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His feet carried him forward without conscious thought, his usual careful control scattered by the mate bond humming between them. When he reached her, he extended his hand with automatic courtesy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Alpha Raxen Sol, but you can call me Raxen."

The moment their skin made contact, lightning shot through his nervous system. The mate bond activated like a live wire, sending shockwaves of recognition and possession through every cell in his body. His lion roared triumphantly, pressing so close to the surface that he had to fight to keep his canines from extending.

Mine.

Her hand was soft but firm in his, and he found himself gripping it tighter than propriety allowed, desperate to hold on. Her breath caught audibly, and when he looked into her eyes, he saw his own shock reflected there. She felt it too—the inexplicable pull, the sense of rightness, the overwhelming certainty that something fundamental had just shifted. Her pupils were fully dilated now, her lips slightly parted, and every protective instinct in his body roared at him to pull her closer, to eliminate the space between them, to⁠—

"Raxen." Vessa's pointed voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. "We should really invite our guests to sit down, don't you think?"

Reality crashed back like cold water. He still held Amara’s hand, still stood too close, still stared at her like a man who'd found salvation in human form. With tremendous effort, he released her and stepped back, gesturing toward the seating area.

"Yes, of course. Please, make yourselves comfortable."

He guided Amara to the plush sofa, hyperaware of her every movement, the way she smoothed her skirt as she sat, the subtle shift of her scent as she settled into the cushions. Gerri took the seat beside her, while Vessa claimed one of the facing armchairs. Raxen deliberately chose the other chair, putting necessary distance between himself and the woman who threatened to shatter his composure entirely.

Amara smiled at him, and his resolve nearly crumbled. "Raxen, thank you for this opportunity."

Her voice was even more compelling up close, carrying undertones of competence and quiet strength that made his lion purr with approval.

"I should be the one thanking you," he replied, struggling to maintain his usual diplomatic tone. "I am grateful that Gerri could find my fated mate so quickly, and that you agreed to come here on such short notice."

After the words left his mouth, he watched confusion replace the warmth in Amara's expression.

"Excuse me, what did you say?"

Panic clawed at his chest. "Didn't Gerri tell you that she found you because I hired her to find my fated mate? Amara, you are my fated mate."

The room temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. Amara's posture went rigid, and when she turned toward Gerri, her expression carried the kind of controlled fury that suggested years of professional training in conflict management.

"Gerri, what's going on here?" Her voice remained perfectly level, but Raxen caught the steel beneath the silk. "You told me you were hired to find the best person to handle the labor dispute here, not to find his... so-called fated mate."

Gerri had the grace to look flustered, her usual confidence wavering under Amara's steady gaze. "Well, I may have used a bit of creative tactics to get you two to meet. I apologize for the omission."

"Well, I didn't agree to come here for romance or whatever this mate thing entails." Amara's words were precise, each one carefully chosen. "I came here to handle negotiations for the labor dispute."

The betrayal in her voice hit Raxen like a slap. She'd been deceived into coming here under false pretenses. His own anger flared—not at Amara, but at the situation, at Gerri's well-meaning manipulation, at his own spectacular failure to handle this moment with anything resembling grace.

"Well, if you were told you were coming here to handle this labor dispute," he said carefully, "then I don't see why we can't have you assist Vessa and me with our negotiations. Maybe having a fresh perspective would be exactly what we need right now, as we seem to be in a bit of a predicament." He met her eyes directly, hoping she could see his sincerity. "And let's just put this whole mate thing on hold for now. Does that seem reasonable?"

For a long moment, she studied his face with the penetrating gaze of someone trained to read motivations and hidden agendas. Whatever she saw there must have satisfied her, because some of the tension left her shoulders.

"Yes," she said finally. "That seems reasonable."

Relief flooded through him. "Then it's settled."

Gerri rose from the sofa with obvious discomfort, her usual poise shaken by the confrontation. "I do apologize for not disclosing everything up front, Amara. I really didn't mean to deceive you—I just wanted to make sure you didn't pass up this opportunity."

Amara's expression softened slightly, professional courtesy overriding personal frustration. "I understand you had your reasons, Gerri. Everything seems manageable now."

"Well, I think you two can work this out just fine," Gerri said, gathering her purse with brisk efficiency. "I'd really like to stay longer, but I need to get back to Earth."

Raxen stood up, grateful for the excuse to escort her away from the increasingly volatile situation. "Of course. Let me walk you out."

They moved through the estate in tense silence, their footsteps echoing off the marble floors and soaring ceiling. Only when they reached the heavy oak front doors did Gerri turn to face him, her expression a mixture of apology and determination.

"I'm so sorry, Raxen," she said quietly. "I knew Amara wouldn't come if I told her the full truth about why you needed her here."