I didn't realise I was gravitating towards the mystery man until someone jerked me back. Asra, taking my hand, snapped me out of my daydream and I turned to him with a curious expression.

"Where are you going, Tulip?" He wondered.

I shook my head, glancing back at the last spot I saw the male. "That man... behind the alpha pair..."

Asra glanced up, his taller frame towering over the crowds. "What of him?"

"He looks familiar." I frowned. "But I feel I have never seen him before."

Asra's lips pulled down into a grimace, and he glanced between the two of us with caution. My frown turned into one of worry when he didn't comment any further. I flexed my fingers around his palm, shifting the unwanted energy.

"I believe he is Wolfram's gamma or beta male."

I cocked my head. "Is there a gamma female?"

"I am not sure," Asra sighed. "Alpha Black will do his rounds and if he comes near, I will see what I can find out."

I exhaled, nodding. "Okay, thank you."

Asra's smile was firm, but he wrapped his arms around my waist, anyway. "Let's dance."

"Dance?" I startled. "You dance?"

"What? And you do?"

"Well, I have had training." I spluttered, my hands falling to his chest.

"Really?" He wondered. "But you are very clumsy."

I scowled at his teasing. "Why do you think I had training? Darius' mother was adamant on my lady-training."

"Lady training?" He scoffed. "What did that entail?"

"Oh, you know, the basics." I shrugged, staring at his collar. "How to eat politely, to dance, to speak, and how to dress well."

"Grooming?" He frowned.

I didn't realise we were dancing until I looked up into his eyes and found the room around us spinning. I wrinkled my hands over the collar of his shirt, smoothing out the invisible creases.

"I was to be a leader's wife. I had to look the part." Mumbling, I looked around. "Tonight is very similar, I must say."

Asra inhaled sharply, a small grumble in his chest. "Luckily, you won't have to do this much longer. Things like this rarely happen."

"I thought you said wolves loving having pups?" I teased.

He tutted at me. "But they only care for the first pup to rule their pack, Tulip. A lot of the continental alphas are old, or brought up by old wolves. Their ideology is a lot different to modern day."

"Is that why some still hunt?" I wondered.

He stiffened slightly, eyes glancing around us before they dropped back to me. "Part of it. Most of us hunt for courtship, as per the treaty, but there are still wolves out there who hate humans."

"How many hunts have you been on?" I whispered.

His jaw flexed. "Too many with my father, and too little as an alpha."

"Why too little?" I wondered, and he shrugged.

"I often wonder if hunting sooner would have led me to you, before all the bad stuff happened to you."

My heart warmed, and my cheeks were not long to follow. Asra chuckled down at me, lifting a hand to grace the back of his fingers down my face. I leaned into his grip, biting his finger softly when he dared to pry my lips open. He pulled it away with a wild expression, one that told me he would not forget it.

Asra drew me away from the dance floor and toward the snack and drink tables. There, he took two glasses of bubbles from a stationary server and I grinned when I heard him grumble a thank you. Even the server seemed surprised at the interaction, stammering as he bowed his head.

"Alpha Asra, a pleasure to see you again." A familiar voice interrupted us. "I do hope you are enjoying your evening."

We turned to face the face of the party, and I forced a smile upon my face to not seem too agitated. I was hoping to avoid a confrontation, but it seems even that cannot last a mere five-minute dance.

"Alpha, Luna." Asra grunted, bowing his head once. "Congratulations."

My eyes dropped to the bundle in her arms, which stirred when Luna Black lifted him up to her cheek. The baby squirmed, hands clenched into tight little fists as it huffed with agitation. I didn't miss the way my mate's eyes were glued onto it, nor the way his hand tightened around my waist.

"Thank you," the luna smiled.

She flickered her icy eyes at her baby before they glanced between the two of us. She smiled tightly, but I noticed the way her gaze flickered down my dress and settled on the protective grip Asra held on me. I kept my expression nonchalant as she then looked at her mate and took a step closer. Augustus grunted, muttering something to Asra about the baby.

I blinked when my name was spoken, realising I had completely blanked them all.

"I was just telling Ailia that this is a rare celebration these days." Asra's voice was formal as he spoke.

"Ah yes, I am afraid most do not celebrate their children's birth anymore! There hasn't been a first born alpha pup in a while, so we thought, why not celebrate our son? He is to be the alpha anyway!" Augustus chuckled, sipping from a whiskey glass.

My lips down-turned, eyebrows furrowing and ready to disagree. I may only be two and a half glasses deep, but I wasn't afraid to speak my mind to this man with Asra by my side. But alas, my mate noticed my annoyance and squeezed me tighter. My lips curled into a pout and I backed down, taking a large sip of my champagne.

"Did everyone turn up as planned?" Asra wondered, looking around.

"Yes, yes! It is a very busy evening. Every alpha has come, and I am glad to meet so many recent additions." His dark eyes dropped to me as he spoke, and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Ailia, was it?"

"Yes," I breathed through gritted teeth.

"How is it, Alpha? Having a human as a mate." He cocked his head, scrutinising me.

"What kind of question is that?" I scoffed.

Asra's grip tightened and Augustus' wide grin dropped a fraction. I internally snorted, but he dismissed me as though I was a mere fly on the wall.

"Ailia is the perfect mate for me, I can assure you, Augustus." Asra grumbled.

Augustus backed off a step, raising his hands with defence. "Very well, Alpha. I was just curious about how it works. It is rare for an alpha to receive a human as a mate, since they are such a weak species."

"Ailia is stronger than she looks."

My chest rose with pride at my mate's admission, but the opposing alpha dismissed him with a grunt. I scowled at him, hopefully burning holes into the side of his stupid, egotistical head. His luna was silent, but she watched me with those icy eyes, her expression unreadable. I shifted my gaze from the couple, choosing to people spot instead.

My eyes caught sight of ginger hair over the rim of my glass, and I saw the man from the stairs greeting people behind the alpha pair. He was closer now, and I could see the faint hint of freckles across his cheeks. It made something in my gut tighten, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Ah, you must meet my friends." Augustus bellowed, turning to the man.

His friend startled slightly when his alpha's hand fell to his elbow, but he covered it with a broad grin filled with pearly white teeth. He was dressed in a grey plaid suit, a pattern so bold yet a colour so dull. His shirt was crisp and white, unbuttoned at the collar without a tie. Very similar to Asra. I had a feeling this wolf was nothing like his alpha.

"Alpha, this is my Beta, Flynn. Flynn, this is Alpha Asra." Augustus introduced.

My head snapped to the alpha with loathing as he purposely left me out. Whilst Asra was busy shaking the red-haired man's hand, I kept my glare locked on Augustus. He scowled at me, raising his head to appear taller. When I didn't look away, a deep growl sounded from his chest, one that had the surrounding wolves turn to look. I barely flinched, keeping my livid gaze locked onto him, which, of course, he didn't like.

A hand wrapped around my forearm, and Asra pulled me closer to him.

"Tulip..." Asra warned. "Come here."

I clicked my tongue with distaste, unhappy I had to look away from the alpha's attempt to make me submit. I barely felt his power, so he wasn't anything special. Head alpha, my arse.

"What?" I snapped.

Asra tensed at my curt response. I breathed deeply, muttering an apology, before moving closer to him. I needed to stop acting like that.

"Nothing like a spitfire to keep you busy, Alpha." A voice chuckled.

The man before us looked more vivid up close. I mean, of course he did. I was closer. But his hair... his eyes...

Something about him was right there, on the tip of my tongue. My brain niggled a thought with annoyance, clawing to escape, but I couldn't quite grasp it, couldn't quite reach that itch.

"Yes, she sure is." Asra mused. "Flynn, my mate Ailia. Ailia, Beta Flynn."

The beta's hand was already out-stretched to me, and I met his gaze head on when Asra introduced us. I was glad I did, because if I didn't, I would not have caught the way his body stiffened and his cool gaze widened.

That was something.

My hand connected with Flynn's and it took him a moment to register that I shook his hand before he was pulling it away.

"Nice to meet you, Flynn." I smiled softly.

Asra secured his arm back around me, pulling me into his side. He was observing the strange behaviour too, and Flynn swallowed harshly.

"Did you say your name was Ailia?" He stammered.

"Yes..." I trailed, cocking my head. "Why?"

He shook his head, licking his lips as he breathed a laugh. "N-nothing, just a unique name, not one you hear a lot."

I forced a smile, my suspicion growing. "My father gave me it."

"Of course," He nodded, his smile tight.

His entire demeanour had changed. He had gone from a relaxed, laid back and broad grinned wolf to a nervous chihuahua with a secret.

I wanted to know that secret so badly.

Why was this man making my brain itch?

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I blurted.

Flynn laughed, shaking his head. "First time I met you, and the pleasure is all mine. However, I must go. I am needed elsewhere. This party cannot run itself."

He barely spluttered a goodbye after that before he was dipping his head and turning away from us. I watched his plaid suit disappear, my face scrunching up with a scowl.

"That was weird, right?" I muttered as I turned to Asra.

My mate was still staring at where the man disappeared, his body tense. I patted him lightly on the jaw, pulling his attention back to me. His blue eyes were dark with stars, a frown marring his lips.

"Asra?" I mumbled.

"He was acting suspiciously." He agreed.

"Too weird, right?" I repeated.

I needed the reassurance it wasn't just me who noted the beta's weird behaviour.

"Very," He nodded.

"He scratches something in my brain, but I can't put my finger on it." I shook my head, glaring down at where my hands rested on his arm. "He spoke my name as though he recognised it, but..."

"Fuck your name, Tulip, he looked just like you," Asra spat, cursing. "He is the fucking image of you."

My eyes widened. "You think?"

His jaw flexed as he met my worried gaze. "The hair, the eyes, fuck, even the nose. His behaviour only confirmed it."

I chewed my lip with anxiety. "What does that mean?"

"It means that man knows who you are, and I am determined to find out how."

*********
Hi hi hi doodle do

Looking for some fantasy recs guys.

What you been reading??? Wattpad or kindle recs appreciated haha