The Pack's Doctor by Cooper

Chapter 197 Chapter 197

Cyra

"What do you mean you've been accepted to the Warrior Academy?" my father, Alpha Arden, demands.

Behind him, leaning against the wall, his face set in an unemotional mask, is my intended mate, Alpha Stellan. I found out a year ago that my father created what is called an Alliance Bond with Alpha Stellan's father. In order to solidify the alliance between our two packs, they wrote up an agreement dictating that I would be mated to Alpha Stellan and become his Luna.

Because our packs have been in an alliance, I've known Alpha Stellan for years. It's not that he's not a nice man or a good man, I'm sure he is. But when I turned eighteen last week, I, realized that he also isn't my fated mate. That would have made things simpler. But I wasn't surprised. Stellan is nice enough, I've just never been enamored with him the way other women are. I don't care that he's an Alpha, probably because I'm one too. What I do care about is that my choice to find my fated mate has been taken away from me by my own father, no less.

So, in an act of rebellion, I applied to the Warrior Academy six months ago. I didn't expect to be accepted. Only twenty wolves are accepted each year, and this year, I am one of them.

"It's simple, father. I applied to the Academy, and I was accepted," I say patiently.

"You don't need to be a strong warrior. You have Stellan for that. You just need to be a good Luna and give him heirs."

"Yes, because that's all a mate bond is to you, isn't it father? Having an obedient Luna who pushes out babies!" I say getting angry.

"Having the right Luna is the most important thing for an Alpha," he growls.

"Then perhaps, Stellan should look for his fated mate since we all know I'm not her!" I say, getting to my feet and shouting back at my father.

"Let her go," Stellan says quietly.

"What?" I say, turning toward him. He pushes off the wall with the elegance of an Alpha. There's really nothing wrong with him. He's attractive, as all Alphas are, with blond hair and green eyes. He's just ... bland. He's boring. I need excitement in my life and I expect that, like my father, Stellan will want a quiet Luna who gives him an heir. After that, I'm pretty sure that he'll just ignore me.

I'm confident that's what my father would have done with my mother if she hadn't died in childbirth.

"Everyone knows that the Warrior Academy is elite simply because they only let a handful of students in every year. You have to have the right credentials, the right background, the ability to show that you can maintain among the other elites in the packs, and they also have to show that you're an intelligent thinker. The few warriors I know that have come out of the Academy are some of the strongest, smartest fighters I've ever met. Even the ones who aren't Alphas fight like they are. You going to the Academy will only make our pack stronger when you return. I had hoped that we could complete our marking and mating ceremony this weekend, but if you're leaving, our wolves would struggle to be apart for so long," Stellan says.

am. She, like me, has always wanted her fated mate. My parents weren't fated mates and from everything I've heard about them, there was no love between them. I sometimes wonder if my mother died just so she could just get out of her

fingers down my cheek. I force myself to hold still and not yank

you, Stellan. I know you didn't ask for this mate bond any more than I did, but I also know that taking your place as Alpha is important to you. It's only

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Chapter 197

figure out what we can do to get out of this

he'll find his fated mate while we're away,' I tell

accept her?' she

I sigh, fighting to hold still as Stellan leans in for a kiss. He presses his lips to mine but there's nothing - no spark, no excitement, no love ... just dewy lips pressing

leave?" he

"Two weeks."

go. I'll return home today as I planned, but I'll come back this weekend and we

for understanding,"

of us does," my father growls. "One year, Cyra, that's

out of the room, then I let my

him, Rina. One year. We have one year to figure out what the hell we're going to

my time packing to be gone for a year and seeing Stellan on

convince me to at least seal our bond with sex, but I declined, saying that Rina would struggle with the distance if we did. In reality the thought of sleeping with Stellan doesn't excite me any more than his chaste kisses do. I imagine that we'll take off our own clothes, climb into bed,

me against the wall, nip at my lip and demand entrance to my mouth. A man who will fight for dominance and win. A man who will bend me over a desk and take me from behind because he can't go another minute without being inside me. A man who will take me outside, covering my mouth with his hand while he thrusts into me so he can muffle my cries of pleasure because we're close enough for

in my mind. 'Yes, that's

at least made sure to pay for the Academy for the year and put enough money in my account to ensure that I wouldn't

he'd come visit me once I was settled at the

lands that I felt like I could finally breathe for the first

down my windows, turned up the radio, and let my new-found, if temporary, freedom

at least it feels like they're everywhere. People are in various stages of checking in and unloading their cars. There are people standing