I stared at my reflection, my fingers tickling my neck where the pentagram mark stood out starkly against my naturally pale skin, recently freshened up by my mate. One of the eighty-dollar red lingerie sets was shredded in the wastebasket a few feet away from where I sat at the vanity in the bathroom—the third set to be torn off my body by a very impatient Alpha male.

I had filled in my dark eyebrows and put on some spot concealer for where my stress-pimples were emerging on my cheeks and forehead, but that was all Chloe allowed me to do. I needed to look natural for the ceremony, not made-up like a doll or a runner-up for Miss America, she said. She brushed my hair to make the curls she had made a little looser and softer. I caught her eye in the mirror, my fingers still pressed lightly against my neck.

Chloe smiled at me, "Are you excited?"

"More like terrified," I sighed.

She chuckled. "You'll be all right. It'll be over before you know it."

I swallowed. "Chloe . . . can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, Phoebe."

I hesitated, "Um . . . how . . . how old are you?"

Chloe's hand faltered. "Why do you ask that?"

"Well . . . you're human and you don't look much older than I do, but you talk about being mated to Gerald like you've been together for decades. How is that possible?"

Chloe stared at me, expressionless, for a few seconds before putting down the brush and sliding her body onto the countertop. Her hands rubbed her knees as she took a breath and said, "I was eighteen when Gerald found me. I was at the cinema with my girlfriends. I even remember the movie—It Happened One Night. He was waiting for me outside the theater with a group of men, one of them a cousin to one of the girls I was with. We all went for a drive and then he asked if he could drive me home. I said yes because I felt . . . connected with him. When we got to my house, he asked if he could call on me, and I again said yes.

"Later that night, my father came home drunk, which wasn't uncommon. He struck my mother, which was expected after he'd had a few drinks. When she didn't fight back like she normally did, he came after me. Everything happened so fast—one moment I'm screaming, covering my face with my arms, and the next, a giant wolf bursts through our front window and tackles my father to the floor. I panicked and ran out the front door, in my nightgown and no shoes. Before I made it down the driveway, he had me in his arms and placed me inside his car. I fought like hell, called him every name in the book—including the ones no proper woman should even think about, let alone say aloud."

Chloe's eyes glazed over, as if she was lost in her own thoughts. Her fingers absently toyed with the handle of the brush still in her hand.

"The Sophos doesn't belong to a pack. This is so no Alpha can claim him as one of their pack members, which could be seen as political advantage. He has his own secluded territory in north Texas, where werewolves come to speak to him regularly. The drive from my hometown in California to Texas was a long one; it took us nearly three days in that cramped Rolls Royce to reach his territory. We would stop at motels for nights. I tried to run away countless times, but he always caught me before I even reached the door. I climbed out a window once," she chuckled. "He was already on the ground beneath it, and caught me as I fell."

She finally looked at me. "I was born in the summer of 1916, Phoebe."

My jaw dropped.

"Jesus, you look good for an old lady," came out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

She laughed, her blond hair falling around her shoulders as her head tilted back. "I am human, Phoebe. But I am also mated to a very dominant, very old wolf, just as you are."

I frowned. "Do you know how old Gabriel is?"

Chloe smiled shyly. "I know once Gerald passes, Gabriel will be named Sophos."

My body shook with the chill that rattled down my spine. "Oh my god, he's like a sugar daddy."

Chloe laughed again. "The bond between you and your mate isn't just about emotional and physical symptoms. Your life forces are bound together as well. He doesn't age, so neither will you."

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. "Jesus."

"Nope, just Julie," came a voice from the bathroom door. "Ready to get this shindig going?"

I nodded slowly. "I think I'm gonna puke."

"In the wise words of John: make an appearance now, puke later."

I frowned. "What?"

She waved her hands. "Never mind. It's time to get a move on, young lady."

I took one last long look at my reflection in the mirror. My fair skin almost blended in with the pure white maxi dress that fell to a puddle around my feet. It was a halter dress that cinched at my waist and had slits down both sides of the flowing skirt. It reminded me of a fitted toga that I'd seen in movies about Greek gods and goddesses. It was simple—elegant. I loved it.

Chloe fanned my hair to frame my face before spraying a thin layer of hairspray to keep it all in place. She took my hands and helped me to stand. Her grin calmed my nerves slightly. "You are ready."

"Thank you," I said softly.

She folded my arm around hers and escorted me out of the room, Julie taking my other arm. I clenched her hand tightly and she squeezed mine back reassuringly.

At the front door, Gerald stood in nothing but loose black basketball shorts. Chloe purred on my left, appreciating her mate with hungry eyes. She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "She's in your hands now, my love. Be careful with her."

Chloe placed my hand in Gerald's. With a last encouraging smile, both my friends disappeared out the front door and into the darkest night outside.

"You're shaking."

"No shit," I mumbled.

"You look lovely, Alpha Regina."

"I might puke on you. Fair warning."

"I'll duck," he chuckled. He dropped his formal tone. "Let your instincts control you, Phoebe. That's what the ceremony is all about."

I nodded. "Chloe gave me some helpful tips."

Gerald watched me fidget with my dress with kind, patient eyes. "When you're ready, Alpha Regina."

I took a deep breath to steady my heartbeat. A surge of calm rushed into me, cloaking my body in peace.

I pushed a thought to my mate, Thank you.

His rumbling voice returned to me through our bond, It was purely selfish. I nearly vomited.

I cringed, completely forgetting for a moment that the bond was a two-way street. Sorry, I'm nervous.

I love you, his voice caressed my mind.

My heart fluttered and I couldn't help but smile. I love you.

He faded out of my mind and I looked up at Gerald, the smile still on my face. "I am ready."

. . .

Drums sounded from the distance as Gerald escorted me out of the house and toward a path that cut through the trees that stood solemnly behind the pack house. On the first full moon, Julie and I were locked in the pack house, but we watched all the werewolves slip down the same beaten trail I was now being led toward. That night, Gabriel never came to bed. On the second full moon, I went downstairs at three in the morning to grab some water and I found my mate sleeping on the couch in his office. I never mentioned it to him, but I had a sinking suspicion the full moon affected him more than he was letting on. While werewolves weren't completely bound to the moon, it still called on them, pulling at their basic instincts. I went back to bed and never thought of it again . . . until tonight.

Gerald spoke softly to me. "Chloe told you what to do?"

"Stay quiet and speak only when spoken to? Yeah, she told me," I said with a slight edge in my voice.

Gerald chuckled. "You are the finest Alpha Regina I've had the pleasure to meet."

"You haven't met many Alpha Reginas then, have you?"

He lost his smile. "You'd be surprised," he murmured.

The trees thinned before opening to a large clearing filled with bodies standing shoulder to shoulder. Females wore black shifts; their male counterparts wore basketball shorts not unlike Gerald's. At the center of the clearing stood a long, slanted boulder that jutted out over the crowd, suddenly giving me The Lion King nostalgia. Standing solemn and watchful was my mate, his white shorts hanging dangerously low on his hips. His physique was flawless—my own personal Greek god, with prominent abs and deliciously sculpted large arms. My heart fluttered at the sight of him and as a sudden rush of heat and desire nearly drowned me and tangled with my own lust, the corner of his lips lifted, his eyes showing just how pleased he was with himself. I gave him a look with narrow eyes, but my smile betrayed my intentions.

Gerald led me down an aisle lined with the standing bodies, their eyes watching me carefully. I didn't hesitate to lock eyes with the one woman who didn't look at me with a smile, but rather a deep scowl. I smirked as I passed Ava, her low growl rang clear in my ears. The older man standing beside her yanked on her arm, whispering into her ear to calm herself.

I ascended the rock smoothly, no clumsy missteps for once. Once I reached Gabriel's side, Gerald released my arm. My fingers went numb from wanting to touch my mate, but I remained still, facing the crowd as Gerald began to speak.

"Welcome," his voice echoed throughout the clearing, "to the coronation ceremony of Gabriel Rhys Alexander, Alpha of the Luna Nova pack of Montana. Is there any in this gathering that object to his appointment as Alpha Rex of North America?"

Silence was his answer.

"Then let the ceremony begin." Gerald turned to my mate. "In this forest there resides a predator whose strength nearly matches our own. You must defeat this beast to prove to this gathering that you have the strength to overcome any obstacle. You must present this beast to this gathering to prove you will provide for those you protect. Other contenders for the throne will challenge you throughout this task. Prove yourself worthy, Alpha Gabriel Alexander, and you shall be our king."

He gave Gerald a deep nod, lifting his arm to press his forearm across his chest. "I will completely this task honorably to prove my worth as your king. I will not fail you."

Gerald returned the gesture. "Begin."

Gabriel lifted his head to the full moon above, releasing a howl unlike I've ever heard before, including the day of the Conclave. Men from around the gathering joined in on the howl, all of them Alphas of other packs who travelled here to partake in the ceremony. As if they were of the same mind, they all bolted for the forest at the same time, dozens of men sprinting into the forest amidst the sounds of bones cracking and snarls that turned blood-curdling howls.

Gerald stood beside me as the men disappeared between the trees. "It won't be long now."

"How long will the hunt last?" I asked, my eyes pinned to the spot where I last saw my mate.

Gerald shrugged. "Could be an hour, could be longer. I couldn't tell you for sure."

"If you had to guess . . ." I prompted him.

I could hear the smile in Gerald's voice as he answered, "Gabriel won't keep you waiting."

Two hours passed before a sound came from the other side of the clearing. I stood from the spot the pack doctor demanded I sit in. I crossed the face of the large rock and waited as the soft sound of footsteps breaking twigs and shifting rocks came closer. A large shape broke through the tree line and I nearly collapsed to my knees.

A massive, raven-black wolf stalked toward me. Draped over his wide back was a full-grown black bear that looked like a cub compared to Gabriel's size. My heart gave an involuntary flutter of fear as he stepped onto the rock, and I suddenly realized why Gabriel had told me I would never see him in this form. I knew he would never hurt me, but at the time I asked what he looked like as a wolf, I was freshly marked and our bond was nowhere near as strong as it is now. For me to see him then as he was right now would have frightened me and that fear would have stayed with me.

But now, looking at him in his true form, I couldn't help but release a small purr of satisfaction. An instinct tugged at my stomach, where a child had barely started growing. My mate was strong, dominant—more than capable of protecting our child and myself. We were safe with him.

However, it did weird me out that I was oddly really attracted to him, even though he was currently a wolf.

Gabriel stopped in front of me, dropping his shoulders to roll the bear off his back. It flopped onto the ground a foot away from my bare toes. He bowed his head in offering, which was the signal for me to say the one line I was given for the whole ceremony.

My mouth opened, but before a word could escape, a body barreled into me, knocking me to the ground. I rolled with the blow to my knees, avoiding hitting the ground on my stomach. A fist came toward my right cheek, but I ducked and put distance between me and my attacker. A body of fur suddenly blocked my view, but as Gabriel crouched to attack, his snarl filling the air, I caught a glimpse of my attacker.

Ava glared at me, her eyes alight with rage. "I, Ava Jones, challenge you, Phoebe Carmichael, for the title of Alpha Regina, mate to the Alpha Rex of North America, Gabriel Alexander."

Gabriel snapped at her with his canines, but she didn't back away.

"She has the right," came a grave voice to my left. I looked over at Gerald. He was watching Ava carefully. "She has the right to challenge Phoebe. Even though Phoebe is Gabriel's true mate, she still needs to prove herself worthy of the title, just as he did."

I knew the ceremony couldn't be so easy as a couple words on my part. I slid my hand into Gabriel's fur. He pushed against my body, forcing me to take a few steps back. I pushed him back. He turned to look at me, his body still a shield between Ava and myself.

"I can do this, Gabriel," I whispered, knowing that everyone in the clearing—half of them shocked and the other half downright pissed off—could still hear my words. "Let me do this."

My mate's icy silver eyes pierced my soul as he let out a soft whine, his nose gently poking my abdomen.

"She can't hurt us," I said, a confidence rising within me. "I can do this."

He watched me for a long moment before his large, wet nose tickled the mark on my neck. As he exhaled against my skin, dominance flooded my veins and power vibrated through my entire body. I had pulled on Gabriel's strength before, but what filled me was much stronger than anything I had taken from him before.

I felt my body humming with power before Gabriel stepped back and I saw the power manifesting itself like a silver aura outlining my body. I locked eyes with Ava two seconds before she launched herself at me. My hand lifted on its own accord, my palm meeting her cheek with a loud and painful smack. She was thrown onto the flat surface of the rock, her knees scraping against the smaller rocks scattered across its face as she skidded to a stop. She looked at me with pure shock, her hand reaching up to cup her red cheek.

"You fucking bitch," she hollered as she lunged at me again. My other hand lifted and I caught her flying fist. My finger wrapped around her knuckles and I squeezed, the satisfying sound of bone breaking beneath my fingertips echoed throughout the clearing.

Ava screamed, her other hand flying toward me. I blocked her attack, my free hand latching on her throat tightly. I tightened my hold on her throat until her legs failed her and her knees struck the ground. I stood over her, my nose mere inches away from hers.

"Know your place, Ava Jones," the voice that came out of me was not my own. It was deeper and vibrated with power. "I am his queen. You will do well to remember that."

Ava tilted her head, instinctively exposing her neck in submission, her eyes wide with fear. I released her, tossing her to the side like she weighed nothing more than a stack of papers. Still clutching her bruised throat, she scurried off the rock and disappeared into the trees. The hum of power drained itself out of my body so suddenly my knees struggled to keep me standing.

I turned to my mate, who had shifted back into a human, his wrists tightly held by Seth and John. Slowly, they released him and he came toward me. I held out my hand, palm out, signaling him to stop. I approached the bear, still bleeding on the rock. I raised a brow to Gabriel until he moved to the other side of the bear, directly across from me.

Don't mess up, I scolded myself before I took a deep breath. I squared my shoulders and stared intently into the silver eyes of my mate.

"Gabriel Alexander," I said calmly and with authority. "You have proven yourself a king. Do you accept me as your queen?"

He didn't hesitate. "I do," he said slowly.

Gerald turned to face the crowd, raising a blood-stained hand. "Blood of my blood, I swear allegiance to Gabriel Alexander and Phoebe Carmichael of Luna Nova, Alpha Rex and Alpha Regina of North America. May their reign bring us prosperity once more."

Hands lifted into the air, one after another. More than a hundred bloodied fingers reached for the full moon.

"Blood of my blood," they all cried at once before simultaneously falling to their knees.

Howls filled the air, shattering the calm of the night. Voices clashed against one another in my mind, sealing themselves inside of me. I stumbled back under the sheer force of the minds across the continent rushing into me. My heart tightened at emotions attached to every voice—admiration, wonder, happiness, shock, and strongest of them all, hope. Very few minds reflected the negativity that surrounded Ava, which surprised me. As I took another step back, Gabriel wrapped his arms around me, his large hand cupping the small bulge of my stomach.

He kissed my neck, pulling me tight against him. He stood straight once more to address the kneeling crowd. His voice carried to every corner of the clearing and beyond.

"Tonight, we run together—as one mind, one heartbeat . . . one pack."

Howls of agreement answered him.

"Together!" he shouted, which triggered the shift in nearly every person kneeling below us. Gabriel released me and I turned, my curiosity outweighing my fear of watching him shift. He stood before me on two legs, but within seconds, he had fur and four legs. I had barely blinked before he was shaking out his fur and stretching his muscles legs. He pressed his large forehead against mine.

I couldn't resist. I lifted my hand and scratched behind his ear.

"Good boy," I said sweetly.

He huffed at me. Very amusing, little mate. He laid his massive body down at my feet. Climb on.

"No freaking way," I gasped. Chloe had told me they would run together as a pack but since I couldn't shift, I wasn't expected to run with them.

Gabriel nudged me with his hip. They are waiting for us.