The Alpha King's Human Mate by HC Dolores

“Fate is not an eagle, it creeps like a rat.”

– Elizabeth Bowen

If you were to ask my parents to describe my older brother, they’d tell you he was a natural leader. Fearless and courageous, the kind of man born to lead armies.

And if you asked them to describe my sister, they’d gush about her sweet disposition and her selfless heart.

But me?

There’s only one word my parents would use to describe me: human.

You might not think that “human” could be used as an insult, but somehow, I’ve spent my entire life wearing this word like a badge of shame. When I showed up on my Alpha father’s doorstep at twelve, he told the rest of the pack that I was there because of my human mother’s failure. I was thrust into the wolf pack – literally – but my status as the only human there made me an instant outcast. I couldn’t run or wrestle or shift into wolves like the rest of the neighborhood kids. I’d never meet my mate or experience that instantaneous true love that mated pairs had.

I was still the Alpha’s kid, and while that might’ve saved me from the bullies, it didn’t mean I fit in. The werewolf world was drastically different from the human one, and to them, my humanity was a weakness.

My father never told me he was ashamed of me, but I could still feel his disappointment – it hung in the air every time he called me his human daughter or explained that I was the product of a short affair with a human woman eighteen- years-ago. 2

My stepmom, my father’s true mate, did try to make me feel included. She was the epitome of the perfect Luna – gentle and good-natured – but I could still tell she was ashamed of me. If there was ever evidence that her family wasn’t perfect, I was living proof of it. Every time she looked at me, she was reminded that her mate had cheated on her.)

Try as they might, none of this made a good recipe for the perfect family. I’d spent

six

years living under my father’s roof, in his pack, and in the werewolf world, but I’d already accepted that I’d never fit in there.

*Or so I thought. *

Despite making plans to go to college far, far away from the pack that had no room

for me, my life was about to change completely. Something technically,

someone

—

about to ensure that there was plenty of space in the werewolf world

*Dear Clark Bellevue,

appreciate the time and effort put into your application,

achieve great things in your studies, and we

*Best Regards,

Dean of Admissions

University of Florida*

–

least five different times, my eyes darting across the screen for something I might’ve missed. Unfortunately, there was no hidden. message to be found it was just another generic rejection email from another college that didn’t want me. My senior year of high

–

the schools I applied for were

all I cared about was finding a college that was far away. Somewhere far enough where I’d have an excuse not to make it home on the weekends or for most

would’ve been perfect – but it didn’t look like that was going to

“Clark!”

name. I barely had time to exit out of my Gmail screen

she sighed, leaning against my door frame, “Were you watching another trashy reality show

was tall, fair- skinned, with long, blonde locks that never seemed frizzy or out-of-control. Her and my brother both shared my father’s bright, blue eyes. Her eyes were her best feature, and

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wasn’t trying to tune you out, Lil,” I

“Dad wants to see us, there’s a big meeting tonight at the pack house. A bunch of

furrowed. Pack meetings weren’t unusual for our

a huge part of pack business.

dad asking

just told me to come get you. I’m sure

reason, dad wouldn’t bring you around

me, and I watched her strut

room.

even the golden child knows why I’m being summoned,

descended the stairs in silence. With high ceilings and hardwood floors, our family house was one of the largest in the pack a perk that came with being part of the Alpha’s family. Photos of Lily and my brother, Sebastian’s, accomplishments hung on the walls like the trophies they were: Lily as a baby, Seb at his first pack football game, Lily at prom with

in the recliner like it was his throne with Grace perched on his

and his booming voice echoed around the

day over thirty. He shared the same fair hair and blue eyes as Lily, and his strong jawline and intimidating frame made him look

was just as tall as my dad, but he got his chestnut brown hair from his mother, Grace. Grace – or Luna Grace if you weren’t her step-daughter was my dad’s true mate and Seb and Lily’s biological mom. She was the final piece to this picture-perfect family