Viking Wolf King's Mate

1.3) eyes

Keely was on her cousin’s heels as they walked into The Great Hall. She felt as if she were on trial. The hall was quiet, parted in the middle in a way she had never seen. There was a large chair to one side of the room. Her Alpha had never once used it. He may have been ruthless with some of his methods, but her alpha loved his pack and chose to spend his days mingled with his warriors as supposed to above them.

The King did not share the same sentiment. He sat on the chair as if it were a throne. He commanded attention. All eyes were on him, including Keely’s. He was magnificent. Tall and broad. He had the body of a warrior. His jaw was sharp under the stubble he had close shaven. He had a scar running across one cheek down his neck. It was jagged and ugly. She wanted to run her fingers over the raised skin. Then there were his eyes. Her breath hitched as the sight of the blue wolf’s eyes flashed in her brain.

Her steps remained steady as she approached the chair. Her cousin let out a haughty laugh as The King shook his head. She could just imagine Balder’s smirk as he walked to his beloved friend. Keely kept her distance. She noticed a slight limp to The King’s gate as he approached Balder.

“There he is,” The King slapped her cousin on the back as the two walked back to the throne.

“Seems you have settled your dreary cloud over the room,” Balder laughed, “Please,” he announced to the room, “this is a celebration of the new Alpha. Let's celebrate.”

He threw his arms into the air and the hall exploded in eruptions. All the wolves shifted back into human form as everyone filled the space. Kelly had never travelled, she was not worldly, nor did she have a desire to be. The music in her region was some of the best. Strong drums that conveyed the power held within this hall, not only with all of The Alpha’s but also with The King.

Keely absorbed into the crowd. She may not be worldly, but she could party. She reached the drink table as Astrid bumped into her. Astrid has her closest confidant.

“Keely,” the short brunette held onto her. Astrid was composed, poised and graceful until she had alcohol in her veins. Astid could drink. “Have you seen The North-Western Region? Those males are stunning.”

Keely followed her friends gaze to the group of dark-skinned males. They were stunning. Dark-skinned males were a weak point for her. Their skin remined her of the richest soil. She wanted to roll around in it, absorb it into her soul. The best part was that The North-Western males were dominant. She had slept with one or two while they attended trained and they were all the same – dominating, strong and left her weak in the knees. There was something magnetic about them. Maybe it was that she could almost feel the Earth’s minerals soaked into their bodies from the time spent forging and mining in the volcanic caverns.

As the two females ogled the males, one caught her eye. His smile was sharp and promised so many wicked things. Keely was trapped in his gaze. As she took a step towards him, he broke off from his pack to approach her.

“Enjoy,” she heard Astrid as the male took her drink from her hand to lead her to the dance floor. Keely wasn’t sure what she drank, she just knew it was strong and laced with an aphrodisiac. These celebrations were usually one big f**k festival. The Alpha’s need stronger bloodlines, so they encouraged the procreation between their strongest warriors at every opportunity. The best of every region.

She let the drums roll through her as she danced with the hypnotic male. His hands warm on her already burning skin. The hall was filled with people just like them. She enjoyed feeling like nobody. She was just another warm body connected to the Earth and the Gods. She was not the disgraced daughter of the beta. She was not a flower child. She was not a caretaker or a friend. She was simply a female at her most primal. She was one of many. Until she looked up into blue eyes against the white snow.

~

He could feel her. She was here. He had not thought she would be. He had simply come to find his beta so they could start the search for her. He had no intention of finding a love, but he needed her strength. A mate to an alpha gave his wolf strength. She fed into the power he held and usually appeased his people. A Queen would appease his people. She would bring home in the bleak time of war. He would not mistreat her; he would simply leave her to her own devices in their village. She would be his people’s Luna and Queen, but she would be nothing to him. He did not intend to have pups until this war was over and once the time came, they would only mate for procreation after the initial mating for bond creation.

He had expected to search for her, or that she would find him, not that she knew who he was. He rarely let anyone see his wolf. It was safer that way, no one would be looking for a white wolf in the snow.

No one except her.

His mate.

He could sense her, but he couldn’t smell her. Balder had begun helping him look – introducing him to many females from all different packs – but none of them were her.

Ragnar’s wolf was becoming agitated. He did not like to be in a room with so many people. He did not like the stench of alcohol. He did not care for the aphrodisiac in the air or how they all behaved on it.

Ragnar glared at the dance floor. They were at war and his best warriors were attempting to procreate by seducing to the music. The air thickened as he met her deep brown eyes