Page 4 of Howl For Me
Two months later…
Gavin leaned against the house as he stared off into the crowd of people and sighed. His parents were trying to get him mated off.
This wasn’t right.
His fated mate was out there somewhere. He had a deep feeling in the pit of his stomach that she wasn’t dead. He refused to believe she was. His wolf could feel her. But it had been five long years since Damara’s disappearance.
As the new alpha of the Golden Moon Pack, it was his responsibility to find a mate and produce strong heirs to carry on his legacy. His father, Harold Greene, had just stepped down as alpha, citing it was time for the new generation to lead.
The throng of people were having a good time around the large fire pit. His mother hadn’t spared any expense for this event. They had invited packs from all around for this gathering in hopes Gavin would meet a nice young female wolf to settle down with.
“Gavin, why are you hanging out over here? This party was put together in your honor.” His mother, Loretta, came to stand next to him.
She was a tall woman in her late fifties, with creamy caramel skin. Her dark hair, sprinkled with some gray throughout, was pinned to the back of her head in a sophisticated bun. He could feel she was concerned about him. His parents couldn’t truly understand what it felt like to have their mate ripped from their life. He prayed no one would ever have to go through that feeling.
“It’s hard, Mother,” he admitted. He stood tall and slid his hands into his jeans pockets as he watched a group of women laugh at the expense of a couple of his enforcers. He knew his men were trying to take advantage of the influx of women this weekend.
It was a wolf’s nature to search for their mate. Once they found the other half of their soul, they felt complete and would grow old with the love of their life. He wouldn’t be mad at any of his men if they did find they special someone. He would actually be envious of them if their true mates were here tonight.
“I know you miss Damara, but she’s gone, Gavin. I’m sure she wouldn’t want you moping around and not living your life.” His mother’s strong hand patted his arm.
He glanced at her and offered a small smile, choosing not to argue with her.
“I’ll be okay,” he assured her.
She nodded before walking toward the party.
He glanced up and looked at the moon. He could feel the pull to shift. His animal was itching to break free. He wondered if Damara, wherever she may be, was able to look up at the moon tonight. Were they staring at the same one, feeling a need to shift? Tomorrow was the full moon. Shifters were their strongest around a full moon.
He had met Damara when they were both fresh out of college. From the moment their eyes had locked, he’d known she would be the one for him. She was the missing puzzle piece to his soul. They had been at a party much like this one and instantly fell for each other. She was from one town over, and they’d taken their time in getting to know each other. They had promised their parents they would plan their mating ceremony when she returned from her trip.
But she had never made it home.
Five years ago, her and a few friends from college were getting together for a reunion of sorts. A girls’ week away. They had planned to go to Hawaii, but their plane never made it to Hawaii. It never made it to California. The wreckage was found in the hills of Nye County, Nevada. The small plane had incinerated, killing all those who’d been aboard. He had lost his heart that night. His future mate had been taken from him forever.
Even though they had never finished the mating, his animal was still connected to her. That was how he knew she wasn’t dead. She was somewhere out there. He just prayed she would be able to find her way back to him.
“Gavin!”
He glanced up and found his beta, Spencer, and his enforcer, Solon. He waved them over to him. His wolf instantly perked up at the serious look on both of their faces.
He stalked toward them, ignoring the party.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, instantly on alert.
“We’re not sure, but we’ve detected an unfamiliar wolf on the outskirts of the property.”
“Rogue?” Gavin asked, narrowing his eyes on Spencer.
They had been best friends since they were pups, and he hadn’t thought twice about naming Spencer as his second-in-command. He knew Spencer loved the Golden Moon pack as much as he did.
“Don’t think so. This one is female.” Spencer shook his head.
“It could probably just be someone from the party who shifted. Tomorrow is the full moon,” Solon said.
Gavin agreed with Solon and relaxed a little. It was probably someone shifting, unable to control their animal around the power of the moon. A female unable to control their animal was not a person he would ever consider mating with. He glanced around at the party and grimaced.
“You need to mingle.” Spencer chuckled, seeing his face.
