Diana entered the training ground with her back straight as usual. Her nose itched with an unfamiliar floral scent but she chose not to mention it. The obstacle course was set up and her deltas were milling around as usual. She couldn't let her nose distract her.
She would have to set aside time to figure out how to include this new guy as well. He had declared allegiance to Alpha Gervais and said he wanted to stay with his two sisters.
Diana had to smile at the thought.
They hadn't even known about him but still he had done everything he could to protect them.
Without him, Akela wouldn't have run and Kira would still be in Alpha Preston's grip.
In the few days since they returned, Zion and Akela had been disgustingly loved up and Abel looked like a lost puppy when Kira was in a different room.
Diana had to laugh at her older brothers and their total change into devoted mates. She wasn't sure what meeting her mate would feel like, but she couldn't imagine being that focused on another person.

She wandered the length of the open ground used for combat training. Her twelve men and women nodding respectfully as she passed. Thirteen if she counted the new guy.
The smell of flowers got stronger as she walked around. It wasn't a scent she recognised but it was quickly becoming addictive. She needed more of it.
It was the earthy, honeyed scent of the first spring flowers, which made no sense in the late summer morning

"Right! Now that our Betas are back from their journey and have taken up their duties again, I can get back to whipping you wussies into shape!" Diana declared loudly, gaining grins and chuckles from her loyal troops.

Diana grinned back at them. They knew she was boss when she needed to.

"The Betas told me they brought back some fresh meat. Akela and Kira's brother is trained to fight by the feared North army... is he here?" Diana asked.

Pete nodded and stepped aside. Diana could have sworn it was as if the other deltas faded away into the background.
A pair of blue-grey eyes, the colour of a mountain lake, looked at her with apprehension under messy blonde hair that he had obviously tried to tidy up. A sprig of hair was poking up from the otherwise tidy combed hair, making him look like a young mischievous child despite the serious look on his otherwise handsome face.
Unable to control her muscles, Diana's face fell into a surprised stare. It felt as if an elastic band was held tight between them. It would either snap or tie them up unless she did something.
A slight twitch at the edges of his mouth and the sudden sparkle in his eyes revealed that he had felt it too. Diana's heart seemed to have picked up an extra skip. Awkwardly aware of still staring at him, she could feel his heartbeat, she could hear it as his heart stuttered and found it's rhythm to match hers. And from what she felt in the connection with her troop, they all saw the change in her.

Diana panicked for a fraction of a second. She had only just turned 18. she was too young to find her mate. But there he was. This blonde, blue eyed stranger looking shy and as uncertain as her despite his strong body in a respectfully attentive pose to signal submission to her as his leader.

With a mammoth effort, Diana straightened her face, shook it off and walked over to him with what she hoped were purposeful steps.

"Recruit Felix. I am Delta prime Diana Eden Connor. You will be under my command as a delta defender," she said, feeling her voice wanting to crack with a feminine undertone she never used on the training ground.

The scent of spring flowers surrounding him was dizzying and he had these amazing blue eyes. Even in the combats and t-shirt gear he had been given, he looked better than any male she had ever seen.
He studied her back with the same look of amazement as she felt.

"It will be my honour," he said with the hint of a cheeky little smile.

Diana gave a simple little nod back, trying not to reveal how his voice gave her goosebumps.

She looked around as if suddenly remembering that the rest of them were there. A few were trying to hide little smirks.

"Right. Let's see what you're good for," she grinned and waved Pete forward.
Her largest fighter looked more fierce than he was. His broken nose had earned him the nickname Bulbous Pete.

"With all due respect. I think the best way to test him is if you do it," Pete grinned with unhidden mirth.

"Me?" Diana asked.

"Yeah. You're the fastest," Pete grinned.

Diana gave him a telling deadpan look while mindlinking him "Shut up or I'll have you clean the barrack toilets for the next month!"

Pete chuckled with a sly nod before turning to Felix with a grin.

The new guy was still stood to relaxed attention with his hands behind his back and his eyes never leaving Diana. Most of his energy was spent on trying to school his face into a serious look when all he wanted to do was smile.

How was it even possible that this strong and beautiful female was made for him?

"Okay new guy. Sparring rules: full contact, but we fight clean. Tap-out means stop, stay above belt and below collar for training," Pete said and Felix nodded back.

It was more controlled than what he had been trained for, but he liked that they tried to avoid injuries.

"Let's go," he said and took up a fighting stance, ready for Pete's attack. It was swift and unexpected. Felix had caught a glimpse of Diana again and Pete used the distraction to barrell into him, knocking the breath out of him.

"Just a warning kiddo. You hurt our prime and there's 12 of us to make sure you regret it," Pete whispered through clenched teeth, but with a teasing look in his eyes.

Felix gave a dry laugh.

"Don't worry... I have a feeling she can inflict some damage all on her own..." he grinned and gave Pete a push off him before he bounced effortlessly up off the floor from his back to his feet in one swift leap.

The surrounding Delta's stared at his fluid moves in surprise. Diana was stood impassively, leaning up on a tree with her arms crossed.

Pete nodded in approval and they both attacked in a flurry of fists and feet. Felix was the obviously more diciplined and trained to fight dirty, but Pete was stronger. The rest of the Deltas stood around watching the new guy try to get his head around fighting clean, when suddenly Pete gave a yell and tapped his thigh. Felix let go of his hand and bowed reaspectfully as Pete walked off swearing and rubbing his wrist.

Diana pushed off the tree, having spent the last few minutes trying her best to focus on how Felix moved without letting her insides go all soft. He had been graceful and calculated, his clothes had stretched to his shape in ways that had her hormones jumping. But she was still his superior.

None of them had yet acknowledged the bond and she was damned if she was going to just give in to the urge to openly just rub herself and her own scent on him at their first meeting. but she had this incessant urge to touch him. And there was only one way to do that.

"Not bad," she nodded and took her own fighting stance.

"Delta prime..." he asked in surprise.

"You don't think I'm prime just because of who my brothers are do you? I've earned this spot! Now fight me!" she ordered with a challenge heating her eyes.

Felix gave a quick smile of approval before he launched himself at her, miscalculating her speed and agility and just avoided headbutting a nearby tree. Diana wasted no time in grabbing his arm and pinning him face down on the ground, twisting his shoulder painfully.

"You're slow, new guy" she chuckled darkly and released him, bouncing backwards to await his next attack.

Felix stood up, rolling his shoulders as his face cracked in a wide grin. Diana felt a sense of pure pride radiating from him. He was proud of her. Diana had never asked for anyone's approval, but there he was, her mate, looking at her with a warm pride in her abilities to kick his ass. She gave him a quick wave to signal him to attack and watched as he made a high leap, roundhousekicking mid air and expertly avoiding her ear as he flew past. It was fast but Diana was faster as she gripped his balancing leg, planting him on the ground with a thud before she sat on his chest, pinning his arms down.

He gave a slightly pained grunt and bucked his body so he was pinning her.

"What now? Delta?" he asked cheekily as he had her in a slightly suggestive position.

Before he knew it, she had her legs curled up and her feet planted on his hips before she kicked him off with a force that had him flying through the air, far enough to give her time to get back on her feet.

She stalked towards him with a challenging grin. He didn't even try to get up. He waited until she was close enough to inflict damage and tapped-out on the ground with a happy smile on his face.
It was the first time he had ever lost a training fight. And he surrendered with a tender warmth in his chest.

"You admitting defeat, new guy?" she asked.

"To you? Yeah!" Felix grinned and accepted Diana's hand as she held it out to help him up.

All the little sparks that had flown through her while fighting him all gathered at the touch of his hand and exploded in her chest. His eyes widened in surprise too as the same sensation washed over him.

"Mine," he breathed, barely audible.

Diana blinked hard, trying to clear her head before turning to the rest of her deltas. Her heart was pounding and her nose was filled with the earthy floral scent of him. She looked at Felix again and drew a deep, calming breath.

"Recruit Felix. Welcome to the squad," she said calmly before stepping away.

Felix admired her strength and her calm distance. He had no idea how she did it but she somehow maintained her superior position and graceful poise while he was stood there feeling ready to melt at the knowledge that she was his.

"Has anyone been on borderpatrol this morning?" she asked Pete calmly.

Pete shook his head, seeing how she needded to figure out what just happened.

"I'll do north border. The rest of you spread out, mark the territory and report back on any activity. With Akela and Kira here, there may be North pack members interested in Kira's child. Abel will adopt him, but until then, we're on alert," Diana ordered.

"Ehmm," Felix muttered, feeling like a child.

Diana turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know how to address you..." Felix stuttered.

"Delta Diana," Pete grinned in barely hidden amusement.

"Ma'am. Delta. There might be some deltas from the north on their way, but most of them are honest guys. I had help getting Kira free. They wanted a better life as well," Felix said carefully.

Diana gave him a doubtful look.

"We were fighters, but we never actually fought anyone. Most of the time it was a case of intimidating farmers into paying the Alpha tribute for his 'protection'....which we were supposed to provide... against ourselves," Felix shrugged with obvious disdain.

Diana rubbed between her eyebrows with a finger.

"Right. Pete! Go north. The rest of you, spread out," she sighed.

The deltas removed clothes and started shifting to patrol.

"New guy. Stay. I need more info on these buddies of yours," Diana muttered signalling Felix to stay behind.

There were smirks and chuckles as the rest of the Deltas prepared for patrol and one by one ran into the woods.

"So..." Diana asked.

Felix stood straight in respectful attention, painfully aware of his mates proximity and her hierarchical position.

Carefully he lifted his eyes from the floor and looked at her through his eyelashes. She was stood there staring at him. Her mouth in a tight line and the rest of her not revealing any emotions.
But he felt her heartbeat in sync with his. And he sensed her utter confusion and her urge to touch him.

"If they show up... I'll help you... tell you if they can be trusted," he mumbled once the silence became awkward.

Diana's face cracked into a mischievous smile that had Felix's heart bouncing.
Slowly, she walked right up to him. Almost touching. Circling him a couple of times. Her eyes taking in every detail of him while her guts were seconds from erupting into a joyous butterfly party. The energy between them was strong enough to make her feel alive and at home. He was following her movements, feeling the same tension in the air and fighting an urge to just grab her and... he had never wanted anything as bad as he wanted her touch in that moment.
She finally stopped in front of him with a cheeky smile.

"I kicked your ass..." she grinned.

He gave a satisfied smile back and nodded.

"I don't know how to do this... but I promise you will always kick my ass," he grinned back at her.

Her head tilted slightly to the side. He still held his at-ease position with his hands behind him and straight back. But his eyes were fixed on hers with a small smile and a fair amount of fear.

"Alpha Preston used to keep me away from the mating ceremonies..." he said.

"What?" Diana frowned, wondering if she had missed out on some information.

"Twice a year... the neighbouring towns and packs would send unmated females to our barracks and our unmated males could choose his mate. Sometimes only for that night. I wasn't allowed to take part because of my dad running off with Kira and Akela's mum," he explained quietly.

Diana gave no response.

"...so basically... I don't know how to do this. Am I supposed to kneel to you? Are there words I should say?" Felix asked.

Diana gave a short giggle. The sound felt like summer rain on his skin.

His hand went up to stroke her cheek. The skin looked so inviting and he couldn't resist.

"I didn't even know there were true mates..." he whispered softly.

"Well... obviously there are and you are mine," Diana laughed.

"And you are far more than I deserve..." Felix mumbled.

He hadn't noticed how his hand held her steady and he had lowered his face until her hand reached up to his face and tugged him to her. Her lips under his were so soft. So giving.
They both sighed with the connection forming and following the instinct, there was no doubt that they belonged together.
Felix sighed into her, as if he was comfortable for the first time of his life.
Diana gave him herself in a way she had never imagined. His lips were soft, tentative and demanding at the same time and there was nothing in the world more important than the two of them and the tender kiss they shared. Somehow he had backed her up towards a tree and his hands were on her waist while their lips moved together.

"Right... so that's how you train the deltas... no wonder they are so loyal!" Abel laughed, interrupting the two of them.

Felix struggled to end the kiss. He wanted to but couldn't just stop. Slowly he drew away to see Diana grinning.

"I'm sorry, Beta..." he mumbled.

"Nah. Diana seems to enjoy it," Abel chuckled at the way Diana's fingers had woven in with Felix's hair. Her face was a mix between a frown and a smile.

"I thought he might be yours..." Abel grinned.

Both Diana and Felix looked confused.

"We cross territory borders and he starts sniffing the air. I figured he'd sensed his mate. And then I get home and you're sniffing our laundry and asking about spring flowers!" Abel chuckled.

Diana gave him a warning look while Felix looked at her with unhidden worship.

"So... I guess I'll have to ask Alpha's permission... and your father," he said softly.

"Nope. Diana does her own thing. You ask her permission and if she accepts you, the family will approve," Abel smiled.

Felix looked at Diana with a questioning look.

She simply squeezed his hand in return.

"Right. Let's go. Gerry wants to see you about a disturbance in the force. I suggest you bring your boy toy," Abel smirked.

Diana held Felix's hand firmly as they entered the main house. She sensed his nervous reaction to meeting the Alpha. On top of being included in the delta troop and finding his mate, things were happening a bit fast.

Out of the kitchen, Nia appeared in her usual under-dressed state. She stopped, measuring Felix up and down before letting her seductive smile and held out hand signal her open interest.

"Paws to yourself, Nia!" Diana snarled with surprising amount of jealous venom.

Nia's eyebrows shot up in surprise before she scowled back.

"Mine!" Diana growled, clutching Felix's hand even harder.
He couldn't stop the smile if he tried.

"Don't get cocky..." Diana warned him.

Nia looked between them with a frown, seeing the unhidden admiration for Diana on Felix's face.

"I just can't believe my luck," he grinned.

"Mine!" Diana declared and he nodded happily back.

"Yours!" He replied.

Nia scoffed at them and left.

"Let's see what Gerry wants..." Diana said, trying to overcome the fact that she had just gone possessive.
She tried to overlook the slightly smug look on the man next to her as she took a step in.

"Wait..." Felix said, suddenly nervous.

She stopped and saw the worried face.

"Umm. I arrived here just a few days ago. And I met Alpha Gervais at the border. And then I went to join the delta squad. And I met you... and I've never been so happy about anything... because I didn't believe in true mates and... well... it's you! And now I'm about to meet your family and ask them to accept me as a pack member and a delta AND your mate..." he babbled.

Diana gave him a devilish grin.

"Who said I'll keep you. I might decide to reject you," she taunted.
Felix shook his head slowly.

"I didn't mean to presume... Delta prime.." he mumbled with a crimson blush at his own lack of respect.

Her laughter was a mix of victorious and amused as she took a step close enough to give him a peck on the cheek.

"You're cute..." she grinned and dragged his surprised self into the living room where most of the family were.

"Felix!" Akela cheered happily and came to give him a hug.

"Are you here to become a permanent pack member?" Kira asked from her seat on the floor with Helios, Felan and Luna River.

"...wait.." Akela smirked with a look to where Diana's hand was still woven in with Felix's.

"Looks like he did more than just integrate into the Delta squad," Kira chuckled at a laughing River.

"Which means that once you've spoken to Gerry, you might want to have a word with Mum and Dad," Zion grinned.

"Shut up," Diana muttered, her face brightly blushing.

Felix looked at her and thought he had never seen anything so cute in his entire life. He admired her poise and strngth as Delta prime, but here she was all awkward teenager and softly feminine. And it was because of him.

Her eyes shot up at him with a frown.

"I have a feeling I'm going to lose some sleep over you," Felix smirked.

Diana rolled her eyes and dragged him on among mutterings of dumbass family.

Outside an office door, she stopped, turned and started adjusting Felix's clothes and hair.

He stood still, admiring the focused look on her face until her eyes met his.

"You're staring at me!" she accused.

"And you're fussing..." he grinned.

"I just... I just want my brother to like you..." she mumbled shyly.

Felix just smiled back. His heart felt like it had grown several sizes in the past hour. Every time he looked at her, the need to protect her and be with her grew. Somehow he knew that inside the hard delta exterior, she was sentimental and silly and girly. And he couldn't wait to get to know all those parts of her. Mental images of the two of them together were becoming clearer in his mind and all he wanted was to be with her forever.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

It didn't cover anything of what he actually thought, but it was a start.

Diana made a little doubtful scrunch of her face before donning the serious delta mask and opening the office door.

Over by the desk were Gervais and Archer Connor.

"Ah. Di! I felt a shift in pack dynamics and thought I had to ask..." Gervais started but stopped as he saw Felix's hand in hers.

Archer lifted an eyebrow.

"I know I'm only 18 and I know he's new here, but... " Diana started.

Gervais held up a hand to stop her and Diana instantly let go of Felix's hand and stood to attention. Felix followed her example as Gervais came up to him.

"I sense your allegiance to my sister. What are your plans?" Gervais asked him.

"I was going to pledge to your pack as a full member. My sisters are both mated to your Betas, Alpha," Felix answered calmly.

"And now you've bonded with Diana... Does it bother you that she will be your superior as Delta Prime?" Gervais asked.

Felix sent a sideways little smile towards Diana.

"Not at all, Alpha. Her strength makes me proud to be her mate," Felix replied.

Archer studied him for a moment before nodding.

"Diana, your aceptance letter for the Police academy came through," He said.

Diana did a spontaneous little skip.

"It did? I'm in?" she asked and her father nodded proudly.

Felix tried not to reveal any confusion, but Gervais smirked.

"It seems your young mate is committed to three years of training to become a police officer in the human town," Gervais said evenly.

Felix nodded in approval.

"She doesn't need my blessing, but she has it" Felix smiled.

Diana looked at him with a frown.

"Alpha Ezekiel said that if mountain air doesn't suit me, there is a spot open as a firefighter recruit. With your permission, Alpha I would like to be near my mate while she does her training," Felix said seriously.

Diana cocked her head towards him.

"I won't ask you to seal the bond yet. But three years away from you is going to drive me crazy," he smiled softly.

Archer laughed at the them.

"Right... I'll ask Zeke if the two of you can live above the garage..." He chuckled.

"Which means there's only one more thing left to do," Gervais said and held out his hand.

Felix took it and bowed his head in respect.

"I pledge loyalty and allegiance to you as my Alpha. This pack is my home. This is where my family are," Felix declared calmly, as if he had rehearsed what to say.

Gervais nodded back with a grin.

"And... if you hurt my sister, you're banished," he said with a taunting grin.

Felix looked at Diana with a soft smile before returning to look at Gervais.

"I haven't got much to offer her. What you see in front of you is all I have. My soul is already hers," Felix said.

Gervais gave another nod and for a few seconds Felix felt as if there was no air in the room, only to have it rush back with a pack connection to at least 50 other people. His heart seemed to be connected even closer to Diana's while his mind was inextricably linked to Gervais as his Alpha and Archer as the Alpha's father.