Chapter One

“My bite’s right here. Happy now?”

I fought back a grin as Alpha Killian stood in the hall, bold as brass with his hand gripping his dick. The man had a backbone of steel. The officials who’d come to bring some kind of complaint against Killian chattered a bit more, but my attention was already gone. My entire body felt itchy with the need to shift and run. To let my wolf lead me, even if only for a few moments.

“Gideon?”

I turned at Moira’s voice, meeting her dark eyes. “Yes, ma’am?”

The look of concern on her face turned into a soft smile. “You seem a little anxious.”

“Yes, well”—I fought back a growl as I ran a hand through my hair—“these suits and their rules make me want to challenge one of them to a real fight.”

She placed a hand on my arm. “We’re not here to get into fights. Everyone knows you’re a strong wolf, Gideon. Hell, they can see it. You’re almost as big as Killian. But we’re here to find mates, and fighting won’t help us do that.”

Something that felt a lot like shame burned in my gut. I hated admitting a weakness to anyone, especially someone in a position of power over me like Moira, but she was kind and caring. She would never betray me by exploiting my weakness.

“I’m beginning to think my mate’s not here,” I said, keeping my voice low and quiet.

Moira frowned a little. “You’ve been here less than a day. Now that we know Killian’s antics didn’t get us kicked out, we have two full days to mingle and meet people. Don’t give up just yet. Things of value take time to nurture.” She ran her fingers down my bicep, over the curve of my elbow, along the muscles and veins of my forearm. I’d spent years building my strength, fighting side by side with Alpha Killian even before he’d taken the title. Moira’s action was one of respect—she was reminding me of that strength. Of how worthy I was of finding a mate.

“I’m trying.” I eyed the exit sign at the end of the hall, fighting my own body at the need to go for a run. I couldn’t leave just yet, though. Moira’d asked for my assistance, and until she released me, I had to stay with her. She was a leader in the pack, and Killian would—

“Go.”

I jerked and turned to face her, afraid I’d misheard. “Pardon?”

“Go.” She shooed me toward the exit. “Get out there and find your mate. I have high hopes for you, Gideon.”

“You’re a goddess, Miss Moira.” I grinned as I hurried backward down the hall.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what you say to all the shewolves. Now, move your ass before you miss your chance.”

I saluted once before spinning and running the rest of the way to the stairwell. I flew down the steps, only touching tread on every third one in my haste. By the time I hit the door to the main-floor lobby, I was moving at a full run. Wearing my pack cloak meant I could shift as soon as I reached the front doors. The NALB regional heads didn’t want us walking around as wolves indoors, which was fine by me. Wolves were meant to be outdoors, running with nature, not cooped up in some mansion. I raced across the lobby, shoved open the front door, stepped out onto the porch, and—

“Good morning, young man.”

—stumbled as I tried to stop my forward momentum. I stood with a glare, only to immediately straighten my shoulders and drop my head in a subtle bow. Blasius Zenne, leader of the entire National Association of the Lycan Brotherhood—the ruling power of wolf shifters across the country—was standing on the porch. I’d seen him from afar at the introduction ceremony, but this was different. The man had more power than any Alpha on the estate, probably more than a few of them combined, yet he stood on the porch like any other shifter.

“Perhaps you couldn’t hear me over the noise of the…well, the quiet.” The man grinned as I felt my face burn. “Good morning, young man. My name is Blasius Zenne.”

I held out my hand, gripping his wrist—as was our custom—when he returned the offer. “I’m Gideon Kelly of the Southern Appalachia pack. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

“Ah, yes,” he said with a smile. “Your Alpha has already caused quite the stir around here, hasn’t he?”

I pulled my shoulders back and held my chin up. Didn’t matter who the guy was, no one spoke ill of my Alpha. “He found his mate, sir. I’m not certain why that would cause any kind of stir.”

Blasius stared me down for a long moment. The feeling of such a wolf watching me made me want to jump off the porch and slink into the woods. Instead, I kept my eyes locked on his chin and struggled not to flinch under the weight of his stare.

Finally, he laughed and patted my arm. “You’re a good wolf, young man. Loyal to your Alpha. I like to see that.”

I snorted a laugh of my own. “Thank you, though it’s been a long time since someone called me a young man.”

“You’re what…almost a hundred years old? Maybe a little over?”

My chest felt hollow as I stared off into the woods. The only thing I couldn’t fight was time. “I’m one hundred and eighty-three, to be exact.”

“My, you don’t seem it. I’m rarely wrong aging a wolf.” Blasius moved to stand beside me, facing the woods as well. “Many wolves don’t live as long as you have, not without finding their fated mate. You must have a very strong pack structure to fall back on.”

I turned to give him an eyebrow raise. “Have you met the O’Sheas? They’re kind of a force among themselves.”

“I’ve not had the pleasure yet. I was planning to request a meeting with Killian this afternoon but”—he shrugged and quirked a smile—“interrupting a newly mated wolf might not be in my best interest if I’d like to make a good impression.”

“No, probably not. Though Moira’s here.” When he looked at me with an arched brow, I continued, “Killian’s elder sister. She’s acting as his official liaison for the pack. I could track her down for you if you’d like.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, my stomach clenched. I felt such a need to shift, to search out my mate. Playing host for the leader of the NALB, while quite the honor, would just get in my way.

Blasius watched me for a moment as I struggled to keep from showing how much I didn’t want him to say yes. And then he shook his head.

“No, that won’t be necessary, Gideon. I can have one of my staff reach her to set up a time to meet. You were in quite the hurry when I interrupted you. Do you mind telling me where you were going?”

I looked out into the woods again, a longing building in my gut. I was quickly moving beyond need. My urge to be out among the trees was becoming an obsession.

“To shift, to run.” I met his eyes for the first time since I’d realized who he was. “To find my mate.”

“Ah, then yes. I can see why you’d be in such a rush. A mate, a truly fated partner, is a gift. One never to be taken lightly.”

“Are you mated, sir?”

He raised a brow at me. “Such questions aren’t usually asked, but yes. I have a mate. We’ve been together nearly five hundred years already, but unfortunately, we’ve never found our third.”

Triad. The word reverberated through my head. A mating to two others. Rare and secretive, triad matings were something of legend among the packs. Only the strongest of wolves were granted a triad. No normal pack shifter, not even an Alpha, could handle the deep connections the union required. It shouldn’t surprise me that the leader of the NALB was in an incomplete triad.

I shrugged, not sure what to say. “Perhaps you’ll be lucky and find your third at this Gathering.”

“Yes, perhaps.” Blasius smiled, though it barely lifted the corners of his mouth. “We started hosting the Gathering as a way to help wolves find their fated mates. I’ve seen a lot of mating take place at these events, and I’ve seen a lot of missed connections.”

He turned as if heading back inside. “I suggest you run, Gideon Kelly of the Southern Appalachia pack. Give yourself over to your wolf and search out your mate. Even for those of us who live for centuries, time is very precious.”

“I will, sir.” I moved to step off the porch as he opened the heavy front door. “It was nice meeting you, Blasius.”

He gave me a nod. “The pleasure was mine. I’ll hunt down your pack liaison later today. I hope to hear good news from her in regards to your mated status.”

I stood for a moment staring at the door he’d walked through, allowing the relief of being out of the presence of such a powerful and dangerous wolf work its way through me. But then my own wolf demanded my attention.

I hurried into the woods, pulling off my cloak along the way. Hanging the blue fabric over a tree limb, I gave myself a moment to enjoy the cool autumn air against my skin.

And then I exploded into my wolf form.

A quick shake of my coat and I was off, running over the rocky ground and through the trees. Staying close to the mansion but not too close. I needed to search, to roam, to find her, to find something. I needed to hunt.

On a pass along the far eastern side of the building, a scent on the air caught my attention. Light and airy, with hints of vanilla and chocolate, it teased my senses and made my heart ache. Every instinct in my body urged me toward it.

My hackles rose as I padded through the tree line, the sense of other wolves nearby putting me on edge. But then I stopped…stared…craved.

On the third-floor balcony stood a woman. Long, flowing red hair danced in the breeze, her pale skin glowing in the morning light as she turned her face into the sun. And her smile. Sweet and true, dark pink lips curling in a way that made my heart bleed for her. A growl bloomed in my chest, deep and powerful as it called for her. I didn’t want to hope, was too afraid to be wrong, and yet something about her spoke to me. She could be the one…the other half to my soul…she could be—

Blue eyes bright like a June sky met mine. She’d seen me, heard my growl, and she’d ensnared me in her gaze. My heart raced as everything else fell away, my entire world tilting in her direction.

MATE.