AN'
ere laser sharp and I'd always won every practice round. But toda
e to land a blow on my arm, a feat that wo
yes widening in sur
ore he could launch into apologies.
ow furrowed in concern. "Are you cert
ated, my voice
rned to leave, leaving me al
clothes. My reflection in the mirror showed a man sculpted for power - broad shoulders,
efore your 30th moonrise. For if you remain unmat
adline, the curse that threatened not just m
s 29, only a year left unt
of finding a mate. Every interaction, every inspection, were
t me, finding my mate
door startled me from my th
entered. Her eyes widened at the sight of my bare chest, I cou
arely a whisper. "Your Majesty, I was instr
her a c
onight, Your Majesty?" she ask
None of it mattered. Tonight was about finding a solution, not
," I instructed, my
y by it with forced smile. "Of course, Your Majes
s her. Omegas – weak, powerless, forever on the fringes of pack hie
ningless right now. It wouldn't solve my prob
irmly. Without another word,
inning room to join my parents. The aroma of roasted boar a
assorted meals. My parents, King Edmund and Queen Daisy, sat at the
r said, her voice laced with rel
t a chair a
laced with worry. "You look troub
t a long day, Mother.
"Is everything alright f
ng is in order, Father. I am prep
ising prospect. We've heard good things about his pack,
osing my words carefully, "but what if I'm not com
ity and true love is important, of cou
out the perfect mate. It wasn't just any mate I needed; it had t
r options solely to Derek's pack. There are ot
g packs for a year now. Every promising lead has come to nothing.
's all I had left before the curse
er," I replied, my
alone. Discussing the details, the possibi
to Alpha Derek's pack. As I arrived, the welcomi
n his face. His eyes, however, held something akin to nervousn
extending a hand in greeting. "We are honored by your
e polite but firm. "Thank you for your hospitality. I t
sured me, his smile disappearing for a second. "
ces were mixed with curiosity and trepidation. I nodded, engaging i
he one who held the title of De
r mate isn't present
a grimace. He hesitated for a moment, his eye
w where she
liar. The nervous glances exchanged amon
s power structure. Her absence, espe
ence of your mate during an official inspection is. u
o speak, but no sound ca
oubling you regarding your mate's absence? If there's been an incident, a threat,
ore, then leaned in. "It's Serena. My mate. My
d her then