“Everything in me wants to give you what you want,” he whispered in his deep, gravelly voice, and she knew he was telling the truth. Even with her lack of experience, she could hear the desire in his voice, and more than that she could feel it through their bond. “But this I cannot, not yet.” He pressed his lips to her neck just below her ear. Before he pulled away he nipped her skin enough to sting but not draw blood. “Mine,” he whispered and then kissed the tender spot soothing the place his teeth had just been.

Alina was glad that he held her a few moments longer because she was sure if he had stepped away immediately after the kiss on her neck she would have fallen ungracefully to the ground. Her whole body felt warm and tingly, even in places she had never tingled before. That thought had her giggling, and she was not sure if it was because she was somehow drunk on his scent or because in her mind the words sounded ridiculous.

“I think it is time I get you home, my love,” he told her gently as he pulled away, but he did not let go until he was sure she would not crumble.

“Is the tingling getting to you too?” she asked innocently.

Vasile’s jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed as she grinned up at him unrepentantly. “You are nothing but trouble, Mina,” he muttered as he took her hand and began leading her back to her home.

After several moments of silence, as they walked she asked the one question that she did not really want the answer to. “When are you leaving?”

“In three days’ time,” he answered. She felt his eyes on her but kept her own straight ahead. She wanted to be strong. If she was going to be the mate of an Alpha, she had to be strong, so she swallowed back the tears and turned her lips up in a smile as she finally met his gaze.

“What shall we do until then?”

He chuckled as he walked over to her and took one of her hands in his. “Until then I will spend every waking second with you with the intent of making you fall hopelessly in love with me.”

She grinned at him. “Maybe it will be you who falls hopelessly in love with me.”

His smile dropped away as he tugged her closer to him. “That fate was sealed before you ever met me. I have loved you from the first minute I laid eyes on you.”

“When was that?” Her voice was breathless but she was over being embarrassed by her reaction to him.

“In the marketplace more than a year ago. You were defending a woman to one of the merchants. You were so fierce, so sure of yourself. I had to tear my gaze from you lest someone think me depraved for gazing upon one so young. I was confused by my reaction to you. You were young and yet not young at the same time. You were beautiful and there have been many nights I have had to banish your face from my thoughts. You were simply too young.”

“You said I was beautiful,” she prompted.

He nodded. “Yes, you were.”

“What am I now if I was beautiful?”

He ran afinger down her jaw line and her neck. “Now Mina, you are breathtaking. Beautiful is too mundane a term for you. It is a very good thing I have not seen you in the marketplace recently.”

“Why?” Her words were barely a whisper.

“Because I would have snatched you up and taken you to my den and, had that happened, I do not think I would have been able to let you go regardless of the fact that you still have a year until you are of age.”

“Whoa.”

He chuckled. “No, beloved, whoa does not even begin to cover it.”

“Are you sure no one followed you?” Ivan asked Emilian as the small band of conspirators from the two packs stood in a deserted shack. Eleven in all, eight males and three females. from the Eastern and Western packs agreed to meet when Emilian had informed them that he had the proof that Vasile did not need to be the Alpha of the Eastern pack.

“I think I am capable of being discrete when it is warranted,” Emilian answered while looking over the group. He was hoping for more. But perhaps it was a good thing so few had shown. More wolves meant more of an opportunity for his secret to be exposed. He did not want anything revealed until the time was right, and he was sure that Vasile could be taken out. There were seven total from the Eastern pack: Anton and his mate, Mara, Aurel, Calin and his mate, Lizuca, Drin, and Costel. Anton, who was the most dominant in that group, had informed him that there were others who would come forward once there was definitive proof to stand against their Alpha.

“So what is the big news that you were so intent on speaking about with us?” Anton asked.

Emilian smiled. “I overheard my Alpha and his mate speaking last night and came across some very disturbing news that I thought your pack should be aware of, especially since it concerns your new Alpha.

“It will have to be pretty damning for most of the pack to stand against him. He is very well liked,” Costel spoke up.

“Everyone has skeletons.” Emilian’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Vasile is not any different than the rest of us and should have to answer for his skeletons because he is a leader. He should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us.”

“Why are you so concerned for the wellbeing of our pack?” Drin asked with narrowed eyes.

“There is only one way to move up in the ranks of a pack―you know this.”

Aurel frowned. “You think to take Vasile’s place?”

“What of his second?” Mara, Anton’s mate spoke up.

Emilian crossed his arms over his chest and drew himself up to his six foot one inch height. “I will take on Vasile if it comes to that just as any others have the right to challenge him. The strong are the ones who should lead. His second cannot take over if his Alpha is bested in a challenge, only if Vasile were to die of natural causes like an animal attack or disease.”