She looked inconspicuous as she walked through the crowded streets with her hoodie pulled up over her long chocolate brown hair and her hands stuffed in her pockets. There was a festival occurring covering the streets with loud people, brilliant colors, and various street vendors selling their wares. Each vendor would push their merchandise in your face pretending to give you a good price on worthless goods.
But she wasn't there for the vendors she was discreetly watching the customers looking out for an easy mark. She was an excellent pickpocket. She could reach her hand in the inner jacket pocket of the most attentive cop and be half a mile away with their badge, wallet, and gun before they knew anything was missing. She didn't steal for a living but sometimes she needed the cash. Finding a job in this city proved to be more difficult than usual. Usually, a small hole in the wall diner or club could always use her waitressing skills. She didn't know where she was going to sleep tonight which was typical and also why she happened to be scouting potential mark. Sleeping in the park was getting dangerous. As the weather emerged so did the creeps and while she could take care of herself she didn't want to keep dozing with one eye open in this new city.
She was pretty much a gypsy moving from place to place on her own. She had no family and no roots holding her down so she moved constantly. She was convinced that one day she would find a place where she would instantly feel at home. It was a silly dream but it was the last one she held on to. She knew dreams didn't come true but when she closed her eyes at night finding that perfect place to call home seemed almost attainable. And something about this city seemed almost right.
So as she looked for her marks she made sure to choose ones that would provide enough cash to find a room to stay in while she continued her search for legitimate work. She examined the crowd through her dark lashes and finally found a good mark. She knew he would have a good amount of cash on him not only because of the fine, luxurious suit he wore with his serious expression but the men who were following him. They were watching and guarding him at a short distance. While most people wouldn't notice them she had developed a keen sense for watching and evaluating people. She briefly wondered why the man warranted a 3 man body guard team but she wiped it from her mind as she prepared to swipe his undoubtedly thick wallet.
She pulled down her hood and unzipped her sweatshirt to perfect her façade. Blending in was the key to her pick pocketing. She needed to be causal but still with a bit of apprehension that all individuals had in a large crowd. The more blended she could be the less likely his guards would perceive her as a threat and the closer she could get to the mark. She began clutching her bag and looking around cautiously. Assuming her role she eased up to the well dressed man and brushed up against him while looking in her bag. As she reached into his bulging pocket to retrieve his wallet she felt his skin brush her hand and she paused. A tingle caressed her hand and shocked her. With her hand in his pocket she lifted her eyes to meet his. Her brown eyes met brilliant green orbs set in the most beautiful face she had ever seen. His soft tanned skin seemed to melt over the strong masculine lines of his jaw and cheekbones. His full lips parted in a small smile. His glossy black hair fell to his shoulders while framing his face beautifully. In that brief moment his eyes seemed to bore into her soul and she had a dazzling vision of the sun shining through the leaves of the forest and kissing the forest floor. In her peripheral vision she noticed his hand coming up to caress her face and it brought her back to reality. She snatched the wallet out of his pocket, glanced around to locate and evade the green-eyed man's bodyguards and dashed off. She had her prize but the striking smile on the man's face was etched into her mind.
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Rowan Smith was stunned. This was a rare occurrence for the Alpha. He felt the tiny human bump into him. Her head barely reached his shoulder but in their brief moment of contact her scent floated up to his nose and interrogated his senses. She smelled like warm honey and roses. She smelled of sunshine and happiness. It warmed the empty, lonely depths of his soul and called to the animal within him that had lay dormant and uninterested for so long. He hadn't felt his wolf stir so strongly in such a long time. And when he felt the caress of her skin and saw the sparkle in her shocked hazel eyes he had to know everything about her. He was not prepared for her hasty retreat and was too distracted by the silky bounce of her thick brown hair to stop her.
Rowan's Betas noticed the faint smile and the girl's retreat and rushed to his side. They hadn't seen a true smile on his face in years. Rowan didn't know what to say or where he was headed anymore. Content to just stop and stare while he figured out a way to find her again his Betas urged him to keep moving.
As Alpha he had many duties. Currently he was on route to a meeting with the Alphas of the three closest neighboring packs. Alphas Terrence, Hunt, and Michaels were waiting to meet with him regarding territory lines. While the city proper was neutral territory the outlying country was clearly divided. With the increasing numbers in the Smith Pack, Rowan was trying to prevent any complications from arising. Tension had already been high with the Terrence Pack due to deep rooted rivalry that went back centuries.
When Rowan left his compound to journey into the city that morning he wanted to confront the concerns of the other packs and return home as soon as possible. He hated the congested streets of festival days. Now all he could think of was searching every face in that insufferable crowd for the bright hazel eyes and soft pink lips. The girl with the caramel skin and honeyed scent swam through his mind. Every girl he saw would suddenly take on her features until he turned to look directly at them. His wolf growled in frustration as they made their way through the streets. Dom, Rowan's second in command and close friend began to chuckle.
"What amuses you Dom?" Rowan asked
"You do Alpha. We all saw that exchange between you and that girl. Now you flinch every time you see a speck of brown hair" Dom, David, and Johan's chuckles became roaring laughter causing strangers to look in their direction and step away from the four giant men.
"We'll be late if you don't stop that Alpha" Johan added always the most practical.
"Girls have been throwing themselves at you for ages and I've never seen you make that face." Dom countered, trying and failing to stop his laughter.
"What face?" Rowan asked
"That mushy lovey dovey face" David exclaimed grabbing his stomach and wiping tears from his eyes.
"Enough" Rowan growled not amused anymore.
"Let's be on our way."
Rowan's wolf howled within him. He wanted the honey and rose scented girl. He wanted to find her, mate her, and hold her close for all of time. His wolf projected these images to him causing his skin to heat up and blood to boil within him. Find her! His wolf cried. Bring her home to us! Rowan's wolf warred with him. Not yet. He told his wolf. We must make sure our territory is safe and meet with the Alphas. Then we will find her and never let go! He begged his wolf to understand he had to go to this meeting.
Rowan craved this new found girl with a fierce longing he'd never know before. A few mere seconds of contact and his life was changed. His wolf grew weary as the trudged on a waited for the moment when they would shift and track down their hazel eyed girl.
"Were late Alpha" Johan repeated. "I'll track down the girl later. . ."
"You will not touch her!" Rowan growled fiercely turning to bear down on his Betas who backed up slowly. "She's mine. All mine. My mate" The words came out before he even realized what he was saying.
"My mate?" he asked himself quietly as he spun around and continued on his way. His wolf hummed contentedly at his proclamation. Rowan found even though he didn't know the girl's name yet thinking of her as his mate was exceedingly pleasing. His Betas laughter quieted down as they realized the magnitude of the situation. Their Alpha had just found and lost his mate. They were happy for him and immediately started scanning the crowd for the girl that had claimed their Alpha's heart. Their new Alpha Queen had to be found and secure.
As the group drew nearer to the meeting place Rowan noticed an amber jewel glinting in the sunlight. The jewel was hanging on a black woven necklace. The effect of the jewel surrounded in black reminded Rowan of his mate's eyes as she peered up at him through her thick dark lashes. He had to buy it for her. The first gift of many he would present to his lovely mate. It was then, as he reached into his pocket, that Rowan became aware of the absence of his wallet. In that moment it all clicked.
"She stole it!" he exclaimed. He should be furious, angry that someone got close enough to take advantage of him. He was an Alpha it shouldn't have happened.
"What?" Dom asked confused.
"She stole my wallet" and laughed a loud and deep belly laugh. He should be livid, enraged. But he wasn't. He was impressed and eager to learn more about his mate, the beautiful thief.
His Betas thought he was cracking, losing his mind as he laughed uncontrollable for the first time in a long time. They exchanged entertained glances and shook their heads.
"I'll get through this ridiculous meeting, then I will find my little pick pocketing mate and she will be mine forever" Rowan thought as he grinned and walked past the booth selling the amber jewel and into his meeting.
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The small group didn't notice the hazel eyed girl perched on a low rooftop watching their leader. She was too far away to hear what they were saying but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the exquisitely alluring man. He entered the building and she turned away prepared to never see him again. But somehow that saddened her.
The four Alphas sat around the mahogany conference table, their betas standing arms crossed behind their respective Alphas. Rowan was quickly losing patience with Alpha Dean Terrence. They had been in this meeting for hours because of his bogus accusations. All Rowan could think about was finding his mate. He never thought he would have a mate and now, when she was so close, Terrence was keeping them needlessly occupied. Rowan's wolf had enough.
Springing out of his chair, claws extending, Rowan exploded. "I will not have you making false accusations about my pack Terrence."
"I will not have your packs encroaching on my territory. You get your members to stay on your land or I will deal with them,"
"Don't you dare threaten my pack. They know our territory lines and obey my law." The glow of his emerald eyes indicated Rowan's imminent change.
"Calm down son," Alpha Carr Hunt placed a soothing hand on Rowan's arm. Hunt was known for his jovial and relaxed approach to leadership. As the oldest and most experienced Alpha in the room he had dealt with many inter-pack disputes. He knew he just needed to keep everyone calm. When Rowan became Alpha, Hunt had become a wise mentor. Overtime they had developed a close friendship. So when Hunt spoke Rowan gave Terrence one last menacing glance and sat down.
"Now, Alpha Terrence, are you sure these trespassers aren't new rogue wolves? Do you have any evidence, proof, or specific names we could look into which point to one of our packs?" Hunt asked coolly.
Red faced, Terrance hesitated. "Well no. But that doesn't mean it's not happening. I know –"
"In that case" Alpha Stephen Michaels interrupted "I will be leaving. I have many other matters to take care of today. Call me when you have proof Terrence." Alpha Michaels had been silent most of the meeting. He often took a neutral stance on inter-pack issues and only attended to determine if there was any threat to his pack. Standing and motioning to his betas, he walked to the door. Before exiting Alpha Michaels turned and nodded to the other Alphas. "By the goddess of our sacred moon I bid you all good day." Alpha Michaels and his beta strolled out, the door closing softly behind them.