The Selected

Nice to Officially Meet You

Present Day

I woke up to find that it wasn't a nightmare, and while it was still nightmarish, this whole situation was very much real which is just fucking dandy. Even better, the moment I woke up Conrad began hounding me for answers, for a sentence, a word of my thoughts on the situation.

"Just say something, Ad," He said again for the millionth time this morning alone as we've been getting ready for what is likely to be a long first day of this convention.

"Something," I grumbled, pulling my blonde hair up into a ponytail, wanting it off my face and neck for the day.

He rolled his eyes at me, "Don't be a smart ass, I'm serious. You met your mate-- you have a mate. Why won't you talk about it?"

"Because I swore all that shit off, so it doesn't even matter," I snapped, meeting his pleading gaze with a sharp one of my own.

"So this doesn't change your mind? Doesn't change anything?"

"No."

Conrad sighed, "You could tell him, Addie. He would understand--"

"No."

Finally, I'd pushed Conrad to the edge, pushed him a bit too far, as he snapped, "So what, then? Are you going to reject him? Leave him hanging? Run and hide?"

"I don't know!" I finally shouted back, jumping up from the edge of the bed to meet him eye-to-eye as best as I could, though I stood several inches shorter than him. "I don't know yet, now leave me the fuck alone!"

And he did for the rest of the morning. Breakfast was delivered by the same male who led us to our room yesterday, and I didn't miss the way his eyes quickly scanned the room, taking in the appearance of the bed, the small sofa on the far wall, and then Conrad and I. He did it in a matter of seconds, and then his gaze was averted back to the floor. But I knew the truth of it; he was looking for signs of a relationship between us, for something to report back to his Alpha, Alexander.

That soured my mood even more as I ate the toast and yogurt with peach slices. Conrad ate my sausage and bacon when he saw I was in no mood for it and had left it untouched, though no words were exchanged between us.

Neither of us said a word until we'd reached the large conference hall with Alan and Jordan waiting outside the door for us.

"Good morning," Alan greeted us, "sleep well?"

"Yes," Conrad answered for us, knowing damn well I wasn't speaking this morning, and if I were, it wouldn't be pleasant. "And yourselves?"

His neutral, emotionless mask was on as Alpha Conrad Rhodes of the Ravage Pack, but he was still a diplomat, still pleasant when speaking with other ranking wolves.

Jordan and Alan both glanced at me, clearly sensing some of the bad vibes I was putting off, but Jordan answered Conrad nonetheless, "Yes, thank you."

"Shall we?" Alan asked after a few beats of silence, gesturing toward the doors of the conference hall. Conrad nodded and we followed them into the wolf's den.

The power and tension I had felt yesterday upon arrival? It was nothing compared to walking into a room of anxious, powerful Alphas and other ranking wolves. Some of these Alphas had lifelong feuds with each other, some recent. Some were friendly, chatting away with one another. Some gave hateful glares across the room.

But most of that conversation fell silent, hushed, as we stepped into the room, all eyes zeroing in on Conrad before eventually falling away as his power radiated off of him in response. Another reason today was likely to be long; basically every pack hates us because of the Selection.

Five minutes before the hour he arrived. Alexander strode into the room confidently, his eyes finding mine almost instantly. I looked away, to Jordan, who was already looking at me as though trying to dissect me. I glared at him. He didn't look away.

"Alexander," Conrad's deep voice announced his arrival and I could see Conrad's outstretched hand. It was symbolic, meaning more than just a cordial greeting.

He didn't shake it, "Rhodes. I suggest you find your seats, we will begin soon."

His voice was cold, harsh, and angry. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Likely the fact that I still smelled like Conrad, and the fact that the breakfast delivery boy and spy had reported that all signs pointed to us sharing the bed last night.

Many questioning stares were thrown our way as we took our seats. They were all probably wondering what had happened between Conrad and Alexander, as the former was the only one who could boast the fact that they were on friendly terms with good ole Connie and the Ravage Pack.

Everyone else also followed suit, taking their seats. Jordan sat next to me, leaning over to whisper, "Everything okay?" I nodded. "I'm serious, what's going on?"

"Nothing, now drop it," I hissed back it him, and while it was quiet, the room full of supernatural beings with spectacular hearing definitely heard it.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I leaned back in my chair, letting my anger show on my face and in my body language.

Are you fucking kidding? Drop the attitude, Conrad chastised me via mind link.

I glared at him, Fuck off.

And then I slammed up my mental walls against him, blocking him off from mind linking me at all. I'd had plenty of practice of keeping him out of my head over the past several years, and I was the only one aside from Johnson who could always keep him out whenever I wanted.

I noticed that people began regarding me with more caution than they did Conrad. And maybe it should've bothered me, maybe I should have felt bad for being a terror. But I couldn't help but feel smug at the fact.

"Let's begin," Alexander's voice boomed across the room, "we will start by debriefing all of the information we have individually and collect them through reports by each Alpha. Clyde, you called for this meeting. Please, begin."

And so the boredom set in. An Alpha stood, announced things we all already knew, and then called for action against these hunters. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

I yawned and Conrad nudged me awake a couple times. It didn't do much to wake me up, but as my eyes drifted down the table and locked onto a pair of green ones, I was suddenly perfectly alert. I had felt his eyes on me most of the morning, but I'd been smart enough not to look, to keep my eyes trained on whoever was talking, even if I wasn't listening, or to look down at the notepad in front of me as I sketched a random design.

But now our eyes were locked and I was trapped.

I hated how one look at him had me feeling like I could spontaneously combust. The fact that he just stared at me made me crazy, and in more than one way with the heat in his gaze. Most of all I hate the fact that he won't look away because I can't.

Alexander finally looked away, and I hated that I felt cold afterwards. He glanced as his watch and as the presenting Alpha took his seat again, he chimed in, "We will finish these debriefs this afternoon. Lunch is ready now and will be brought in. Enjoy."

I nearly squealed in excitement at this freedom, this sweet escape, and I didn't wait for anyone as I booked it out of that room, walking down a random hall just for the purpose of escaping that room and that stifling atmosphere.

I didn't get too far, though, until I was grabbed and pressed up against the wall. Eyes widening, I felt ice cold dread shoot through me as a million horrible, painful memories flooded my mind at the action, the darkness threatening to overtake me.