Chapter three

The car was dead quiet as we drove on the golden lit road. The sun was just about setting, and reds and golds lit up the sky. The only noise was the soft background music from my phone’s random music selection. I heard the soft thudding at the back of my mind which my subconscious told me was Melissa’s heartbeat. My own heart didn’t know what to do.

At first, it beat normally loud but then it picked up speed or increased its volume. I let out a silent breath and placed my head on the warm window.

“Tessa…” Melissa started. I looked at her from under my lashes and watched as she tried to put together what to say. She took a deep breath and put a serious face on while still looking at the road.

“I don’t know what’s come over me for the past few days. All I can think about is your lips and the way I can please you, Tessa. I know I’m not your mate and we’ve been friends for as long as I can remember but I still want to carry on doing whatever it is we’re doing,” she said, and she sneaked a glance in my direction.

I saw her bite her lip.

“Please say something, Tessa.”

“I also want to carry on whatever we are doing as long as you promise me that it never comes in between us, and no one finds out. Ever.” I said slowly and saw her face glow. I smiled and felt her looking at me.

“Fuck Tessa we’re sharing a room. How am I supposed to keep my hands off you when you look so good and delicious,” she said licking her lips.

I dug my nails onto the palm of my hand because my wolf was screaming my brain cells out and my body was anticipating the things that might go down in the hotel.

“But what about the mysterious pack that is killing off our biggest and strongest packs? We must fight, we need to fend for our pack.” I said, standing up. My cheeks grew warm slightly with all eyes staring at me in shock. It was the first time I’d spoken since the council meeting had started and I stood up straight and proud.

The elder at the head of the circular table had her thin-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose with her eyes drilling into me.

“Ahem. If I may?” The voice made me shiver and sent tingles throughout my whole body. I even felt it in places that me as red as a tomato thinking about it.

Everyone’s eyes averted from me to the tall male on the opposite side of the huge table. His sharp grey suit fitted his frame perfectly outlining the muscles on his body. His dark eyes looked at the elder, waiting for the nod to continue what he wanted to say. He then looked at me and I bit my lip shyly and blushed slightly pink.

He smirked and I nearly melted to the floor.

He adjusted his tie and clasped his hands together.

“Elder did not say you shouldn’t defend yourself or the pack from other wolves but what she meant was that too many of our kind is dying and the humans are getting very suspicious. We don’t need a bunch of humans snooping around pack land especially with the mating moon coming up in a month’s time.”

The other people around the table whispered in hushed voices and others nodded. I thought about it and realized the handsome man across the table had a good point. I nodded and sat back down next to Melissa who looked at me with wide eyes. I gave her a small smile and heard something like a deep growl in the distance but shoved it aside.

The meeting went on during the course of the night and I couldn’t help but feel a pair of dark eyes on me the entire time. Melissa must have felt my uncomfortable vibes because she’d placed her cool hand on my thigh under the table.

“Mate.”

I heard my wolf say quietly and I looked up and looked towards the undeniably good-looking wolf on the other side of the table. He must have felt my prying eyes and his head turned to look right at me. Emotion flashed across his features and I breathed in deeply at the sudden craving of having his arms around me.

It was already one in the morning and the elder rang the brass bell signaling the ending of the meeting. We all stood and bowed our heads as she exited the room. The rest of us (over one hundred and forty-five people) gathered our papers and began filing out of the room to their hotel accommodation on the upper level. Melissa gave me a warm smile and I gave one in return.

My eyes searched vigorously for the man in the grey suit. I felt my heart flutter in sadness, maybe he left. My wolf whimpered and the little sliver of hope that I might have found my mate dissolved into the depressing air that floated around me.

We were one of the few people left to leave and made our way to our room on the top floor.