One Night in Vegas (18+)|✔️

Chapter 11

I knocked on a door bearing the plaque, "Raymond Stevens, CEO."

The downtown offices were, ostensibly, the corporate headquarters of a regional chain of fast-food restaurants.

They'd been consistently voted best burgers in the state, they only used fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and they were founded and owned by my Pack.

"Come in."

I opened the door, letting Grace precede me into a sleek, modern corner office on the top floor.

"Hi girls, take a seat." Ray, a nearly seven-foot behemoth with an easy smile, gestured toward the two chairs in front of his desk.

We sat, and Ray slid a pen and pad of paper in front of him. "So, you mentioned on the phone that it was urgent?"

"It's about Lilly's mate."

Pausing, he looked up, "I wasn't aware that Lilly had a mate."

I took a breath, voice trembling on the edge of panic, "Until an hour ago, neither was I."

Ray frowned, concerned, "I'm going to need you to explain."

Leaning her forearms onto the desk, Grace took the lead, "While we were out in Vegas, I got Lilly blackout drunk and she forgot about meeting her mate."

Ray blinked slowly, sitting up in his chair. "Well..."

"We think he was in town for the regional Meeting." Grace added.

"Okay," Ray sighed, relaxing visibly, "that narrows it down."

"So, what do we do?" Grace asked, "Do we call the Council?"

The Lycan Council – made up of one elected representative per pack – made policy decisions, mediated inter-pack disputes, and dealt with emergencies.

This feels like an emergency to me...

He shook his head, "They're not in session right now and won't be convened until August. Besides, I think this might have a simpler solution than that."

"What?" I asked.

"If he was there for the Meeting, then he lives in the region. We'll just call the southwestern packs and see if anybody's misplaced a soulmate."

Excitement and relief washed over me. "When can we start?"

"Monday." Ray's answer was direct and disappointing.

I felt myself deflate. "Monday?"

Ray nodded, "I only have their office numbers, and it's 4:50 pm on a Friday. Most of them have probably gone home for the weekend."

"Shit-"

Grace looked over, "It's not ideal, but two days isn't that bad of a wait."

"It's not that. My interview..." I sighed, shaking my head, "It's fine – I'll call and reschedule."

Ray frowned, "Why?"

Glancing between two confused stares, I stammered, "I- I have to be here when you find him!"

Grace looked at me, "Lil, don't be ridiculous – you'll be back from the interview before he could even get here anyway."

Resting my head in my hands, I fought the impotent frustration that was overwhelming my mind.

"I forgot him. I forgot meeting my own mate. I want to be here helping to find him again."

Grace's arm wrapped around my shoulders – cold comfort against the self-loathing that consumed me.

Ray's voice cut through my misery. "That's very sweet, Lilly, but we're more than capable of handling this."

"Are... are you sure? I could-"

"I'm sure. I don't want you to worry about a thing, kiddo – I'll let you know as soon as we find him." Ray's paternal warmth grated on my nerves.

"But-"

"No buts. You two go have a nice weekend, and I want you," he pointed to me, "to ace that interview, okay?"

My shoulders slumped, defeated. "Yes, sir."

Grace stood and extended her hand, "Thank you, Alpha."

He smiled as they shook, "My pleasure."

On the drive back to Grace's house, she seemed to understand that I wasn't up for talking. I sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, staring at nothing, watching the scroll of memories inside my head instead.

In one, I was seven in the park with Grace, playing pretend while our fathers chatted.

"Mate! MINE!" Grace screamed before chasing me as I shrieked with laughter.

In another, we were having a sleepover in my old bedroom, whispering by flashlight beneath a blanket fort.

"Grandma says it's like finding a part of you that you didn't know you were missing."

Grace frowned, "What does that even mean? How can you be missing something and not know it?"

"I don't know," I admitted, "but it sounded nice."

In yet another, we were in study hall trying a little amateur fortune-telling by playing MASH.

"Okay," Grace set down her pencil, "so, you are going to live in a shack in Tokyo with your mate, Ian Somerhalder, whom you met... in a dark alley."

Looking up from my math homework, I'd shrugged, "I'll take it."

Back in the present, sitting in the car, I felt tears begin to slip down my cheeks. Pulling up my hand, I wiped them away absently.

All those hours spent hoping, wishing for the day I'd look a stranger in the eyes and recognize my mate...

Wasted.

"Lil, we're going to find him." Grace glanced over before returning her attention to the road.

I shook my head, burying my face in my hands.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

I felt Grace pull the car over, shifting into "park" and unbuckling to lean over the center console and rub my back.

Unable to contain my sorrow anymore, I sobbed in the passenger seat, mourning the mating I'd dreamed of.