Chapter 2-Mate

Ian sighed as he silenced his mother’s incoming call for the third time while he stood around with his group of friends at a party hosted by his friend’s older sister, Roselyn.

Ian Reign, future pack leader and grandson of Alpha Marcus Reign, a respectable but secluded pack outside Hilton City, was forced to visit after his not-so-likeable father’s lung disease got worse, and according to his mom, he might never recover.

Ian had only seen his father a few times because of his nature; after all, he was born a werewolf, and his father was a human who didn’t exactly understand how their world worked.

At least that’s what his grandfather told him about his father.

It wasn’t until recently that Ian found out the real reason behind his parents leaving him with his grandfather in the pack while they lived together in the city, and for the first time, his father wanted him to visit for Christmas.

Ian wondered why he suddenly wanted to spend Christmas together after abandoning him for 22 years, and when he shows up in the pack to see him, he only ever stays a couple of days at most.

Ian arrived in Hilton, lodged at a hotel, and contacted Derick, his best friend he met in college.

They were both sophomores at the same college, studying Architecture, and Derick grew up in Hilton but only visited home during Christmas, and since he already promised he would contact him once he visited, he just had to tell him, though he didn’t know he would drag him to his older sister's birthday party on his first day in town.

“Are you going to pick that or what?” Derick asked as his mom called again.

“I know what she’s gonna say; it’s just better if I don’t.” Ian frowned but accidentally picked up the call right as he was about to return the phone to his pocket. “Shit!” He mumbled before eventually excusing himself from his group to pick up his call.

The background music wasn’t exactly loud enough to disturb his calls, but he’d rather not let his mother guess where he was.

“Ian! What on earth are you doing? Why do you keep ignoring my calls, and what do you mean by you’re staying at a hotel when you have a perfectly good home to stay in?” Eloise half-screamed over the phone, and Ian sighed.

He was about to come up with an excuse when a lady walked past him with a strong floral scent that had his wolf jumping excitedly in his head.

Ian could smell the sweet scent of jasmine on her, even though the perfume she was wearing was chocolate of some kind, but her natural jasmine scent overpowered her perfume, and as she strode straight and elegantly into the courtyard after letting the attendants help her off her expensive fur coat that covered her armless body-hug dress, Ian almost lost control of his wolf.

“It’s our mate,” Storm growled at him, and Ian let out an exasperated sigh.

“Relax, Storm… I know…she’s ours.” Ian agreed with his wolf, who was ready to take control and hold the lady back.

“Mom…I’m going to call you back—

“Ian!” Eloise fumed.

“It’s important; I think I might have found my mate.”

With that, Ian dropped his call and hurried after the woman as she walked into the courtyard after dropping her gift.

Ian returned to his friends, who were mainly his classmates who lived in Hilton that Derick also invited over and a couple of Derick's childhood friends he wasn’t familiar with.

“Ian!” Derick’s loud call had Ian’s attention turning right back at Derick.

“What?” Ian blinked in surprise, wondering why he was calling him so loudly when he was practically right next to him.

“You’re like a million miles away. You okay, bro? I asked if you’ve finally talked to your mom. She’s not asking you to leave yet, is she? ‘Cause this party isn’t ending until morning,” Derick told him while playfully smacking him.

“Yeah, yeah... we talked. Who’s that though?” Ian had to ask, as he couldn’t keep his eyes off the lady who was now talking to another lady whom Derick introduced to him as his sister.

“Oh, that’s Avery Archer. She’s my sister’s best friend. They’ve literally been together since they were in diapers; not sure how she did it since Avery, well… she’s a little scary; even when I was younger, I literally used to run away from her. But hold on a minute.” Derick stopped, tracing Ian’s persistent gaze.

“Why are you suddenly interested in her? Please don’t tell me she caught your eye or something, because there are tonnes of other girls you can possibly pick from at this party. I mean, look at those three over here.” Derick tried to divert his attention, but Ian’s mind was too concentrated on Avery.

“I’m going to go talk to her,” Ian decided out of nowhere, as he’d been eavesdropping on Avery’s conversation with Rosie, and he just felt it was the right time to approach Avery.

“What? No…Ian… no, don’t do it.” Derick tried to stop him, but Ian was quite determined, walking across the courtyard to meet Avery, who was a little too invested in her drinks.

Ian watched as Rosie immediately stood when he got closer, giving them some space as if on cue.

Ian gulped as he reached for her shoulder when her overwhelming scent clouded his senses, and though he could feel his body heating up from the scent alone, touching her brought a feeling so intense his wolf seized control for a second.

His alpha wolf has always been stronger than him, stubborn and annoying as hell, but he’s never been so restless.

With a single touch, Storm’s emotion rushed at him like a whirling tornado; he was full of excitement, anxiety, and desire all in one… he wanted to claim her.

“Mate” His lips moved without his control, which took a minute to regain.

Then Avery finally turned with a gaze so icy, it made him freeze, or maybe it was just her incredible voice.

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