10

"For Christ's loving sake, Daniel! What's your problem?" Spencer let out in exasperation as the Alpha paced the floor of his penthouse restlessly, looking out of place. "This is the fifth time this week you're blowing off a date with Anita. You know how these women behave... we can't risk losing this merger with the Hendersons. It'll be fatal."

"I understand what you're saying, Spencer. Really, I do. But I can't fucking stop thinking about him! I think I'm going insane at this point." Daniel flailed his arms around, then settled on a sofa, burying his head in his palms.

Spencer came to sit beside him. "How long has this been going on? And do you know his address? What do you intend to do when you find him?"

"I don't know the answers to those questions, Spence. I'm really clueless about all these...emotions. Each time I try to ask Anita out on a date, it feels as though I'm doing the wrong thing. Like it's not supposed to be so and he keeps popping up in my thoughts, as well as wet dreams. It's like his face is imprinted on my brain."

"Well, apart from the local gossip papers which had carried a one-day cover story of you two, no one has heard anything about him again."

"He's somewhere in Mexico. He couldn't stay in Manhattan for long because of the werewolf ban. Which is an entirely different problem on its own. I've tried scouring for him in Bad and Boogie, which is pretty stupid considering the fact that he's not a slutty omega but what else was I supposed to do? My life has never been so messed up like this."

"This is serious," Spencer sighed, leaning over to pour whiskey into two glasses for him and Daniel. "I've never seen you this worked up over anyone, not even your last date, Ciara – who's a contrite beauty. But, you can't let this get in the way of business. You've been skipping meetings and the Pack Elders are displeased because the merger ought to have been signed by now."

"I wish there was a way to go around this. Do you believe in fated mates? Like, is it a part of destiny?"

Spencer gave him a sour look. "Of course I do. It's a werewolf thing, we're often urged to begin finding our fated mates once we cross eighteen," he took a curt sip from his glass. "I thought I found mine in Victoria. But she turned out to be faux. A terrible woman."

The mere mention of Victoria made Daniel's blood run cold and his shoulders became rigid. He peeked at his best friend and second-in-command in guilt. Spencer still wasn't over their breakup, even though he'd been the one to throw in the towel. Strangely, Victoria had bared the truth that she was cheating on him with someone else, and while Spencer had been heartbroken and hurt, she couldn't afford the decency to look remorseful. There was something suspicious about it but Daniel couldn't place a finger on it because shortly after, Victoria had left the country for Tokyo, severed all contacts with him and Spencer. He stopped hearing about her in the gossip papers and it seemed as though she'd died.

"You'll find someone better, man. That bitch is a handful." He managed to say in consolation, yet it did nothing to lessen the guilt in his gut. "It only gets better. This whole fated mate thing is complicated, to say the least. One minute you're living life just fine on your own and the next minute you meet someone who you can't imagine staying away from an entire day."

"Stranger things have happened, but we owe this to the Moon Goddess. Not everyone is lucky enough to be married to their fated mate. Some don't even find their fate mate at all."

"Why? Don't the Moon Goddess bring their mates closer to them? At least I believe it's her divine will that I met Sawyer that night."

Spencer leveled his dark eyes on Daniel now, and the Alpha could see the raw pain swimming in those black orbs. It almost made him flinch. Like Spencer was contemplating whether to hit him or not. Like Spencer had an inkling of his affair with Victoria. "You're lucky. Not everyone is. Since we live in the city and absorb the humans' way of life, we end up pushing the rhythm of our lives so far out of balance that our fated mates never do cross our paths. Or they show up and we're already married or not ready in some form. We've already settled for someone else. But that doesn't mean they're not out there. They're everywhere."

"Yeah. One just has to keep an eye out."

Spencer placed a hand around his shoulder, squeezing. "You seem so sure that Sawyer's the right one for you."

Daniel rubbed his sweaty temples quietly. "I don't know. I'm unsure if I'm doing the right thing by believing this. All I do know is that I've never been so smitten over an omega before,"

"But – "

Daniel clamped a hand on Spencer's mouth, silencing the beta. "I know what I'm saying. This is completely new to me. He's all I can think about. How it'd feel like to come home every day to him instead of an empty house. How he'd look standing in my kitchen in nothing but shorts and an apron. How he'd dress me up each day for work, and take care of our babies. Does he want to be a full-time sitting husband? But I recall him mentioning a shop or something that night. I wish to wake up next to him every morning. Help me, Spence, I-I don't know what to do. On the other hand, the Pack Elders are counting on this merger, and I've got absolutely no feelings for Anita."

Spencer's mouth flew open. "T-That's...unbelievable. I do think you should tell the Pack Elders about this. They can't force you to get married to Anita once you tell them about Sawyer. There's no doubt that he's your chosen mate."

"Do you think they'll let me bring him home?" Daniel asked, a sudden hope surging in his chest. He could already picture it: Sawyer running into his arms whenever he got back home from work. Sawyer ironing his clothes. Sawyer listening to how his day went with his head on his chest. "The Preston Pack has never had a male Luna before."

"It's time that changed. You've got to use your influence in this. I'll call up Gavin Henderson and tell him we're no longer interested in getting you married to Anita for a merger. He should set up a board to interview our company, fair and square. I think he'll be furious and try to give us a hard time about it, but we'll surely win over the board members. I know that for a fact."

"Oh, Spence, what in the world could I ever do without you," Daniel beamed, pulling him in for a hug.

"You have to promise me something though," Spencer's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I rescheduled those meetings you missed on Friday for today. If you want me to find this heartthrob of yours, you've got to help me out and attend to them. No whining allowed. There are a lot of projects that need your input. I'll get on the first plane to Mexico first thing in the morning."

"Alright. I'll get to the meetings when you find him."

"Ah, ah. That is not what I meant. Don't act so smart with me now," Spencer wagged a finger. Well, Daniel was completely at his mercy now. "In as much as you're Alpha, I'm the one in control in this situation. You have to get to those meetings this very minute. I mean, right about now."

"That's not fair!"

"Deal or no deal?" Spencer stood up, stretching forth a hand. "You've got five seconds to make up your mind."

"Fine." Daniel agreed grudgingly, taking Spencer's hand. "I'll get going then."

"What's his last name? That's if he has any."

"Yes, he does. Rivers, if I remember correctly. Beautiful name."

"Ugh," Spencer scrunched up his nose at the love-struck expression on his face. "You do have it bad. Sickening."

Daniel wanted to stick out a tongue at him but thought better of it. He simply chuckled instead. "See you later asshole."

True as he predicted, the meetings were mentally draining and went on for hours. The company assets were falling apart and their last deal hadn't yielded as many fruits as they'd expected. Needless to say, Preston Inc. needed funds, and a merger was the best available option. Along with that came the need for Daniel to get acquainted with Anita, who was the heiress to the Gavin Corp.

"She's a respectful and reputable young lady, Daniel," Jethro his uncle was saying, stroking his white goatee and looking around for support. The others nodded as he continued. "You'd have no issues settling down and birthing pups in no time. Plus, her father seems to be looking forward to your engagement."

Daniel shrank in his seat at their nefarious ideas. He didn't know how long he'd continue drumming it into their heads that he felt nothing for the so-called Anita.

"It takes time to love a partner, Dan. And you can always divorce her later. We just need their company's support for the time being. At least, till we get back to our feet. You may even find your mate by then and kick her out."

Daniel was horrified at their wickedness, and despite being Alpha, he didn't have veto power over these affairs. A fair voting system was always employed regarding issues related to the Pack. It was how things had always been. He couldn't imagine hurting Anita in such a cruel way.

"Remember that you're an Alpha, and you've got to be smart. Leave sentiments aside and make good use of your brain. That's how your Father worked."

Daniel had never liked the pressures and burden these Pack meetings left him with. After they were long gone he sat there in the office, alone. Thinking hard. Anita's call came in numerous times but he kept declining. He hated her persistence. Couldn't she take a hint already? He thought as a Harvard graduate she ought to be one hell of a clever girl.

Daniel had never been one for commitments or family. He couldn't imagine being tied down with one person for eternity, and luckily, none of the omegas he met before made any remarkable difference. They were all the same in fact, just in different bodies with slightly different character traits as well. But when it came to Sawyer, he couldn't place a finger on it. There was something about the omega that prickled his skin and made his stomach tighten with lust and desire.

He wanted to believe the whole fated mates' thing as much as Spencer went on about it. Even the Pack Elders had confirmed that it was real. What other signs did he need to act on that very fact? What would be their response if he told them he'd already found his mate? Would they still make him go ahead with Anita and the so-called engagement?

For the next two days, he waited breathlessly for an update from Spencer. The beta seemed to be taking longer than usual with was odd, and he was damn tired of texting to ask him if he'd found anything.

On the third day, luck smiled at him.

He slid the answer button quickly as soon as it appeared on the screen. "Hello, Spence. Did you find anything?"

"What do you think?" Spencer laughed. It sounded close by, as though he was outside on the front porch steps. "How did the meetings go?"

"The usual," Daniel ran a tired hand through his hair. "Get to know Anita more...blab bla bla...the old men don't ever get tired."

"Poor you."

"Well, enough about them now. What have you found? Where is he?"

"They're just worried about the company, Dan. Don't worry, I'll get back soon. We'll talk more about the idea I suggested two days ago."

"If you don't stop trying to avoid my – "

Spencer laughed again. "Finland Hotel, Mexico. Room 34, top floor. The receptionist says he asked her to keep his details private, but I got her to give it up somehow. Anyways, you owe me big-time."

"Thanks, man." Daniel could feel his chest inflating with excitement. He couldn't wait to get on a plane to Mexico. "Now I can be at peace."

"Whoa, boy. Go easy on him. It's clear he wants to go incognito. Don't just go barging in like you're the boss of him, else you'll scare him off. Of course, you know I won't be helping you again if that happens."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Get your arse down here as soon as possible. We still have Anita and the gang to take care of. I'm heading to Mexico first thing Monday morning."

"Good for you."