Page 4 of The Alpha's Temptation

Another moment passed, then more people entered the room. After they exchanged formalities, the elders got right into it, and I hoped to Lycos that they would make this quick because my blood was boiling under here.

“You not being mated at this age makes us look weak, Caelan,” one said. “We’ve seen no progress on finding you a proper mate. Our allies watch closely, and the Whispering Pines Pack even closer. It looks bad for us. If you don’t claim a mate soon, everyone’s going to question how strong we really are.”

I rolled my eyes. This was one thing that I hated about wolf packs. Everyone loved finding their mate. Hell, that was the goal for every single one of them. And I was so fed up with it, because Caelan would never choose me.

To him, to this pack, even to my own father, I was weak because I couldn’t shift.

“I know,” Caelan said, staying completely calm as if I wasn’t raging between his thighs right now. “But we have other matters on hand right now. Once we get through the festivals and defeat the Whispering Pines, then I will choose a mate.”

Red clouded my vision for a moment, but I shook my head. It didn’t fucking matter anyway, because he and I both knew thathe wasn’t going to choose me. He wasn’t going tofuckingchoose me, and I had to be okay with that.

But I wasn’t.

While I hated the thought of mates, I was still a wolf. And my wolf craved him.

“Interested or not, you will make a decision,” one of the elders said. “Once the wedding festivals are completed, we’ll make sure that there are many suitable mates for you. There’s a few from neighboring packs, or perhaps you’ll find one at the wedding. There will be many there that come from very strong bloodlines, especially that girl from the River Pack up north.”

Strong bloodlines, my ass. The River Pack was weak.

“Yes,” Caelan said. “She may be a good choice.”

If I could shift into my wolf, my claws would be digging into his thighs right now until he bled. Instead, my blunt little nails dug into the skin of my palms so hard that they would definitely leave little marks later. Why the fuck was he agreeing to this? With me right here?!

“The pack wants an alpha that they can rally behind,” Dad said, agreeing with the rest of them. “An alpha who can lead with stability. And a mate, especially her, will look very, very good in their eyes.”

I didn’t know why I let my feelings get involved all the time. I didn’t like Caelan like that. No, I hated him. I was using him. This was all fucking political. I hated wolves. I hated mates. I should’ve left the moment Dad convinced me to join the pack after Mom died.

“Our eastern border is weakening, and she would be a great choice to maintain peace among the packs,” another agreed. “We need strong leadership. You’re the strongest I’ve seen, and with a woman with beta-blood by your side, you’ll be unstoppable.”

Unstoppable? …Right.

“I’ll talk with her at the wedding,” Caelan said, his expression neutral.

At the wedding?! That he was forcing me to attend?!

I gritted my teeth. If he wanted to flirt with other girls at this stupid wedding in front of me, then I could have some fun too. And I’d make sure to find someonebeforehe found her. My goal for this stupid wedding? Make my alpha jealous.

CHAPTER 3

LIVIA

“That’s enough,”Caelan finally said. “I have to be up early tomorrow.”

I hid underneath his desk, fuming at him and the rest of the pack’s elders. I wanted them all to leave, especially him. Because once I was alone with him, I would flip the fuck out. Him with someone else? Someone fucking else?!

After biting my tongue, I balled my hands into fists so tight that my nails sliced through the skin on my palms. Caelan didn’t mean anything to me. He couldn’t. My throat closed, and I tried to swallow. Itriedto calm myself down.

Because a she-wolf who couldn’t even shift was nothing to this pack.

I was nothing, and that was blatantly clear.

Caelan stood up and ushered everyone to the door, saying his last goodbyes before he left with me and Dad tomorrow morning for the Capital. I didn’t want to go, but Caelan said he wasn’t going to leave me here alone.

I’d have to dress in those frumpy ball gowns and pretend I was a wolf who could shift, one who could be strong, one who could fight. I had beta-blood running through my body after all. But right now, that blood was hot.Simmering.

What made this all worse was that I would see all those filthy little whores with their grimy little hands all over Caelan. All those royal women would want to talk to him because he was a single, hot bachelor.

Once the door finally closed, I crawled out.

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