Hate Mates (The Alpha Shifter)

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They were handcuffed together.

“For the safety of this pack, as well as the both of you, I now declare that you are bound together. You will find the means to make this union work, or so help me, you will both be tied to each other for life.”

There was silence as his father made this law. Landon was shocked. His father had said he would never force the issue.

“Hold up,” he and Alexa said in unison. They stopped and looked at each other. “This can’t…” They were still talking at the same time.

When Alexa pressed her lips together, glaring at him, he spoke up. “Dad, you can’t be serious.”

“Do you have any idea the danger you were all in three nights ago?”

Alexa snorted. “It was Cheryl.”

“She could have killed you!” His father wasn’t laughing. This wasn’t a joke. “This has gone on for long enough, and I am tired of the two of you. You are both too stubborn for your own good, and it is going to get you both killed.” He glared at them. “You will keep those handcuffs on. You will learn to live in harmony together, and you will learn to accept this bond that so many wolves would love to have. This is not just my decision. The entire pack has voted. They are tired of seeing you fighting, of abusing your mated bond. It ends now.”

No one spoke up to deny his father’s words. The pack had voted.

He stared at his and Alexa’s wrists bound together. A part of him was glad. He was close to her, and his wolf calmed within his mind just by being near her. Another part hated this. Hated being forced to be close to her.

All his life he’d been told what a special bond he and Alexa would have. How they were destined to be together no matter what.

“This is … ridiculous,” Alexa said. She held her hand up when Marcel turned his glare on her. “No, I don’t mean no disrespect, but … what about … living? Showers. Bathroom breaks. This isn’t a very thought-through process.”

“It is a thought-through process. As a mate, you will learn to do everything together. There will be no barriers between you. This has been decided by the whole pack. You will work together, spend time with one another, and soon, you will see how valuable having a mate truly is.”

One glance at Alexa, and she didn’t look too happy about it either. They were in this together, and it was easy to say they were screwed.

****

Marcel closed the door behind him and turned toward his mate, Penelope, and Dan.

“Don’t you think this is a little extreme?” Dan asked. “I know what happened was pretty fucking serious, but forcing them together… Don’t you think we’re heading for disaster?”

Gertie placed a hand on his arm, offering him support.

“What I said at the meeting wasn’t a lie, Dan. The entire pack has come to me these past three days. They’re not happy. Cheryl’s attack is proof that something needs to be done. Alexa could have been killed. We both know she’s not healing properly. The ties that bind us as mates, theirs has been shattered for a long time, and I feared if I didn’t do something soon, Alexa and my son could both end up dead.”

Penelope sighed. “Alexa is just so stubborn. She would heal so long as she would rest.”

“You would think with her sudden strength, she’d be able to handle anything, but I fear her current … circumstance is not a good thing, Penelope.” He glanced at Gertie, and she gave him a nod. “Landon is growing weaker.”

Dan tensed up. “What?”

“While Alexa seems to be gaining strength, Landon is … he struggles. It’s why I have kept him far from any real danger. I fear what it would mean. It’s why he couldn’t defend Alexa in the woods. Not until she was in any real danger.” It was Landon who’d been able to dislodge Cheryl’s jaw from Alexa’s waist. The damage had already been done, but it had been a catalyst.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Penelope said. “Why are they being so stubborn?”

“Maybe it’s us,” Dan said. “We’ve put so much pressure on them.”

“I think you’re right,” Gertie said. “From the time they were babies, we never let them hear the end of it about how important it was to be mated. They never got the chance to find out if they could even be friends. We just pushed them together like we assumed they were always meant to be.”

Marcel rubbed his mate’s back, trying to offer comfort.

“How do the cuffs work?” Dan asked.