C9 Hope.

Xavier’s POV

Looking out the window of the moving car at the fleeting scenery passing by us, I cannot help but compare it to the past year. I look to Chris and stop the bitter feeling in my heart as I set my gaze to the fresh mark on his neck. It's high time I dismissed him.

My last companion has also found his mate at last and I know the right thing should be me feeling happy for him but I can’t bring myself to be happy for him completely, instead I feel a very strong sense of envy overwhelm my senses every time I look at his mark or watch everyone else in the pack with their mates.

My beta is already a father of two adorable twin pups; my gamma is expecting his first pup any moment. Basically everyone is finding their mates and making pups while I still remain unmated. I know she’s out there because I already feel her close but I can’t pinpoint the location. My mate just loves the game of cat and mouse.

Hades and I got reassured she was out there and alive after we visited my maternal grandparents at their pack, the New crescent moons pack. It’s one of the packs I’m supposed to supervise but I absolutely despise the ranked wolves in that pack. They act like that because my mom was from there and my grandparents still live with them.

Not to forget the academy my Dad had built and named it after their pack as a memorial after my mom died. Almost all members of that pack act like peacocks, too stupid and don’t get me started on the Alpha and his little excuse of a future Alpha son while the Luna may be a little bit more tolerable. The only decent wolves in that pack were probably only their staff.

Flashback (one year ago)

I arrived at the New Crescent Moon pack just a few minutes to dinnertime and saw the whole pack in a frenzy. Without even bothering with formalities I just checked in with my Grandparents and after confirming they were alright, I had dinner with them and took a stroll into the woods. That’s when I smelt it.

That delicious scent awakened all my instincts while Hades started pacing restlessly, he was sure the scent belonged to our mate. It was very faint like she hadn’t been here in hours and if not for my stronger senses I would’ve also missed it. I followed the scent which led me to the pack orphanage.

I walked in ignoring the Alpha who kept telling me it was dangerous because a fire had started at the orphanage that morning and the building was under evacuation or something and continued following the scent that led me to the matron’s office.

The scent was mixed with a strong smell of smoke and I honestly don’t know how I managed to differentiate the scent and followed the it which led me upstairs to a small room that was filled with smoke and that's where I lost the scent.

I was getting frustrated when a wind blew from the small window and I caught a whiff of that intoxicating scent which led me to the woods and I stumbled upon a clearing that was obviously a makeshift gym/training grounds for my mate. Her scent was very strong and it felt familiar.

Now certain that this scent belonged to my mate I headed back and ordered the Alpha to gather all unmated she wolves and he did it instantly but she wasn’t among them. The Alpha later told me during the fire one of the unmated orphans at the orphanage had disappeared and I knew instantly that she was my mate and it broke my heart to know I was so close to finding her but still failed.

End of flashback (Present)

Hades still blames me for not meeting his mate that day because apparently if I had left instead of indulging in my desires with Briana then we would’ve probably met her there or on the way there. He gave me the silent treatment for two weeks straight and only started responding to me after I ended things with Briana.

But I was sure she was my mate and I had a hunch she was the lost princess and Hades supported my theory. But if that was true then I fear my mate isn't just on the run from her crazy uncle. There's definitely more to it and I know The Alliance would've had no issues getting me that information but to this day, they have continuously ignored all my mails.

The council still hound me to take a Luna while the older Alphas and betas keep sending their unmated daughters to me in hopes one of them will either turn out to be my mate or I might choose them as my mate but I always send them all back to their home without so much as touching a finger of theirs. A decision my Lycan seems very pleased with.