"The Oceania packs have decided not to come."

Visena was standing in the bathroom, staring at her red eyes. She couldn't stop crying after Jed left. It felt like she had lost a piece of her heart—sweet little Jedidiah. The thought had more tears leaking down her face. Her attention was swayed by the shirtless god sliding up behind her in the mirror. His own eyes were bloodshot, but he hid his emotions well.

"They called and said they would follow you, but they are currently dealing with a huge storm. Tropical cyclones, I think."

"Oh no... Do they need help?"

"The Council's sending funds..."

The damned Council. She was sick to death of hearing about the Council. Svend wasn't all bad, but he also let atrocities happen under his nose. At least Oceania's absence meant she could move on to the next task. "I need to call Svend. Can I use your phone?"

Gideon clicked his tongue and planted a kiss atop Visena's head before leaving the room and rifling through his desk. "I don't have his number!" he called from the bedroom.

"Shit. Okay, well, I'm going to talk to Mihnea then."

Gideon growled and popped his head around the door frame. "Why don't we have our mating ceremony?"

The change in the topic had Visena reeling and grinning ear to ear. Then, finally, after Gideon told her what actually happened during the ceremony, she was excited to get it over with.

"One mate, we can decide which will hide from her mate in an elaborate game similar to hide-and-seek."

"Can I be the one that hides?" Visena asked excitedly. I'm already an expert at that game.

"Yes, my love. Anyway, I will then hunt you in wolf form and when I find you-"

"If you find me-"

"When," Gideon stated, eyes shining gold. "I will mark you, and you will mark me."

It all sounded reasonably tame until Gideon said, "All the unmated wolves of the pack will also join in on the hunt to prove my worthiness of you. "

"Kinky," Visena quipped without a trace of sarcasm. "Well, when should we do that?" she questioned when she was interrupted by the phone in Gideon's hand. She hadn't heard it ever make noise before. "Who the hell is calling you?"

One look at the caller ID made him chuckle, making Visena even more curious. "Who?!"

"Hello, Alpha Akabe."

'The Armenian Alpha?' Visena tried to mime to her distracted mate. He reached his arm out to shush her, and she playfully nipped his finger. His frown had her huffing like a small child.

"My Beta is on her way," her silky voice poured from the phone, filled with humour. "She nearly ripped my head off when she scented him on my trousers."

What? Scented who? Visena was about to burst.

"Thank you for the heads up. I assume she will want to change packs?"

"If you will allow it, she did seem excited at the prospect of being the Queen's Beta. I take no offence, of course."

"Thank you for your understanding, and we will be happy to have her."

"All right. Goodbye, then Alpha Gideon."

"Alpha Akabe."

Gideon hung up just before he was tackled onto the bed and smothered between shaking palms. "Tell me, right now! I'm dying over here. Whose mate is she?" Visena squealed as he flipped and pinned her on the mattress.

His growl silenced her, and his smirk had her panting. "You are in no position to make demands," Gideon purred, nipping at Visena's neck. She went to object when his palm pressed against her lips. "I might not be your equal yet, but I am still an Alpha. I won't bow to you."

Visena's eyes crinkled as she licked the underside of his hand. "You will if I ask nicely," she said, voice muffled.

He dropped the act as his excitement took over. He buried his pink cheek in his mate's neck and whispered, "Don't scream."

Visena nodded but promptly forgot his request the moment Gideon told her. She was again subdued by Gideon's huge hand across half of her face, the other half he peppered with kisses. "I said hush, Vi."

"I can't believe it. But I knew it. I think I'm gonna start crying again."

"She's still a few hours away. She should arrive by morning. Go to bed."

Visena didn't think she could sleep a wink. Her racing heart wouldn't let her, and every time her fidgeting bumped Gideon, he grumbled in his sleep.

As the sun rose on the horizon, Visena had enough. She tiptoed to Cassia's room and peaked in. She was still asleep, and her gaze dropped to Liam, who was curled on a mattress next to her crib, hand placed through the slots. Cassia's little fingers curled around his, and she almost burst into tears again. "Liam?"

The Beta woke with a start and froze when he saw Visena. 'What,' he mouthed.

'Come with me,' she mouthed right back.

With a grimace, Liam slid his fingers out from under the tiny ones and left the room. "What?"

Visena shushed him and dragged him, bleary-eyed, out of the packhouse.

"Visena?"

"Come with me!"

Liam's eyes were bleary, and he sounded confused but didn't ask questions as they sprinted to the pack boundary, still grasping hands. He was about to snap when he smelled it.

Her.

Visena nearly squealed, seeing his slackened face.

But where was she?

The boundary smelled of her, but she was nowhere in sight. Liam shifted with a growl, tearing through his clothes and smashing his nose into the dirt, desperately trying to catch her scent.

Visena watched curiously when a hot, furry, caramel form barrelled into her side, snarling with blazing eyes. She looked like she wanted to rip the Fae's face off.

"Down, girl," Visena chastised.

A whimper left the wolf's mouth as Liam buried his teeth in her scruff and lifted her off his Queen. She searched his eyes, seeming to ask permission to hurt the female who had her scent all over her mate, but he shook his clay coloured head.

Visena watched the interaction from her new position in the dirt and sighed when her own mate sprinted in wolf form to protect her. "A little late," Visena commented. The obsidian wolf grumbled at the two Betas and turned to give his small mate a once over. "I'm fine, Gideon. Let's go back so I don't have to see you all naked this early in the morning..."

Nairi shifted into a curvy, dark-eyed goddess. Her black hair curtained across her toned stomach and covered her modestly. "I'm sorry for jumping on you... I thought you were-"

Visena interrupted the young woman as they walked to the Packhouse, "Please don't worry. I'm glad you're protective of him. He's a keeper."

The group crossed the threshold as the morning light caressed the doorstep. Birds chirped noisily from the nearby trees, and the cicadas began to sing.

Gideon wasn't as forgiving after seeing his mate almost attacked by the other female. "What is your name?" he asked gruffly, taking a seat at the head of the table.

"Nairi, my Alpha. I am truly sorry."

Gideon quickly had a change of heart seeing Liam's conflict. He distanced himself from Nairi and stared at the ground as his bare shoulders heaved. The Invictus Alpha frowned at his Beta. "Go to her. She is welcome here as our new Beta, Liam. Enjoy your mate."

"But what about Cassie?"

"We'll watch her. She's still napping," Visena replied when a soft cry travelled from the bedroom as Cassia woke alone.

Liam didn't look convinced. "Can she meet her?"

Gideon nodded, and Liam finally took Nairi's hand. Her slender fingers curled around his, and she followed along after him, staring at his chiselled back.

Visena strolled over to her mate with a knowing grin and climbed onto his lap, straddling his waist. His member immediately stood to attention, pressing against her core. A coy smile took hold of her lips.

"I have an idea."

~~~

A/N

Hmm... I wonder what her idea might be...

Any guesses?

How do you feel about Nairi?

It's so nice having everyone find their mates after all this time! Plenty of love to go around, it seems!