A whirlwind of questions about that night occupied my mind even as I made my way to Valoria and the Drogomor Pack a few days later.
I knew that if he was my mate, he wouldn’t have felt the mate bond and had no clue. But why had I woken up alone in my room instead of next to him in the forest? What happened to him, and why couldn’t I rember how I got back to my room?
I took a deep breath, gathering my resolve as my car wound up the long, tree-lined driveway toward the grand mansion of the Drogomor pack.
I reminded myself that this eting would be the biggest opportunity of my career.
I parked and approached the intricately carved front doors, which swung open as I ascended the steps.
A tall man in a crisp suit greeted with a polite smile. He had an air of confidence, though was quite relaxed. There was minimal scarring on his fair skin, and his brown hair was slicked back stylishly.
He said, "Welco, Miss Star. I’m Caleb, Beta to Alpha Heir Noah Black. Please follow . They are expecting you in the west wing sitting room." With that, we were off through the mansion.
I smoothed the fancy dress I wore for the occasion and followed Caleb through the marble-floored entry and down a series of richly furnished hallways.
Caleb paused at an ornate mahogany door, knocking once before entering. "Miss Zara Star, my Luna.” He looked at . “With her is the Alpha Heir, Noah Black.”
I stepped into the room. At the window overlooking verdant gardens stood a gentleman who was imposing even from behind in an expensive black suit. He turned, piercing blue eyes eting mine, his sculpted face unsmiling.
Beside him sat a lovely woman I guessed to be Luna Estella, Noah’s stepmother. Estella rose with a gracious smile. "Welco, Zara! We’re so pleased you’ve co."
I dipped my head respectfully. "The honor is mine. Thank you for inviting into your lovely ho."
Noah said nothing, simply studying in an intense way that made my pulse quicken. There was no doubt this man was used to being in command.
As I looked at him, I felt electricity in the air, a tension that I just couldn’t identify.
Estella waved a hand. "Please sit. As you know, we’ve asked you here because we hope you can help our son Noah find his mate. He is a little... reluctant, as Alphas can be. But we know your talents."
I sat gracefully, folding my hands. "I’m happy to help however I can. Finding one’s true mate is life’s greatest blessing." My words gushed with passion for my work. Then, I glanced toward Noah. "Though... the road there can be challenging at tis."
Noah’s eyes glinted, a hint of amusent breaking through his stoic deanor. Caleb and Estella relaxed visibly.
I hid a smile. Perhaps working with this Alpha would be easier than I thought.
Before we dove in, I asked, “Will we be eting the Alpha as well?”
Noah narrowed his eyes and visibly winced, his eyes far away and a frown twisting on his face.
Hm, was it sothing I said?
Estella let out a soft sigh, giving Noah a concerned stare before refocusing on . “No,” she replied. “He is away on pack business. He will be return within the week.” After my nod, we continued to dive into the details.
During this, a woman with similar features to Noah peeked into the room. She looked toward Noah and then her eyes found . She smirked and said in a teasing tone, “She really is the matchmaker? I don’t know which one of you to pity more.”
Noah snorted, rolling his eyes. I could tell he was trying not to smile, though.
She then looked toward . “Angelica Black,” she introduced herself as she seed to size up.
“Zara Star,” I replied, shaking her hand.
She gave a pitying look as she waltzed in. “All I have to say is, good luck.”
Estella pursed her lips and said, “That’s enough, Angelica.”
Angelica put her hands up in surrender.
I looked at Noah. "Well, if you’re ready to get started, we can find soplace where we can work one on one and go over the docunts I’ve brought."
He stepped forward. "Absolutely, I know the perfect spot.”
The tone of his voice caused to furrow my brow, especially as Caleb shot Luna Estalla an uncertain glance.
“Are you sure you can’t work here with all of us?”
I hesitated as I took in her look of concern.
“No, it’s better if I can fully focus on my client.”
Estella nodded. "Of course. Noah, we’ll see you at dinner."
Noah gave his stepmother a polite nod as Angelica wiggled her fingers in humorous farewell. Stepping toward , he placed a hand lightly on my back, guiding from the room.
A strong unexpected surge rushed through , but I didn’t have much ti to ponder why.
Once out of the room, Noah firmly gripped my arm and steered into a deserted hallway.
A nervous energy billowed in my gut as I began to wonder if I should work with a shifter who felt it was okay to manhandle won. The feeling intensified when he led into an empty study and shut the heavy door behind us.
I thought to say sothing to him about it, but my mouth clamped shut as he turned toward with a blazing gaze.
I felt myself instantly go breathless and swallowed into a tightening throat. I instinctively backed up toward a bookshelf, very keen on self preservation as I locked eyes with him, watching for his next move.
Noah stalked toward as I tried to distance myself, easily closing the gap between us. One eyebrow ticked upward as he followed until my back pressed into the shelf.
I held my breath, tilting my chin up boldly as he braced one hand on the bookshelf beside my head.
My wolf whimpered, tugging on my senses as her emotions seed just as confused as mine.
What was he trying to do?
"I don’t really have ti for all of this, little matchmaker.” His voice was a low intimidating growl.
I raised a brow.
“Oh, I know. That is why I am here, to help you save the ti it would normally take to find the right mate. We just have a tiny bit of up front work and–”
Noah scoffed, shaking his head slowly, breaking my train of thought as his eyes narrowed.
“No,” he murmured.
“No?”
“I’m not interested.”
I opened my mouth to say sothing, and his eyes quickly shifted the heat of his gaze to my lips, silencing .
“I don’t want to waste your ti... and I certainly don’t want you to waste mine on this... matchmaking project. I have real work to do.”
I blinked several tis, catching his implication that my work wasn’t real. I began to protest, but he lifted his free hand and pressed a finger to my lips.
“I have no intention of cooperating with this sche. But, I see my parents are very motivated to see with sobody. No need to drag innocent girls into this.”
He looked up and with a smirk. “I like what I see. So, why waste your ti trying to find soone else?”
“What? Wait a second. I hope you’re not suggest–”
He interrupted with a tsk, his tone morphing into one that was deliciously seductive. Shit. He was.
“Oh, I am very serious. You’re young, healthy, smart and at least one of my types. We could cut out all of the complicated business. Just match with yourself. My parents will be happy and no one has to get hurt.” he purred.
“What?!” My heart hamred wildly in my chest, my eyes widening. He leaned toward my ear, sending shivers down my spine as his breath ghosted over my skin.
His scent of pine and vanilla engulfed . His piercing eyes searched mine.
“You heard ,” he whispered, his tone smooth with alluring as he traced his thumb over my jaw. “Why don’t you just match with yourself and let’s call it a day?”
My mory flashed, reminding of the true primal and instinctual connection I had with the shifter in the woods and the golden threads around the next morning. That shifter had to be my mate. Noah Black certainly wasn’t that shifter.
“What do you say?” he asked confidently, looking as if he fully expected to say yes.
I began to feel annoyed. If this assignnt weren’t so important to my future, I would have slapped him and called it a day.
I matched the intensity of his seductive gaze with my own challenging stare.
"The only way for you to get rid of , Noah Black, is to grow up and get married... to your mate."
The taunting humor in his eyes vanished as his expression darkened.
I nimbly slipped under his arm, putting distance between us.
I smiled at him politely. "I have had a long trip and need so rest. We will go over your next steps tomorrow, Noah Black."
***
I was still catching my breath, trying to recover from my first eting with Noah Black.
A knock on the door got my attention and I hurried to answer it and found Angelica there.
“Hello again,” she said. “Are you rethinking this or do you think you can help my brother?”
“I’ll do my best,” I said, giving a faint smile.
“When I get my wolf, I promise to be a much easier client.” She gave a bright smile. “I tease him a lot, but I really do hope to see him happy.”
I patted her arm reassuringly.
“So... why matchmaking?” she asked.
“Well,” I said. “My mother and father had a wonderful relationship. They are part of the last generation that could feel the matebond and knew their true mates. Seeing them together always made happy. I feel lucky that I can help others find the sa kind of happiness.”
“Oh,” Angelica said dreamily. “What’s your favorite mory of them together? Sothing that really told you how beautiful true mates are?”
“I can’t say it was just one thing. Watching them together in quiet monts or during pack festivals, the way they worked together and laughed together–there was this one ti when we all went camping. I distinctly rember my mother teasing my father.”
“I see,” Angelica said, chuckling.
“He was trying to take a picture of a hummingbird on a lake while hanging from a tree at a weird angle. He almost fell in four tis. My mom insisted it was five.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at that mory.
“Later that night, after they had tucked into bed in the tent, I woke up briefly and peeked outside. By the glowing fire, I saw Mom and Dad slow dancing together, swaying gently and gazing into each other’s eyes. They seed lost in their own private world, and I could see the golden threads of their matebond.”
“Wow, it’s like a fairytale,” Angelica breathed and I smiled. “It’s getting late, and I know you’ll need all your strength to deal with Noah tomorrow. So, I’ll go and we can chat so more tomorrow.”
“I would like that,” I said, seeing her to the door and then getting ready for bed.
It wasn’t until years after that camping trip when Niva heard of my gift and recruited for the academy that I realized I could hone my gift and use that power to see those threads and help others find the sa magical bond my parents had.
I knew so people may have thought it was silly or not really important. But just like a good match is magical, a bad match could truly be devastating.
I sighed as I thought of Noah. As a future Alpha, he of all people should have known the importance of finding the right Luna and producing more heirs.
Why he was so stubbornly against the idea of even trying, I didn’t know. I still couldn’t believe he tried to make a deal with .
Mulling over what happened, I sighed. I drew my blanket up around .
My thoughts turned away from Noah to that night in the woods with that mysterious man. The sheer passion we shared was so visceral and wonderful and so natural. I didn’t even know his na, but I missed him.
“Where are you?” I wondered aloud, and I tried but failed for the hundredth ti to rember more details from that night. I searched for so clue that would tell where to look. But nothing new ca to . I had fallen asleep in the woods and woke up in my bed.
Anything that happened during those twilight hours between was a mystery. I shivered a little, not liking the implications.
I closed my eyes, trying to sleep even as an increasingly mixed-up feeling settled around .
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