Chapter 6

Maddoc

From the moment I arrived in Blue Moon, I knew my mate was here. I could smell her, but the crowd made it difficult to pinpoint her exact location. I had some important matters to cover, so I had to keep it together on stage. I just hoped I could keep control of my wolf-lycan Koda. He was howling to get out and go to her.

"It's not like I don't feel the same way, buddy. Just hang in there a little longer," I pleaded with him.

He huffed and turned his back on me. I was pretty sure he flipped me off. When it came to finding our mate, he had a one-track mind and that track tended to take us back to adolescence.

I gestured for the kneeling werewolves to rise. I wondered if any of the older wolves with bad knees hated the kneeling. It wasn't necessary, and I’d said as much, but they always did it anyway.

Her scent filled my nostrils, and I scanned the crowd again. As if on cue, Tara, Beta William's daughter, almost stumbled, causing a slight commotion.

There she was. Almost two centuries of searching—and I’d finally found my queen.

She was embarrassed, apparently startled by her wolf. I laughed, not at her, but with her, remembering the way Koda would speak up at the most awkward moments.

Like this one, where he was bouncing off the walls in my mind, like a giant furry rubber ball, howling "MATE!"

"Calm down, Koda! She can’t scent us yet. She hasn’t shifted."

I remembered my first encounter with her; she’d been playing the piano, and I’d stopped to listen to her hauntingly beautiful music. I’d felt a surge of protectiveness, but she was too young for me to sense a mate bond.

I knew I had to be there when she shifted. I pushed through my speech, hating to be the bearer of sad news, but the rogue threat weighed heavily on my mind.

I wanted to find Tara before her shift, but she disappeared right after my speech. I found her parents, and her mother, Natasha, gave me a knowing look. She was a Lunar wolf, like Tara’s sister. She could see mate bonds, the energy that connected two souls. She used her gift to help guide mates together.

"Where Wolves," the business she built around her gift, was one of the most successful businesses in the werewolf community. I figured she had seen the bond flowing out of me, but did she see where it went? I had to know.

While William was busy chatting with Alpha Jack and Luna Diane, I approached Natasha.

"Excuse me, but could I speak with you for a moment?"

She smiled. "Of course, Your Highness." We walked off to the side, away from the prying ears of others.

"I guess we should talk," I started, and she laughed, cutting right to the chase.

"Tara is your mate," she stated, and I nodded, maintaining eye contact. I could tell she was happy for Tara, but there was a hint of sadness and concern in her eyes. "My baby girl. She's going to be so happy. She has always had a crush on you."

That made me smile.

"I want you to know I will not rush her. Of course, I want her with me, but I understand this is more than a simple mate bond." She would be Queen. My queen. I was talking too fast, thinking too fast.

Natasha grabbed my hands and gave me a reassuring smile. "I have no doubt that you will love my daughter and make her happy. Keep her safe. You have a good heart, my King."

"If she chooses to come back with me right away, she’s welcome to bring someone with her, so she doesn’t feel cut off from her pack." I said thoughtfully.

"Well, I would say her sister, but she is needed here because of her powers. Are you aware that she may soon take over as Alpha?" Natasha replied, with a sideways glance to gauge my reaction.

"I heard rumors to that effect, and I approve. It’s time we start recognizing that some of our laws and social structures, particularly the way we view our females, need to change."

She looked surprised and pleased. "I have a good feeling about this. My wolf also approves." She paused before continuing. "Tara has been sheltered from the rest of the world. She's a bit introverted; she likes her music and loves to curl up in her hammock with a book. She has anxiety and sometimes gets overwhelmed in crowds."

How interesting! A "pack animal" with social anxiety. I would have to be even more careful, easing her into her new life—if she accepted it.

I hoped Tara would come back with me, but I would remain a few extra days in Blue Moon, regardless, giving her time to decide. It would be a good chance to get to know her pack, as well, since we would be close allies.

If she needed time, she would get it. Her happiness was the most important thing.

"I will see you in about half an hour, my King," she said. "I am sure Tara has gone somewhere to clear her head." She smiled and walked back over to her mate and friends.

I mind-linked my Beta and best friend, Alexander, asking him to send three to four warriors to meet with me, as I would be watching Tara's first shift. He was, of course, curious, so I told him, "I have to be there. She is my mate."

"Your mate? You mean to tell me we are finally going to have our Queen?"

"Yes, we are. She’s young, and I’m not going to rush things. She might be a little overwhelmed."

"Well, congratulations, Mac. This is great news, I know you’ve waited a long time."

That I had. My heart was full, knowing I didn't have to wait much longer. Moments later I met with Alexander and three of my best warriors and headed to meet our queen.

As I entered the clearing, she glanced nervously at me. I tried to put a friendly smile on my face, although I wasn't sure if I succeeded. She looked scared. When she started to shift, screaming out a string of curse words, our eyes locked, and time stood still for a moment. Recognition flashed in hers as she navigated the agonizing moments, shifting quickly for a first-timer.

When she transformed into that gorgeous wolf, seeming to realize in the midst of it all that I was her mate, I was overcome with pride, delighted when her wolf rushed towards me.

I signaled my guards to stand down. Her wolf stopped and cocked her head to the side, studying me. I shifted, Koda would not let me hold him off any longer. She tilted her head again, as though making a decision.

She launched herself at me, and at first, I thought she was going to barrel right into me. I growled at my guards, who had shifted again into their Lycan forms. They got the message and stood down once more.

Our wolves collided mid-air, and then she took off into the woods. A chase! Koda took off after her as she ran deeper into the forest.

She was incredibly quick! Koda told me her wolf was named Trinity and that she was a good wolf.

"We will love and protect her forever."

"Yes, we will," I assured him. I almost lost sight of her a few times, amazed that this newborn wolf could outrun the Lycan King.

A half an hour later, our wolves had run until they were both panting and intensely thirsty, so we stopped at a stream for a drink. Trinity was exhausted, her tongue flopping out of her mouth, about to pass out. She lay down on her side and looked into our eyes, then shivered. Koda was more than happy to let her use him as a pillow. He licked Trinity's nose, rubbing up against her, falling asleep after determining guards were in place.

A bit later, Koda awakened as a fast-asleep Trinity shifted back into human form. Tara lay curled against him, taking his breath away. She was tiny compared to him in this form, but her body was curvy and her skin lightly tanned.

Koda curled himself around her body, purring as she snuggled into his fur. I watched her sleep, amazed at how protective we felt over her. I felt complete for the first time ever. All of my forms were content and focused on a common goal: to keep Tara warm.

I mind-linked my Beta to bring clothes and a blanket. Somehow Tara had lost her shifting dress while running wildly through the forest, probably due to Trinity being much larger than anyone expected. As the moon shone on the water in front of us, I felt a deep sense of peace.

Would she accept me as her mate? "Mine," Koda grumbled, and while I felt the same way, unlike him, I had no plans to whack her on the head and drag her off like a caveman. It had to be her decision.