Chapter 21 - 021

Chapter 21: 021 Tristan slowly grew bored as the vibrant city life gave way to the densely populated suburbs. The day has been very eventful, from waking up with puffy eyes to finding out the Alpha was unconscious and unintentionally ignoring him, then to encountering Adriana at the mall. Now, he is beyond exhausted and soon drifted off to sleep. Gentle tap on the shoulder stirred him awake and pulled him from the dream land. He stretched out his tensed limbs and finally opened his eyes. His maid was smiling at him but he only frowned back at her. "We are now at the pack house, let’s go before Beta Gale get mad at us." She said cheerfully and went out of the car. This is the moment they’ve all been waiting for, the mating ceremony brings reassurance and strength to the pack because an unmated Alpha was seen as a weakness. Even if the Alpha isn’t weak,he would be treated as incomplete and unstable. Tristan looked outside the car window after the sleep had cleared off and her words finally settled in with him. The sun was slowly hiding behind the horizon and the day seemed to be coming to an end but it’s just starting for them. The mating ceremony always takes place at night under the light of the full moon. And tonight being that time, if they miss it then they would have to wait for another month. "Hiii" An excited voice shouted the moment Tristan stepped out of the car and he was immediately engulfed in a hug. Shocked by the sudden embrace, he went rigid in shock. The person finally pulled away and he stared back at her in confusion. He looked at his maid but she was busy getting his things out of the car. "I finally got to meet you. I’m Mariah. Mitch’s only sister" She said happily. "Hi" Tristan managed to reply in a shaky voice as he noticed different eyes on him. "Let’s go inside!" She said and pulled him along. Tristan looked around for someone to save him from her but everyone seemed to be busy and his maid only nodded at him. He was dragged into a living room full of people, he stopped dead in his tracks as all eyes turned to their direction when they walked inside. He shrank back as the overwhelming scent of all the Alphas present in the room made it hard to breathe. "Everyone listen to me!" She screamed despite all of them being quiet. "I present to you the Alpha’s mate" She said and pointed at him in a dramatic sweeping motion. They all paused for a few seconds after the introduction and all seemed to erupt into a loud commotion as they spoke at once making it impossible to understand them or make sense of what they were saying. "Hi, I’m Alan". One of them came towards him to introduce himself. "I was his best friend in high school but he fucked my girlfriend so we fell out" he continued and the rest of them erupted into laughter. Tristan didn’t understand what was funny and he wished he could go back outside to wait for Mitch. "Hi, I’m Zic. I dated him in college!" Someone yelled, causing Tristan to cover his ears with his palms. "Enough, y’all are scaring him" Mariah finally ended the commotion and they all quiet down and went back to their discussion. "Let’s go and find Mom" she continued and winked at him before walking away. Tristan’s eyes widened in fear. "Mom? Alpha Mitch has a Mom?" He thought frantically, and grew nervous as Mariah continued towards a long ancient stairs with intricate designs and gigantic railings. Their walk stopped in front of a door and she turned to smiled at him before she knocked on the door and opened it. Tristan hesitated before going inside after her, seated on a chair with two other women helping her get ready was a very beautiful woman with fair skin. Her long hair was being styled by one of them and was discussing with her until their entrance interrupted them. They all turned around and Tristan looked back at them nervously. "Mom, this is Mitch’s mate" She introduced once again and Tristan tried to smile this time instead of just standing with a strained look on his face. She looked at her first in disbelief and then at him with appraising eyes. A gentle smile slowly spread across her face and she broke the silence that stretched across the room. "Oh dear, how did you end up with him?" She said with a pitiful gaze and Mariah burst into a fit of laughter. Tristan looked down unsure of what to say to what she said but she continued in a calmer voice. "That son of mine has a worse temper than his father, he deserves someone just as horrible" She continued and Tristan finally smiled. "And what is your name?" She asked, her brows turning up in curiosity. Mariah also paid close attention as she hadn’t been mindful enough to ask him. "Tristan" he replied softly and they both smiled. "He is so cute" Mariah gushed and that made Tristan’s cheek heat up. No one has ever said that to him except Nita. "The maids will help you get ready for the ceremony, take him to his room" She said and Mariah gestured for him to follow her. Tristan wasn’t sure what they meant by helping him get ready but he was glad to be done with the introductions. But his happiness was short-lived when two other maids came with his maid to help him get ready and that started with a soak in a warm bath. Tristan looked at them painfully after he was told their plans for him. "Can’t I skip all these, it’s just a mating ceremony" he whispered to his maid and she turned to smile at him. "No, you can’t. This is once in a lifetime. You are the Alpha’s mate and the tradition would be followed". "Which is getting soaked in a bathtub? Doesn’t make much sense" he grumbled. "No, getting you cleansed thoroughly for the ritual" She replied in a clipped tone. "Ritual?" His eyes widened in disbelief. "A mating ceremony is a ritual, you would understand later". And with that he had no choice but to comply without any argument.