Chapter 218

Agnes

Our flight landed around noon. The airport was smaller than I expected—just a handful of gates and a single baggage claim carousel. I’d been to plenty of small airports during my life, but this one was particularly humble.

“Welcome to Hunter Creek,” Elijah said as we made our way through the tiny terminal. “Home to one of the oldest werewolf packs in the country.”

“And apparently still living in the stone ages,” I muttered, noticing the outdated decor and ancient-looking flight information displays.

Elijah laughed. “You’re not wrong. They’re big on tradition here.”

The drive to our hotel took about twenty minutes, winding through dense forest before the trees gave way to a small but quaint downtown area. The hotel seemed new, with the inside constructed of faux marble and gold accents. Elijah checked in while I waited nearby with our luggage. I spotted a Luna I recognized and waved to her. She waved excitedly back.

Once we stepped into our hotel room on the top floor, I couldn’t help the small gasp that escaped me. The space was enormous. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, and the furnishings were elegant and plush.

And most of all…

I blinked as I stepped onto the spacious terrace. “Is that a jacuzzi?”

Elijah grinned, leaning against the doorframe. “Like it?”

I turned to him with raised eyebrows. “A jacuzzi? Private terrace? This doesn’t exactly scream ‘business trip,’ Elijah.”

He shrugged. “I might have upgraded us a bit.”

“A bit?” I laughed, gesturing around the massive suite. “This is practically a house.”

“I wanted to make it special,” he said, moving closer to me. “Even if we are here for business.”

I closed the distance between us, suddenly very aware of how long it had been since we’d had any real time alone. “Well, I’m not complaining.”

His hands found my waist and pulled me against him. “Good. Because I have plans for that jacuzzi later.”

“Is that so?” I murmured, tilting my face up to his.

The kiss was slow and deliberate. I pressed closer, my hips twisting sensually against his. He made a low sound in the back of his throat, his grip tightening on my waist.

Without breaking the kiss, he began walking me backward toward the large king bed. The backs of my knees hit the mattress, and I allowed myself to fall, pulling him down on top of me. His weight was a welcome pressure against my body.

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” I whispered against his mouth, already tugging at his shirt.

He grinned, pulling back just enough to strip off his shirt in one fluid motion. I ran my hands over his bare chest, admiring his muscles. No matter how many times we did this, the sight of him still took my breath away.

He bent to kiss me again, his hands working on the buttons of my blouse, when a sharp knock at the door made us both freeze.

“Seriously?” I groaned as Elijah pulled away.

“Hold that thought,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before climbing off the bed.

I sat up, hastily rebuttoning my blouse as Elijah went to answer the door. From my position on the bed, I could just make out a young man in a hotel uniform standing in the doorway.

“Alpha Elijah,” the messenger said, “Our Alpha requests your presence in the conference room immediately. A preliminary meeting has been called for all visiting Alphas.”

Elijah sighed. “Now?”

“Yes, sir. And...” The messenger hesitated, glancing past Elijah to where I sat on the bed. “The Luna is invited to join the other companions in the lounge area.”

I felt my eyebrows shoot up at that. Companions? Not Lunas or Alpha mates or pack leaders in their own right, but companions?

Elijah seemed equally unimpressed, but nodded. “We’ll be down shortly.”

The messenger retreated, and Elijah closed the door. “I’m sorry,” he said, turning back to me. “I had no idea there would be a meeting this early.”

“It’s fine,” I replied. “But ‘companions’? Really?”

“I know,” Elijah sighed, reaching for his discarded shirt. “The Alpha is... traditional. Old-school.”

“Sexist, you mean,” I muttered, standing up to straighten my clothes. The mood was thoroughly ruined now. “Just like the last time we were at one of these events.” I recalled that day all too well, when the women were left alone to braid each other’s hair while the men went off to handle the “important” things.

“I’ll talk to him,” Elijah promised, buttoning his shirt. “The whole point of these conferences is to modernize pack relations. That should include the role of Lunas.”

I appreciated the sentiment, but I wasn’t holding my breath. As much as I hated it, our world was still predominantly patriarchal. My fashion show all those months ago had been a small step in rallying the Lunas to a bigger cause, but there was still a long way to go.

We freshened up quickly and headed downstairs, the elevator delivering us directly to the lobby. The conference area was located in a separate wing of the hotel, connected to the main building by a glass-enclosed walkway. I could already see groups of werewolves gathering, the men in suits and the women in elegant dresses.

As we entered the main reception area, I spotted a few more familiar faces. Many of the women in attendance had modeled in my fashion show. Unfortunately, Evelyn was no longer a part of this group, since she technically wasn’t a Luna anymore. I already missed her presence.

“Agnes! It’s been too long,” one of the women said, pulling me into a warm hug as I approached. “You look amazing.”

“So do you,” I replied with a smile. I addressed the group of women around us. “How have you all been?”

“Busy,” one woman said with a grin. “That fashion show of yours inspired me to start my own food pantry for pack women. It’s been taking off like crazy.”

“That’s fantastic!” I exclaimed. “I’d love to hear more about it.”

“You’ll have plenty of time for that,” a deep voice interrupted. I turned to see a tall man with silver-streaked hair and cold eyes approaching. “The men have business to discuss.”

I felt Elijah tense beside me, but his face remained neutral. “Alpha Richard,” he greeted, extending his hand. “Thank you for hosting this conference.”

Richard shook Elijah’s hand, his gaze briefly flickering to me before dismissing me entirely. “The meeting is about to begin. The Lunas are welcome to enjoy refreshments in the lounge area while we conduct our business.”

I felt my fingers begin to warm up with that familiar surge of anger, but Elijah squeezed my hand gently—a warning to tread carefully. This was not our pack, and we were guests. Making a scene wouldn’t help our cause. And lashing out with fire wasn’t ideal either.

“I’ll find you after the meeting,” Elijah said, his eyes conveying an apology that his words couldn’t express in front of the other Alpha. “We’ll continue where we left off.”

The promise in his gaze was enough to temper my irritation, at least temporarily. “I’ll hold you to that.”

As the men filed into the conference room, the women were ushered toward a separate lounge area. It was elegantly appointed, with plush seating and a fully stocked bar, but it felt like a consolation prize—a gilded cage to keep us occupied while the “real” work happened elsewhere.

I found myself seated with several other Lunas I recognized from the fashion show. All of them greeted me warmly, eager to share their experiences since we’d last met.

“I’ve been running the pack’s finances since the show,” one woman said, sipping her wine. “Turns out I have a knack for investment strategies. We’re up thirty percent from last year.”

“I started a program for orphaned werewolf children,” another added. “We’ve placed more than twenty kids in loving homes within our territory.”

I should have felt proud, but as the women shared their accomplishments, I just felt frustrated. These women were intelligent, accomplished, and proactive. Why were they being excluded?

“It’s always like this,” one woman sighed, noticing my expression. “Big talk about progress and modernization, but when it comes down to it, the actual decisions are still made by men in closed rooms.”

“Even after everything we’ve accomplished?” I asked, looking around at the impressive women surrounding me.

“Especially after,” one said bitterly. “They’re threatened. The more we prove ourselves capable, the more they try to keep us separate from their world.”

My jaw clenched. That familiar heat surged up in me again, and this time, I didn’t bother to push it down. Not completely, anyway.

“This is ridiculous,” I said, standing abruptly. “We shouldn’t be excluded from these discussions. We’re pack leaders, too.”

The other women exchanged glances, but it was too late. I was already storming out. I heard confused whispers before the sound of footsteps following me.

With the other Lunas falling in step behind me, I marched through the lounge, past the startled staff, and down the corridor toward the conference room. I could hear the low murmur of male voices through the heavy wooden doors.

Without hesitation, I pushed those doors open.

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to the doorway where we stood. Even Elijah looked surprised, but also proud.

I cleared my throat and looked around. “I see you haven’t prepared enough chairs for everyone.”