Ryder studied me for a moment when I told him the plan that Ajax and I had concocted. There was a little sighing and even a couple of eyerolls, but he eventually shrugged.

"If you want to go through with this, then we're going," he said.

It was then that I saw the dark circles beneath his eyes, the paleness of his skin. despite the fact that we had several days together, despite the fact that I let him sleep in most days, the things we had gone through had taken their toll. And the battle felt like it was just beginning.

"Listen, I can go. You stay home, play some video games, go biking, whatever you want to do," I suggested gently, taking his hands in mine. "We can go grocery shopping before and make sure you have a fridge full of snacks—"

"Georgia, if you're going, I'm going," he stated.

I couldn't lie and say I didn't appreciate the offer. "But this is my battle now. You gave me an out. You've given me a hundred outs. This is something that neither of us necessarily anticipated and it's not fair that I'm pulling you down with me. I can do this with Ajax just fine. He and I will go to this conference and we will see if there is anything that stands out to us. More realistically, nothing is going to happen, we're going to go out, we're going to come home, then we are going to be in the same spot that we started at."

It was depressing and awful to say out loud, but there was no denying the possibility. We were clinging to an ancient book and vague dreams that I had when my mind was not performing the way it should have been. For all of the years I had spent fighting against werewolf drain, I knew absolutely nothing about it and I wished everyday that I had asked just a few more questions.

"Georgia, you going to a meeting of some of the most powerful creatures on this planet. They are going to be able to smell the human on you for a mile away. Even if I didn't care about this wolf-drain thing at all, there's no way that I would want you to go to that kind of an event without me."

"I'm going with Ajax and Keiko," I pointed out softly.

A muscle in his jaw flickered. "They made it pretty clear that they wouldn't protect you."

I knew that arguing against him was useless. His mind had been made up. And I was entirely unhappy with the result in truth.

So we prepared for the day together. And when it finally came, I couldn't help but stare at Ryder a little longer than usual.

"What?" he wondered, peering down at his own chestnut brown suit jacket, searching for lint or an imperfection.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and turned away, feeling my cheeks flame. I had seen this man naked, in a mountain bike jersey, in basketball shorts while lying on the couch eating pizza. But this, this was something else. The colour of the suit made his hair seem browner, his eyes warmer despite their chilly hue. Clean shaven and sharp, but smooth.

"You look really good," I said, staring in the bathroom mirror as I pushed a simple diamond stud through my earlobe. I was still trying to get comfortable in my cable knit, grey dress. I had never really been much of a fashion gal behind high school and college trends –though I had always envied those who could pair items seamlessly – and I was still getting used to this version of my body.

Warm hands curled around my waist. I watched the mirror, seeing him grin down at me, gaze settled on my face. Our clothes clashed – the cold grey and the warm brown – but his grip was steady and his eyes were kind. The fire of my hair, the steadiness of his strength. I wanted to melt into him.

"I'm glad that you still like me," he murmured, tucking me up under his arm.

"Oh? Because the mate bond is gone, you thought I wouldn't find you to be a ten anymore?"

"Because you've been hanging around with Ajax. I still remember all those wolf magazines calling him a heartthrob before he found Keiko and took his role as king. Without the mate bond, you might be inclined to sway."

I snorted, a little surprised that werewolves would have their own publications. Though, all things considered, it wasn't the wildest thing I had learned recently. "Ajax can be whatever he wants. He's not you. And I don't like you, I love you."

Ryder looked mighty pleased with himself when he undid the top button on his shirt, leaving a delicious triangle of exposed skin to tease me, right at the base of this throat.

Ajax and Keiko picked us up in a vehicle that must have cost more than the average starter home. Both of them looked incredible. Ajax was in a traditional black suit, looking as menacing as I had ever seen. And Keiko was wearing a suit as well, though hers was a stunning burnt orange, a white lacy camisole peeking underneath. It made her hair darker than obsidian. She was completely thunderous and somehow, when she flashed me a smile, it didn't soften her at all. A queen through and through.

Over the long drive, there was idle chatter. At least, I deemed it idle. Ajax and Ryder talked about rogue wolves threatening weaker pack lands. Keiko was the one who brought up the political side of things, seeming to know exactly who hated who and pushed other issues like cash flow. I just kept my eyes closed for the most part, resting my head against the cool glass. And tried not to think about the fact that I was going into a building filled with creatures that I didn't understand. But Ryder's hand settled on my bare knee and something restless within me settled.

The confrenece was held in a city about two hours away from our quiet mountain town. I was almost startled by the hustle and bustle of city life all over again. It was bizarre to think that this had once been my life. I used to hang out at malls just like the ones I drove by, with crammed parking lots. My parents used to have one of those mega-houses that rose up from the ground with a laughable yard. I used to wear luxury brands while side-eyeing the homeless on the city bus.

Now, I could hardly stand the kitten heels on my feet and seeing all the people milling around unsettled me.

We arrived at some luxury hotel and Ajax walked to the lobby with Keiko's arm looped through his. He dropped the name of some fake company at the front desk attendant and we were swept off.

I don't know what I expected. But it was not this.

The room was filled with people. Just normal people. Well dressed, for sure. But this definitely could have just been a tech company conference.

Something must have shown on my face because Ryder squeezed my hand in his own, tugging me along into the thick of it. There were dozens of people here, from what Ajax had said, each species was allowed to bring up to six representatives. So, even though it seemed like I was in a room with lovely men and women, the people brushing past me could have been sirens, vampires, wind howlers. We moved to the snack table, Ajax in the lead, though he tensed when I saw the sweet treats. Keiko sensed this immediately and stroked a hand down his back, nudging a spinach and cheese scone into his hand. Ryder greedily piled a paper plate full of food, acting like I never fed him. My stomach was too knotted to even consider eating.

"King Ajax," a man greeted.

He was absurdly tall and when he shook Ajax's hand, I saw long pale fingers that were more bone than flesh. Something about him immediately put me on high alert though there was nothing distinctly off putting about him.

Ajax grinned and shook his hand. "Max, how are you?"

"Seeming to be better than you," the man leered. Sucking in a deep breath through his nose, his pale blue eyes narrowed on me. "Last time you came to this, you announced that you might have an unkillable werewolf in your arsenal. Now, you bring a sweet, fragile human along for the ride." A pink tongue darted out to wet his lips. "She wouldn't happen to be a peace offering."

Ajax's smile remained easy and I wouldn't have read any danger from the king had Ryder not stiffened beside me.

"You have your dealings with humans and we have ours," Ajax said firmly, but still friendly.

"So you haven't discovered what a delicious snack they can be? Come on now, you know the laws. We aren't allowed to kill. But a little taste never hurt anyone. She would be a fine addition to my herd. She wouldn't even know..."

"She is mated to a werewolf, so tread lightly," Ajax warned.

Max jerked back as if smelling something foul. His leer came back a moment later, his fixation turning back to the king. "It's not often you trouble yourself with these trivial things, especially when they are so far away from Denver. I'm assuming you've heard the news then?"

"I hear a lot of things," Ajax sighed.

"So maybe you haven't heard about the alchemist that will be joining us today," Max murmured. And, like he knew that he had just dropped a bomb upon us, he sauntered away.

~~~Question of the Day~~~

What was/is your least favorite subject in school?