II

                                    

                                          
Kaden Winters
                          
Lavender. That was the smell that filled my nose every day. I loved that smell and it worked better than any other therapy. I had never liked flowers or how they smelled but about five years ago, all I could smell was the sweet scent of lavender.
                          
For the first few months, all I could think about the intoxicating aroma. It filled my thoughts, my wants, my needs. I was everything and more.
                          
When we are pups, every wolf child is taught about mates. I was taught about how their life will complete yours, taught about how their love will fill you, taught about how perfect they are for you. I was taught that when I first met my mate, I would smell her. Her smell would be the most amazing I have ever smelt and it will set me in a daze. Then, once I find the source on that smell, I would meet her eyes and become paralyzed.
                          
To be honest, it sounded like a hallmark movie that my little sister would watch. I didn't believe in it for a long time, until I saw everyone around me find their mates.
                          
So, at first, I had thought that it was the smell of my mate. But after hours of following the sweet trail, I could not find her. I was disappointed, to say the least. I needed a mate. I needed someone to rule beside me and to calm my nerves. My wolf got weaker by the minute that our mate was not beside us or to calm us.
                          
If that wasn't enough incentive to find my mate, this was. My pack had a law that someone could not take their title if they had not found their mate. I suppose it was good because it stopped dictator type alphas from ruling, but it also stopped me from being coming alpha. And with my dad sick, I needed to find her soon.
                          
It would be hard to smell her through the lavender, I said to my wolf, chuckling. I expected a reply, but he grunted at me. He's been on edge lately without our mate and as we're nearing 25, he needs her.
                          
My dad was getting sicker by the day and it was hard for my mom to see. My mom never left his bedside and she never stopped praying to the Moon Goddess for his recovery. It was sad to see, really. My mom and dad were hard on me growing up, but it was still hard to see them so broken.
                          
Since the moment I was born, I was being trained to become an alpha. My pack, the Winters pack, was the strongest pack in America and everyone knew it. Because of that simple fact, a lot of packs considered us enemies and we were constantly targeted. This made my alpha training a considerable amount more difficult than other alpha's trainings.
                          
Anyway, back to the smell of lavender. It all started five years ago when I started college. As soon as I walking in the doorway I was stunned. The smell was so overwhelming. I remember being surprised that no one else had stopped in their tracks. My wolf howled for our mated and bounced around inside my mind. When we didn't find her, he didn't talk to me for a week. Now, when I go to the college, I smell the sweet scent and it calms my nerves. It's the only time my wolf doesn't feel restless.
                          
As I walked through the halls, I basked in the scent, my wolf finally content. I stopped when it got stronger and closed my eyes. I felt as if I was floating. That was until someone bumped into me, tainting the aroma with a smell of dryer sheets. Sighing, I moved along, disappointed.
                          
"Kaden!" My future beta, Shane Morgan, said as he bro hugged me. Shane had an obvious type of enthusiasm and joy to him. He always had a smile on his face and I was jealous of his ability to be happy.
                          
"Shane," I replied in the monotone that my parents required I used around the pack.
                          
"You won't believe it, bro," He said, smiling even wider. I gave him a questioning look and signaled for him to continue. "I found her." His eyes glistened with joy and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in my heart. I was happy for him, truly, but I was jealous of him as well.
                          
"Congrats," I told him. "Bring her by the alpha manor tonight?" I asked. He nodded in reply and went skipping back toward the direction he came from.
                          
Probably, back to his mate, my wolf, Gage, murmured in our head. He was hurt, and I couldn't blame him, I was hurt too.
                          
Son, my father's weak voice echoed in my head. Come, he said and cut off the link. I sighed while mind linking Shane to send me the notes from class today.
                          
When I walked into my dad's room, he was sitting on the edge of his bed. He looked up to me and his wrinkles were more visible than they were this morning. I sat beside my dad and looked into his eyes.
                          
"Son," He said, "It's you mother and I's anniversary and I need you to go buy her flowers." I smiled at him. I thought it was nice that even though he was in poor health, he was thinking about my mom.
                          
"Of course, dad, which kind?" I asked.
                          
"Anything white," he mumbled. After that, we said our goodbyes and I was on my way toward the flower store.
                          
As soon as I arrived, the overwhelming scent of lavender hit my nose. I took a deep breath in and basked in the heavenly wonder that it was. It took me a moment to come back to my senses because of how intoxicating it was. My wolf cooed in my head like a lovesick puppy.
                          
Once I came back to reality, I stepped inside the store, only to be hit harder by the smell. It was so overwhelming that I felt dizzy and began to see stars. My wolf howled and I took another deep breath. I would have stayed in that moment forever, smelling in the fragrance, but I was snapped out of it by an older woman saying my name.
                          
"Alpha Kaden?" She asked with a hint of curiosity.
                          
"Ma'am," I spoke in monotone, "I need flowers."
                          
The lady laughed and I almost face palmed myself. Of course, she knew I needed flowers. Why else would I be in here. I took a step forward and was almost stunned as the lavender aroma hit me again.
                          
"Some pretty white flower," I spoke, powering through the lavender.
                          
"Of course, Alpha," She smiled softly.
                          
"I need them sent to my mother, by five," I told her in a rush. I wanted to stay in the lavender forever, but it was dizzying and I needed to leave as soon as possible if I wanted to keep my sanity.
                          
"Of course, Alpha," She repeated. As I rushed out the door, I heard the lady yell, "Kenzie will you prepare a white bouquet."
                          
"Yes, ma'am," Said an angelic voice that stopped me in my tracks. I could feel a presence enter the room and my cells jumped and shivered. I rushed the rest of the way out of the door, and shifted in my wolf, desperately needing a run.
                          
My bones cracked as I shifted. The first few times I turned into my wolf, it hurt. Now, after years of doing it, it didn't pain me at all. In fact, it made me feel great. I ran towards the edge of the territory and ran along the edge.
                          
My wolf was large and pure black. I allowed him to take control, so our eyes were pitch black. I knew that we looked a little demonic like this with our black fur and black eyes, but I liked it. When we were in battle, it often terrified our opponents when they saw it.
                          
As I passed the border control, they would nod their heads in a form a respect. That was an ego boost. Since the day I was born, I had been respected, but the respect never ceased to stop making my ego grow.
                          
I was half way around the border when I heard a twig snap. Instantly, I stopped moving, and my head shot in the direction of the noise. There, like a deer caught in headlights, was a rogue.
                          
The rogue had matted red fur and brown eyes that were bloodshot. I truly felt sorry for him. He didn't look dangerous at all, but our territory was clearly marked and the punishment for trespassing was death. I bowed my head down, not from respect for the rogue but disappointment for him. He bowed his head back and his ears fell down, showing he was disappointed too.
                          
I didn't want to kill him, I really didn't, but if I didn't kill him, other, more dangerous rouges would see this as a sign of weakness. It would invite our enemies and horrible people to invade our lands, possibly costing many lives. As the next alpha, I could not risk this.
                          
The rogue knew his fate and I slowly pranced up to him. He stood still, not wanting to make this more difficult than it had to be. Once I arrived in front of him, he bowed his head in respect and then titled it to the side to show me his neck. I took it in my mouth and shut my jaw, killing him. Placing his body on the ground, I mumbled an apology to the Moon Goddess and continued my run around the border.