Adam released a ragged, growly breath. “You’re right, of course, but you cannot trust my brother. He has ulterior motives; you can be sure of it.”

“I’m not stupid, Adam. I know he’s up to something. Your parents’ presence isn’t making my job any easier. They wish to deal with it themselves.”

I looked up at Wade. “How can they go against a Leader’s wishes?”

Wade shot Adam a knowing look. It was Adam who responded.

“The Everwood name goes way back, before we ever established the Leaders. Ours is of an olde bloodline, and with it comes a sort of diplomatic immunity.”

“What, like you guys are royalty or something?” I laughed and then saw the seriousness on Wade and Adam’s faces. “Seriously? The Everwoods are considered werewolf royalty?”

Adam shrugged. “Not in the human sense. We don’t refer to ourselves as kings and queens. Wolves respect power, and those who have survived through the millennia—the ones of olde blood—are highly respected.”

I thought about how Chelsea had called me Cinderella earlier. Maybe I had found a prince of sorts. And it made sense as to why the females would want an Everwood as a mate. Female wolves craved a powerful mate, and it looked like I was bonded to one of the strongest.

“Is the Everwood bloodline the only one of olde blood?”

“There are two more: Blackwood and Ashwood, one in each territory.”

I found it bizarre they all had wood in their surnames, but chose not to comment. “So, what did you need to talk to me about, Wade?”

“I want you to try to get a vision from Anthony. In order to do that, you’ll have to touch him—maybe multiple times—without seeming awkward. Do you think you can pull it off?”

I shrugged. “I can try, but it’s not guaranteed I’ll see anything.”

“It’s still worth a try.”

“I don’t want Anna near Anthony without me, or someone equally powerful, present. He’s already kidnapped her once,” Adam said.

I crossed my arms and shifted my weight, causing my hip to cock out. “I’m not helpless. I’ve learned a lot from Elle, and when he kidnapped me, I had just gotten in a car accident.”

Adam smiled down at me. “I know you’re not helpless, Chante. I simply don’t want you alone with him … for my own peace of mind. The convention already comes with threats; I don’t want to add to them.”

I thought about the threats Adam was talking about. While I was feeling more confident with my fighting skills, I wondered how much I was going to have to use them. Now that I knew I was bonded to a man from an olde bloodline, I would have to be on constant watch. My and Adam’s relationship was especially sensitive because we’re linked as Chantes. If something were to happen to me, it would end up destroying Adam and vice versa. That was a lot of pressure. I had to keep myself safe, no matter the cost, in order to keep Adam safe. I watched Adam as he talked with Wade and wondered how someone so powerful could put all of their faith in someone like me. Tomorrow night I would go through the alpha ceremony, but I would still not be alpha born. My mixed blood could never be anything other than what it was—mutt blood.

I looked up at the porch and the new arrivals. Already, Chloe and Cadie had shown interest in Adam, and there were still a lot more people coming—more females who would take one look at Adam’s mutt mate and assume they could take me down. Fear snaked its way through my body as I thought about the impending challenges.

Fingers curled around my forearm. I snapped out of my thoughts and met Adam’s eyes. There was so much confidence and love when he looked at me I could almost feel the weight of his gaze against my skin.

“It’s getting late,” Adam said. “How about we head to bed.”

I nodded, taking Adam’s hand and walking away from Wade and toward the house. The sky was as black as a raven’s wing, bejeweled by a million glittery stars. The wind stirred against my face, carrying the coolness from the snowcapped mountains.

Adam and I headed into the house and back to my bedroom. I began to shuck my shoes and change into my pajamas when Adam grabbed my hand.

“You’ve been somewhere else all night,” he said, pulling me into his chest. “What’s on that crazy mind of yours?”

I shook my head. “Nothing of importance.”

Adam brought his hand to my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers trailed down my cheek while his eyes searched my face for the truth. It didn’t matter what words my lips spoke, our bond was like a lie detector. Adam could notice my anxiety just as much as I could pick up his worry. No secrets could hide between us.

“Tell me,” Adam said softly. “Are you worried about Anthony?”

I shook my head. “No, surprisingly Anthony hasn’t crossed my mind. It’s … well, finding out about your bloodline and how desirable it is … it’s overwhelming.” I snorted. “And here I thought females would challenge me because of your rugged good looks.”

Adam smiled. “I told you it had nothing to do with me as a person. You know how wolves operate: they crave strength and power.” He cupped my face. “Nothing will ever come between us, you know that right?”

Except being murdered for my position, I thought to myself. “Yes,” I told him. “I’m not worried about the other women. I’m worried that I’ll put your life in danger by not being up to par with those who challenge me. If anything were to ever happen to you because I—”

Adam placed a finger against my lips to silence my panic. “I have complete faith in you. Since when have you ever laid down and admitted defeat?” He removed his finger and trailed his hands down my arms. “When the world tries to knock you down you fight back. You’re passionate about what you believe in, and you can believe in us. Everything will be okay.”

I nodded my head wordlessly, thinking about what he said. I wanted to see the strength in myself that he saw—to be as confident of a positive outcome as he was. In that moment, I convinced myself everything would be okay—that all I had to do was keep an optimistic mind. Adam’s words lent me strength and eased my mind. Everything would be okay, simply because it had to be. I couldn’t accept anything less.

* * * *

Around three in the morning I woke up. I stared up at the ceiling while I listened to the party still carrying on outside. Adam was lying on his back, his arms bent under his pillow. I propped myself up on my elbow and watched how peaceful sleep made him. He wasn’t an alpha from an olde bloodline or responsible for managing a pack of rowdy werewolves while he slept. He was just a man—a gorgeous man—lost in a sea of dreams.

Crawling out of bed, I slipped on a pair of cotton shorts. My mind was too chaotic to succumb to sleep again. Tiptoeing, I slipped out of my bedroom and closed the door quietly behind me. All of the lights in the house were still on, and the television echoed from the living room. I headed down the hall and rounded the corner. Eight men I didn’t recognize and Asher sat on the large sectional watching some action movie. It was right in the middle of a car chase when all nine heads lifted in my direction. I held up my hand in a small wave and an apologetic smile crossed my face for interrupting their movie. One of the men, a guy with hair the color of muddy water and eyes just as dark, appraised me with an unwanted appreciation. His eyes traced the length of my legs, coming up to settle on my breasts.

“Dibs,” he said, popping up off the couch.

Asher chuckled, reaching out to capture his arm before he could reach me. “That’s not a wise choice. That is Anna—our alpha female. You lay one fingertip on her, and we’ll be having your funeral this weekend.”

Realization settled in the man’s eyes. Asher released his arm, and the man walked over to me, holding out his hand. I wasn’t in the mood to play the political role, but it was part of my game now. I doubted the Presidents of the human world wanted to shake hands and kiss babies either, but they did it.

I clasped his hand and shook it once before dropping it. Now, more than ever, I would have to keep my shields up, play the game of strong alpha female for two important reasons: keeping the threats at bay and not embarrassing Adam. Finding out he was somewhat regal in the werewolf community made me feel like I was some sort of rebellion he’d decided on—kinda like when a rich girl dates a bad boy just to piss off Daddy. It was a silly thought, I know. Adam and I weren’t merely ‘hanging out,’ we are each other’s Chantes. Still, I couldn’t help the small insecurity from skipping through my mind. I could feel everyone’s eyes judging me as they decided whether I would succeed or tank as an alpha.

“Nice to meet you …”

“Anna,” I supplied.

“… Anna. I’m Everett of the Windsor clan.” His eyes slipped from mine and traveled down my neck where they settled on the swell of my cleavage. I was used to walking around the house in whatever, without a second thought, until now. I would have to invest in some turtlenecks and parkas until the conference was over. My wolf growled within me, disliking the lack of respect Everett was showing us. Without a thought, my knee snapped up in one swift motion and landed between Everett’s legs. He bent over; his hands went to his crotch and he coughed a few times.

“Everett, you may be a guest in my home but, while you’re under my roof, you will show me the respect I deserve. Keep your eyes off my chest.” I knelt down so I could look him in the eye. With my pointer finger, I tipped his chin up. “As a matter of fact, unless I speak to you, do not speak to me.”

The rush of adrenaline from my anger quickly dissipated and left me breathless. My hands shook, and I looked over at the remaining men. Their eyes were wide, eyebrows arched in shock. Embarrassment caused my cheeks to redden. Without another word, I headed toward the stairs and took them two at a time until I slipped around the corner, out of view. I leaned against the wall, listening to the men below tease Everett about his chiding. I inhaled deep breaths through my nose, holding them for a few seconds before exhaling through my mouth. My wolf calmed down, and the edge of anger disappeared, leaving me confused.