Page 5 of Fat Forced Mate

Instead, I just nod. James leaves, and at my back, Thomas clears his throat.

"Before I go… there’s something else." He hesitates, which immediately sets me on edge. He never hesitates. "The border patrol found fresh tracks this morning. Not just passing through this time, but… setting up a vantage point, over the north ridge. They've been watching us."

I force my attention away from Luna, though my wolf fights me. "The Cheslem Pack?"

"The scent markers match previous incursions. They're getting bolder." Thomas spreads out a map on my desk, pointing to marked locations. "Here, here, and here. They're testing our defenses, looking for weaknesses."

A growl builds in my chest. The Cheslem Pack has been a shadow on our borders for months now, testing our defenses, picking off lone wolves from smaller packs. No one knows what they want, but their presence feels connected to the growing unease that prompted the Council to invoke the lottery.

"Double the patrols," I order. "I want every inch of our territory checked hourly. And Thomas?" I catch his arm as he turns to leave. "Don't mention this to anyone yet. Especially not to the lottery candidates. We don’t want to spread needless panic at a moment like this.”

Especially not to Luna,goes unspoken. She has enough reasons to hate being back without adding the threat of rogue wolves to her worries.

Thomas nods and slips out, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my wolf's increasing agitation. Below, Luna has disappeared into the guest house, but her scent lingers. It takes every ounce of control not to follow it, to not bound down the stairs and beg her forgiveness for choices made by a younger, stupider version of myself.

Instead, I force myself to sit back at my desk, picking up another report. The Alpha ring catches the light, reminding me of my duties. I have a pack to protect, threats to handle, a lottery to oversee. I can't afford to be distracted by copper hair and curves and the memory of how perfectly Luna fit against me that last night, when I still thought I could have both her and my birthright.

My wolf disagrees. He's never accepted my decision to let her go, never stopped seeing her as ours. Having her back in our territory, even temporarily, is making him impossible to control. Every instinct screams to go to her, to make things right.

But the hindbrain always submits to the human mind eventually, when you have responsibilities as tremendous as mine. And I’ve always known the weight of it—of the destiny I didn’t have a choice in. I knew it then, and I know it now. And nothing quite went to plan, especially when the Elders proposed this lottery, but I’d do anything to protect this pack’s stability. Anything at all.

Another knock interrupts my spiral. Sarah, one of our youngest enforcers, enters with a tablet in hand. "Alpha, the Council is requesting an update on the lottery securityarrangements. And the caterers need approval for the ceremonial feast menu."

I resist the urge to groan. Even our most sacred traditions now come with paperwork. "Walk me through it."

For the next hour, I lose myself in details—guest lists, security rotations, dietary restrictions. Sarah is efficient and thorough, which reminds me why I promoted her despite some grumbling about her age. She doesn't mention Luna's name when we discuss the candidate accommodations, but I notice her careful avoidance.

"Is that everything?" I ask when we finally finish.

Sarah hesitates. "Almost. There's been some... talk. About the lottery candidates. Some of the older families are concerned about... certain participants."

My wolf bristles at the implied criticism. "The lottery choices are sacred. The Council's decision is final. It’s an enshrined tradition—all eligible must participate.”

"Of course, Alpha." She makes a note, then adds carefully, "It's just... when people leave, well... Some pack members worry about the implications."

"They can take their implications to the Council." My tone makes her flinch slightly. "Is that all?"

"Yes, Alpha. Thank you." She hurries out, leaving me with a fresh surge of irritation. Not at her—she's just the messenger—but at the endless politics, the whispers, the way some things never change despite my best efforts to modernize the pack.

A howl echoes from the forest, pulling me from my thoughts. Not an alarm, but a warning. Something's moving in our territory that shouldn't be. I rise, shrugging off my suitjacket and loosening my tie. Finally, something I know how to handle.

"Alpha?" One of our younger enforcers, appears in my doorway, breathing hard. "We found something at the north border. You need to see this."

I grab my jacket, already feeling my wolf rise closer to the surface. "Show me."

It never ends. My work is never over, I despair to myself. This life has a hold on me that it won’t release. I’ll be working until the day I die.

As I follow him out, I can't help but glance at the guest house one more time. Luna's scent still hangs in the air, mixing with the crisp autumn breeze. Is she alone in there? Cornered by closed-minded pack members, old enemies, bullies from our schoolyard days? My wolf whines at the thought of her having to protect herself against the very cruelty that made her leave.

Later,I promise him, knowing it's probably a lie. Some mistakes can't be fixed, no matter how much we wish they could.

The forest calls, offering the simple clarity of action over the complexity of emotions. I answer gladly, leaving behind the office and, the paperwork, and the endless weight of responsibility. Leaving behind copper hair and lavender scent and all the words I never said.

I have a pack to protect. Everything else has to wait.

But as I stride through the pack house, I catch fragments of conversation, all centered around one topic:

"Did you see who's back?"

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