ORTEGA: THE ALPHA’S HUMAN MATE

“Surprise.” Merrick whispered to Alpha Derrick in a mocking tone, and Derrick glared at him before returning his gaze back to his father, Lord Frederick.

“Dad, is this some sort of joke or what?” He asked.

“No son, it’s not a joke.” Lord Fredrick shook his head. “Felicia will be your wife and the marriage has already been discussed with Alpha Brian and his wife. They are in full support of your marriage, and we’ve already picked a date for your wedding.” He added, and Derrick scoffed in disbelief.

“You did all these without bothering to inform me first?” Derrick asked, furrowing his brows at his father.

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to surprise you, and it seems like you’re surprised.” Lord Fredrick replied, stroking his grey beards with a grin plastered on his face.

Lady Aurora, Merrick and Annie laughed at Lord Frederick’s statement.

“I don’t think he’s surprised. He’s shocked.” Lady Aurora said, and they all laughed except Derrick.

“Let’s go in.” Lord Fredrick said, and they all walked inside the palace except Derrick who remained on his spot with an angry expression written all over his face.

He couldn’t believe that his father arranged a wedding for him without asking for his consent.

He folded his hands into a tight fist while clenching his jaw to suppress the fire in his heart. His blood was boiling in anger and he felt like shedding blood everywhere.

“Aren’t you coming in, Alpha Derrick?” A feminine voice asked behind Derrick, and he turned to see Felicia.

His anger doubled when he saw her face and he felt like ripping her apart, but he had to control his anger because her father was an alpha king and killing her would stir up a great war between the two kingdoms.

He glared angrily at her and he walked past her without giving her a response.

If he had stayed a minute longer with her, he’d have done something outrageous to her.

He walked into the palace and went straight to his chamber.

“Why the fuck would he arrange a marriage for me without discussing it with me or asking for my consent?!” He grumbled angrily as he moved to his table to pick up a pack of cigarette.

He took out a stick of cigar from the pack and clamped it with his lips before lighting it with a lighter.

“He’s your father and he knows what’s best for you.” Rufus, Derrick’s wolf said in his head.

“Just because he’s my father doesn’t give him the goddamn right to choose my wife for me or plan a wedding without telling me about it first.” Derrick replied, taking a long drag from his cigar.

“All these won’t be happening if we had found our mate.” Rufus said, and Derrick scoffed.

“Mate or no mate, I’m not marrying that….”

A knock on the door stopped Derrick from completing his statement.

“Who’s there?” He asked angrily.

“Your father.” A masculine voice replied from outside.

Derrick scoffed loudly before saying,

“The door is open.”

The door opened and Lord Fredrick stepped in, shutting the door quietly.

Lord Fredrick frowned when he saw Derrick smoking. Derrick noticed the frown on his father’s face, and he smirked.

“Are you here to stop me from smoking just like you chose a wife for me without telling me first?” He asked sarcastically.

Lord Fredrick said nothing in response, instead he walked to on of the couches in the chamber and sat on it.

“Have a seat, son.” He gestured at the empty couch opposite him.

Derrick hesitated for a while before sitting on the couch opposite Lord Frederick.

“Son,” lord Fredrick started, “you know the tradition of this kingdom. When an Alpha king clocks five hundred years of age, the alpha king will hand over the crown and title to his son.”

“So how is that related to the lady you brought home to be my wife?” Derrick asked angrily.

“Like I said earlier, Derrick. The reason why I brought Felicia home is for the both of you to get married.” Lord Fredrick paused for a while, then continued. “I want you to give birth to your own son before you clock five hundred years so that your son will be the next alpha king of Whitestone Kingdom.”

“I’m just ninety years old, and I’ll still remain the alpha king until I clock five hundred years old.” Derrick said. “I have more than three hundred years before I hand over the crown and title to the son I’ll give birth to, so there’s no need to rush things.” He added.

“We aren’t rushing things, Derrick.” Lord Fredrick countered. “Whitestone needs a Luna queen and you need a wife. Felicia is the right person to fill those positions.” He added, and Derrick scoffed.

“Felicia isn’t my mate. We are not paired by the moon goddess or whatever you call her. So this marriage can’t work.” He said hotly, and took a long puff from his cigarette.

“Look who’s talking about mates and the moon goddess.” Lord Fredrick scoffed. “Derrick, you and I both know that you don’t believe in mates nor the moon goddess, so the why hell should you be worried about that.”

“I’m worried about it because it’s a sin to get married to someone who isn’t your mate.” Derrick replied. ”

“I know you’re just saying all these to avoid marrying Felicia, but trust me Derrick, you won’t regret marrying her.” Lord Fredrick said, trying to persuade Derrick.

“And what gives you the assurance that I won’t regret marrying her?” Derrick asked, blowing out a huge amount of smoke from his mouth.

“I, your mum and your younger sister, we spent more than three months in Alpha Brian’s palace, enjoying the great company of Alpha Brian and his family. Felicia is their first daughter and throughout our stay at their palace, we saw how hardworking and smart Alpha Felicia is. Felicia is really smart, jovial and lovely, and both your mother and your sister can testify to it. Trust me son, she’s the perfect candidate to be the Luna queen of this kingdom and your wife.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“But dad, I’m not ready to have a wife and I’m also not ready to have kids.” Derrick said, rising to his feet and he walked over to the inbuilt bar to make himself a drink. “Dad, all I just want is to lead this kingdom as the Alpha king.” He added.

“You seem to be forgetting something, Derrick.” Lord Fredrick said, and Derrick raised a questioning brow at him.

“And what’s that, father?” Derrick asked.

“You’re not just an ordinary Alpha, you’re an Alpha king meaning that you’re ruling a whole kingdom and not a pack so you need a queen in order to rule this kingdom.” Lord Fredrick said.

Derrick scoffed and gulped down the whole content in his glass before saying,

“Not every Alpha king needs a Luna queen in order to rule a kingdom, dad. I’ve been ruling this kingdom for almost seventy years, and you can’t deny the fact that this kingdom has grown stronger.”

“That’s true, son.” Lord Frederick nodded. “You’re ruling this far better than I did, but you still need a wife and Whitestone needs a queen.”

“Whitestone needs a queen but I don’t need a wife. ” Derrick replied, and lord Fredrick folded his hands into a tight fist.

“Enough Derrick!!!” Lord Fredrick angrily slammed his fists on the table in front of him, making Derrick keep quiet. “Everything I’m doing is for you own benefit, Derrick, and for the benefit of this kingdom. But you don’t seem to care about that. You’re selfish, Derrick, and all you care about is yourself.”

“You’re wrong, dad.” Derrick countered. “I care about the Kingdom more than I care about myself and you also know that.”

“If you truly care about this kingdom, then make Felicia your wife.” Lord Fredrick retorted. “Marry Felicia and make her the Luna queen of Whitestone kingdom.”

“I told you already, dad. I’m not ready for marriage..”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Derrick.” Lord Fredrick cut him off and rose to his feet. “You’re selfish and all you care about is yourself. The kingdom needs a queen but you don’t want that to happen just because you think you’re not ready for marriage.”

“But even if I’m ready for marriage, Felicia is not my mate.” Derrick said “You think I’m selfish, but you’re ignoring the fact that she isn’t my mate and we are not meant to be.”

“Forget about the mate shit and face reality, Derrick!!” Lord Fredrick barked at him. “You’ve been searching for a mate for more than seventy years, but you haven’t found one. Maybe you don’t even have a mate.” He added, and Derrick shook his head in disagreement.

“I haven’t found my mate doesn’t mean I don’t have one. I know I have a mate and only her will be the Luna queen of this kingdom throughout my regime as the Alpha king.”

“Stop this bullshit you’re saying, Derrick!!” Lord Derrick said through gritted teeth. “I know you don’t give a fuck about your mate. You don’t care if you have a mate or not. You’re just bringing this mate stuff up because you don’t wanna marry Felicia.”

“Yeah, I don’t wanna marry her…”

“But You don’t have a choice, Derrick.” Lord Fredrick cut in. “Whether you like it or not, you’ll marry Felicia and she’ll be the Luna queen of Whitestone kingdom.”