Nolan looked like every woman's dream. He wore a sleek black suit that fit his broad chest to perfection. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing a whisper of dark chest hair rising above the collar. Not to mention the dark coat of stubble that adorned his sharp jawline.

I couldn't blame Savannah, Alpha Kayan's daughter, for the adoration that gleamed in her baby-blues as she gazed up at her escort. My mate.

"Dylan and Charlotte," Nolan grumbled from where they stopped a few feet away. "I'm so pleased that you could make it."

I nearly snorted at the flagrant lie that left his tight lips but, somehow, managed to maintain a cool glare as I beheld the trio.

"Nice dress, Charlie." Sophia winked at me by way of greeting, discreetly sipping on a glass of champagne and unlooping her arm from Nolan's. The dark-haired girl stepped closer to Dylan and me, until she faced Nolan and Savannah as well. Judging by Sophia's smirk, I could guess that she had just chosen a side in this battle between Alpha and Luna.

Pride sparked deep in my chest, but I kept my hazel orbs on Nolan. I didn't so much as acknowledge Savannah's presence... yet.

"Dylan and I are only sorry we missed the cake." I smiled.

Savannah cleared her throat and tugged on Nolan's jacket sleeve, a silent order for an introduction.

Nolan glanced down at the petite blonde, who wore a white gown that would have been better suited for a wedding. "Ah, forgive me. Savannah, this is Dylan, my third-in-command. And this is Charlotte... " Nolan paused, at a loss for words. I plastered a sickeningly sweet smile on my face and blinked expectantly. "Charlie is Dylan's mate," he finished.

My smile faltered for half of a second, revealing a slight crack in my icy shields. Fine. If he wants to play pretend, then let's freakin' play.

I turned toward Dylan, who looked equal parts shocked and confused, and grabbed his hand in mine. For a moment, I was scared that Dylan would try to pull his hand away from mine, but I shot him a warning glare that screamed: Do this for me. Please!

Dylan let out an uneasy chuckle, but pulled me in closer to his side nonetheless. "That's right. It's been the best few months of my life."

I would have been content if Dylan had shut his mouth there. He had done his job perfectly. But a wicked, masculine grin played on his lips, and he continued to run his damn mouth, "Don't get me wrong-- it took a few weeks to break her of her Golden Walkers prudishness. But now she is Black Lupis in the streets, and Black Lupis in the sheets!"

In one last display of arrogant pride, Dylan squeezed my side, so low that he might as well have been grabbing the outside of my ass. Oh my Moon Goddess...

My cheeks flamed to the color of beets, and Sophia nearly choked on her white-wine. Savannah's eyes widened in benevolent amusement, as if she could not wait until she had a mate herself. But Nolan... Every muscle in Nolan's body turned to stone, and his pupils dilated like a predator about to attack. I unconsciously took a step away from Dylan, for my own safety as well as his.

Savannah, thank my lucky stars, chose that moment to have an epiphany: "Wait-- You're Charlotte? Daughter of the Golden Walker's Beta?"

"Yepp, that's me." I gave the peppy blonde a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"You probably don't remember this, but we used to play together as kids. When our training classes came together?" Savannah reached out with both hands to grasp my own, as if we were long-lost sisters who were reuniting after years of separation. I wanted to gag. "Can you still not shift?"

My smile fell faster than a boulder off of a cliff. Red tinged the outskirts of my vision, and I subconsciously gauged the risks of giving the birthday girl a black eye. On the one hand, it would make me feel better. On the other, her father might kill me. A risk I am willing to take...

Seconds before I lashed out, an unexpected voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Will you dance with me, Charlie?" Nolan gestured toward the dance floor, where a dozen couples were now swaying back and forth with one another.

The momentary distraction worked. I released Savannah's hands and took a step away from the blonde to investigate Nolan. Anger still coursed through my veins, but at least now I did not want to bloody the blonde's dress. Now, my fury was directed at someone else entirely.

I cocked a perfectly manicured brow at my mate's hand, which he extended in invitation for me to take. Was he joking?

"Uhm, no." I let out a single, harsh chuckle, as if his question had been some sort of poorly-executed joke.

Nolan blinked in surprise at my blatant refusal, and the rest of our company visibly tensed. Sophia coughed, a poor attempt to hide the laugh that escaped her lips, and Savannah looked between Nolan and I with a bewildered sparkle in her bright blue eyes. But Nolan persisted, his eyes now locked solely on mine with more determination than before.

I realized that I made a mistake as soon as Dylan cleared his throat behind me, a hidden social cue to fix the mess that I had made. Apparently, I was Dylan's mate, and no pack member would refuse her Alpha a dance!

"I-I mean... Shouldn't I save my first dance for my mate?" I batted my eyelashes in feigned innocence.

"Dylan?" Nolan asked, deferring my decision to my so-called mate.

Dylan lifted both hands up in the air, "Go ahead, boss. Take her for a spin."

I spun around to face the Black Lupis Delta, and he only winked, "Oh, you don't mind, do you, sweetheart?"

"No, of course not," I managed through gritted teeth, my knuckles bleached in rage. I had a few choice words I'd be saving for Dylan on our ride home, but, for now, I turned back to Nolan and offered him up a sweet smile. "I'd be honored, Alpha."

I took Nolan's hand, ignoring the fire that danced in my fingertips upon touch, and allowed him to lead me to the middle of the dancefloor. Almost as if they had been waiting for our arrival, the orchestra switched tunes from a lilting melody to a breathtaking waltz. The sound of a dozen violins and cellos sent a flock of shivers scurrying down my spine, and my breath nearly caught in my throat when Nolan's hand took its place at my waist, his touch burning through the silk fabric of my gown.

I shouldn't have been surprised that Nolan knew the dance well, guiding me through any missteps that might have otherwise had me falling flat on my face. I kept my charcoal-painted eyes on the floor, careful not to step on Nolan's polished leather shoes.

"You look beautiful, tonight," Nolan complimented, his words a low grumble that resonated deep in his chest, "Like a thousand stars." He rubbed the silken, sparkling fabric of my dress between his thumb and pointer-finger, undoubtedly marveling at the expensive material.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and fought against the blush that threatened to creep up my slender neck. I focused all of my attention on the dance and refused to meet my mate's gaze, knowing how lethal those blue eyes could be. I wouldn't fall into his arms. I would be strong...

"Look at me, Charlie," Nolan instructed, his voice but a low whisper against the ensemble of violins. "Do you not trust me to lead?"

I breathed a cool laugh, my eyes snapping upward to meet his, one unflinching gaze against another. "No, I don't."

"What can I do?" He didn't need to say anything else. I recognized the desperation in his words. He wanted to know what actions he could take to undo the damage that he'd done to me-- to us.

"You can start by explaining why you are here," I whispered, moments before he pulled me in closer only to spin me outward once more. I gasped at the quick movements, but, before I knew it, I was pressed against his chest once more.

Nolan nodded, his dark brows furrowed in a permanently worried line. I could only begin to wonder what great threats weighed on his mind. "I came to the Broken Valley Pack for a number of reasons, but I never intended to seriously court Savannah."

I didn't know whether to believe him, so I simply nodded for him to proceed.

"I needed the other packs to believe that I do not have a mate."

"Don't you think we screwed that up at the Summer Solstice?" I countered. At the party where we met, Nolan and I had practically held onto each other for dear life! Only a fool would not understand that we had found our mates.

"Which is why I came here! If I pursued Savannah, even for one evening, no one would believe I had a mate back home. They would consider what happened on the night of the Solstice a fluke!"

"Why, Nolan?" I breathed out, with no effort to hide the desperation clinging to my words. "Why can't anyone know about me?"

Unconsciously, my grip on his hand tightened. His piercing blue gaze swept to our twined hands for a moment before they returned to me, more fierce than before. "Because of the prophecy!"

His whispered, peppermint breath fanned against my cheek, and I shook my head. Confusion still fogged my mind, and I waited for him to explain further.

"A few years ago, a witch coven-- one of the most powerful in the world-- had a vision. They saw the rise of the hybrids, but they also saw the hybrid's downfall. The prophecy said: When the Black Lupis Alpha finds his mate, the hybrid's reign of terror will cease." I had to lean in close to hear his words, until we breathed the same air.

"I had no idea until... until the disgusting creatures killed Sarah," Nolan's voice broke upon saying his dead mate's name, and the music surrounding us climaxed. "They tore her apart while I was gone... And there was nothing left of her body-- of our child."

We both stopped dancing in the middle of the dancefloor. Couples waltzed around us, but I hardly noticed. A prophecy? About the Black Lupis Alpha's mate? I thought back to the crazy warlock, Adriano, that Nolan and I visited when we first met. He had said, Your role in this war is key to the survival of many... Did he know about the prophecy?

Nolan did not need to say anything else. The sorrow that shadowed his handsome features said enough. He was pleading for me to understand and to accept his words as the truth. And, against my better judgment, I believed him. Realization washed over me like a violent tidal wave. All of Nolan's actions-- his harsh words and his cold moodswings-- had been in an effort to protect me? To keep me from meeting the same tragic end as Sarah?

Nolan lowered his head, a crown of dark curls falling over his eyes, and I fought the urge to stroke the stubble of his cheek. For the first time since meeting on the Summer Solstice, I felt like I could finally see Nolan clearly.

This man-- the powerful, bloodthirsty Black Lupis Alpha--who could bring any warrior to their knees. The monster that could tear apart an entire pack single-handedly was the same man that would tear himself apart to protect those that he loves.

And I didn't know if I'd be willing to do the same for him.