Chapter Twenty-Two

Smoke

No one cared if Titan or I found our mate. The reason for the ball was for our alpha, for Xerxes to provide a luna for the pack—at least according to the council. In my opinion, it was high time we stopped listening to those old men who were stuck in their antiquated ways.

I decided early on to stake out the door and look for the female, though I had my doubts she would come. According to Xerxes, she was shy and even more than that, oppressed. We didn’t know who was abusing her or how even, but the outward signs were clear. She claimed she would be in trouble if she was late. And her physical appearance gave away so much.

Speaking of which, there was a chance her hair would now be purple. Xerxes warned us to keep watch.

If her family had anything to do with it, they would have to answer for those crimes. We would take the matter to the alpha of their pack.

A few people entered all at once, parting to reveal a vision. My wolf reared up inside me, howling, demanding I go over there.

Cross the room and the country and time itself to get to my mate.

My mate.

I should’ve known when Xerxes said that his wolf called out that she was his mate. That made her mine as well. But to hear it coming from the beast inside me, that was nothing short of a miracle.

She wore a striking silver lace dress, contoured and fitted to her body. Her silver hair fell in soft curls down her bare back.

Wynter wore no fancy jewels. No gold or diamonds hung from her ears.

And yet, she captivated everyone in the room.

I broke through the awestruck crowd and moved to stand in front of her. Her cheeks burned with a fierce blush and, as her eyes locked with mine, she gifted me with a hint of a smile. She was the one Xerxes had talked to, the one I’d seen in the meadow, and she was our mate.

“Wynter, my name is Smoke. I would be honored if you would share a dance with me.”

A giggle bubbled from her lips, and she nodded. “I would love to.”

The orchestra played music from another era, and while I didn’t know how to do fancy steps, I would do a whole lot to get my arms around her, and an old-fashioned slow dance was the way to get there.

I’d swept her around the floor twice when Titan cut in. If we were going to share a mate, there would be a lot of that, but I didn’t mind. As they danced away, he said, “I’m so glad you’re Wynter. I was afraid everything was going to fall apart if I had to mate you all by myself.”

Her puzzled expression probably matched mine.

We had two dances each before Xerxes broke away from the parade of females the council was directing toward him and arrived at our side. “I believe it’s my turn.” Our mate melted into his arms as she had mine and Titan’s. We were indeed on to something, and it looked like it was the rest of our lives.