Once the introductions had neared the end, Amelia snuck out of the crowd, slipping between her fellow pack members back into the house. She headed directly for the kitchen, pushing through the swinging double doors. The two cooks and half a dozen assistants were flurrying about the room, preparing tonight's feast. She worked her way through the bustle, avoiding those working and made her way to the fridge.

She pulled out a bottle of water, quickly guzzling down the cool liquid. She felt flushed. The type of heat that had nothing to do with the temperature outside. Her heart was racing and her stomach was performing acrobatics, enough to bring back her nausea.

"Is everything okay, dear?"

Amelia snapped out of her daze to discover a short, stout woman with flaming curly hair pulled up into a knot on top of her head, standing in front of her.

"Yes, Ms. McKready. It's just hot out there."

"Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. We have a long night ahead of us," Ms. McKready smirked with a wink, getting back to prepping the chicken.

"You have no idea."

Amelia tossed her waste into the recycling bin before leaving the kitchen. The Packhouse was busier than ever. Between her own pack and the four visiting ones, the house was chaotic.

She recognized her group of friends huddled in the living room. The girls were gawking at the new male beef, and the males were drooling over the unmated females that had arrived. She weaved in and out of varying sized groups, making her way to her friends. Daniel was there, her ex-boyfriend, smiling at her as if she hadn't doused the inside of his car with vomit. She couldn't help but smile back. Even though she had broken up with him, they had still been friends for as long as she could remember. That wouldn't change.

Four of her closest girlfriends were whispering harshly amongst themselves, and each of them couldn't be more distinct from one another. There was Cordelia, the gorgeous, reserved nerd, her closest friend that she couldn't imagine life without. Jasmine, the punk rocker who always had chipped, black nail polish and headphones wrapped around her neck. Melinda, the quiet, mousy red-head with acrylic paint permanently stuck beneath her nails. Finally, there was her cousin Gabby, the pack slut. Known for sleazing from guy to guy and not giving two shits who knew about it.

Amelia managed to jump in at the tail end of the conversation. She caught whispers of dirty comments. Ranging from the various positions they'd love to be put in, to the different flavors they might taste like. Their well-endowed assets were being code named a variety of random objects. Apple pie practically had her choking on her spit.

As she made her way to stand amongst them the conversation quieted. Each of them looked to her to see if there was a male amongst the crowd she would claim first. As the Alpha's daughter, she was amongst the highest ranked, allowing her first pick. But, that was the last thing on her mind. Her heart was still racing from the far from simple handshake she had exchanged with the new Alpha of the Twilight Moon pack.

"Please tell me someone has a drink for me," Amelia whispered amongst her friends.

The girl on her right, Cordelia, promptly handed her a mug she had been holding. Most would think she was consuming coffee, but from the ripe fermented smell of molasses, it was well-aged bourbon.

"Bless you, Cordie," Amelia praised, consuming a deep drink of the burning liquid. She immediately felt more buoyant as the liquor hit her empty stomach. "Goddess, I needed that."

"What's got you so wound up?" Cordelia asked, her detail-oriented hazel eyes were still gazing over the continuously gathering crowd.

"You don't wanna know," she mumbled into the mug before taking another long drink.

"Man, and I thought we had some fine-looking men in our pack, but these new beefcakes are making me blush."

Amelia leaned forward to consider the girl on the end, only to find Gabby, her cousin. Her cropped brunette hair filled her slim face. She was constantly looking for her next conquest, causing her to be a bit of a hoe, but who was she to judge? Her cousin knew how to have fun.

The other girls nodded in agreement as they continued their ogling.

"Has anyone seen the new Alpha that just arrived?" Cordelia purred.

"You mean Alpha Gabriel?" Amelia asked. Her heart began to race just by the mere mention of him. She enjoyed the way his name rolled off her tongue.

"What I wouldn't give to mount that fine stallion."

Amelia nearly shot bourbon through her nose as she coughed wildly into the mug. Her head was burning. Her nose itched something fierce; enough to cause her to consider cutting it off. Everyone seemed to have noticed her coughing fit as it appeared all eyes were on her. Her cheeks were flaming red.

Thank God her father wasn't in the room.

"Amelia."

Shit.

Amelia handed the mug back to Cordelia, who looked down at the back washed bourbon with disgust. She glanced over at her father, who stood in a circle of all the visiting Alphas and their heirs, to include Alpha Gabriel. She tried to ignore the burning of his silver eyes as they stared at her. No matter how he was looking at her, he had nothing on her father.

My office. Now.

Amelia lowered her head as his orders rang in her ears. She stepped out of her circle of friends when she felt a hand wrap around her arm, tugging her back. She looked up to find Daniel. His gentle baby blue eyes looked at her as he handed her a handkerchief from his pocket.

"Thank you, Danny," she whispered to him, taking the handkerchief before leaving the main room of the house. She walked down the gray-washed halls decorated with pictures from her childhood, and into her father's office.

Amelia had met some Alpha's who preferred having their office on the top floor near their rooms, but her father always wanted to be accessible to his pack. Since it's normally forbidden for pack members to go up onto the Alpha floor, it never made sense to him.

She pushed the door open to his office. Her nose instantly filled with Old Spice and peppermint. Her dad consistently had peppermint gum lying around everywhere. Thankful for his weird quirk, she swiftly pulled out a piece from his top drawer and hastily chewed it, hoping to remove the smell of alcohol on her breath.

Amelia wiped at her runny nose with the handkerchief. The burning sensation was practically gone. She tucked the piece of cloth into a hidden pocket in her dress when she heard the office door open. She spun around to discover her father standing in the doorway, glaring at her.

She hung her head in shame. She hated disappointing him, yet she couldn't help herself most of the time. Damon was the good twin.

"Amelia, what is going on with you?" he asked.

He stepped farther into the room when she noticed Damon was behind him. Her brother closed the office door.

She turned to follow her father as he moved behind his weathered, hand-carved walnut desk and sat in his oversized leather chair. "Nothing's wrong, dad."

"Are you drinking already?" Thomas asked, his nostrils flaring.

Shit.

You're in trouble.

She glared at her brother before responding to her father. "It was nothing, dad."

"Promise me you will not embarrass this family tonight. We have too many eyes on us today, and I require all of us to be on our best behavior. Do you understand me?" he asked. His voice turned a tad deeper, coming more from his chest and projecting out as his Alpha aura glowed green around him.

She bowed her head in respect. It would be foolish of her not to acknowledge his use of power. It didn't have the same effect on her as it did the rest of the pack but that didn't mean he didn't deserve her obedience.

"Yes, father."

With a shake of his head, he took her in standing before him. She caught a faint twinkle in his eye as he observed her. Amelia recognized what he saw. She had only heard it a million times growing up.

She looked exactly like her mother.

He sighed deeply before getting up from his desk and circling around to stand in front of her. She felt his large, calloused fingers cup her chin, pulling her face up to look at him. "You look lovely my little rose."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks, daddy."

She heard him take in a deep, steadying breath as he moved his hand away. "Just try not to get drunk until after the ceremony," he warned her, his eyes twinkling playfully.

Amelia grinned. He knew her well. "Promise."

"And no picking fights. I don't want to embarrass any of these high and mighty Alphas when my little girl could kick their asses," he laughed over his shoulder as he went to leave the office.

"You just have to suck the fun right out of me!" she called after him, the door shutting behind him.

She couldn't help but smile. Her father had an easy way of making her smile. Making her happy. Her father was her closest friend and confident, well aside from her twin whom she noticed was still in the office, standing just beside her. She could tell he was itching to ask her something.

"Spit it out, Damon. Dad will expect us back out there."

"What's going on with you?" he asked her, cutting her off before she could give him some non-answer, "and don't tell me it's nothing. Don't forget, I know you better than anyone."

She massaged her forehead. A small headache began to form as the effects of the alcohol were already dissipating. "I met my mate."

Damon's jaw nearly broke hitting the floor. "Wait, what?! Like an actual mate? Like a real mate?"

"I think so," she said softly, her heart sinking further into her stomach.

"But who?"

"Alpha Gabriel."

"Christ, Amelia."

She groaned, throwing herself down on the small loveseat, cradling her head in her hands.

"I know. It's bad. What am I gonna do?" she felt like crying but swallowed it down, burying it deep. She refused to spill a single tear on a man she didn't even know.

"There's nothing to do right now. You have to put this mate thing aside. Right now, our priority is the Alpha ceremony. Afterward, we can confront your problem," Damon said, trying to prioritize.

"What if he claims me? I don't want to be a Luna! I want to travel, see the world. I have plans," she could feel her eyes betraying her, tears pricking the corner of her eyes.

Damon seized her by the arms, hauling her up to stand. He shook her softly so that her head rolled back to look up at him. "We will figure this out. I promise you. I won't let you go anywhere if it isn't what you desire."

"But the law clearly states that the male in a mate bond has absolute control of his mate, willing or not," she cried, sniffing her nose.

"Fuck the law. This is not the dark ages. No one will force you to do anything. I always have your back," he promised her, pulling her in, winding his arms tightly around her.

Amelia instantly relaxed against her brother's sturdy form, wrapping her arms around his waist. She quickly pulled out the handkerchief from her pocket, wiping away her tears, and cleaning up her nose.

"We only have a few more hours until the ceremony, and then we can let our wolves out for the pack run," Damon reminded her.

Amelia shuddered in delight. Her wolf bobbed her head, agreeing with her excitedly. It had been a while since she let Rey out. She loved her wolf form and knew her beast within was just itching to run. She never felt freer than as a wolf.

"Alright, let's get back out there," she said, tucking the hankie away.

She watched as her brother left the office. Taking in a deep breath, she made certain her face was dry before leaving the room. She walked down the hall. The sound of voices grew louder by the second as she got closer to the communal room, when suddenly she felt herself being dragged. Her arm was jerked harshly, pulling her into a room. The door clicked shut behind her.

The lights weren't on. The sun was already setting outside, providing little light, but she didn't need to see to guess who it was. Her skin was tingling, gooseflesh spreading up her arm and down her back.

Amelia wrenched her arm free of his grasp. She was fortunate if it didn't leave a bruise. She shoved hard against his chest, catching him by surprise, making him stumble back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed, wanting desperately to scream at him but knew it was better if she didn't. The last thing she wanted was to bring any attention to herself.

Gabriel stiffened, surprised at her strength as she caught him off guard. He swiftly diminished the distance between them, pushing her up against the wall.

Amelia froze. The closeness of his body made her nerves go haywire. Her body felt as if it was on fire. She didn't dare breathe. She didn't need his scent overpowering her too. She had enough going on as it was.

Mate! Mate! Rey shouted in her head.

I know! Shut up already! Like she hadn't already figured that out.

Gabriel reached up, stroking her face with the backs of his knuckles, causing a series of sparks to fly under her skin. She could feel her knees begin to tremble, but she locked them tight. She was taught to never show weakness.

"What do you want?" she asked him again, adding a taste of venom to her words.

Gabriel smirked as he continued to caress her face, as though he was trying to memorize every detail. "I want you, mate."

The way he said mate made her insides shiver. She desperately needed to get a grip. "That's good for you, but I already have plans, and they do not involve you," she said, pushing against his chest, but he wouldn't budge. Instead, he pressed himself harder against her. She could feel something poking her thigh, causing her stomach to burn.

This mate bond was going tp get annoying real fast.

"You think you have a choice?" Gabriel growled.

He reached behind her, gripping her ass tightly, shifting her leg untill it hugged his waist. He pressed his lower half against her even more, angling himself so that she could feel his member pressing against her core.

Amelia tried to stifle a moan. She clamped down hard, biting her lip to keep from getting any louder.

"I'll take you right here and now, and you can't say anything about it. You are mine and mine alone."

Amelia shook her head. Not only to refuse him but to clear the mind-numbing effect he was having on her. Her body craved his touch, wanted to beg him to satisfy her in any way he sought fit, but her mind reminded her that she was a woman, a lady, and deserved to be treated with respect.

"You even think of touching me without my consent. I will carve your dick into tiny pieces and feed it to the crows," she growled back at him.

He has much to learn.

Rey's comment surprised her. She thought she would be all about the mate bond, begging her to let him mate with them but instead, she had her back. She knew she loved her wolf.

"My mate has fire," Gabriel chuckled. "Tomorrow, you will leave with me to my pack and be my Luna. Until you do, I will do with you as I please." He could feel her hesitation. "If you do not comply, I will declare war on your pack and personally kill your brother and father. Trust me, I'll follow through."

Amelia's heart froze in her chest. She's visited the Twilight Moon Pack in the past on diplomatic missions with her father. She's witnessed the size of his pack. The Twilight Moon Pack was equal in size to her own, and their fighters were almost similar in strength. She remembered sparring with a few of their warriors, breaking her arm in the process, but not before she broke at least a dozen of theirs.

"You touch my family and I will end you," she said.

"Is that a threat?" he asked. A touch of amusement could be heard in his voice.

"No. It's a promise," she whispered harshly, leaning up into his face, making complete and total eye contact. She wanted to be sure that he understood how serious she was.

Her deep, ocean green eyes were glaring harshly at him. Something twitched against the top of her thigh. Her defiance aroused him. Her stomach turned sour, flipping what little contents was left. She couldn't decide between kneeing him until he was choking on his own balls or head butting him to hear the satisfying crack of cartilage.

Before she could decide, he leaned into her, crashing down on her lips. She froze beneath him, shocked at the contact as it sent shivers down her spine, igniting a fire so deep inside her she didn't think she'd ever been able to satisfy it without his touch. She couldn't help herself as her arms snaked up around his neck, her fingers running through his silk hair, gripping at the roots.

She could feel the hunger he had for her. Though their bond was but a shadow of what it would be if they ever did mate, it was enough. His blood was coursing through his veins, stronger than a current through raging rapids. It was singing a song. His heart beating, pumping life through his body, calling to her, beckoning her forward. Enticing her to drown in his scent, his touch, his desire. The primal need was over riding whatever sense was left between them and in that moment, Amelia didn't care.

Meeting her own needs and desires, their lips fought, tasting one another feverishly. Her mouth opened under pressure, allowing him entrance, tasting every inch of her. She responded in kind. He really did taste like apples. His hands were roaming down her body, gripping her ass and thighs. His fingertips gripped at the back of her dress, pressing firmly into her lower back like he was fighting with himself on whether or not to rip it off.

His lips moved away from hers, tracing her jaw, down her neck and across her shoulder and back up to the crook of her neck where a mate's mark would reside. He licked the skin between her neck and shoulder, nipping at it, sucking it.

Amelia couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. Her head rolled farther back in ecstasy, granting him more access to her sensitive skin. If he marked her right then and there, she didn't think she'd care.

Luckily, he didn't.

Amelia! Where are you? Ceremonies about to start!

Well that got heated fast. Lol.

Amelia is not one to mess with. What do you think?

Don't forget to comment and vote <3