Mate
~Evan~
I sigh as I sit on the side of the bed. I can't believe that my brother is getting married in a few hours. It isn't the fact that my younger brother's getting married before me, but more so that he isn't ready and the marriage is arranged. This isn't what people dream about when they think about the most important day of their lives.
My brother, Nathaniel, is younger than me and not meant to take over. He thought that made him without responsibility in this family, but he was wrong. He's set to marry out of the Stone family in the Riverfall Pack. My brother is not one for commitment, and I feel for the young girl who is meant to end up with him.
A soft knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts. "Come." The door opens, and my fiance stands in the doorway. Penelope Leary is the future Alpha of the Bloodwood Pack and my betrothed. I didn't choose her; my family did. It's supposed to boost pack relations, but there's a hidden agenda behind that.
Her pack is close to mine, and my father wants their land. Why else would a female future Alpha tie herself to a male future Alpha? They can't run both packs separately at the same time. The idea is that we join packs and packlands, with me taking over. Well, that's what my dad's plan is anyway. I'm not too keen on that, but I have to sacrifice for the family because that's what a good Alpha does. "I thought you'd be dressed already." I stand and stretch, shaking my head.
"No, I wasn't in a rush. Why aren't you ready yet?" I look at her standing in her blue silk nightgown. Her blonde hair is in a messy bun on the top of her head. Her skin is flawless, but she's a bit on the skinny side. Think runway model if you want a reference point. She's tall, about 5'9 to my 6'2. Her eyes are small and a light blue color. She's a beautiful woman, but she's not who I want by my side. She isn't my fated mate; I feel it in my bones. My wolf, Bruno, hates this setup, but what can I do?
When I didn't find my mate at 18, my parents were ready to marry me off. That was four years ago, and it was an endless parade of potential matches for me. When Penelope's father approached mine, the choice was made. Penelope doesn't want this either, but both of us are stuck. "I'm just trying to adjust, I guess. We need to make sure we handle things well today. We don't need anyone asking questions." I sigh and roll my eyes. It's no secret that this is an arranged marriage, so I'm not sure who we are supposed to be fooling.
Penelope doesn't particularly care for me, and I can't say that the feeling isn't mutual. There are things about her that I just can't wrap my head around, but I have no choice other than to carry through with this marriage. I guess, over time, we will learn to care for each other. That's what my parents say, anyway. Their marriage was also arranged, so I guess that's why they have no qualms about doing the same to their children. "Look, Penelope, everyone knows what this is. I'm not sure who the show would be for, but lets just get through today, okay?" I don't wait for an answer as I walk into the bathroom to shower for the day.
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I straighten my tie and smooth down the fabric of my tuxedo jacket. I let out a long sigh, just wanting today to be over with. 'Evan, where are you?'
'I'm finishing getting dressed, Mother.'
'Is Nathaniel with you?' Fuck! I should have known that Nathaniel's pending nuptials wouldn't make him toe the line.
'I'll take care of it.' I cut the mindlink and walk out of my room. I walk down the hall to Nathaniel's and open the door, not caring to knock. He's there, face down on his bed, snoring loudly. The strong scent of alcohol hits me as I walk closer to the bed. He must have been up much of the early morning doing whatever it is that he does when he drinks. I shake my head and stop at the side of his bed. I ready my hand and let it fly down, aggressively making contact with his behind.
"AH, FUCK!" Nathaniel rolls onto his back, his glassy eyes trying to focus on the area in front of him. His dress shirt is unbuttoned, and he has lipstick stains on his chest. Fuck!
"You couldn't hold out for one night? You're getting married in a few hours and it seems like people have been searching for you." He throws an arm over his eyes and exhales loudly.
"I don't give a shit about that. I don't even want to get married!" I push his legs over and sit on the edge of the bed. I let my elbows rest on my knees, allowing the moment to settle. I know what he means and how he feels, but this is where we are.
"I get it, I do. I don't want to marry Penelope; I want my fated mate. We don't have a choice in this. We both have obligations to this family and this pack. We just need to suck it up and do what's expected." The bed shakes under me as Nathaniel sits up.
"Obligations?! That's your life, not mine! I'm not even in line to take over anything. I just want to live my life and do what I want without being tied down!" He flops on the bed and puts an arm over his eyes again. I stand and straighten my clothes.
"Look. You made an agreement, a promise to mom and dad. Today is the day and you have to see it through. Get your ass in the shower and let's get this over with." I turn and stroll out of his room, ready to put this entire day behind me.
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I watch Nathaniel stroll down the aisle, greeting people as he makes his way to me. I'm his best man, not that it means much. Nathaniel stands next to me, facing the double doors. "I'm sorry for earlier. You're right, as always." I shake my head and place a hand on his shoulder.
"It's nothing. We are in a difficult situation, but we have to make the best of it." He nods. "So have you met her?" Nathaniel shakes his head.
"I have no clue who she is. I just know that she isn't the daughter I was going to marry at first. I think her name is Sophia or something." Hearing her name makes a shiver run through my spine. I have no idea what that's about, so I try to push it out of my mind.
-I'm anxious.-
-I am, too, Bruno. We just need to get through this ceremony.- Bruno shakes his head and retreats to the back of my mind. Nathaniel sighs and stands up straight.
"Let's do this." I nod, and we wait for the ceremony to take off.
It doesn't take long for the music to pick up in volume. The double door opens, and my breath leaves my body. Bruno is wreaking havoc in my mind, and it's getting hard for me to stay on my feet. I'd lost hope for this day, and I never thought it would happen like this. -MATE!-