by Jenny Tia
His Forever Mate
Everglow Pack: Book 1
Liam Kingsley
Jenny Tia
Contents
1. Casius
2. Julian
3. Casius
4. Julian
5. Casius
6. Julian
7. Casius
8. Julian
9. Casius
10. Julian
11. Casius
12. Julian
13. Casius
14. Julian
15. Casius
16. Julian
17. Casius
18. Julian
19. Casius
20. Julian
21. Casius
22. Julian
23. Casius
Guarding His Mate
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His Forever Mate
1
Casius
The pine forests and bright sparkling waterfalls of Everglow had always been shifter territory, where thick paw pads bounded easily over broken branches and pine needles. The woods were a place where packs would escape civilized life for a moment and connect with their true nature, howl at the moon, and perform ancient rituals, before returning back to the city to live in harmony with humans.
I’d been taught that my kind had shared this planet with humans for millennia. We’d shared space, resources, art, culture, and eventually, we’d also shared love. And then, we didn’t share anything at all. Suddenly, it was just us. Nearly a hundred years ago, an airborne pathogen selectively infected humans. And within a year or two, they were all gone.
Thirty-four years ago, I was born into a world without humans. All I knew of them was via stories from my elders who had lived through those times, and the history books I had to read as part of my training as a protector in the Inner Guard.
I didn’t know much about them, but I knew we carried on some of the traditions we’d developed with them. Like drinking buckets of coffee to steel our nerves on the way to a very important meeting…
I tapped my thumb on the steering wheel as I sat in traffic, and placed my other hand on my knee, trying to stop my leg from restlessly bouncing. Everglow was a small city, but somehow the northbound traffic on Main Street never failed to back up every morning—or at least on the mornings when I was running late.
The coffee shop was no better. The line ran out the door, and I considered skipping my morning coffee and heading straight to the meeting, until I thought about showing up to the Supreme Alpha Mansion on too-little sleep and no caffeine in my system. Hard pass, thanks.
I stayed strong and patiently moved my way up the line, my face set to a well-trained neutral expression. I needed to keep appearances up—the locals knew I was next to become the Supreme Alpha of Colorado, an honor usually bestowed on the first-born alpha in the family line. But Supreme Alpha Hughes had only two children; Sloan, an omega, and Felicity, a beta. Both unable to lead the pack. So at age fourteen, during my first shift when I presented as an alpha, I was chosen to join the Inner Guard that worked directly for the Supreme Alpha—and shortly after that, Alpha Hughes selected me as his Supreme Alpha Select, to train up to be his future successor. No pressure…
So visibly jonesing for a coffee fix, pushing my way through the line or huffing with impatience wasn’t an option. I stood at six foot four and was dressed in my bright silver protector uniform, so there was no way to blend in. I gritted my teeth, clasped my hands behind my back, and zoned out as I took one step at a time toward the counter.
By the time I made it to the front of the line, I was so disassociated that I barely recognized my friend, Josie, behind the counter.
“Oh, hey, handsome! You’re early. I don’t have your order ready yet.” She grimaced in apology. She’d been managing the Falls Café for years, and I’d been getting the same Americano at the same time every day ever since she took the job. Except for today. I did a double-take, cleared my head and smiled.
“Early for work maybe, but I’m late for a meeting with Alpha Hughes.”
Josie hummed and looked me over. “Double shot then?”
I groaned and ran a hand over my face. “It’s that obvious? Do I look like I need two shots of espresso?”
“You look like you need another eight hours of sleep so, yeah, I’d say you need a double.”
“Thanks, Josie. Lifesaver, as always.” I leaned over the counter and kissed her cheek while she wrote up my order on my tab.
“Hear that, Freddie? Double shot. Move his order to the top of the list,” she said to her barista as she stepped out from behind the counter and took me by the arm. I couldn’t help but notice glares from the early rush customers who were waiting for their orders, but what could I say? “Alpha Select privileges”? More like friends-with-the-manager privileges.
“So listen, I have some great gossip for you,” Josie whispered, pulling me over to a quiet part of the store.
“Double shot Americano!” Freddie called, and I hurried back to the counter to pick up my order. I gave Freddie a smile of gratitude, but she was too focused on drilling out fifteen other orders at lightning speed to notice. I grabbed the cup and Josie grabbed me, pulling me back to her private corner of the shop.
“Listen, I have to tell you about—”
“I’m sorry, Josie. I’m so late. I have to go. Call me?”
“No way, you never answer. What does Alpha Hughes need you for so early anyway?” She frowned and put her hands on her hips.
I lowered my voice to a near-whisper. “He said it concerned the requirements to becoming the Supreme Alpha, so, you know, I’m pretty fucking keen to get there and find out what’s going on.”
Josie grimaced on my behalf. “Okay, I’ll be quick, I just have to tell you about Sloan!”
I wrinkled up my nose. “Do you, though?”
She let out a barking laugh. “It’s juicy. You’ll love it.”
I glanced at the clock above the counter and shook my head. “I can’t keep Alpha Hughes waiting, Josie. Even if it means missing out on gossip about his son.”
“Well, here’s the headline: Sloan Hughes is still a sleazebag.”
I laughed and gave her a quick hug before I dashed out the door.
“Go get ’em, Alpha!” she said behind me.
I guzzled down the last of my coffee as I sprinted up the steps of the Supreme Mansion, nodded to the protectors who were guarding the doors, and then pushed my way into the foyer. Normally, I wasn’t so riled up about being at the Mansion—I’d spent countless hours in the place, learning from Alpha Hughes and giving my opinion on trade deals, community events, and city developments. I observed his way of hosting and negotiating with Alphas from the other Colorado packs, and even the Supreme Alphas of other states. I even offered some of my expertise as an architect—not that I’d had a lot of time to develop my skills in that area since my Alpha Supreme training had ramped up in recent times. As part of my duties, I ran the Inner Guard of protectors and was responsible for their recruitment and training. I’d spent so much time at the Mansion that the wooden doors and walls were practically soaked in my scent.
But today was different. Today was about my future. I hadn’t been sleeping well since Alpha Hughes had told me he intended to step down from power after his one-hundred and fiftieth birthday—a mere six years away, and I felt so far from ready to become Supreme Alpha it was laughable. So when he called me early that morning, asking me to come in for a meeting… I was anxious to find out why.
I knocked on the hardwood door of Alpha Hughes’s office, but my nervous system was so wired from the caffeine, the gentle rapping came out as heavy thumping. It was so loud I scared myself, and I almost jumped when I heard Alph
a Hughes laughing from inside the room.
“Come in, Casius.”
I closed my eyes, took a calming breath, and pushed into the room.
“Supreme Alpha Hughes.” I lowered my head and bowed.
“Alpha Select Burrows. Thanks for dropping by.” He sounded so casual, like it didn’t matter to him if I came to see him or not. “I have something…difficult to discuss with you.”
My stomach churned and my mind whirled. He was repealing his decision to have me as his successor. I hadn’t made the cut. I knew it!
“Cas?”
I looked up and Alpha Hughes caught my gaze from his position behind his desk. His eyes were a sharp blue, like the waterfalls and crystal clear lakes of our area that froze over in the winter, and were just now starting to flow again under the April sun. Likewise, Alpha Hughes’s gaze took on a warmth as he grinned at me.
“I’m feeling my age, Burrows. Almost one-hundred and fifty, now. I told you I’d be stepping down then, did I not?”
“Yes, sir.” My eyes flicked up nervously and landed on a gloomy portrait high on the wall to the left of Alpha Hughes’s desk. It was a painting of his father, Supreme Alpha Jebediah Hughes, and the look on his face had always given me the creeps. It felt strange to follow in the lineage of a family I wasn’t really connected to.
Hughes cleared his throat and stood, walking around his desk as he spoke. “That’s six years from now. But time flies once you’re in your triple digits, Burrows. Just a few more rotations around the sun, and it’ll be time to let this old dog rest, don’t you think?”
Hughes chuckled and leaned against his desk, reaching for a pen. Wolf shifters had a naturally long life span, but Alpha Hughes looked particularly good for being over a century old. Much better than his dad had, if that portrait was anything to go by.
“Are you questioning your decision, sir?” The words tumbled out of my mouth faster than I knew I was speaking them.
Alpha Hughes looked shocked and let out a short barking laugh. “My decision to select you as my successor? Casius, you’ve proven yourself time and time again. You have incredible agility and strength. Most of all, you’re smart. Dedicated. Loyal beyond reason. You were the first of your peers that I selected for my Inner Guard, weren’t you?”
I nodded and bit my tongue. It better not start blathering again.
“There’s just one small…problem.” Alpha Hughes looked at me with an expression of deep compassion that bordered on pity. My guts clenched, and I held my breath, waiting for the blow.
“As you well know, the Supreme Alpha must have a mate.”
Oof. There it was. The hard truth I’d been steeling myself against. His words didn’t bring me to my knees, but I let out a heavy sigh and closed my eyes. It wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation. If things kept going as they were, it wouldn’t be the last time either.
I nodded. “I know. I know.”
“You can’t expect the packs of Colorado to respect you as an unmated bachelor, can you?”
“No, sir.”
“Listen, Cas. There are plenty of omegas who are interested in you. Surely you can have your pick, a strong alpha like you who is slated as the next Supreme Alpha?”
I grimaced as I thought about one particular power-hungry omega who had been sniffing around me since I’d been nominated at the Alpha Select… None other than Sloan Hughes.
“Not exactly the kind of romance I’m hoping for.” I cleared my throat.
Hughes scoffed. “Listen, Casius. There’s no time for daydreaming about finding a fated mate. Just choose someone who is strong and devoted, someone who will see you through the toughest of times and will raise a family with you. You’re already thirty-four, and I don’t have many days left in command. I need you ready to take command as soon as I step down.”
“Yes, sir…” A deep frown burrowed my forehead.
“Ah, look. That isn’t news to you, is it? I’m sure it’s been on your mind as much as mine. Here, take a seat.” He gestured to a leather chair in front of his desk. I took a seat and he sat back in his large chair with a heavy sigh.
“Listen, Cas. In my time I’ve seen more than you can imagine,” he said, his gaze lowering to the pen in his hands. “You—and your generation—have only known a world of shifters, a world of relative peace. There have been some pack squabbles in your time. A few forays with the snake shifters and the wild cats. But the world… Well, it can get much more serious than that. The moon has phases, and so do our fates. We’ve been in a harvest for a long time, with the moon goddess’s grace. But like her, our fortunes will wane. If things get bad, and one day they will, it will be up to you to keep the peace. Everyone will look to you as Supreme Alpha for guidance, counsel, and for power. And then you’ll understand the importance of having a mate by your side.”
I took a deep breath and struggled to keep my face neutral as I held my Alpha’s gaze. He was right, and I knew it. As an alpha—and especially as an inside member of the Alpha Supreme’s security team—I wasn’t exactly proud about how much of a romantic I was at heart. My parents were fated mates, and while I’d had more than my fair share of relationships, none of them came close to the ideal version of love they’d demonstrated to me.
Alpha Hughes shrugged. “I can’t force your hand. Accepting the position of Supreme Alpha is completely voluntary, of course. But if you do want to take the seat of power… Then you have to find a mate. Soon. I mean—very soon. Before we proceed any further with your training. And that’s a command.”
He pointed to me with his pen and I raised my eyebrows.
“A command? You can’t be serious.”
“I’m afraid so, Burrows. I need to start moving out of this chair of power. In fact, I’m so serious about finding you a mate I’ve spoken to Alpha Truitt of the Goldleaf pack. We’re setting up a social event for Everglow and Goldleaf singles to, uh—what did he say? Mingle.”
I balked. “Goldleaf? That’s in the middle of nowhere—”
“Alpha Truitt has been very generous in offering to host the event. And as you know, Goldleaf is an important trade partner for Everglow.” His voice took on an edge of warning.
“Did you arrange this for me? Have you commanded any other Everglow shifters to find a mate at this event?” I asked, a little too bravely.
“Well, I haven’t asked any other alphas to be the next Supreme Alpha of Colorado, have I?”
I grumbled and slumped back in my chair.
“The singles event will—we pray—create many new shifter unions between our city and Goldleaf, but yes, the focus is to give you a leg up on finding a mate. No one there will know, don’t worry, that’s between you, Alpha Truitt and me. Have you ever been to the area?”
“No, sir,” I answered quietly, struggling to hide my embarrassment that I was being singled out for being single, and feeling the pressure of it practically crushing my spirit.
“Beautiful woods. Beautiful people. Great food. You’ll love it… And that’s a command.”
2
Julian
Trees and bushes became a blur of dark green and brown as my paws drummed on the dirt. I wasn’t following a trail that night, just making my own way, weaving between the trunks and branches by sight and scent. I’d lived in Goldleaf my whole life, and the woods were where I found my peace, where I felt more connected with all of nature’s seasons. It was now April, and though I could still see the faint radiance of a few leaves still shining with their quintessential golden brilliance, for the most part, the dead leaves of winter were giving off the damp smell of rot as they mulched the undergrowth, but in the air, I could smell the first stirrings of spring.
I burst through the brush and into a clearing where the damp ground was spotted with wild fungi. Bright red amanita toadstools practically glowed in the moonlight, and I felt my mouth fill with saliva just from looking at them—but I stayed clear and sniffed at a black morel mushroom instead. I’d learned about the dangers
of the amanita the hard way in my early studies of the forest’s medicine, and I’d developed a suitable level of respect for it after a particularly nasty near-death experience. Black morel, on the other hand, was a delicious, safe, and completely non-hallucinogenic treat. I chomped one between my jaws and savored the woody, umami flavor as I gazed up at the sky. The moon was full, and higher overhead than it should have been… I tilted my head to the side and lifted my ears, searching for any signs of what the time might really be. How long had I been out running? I only meant to sprint for a brief period to shake off my nerves before I headed to my brother’s Mating Ceremony.
I heard the unmistakable whoops and howls of other omegas going into heat. Not that I knew what that felt like… But I sure knew what it sounded like, and I knew what it meant. The celebrations were already underway.
Shit. I was late.
Really late.
I kicked up my heels and blasted through the woods, heading straight for the Golden Dome, a venue that backed into the forest right on the edge of town. In the fall, the building and courtyard were covered in a natural arbor of bright, golden leaves that made the entire place feel like something out of a storybook—but my younger brother, Ragan, and his mate, Matthew, were too impatient to wait that long for their Mating Ceremony. Seemed they were also too impatient to wait for me. As I ran closer, I could smell that the pack’s hormones were running high—the ceremony must have been over, and the party was gearing up.
It was no skin off my snout. As far as I was concerned, Ragan was a downright twat, and Matthew could do better.
