"You know, Dev, I always thought your mate would be a fire-breathing war goddess with a temper as short as your patience."
Devin groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face as they walked side by side through the elegant halls of the Blue Angels' pack house. "For the tenth time, shut up."
"I mean, c'mon," Beryl went on, barely suppressing a grin. "You? The Beta of the White Moon pack? Getting all puppy-eyed over a girl before we've even hit the main council meeting? That's adorable. Makes me want to knit you a sweater."
"You even own a needle?" Devin muttered, but his ears were red.
Beryl smirked. "Nope. But for your sake, I'd learn. We'll put little hearts on it. 'Mate drunk' across the chest."
"You're lucky my wolf likes you."
They both laughed, and Beryl felt a lightness he hadn't expected. This place was something else. He hadn't even met Alpha Amity yet, but the territory already had his nerves prickling. Not from danger—but from sheer power. The very air shimmered with it.
And something else.
A pulse. A call.
"Feels weird, doesn't it?" Devin said, glancing around. "This pack... it's not like any I've ever felt."
Beryl nodded. "It's not just wolves here. You can feel the difference. It's like walking through the border of a dream."
Ahead, two guards stood tall outside a large set of crystal-inlaid doors. One was a wolf shifter, tall and broad, with markings running down her jawline like tattoos. The other was something else—lean, with golden eyes and pointed ears, an unmistakable elven aura shimmering around him.
"Beta Devin. Heir Beryl White. You are expected," the elven guard said, gesturing for them to enter.
"Heir," Beryl muttered under his breath as they walked. "Makes me sound like I'm wearing a cape and waiting to inherit a throne."
"You are."
"Yeah, but I'd prefer something cooler. Like 'future badass' or 'alpha in training.'"
"'Dork' also fits."
The guards opened the doors, revealing the Grand Council Room—and Beryl's breath caught.
It was magnificent.
The room was a large oval, domed by a ceiling made of enchanted crystal, mirroring the sky above. Gold veins pulsed faintly through the walls, and soft ambient light made everything shimmer as if the room itself breathed. Along the walls stood statues—glorious depictions of supernatural beings. Not just wolves, but dragons carved in motion, witches casting spells in frozen elegance, vampires with eyes like stars, and demons mid-leap, their wings spread in stone.
"This is…" Beryl whispered.
"Incredible," Devin finished for him.
They were alone in the room, for now. The others hadn't arrived—news said most were en route, but the only ones officially within the barrier were the wolves. The Blue Angels Pack had set up an energy field over their entire territory—one of the only mixed packs powerful enough to sustain a protective dome that kept dark magic and threats out while letting allies in with permission.
And yet, Beryl could still feel it.
The strange pull.
The scent.
The scent.
It wasn't fading. It was getting stronger, sharper, more vivid with every heartbeat. It wasn't just a fragrance. It was a presence. Something primal inside him stirred awake—his wolf, his very soul—howling not with rage, but with something deeper. Recognition. A sense of inevitability.
Mate.
The word slammed into his consciousness like a wrecking ball, and he staggered, subtly, not enough to fall but enough that Devin, his best friend and Beta-to-be, glanced at him in concern.
"You okay?" Devin asked quietly, stepping closer.
But Beryl didn't hear him—not truly. His eyes had locked on the source of that scent.
And then she stepped into the light.
Everything—everything—around her blurred. Time itself stumbled. He couldn't tell you the shape of the room anymore, or how many people were in it. All he saw was her. She was walking alongside two advisors, head held high, but her presence made them look like shadows. Her long hair—black with shifting hints of indigo—fell down her back in a sleek, graceful curtain. Her eyes… oh Goddess, her eyes.
They were molten crimson rimmed with the faintest trace of silver, like dying stars trapped in flesh. Power radiated off her, coiled and disciplined, but barely. She didn't flaunt it. She didn't need to. It followed her like a storm waiting for the right word to strike.
And yet, despite it all, it wasn't fear Beryl felt. It was... reverence.
She was terrifying, yes—but not in a way that threatened. More like how the ocean terrifies when it's calm: because you know how deep it is. How easily it could pull you under.
"Who... who is that?" he whispered hoarsely.
Devin blinked. "You don't know?"
Beryl shook his head, still dazed.
"That's Amity Nervy Lucid," Devin said, voice hushed. "Alpha of the Blue Angels. The strongest pack leader in the world."
Beryl's stomach flipped.
That's Amity?
The name that shook entire councils. The girl who turned broken hybrids into the most powerful supernatural family on earth. The one whispered about in training grounds, spoken of in awe by Elders, feared and admired by every Alpha—that was her?
She was... young. Seventeen, maybe eighteen. And yet, she carried herself like someone who had lived through wars. And maybe she had. He wouldn't be surprised.
She moved toward the table with effortless grace, as if the floor itself moved to accommodate her. Everyone stood. Beryl followed automatically, still caught in the trance of her presence.
And then—she looked at him.
It wasn't a glance. It was a look. A deliberate, piercing, world-splitting gaze.
Their eyes locked.
And Beryl forgot how to breathe.
Time didn't stop this time—it imploded. Every piece of him that had ever felt lonely, broken, or out of place fell away. She looked at him like she knew. Not who he pretended to be. Not who he was expected to become. But who he really was.
And the wildest part? She didn't look disappointed.
Her lips twitched—almost a smile—and then she turned away, giving the rest of the room her attention. Beryl sat down with the others, barely aware of his body moving.
"She saw you," Devin whispered beside him.
"Yeah," Beryl breathed. "She saw me."
"And?"
"She's my mate."
A pause.
"Beryl."
"Yeah?"
"That's... that's Amity freaking Lucid."
"I know."
"You are a disaster."
Beryl nodded slowly. "I know."
A low laugh came from across the room, and Beryl knew it was hers. She was listening. Gods, she'd probably heard everything.
Great.
The meeting continued. Pack officials began discussing strategies, alliances, neutral zones—topics Beryl would usually track with sharp attention. But now? Now, every word slid past his ears like wind over stone. He couldn't stop thinking about her.
She didn't speak much. Just listened. But when she did speak, it was like thunder and silk rolled into one. Her voice had weight—measured and calm, yet unyielding.
And every time her gaze flicked his way, Beryl had to remind himself to inhale.
He was falling. No, diving. Heart-first. No wings, no plan.
And he wasn't sure he wanted to stop.
Later, when the formal portion of the meeting had ended, everyone began breaking off into private conversations. Amity stood, flanked by her Beta—who looked oddly familiar. White hair, blue eyes, maybe around sixteen.
Then it hit him. That was Leila Lucid. Her daughter. The hybrid Beta. The girl known for burning down a rogue coven's hideout after they attacked a village of shifters.
What kind of family was this?
Before Beryl could psych himself out, Devin elbowed him—hard.
"Go talk to her," he hissed.
"I don't have a death wish."
"She's your mate."
"Which means I need to make a good first impression, not a dead one."
Devin rolled his eyes. "You overthink everything."
"I didn't overthink the time I flirted with a vampire diplomat and got punched."
"She flirted back."
"She bit me."
Devin grinned. "You said you liked it."
"That's beside the point—"
Another laugh from across the room.
They both froze.
She had heard them again.
This time, her gaze held amusement. Her crimson eyes sparkled with something close to mischief.
Beryl stood abruptly.
"What are you doing?" Devin hissed.
"I'm talking to her."
"Now?"
"Yes."
"You have no plan."
"I have a vibe."
He walked across the room before he could stop himself. His legs moved as if they weren't his. With each step, the scent grew stronger—flowers in full bloom, earth after rain, storm-charged air. It wasn't just her. It was home.
She turned as he approached, eyes calm but curious. Leila gave him a sideways glance but didn't move to block his path.
"Alpha Lucid," Beryl said, bowing slightly.
"Beryl White," she said, voice smooth. "Alpha-to-be of the White Moon Pack."
She knew him.
"Yeah. That's me." His voice cracked. Damn it. "I, uh… I just wanted to introduce myself formally. And maybe apologize for… existing so loudly earlier."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I mean," he backpedaled, "not existing, like in general. I love existing. But I might've been a little awkward. Or loud. Or awkwardly loud. Anyway."
There was a beat of silence.
And then she laughed.
Not a cruel laugh. Not a condescending one.
It was soft. Musical. Like bells in a thunderstorm.
"You're not what I expected," she said.
"Honestly?" Beryl smiled nervously. "Neither are you."
She tilted her head, studying him. "Are you always this... transparent?"
"Only when I'm trying not to die inside."
"I see."
More silence. More eye contact. More connection.
And then—the bond shifted.
He felt it—suddenly and powerfully. Like something clicked into place. The invisible thread between them hummed. Resonated.
She felt it too.
Her eyes widened, just slightly. Her lips parted.
"...You know," she murmured, voice almost too soft to hear, "I never thought I'd get a mate."
Beryl's heart twisted.
"Me neither," he said. "Especially not you."
She smiled.
"You have a lot to learn," she said, stepping closer.
"I'm a fast learner," he replied.
"We'll see."
And then she turned, gracefully walking away, Leila following without a word.
Beryl stood frozen, the echo of her presence lingering around him like smoke.
Devin approached slowly. "So?"
Beryl blinked, dazed. "She didn't kill me."
"High bar."
"She laughed."
"You're in love, aren't you?"
"I think I always was. I just didn't know her name yet."
Devin grinned. "You're so doomed."
Beryl smiled faintly. "Can't wait."