Chapter 6

Levi

Moments earlier...

Watching from my throne as the royal pack wolves mingle with the thirty wolves Alpha Blake brought from Nightstone, I feel my mood grow sour at the fact that I have not yet scented my mate.

I thought that since all my wolves would be either at home with their families if they were mated or here at the ball if they were unmated, I would have found her by now. Unfortunately for me, the Moon Goddess seems to be enjoying toying with my fate, and I will have to work to find my mate in my own time.

“Are you okay, Your Majesty?” a sultry voice comes from my left, and the overwhelming scent of floral perfume invades my nose.

I scowl, turning my gaze to Agatha Stone as she watches me with a seductive stare. I have seen the way she has been watching me since I entered the ballroom, constantly moving around to catch my attention. Sadly for her, my focus is only on my mate and not on this little slut Alpha Blake Stone calls a daughter.

“I am just fine, Miss Stone,” I answer with disinterest, watching a flicker of annoyance flash in her eyes before it is replaced by a flirtatious gaze.

“Well, you haven’t joined anyone on the dance floor, and I was hoping I could be your first dance partner,” she says, feigning oblivion to the disdain I have for her.

“I am not much of a dancer,” I answer, my eyes flicking over the crowd. It is then that I notice Lance making his way toward me, and I smirk as a plan forms on how to get rid of Agatha Stone.

“But my beta, Lance, is a great dancer,” I add just as he reaches my side.

'Deal with her, please,' I state through the link, watching the small smile on Lance’s lips fade.

'Really? She is your guest, yet you hand her off to me?' Lance asks with annoyance, making me smirk.

'Yes. Now, get rid of her.' I suppress the chuckle that threatens to spill from my lips as Lance rolls his eyes at me.

Agatha stands to the side, a pout of annoyance on her lips as she watches Lance and me converse through our link. Finally, Lance turns to her with a charming smile, holding out a hand to the alpha-blooded she-wolf.

“It would be my honor if you would be my first dance,” Lance says sweetly, his deep voice catching the girl off guard.

She slowly places her hand in his, allowing him to lead her away from me and onto the dance floor.

'You owe me a vacation,' Lance declares. This time, I chuckle, unable to hide my amusement at my friend.

'Deal. When you go, take that gold digger with you so I can get a week away from her scheming. I want to be mated by the time you two get back,' I agree, adding my own stipulation.

After the wolves of Nightstone leave, I will send Lance and Phoebe away for a week. This will give me time to find my mate in this pack and place my mark on her bare neck.

'One day, you will regret treating Phoebe like trash,' Lance states as he twirls Agatha around the dance floor.

I scoff; the idea of me regretting anything when it comes to that woman is laughable.

'I doubt it,' I retort, closing the link.

Watching the crowd, I smile at the way my pack treats the Nightstone wolves with politeness and sincerity. By the looks of things, two of my packmates have found their mates and are enthralled by the bond. It seems I will need to get the transfer papers ready so they can leave with their mates and join Nightstone in two days.

Sighing, I decide I have moped around enough and stand from my throne. I still need to socialize with both my packmates and my guests. Making my way down from the dais, I head to the left of the room where Alpha Blake Stone is chatting with a few of my warriors. He seems easygoing and calm, but I notice the twitch of his fingers as his eyes zero in on his daughter with Lance.

'Phoebe found her mate', Lance says, ending the dance and excusing himself from Agatha.

'Really?' I scoff. 'Did she reject him so she can be queen?

'No, actually. She seems excited to have found him', Lance answers with a slight growl, shocking me. 'Seriously, Levi, you need to grow up and stop believing those fucking rumors!' he adds.

Taken aback by his attitude, I glare at my beta as he stands in front of me.

“Phoebe is what those rumors say she is, and if you would just sit down and talk to her, you would know that!” Lance says, his voice deep and filled with anger.

I growl warningly at him, not liking his disrespect all for that she-wolf.

“I will not sit down with her. Not until she—” My words are suddenly cut off as my blood begins to hum. The feeling of my body slowly heating up causes me to gasp and nearly keel over. Thankfully, Lance is there to keep me standing, a look of concern in his eyes.

'Another rut?' he asks through our link.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak as I slowly stand up straight, the effort unbearably painful. I can feel the blood rushing toward my cock, making it grow hard and strain against my trousers.

'Get me to my room!' I demand, trying to suppress the shudder running through my body. Silently, Lance complies as the two of us slip behind a pillar in the ballroom where a service door sits. We sneak out of the ball, and I pray that no one has noticed my indiscretion.

Each step becomes hard to take, the rut causing the muscles in my body to strain. Every fiber of my being is demanding that I fuck the nearest she-wolf, but I fight it. My mate is in this pack. She needs to be the one who takes my first time.

'Elevator or stairs?' Lance asks, leading me down the hall.

'Elevator. It’s closer to my room.' I answer, the blood in my body pulsating and making me growl with lust. I can feel my fangs grow, the aching need to bite down and mark someone as mine clouds my judgment. Thankfully, we do not pass any she-wolves as Lance and I make it to the elevator. Luck is on our side as the doors slide open the moment Lance presses the call button. He quickly helps me inside, and as I lean against the cold metal walls, Lance presses the button for my floor.

“Shit,” Lance curses as the elevator ascends.

“What?” I ask, my voice deep and husky with the uncontrollable lust coursing through me.

“I forgot to check if Phoebe was still cleaning your room,” he answers, his eyes glazing over.

The doors to the elevator open, and just as I’m about to get Lance’s attention, the scent of vanilla custard rushes into the small space.