~~
Landon
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I was resigned to not finding my mate. Everyone else that I knew, all of my friends and family, had already found their mate. Hell, even Trevor, who had been another lonely and mateless man just like me, had found his mate. I was the only person among our inner circle that didn't have a mate. And it pissed me off.
Didn't I deserve a mate? Didn't I deserve love? Wasn't I allowed to be happy and get married? I knew that I did, but I still wasn't finding her. Even recently, when Trevor had his wedding with Gloriana, though it was interrupted, I had been sobbing on the inside while I watched on, not even a date at my side.
Now, I was risking my life and could possibly die in this war without even having a mate to worry about me or to go home to if I didn't die. I don't know if I fought more fiercely because I didn't have to hold back out of respect for my mate or out of anger for not having a mate. Either way, I was tearing my way across the battlefield as I killed beast after beast.
"Ahhh!" I heard a slightly higher pitched scream come from a woman that was nearby. At the same moment a smell rose above the stench of the battle and hit my nose. That smell had me running toward that sound instantly.
While I ran, I was scanning for the woman who had screamed in distress. It didn't take me long to find her either. She had been attacked by a giant alligator-like creature that was about to take a chunk off of her leg, or you know, all of her. She could have fit in its mouth easily.
I leapt in just as the thing was about to chomp down on her. I couldn't have that happening now, could I? With the sword that I had been given at the start of the battle, I swung down hard and sliced the beast's head from its neck.
The head rolled and the body fell back. I didn't care though. I was too busy looking at the woman that I had just saved. She looked like she was about my age, around twenty-eight or so. She had brown hair that flowed down her back in cascading waves. There also seemed to be feathers that had been woven into her hair. That was beautiful. I had never seen hair like hers before.
Her eyes were a unique amber color that almost seemed to be glowing. I was certain that they were just reflecting the light but that didn't matter, they were perfect eyes. Perfect just like her beautiful, thin, narrow face. She was petite too, smaller than most shifter women that I came across. She might barely be five feet three inches tall. That was fine though. The way she was holding that sword I knew she was a skilled warrior.
"Thanks." She grinned at me and flashed me a set of bright white teeth. That was all I needed to snap my self control. For the record, I never pretended to have proper self control before so that was fine.
I took the five or six steps that it took to bring me face to face with her and without a word I pulled her into my arms. My lips were on hers before I said so much as a word to her. She tasted amazing. Just like the scent that I had picked up when I was running. That scent, and taste, of hers was filled with blackberries and raspberries. She was like a crisp and sweet treat that was all mine.
"I finally found you." The moment that I pulled my lips from hers I pressed my cheeks against her hair and sighed in relief. "I finally found you." I said it again.
"Well, I would ask you what, or even why, but I know the answer to both of those already." I could hear the laughter and joy in her voice. She sounded as happy as I felt.
"What is your name?" I asked her with no other preamble. "What is my mate's name?"
"Come on, big boy, let go of me so I can see your face." She pressed against me. "I won't tell you my name unless I can see what you look like properly. I didn't have time to register what your face looked like before you started to make out with me."
I did as she wanted me to. I pulled away and looked into her beautiful, mesmerizing eyes.
"My name is Landon Clayton, I am a tiger shifter, and I am the Alpha of the Feline pack that is based out of Colorado."
"Well Alpha Landon, my name is Ava. Ava Peters that is, and I am an eagle shifter and a member of the Avian pack that is located in Colorado. Isn't that a lovely coincidence?" She was beaming at me as if she was beyond happy that she had found her mate that lived so close to her.
"I can't believe I finally met you. I can't wait to tell Trevor and Reece. Oh and Trinity too."
"Trevor? Reece? Trinity? Are you referring to the future Fae King, the Alpha King, and the Luna Queen?" She looked nervous now.
"Yes, they're my friends. I am a member of their personal council."
I swear that made her jaw drop. She was just so excited to find her mate, that was all it was. I was just as excited as she was.
This was amazing. It truly was. I had finally found my mate and she was a gorgeous and sexy little eagle. Oh, and don't think that whole thing about cats eating birds escaped me. I was already looking forward to when I gave into my beast and devoured my little birdie. That was bound to be the best meal of my life. And I would be able to have it as often as I wanted.
Having a mate was awesome!
