The Headmaster Alpha's Mate
The Headmaster Alpha’s Mate Chapter 26

Chloe left her room to go replace Zander. Nicki had already headed down to breakfast, eager to see Josh. As she walked along the hallway of the Alpha’s apartment, she stopped to look at the portraits along the long white hallway, some photographs, others oil paintings. The one that caught her attention was a man, dressed in a dark blue pinstriped suit, his hair as black as night, his eyes a hypnotic grey, that held a kindness behind them. The face of the man was strong, handsome, his mouth showcased a small smile. Beside him was a woman, stunningly beautiful, bright blue eyes peaked beneath long dark lashes, her skin pale but with a hint of pink on her cheeks. Her long hair, a deep purple colour, perfectly framed her face, a small headdress with a silver feather was positioned perfectly, strings of pearls hung from her neck. Her black dress was form fitting, covered in small silver stones, the skirt turning into long thin silver tassels at her thigh. Her stance was confident, and again you could see the kindness that lay within the beautiful woman. Infront of the two adults were four small boys, each dressed in clothes that were from a time, long ago, but you could see it was their Sunday best. Black haired, and the image of the man who stood behind them, they looked happy, content, like the world around them was safe and secure, the love that surrounded them was almost tangible.

A lump formed in Chloe’s throat as she reached out and traced the contours of the woman’s kind and loving face. A tear fell onto her cheek as she became overwhelmed with emotion.

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the long hallway, as she continued to gaze at the memorizing portrait of the beautiful family. The smell of sandalwood and musk surrounded her along with a strong arm, peace followed the small embrace of her mate’s lips on the side of her head, but still, she could not control the deep sadness the portrait had conjured up inside her mind.

“Yes, that is who you think it is, you look like your mother.” Zander’s voice, barely above a whisper, informed her of the truth she already knew.

Chloe could not replace the words, her mind still rooted in the deep emotions that were flooding from her.

Zander stood and watched, as his mate took in the family portrait. It had been painted by his own mother, around a hundred years ago, when the King and Queen had visited the pack, years after they had forged a strong and unique friendship with his parents. He had kept the portrait, as it was his mother’s favourite piece, a reminder of happier times, when war had not torn his world apart. The portrait was only displayed in this private hallway, where only those who Zander truly trusted could enter.

“Did you know them?” Chloe’s small voice asked.

“Yes, they were good friends with my parents. When they came here, they were free to be themselves, hence the clothes they wore for the sitting, not the royal regalia normally portrayed in the official portraits, rather what they wore when with family and close friends. My mother painted the picture.” Zander offered a soft smile to his mate as she discovered her heritage.

“How old is it? My brothers look young?” Chloe asked, as her fingers went to trace the images of her older siblings.

“101 years ago, in 1920”, Zander smiled.

“Before you were born.”

“Yes, I was born 14 years later, a happy surprise after years of trying for a pup, my mother conceived me. She had a problem that meant she could not carry the pregnancy to term. After I was born, they continued to try for more pups, but still, when she reached the two month mark, my mother would miscarry. For sixty-nine years, I was their miracle baby, after they had given up hope of ever having another child. That was when my mother fell pregnant with Joshua, and he became her second miracle. Six months later, my parents were killed alongside yours, defending the rights of all wolves, not just the favoured ones.” Zander let out a soft sigh.

“So… you took over the pack and brought up Josh?” it was a statement, not really a question.

“Yes, for all I am his older brother, part of me is also the father he never knew.” Zander whispered.

“I have more pictures of them all together, locked up in the attic, away from prying eyes who may not approve of the friendship this pack had with your parents. I will take you to see them tomorrow if you like?” Zander offered.

“Thank you” Chloe nodded, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

“My mother, she was a flapper girl?” Chloe questioned a small smile on her soft pink lips.

“She was THE flapper girl, the queen had her own sense of style, like someone else I know.” Zander chuckled, placing another soft k**s on Chloe’s head.

“She set the trends that filtered down to the human world.” He continued, smiling at the look of pride that flooded the face of his beautiful mate.

Chloe felt a surge of satisfaction that her mother set the fashion, not followed it, much like she did.

“Will you tell me everything, Zander?” Chloe asked, tilting her head up towards him.

“Yes, tomorrow, we will spend the day in the attic, looking at the pictures and I will tell you everything I know about them.” Zander nodded, offering her a soft smile.

“Come on, let’s eat, we have a long morning ahead of us.” Zander smiled, then taking her hand in his they entwined their fingers together, setting off down the four flights of stairs to the dining room.

The seven-seater black SUV pulled up outside the gates of the Silverback pack, the warrior on duty, nodded at Zander and opened the barrier, then tilted his neck in submission to his new Alpha and his future Luna. As the car pulled up outside the Silverback pack house, Chloe noticed that the building, although it was smaller than the one at Crescent Moon, was still large. Unlike Zander’s pack house, this one was made from wooden logs. It resembled a large wooden ranch house you might see in a western movie. Zander got out of the car and walked round to the passenger side, opening the door for Chloe. Taking her hand, he helped her out of the SUV. Josh exited the car holding the door and helping Nicki. The other door saw Robin do the same for Lacey. Chloe smiled internally, there was something refreshing about the chivalry werewolf men showed to their mates, something many human men had long forgotten. Chloe had never once seen her father open a door for her mother.

A tall man stood at the pack house entrance, a small red-headed woman beside him, he bowed his head a bared his neck to Zander, and Joshua, then took a step forward.

“Alpha’s, Luna’s and Beta Black you are welcome. I am Harrison McKinley, this is my mate Edith. I was the former Alpha’s Beta.” Harrison introduced himself.

“I am Alpha Zander Colton, this is my mate and future Luna Chloe Handcock. My brother Alpha Joshua Colton, his future Luna, Nicola Davis, and my beta Robin Black and his mate Lacey.” Zander conducted the introductions, his voice full of authority.

“Should we go to the Alpha’s office?” Harrison asked.

“Actually, not yet, I would like a tour of the pack, talk to the members, then we will have a meeting.” Zander stated, he wanted to see for himself how things were at this pack, not the rose-tinted version many pack leadership would have him believe.

“Yes Alpha.”

After two hours of walking the grounds, and speaking with the pack members, most of whom welcomed their new Alpha. They came to the edge of a small densely wooded area, a small stream flowed through it, the large tree roots covered in a soft mist that gave it an eery feeling. Four large steppingstones led across the stream, where a small wooden house almost like a shack stood blending in perfectly with its surroundings. The house looked run down, only the pots of well-tendered flowers indicated anyone lived there.

“Oh, this will not be of interest to you, Alpha. However, there is a family living just along here to the right I would like you to meet.” Harrison said, walking away from the stream.

Zander knew all too well, that if a leader told you a place was not of interest, that in all probability it was the place you most needed to visit.

“No, we will visit this family first, who lives here?” Zander asked, his voice oozing with power.

“Hannah Boyce, who is 500 years old, our oldest pack member, and likes to live separate from the other pack members. She is a little how should I put this. Strange.” Harrison sighed, then took a step back as if he were afraid to cross the river.

Zander stepped onto the slippery stones, then reached out and took Chloe’s hand, helping her across the stream. Joshua helped Nicki, with Robin and Lacy following behind.

Zander knocked on the old rickety wooden door.

“Come in, Alpha Zander Colton, I have been waiting for you.” The voice of the old woman rang out.

Chloe glanced at Zander, who’s face remained neutral, as if this whole place was not creepy and strange.

The door squeaked as it opened, and a little shudder washed over Chloe. Sat in the corner of the small room, in a pine rocking chair, sat an old woman. Her hair as white as the driven snow, pale green eyes that held the knowledge of someone who had lived to see many things. Her face deep set with the lines and wrinkles of time. The sound of the creaking floorboards from the rocking of the chair filled the room. The old lady remained in her seat, the clicking of her wooden knitting needles as she continued to work away.

“It is a scarf for the winter.” Hannah Boyce smiled kindly at the Alpha’s and their Luna’s.

“Harrison McKinley, you can wait on the other side of the stream.” Hannah’s voice rang out.

“That is Beta McKinley!” Harrison bristled, a clear dislike of the old lady evident in his rebuke.

“You will always be young Harrison McKinley, the boy whose backside I tanned for throwing rocks through my window. Now, wait at the other side of the stream, I want to speak with my guests.” Hannah said with all the authority of a grandmother who had seen it all before.

Harrison growled under his breath, then stepped back towards the stream.

“Have it your own way, hag,” he muttered.

Josh turned towards Harrison and let out a low growl.

“Do not disrespect your elders, former beta” he said, disgusted at the former beta’s treatment of the oldest wolf he had ever come across, as if she were beneath him.

Harrison bowed instantly.

“Apologies young Alpha”.

Zander turned towards Hannah and offered her a soft smile.

“Come, come take a seat, I see you have met her” Hannah smiled warmly at Chloe.

Zander walked to one of the three small wooden chairs that sat on the side wall of the old house that was little more than a shack. It creaked and g*****d as the large Alpha sat on the seat. Taking hold of Chloe, he sat her on his lap, Josh and Robin followed suit, both with their mates sat on their knees.

“I have waited a long time for this day, and now it is here. Finally, I can rest in peace, as hope for the future is today, restored.” Hannah spoke a smile on her lips.

Turning towards Chloe, she smiled warmly.

“Your mother was a good friend to me, she understood my gift of prophecy, and welcomed my advice. That day I cried before she arrived. I knew I had to deliver the bad news, that all would soon be lost. But then as she walked through the door, the vision changed before my eyes, there was hope once more. Your mother kept her pregnancy a secret, only the King, me, and the most trusted servant, Ida, a human mated to an omega of the Royal house, knew of your existence. When the time came to bring you into the world, the Queen came here. I helped deliver you into this world in this very room, Princess Chloe.” Hannah smiled warmly.

Nicki gasped beside Chloe and turned to look at her. Chloe simply nodded slightly at her best friend.

“I know you believe your wolf will not become active until you are marked and mated. This is a falsehood. Sheba the Queen of all wolves will grow stronger with the bond you have with your mate. But your wolf will become active when you most need her, irrespective of the mating and marking process. However, I would advise you to wait to mate until you have shifted, you need to replace your own strength and power before pulling from your mates.” Hannah smiled at Chloe.

“In this room, are those you can trust, Alpha Zander. However, there are those who wish to betray you, even in your own pack, and heartbreak will follow when they make their move.” Hannah warned Zander, who nodded in response.

“But do not be disheartened, because help will also arrive from the most unlikely places as well.” Hannah smiled warmly.

“War is coming, you need to prepare, nothing can stop it. But this time, I have better news. This time, although the price will be high, you will succeed.” Hannah smiled warmly.

“Alpha Joshua, you will achieve greatness, and will be a good, fair and loyal leader here at Silverback pack, but this is not your only destiny. I see you achieve amazing things, and live a long life, serving with your brother when he is king and your queen. The path you will need to take will be narrow but will lead to greatness, bridging the gap between the werewolf and the human world, this is why you are mated to a human.” Hannah smiled at Josh and Nicki, who sat wide-eyed with shock on his lap.

“Alpha Robin, I know you are a beta, but you will head up your own pack. Again, it will be at the forefront of change. The three of you together will successfully navigate all that is before you. But heed my warning, a rope is strongest when it is made from three stands entwined together, giving it unprecedented power and strength. So, it is with you three. Together you are stronger. Do not let your enemies tare you apart, they wish to weaken you. Forgive each other easily, respect each other endlessly, do not give the enemy a foothold to break your bonds.” Hannah’s voice was stern with the warning.

“Jack Aitchison was a weak man, he feared the power of the Crescent Moon pack, even when he agreed to the alliance with you, he still was not satisfied. He built a relationship with Rouge’s. This will be your first challenge, but it is not the end battle. I see it more like training for what is to come. Remember you are all stronger together. This is of the upmost importance. I will be with you for just a short time, before I breathe my last, you all know where to replace me should you want my council.” Hannah smiled, then fell silent, only the sound of her clicking knitting needles remaining.