Chapter 7
Ian tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited in traffic.
The interstate had been backed up for the last five miles.
Traffic crawled, then stopped, then crawled more before stopping again.
Thoughts of seeing Emily filled his mind.
His wolf whined at the idea of finally claiming their mate.
He had sent a quick text to Jenn, making sure that Emily hadn’t backed out on the road trip.
When Jenn had replied that they were on the road and headed to Crescent Bay, sheer excitement surged through his veins.
To him, it felt like it was finally their time.
That nothing could stop what was about to come.
That after all these years, they would claim their destiny.
That all the bullshit they had been through over the years was about to be firmly put behind them, where it belonged, and they could finally move on to the next stage of their lives.
“Just a little bit further,” he said to his wolf.
His animal grew more impatient as the seconds ticked by.
He’d gotten the approval from Rafe to do what needed to be done to claim his mate while keeping in mind that she was human and wouldn’t play by the standard wolf pack rules when it came to mating.
Ian would have to dig deep and sweep her off her feet. He had two days to seal the deal and make Emily realize that they were meant to be together. Two days to make her see that her parents didn’t necessarily want what was best for her, but what was best for them.
The traffic finally cleared, and he sped toward the exit ramp. Ian rubbed his arm, his skin itching. He tightened his muscles, trying to keep his wolf from bursting forward. He swiped his tongue over his lengthening canines.
“No!” he commanded, knowing that now was not the time for his wolf to take control.
Not in the vehicle whilst speeding down the exit ramp of the interstate.
Ian pulled into the closest parking space when he reached the outer edge of the property where the Convergence was being held.
His wolf was on high alert as magic swirled in the air, nearly choking him.
He had forgotten what it felt like when so many shifters gathered for the Convergence.
Though his Alpha was not present, there were many extraordinary Alphas nearby.
Their power seeped off them, making the tiny hairs on his arms stand at full attention.
The effect should have calmed his wolf, but it didn’t.
His wolf was being fed by his Berserker.
The magic surrounding him felt like a challenge for his beast. It was why he had largely stayed away from these gatherings.
After Ian had found his mate, there was no point in coming to them. Those first few years though, hoping to find his mate had been hell on his Berserker. It was something Rafe had warned him about. The more power and magic that surrounded him, the more it drew his true beast forward.
“A human! What is she doing here?”
The astonished whispers reached his ears long before they should have, making his legs move faster.
He pushed along the wooded path, knocking branches out of his way.
Thankfully, those who saw him coming quickly stepped to the side, not wanting to be mowed down by his mission to get to his mate.
Ian was seconds away from handing over control to his wolf so he could find his mate faster when he turned the corner and caught her sweet, flowery scent.
He could still taste the sweetness of her honey on her tongue from their last rendezvous.
The sight of Emily lying flat on her back while he devoured her flashed through his mind and made his cock stand on end.
Ian pushed harder. Emily was close by. He could feel her presence. A tingling sensation raced across his skin the closer he got to his destination. Controlling the dual beasts became more of a chore with each step he took. They both wanted only one thing.
“Mine!” the voices screamed in his head, wanting their mate more than their next breath.”
“I wasn’t sure you were going to show up.” A large figure suddenly blocked Ian’s path.
“Jack,” Ian growled.
“Easy, man. She’s right over there. She’s a little freaked out right now. That’s why I came to see if I could find you.”
“What do you mean she’s a little freaked out? What happened?”
“Look. This is a lot to take in for a shifter who has never been to one of these. Imagine what it’s like for a human to see all the stuff that goes on here. There’s practically an orgy just off the edge of the woods. You know how hyped up everyone is. There’s very little restraint.”
“Get to the point,” Ian growled again.
“A group of stupid punks propositioned her and—”
“What!” Ian shouted. His Berserker pushing harder than ever to take control.
“Calm down, man. Nothing happened. She’s fine. She’s safe. I guided them on their way. You know how these idiots are. One interaction from someone who’s bigger and badder was all that was needed for them to tuck their tails between their legs and hightail it the fuck out of dodge.”
“It’s good to know that our reputation still precedes us,” Ian ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying to push back on his beast and diffuse the situation that was playing out in his mind.
If it was one thing the Black Paw Pack was known for, it was their legendary Berserkers. Beasts who were created by Odin himself. Their blood lust was like any other species. Once the beast was awakened, he would stop at nothing until every single one of his enemies had been defeated.
“Yep. They had no desire to fuck with me or any of the others from home who drove down for the Convergence.”
“Who else is here?” Ian asked.
“The standard crew, hoping to find their mates.” Jack shrugged.
“Why are you here? You hate these things.”
“Did you really think I was going to let you go this alone? No way! I’ve got your back.”
Ian rolled his eyes. “What is it that you think you are going to do for me? I need to claim my mate. Last time I checked, it didn’t require any outside help.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You need help with this. From what I understand, there’s something going on with her.”
“What do you mean? Something other than those idiots trying to proposition her?”
“Yeah, I was trying to listen from a distance to her conversation with Jenn. She was talking about having had it with her parents.”
“Well, if that’s the case, it’s about damn time. Are you sure about this?” Thoughts churned in Ian’s head about how much easier winning Emily over would be without her parents interfering.
“I’m pretty sure, yeah. Then those guys interrupted the conversation,” Jack explained.
“I need to see her.” Ian tried to push past Jack.
“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Jack said as he stepped aside.