The Alpha’s Mute Mate
Episode 70

HUDSON

FIVE WEEKS LATER

“Hudson,” calls my mum. “Are you ready? We don’t want to be late for your alpha ceremony.”

I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My mother has gone way overboard with my alpha ceremony, and I am not even in the mood for it.

I catch a glimpse of the feather on my bed stand. I can’t help but sigh and walk over to it. I sit on the bed and place the feather in my hand. It’s has been three whole weeks since the feather came through my window, and there’s still no sign of Brooke.

I twirl the feather between my fingers; her scent comes straight to my nose. This feather is unique; Brooke’s scent never fades away when I hold it. It helps Asher and I calm down when we miss her.

I showed Danica the feather, and she was amazed that it appeared, but she believes it’s a sign that Brooke is coming back. We both had high hopes, but with all the planning of my alpha ceremony for the last week, everyone is happy to have something to look forward to and enjoy.

As for me, I’m happy to become the alpha. Todd and I have been in talks about introducing some new shifters into both of our packs. Todd has been looking after the pack while Alpha Josh has some mate time with his mate, his words not mine.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, “Come in,” I shouted as I stared at the feather that had been in between my fingers since drifting into my thoughts.

The door opens, I know instantly who it is by the scents, Joe and Adonis.

“Hudson, we thought we would come and…….” says Joe but stops suddenly as he looks at the feather in my hands.

He looks at me, and I can’t help but look at him. “Our Brooke will be here soon,” he says in a whisper. I don’t know what Danica has told both of them, but both men have been here at the pack every other day, with one going back to their pack while one stays here.

I smile at him. “I had this three weeks ago, but there is still no sign of her,” I say in a whisper.

I can feel Asher move around in my head slightly.

“Willow used a lot of power to do what she did, to save us all, and also we don’t know what Brooke’s injuries were after what that man did to her,” says Adonis in a gruff voice as he takes the chair by the window, still he looks at me “I’m so happy that you are taking over the pack, it will be cool to work together.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, I know, but you do realize that my parents will be staying more with you out in Spain; they will end up retiring out there if you don’t watch out,” I said.

Adonis chuckles, but Joe is quiet.

I can’t help staring at the man; he hasn’t been himself ever since Brooke disappeared. He has even grown some grey hairs too.

Adonis looks at me but sends a mind link through “Joe is taking Brooke leaving so bad right now, he asked his brother from the other realm to locate Brooke, but he came back to us this morning with no word of knowing where she is” he says with a sigh and sadness “Hudson, Brooke was like a daughter to him when she was staying with us. They had a connection with each other as they both dealt with abuse.”

I look back at him in disbelief at what he said; I knew Joe went through some serious things as Daisy explained more about their trip to me when we started talking more. She mentioned that Joe took Brooke under his wing and helped her love herself.

Adonis gives me a small smile. “His father abused him for loving a man,” he says but looks at Joe, who is still looking blankly into thin air. “He will be alright; I know we might have outstayed our welcome; he wants to be here when she comes back.”

I smile but shut down the mind link to Adonis and look at Joe, I knew what I wanted to ask him, and I was in talks with my father about this, which he thought was a good idea. “Joe” I ask as I touch his arm.

Joe looks at me while he shakes his head to clear his thoughts. “Sorry Hudson, I’m sorry for zoning out,” he says. “This is your night; we should be……” he says, but I shake my head and cut him off. “I know I wanted to ask both Adonis and you something,” I ask him.

They both look at me with questioning looks; I clear my throat. “I have been talking with my father, I want both of you to work here with us in our pack, and I know Adonis is the alpha of your pack, but I wanted to pose something to both of you,” I say, looking between both men “I know that you have many kinds of shifters and people at your pack, I was wondering how would you feel about keeping your pack as a holiday and retirement home for old shifters and both Adonis and I could work together here as alphas. We both would take on the role, we can even look for a closer territory for you to set up, but I would love for you both to here,” I say. “Brooke would want it, and not only that, we can make both packs a haven for all shifters and humans.”

Adonis looks at me with his mouth wide open; I think I made him speechless. Joe has a grin on his face. “I think that would be a wonderful idea,” he says but chuckles at Adonis’s face as he looks between the both of us. “I think my mate needs to think about what you just asked us. I know what my answer is.”

I smile but turn to Adonis. “I want you to accept; I think I can learn a lot from you as an alpha. I know my father agreed to help me, but I think having you with me as well would help me run this pack smoother,” I said. I turn and open a drawer to my bed stand and pull out a folder to hand it to Joe. “Here are some nearby territories,” I said. “You can have a look at them and decide which one you would like to live at.”

Joe beams back at me.

“We will have a look at it all and get back to you,” says Adonis, who now seems to have gained more composure.

I chuckle. “Let me know what you want to do,” I tell him.

The feather in my hand was still there. I placed it back in the pot on my bedside table. Both men only stayed for a few moments then left me.

I am ready for the alpha ceremony.

I take a deep breath, opening the door only to be greeted by my mother, who has a smile on her face. “Wow, you look handsome,” she says.

I smile. “Thanks,” I say and walk out of my room. “Let’s do this,” I say as we both take to the stairs together.

The ceremony was being held in the grand hall of the packhouse, held by many grand leaders of the werewolf council. Everyone was here. People who I never knew showed up. I was nervous, and I hated that I had to do this on my own. I wanted Brooke here with me.

I walk to the stage, but I hear some whispers. “You think his mate would be here,” one woman says to another. The other one looks at me. “Maybe we can try our luck and make him……” she starts to say, but I can’t help the snarl that escapes my lips. Both women look at me, stunned but go bright red. Daisy moves closer to them. “If they both stop thinking with your p*****s for five minutes, you both would know the stories of his mate,” she says and explains to them everything about Brooke. After the ten-minute talk, both women look at me as I am now standing on the stage in awe and quietly apologize.

I nod to them.

My father gave his big speech, and then the elder announced me as the new alpha by slicing my hand, which made an alpha tattoo appear on my chest. The tattoo of Asher is a sign that we’re the alpha of the pack.

After more speeches and talks were made, everything was underway, and the party started. I walked around talking to alphas and elders from outside the pack.

I looked around, but I knew I was not enjoying any of this. I needed to get outside for a moment to breathe.

I excused myself for a few moments and headed to the front door; as I opened the door, the cool night air touched my skin. I couldn’t help but close my eyes. I get to the top step and sit as I open my eyes to look out at the forest clearing. Like most nights, it was a clear night, but tonight the moon was bright with loads of stars staring back at me.

“Can I sit with you?” Someone asks, and I look to see Jackson sitting next to me. “I thought you might need some company for a little,” he says as he looks ahead. “I was wondering if Brooke would have shown up today, but…..” he says but stops himself.

“How are you doing?’ I ask him after a few moments of silence.

Jackson clears his throat. “I’m ok; I am trying to work through things. Danica is giving us a chance, but I can see she is holding back; the mate bond is slowly coming back into play,” he says and looks at me. I can see tears brimming the edge of his eyes. “Hudson, I need my baby girl back,” he says as tears escape. “I never would have done all those things if I was in my right frame of mind.”

I stare at him. “I know,” I say, “I have been doing a lot of soul searching too. I was a jackass to her not once but twice. I don’t even think I deserve a third chance to be with her.”

Jackson places his hand on my shoulder. “It’s ok; we both got a lot of making up to do with Brooke,” he says.

Suddenly the door opens, a woman starts to walk down the steps but stops at the bottom. She has a red dress on, and her hair is pinned up, which is also a fiery red color “Hudson,” she says as she turns to look at me, “I would like you to join me for a walk.”

I stare at her, but before either Jackson or I could respond, “I think it is in the best interest of Brooke that you do,” she says with a smile.

The mention of Brooke’s name makes me stand up and walk down the steps to the woman. “Tell my father I have gone for a walk,” I say to Jackson through mind link.

I look over my shoulder as the woman starts to walk to the forest clearing; Jackson nods but stays where he is, watching both of us walk away.

There were a few moments of silence as we walked, but I couldn’t help but look at the ground.

“Brooke will be here soon; I can feel it,” the woman says as she comes to a stop. I look around and realize where we had headed, the forest clearing where it all started years ago with the attack of Danica and Brooke but finding Alfred’s burnt body here too.

The woman sits on the log and looks at me; I stand. “My name is Sassy,” she says, “I was here a few weeks ago when Brooke came back from the Fae realm.”

I look back at her and slowly remember her face appearing in my mind back to the day in the office.

She smiles. “Many call me a witch, but I have a sense of upcoming events, and Brooke’s life is the main feature,” she says with a smile. “I know you have been waiting for her, and I am also relieved that you are making a huge effort in storing the pack to be a haven. I am even coming to live here too.”

I look at her with a small smile; she c***s her head and looks at me. “You have changed so much over the years, you may think everything you have been through is the moon goddess punishing you, but I have to tell you it is not; you have been punishing yourself enough,” she says as she stands up and walks up to me “You are someone who too is feared when you are angry, but also you would protect the ones you love more than anything,” she says.

She places one of her arms behind her back and closes her eyes; after a few moments, she opens them and moves her arm from behind her, but I am shocked to see another feather. The scent from the feather is like the one that I found in my room. She holds it up for me to take.

She smiles. “She is nearly healed and will be here soon Hudson,” she says but looks at me. “You may want to mate and mark her before everyone sees because when she is in front of you, she will be the woman that should have been there, not the quiet mute mate,” she says.

I look back at her, confused, but she giggles while hands me the feather. “It seems Willow may have healed her more when she appears. You may be surprised what you will find, but Hudson,” she says, “Make her yours.”

I smile and place the feather under my nose to breathe in the scent, my mate’s scent. I close my eyes as the scent takes me away for a few moments, but when I open them, Sassy has disappeared.

I looked around, and there was no sign of her.

I start to walk back and head to the packhouse to return to the ceremony, but something tells me I might not have to wait much longer for my mate to come back to me.