The Price of Being the Alpha's Mate

With the children attending classes in designated classrooms inside the estate, Darius was busy helping out with the monthly inventory of the kitchen staff. Since a banquet was held for every full moon, they would stock up solely for that event. With Sancho keeping the list and counts like a proper attendant, Darius was only speaking to the inventory custodians.

With every banquet came the question of what to serve. The kitchen was the first stop that Darius should check. After this, he would talk to the head maid to see if they needed curtains and whatnot to be replaced. He also had to make sure that everyone would have enough materials to sew clothes for the children who were bound to attend the party, especially those who had reached sixteen.

Full moons were the only time marriages and mating rituals between werewolves were accepted. It was like the full moon stood as their Moon Goddess's presence, validating the vows that connected everyone that participated. Some werewolves would choose to not wait for the full moon, but those marriages were not recognized by their Alphas.

It was also a coming-of-age ceremony for those who graduated from the short-course military training inside and outside the estate. The new Gammas would swear their allegiances to the Alpha, with the full moon as their ultimate witness.

That was why Darius was being overworked with all the walking and talking. Even if he could choose not to do these things because he was not the pack mother, what would his role in the pack be? Was it better to be an Omega who was only taking care of the children?

No, Darius wouldn't let all those who loathed him have an anchor where they should insult him.

"Sancho, the head seamstress is asking for us to validate the list of the new Gammas. We should look for their Chief to cross-reference." Darius sighed after. He popped his neck and rubbed the soreness off. "Damn, when I was an Alpha, we're not even this systematic."

"First Master is from a powerful werewolf family, just like the last Lady, Second Master. This must be their ways." Sancho had a smile on as if enjoying the sight being given to him. "Also, Second Master is indeed a busybody when he was our Alpha. We might not have banquets for every full moon, but you prepared a feast every time we had a reason to celebrate. Even the weddings of the Omegas equated merry singing and dancing."

"…y-yeah, I remember, but I mean… I didn't have to get someone to do all of these." For a moment, Darius scratched his head. Werewolves might not excellent memories, but he chose to forget about the pack and the time he spent with it. He could barely get anything to come back to him.

A Gamma suddenly turned up at the side and stared at the passing Alpha. When Darius noticed the intense gazing, he stopped walking and turned to the Gamma. "Just call me Darius if you have nothing to call me. Did the Chief send you?"

The soldier's lips wriggled as if not knowing what to say. In the end, he just nodded. "Yes, the Chief asked me to find you since you might be looking for us. The Gammas are out on a hunt in the lake behind the mountains. Some trainees were given another chance to graduate before the full moon."

"Oh, when will they be back then?" A twitch came to Darius. This didn't mean he had to leave the estate to go to the mountains, right? He had multiple reasons why he didn't want to go.

"It might take them three days, Darius." The soldier was obedient. He didn't know how to refer to this guy, but the Chief called him 'that insolent disgrace.' He couldn't possibly say that to Darius's face, right? It was good that Darius volunteered to have his name used.

"…that's too long, but I'll see what I can do. I'll let you know if I'm going to look for the Chief again." Darius used a hand to gently shoo the Gamma, so the soldier left in a hurry.

With both hands on his hips, Darius sighed. "We can't leave the seamstresses hanging for three days. We might have to go and ask now… but I don't want to go anywhere far. Beyond the mountains, huh. Sancho, how would they get there?"

The Omega servant hummed for a moment before answering: "The Gammas have a private bus to take them there. As humans had a path to climb those mountains, First Master thought of buying a cottage there to serve as a final training ground."

Darius lifted a brow. "How much money does this man have? How could he buy an actual bus and a cottage on top of this estate? You know what—don't answer that. I'll just go and ask him what to do about the problem of the seamstresses. Can you drop by the classrooms to see how Megan and Adrian are doing? Report to me again later."

At those definite orders, Sancho left to check up on the children. "As you wish, Second Master."

After watching Sancho disappear at the corner, Darius took a turn to find Nicholai. He would check the mezzanine lounge first before looking for a maid to ask. However, when he was crossing an intersection of the hallways, Nicholai quickly strode from the side to surprise him. When the father jerked back to evade the other, Darius mistimed his step and lost his balance.

The Alpha flashed before Darius and caught him in a hug, their arms in midair as if he was dipping Darius at the end of a dance. Red flashed along Darius's face before Nicholai giggled at their position. "My, my, darling, you have such delicate feet."

"Delicate feet, my ass. You bumped into me!" Darius grumbled before trying to fight Nicholai's hold, so he could get up. "H-Hey, I can't… I'm falling, dammit."

"Worry not, I have you. I won't let you get hurt." That was what he said, but he quickly shifted his hands to sweep Darius from the floor. Having him in a bridal carry, Nicholai spun and proceeded in the direction he was originally taking. "Let's get someone to check that ankle after I lay you down."

"I'll certainly lay you down to rest after this…" Even if it was embarrassing to be seen like this, Darius just covered his face with a hand as he allowed Nicholai to carry him. "I will seriously kill you if you let someone see us, you asshole."

The Alpha laughed out as he even juggled Darius once to make the prospective mate cling to him more. "If that's the only condition you have for me to take you around like this, then I shall make sure of that."

Darius gritted his teeth, but he just let it be. Let the Alpha have his little fun; it wasn't harmful anyway. After all, if he indulged Nicholai bit by bit, he could get some spoiling from the other guy, too, right? If Darius wanted something bought for the kids, the Alpha would get it, right? When he needed someone's help with the Council, Nicholai would help him, right?

If Nicholai really wanted Darius to be his mate, then he wouldn't let Darius get killed by the Council's executioners, right? That reassurance… it had a price for Darius to pay.