Adriel had been in a mood for the past four days. It came as no surprise to anyone, and was quite obviously a result of the Bi-Annual Alpha Meetings that were to be held in Alaska. Wyoming had been scheduled to host the meetings this year, but a certain Alpha was refusing to leave his territory, and thus here we were. Despite Adriel's pleading, Thane had still insisted he be present at the meetings, and now the Beta was sulking.

The cold weather and long trip had only worsened Adriel's bad mood. Even I found myself glaring as I shivered beneath the thick coat Sandra had loaned me. I wasn't used to such cold climates and, being half human, my natural body temperature didn't run as hot as the others.

When we eventually arrived in Alaska - the last of the packs to arrive for the semi-annual Alpha Meetings - we were received with softly muffled curses and wide eyes. For the first time in their lives, Thane and Adriel were not alone for the meetings. Most of their surprise I noted, was at my hand grasped tightly in Thane's and at our entwined scents. There was no mistaking our relationship.

I kept my head high as I met the eyes of every official Alpha here, finding Allister's gaze last. The hulking mountain of a man stood by the doors of a sprawling dark wooden cabin, no taller than two floors but wider than any other main houses I had seen. At his side stood a pale skinned, light haired human girl who looked positively tiny in comparison.

She didn't seem at all bothered by the presence of so many powerful wolves, despite looking as if a strong wind could snap her in two. Any normal human would have felt the power exuding from each Alpha like a painful ache in the gut, but she didn't so much as blink at their presence.

Interesting.

Thane had told me very little about this girl - Ainslie - but only because he knew very little himself. He was only a baby when she had disappeared, and Allister had rarely spoken of her in much detail apparently.

What he had told me, about this human girl who had been born nearly four-hundred years ago, made her presence here seem impossible. And yet there she was, taking them all in with a neutral expression and a steady gaze.

I didn't have any longer to examine her though, as Allister ushered her inside and movement to my left captured my attention.

"You're here as Colorado's Alpha Female then, officially this time?" Alpha Paden openly eyed Thane's visible mark on my neck, the mark that I had made sure was on full view today knowing I would be surrounded by all the pack Alpha's and Beta's.

"Alpha in training," I explained instead. "I'm young, and it's still new to me. The idea of having just as much power over the pack as Thane is a little too intimidating so soon."

"And what about the pup over there?" She asked with a grin, jutting her chin over in Nero's direction who was scowling just a fiercely as his uncle. Adriel had immediately fallen back into that same façade I had first seen all those months ago, a stern male devoid of any emotion beyond irritation - remaining silent as soon as we were crossing the boarder of Alaska's inner territory. Nero had taken up the same persona with frightening ease.

Gone was the soft featured, mischievous nineteen year old I knew so well, and in his place stood a young wolf that seemed positively brimming with malice.

His head was turned towards a group of Alaskan wolves gathered by a cabin not far from where we stood, and I noted the way his eyes widened ever so slightly, and his nostrils flared in what I was certain was panic.

A tall young male with light brown skin stood amongst two female wolves. While Nero was slender and boyish, this male was broad-shouldered and thick, and looked as if he were strong enough to lift me with only one hand. And he was staring back at Nero equally wide eyed, cheeks stained pink.

Oh shit.

"My beta in training." I didn't bother to hide my grin, or the affection in my tone. A surge of pride welled deep within me as I recognised that powerful look shared between the two wolves. There was no mask I could wear amongst these Alpha's anyway, not when they already knew me me so well. Any attempts to appear as cold and reserved as the males from my pack would only hint at the falsity behind their attitudes.

"Of course he is," Alpha Paden laughed, eyes alight with a recognisable joy as perhaps she too realised what was happening. "Looks like a vicious young thing, I'd expect nothing less from Colorado. And I'm not at all surprised that you fit in so well with them."

"You're not?" I asked with a raised brow, folding my arms across my chest, not sure if I should take that as an insult or not. It was no secret the other Alpha's weren't all that fond of the Colorado pack at times, and I hardly came across as fierce and as indifferent as the other's pretended to be. I wasn't vicious.

"You may not be able to shift but I recognised the wild in you the first moment I met you. There'd been a beast prowling beneath your skin, caged by your years with that young Alpha."

Jack.

I had noticed him almost instantly upon our arrival, but he hadn't made any indication at all to approach me. Good. It would take more than four months for the bad blood between us to settle. I hoped one day that we could be friends again, that he could apologise for his actions and I would forgive him. But not yet, not so soon. Not when the thought of his actions still left an ache in my chest.

"And now that beast within you is free, and you've made a home for yourself amongst the wildest of wolves. I'm just thankful we're friends. I wouldn't want to be on your bad side." Alpha Paden laughed again, drawing the attention of my pack - minus Nero of course who still seemed to be entirely frozen in place.

I met Thane's narrowed eyes - he'd barely strayed more than a couple of feet from me, seeming unwilling to leave me alone in the company of so many other Alpha's. His expression was dark, gaze sharp and mouth flattened into a familiar unimpressed sneer as he fed into the other Alpha's expectations of him. Once again he was a fearsome Alpha, ancient and powerful. An Alpha for the other's to fear should they step too far out of line. I imagined he looked a hauntingly terrifying sight to the others as he stared over at me impassively - nothing like the gaze you would expect from a male looking towards his mate - but I could see the affection clear as day in his expression. And there, visible on his neck for anyone to see, was a horridly brutal mating mark.

It was an ugly thing that - despite having healed months ago - looked perpetually sore as hell. Unlike a normal mating mark made of clean incisions from wolf canines, the mark on Thane's neck had been made by my blunt human teeth. Despite my dislike for the messy teeth marks, Thane had been proudly showing it off for months like a peacock male displaying his feathers. Even now he looked a little too smug as eyes fell his way, unable to miss the mating mark that had not been there six months ago.

A cruel smirk twisted across my lips as I appraised my mate, and I could have sworn Alpha Paden almost shuddered at the sight of it. Perhaps I was more wolf that I had ever thought. After all, I didn't need to shift to be just as vicious and deadly as the best of them, if that's who I wished to be.

I could have so easily explained that these vicious wild wolves were some of the most loyal, loving wolves I had met. But it was better, I suppose, that I left their reputations intact.