Take one set of star-crossed lovers, an empty tank of gas, and a Blue Creek Scenting Ceremony… and you have the recipe for disaster or romance… perhaps both!

Moira Wolfe knew better. Who lets their car run out of gas? Especially while driving around a town she’s not supposed to visit. When she locks eyes with a sexy wolf shifter her body lights up in a way she’d never experienced, and the thrill of attraction tinged with trepidation sends her running.

Alex Xerashi, plans to attend the annual Scenting Ceremony as a spectator, not a participant. He has no desire to upend his life with romance… but the pull of a fated mate bond will overrule even the most level-headed wolf. The beautiful blonde stranger captivates him, and when she flees he’s compelled to chase.

Now Alex and Moira are about to challenge everything the other thought they knew about life. Together, they’ll have to navigate a generation of lies and betrayal to uncover the truth and learn whether or not they’re actually meant to be together.

Chapter One

“Are we really doing this?” Alex asked. He pulled off the road and put his truck into park. 

“Yeah, we are. I told my mom we’d be there tonight, and she will have our balls if we’re not. You know how important the yearly Scenting Ceremony is to her. She expects everyone in the pack to be in attendance. Besides, it’s our family’s tradition,” Aric said.

“Fuck. I know, but Christ. Can’t it be a semi-decade ceremony or some shit like that?” He loved the Wolfes. He really did, but he hated the annual Scenting Ceremony. He’d known Aric and the rest of the Wolfes his entire life and hung with them frequently, and unfortunately, that meant he had been to every single scenting ceremony since—fucking forever. 

He hated each and every one of them. He loathed them. 

Wolves from around the country traveled to Blue Creek with the hope of finding their mate. For many, the experience was magical and all they had ever hoped for. Others were not so lucky and left without even so much as catching the smallest scent of their mate. 

Alex had always found himself in the not-so-lucky camp. He’d met a few cool chicks and all, but fuck. How many times did he need to go to this thing? His mate wasn’t there, and she never would be. He was getting a little too old to be wishing for something that had yet to find him. 

“The sooner we get our asses over there, the sooner we can get the fuck out of there,” Aric said, motioning to the ceremony. Next year, he was going to make sure he was far out of town for work. He didn’t care what excuse he had to come up with. The only thing that was certain was that this would be his last damn scenting ceremony. 

“Whatever. Let’s just get this over with,” Alex grumbled as he hopped out of the truck and began his reluctant walk.

“You act like you’re marching off to your own death or some shit. You really do hate this, don’t you?” Aric sprinted to catch up with him.

“Yeah, I do.” Alex was firm with his answer. There was no point lying about his lack of enthusiasm.

“Why?”

“It’s just not my thing, man.” What Alex had really wanted to say was I hate it because it gets my hopes up every year that maybe, just maybe, I’ll finally meet my mate. Then I can start living the life I’ve always dreamed of having, but he didn’t say it. He left the subject alone. 

He didn’t want to hear that his mate was out there somewhere. That all he had to do was find her. Or that he should just concentrate on his career, and everything would fall into place. All through his twenties, that’s exactly what everyone had said to him. Now, his twenties were gone, and his mate was still nowhere to be found. 

“Yeah. I guess it’s not for everyone. Personally, I think it’s great for all the different packs to come together like this once a year. It’s a great way to catch up with others and, hey, if someone meets their mate—even better.”

“That makes sense.” Alex left it at that. If he admitted the truth, he might as well lop off his own balls and hand them to Aric. Something he would not do. Not in this lifetime, anyway.  

“Alex! I’m so glad you made it!” Barbara Wolfe wrapped him in a tight hug the second he was within her reach. It was their customary greeting. 

“Gee, what am I, Mom? Chopped liver? Are you not happy to see me, your son?” Aric joked.

“Oh, you hush! I see you every day. But not this handsome guy.”

“Hi, Mrs. Wolfe. It’s nice to see you.” Alex blushed.

“Let me have a look at you. Are you eating enough? You’re looking kinda skinny. Girls like men with a little more meat on their bones, baby boy. You need a woman down there in that cabin of yours to start taking care of you.” 

“I’m eating plenty, Mrs. Wolfe.” He reassured her and let the woman’s comment fly right on by like he had never even heard it.

“No matter. You can’t live on pizza and Chinese take-out. Come by the house tomorrow and have dinner with us. I won’t take no for an answer,” Barbara insisted. 

“It would be my pleasure,” he replied, stepping back from the hug. And he truly meant it. Dinners with the Wolfes were the best. Not only was the food amazing, but the conversations were usually hilarious. No matter what, he always left their home feeling a million times better than he did when he had arrived. 

Having been an only child, he loved the chaos of the Wolfe house. It was everything he wanted in his own family. Lots of kids running around and eventually grandkids, tons of noise, and a loving mate who looked at him the way Mrs. Wolfe looked at Mr. Wolfe. 

That was what he wanted in life. He really didn’t care about anything else. His career kept him busy. He loved the semantics of law and proved to be invaluable to other members within the pack when they needed legal advice. It filled him with a sense of purpose.

As for the fun, he found hooking up with women here and there—it was simply that, just fun. Alex was at the point in his life where he wanted something more. A relationship with the possibility of having everything he dreamed his life could be. 

And that meant finding his mate.