The wolf mixer was in full swing by the time I made it to my apartment, got dressed in the only half-decent outfit I had, and returned to the pack lands. Torin’s house was filled with alphas from many of the other packs, as well as a decent selection of single shifters who were all hoping to find a true mate tonight.

If only they knew.

Despite my reluctance in having anything to do with being alpha-mate, Torin had assigned me more than a few tasks in relation to this little soirée. Most of them involved liaising with other packs’ alpha-mates in regards to the guest list, décor, and food. I’d ignored every request to assist, of course, and I had no idea who’d stepped in to take up the slack. Probably Sisily. I sensed she was still fucking my mate—oh, sorry, taking care of his needs because his mate was neglecting him, and I really wasn’t mad about it.

As long as someone kept him busy, it didn’t have to be me.

My silver sequined dress swished around my boring silver heels as I descended the stairs into the ballroom. It was awash in soft lighting, with strands of fairy lights above and candles on the ground level. Everything was tastefully done, with gold and silver as the main theme.

Heavy gold curtains were pulled back on the multi-pane windows, showcasing spectacular views of the pack lands, along with an outdoor area for more of the packs to mingle in. We would literally have so many here tonight—the meeting of the decade—that not all of them would fit inside our massive ballroom.

“Mera,” Torin said, appearing at the bottom of the stairs, wearing a perfectly fitted black tux. He ran a hand through his dark hair, shaking his head as his awestruck gaze lifted to meet mine. “You look absolutely stunning.”

I forced a smile, glancing down at my outfit. The dress had been my mother’s; it had sat unused in her wardrobe after my dad had been killed, since she’d had no more balls or mixers to go to. It was modestly cut, with a skinny-strapped top that fell into a slinky silver length, trailing longer behind than at the front. Not really my style, but for this, it worked.

“Thank you,” I told him, wishing he would stop looking at me the way he was. Despite the connection I felt between us, his heated stare made my skin crawl.

“Are you ready?” he asked, holding his hand out to me.

I didn’t want to take it, but Jaxson’s words reverberated through my mind, and even worse, the beta himself was across the room watching me with the same laser focus as Torin. They both needed me to act the part tonight, present a strong, united front, and I was going to give it at least a thirty percent try.