He was fiery, like a wild and free young wolf who had no boundaries. It was easy to see the second I met him that he was something more to Drake and Steven. They treated him with far more respect than any Omega I’d ever known. Omegas in my pack, though trusted and well trained, were still just the men that I worked with every day. The life of an Alpha was meant to be lonely, at least that’s what I’d thought.

After seeing Drake interact with the Omega though, I was starting to question some very deeply rooted questions. The delicious blond creature now digging for a bandage wasn’t helping matters any either. His perfectly plump ass shook in front of me, the jeans he wore outlining every bulge. If he had been in my pack, I would have claimed him half a dozen times by now. If he were in my pack. As it was, I groaned and shifted uneasily in the chair.

The Omega was turning me on. More so than I was used to being aroused by any man, shifter or not. I wanted to reach out and pull his perfect ass back into my lap. When he turned around again and saw my hungry eyes on his body, a beautiful red blush passed across his face. He set down the first aid kit and quickly grabbed my arm, wrapping it with gauze before taping it off.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” he whispered as he worked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know that I need too. One of my men stepped out of line. I had to remind him who was in control of the pack.”

“Wow,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I bet your guys just love you.”

“Everyone needs to be reminded of their place once in a while,” I told him. “Otherwise there would be chaos. And no one wants that, right?”

“Right,” Ethan said, though halfheartedly.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that the man stepping out of line was a newer recruit. A wolf brought in from the outside after he decided to stir up some trouble among humans. The council thought he needed a stiff hand, for that reason he was placed in my pack. I didn’t mind the young man, but his lewd comments about Ethan had set me off. I hated that he’d gotten under my skin, especially over an Omega that wasn’t even part of my pack.

“Well, I think that’s as good as it’s going to get. It will stop the blood, not that it matters. Your body will heal itself in a few hours.”

“I’m familiar with how our bodies work,” I told him, my eyes running down the length of him again. “Thanks for the bandage.”

“Yep,” he stammered, his eyes not meeting mine.

It was strange to see a shifter that wasn’t afraid of me. He seemed more angry than anything. If I had the time, I would have stayed and tried desperately to figure out what made him so enticing to me. As it was, I saw my host appear on the camera at the door to his penthouse. It reminded me of the reason for my visit, to heal wounds my father had created.

“Well then, I guess I should be going. It was wonderful to meet you, Ethan,” I said, quickly making way around the counter to the elevator. “We should do this again sometime.”

I turned around long enough to see him roll his eyes and heard him mutter under his breath, “I wouldn’t count on it.”

I chuckled, but said nothing. He wouldn’t know that I heard him. An Alpha’s hearing was better than most of us let on. As I jumped onto the elevator and looked back at him one last time, the stirring in my heart started again. It wasn’t a feeling I was familiar with. I didn’t like knowing that he had so much power over me. After all, I was the Alpha. Ethan should be the one groveling at my feet, not the other way around.

The elevator doors opened, my host’s attractive young husband greeted me with a smile. “We were starting to wonder if you changed your mind.”

“Of course not,” I told him with a charming smile. “Just got distracted talking to your receptionist.”

“Ethan?” Steven perked up at once. “He’s actually just filling in for the day. Ethan is our lodge’s full-time manager. He runs the whole place.”

“Of course,” I muttered, feeling like an ass. “Well, he certainly is a firecracker.”

“Ethan is very independent and a little outspoken, both qualities I admire in an employee and a friend. Drake approves of him as well. He is more family than friend.”

“I can understand why,” I said, clearing my throat.

Drake walked into the foyer, he smiled upon seeing me. “Well now, why don’t we get down to business, Steven?”

His spouse nodded his head and disappeared, presumably to give us some privacy. It wasn’t common for Alphas to discuss pack matters in front of anyone, even their most beloved. I could appreciate the respect for our traditions. I followed him into a large sitting room. The décor wasn’t to my taste. It had a lot of bright, sleek, modern looking pieces. Myself, I preferred a more rustic and rugged look. My roots were deeply planted in the wilderness that surrounded our neighboring towns.

“I must say,” Drake started as he sat down. “I was surprised to hear back from you. Cutting it a little close to the wire?”

I ground my teeth, my anger wasn’t directed toward the Alpha though. “I know, I wasn’t aware that an invitation for us to participate in the unity ceremony had been extended until recently.”

“Oh?” he pressed.

He had a good reason to want an answer. For me to wait months to respond was rude. “The man tasked with my schedule left rather abruptly, taking the apparent invitation with him.”

Drakes eyes widened in understanding. “Ah, lovers quarrel or professional gain?”

“A bit of both I fear. He didn’t like the packs uniting, though with the years of success already behind us, I don’t know how anyone could still oppose. Unfortunately, I didn’t see his true colors until recently.”

Drake chuckled softly as he shook his head. “I’ve known a few of those in my life. Lucky for me, Steven has one of the purest hearts I’ve ever seen.”

“And your young manager? Do you feel the same way about him?”

Drake wasn’t fazed by the question. “Absolutely. Ethan is like a younger brother to me. His parents died when he was young, in the wars. I’m surprised honestly that you were received as well as you were.”

“Wow,” I stammered. “I had no idea.”

“Well, it’s not information I share lightly. I’ve seen that look before. I just want you to know what you are getting yourself signed up for. He’s a good man.”

“I understand,” I told him solemnly.

It was a lot of information to process at once. Not only had the other Alpha seen my affections toward his Omega, he was supporting me in the option to pursue him. Knowing that Ethan had some hostility toward my pack did little to sway me. I felt an attraction to him that was stronger than my own heritage to take a mate from my own pack.

“Now that we’ve settled that, I think I speak for my pack when I say we would love to include your pack in the ceremonies. What is a unity festival without some show of that which it’s named after?”

“Are you trying to be eloquent again, my dear?” Steven asked as he reappeared with a tray.

On it sat two whisky glasses with ice. A decorative bottle sat next to them. I could see from the shape and casting of glass that the bottle was old and rare, a show of respect on Drake’s part. I nodded in approval and Steven poured us each a double shot. I took a sip, it went down smooth, the potent blend something of rare beauty, much like my own Ethan. Although, he wasn’t mine to claim, yet.

“You know me,” Drake said to his mate with a loving grin as he took his hand. “I have to try and impress our guest somehow.”

“Have you two sorted things out?” Steven asked.

Drake nodded, I was content to watch the two interact. It was so rare to see a couple that blossomed in love. The pregnancy that Steven now carried was a testament to their love.

“I was wondering though,” Drake said, turning back to me, but keeping his hand in his mates. “There is one final thing we need for the ceremony; would you be able to get it for us?”

“Absolutely, you’ve been so understanding I want to show my gratefulness,” I told him earnestly.

“There is a stone,” he said, his eyes darting to Steven. “It’s very special to Steven and me, it’s said to hold magical powers. I was hoping to display it for the ceremony, so all our kind can see its beauty. The owner lives in Gordon and has agreed to loan it to us. With everything going on, I need someone I can trust to go pick it up.”

I was intrigued, but I didn’t want to seem ungrateful by questioning its significance. “That’s no problem at all. I can take a couple of my men and go get it right now. It will take us a day’s drive to get there and one to return, but we should make it back in plenty of time.”

“Actually, if you are open to the idea, I think that there is someone else I would like to send with you. It would do Ethan some good to get to know the leader of the Reluson pack.”

My heart started to race at once. Two days alone with the young Omega that already set my loins on fire. I nodded my head in approval, unwilling to trust my own voice. I sensed no ill will in his tone. This wasn’t a test of some sort that would need passing or failing. Perhaps he really did just hope that Ethan would benefit from the time together.

“Are you sure?” Steven asked in a hushed tone.

Drake nodded. “I will leave it to you to tell him, Trevor. I’ll send the address for the stone to your phone and make sure the owner knows you will be coming for it. Please take care, it means a great deal to many people. Perhaps when you return, I’ll have the chance to tell you its history.”

“I would enjoy that very much. I’m so happy that our packs can work together. Thank you for sending Ethan with me. I will be leaving behind some of my most trusted men. They can help you with the upcoming ceremonies.”

“Oh, thank god,” Steven said, a sigh of relief slipping out. “Honestly, with Ethan gone, I wasn’t sure how we would get it all done! You are a saint, Trevor Reluson.”

I laughed as I stood. “Don’t go telling my men that. I don’t want them thinking I’ve gone soft.”

I extended my hand which Drake took and shook firmly. “We will see you in two days. Enjoy the trip.”

Nodding my head, I made my way to the elevator. The day had started out so normal with nothing but a fun new merger to think about. Now, I felt like a young wolf again, seeking out my first mating. Ethan wasn’t going to be happy about going with me, but if his Alpha commanded it, I knew that he would willingly go. The elevator settled, and I stepped out, preparing how to tell Ethan the news.

I heard him slam the phone down on the receiver. He stood up and his eyes leveled on me. Steven had beaten me to the punch. I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or not for him spilling the news first. Ethan stormed over to me, looking furious, but I couldn’t suppress the grin from forming on my lips. Even enraged, he was still too adorable for me to control.

“How dare you!” he hissed. “Why would I want to go anywhere with you!”

“What makes you think that I was the one who thought of it?” I teased him.

Ethan didn’t see the humor. “I saw the way you looked at me! Do you have any idea how much I need to get done yet? You really are a bastard.”

He tried to turn away from me, but I reached out and grabbed his arm, spinning him back around. Ethan was caught off guard, when he fell forward into my chest, I felt my cock start to stiffen at once. He sucked in a sharp breath, our bodies pressed against each other as the sparks between us grew even hotter than before. He sucked his lower lip into his mouth, biting it between his teeth. I groaned unconsciously at the sight.

I had to push him away from me. If I didn’t, I would try to mount him right there in the lodge’s lobby. He composed himself quickly, his harsh glare replaced after the momentary surge of desire.

“For the record,” I muttered to him. “It was your Alpha who suggested it and he who commanded you to go. I had nothing to do with it. But I am not going to let your entitled little temper stop me from doing this. You have no idea what this ceremony means for our joint packs.”

His eyes softened some. I had to keep him moving in that same direction. If he was ever going to trust me and give me a chance, his guard would need to be let down. My mind raced as he started to tense again.

“Listen,” I stammered. “I know about your parents. Others lost loved ones in the wars too, my father perished also.”

In a flash, his defenses were back up. I had judged the situation wrong. He took a step closer to me. “If my Alpha hadn’t commanded it, I would never spend any time alone with you. We have nothing in common.”

Ethan spun around on his heels, heading for the elevator. I stood in the lobby like a fool with my mouth hanging open. No one ever spoke to me in the tone that he’d just used. My men never turned their backs on me when I was still talking. Everything about him was infuriating. As he stepped into the elevator he cleared his throat.

“You can pick me up in an hour,” he said.

Just before the doors closed, I caught a glimpse behind his walls. His face softened, his eyes became sad. My heart broke for him, I wanted to pull him into my arms, but I knew it was too soon. The wounds my father had left were still fresh in Ethan’s heart.