Surviving the Storm

Chapter 3

Storm

“Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to join us.”

Josh leaned back against the pool table, a smug grin spreading across his face.

“Had enough of causing trouble on the dance floor?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Not even close.”

Before I could say anything else, Cameron jumped in.

“There you are! Girls, let me introduce you to Emma and Alice.”

He gestured towards the two girls standing beside him.

They stared at Josh and Cameron with barely concealed fascination, apparently oblivious to the fact that neither man had any intention of remembering this night once it was over.

I knew these two.

They collected attention the way other people collected souvenirs.

Girls came and went.

Names were forgotten.

Promises were made and forgotten even faster.

One of the girls suddenly frowned.

“Um… our names are Amberley and Annalise.”

Her voice was dripping with irritation.

I tried to hold it in.

I really did.

But the moment I looked at Kat, who was already struggling not to laugh, I lost it.

I burst out laughing.

Kat snorted beside me before dissolving into hysterics.

Cameron’s face turned bright red.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I managed between laughs.

“You forgot their names!”

“I didn’t forget their names,” Cameron snapped.

“You literally just introduced them as two completely different people.”

Kat doubled over laughing.

Cameron shot us both a murderous glare.

He clearly wasn’t enjoying being embarrassed in front of his latest conquests.

Thankfully for him, Josh stepped in.

Ever the smooth talker.

“Ladies, you’ll have to excuse my friend,” he said, flashing them his most charming smile. “He’s had a long day. Hardly any sleep. Honest mistake.”

“Yeah,” Kat muttered. “That’s definitely what it was.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing again.

Josh shot Kat a warning look.

I decided I’d had enough entertainment for one night.

“Are we actually going to play pool, or are we going to spend the entire night watching you two flirt?”

Cameron glared at me.

Then he looked at Kat.

Kat immediately threw her hands into the air.

“You know what? Forget it. I don’t want to play anymore.”

She turned away.

I sighed.

“Seriously, Kat?”

“I’m offended.”

“You’re drunk.”

“I’m offended and drunk.”

I shook my head.

Before I could respond, an arm suddenly settled around my shoulders.

Asher.

“Looks like you’ll need a partner, hot stuff.”

Normally, I would have immediately removed his arm.

I hated being touched unexpectedly.

But tonight was different.

Tonight, I wanted to annoy Josh.

And judging by the expression on his face, I had just found the perfect opportunity.

I turned towards Asher and gave him a smile.

“Well, maybe you could be my partner.”

His eyebrows lifted.

Then his other arm slipped casually around my waist.

“I could.”

His voice dropped into a teasing tone.

“For as long as you’ll have me.”

I almost laughed.

Kat, however, had no such restraint.

“Ooh, my baby Storm would love that!”

“Kat.”

She giggled.

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into,” she warned Asher. “Storm is trouble.”

I groaned.

“Please stop talking.”

Kat simply grinned.

“I’m only telling him the truth.”

“Kat!”

Her laughter echoed across the room.

I loved her.

I really did.

But when Kat had been drinking, her filter disappeared completely.

And she had absolutely no concept of what should remain private.

I could already imagine the rumours if she kept talking.

The last thing I needed was the pack having another reason to gossip about me.

“Kat?”

A new voice interrupted us.

I looked towards the speaker.

Lucas.

He had been standing nearby since the incident at the bar, quietly observing everything.

Unlike Asher, he didn’t seem interested in making himself the centre of attention.

He smiled at Kat.

“My name’s Lucas.”

Kat blinked.

“And while I’m sure Asher is enjoying hearing all about Storm’s secrets, I’d much rather hear something about you.”

Kat stared at him.

Speechless.

I nearly choked on my drink.

I’d never seen anyone render Kat completely silent before.

Lucas had managed it in less than ten seconds.

I grinned.

This was getting interesting.

Josh’s voice suddenly cut through the moment.

“Well, are we playing or not?”

His tone was sharp.

I looked at him.

There was something different in his expression.

Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

Jealousy?

I almost smiled.

Good.

Maybe tonight wasn’t going to be such a waste after all.

Josh grabbed the pool cue.

“I’m breaking.”

He positioned himself over the table, still looking irritated.

“Fine,” I said.

The balls scattered across the table as he took his shot.

And the game began.

For the next hour, Asher and I barely paid attention to Cameron and Josh.

We talked.

Nothing important.

Nothing meaningful.

Just pointless conversation about music, the club and whatever else happened to come up.

But every now and then, I caught Josh watching us.

And every time I did, I made sure to smile at Asher.

Petty?

Absolutely.

Did I care?

Not even a little.

Well…

Maybe a little.

Because Josh was a hypocrite.

He could spend his nights chasing girls and doing whatever he wanted, yet somehow the moment another man showed me attention, he couldn’t stand it.

What exactly did he want from me?

That question had been bothering me for longer than I cared to admit.

Once upon a time, I had wanted Josh.

Back when we were younger, I’d secretly hoped he might one day become my fated mate.

I’d thought he was charming.

Funny.

Someone I could trust.

I’d been a fool.

The Josh standing in front of me now was nothing like the boy I’d once known.

And in two weeks, everything could change.

My eighteenth birthday was approaching.

For werewolves, eighteen wasn’t just another birthday.

It was when we discovered our fated mate.

The person the Moon Goddess had supposedly chosen for us.

And that terrified me.

Because there was one possibility I couldn’t shake.

What if my mate was Josh?

What if, after everything I’d been through, fate decided to punish me by tying me to him for the rest of my life?

I couldn’t think of anything worse.

Josh was selfish.

Arrogant.

A womanizer.

And I wanted nothing to do with him.

Sometimes I wondered if he was interested in me because he actually cared.

Or because of my bloodline.

I was an Alpha’s daughter.

My blood carried status.

Power.

A future connection to the leadership of the pack.

Being my mate could give Josh’s future family advantages within the pack.

And knowing him, that might be the only reason he wanted me.

I looked across the pool table at him.

His eyes met mine.

For one strange moment, neither of us looked away.

A shiver ran down my spine.

I quickly turned back to the table.

No.

There was no way.

I refused to believe that the Moon Goddess would be cruel enough to make Josh my mate.

Because if she did…

I didn’t know how I would escape him.

And I was already running out of time.

In less than thirty-six hours, I planned to disappear.

By the time I turned eighteen, I intended to be far away from this pack.

Far away from my family.

Far away from Josh.

And far away from the fate that had been waiting for me my entire life.