Ever Lasting

VI

Chapter VI

Atlas

"Are you nervous?" Declan asked as we drove to the Royal Crest Pack. It was only about five hours away from my pack, so we always just drove.

Yes. "No, I am not. It is just another Mating Gala." I said, while turning the SUV onto another road.

He let out a long sigh and pulled his sunglasses from his face, looking at me. "Atlas, you know this is one of the last years you can go..." He hesitated. "honestly if she is not here this time, the age difference will be weird."

"Yes! I know!" I snapped at him and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Declan's eyebrows furrowed at my reaction. "What is so wrong with my sister that you are so angry when we talk about the possibility of not finding your mate?" He scoffed.

Ah yes, this conversation.

Alpha males need a Luna for their packs to thrive. They could only go a certain amount of years without one before the pack falls apart. That is the purpose for every Alpha to have a backup mate of sorts. My parents chose my Beta's twin sister.

"Nothing." I said with an exhale. "I just rather have my mate."

Lies.

Just when this conversation was going to get deeper than I wanted it to, the palace came into view. Thank you, Moon Goddess.

"Looks like we made it just in time." Declan pointed out at the cars flooding the entrance way.

"Let's get this over with."

After being sorted and given my usual room, I got ready for the ball. The black on black Armani suit covered my skin and my hair was styled to perfection.

The nerves I felt in my stomach had much more to do than just trying to find my mate. I had even more things to avoid while I was here. I just needed to find her and all this would be over.

A knock at my door had me walking towards it. I sniffed the air to catch the person's scent.

Lux. Thank you, Goddess.

I opened it with a small smile, greeting the Beta. "Beta Lockley."

He chuckled at my formality, shaking his head. "Alpha Lycurgus, you know better." He tsked and held his hand out.

I laughed and shook his hand. When releasing it I ushered him in. "Come in, come in." I took a seat in one of the many chairs in my suite, lifting a hand offering him one. "How are you, man?"

The Royals and I go way back. We basically all grew up together because of my pack being the closest one to them. Both of our fathers had meetings every other week together, so I would join mine to come see Legacy and Lux.

"I am good. My brother and Fallon have me on my toes with the singer this year. She literally visited every café we have here." He laughed, sitting down in the seat across from me. "She is definitely good company, though. I do not mind it."

Lux was not the type to babysit, so this only brought me to one conclusion. "Is she your mate, by chance?"

"No, definitely not. She is just funny and is always wanting to learn something about my home. I just respect that. She hangs onto every word when she asks me a question about Royal Crest. She soaks everything up like a sponge."

"Ah." I said in understandment. It sounded like a crush more than anything, but I did not call it out. I then looked at my watch and saw that it was 6:22 p.m. "Looks like we need to head down."