Nolan was talking about the lone wolves roaming the neighboring town—unstable, unpredictable, and hard to pin down. According to him, the pack bordering our lands, while far smaller, was starting to draw unwelcome attention. Rumors even suggested they were plotting to dethrone me, seize my territory, and turn my own pack against me.
On top of that came another piece of information, even more troubling: a rogue group of magic users—witches and warlocks—had reportedly settled in our area. According to pack records and the Elders, we hadn't had a situation like that in nearly twenty years.
Nolan was so diligent I had already considered making him my Beta. After all, his grandfather had served in that very role beside my father.
But there was that past... we couldn't ignore that family's history. And then there was her. The girl. Always there, a living scar from what had happened.
Despite everything, I couldn't help but feel a certain compassion for him. He was brilliant, without a doubt the best for the job. If only he could learn to be more concise.
"I don't need to spend the whole night there," I growled, my patience wearing thin. "Five seconds is all it will take for me to know if one of them is my mate."
"The Elders believe you should at least spend time alone with each of them," Nolan replied. "Or, failing that, with the group as a whole."
"If none of them are my destiny mate, it won't change a thing. This ridiculous charade of theirs will accomplish nothing."
"Hey, don't take it out on me. I'm not the one who set this up," he replied, a rare, amused smile briefly cutting through his usual seriousness.
I exhaled, trying to force down the irritation rising in my chest. I'd been holding everything in for weeks, and I knew this was only the beginning. Things were going to get worse.
A fight against another pack? Fine. I'd fight without hesitation, even if it meant I didn't come back.
A rogue challenging my authority? I'd put him in his place.
A warlock preying on a human? I'd be the first to step in, and I'd eliminate it nice and clean.
But this... this was what I were not good at.
Being forced to play the socialite for a pack of she-wolves who laughed too loudly, each one convinced she had a shot at becoming Luna... or worse, at a one-night stand. Some coveted power, others money, or simply the prestige I could offer. Whatever their motives, the result was the same.
The she-wolf who came after me were opportunists. They took what they needed and left without a backward glance.
That was precisely why I didn't want a mate. In my eyes, they only ever thought of themselves. Maybe there had been exceptions... like my mother. Before everything, she had been extraordinary—probably the most admirable female I had ever known.
But now... now she was just a shadow of whom she used to be.
Every day she sat there, motionless, lost in an endless, unbreakable silence. Perched by the window, her eyes vacant, unable to speak or respond. She showed no sign of life, as if the very spark inside her had been extinguished.
For seven years. Since the betrayal. Since the day my father died. A betrayal orchestrated by a female who thought only of herself.
I refused to let that happen again. I would never let anyone destroy my pack that way. Not while I'm alive.
Thalia's POV:
The moment I walked through the front door, a familiar aroma washed over me: my Aunt Eve had made my favorite, honey-garlic pork chops.
Only then did I notice the second thing—my grandfather's presence.
If his car had been out front, or if the smell of food hadn't been so overpowering, I would have scented him long before I saw him. And as always, he would have found a way to use it against me, claiming my inability to recognize his smell only proved, once again, that I wasn't like them.
As if I needed the reminder. I already knew I wasn't a wolf.
"I see you haven't changed, Thalia."
"Nice to see you too, Grandfather," I said, the lie edged with an irony I didn't bother to hide. "What brings you here today?"
He pressed his lips into a thin line, perfectly aware I was forcing every ounce of politeness.
"I'm here to warn you about the upcoming full moon gatherings. And I've had your outfit for tomorrow night prepared."
"That's thoughtful, but I'd already planned on what I was going to wear."
I certainly hadn't expected him to show up with a dress he'd chosen for me.
"Did you buy it specially for the occasion?" he asked, his tone already primed for judgment.
"No, but it's something I've barely worn."
He shook his head as if I'd just said something utterly absurd.
"That is not acceptable. This event is important. You must wear something new tomorrow, and for every gathering to come. You might meet your fated mate there, and that moment could decide your entire future. You need to be flawless from the very first glance. Otherwise, what was all the time and money I spent on your training for?"
"Good question," I muttered, not bothering to hide my irritation.
Nothing new. It was the same speech he'd been giving me for years. I had naively hoped that once I became an adult, he'd finally give up on his dream of marrying me off to some wolf—as if anyone would accept being bound to a girl who couldn't even shift.
He motioned for his assistant to show me the dress he had chosen.
To my great surprise, it wasn't horrible.
Lucky me.
It was a deep midnight blue that would set off my skin. The fabric, a soft silk, glided under my fingers, catching the light with a subtle shimmer.
The neckline was a little more daring than I liked, but the rest of it made up for it. Three thin straps rose from each side of the bodice, meeting at the shoulders before fanning out across my back in a complex, crisscrossing pattern. Other decorative straps traced my lower back, forming an intricate, eye-catching design.
From behind, the whole thing created an almost artistic structure. And because the top came up high enough, the plunging neckline seemed less shocking.
I would have to try it on to be sure. The dress looked like it was custom-made, or at least perfectly fitted to my size.
It had to be. I was far from the pack standard. Most of the females stood around five-foot-ten, some a little taller, others slightly shorter. I topped out at five-foot-one. A difference that was hard to ignore. The males were all taller still, which always made me feel tiny in their presence.
