Page 28 of Destined Mate

Mentally, he reviewed the subjects he planned to bring up. He was as ready as he was going to get. He began with Kage Dargan, who, surprised by Wesley’s call, was interested enough to schedule a meeting.

He’d chosen Kage because he had a strong connection to the other alpha werewolf based there in San DeLain. Plus, Kage was a daemon, a paranormal who manipulated shadows and created portals from them.

This ability was not just a skill, but a weapon of immense terror. Daemons could slip through the darkness, emerging anywhere they desired. With such an intimidating capability, Wesley needed to stay on the elder’s good side, aware of the influence and control he wielded.

After enjoying a quick and fulfilling breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant, Wesley and his pack collected their things and piled into their roomy SUV.

THE MEETING went off without a hitch, and to Wesley’s surprise, he found himself genuinely impressed with Elder Kage. He carried himself with a dignified grace and an aura of wisdom that was hard to overlook.

But beyond admiration, there was the fact that Wesley actually liked the man. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he settled back into the plush leather seat of the SUV.

Only four days remained until the challenge. He planned to meet with the dragon king the next day in one of his offices in downtown San DeLain.

That evening, he had a meeting schedule with the vampire master at Club Nomadic. Every meeting was vital, as he understood whatever impression he made could influence how the leaders viewed him.

“Where to next?” Theo asked as he started the SUV, then buckled up.

“I vote for lunch,” Keith proposed, settling in next to Wesley in the back seat.

“Yeah, I’m hungry too,” Duncan chimed in from the front seat. “So? Where to? The hotel’s restaurant or somewhere else?”

“How about that place called Rafferty’s I mentioned last night? It’s just a basic bar and grill,” Wesley suggested, glancing at the group.

They were all clad in khaki pants and knit shirts, clothing perfectly suited for the casual, laid-back atmosphere of such a place.

In stark contrast, Kage had stood out in a sleek designer suit, making them appear quite underdressed. The dark fabric of his suit had shimmered under the light, a testament to its quality.

Unfortunately, none of them had thought to bring suits. Their focus was firmly on the task at hand—competing for leadership of Cross Creek—not on making an impression on the authorities in San DeLain.

The objective was clear, and in their minds, appearances were secondary to ambition. At least, that was his story, and he was sticking to it.

Frankly, he was more comfortable in jeans and a shirt. A sudden transformation would cause Wesley to tear an expensive suit to pieces, or he’d discard it in the grass or dirt if given the chance to undress.

Could he afford such clothing? Of course. It didn’t mean it was practical for everyday living for him. But Wesley planned to come out of that challenge as the new alpha, so no harm, no foul, right?

After settling on Rafferty’s, Theo located the address on the SUV’s display and drove off. The GPS smoothly navigated them through the city grid, leading them to the restaurant with no trouble.

Wesley took in the sights as they drove, eyes flitting from the high-rises to the bustling cafés and art galleries. He found himself invigorated by the city’s vibrant energy, yet he yearnedfor the untamed beauty of nature—its wildness and boundless freedom.

Here, everything had been designed within an inch of its life.

Wesley understood the necessity of adapting to this environment if he were to succeed in his plans. It wasn’t merely about leading a pack. It was essentially helping to oversee an entire city. A massive city.

As they parked and headed inside, Wesley couldn’t shake a growing sense of urgency that had been slowly building since last night. It was as if a tiny, relentless whisper nagged at his thoughts, urging him to pay attention to something just beyond his grasp.

However, that wasn’t the source of the urgency. Something was off, but he didn’t know what.

Inside Rafferty’s, they grabbed a booth by the window, then ordered their food. Keith didn’t waste time tearing into a basket of fries.

“Damn, this is good,” Duncan said, stealing a fry.

Wesley chuckled. “Enjoy it while you can. You’ll be back to cooking your own food soon enough.”

“Not if I have a place like this close by, so I’m gonna need you to make that happen for me,” Duncan remarked.

“Yup, keeping you happy is high on my priority list,” Wesley said.

Duncan snorted. “As it should be.”

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