Found

Addy

Sherman and Peggy are introduced first, followed by Myra. Then it’s Drake and me. As our names echo in the room, Drake guides me through the entrance, his confidence a stark contrast to my trembling knees. Myra is the last to be announced, her entrance marked by a wave of anticipation that sweeps through the crowd.

“Thank you all for being here to celebrate my coming of age,” she says, her smile lighting up the room. “Enjoy the party, and who knows, some of us might find our mates tonight.”

She flits around the room, engaging in light-hearted banter with the single males. Drake, on the other hand, is busy introducing me to various people. I try to keep an eye on Myra, but she’s quickly swallowed up by the crowd. Our tour around the room is interrupted by a handsome man who greets us with a warm smile.

“Alpha Drake, I’m Beta Soloman from the Red River Pack. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he says, bowing slightly.

Drake nods in acknowledgment. “Soloman, your pack is just beyond our borders, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Alpha. Our packs haven’t always been on good terms, but under the new leadership, we’ve managed to move past those dark times,” Soloman replies, his gaze shifting to me.

“This is Adelaide Pinnacle, my date for the evening,” Drake introduces me, his eyes never leaving Soloman.

“Are you the daughter of Paul and Amber Pinnacle?” Soloman asks, his eyes narrowing.

Before I can answer, a deep voice interrupts us from behind. “She’s my half-sister and a real pain in my ass.” The unexpected comment startles me, but Drake’s reaction is more intense. His body tenses, and he pulls me closer.

We turn to see a young man, roughly our age, approaching us. Drake scrutinizes him before saying, “Alpha Tate. It’s good to see you.”

Tate’s gaze lingers on me, causing Drake to growl protectively.

“Relax, Drake. I’m just admiring my niece. You’re a lucky man.”

Drake’s tension eases. “I’m just protective of her. She hasn’t had an easy life here.”

Tate nods understandingly. “I get it. If she were mine, I’d protect her with my life too. We won’t be staying long. We brought some young, unmated males who were hoping to find potential mates. With your and your father’s blessing, of course.”

Drake nods in agreement. “We have many females here looking for mates. My sister is one of them. Her search will continue if she doesn’t find her mate tonight.”

We all settle at a nearby table, with me perched on Drake’s lap. Tate begins to explain the changes he’s implemented in his pack since taking over leadership. He assures us that the rumors of his pack’s past misdeeds are just that—rumors. He’s worked hard to distance his pack from the illegal practices of the previous leadership.

“You say I’m your niece, but I’ve never met you. Can I ask why? And what exactly did your pack do that was so bad?” I ask.

Tate smiles, a hint of sadness in his eyes. “Your mother and I never got along. She didn’t take it well when our father found another mate and had me. She tried to convince him it was a mistake, but he saw things differently. As for the pack, there were some illegal practices that I put an end to when I took over.”

Suddenly, Tate’s demeanor changes. He stiffens, his eyes glazing over. Drake whispers to me, “He’s found his mate. That’s how I was when I first smelled your scent.”

Tate stands abruptly, scanning the room before forcing himself to sit back down. Soloman looks at him, concern etched on his face. “Alpha, you need to find her. If you’ve caught her scent, she’s caught yours.”

Tate growls in frustration. “I knew coming here was a mistake. I wasn’t ready for this.”

I lean forward, touching his hand. “Why are you scared of finding your mate? She’s what you’ve been looking for.”

Tate looks at me, his eyes swirling with a golden hue. He leans in closer, then inhales sharply. “No, it can’t be true.”

Drake’s grip on me tightens. “Mystic, now’s not the time. You don’t need to reveal yourself yet.”

She smiles at him, and my eyes return to their normal color. Tate shakes his head slowly before turning back to me. “Drake, can we talk somewhere private? This is a dangerous situation for both of you.”

“I know. We found out yesterday just how dangerous it is for her. I’ll protect her with my life if I have to,” Drake says, his hand resting on the table.

Tate nods. “I understand. I’ve heard stories about her kind and did some research when I found an old journal of my father’s. It would be an honor if you could visit my pack soon so we can discuss this further. She’s family, and that’s important to me. Do your parents know about this?”

I shake my head. “I’ve kept her from shifting around them. When I was younger, I would shift, but her color hadn’t come in yet. I was a golden color, but none of the others showed.”

Tate leans back in his chair. “You need to keep it that way. If your mother knew, she’d treat you even worse. If you ever use this power, it has to be done privately. The journal has detailed instructions on how to handle this gift.”

Suddenly, Myra appears, stopping short when she sees Tate. Their eyes meet, and it’s as if a spark ignites between them. Tate jumps up, pulling Myra into his arms. He presses his forehead against hers, purring.

Drake whispers in my ear, “This is how it’s supposed to happen when mates find each other. Not a game of hide and seek,” he chuckles.

“Oh my goddess, I found you. Your scent hit me, and I’ve been tracking it for ten minutes. Drake, I found my mate,” Myra squeals.

“Yes, Myra, I can see that,” Drake replies, rolling his eyes.

Tate pulls Myra onto his lap, smiling. “How do you know Drake?”

She points to us. “He’s my brother, and she’s my best friend. Weren’t you here when we were announced?”

“No, we arrived after the announcement. That makes you the Alpha’s daughter. I’m Alpha Tate of the Red River Pack. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, mate,” he says, his eyes sparkling.

Soloman stands up. “Does anyone want a drink? I don’t know about you, but I could use one.”

Tate looks up at him, nuzzling his face in Myra’s neck. “What would you like, baby?”

“I’ll have a punch, please. What about you three?” she asks, looking at us.

We all nod in agreement, and Soloman heads off to get the drinks. As I watch him walk away, I can’t help but wonder why he looks so sad.

“Why is he sad?” I ask, watching him disappear into the crowd.

“He was hoping to find his mate here. Since you’re taken and now the Alpha’s daughter, he’ll have to look elsewhere,” Tate replies, kissing Myra’s neck.

She leans back against him. “He’s still young, right?”

Tate nods. “Yes, he’s about to turn eighteen. He still has another year to find his mate.”

My eyes swirl again. “He’ll find her soon. Tell him not to be so sad. His Alpha found his mate, so he will too. She’s closer than he thinks.”

Drake growls behind me. “Addy, you need to get her under control. There are too many people around for her to be doing this. She’s risking being discovered.”

“I don’t realize she’s doing it. I never feel her come forward,” I say, gripping his arm.

Tate sits up, speaking in a low voice. “Drake, we need to talk. If we don’t address some issues soon, things will get worse.”

Drake looks around the room, filled with pack members mingling with each other. “We need to make a few announcements first. It would look odd if we all just disappeared from my sister’s party.”

Tate looks around at the people giving us curious glances. “They haven’t been told yet?” he asks, surprised.

“Not yet. We found each other yesterday. Her past here hasn’t been the best. We were waiting until tonight to make our announcement. If Myra found her mate, they could make an announcement too,” Drake explains.

“We need to do it now to discuss the other issue. Addy feels bad for Soloman and wants to reassure him. She’s very gifted, and we need to keep everything under wraps before someone realizes what she is,” Tate says, helping Myra to her feet.

Soloman returns with five glasses of punch. We each take one and drink. Myra takes Tate’s hand and leads him towards a stage at the front of the room. I follow them, a lump forming in my throat. Soloman walks behind us. I stop and turn to look at him.

“Don’t be sad. Your time is closer than you think,” I say, snapping out of the trance.

He raises an eyebrow at me, then slowly smiles.

“Drake, I don’t know what to do about this. She’s getting stronger, and I can’t stop her,” I say, looking around to make sure no one saw.

He leans down and speaks softly. “Mystic, please stop. I know you feel bad for him, but not now. Don’t endanger Addy. She needs to be safe until we know all the details.”

She growls at him, but he growls back louder in my head. She huffs, turning around and mumbling, ‘I was only trying to help.’

‘I know you were, but please, let’s wait. There are thousands of people in here, and if you don’t stop, one of them might discover what we are. That would put both of us in grave danger,’ I try to reason with her.

She rolls her eyes and curls up. ‘It’s my nature to help someone when they’re sad. I tried to help you for years until you shut me out. Now that we’ve bonded, I’m much stronger than you. Don’t piss me off right now. The outcome won’t be pleasant.’

She shuts me out just as Myra and Tate climb onto the stage. Everyone’s attention shifts towards them, waiting to hear what they have to say.