[Cleo's POV]

I was beginning to think that I've been cursed by the Gods.

There's just no other explanation as to why I still have yet to meet my Mate.

Even amongst all of the seven packs in the werewolf community, I could not sense him anywhere. Trust me when I say I've tried finding him.

Could it be that? I was simply too… manly to have a Mate? Is that it? I lacked feminine qualities, so the universe denied me of a Mate?

There was that one time when there had been an accident with the pack house due to the raging storm, and my members called on me to repair it. "Alpha Cleo, the pack house just collapsed! The twin brothers need your help!"

Or that time when my pack had difficulty with carrying a live boar, they didn't hesitate to seek me out. "Alpha Cleo, we're having trouble with the boar, and we need your strength! It's a disaster out there!"

"Grand Alpha Cleo, our one and only role model! Thank you for gracing us with your presence! You are an inspiration to us all, may your reign be long and prosperous!" Yup, these words came right from my male warriors' mouths. They even had pictures of me hanging in their room...

Everyone regarded me as the God of war, but nobody ever really saw me as a she-wolf!

And It was honestly ridiculous.

I'd like to think I had my own feminine features. I knew I was beautiful; I made sure to take care of my appearance since I was a small child. Not to mention, I'm the Alpha of the ferocious Crescent Shadows pack. To be pretty and independent, what more could you want in a woman? The only thing I was lacking was my other half.

I've been constantly told by family and friends alike that I was still young, and that my Mate will come around sooner or later--whatever that means. But I was already twenty! I've been waiting and looking for my mate for over two years now.

I couldn't help but come to an anxious conclusion: Was there something wrong with me then?

Agh! All this thinking was giving me a headache!

It was hard not to think about such things, not when the female Alpha next door is constantly laughing, getting a kick from my situation. In fact, I'm sure she's laughing right now! I gritted my teeth in pure annoyance. But enough about her! I had to force myself to focus on the task at hand.

I was currently preparing to attend a party a pack member was holding. We were celebrating the capture of an elusive rogue. That rogue has been messing with us for months now, stealing our rations picking and causing some property damage amongst other things. Yesterday, after long weeks of preparation and strategizing, we finally managed to apprehend him. It was a joyous occasion for sure.

I was in the middle of picking out clothes when I received a mind link from my Beta, Caleb.

'What's up?' I asked him, pulling a blouse to my frame to see how it looked.

'I'm just reminding you that it's almost time to go to the human society,' he said, cutting to the chase.

Oh, fuck. I completely forgot about that!

There's been this developing trend I've noticed, whereby wolves migrate to live in the human society. As of right now, both our species lived separately. The existence of the werewolf was still thought to be a fable within the average human belief. But lately, life out in the forest was beginning to grow unsustainable, hence the need for migration. It was not without its risks, though. Those that choose to leave require constant vigilance.

As if he could sense exactly what I was thinking, he asked, 'You forgot, didn't you?'

I was not about to give him the satisfaction of catching me off-guard, so I denied it. 'No, of course not! I'm preparing to leave right now,' I lied.

'Whatever you say, boss. I'll meet you at the front. Don't be late!' He didn't give me the chance to retort, because the link got disconnected instantly. I rolled my eyes.

Thankfully, I had my belongings packed before-hand, so I didn't need to worry about that. Seeing that I won't be able to attend the party, I changed into something more comfier for the journey.

I pulled my luggage from behind me and made my way to the entrance, where Caleb waited for me. He greeted me with an easy grin. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I replied.

"I've arranged for transportation in advance, it should arrive any minute now. Just remember what we've discussed, and you'll be set," he briefed me.

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm forgetful, not incompetent," I chuckled at his fretting. Hey may not show it now, but I could see it in his eyes; he was worried about me.

"Yeah, well, I can never be too careful with you," Caleb said in mock exasperation.

I scoffed playfully, shaking my head. I then turned to him with a serious expression. "Before I forget, I've already assigned some people to pick up on the slack for when I'm gone. Make sure they get to it, yeah? I don't want anything happening." I placed my hand on his arm.

"Of course, you know you can count on me." He nodded dutifully.

The sound of tires crunching on gravel approached us, and a bright light enveloped where we stood, signalling the arrival of the taxi. "Guess I'll be off then," I sighed, reluctance weighing heavy on me. If I had any choice on the matter, I would never leave, but it was for the good of my pack. No matter what, I'll always put their needs above mine.

I hauled my luggage in the boot, and paused at the backseat door. I quickly turned back to give Caleb a hug. Not as his leader, but as his friend. "Call me when you arrive, okay?"

"Okay," I echoed his last word. Sparing him one last glance, I then got into the back of the cab. As we drove down the road, I could see Caleb waving goodbye in the distance.

It was going to be a long drive, so I tried to make myself as comfortable as I could in the backseat. When I looked out the window, I began to feel wistful. There was no question about it, my Mate was not back home. I couldn't help but think… What if I had been looking in the wrong place this whole time? What if my Mate was not a werewolf to begin with? What if he was a human all along?

If that was the case, would I be able to meet him in the human world? I didn't want to get my hopes up though. My past experiences told me that it would only lead me down the road of disappointment.

I let out a sharp exhale and shook my head. There was no use thinking about it now. I'll find my mate when the time comes, whoever or whatever he is.

Despite that, no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise, I couldn't deny the small feeling of excitement that was bubbling within me as I ventured into the unknown.