David POV
In my dream, I heard someone yell, "Alpha!" and it startled me awake. I became aware of the knocking at my door at that point. I heard my aide Evander calling to me from the other side of the door. "Alpha, it is time for you to rise, it is nearly noon."
I glared at him as I climbed out of bed, "Fine." I quickly got dressed for the day and cleansed my face.
Evander was waiting for me when I got up and left my room.
He informed me, "You have already missed several appointments this morning."
I complained, "It's Sunday."
He told me in his stiff, rigid, and straight-laced voice, "You're a busy man, busy men never have a day off."
I laughed and asked, "Is that why I have to see your ugly mug every day?"
He grumbled and let go of his butler voice, saying, "Laugh it up David, but if I wasn't here half of your work would never get done."
I snarled at him, "I never have you do my work for me."
"I never said you did, but if I weren't here, then there would be no one to make you do your own work."
I grinned at his remarks, "Fair point." As I previously mentioned, he was the only person I had met who was qualified to be my assistant. He was one of my best pals and made sure everything in the pack got done correctly. One of the only persons with whom I could ever really be myself.
"The elders have been hounding me all morning about what happened last night. And there were several important phone calls you were supposed to take. I handled them myself as they were not beyond my ability, but honestly, you really should have been ready for work much sooner."
I challenged him angrily, "Then why did you let me sleep so long?"
Evander wasn't so politely telling me that I had lost my shit and that everyone was now walking on eggshells afraid that I would snap at them or on them, literally biting them. "I simply didn't have the time to come and wake you myself until now. And the ladies on the staff were too afraid to do so on their own." Apparently, you were so angry last night that they didn't know if you would take it out on them for disturbing you this morning."
"I managed to get mostly calmed down before bed. But I have to admit, I am glad you woke me, I was having a crazy dream."
His brows were twitching as he queried, "Crazy good or crazy bad."
"If it was the good kind, I wouldn't be happy you woke me up."
"There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. But I don't think you've ever experienced that, you minimalist." He laughed at me. I responded by giving him a growl.
"Growl all you want Cujo, we have work to do."
I asked him, "What's at the top of the list?"
He laughed and pushed open my office door, displaying five elderly guys seated in various seats and sofas. "The meeting with the Elders." In my throat, I let out a deep growl. "I apologise for keeping you gentlemen waiting, the Alpha is ready for his meeting with you all," he said as he entered my office ahead of me. "They're your problem now." I scowled at the back of his skull, thinking I could pull it off right then.
The Elders had not taken well to being ignored the previous evening and forced to wait this morning because they were accustomed to being given priority.
"Sorry gentlemen, I had a late night and overslept. My assistant was kind enough to finally come and rouse me from my slumber just recently."
Cadmus, my great uncle and the oldest Elder, remarked, sounding worried, "This is all very unlike you, David, my boy." "Is everything alright?"
I smiled pacifyingly at them and said, "everything is fine, I assure you."
Oswald, my least favourite Elder and the second oldest, insisted, "What happened last night, boy?"
"My, I thought you knew, but the Harvest Moon Gathering was last night." I informed him.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it." He barked at me. "I mean, why did you end the party early and demand that everyone was to leave?"
I moaned, trying to sidestep the topic, "Ah, well, that is a bit complicated."
Alistair questioned me sharply, "Complicated how?" He was very clear that they were staying where they were until I gave them an answer or forced them to leave. I was forced to answer them even though I really didn't want to drag five elderly men out of their homes.
Making it sound easy, I said to them, "I think I found my mate."
"That is wonderful."
"Congratulations, boy."
"Excellent, son."
"This is cause for celebration."
Immediately, they all congratulated me, saying, "You should be overjoyed." My head pounded from the cacophony of voices mixing together.
I informed them, "It's not that simple."
With scepticism, Alistair asked me, "What's not simple?"
I informed them, "I don't know who she is." This was the part that most infuriated me and appeared to surprise everyone else in the room. I perceived the sound of six breaths coming together to break the silence. This astonished Evander as well.
Alistair challenged me, "But don't you know everyone in the pack by face at least?"
"I didn't see her face. There were things obstructing my line of sight, and unfortunately she ran away with her friends before I could catch her."
Evander sneered, "How did she manage to run away from you?"
"That gaggle of giggling she-wolves that you all insisted I spend the entire night with surrounded me as soon as they saw me come back from the forest."
Oswald looked hopeful, saying, "Was she among that group? We can track her down that way."
"Of course she wasn't. All the girls last night were shallow and had no self-respect. They smelled of greed and manipulation."
Alistair questioned me, "Then where did you meet this girl?"