The Beta's Missing Mate (Book 16 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 1

One month before the plane crash

Aidan Asgrim leaned back against the wall of the bar and ran a hand over his face. He was stressed and bored out of his mind. His job lately had been stressing him out. He'd been taking on too much, trying to cover up his loneliness since Elsie had left by taking on more work. He'd probably taken on way too much.

Aidan worked as both a pack liaison and for Remington Enterprises. He was constantly busy and hardly ever home. He wasn't mated, and he sort of hated it. He wanted to settle down with a mate. He wanted the companionship a mate would provide.

As a pack liaison, it was his job to be the go between for the Royal Pack and other packs. He visited all of his packs every two years, checking to make sure that the pack leadership was doing its job and taking care of their pack. If not, then it was his job to fix whatever was wrong.

Sometimes it was a leadership problem, sometimes a financial problem, but more often than not, everything was fine. Aidan had never had to take over a pack, which he was glad about. He'd been trained how to run a pack as the Alpha if he needed to, but so far, that sort of situation had never crept up.

Three new packs has sprung up in the last five years, and he had been the one to help each of them get established. It required a lot on his part, helping to find them a location to settle, acquiring the lands, training the leadership, getting them all settled. It was a lot of work, but he'd enjoyed it. It was a nice distraction from his boring life. Something to keep him occupied for months on end.

He'd been running full steam for the last five years, annoyed because he hadn't found his mate. He'd immersed himself completely, taking on way more than he needed to. But he did enjoy it mostly. He just wanted someone to enjoy it with, someone besides his current companions.

Aidan lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip. He'd been nursing the same drink for the last hour, though he truly wasn't interested in it. Unless it was Moonlight Bourbon, it wouldn't get him drunk no matter how much he consumed. It was rather annoying, considering the bar didn't serve the bourbon, and tonight, he wouldn't mind getting drunk. Or finding a woman to distract him.

You looking to get laid tonight?

Aidan almost snorted at the sudden intrusion into his thoughts and glanced up at Xavier. He'd been chatting with Zane, who was Aidan's younger brother, though Aidan had barely paid attention to their conversation. Was that what they were talking about? Picking up women for the night? He could get on board with that. He really needed laid.

Aidan typically did pack visits with either Xavier or Zane, though neither of them had taken on as many packs as he had, even though neither of them were mated. This trip to Saint Louis was strictly business though, which he conducted mostly with Xavier. Zane had just tagged along.

He'd stayed in the hotel suite while they'd had their business meetings earlier in the day. Now they were out looking for some fun. Aidan had a feeling that was the only reason Zane had come along, to find a woman. They could have just stayed in their hotel room, drank Bourbon and played cards.

Though the last time he'd done that with Xavier and Zane, they'd placed bets, and he'd been on the losing end. He'd found himself in a piercing shop the next day getting a piercing he'd never thought to acquire. He smirked to himself. You know that's why I'm here. It's been way too long, he responded to Xavier. You?

Nope. I'm not in the mood, Xavier shot back.

Aidan lifted a brow at him. "You're not?" Why had they even come out here then? Because he needed laid, and more than likely so did Zane. But Xavier probably needed it the worst of them all. He could be so tightly wound at times.

He shrugged. "Not unless she has red hair."

"That's oddly specific," Zane murmured, lifting his own glass to his lips.

Aidan knew exactly what that meant. Xavier had started having mate dreams and his mate had red hair. He'd be finding her sooner rather than later. Lucky bastard. But he probably wouldn't be that interested in another woman.

Aidan also knew that the last woman Xavier had slept with had become obsessed with him. Xavier had made it very clear to her that he wasn't interested in more than just sex, but she had found his phone number somehow and had started texting and calling him, trying to get with him again, something the Alpha was definitely not interested in. She wasn't his mate. Aidan wasn't sure what all had happened, but he knew Xavier hadn't had sex with another woman since. Aidan could hardly blame him.

Xavier was incredibly good looking, and would be the Alpha King one day. Aidan would be his Beta. She-wolves knew that, and it wasn't uncommon for the single ones to hit on them, to try to get them in their beds, and possibly take them as their Chosen Mate.

Aidan had seen it all over the years. He'd found she-wolves naked in his bed, in his shower and wherever else they could creatively think of to entice him. It was why he never touched them. Ever. He could easily see one of them pulling some crap if he did, and he wasn't about to be manipulated like that.

"Don't you have a preference?" Xavier asked both of them.

"Boobs, ass and a tight little pussy," Zane said with a smirk, his gaze flickering around the bar.

Xavier rolled his eyes at him. "That's oddly vague."

"In other words, he doesn't care," Aidan muttered, tossing back the rest of his drink. He needed something stronger.

"He's not wrong," Zane agreed.

"And what about you?" Xavier asked, turning to Aidan.

What about him? He hadn't had any mate  dreams. Nothing was making him think twice about going after any woman he wanted.

"Another drink?"

Aidan looked up at the bartender. She was a beautiful woman with curves in all the right places, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about seducing her already. She had brown hair and green eyes and long lashes. Her tits were nice and perky and he wouldn't mind burying his face or his cock between them. "You got anything stronger?"

She pursed her lips thoughtfully, her gaze traveling over him slowly. Yeah, he could probably seduce her. The thought of burying his dick inside of her didn't turn him off. At all. And he really didn't want to share either. Not tonight.

He had shared women before with both Xavier and Zane. Not often. He preferred to have a woman's attention solely on him. He preferred to be the one to make her scream his name over and over again.

"How strong?" she asked.

"The strongest stuff you've got." He flashed her a sexy smile. He wondered how old she was. Old enough to be working at a bar, which meant at least twenty-one. As long as she was over eighteen, he didn't care. He knew he still looked to be in his twenties, and what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.

"You want some Everclear?" She smiled back at him, and licked her lips. His cock twitched. He wouldn't mind having those full lips wrapped around it.

He shrugged. He'd never tried it before. "Bring me the bottle and three shot glasses. Actually, bring me two bottles."

Her eyebrows shot up, and she glanced between all three of them. "It's strong."

"We'll be fine. We know our limits," he told her, flashing her another smile. He was so having her tonight. He was already half hard, watching her nervousness but also her interest in him.

She nodded. "And you boys? Anything else?" she asked, looking at Xavier and Zane, a smile on her lips.

"Just the shot glasses," Xavier said, his look completely disinterested.

Zane nodded in agreement. He seemed much more eager, and Aidan knew if he didn't go after her, Zane probably would.

"I'll be right back."  She turned and headed back up to the bar, her hips swaying gently as she walked.