I gripped the armrests on the plane chair as we got closer to the ground. The plane bounced as it landed, making me grip tighter and curse airplanes' existence. They were the worst. Giant, metal contraptions that trapped you in the sky so if anything did happen, you would have absolutely no way to escape, just fall to your death and watch it happen.

I fucking hated flying.

We landed in Atlanta, Georgia the same day of the first meetings. It was too last minute to get here any earlier. As soon as the doors opened, I was off that damn plane. Cassie and Renzo trailed behind me, their fingers interlaced as we rushed through the airport.

"It's so fucking hot and sticky here," Renzo whined.

I nodded in agreement, I wasn't used to this heat. Humidity, I thought I was used to, but this was much worse than what we experienced in Washington.

We got our bags and rented a car before heading to our hotel where a lot of the supernaturals were staying. It was owned by someone who was married to a fae and relatively safe for us. I was staying in a room alone so I wouldn't have to wake up to Cassie and Renzo sneakily trying to do it while I was asleep. It happened before and I wasn't keen on experiencing it again.

I changed into a skirt and a tank top. I didn't normally wear skirts or dresses because it just wasn't practical as a ranked wolf but I figured shorts wouldn't be acceptable at this kind of thing and it was really fucking hot out. I tied my hair back in a ponytail and changed to sandals, anything to escape that heat. Renzo and Cassie barely lasted two minutes in their room before they were fucking, it was a time I wasn't thankful for my werewolf hearing. But they both came to my room shortly after that to talk.

"Okay, I'm going to probably skip out on a lot of the meetings so I can find as many witches and fae as possible," Cassie informed us, tapping a notebook. "I have a list of the best regarding healing and since there's only like three meetings that actually have everyone in them, I'm going to avoid the werewolf meetings so I can talk to the most people."

"Good," I nodded.

"Can I skip out too?" Renzo asked.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Since we're here, we have to attend the stupid meetings or it will seem disrespectful. I know it seems like that's not helping our Luna but that's not necessarily true. Other packs have fae and witches in them, too. We get chummy with some packs we don't know and find out if they have any exceptional healers, we should try to find as much help as we can get. But be careful who you give information to, we don't exactly want it put on display that our pack is vulnerable right now."

"Got it," Renzo agreed.

"Okay," Cassie said, flipping through her notebook.

Renzo watched Cassie with a small smile as she scanned through her notes. I wasn't her mate but even I found it adorable the way she took ridiculously detailed notes any time she was in a pack meeting. She tried so hard. Renzo knew she did partially for him and it was obvious in the way he gazed at her with that adoring smile. They were adorable. It was gross.

"I'm sorry, that meeting happened so fast," Cassie said, blowing a loose piece of hair out of her face. "Who are the packs we need to be extra cautious of? I remember Alpha naming three but I only have two written down. Hunter's Moon, Harvest Howlers, and..."

"Blood Moon," I finished.

She scribbled into her notebook and Renzo's mouth quirked into a smile. Goddess, I was really over mates at this point. I was surrounded by them. It was disgusting. A small part of me said it's because I was jealous and I told that part to stick it where the sun don't shine.

"Right," Cassie said, nibbling on the end of her pencil. "They're the worst ones, right?"

Renzo nodded. "Heard their Alpha's a real piece of work."

"He's a fucking cunt, Renzo. Just say it," I said, rolling my eyes. "We all know it. All the other packs know it. No one wants to ally with him. It's safe to assume no matter how good an impression one of their pack members makes, we do not want to deal with them. Best make sure no one else we speak to is in regular communication with them, either. They're lucky they haven't been ostracized for their behavior at this point."

I hadn't met many pack leaders outside the ones in our immediate area. These meetings were the kind of thing Xander avoided entirely, or he and Kaden went without me so someone would be home to run the pack. But the Blood Moon Alpha had a reputation that expanded across the entire continent and even beyond the seas. He was ruthless, unforgiving, a no mercy kind of asshole that had done more killing than almost any other pack combined. He even killed his own father to take over the pack and right after he did, he killed eight packs in the surrounding area that were previously allies over the course of three months. Every single pack in the surrounding area was attacked and the leaders killed while he absorbed their land and people, at least, the willing ones. The others he killed. He loved taking over packs that were struggling, loved killing. Real piece of work was being too generous. He was a murderer, a coward who took advantage of the weak instead of helping build them up. If his pack was closer to ours, we would've had it out ages ago, Xander didn't tolerate tyrants like that.

"What's the Alpha's name?" Cassie asked.

Shit. I didn't remember. Based on the look on Rezo's face, he didn't either.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter," I shrugged. "Just if your hear Blood Moon Pack, keep your distance."

"Okay," Cassie said, raising her eyebrows. "Absolutely no contact with Blood Moon Pack. Got it. Anything else?" She asked, glancing between us.

"No. Just do your best," I shrugged, stifling the yawn and rubbing my eyes.

"You should've slept on the plane," Cassie said, her brows furrowing in concern.

"I'm fine," I said, waving my hand dismissively before pulling out my phone, checking the time. "Shit. We gotta go. Come on," I said, standing and grabbing the bag that had all our reports in it.

I hoped we wouldn't be overly put on the spot for Xander's inability to follow the rules but I had to be prepared. We drove to the conference center built on private land several miles outside the city. It was owned by The Elders and not too far from their base here in the United States.

We arrived and Cassie split off. Renzo of course went straight for the food and I walked around, briefly glancing at the history of supernaturals that was set up on display. I passed by several displays, just browsing and not really reading anything. I pulled my phone out and opened a message to Addie. My thumbs hovered over the screen before I closed it and opened one to Xander.

How's she doing? I sent to Xander before biting my lip and reopening the text to Addie.

Thinking of you. Let me know if you want me to bring you back something southern xo

I sighed and slid my phone into the bag, nervously looking at the file sitting in it. I hoped the questions wouldn't be too horrible if we were put on a little trial. I'd never done anything like this. I prided myself on being able to handle any situation but I was usually prepared. With this, I had no time to prepare or ask questions; I just had to wing it, fake confidence and hope I pulled it off.

I was walking by another display when an incredible scent hit me. I paused and inhaled, my body going tingly all over and yet somehow I felt more grounded than I'd ever felt before. Goddess, it was the most amazing thing I'd ever smelled. Woodsy, earthy, musky. I felt my body come alive with awareness and my eyes widened as I realized what this meant.

My mate. My mate was here somewhere. But this scent was a remaining fragment from someone who was here earlier. My eyes darted around but no one stood out. I tried to follow the scent but I just went around in circles. I looked around frantically but it was a faded scent, nothing recent.

I stepped out of the main entrance and it hit me again, stronger. He was definitely a fellow wolf, that's for sure. Guessing by the scent and the air, he was high ranked. At least a Gamma like me. My heart fluttered and I spun around, trying to find where the scent was strongest. I followed the trail down an empty hallway, my legs moving quicker than my mind when the trail split, part continuing on this hallway and another part down a different empty hallway. I paused and turned to the other hallway and took a half-step, trying to figure out which scent was more recent. I took a step closer to scent it better when a loud, deep growl had me freezing in my steps.

The effect of that growl sent warmth right between my legs. It came from my left. It was him. The scent surrounded me, filling me with a combination of comfort and excitement. Even without looking at him, I could feel his power. It was overwhelming. He had to be an Alpha. I'd never felt a presence like that in my life.

I turned and there he was. He was tall. That was a lot coming from me. I was close to six feet but he towered over me. He had dark eyes that almost seemed black, brown hair cut short and a body that would have heat pooling between my legs even if he wasn't mine. The shirt he wore strained against his broad chest, looser down at his waist. Goddess, he was fit, even by werewolf standards. The tendons in his arms flexed, making me lick my lips as I brought my eyes back to his.

He was doing the same thing to me. A full body appraisal. His eyes somehow darkened further. When his eyes met mine, my heart started racing. It was undeniable. Mate. He took quick, long strides towards me, stopping in front of me and cupping my face with both his hands, running his thumb over my cheek.

"Mate," he murmured, his eyes staring into mine like he could see right through every part of me. He brought his head down, brushing his lips against mine. With the amount of power I felt from him, I expected him to just lay his claim but he didn't kiss me, he just held me close and I couldn't take it so I kissed him.

Nothing could have properly prepared me for the electricity of kissing my mate. I felt that kiss through my whole body, to the tips of my fingers, between my legs, in my mind like a new awakening. I couldn't help the whimper as he pulled back, his dark eyes looking into mine.

"Mate," I breathed, setting my hand on his face.

I barely had time to react before he had me pressed against the wall, his lips coming down hard against mine. I moaned and he growled, his hands dropping down to my ass and pulling me against his hardness.

"Mine," he growled.

Yeah, I take back the thing I felt about being done with mates.

The kiss was intense, passionate, hard. I was certain my lips would be bruised but I didn't care, I pulled him deeper, wrapping my arms around his neck, trying to press myself closer to him. It wasn't enough. I needed to be closer. I needed more.

My mind may have clouded over with lust and desire but not enough I couldn't still think clearly. There was no doubt in my mind he was an Alpha. He dominated that kiss, his hands on me were hard and tight, possessive, more so than the average wolf. If I was going to be able to handle an Alpha like this, he needed to know I wouldn't be pushed around. So I moved my hands down to the collar of his shirt and turned us around, pressing him up against the wall.

"Mine," I growled back, kissing him just as hard, pressing my body into his, my hands sliding down his chest and under his shirt. I needed his skin, I felt a pull to him that made me want to be as close to him as possible, not let anything come between us.

A growl rumbled through his chest and he grabbed the back of my head, pulling me deeper, plunging his tongue in my mouth. My hands ascended up his chiseled abs to his chest. Goddess, his body was hard. He growled again and flipped us over, pressing me into the wall and sliding his hand down my leg then up my skirt.

"What's your name, mate?" He murmured against my lips, his hand slowly ascending up between my thighs, making it difficult to breathe.

"Tess," I answered, sliding my hands around to his back, pressing my fingers into his skin. "What's yours?"

"Kane," he answered, his fingers sliding up barely brushing against my underwear but not touching me. I couldn't take it, I needed him to touch me and so I wrapped my hand around his wrist and guided his hand up between my legs.

I gasped and clutched his shoulders and he groaned, leaning his head down into my neck, placing a hot kiss against my skin that sent electricity through my body.

"Kane," I breathed as he rubbed me through my underwear.

"Tess," he whispered, his teeth grazing across my skin. "You're so wet for me, baby," he growled, moving the underwear aside and sliding his finger into me.

I moaned and threw my head back. He took advantage, sucking hard on a spot at the base of my neck that was bound to leave a mark. Where he would mark me. My heart leapt at the thought.

He added a second finger, plunging them into me roughly. "Mine," he growled, sinking his fingers in deep.

"Yours," I whimpered, rolling my hips into his hand.

It felt so good. He felt so good. He felt so right. I felt bad for all the times mates annoyed me because in that moment with him, I suddenly understood the obsession, the craving, the undeniable need and pull.

"You feel so good," he murmured against my neck. "I can't wait to feel you clench around my cock, Tess," he said, drawing out my name and making me clench around his fingers.

Yes, that sounds good. Let's do that right now. Except of course the speakers announced it was time for the meeting. But Kane didn't stop and I didn't want him to. I quickly undid his belt and jeans, pushing them down enough I could slide my hand into his boxers.

"Mine," I said, wrapping my hand around his cock.

"Yours," he groaned, kissing my neck. "All yours, baby."

Goddess, that was nice to hear. I started sliding my hand up and down the length of him and it made me even more wet because damn, he was big.

Kane growled and lifted my shirt over my bra and pushed his boxers down low enough his tip came out as I continued sliding my hand up and down. He moved faster, curling his fingers inside of me, rubbing against a sensitive spot that had me cumming faster than I ever had before. I cried out and pressed my fingers probably a little too harshly into his shoulder, except his rumble approval told me he didn't mind it at all. I continued moving my hand faster up and down his length until he groaned. He grabbed my hand and helped me point himself at me so when he came, he came all over my stomach.

I was riding the last wave of the most intense orgasm I'd ever had when he grabbed my jaw and placed a hard kiss on my lips that had me ready to do it all over again.

"Mine," he growled.

A/N:

Heyy loves, let me know what you thought of this chapter

We're about 40 chapters into this book in Patreon ❤

Oop, are we worried there will be a run-in with one of these questionable packs?

Do you think they'll be able to find someone to help Addie?

Eyyy, we met Tess's mate, first impressions of Kane?

They certainly had a fiery first meeting... Are you ready for more?

Take care ❤