Twenty four year old, Asher 'Ash' Hunter has a reputation as an Alpha who never loses. But by deciding to choose his mate for him, his father has just challenged him to the biggest game of his life.
Plagued by rogue attacks, secret plots, and the s...
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He was late.
Katherine wasn't generally a stickler for punctuality, but the Alpha of Darkmoon's apparent inability to be where he was supposed to be, when he was supposed to be, irked her far more than she cared to admit.
It had taken a monumental effort to force herself to venture this deep into Darkmoon territory, never mind march up to the Alpha's house itself and demand entry. If she'd possessed an ounce of common sense she'd have refused his invitation as soon as she'd recognised his soft drawl over the phone. Instead, determined to prove she was in no way intimidated by him or his wolves, she'd practically served herself up on a platter of complete stupidity.
Whatever was taking him so long? She pushed a strand of hair from her brow with nervous fingers, trying not to think too hard about her current predicament.
She’d knocked, half expecting to be run off immediately, but to her dismay, the stern-looking man that answered the door had wasted no time ushering her into this study, assuring her that Alpha Asher would join her shortly.
He had been surprisingly solicitous for a wolf, offering her a drink and inquiring if she were warm enough, and she found herself stammering that she was perfectly comfortable, thank you. He'd quickly retreated, and she now felt obliged to wait and see the whole thing through despite her nerves fraying far beyond all reasonable expectations.
He's late, she repeated to herself, resisting the urge to bolt towards the closed door. He asked – no, demanded – that I come here, and now he can't even be bothered to show up on time. Agitated by the delay, she chose to ignore how relieved she'd been to receive word that he was at least willing to discuss the matter in person.
Unsure if she were irritated more by him or herself, she forced her feet over to the windows, and gazed out at the grounds beyond, in a futile attempt to calm down.
At the centre of the Darkmoon pack lay a stately home in pieces. Once a sprawling manor, the years had worn away the opulence leaving behind creeping ivy and crumbling stone. Rather than waste precious resources on constant repairs, previous Alphas had opted to tear down two of the four wings, separating the stables from the rest of the building and leaving behind sprawling gardens full to the brim of plants designed to resist any form of control or order.
Yet, despite this, Katherine sensed no air of neglect. The ivy was well groomed, the remaining buildings showed signs of regular maintenance and, while wild compared to the neat lawns and flowerbeds she’d seen surrounding other stately homes, the gardens clearly flourished in their freedom. First impressions suggested an owner disinterested in making more work for himself than necessary.
The quaint study, in which Katherine had been so politely deposited, was decorated with sage greens and soft greys. Floral accents on the curtains and cushions blended seamlessly with warm wood panelling and comfy chairs. A fireplace dominated one wall; an original feature of the house it seemed, and floating shelves filled another, full of files, books, and miscellaneous clutter. The room had a country cottage feel that was at odds with Katherine's preconceived opinion of the Alpha as a confirmed bachelor. But it was clear that, while a woman may have had a clear influence in this room, she certainly wasn't around to tidy up anymore.
