Aria's Alpha

4. Xavier

I woke up that morning and I was a little annoyed that I had agreed to participate in an interview for a new doctor for the town hospital. But I was on the board of trustees and though I rarely participated, I somehow got roped into this. As I showered, I felt my wolf, Drake, more on edge. Ever since that amazing scent yesterday, he had been restless. I ignored him and glanced through my emails as I started my day.

Because I had several more meetings, I stayed in the home the pack owned in town. It was mostly a short-term vacation rental, but the higher ranked pack members used it when they wanted. As much as I loved living in the pack house, this was a nice change of pace. It was peaceful here. I remodeled the place a few years previously more specific to my taste and often used it as my personal getaway. It backed up to the border of the pack's land while being perfectly situated overlooking the lake and expansive forests. The views were beautiful.

I was running a few minutes late and was the last one to walk into the conference. As I passed through the door, I slammed into the most intoxicating, unparalleled scent; the one that was in the coffee shop yesterday. It was vanilla mixed with whiskey--a little sweet and a little spicy, and I knew I was never going to get tired of it. Drake stood straight up and almost came forward at the smell. I took a deep breath in and filled my lungs, the scent becoming more alluring with each breath. I looked at the woman in front of me and was vaguely aware of Susan Davies, the hospital administrator, introducing everyone. Her eyes met mine and Drake went crazy in my head. "MATE." Fvck! And in a room full of humans.

Standing in front of me was the most enchanting woman I had ever seen. Her long blonde hair fell in gentle waves down the middle of her back, the dress she was wearing highlighted her perfect curves, the v-neck giving me a glimpse of her full breasts. Breasts I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. Her hips rounded nicely and I was confident she would have the most perfect round ass that would fit my hand like a glove. I could imagine my fingers gliding up her soft skin to her smooth, soft neck where my mark would be. When her eyes met mine the hazel green seemed to shimmer in the light and I suddenly had a new favorite color. She extended her hand to shake mine, as I grasped it pleasurable tingles traveled through my body. I felt my pants tightening and I was barely holding it together. I wanted this woman, my mate. And I wanted her now. I imagined bending her over the table and taking her while I made her scream my name.

Our handshake lingered, but I couldn't bring myself to let go. Her hand fit into mine perfectly, her scent stronger and ever more enticing. I had waited so long for my mate and now she was in front of me. As I looked at her she closed her eyes and pulled back her hand. Drake started whining in my head. "Mate. Want my mate. MATE. MATE. MATE. MARK HER NOW."

"It will happen buddy, don't worry. I'm not going to let her go." Drake refused to sit down and spent the rest of the interview pacing circles in my head.

I sat back in my chair and the interview started. The more I listened, the more impressed I was. This woman was smart and driven. I could tell she was passionate about her work and showed that she was empathetic towards the challenges faced by women in small communities. I couldn't wait to make her mine. I sniffed the air again to get more of her scent and realized she was human. Fully human. I was a little shocked as I considered that. No one in my pack had been mated with a human in a couple of generations. I wasn't going to question the Moon Goddess. Not when I had a literal perfect woman in front of me. But I was going to have to take this slower. I wanted to gain her trust some before introducing her to Drake and the rest of the pack. It was always challenging explaining werewolves to humans, but I hoped the mate bond would make the process easier.

I also wanted to talk with Serena. Even though we employed pack doctors, she was technically our pack healer and midwife, but in truth she was an ancient and wise woman with strong magic. I was pretty sure she was a witch but it was hard to sense exactly and she never offered the information. Serena had lived near or with my pack since before my grandfather's time. Her background was a mystery, but she was indispensable to us, and I valued her counsel.

I knew humans would be affected by the mate bond, but I didn't know how it would work exactly. Would this woman be able to accept me? Could I mark her? What if she rejected me? Even the thought caused my heart to break a little.

I mind linked Wade as the interview continued, "Will you track down Serena for me? I need to talk with her this afternoon as soon as I'm back. It's urgent."

"Are you ok?! Did anything happen? Do you need me to come?"

"I'm fine. Just get Serena,” I felt my alpha voice slip out.

“Yes, alpha.”