Damien said, "So, are you going to talk about it, or do I have to actually ask?" We had just finished meeting with Alpha Langston and his Beta. We'd agreed on a plan of attack regarding the hunter problem after only two hours of debating strategy.

I sighed. I guessed this was inevitable. "You might as well tell Lily you'll be a minute," I said, opening the bottom drawer of my desk. Damien looked confused as I pulled out a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. I poured us each a drink, handing him his.

"Well, this is going to be interesting if we need this," he said, raising his glass in a toast. We both took a sip and sat in silence for a moment.

"Alright, tell me," he finally said.

I sighed again. "Do you remember my seventeenth birthday?"

"Vaguely."

"I found my mate that night."

"WHAT?" he exclaimed.

"Just wait. Let me finish," I said, pausing to take another drink. "It was Azalea. Yes, the traitor girl. I left the party early and went to the kitchen. She came in for some ice, and I knew."

He nodded. We both knew what discovering your mate felt like.

"I was immediately filled with dread. I knew my parents would never accept her, and we all thought she was essentially human. No legitimate Alpha has a human mate. I thought the Moon Goddess had made a monumental mistake. I didn't say anything to her, but my wolf was frantic. I don't believe she was quite seventeen, so she couldn't feel the bond yet. That night, I snuck into her room." I paused, swallowing hard.

"We were so wrong to her. We treated her terribly; I can't imagine how she survived this place."

"I can't say it was our finest hour," he agreed.

"Anyway, it was awful. She had bruises and cuts; she was so small. I knew I had to protect her before anyone found out. So, I devised a plan. The next morning, I went to my father and convinced him she was too much of a distraction. I suggested we show mercy and send her to the human town. He said that since it was my idea, I would have to take her." I sighed. "Ha. Later, he told me I'd make a great Alpha if I could show mercy to those who didn't deserve it, in times that called for it. If he only knew."

"So, the girl at the Inn, that was Azalea?"

"Yes, it was. I took her there that night. I gave her some money—Gwen had taken everything she owned—and I paid for her room for a couple of weeks. When I took her to the room, I rejected her. I thought I was keeping her safe, getting her out of here and away from the pack. I figured the human town would be safer than making her a rogue."

"That's probably true. I can't imagine such a small girl being cast out as a rogue. She wouldn't have survived a month," he said. I nodded.

I finished my drink and poured another before continuing. "Here's the thing: she never accepted the rejection. For the last three years, our mate bond has remained." Damien looked horrified. He was probably thinking about everything Gwen had gone through when she didn't accept rejection.

"If I had known… I would never have… I just didn't know. I thought she knew how to accept it and would have as soon as she read my note. But she didn't." Tears welled up.

"It's okay, man. You didn't know. So, what now? Is that where you've been disappearing to?"

I sighed. "Yes. After we saw her and I told you I needed a run, I went back to her. I saw her in her little apartment at the back of the Inn. After that, I came back—"

"And you were a raging asshole for like three days!" he interrupted.

"Yes, I was. I didn't know what was going on. I shouldn't have recognized her as my mate. Anyway, she finally called and asked me to come back to talk. So I went. She took me into her apartment so we could talk privately. Surprisingly, she let me hold her. She even asked me to lie with her for a while. She said something about not feeling well…" I trailed off, took a sip of my drink, and continued.

"We ended up falling asleep in her bed. When she woke up, there was a guy at her door."

"The one who took the kid from her arms?"

"Yes, that guy. I made it clear she was busy. After he left, we talked. I told her I was still feeling the mate bond, and I think it overwhelmed her. I agreed to come back the next day with my uncle, hoping we could get some answers. I mean, leaving a rejection in limbo for three years, with a she-wolf who has never shifted, no less."

"Whew… man, this is getting rough…"

"Well, there's more. So, I brought my uncle the next day. He thinks her wolf is suppressed but still there. He asked me to give him some time to do some research. He also thinks we can strengthen the mate bond, and it might help her wolf reemerge. I ended up staying the rest of the day. I met her friend, who doesn't approve of me much, and we sort of had it out in the woods."

"You took her to the woods to yell at her? Moron…"

"Hey! That's not what happened. We went to the woods because I was pissed off that the stupid guy kept showing up, and he obviously has eyes for my mate! Then we ended up arguing a bit when I told her what my uncle told me!" I fumed. He raised his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, man. Go on."

"That was a couple of days ago. When I left her, I told her to call me the next night so I could handle pack business. When we finally talked, I got her to agree to a date."

"That's where you disappeared to yesterday?"

"Yes. And man, it was probably the most amazing night of my life. I know she has doubts; she should, after everything. But I can't even tell you what being with her all day was like. She was relaxed and not scared of me. She didn't call me Alpha or stutter. She giggled and smiled. She even asked me to stay the night."

"And that's where you were when I called you?"

"Yes, I had just woken up and was about to go find her. She had gone to the Inn to make breakfast."

"Well, that was a lot to take in…" he said.

"I don't know what to do next. I don't know if I could ever convince her to come back here. I can't run the pack from there, either. I don't know if I could reject her again, even if she begged me to. But I can't say for sure the pack would accept her if they knew who she was."

"Well, you could have that going for you. I sure as hell didn't realize who she was. She's decidedly different now."

I glared at him. "You know we can't pretend she isn't who she is."

"I know, man. I wish I could tell you what to do. But honestly, Liam, I don't know. I do know it's going to be a long night. And we need to be patrolling the border before sundown. So right now, I think we need to go back to our rooms and get some sleep."

I nodded. "You're right. I need to focus on the pack before I figure out what to do about Azalea." He set his glass down, stood up, and moved towards the door. He paused.

"We'll figure this out, man. You deserve the mate you want, and if you want Azalea, then I'll help you however I can. Give her a call. Let her know you're okay and promise to call her tomorrow," he said over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Damien," I said. I really did have the best friend an Alpha could ask for. "Go spend some time with Lily. We have a hunter to catch tonight."

He left my office. I slumped in my chair and ran my hands over my face. I sat there considering calling Azalea. It had only been a few hours since I'd left, and I was sure she was busy. I'd taken her away from most of her workday yesterday.

Sighing, I decided to talk to my uncle first to see if he had any updates. "Hey Uncle Ron, got a sec?" I linked him.

"Anything for my favorite nephew," he replied sarcastically. I was his only nephew.

"Have you found anything out about Azalea? Or our bond?" I asked.

"Impatient as ever, boy. Nothing yet. Has there been any change with the two of you?"

"Well, maybe. Azalea asked me to stay with her last night."

"When you two interact, how does she physically respond?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mates should be a source of comfort. You have a special ability to calm each other, soothe your wolf sides as well. Does she relax when you touch her? Maybe lean into you?"

"Yes, I think she does. She mentioned she slept better when I was with her. She also called me when she was scared. She cried for a bit, but I held her, and she calmed down."

"Interesting. And how is Gavin when she is near?"

"He's constantly demanding we mate immediately. I'm having to fight him for control sometimes."

"But other than the urge to mate with Azalea, how is his demeanor?"

"Actually, he's calmer and more focused when we see her. The longer we stay away, the more restless and reckless he becomes."

"Just as I thought," he said.

"Care to explain?"

"I think her wolf is slowly going to reemerge as you two fix your bond. You and Gavin may be the key to bringing her wolf forward."

"So, she feels the bond?"

"I'd say yes if she's seeking you for comfort. She doesn't strike me as someone who's sought comfort from anyone since her parents died. I'm sure she's warring with herself, feeling this pull to you while her mind tells her not to get comfortable."

"So, what do I do?"

"Again, I have no real answers. My opinion? Keep spending time with her. Let the mate bond flourish at her pace. Be there if she asks you to be. If she pushes you away, don't get angry. Give her space if she needs it."

"Okay. Let me know if you find out anything. Thanks, Uncle. I appreciate your candor."

"Of course. Be careful. I may pop up to see Miss Azalea soon."

"Sure. Thanks."

I leaned back and breathed. I wished we knew more about her wolf. I'd just have to keep trying and keep Gavin patient.

I looked at the clock. I wasn't tired but had about eight hours until the hunter patrol. I wondered what she was doing. An idea struck me: she doesn't have a cellphone. I could fix that.

After about thirty minutes, I arranged for a courier to bring her a new phone that evening. Smiling, I decided to call her before trying to sleep. I dialed the Inn's number, hoping she'd be at the front desk.

"Blue Moon Inn, this is Azalea. How can I help you today?" her cheerful voice answered.

"Hello, beautiful," I said.

"Liam?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes, sweetheart. It's me."

"Hi. What are you doing?" she asked, sounding pleased.

"Getting ready for some Alpha business tonight. I was thinking about you, so I thought I'd see how your day is going," I said.

"That's so sweet. I'm doing wonderful. Yesterday was amazing, and I feel wonderful today. I've already caught up on chores; I'm thinking about making a caramel mousse cake for dinner service tonight," she said excitedly.

"Wow. It sounds like you're having a pleasant day. I wish I could taste that cake."

She giggled. That sound was music. "Well, I could save you some or make you something special next time we see each other."

"Mmmm. Next time?"

"Uh, yes. I was hoping to see you again soon," she said shyly.

"That would be my absolute pleasure. When is your next day off, kitten?"

"Let me see; today is Saturday… I think Tuesday."

"What if I can't wait that long to see you again, Azalea," I said seductively.

I could hear a small gulp. "Well… uh…"

I chuckled. "What if I came to have dinner at the Inn tomorrow? Any special treats from the sweet girl who works there?" I flirted. It was like high school, except I'd never had to work this hard before.

She giggled again. "It could be arranged. Any requests?"

"Hmmm. Well, I love chocolate and peanut butter," I said.

"I can work with that."

"So, it's a date?"

"Yes," she said, and again I could hear her smile.

"One more thing, you have a present coming this evening by courier. They're bringing it to the front desk. See you tomorrow, Azalea," I said seductively.

"Goodbye, Liam," she said sweetly. She hung up. I smiled. Knowing I would see her soon made my heart race.

"Let's get this damn hunter and get to our mate!" Gavin cheered in my head. "If I catch him, you have to let me out to talk to her!"

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but uh, no."

"What do you mean no?"

"I can't guarantee you won't scare her off. So, you'll just have to wait! But yes, let's get this hunter." Gavin huffed. He'd be okay; it wasn't like I wasn't struggling, too. Everything about that woman turned me on, and I was fighting every fiber of my being not to throw her on the bed and take her.

"Soon," I told him. "Soon. She'll accept us, and we'll make her Luna. I promise."

"You better not screw this up for us…" he whined.

"Yeah. I better not…" I thought.