The room buzzed with tension as Matteo Vitale strode into the mansion, his 6'4" frame cutting an imposing figure. The meeting had been set for weeks—another tiresome negotiation about borders and territory disputes between packs. As the Alpha of one of the oldest and most respected werewolf clans in Italy, Matteo was no stranger to these events.

At 31, Matteo had spent years without a mate—a rare, almost unheard-of situation for wolves. Most found their destined partner at 18, the moment the mate bond snapped into place. Matteo had expected the same when he was younger, but years had passed, and the bond never came. That absence left a deep void in his heart, one he buried beneath duty and leadership. Yet, the older he became, the more that longing clawed at him. His wolf, restless and frustrated, had grown harder to control as time went on, constantly searching for what they both craved but never found.

As he took his seat across from Alpha Lucius Rossi, Matteo’s focus drifted. The usual topics—boundaries, hunting grounds, keeping the peace—felt like nothing more than background noise. His mind wandered, haunted by the ache of years spent without the one he was meant to protect, to love. He had learned to live with it, to push the pain away, but today, the weight of it felt heavier than usual.

Then, the door opened.

At first, Matteo didn’t bother to look up, assuming it was just another member of Lucius’s pack. But then a scent hit him—rich, intoxicating, and so powerful it stole his breath. His entire body stiffened as the sensation rushed through him, every nerve lighting up with awareness. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced, a pull so strong it made his wolf stir violently inside him.

His mate.