My Unexpected Alpha

Chapter 1: Abby's Birthday

Abby:

“Hey, Abby. Are you ready to go?” Matt called as I heard him let himself into my apartment. My heartbeat sped up a little bit. It always did when Matt was around. We had been best friends for our whole lives and I’d been head over heels in love with him for the past five years. 

Looking at myself in the bathroom mirror, I took a steadying breath as I finished brushing mascara on my eyelashes. Screwing the top back on, I reviewed my reflection. My ice-blue eyes shone bright with gold shadow highlighting them, my lashes swept long and delicate. Somehow my hair had cooperated today and loose red curls fell perfectly down my back, stopping just below my shoulder blades. 

Tonight at midnight I turned 21. It was an important moment for a werewolf. At 21, we reached the age where the Moon Goddess could reveal our mate. Some werewolves discovered their mate the moment the clock struck midnight. Some spent years searching. I was hoping I was the former. And that my best friend Matt was my chosen mate. 

Swiping a peach colored lip gloss on, I called back to Matt, “In the bathroom! Be out in a second!”

I stepped out into the living room to find Matt lounging on the couch flipping through a book I’d left on the coffee table. He was dressed in tight dark jeans and a crisp baby blue button down. Everything hit his slim muscular body in just the right spots. I swallowed trying to get a hold of the dirty thoughts that were creeping into my head. 

He knew I was there but waited a moment before looking up, his smile radiant. Such an Alpha move. I smiled back as I saw his eyes sweep over my body. It sent a little chill down my spine. 

“Well aren’t you a dime.” he chuckled, making me laugh “Give me a spin.”

I rolled my eyes, secretly pleased as I gave a slow spin to show off my outfit. We were going to be meeting friends in a private room at my favorite restaurant to celebrate my birthday before we went out dancing. For the occasion, I’d chosen a skin-tight olive dress with a deep V that accentuated my cleavage. Paired with nude strappy heels, my legs looked a mile long. Matt whistled, making me blush a little.

“Grab your purse and let’s go, Birthday Girl.” He said. Before I could blink he had hopped off the couch and was at my side, hand around my waist, guiding me to the front door. His touch melted me.

I wondered if he was nervous. Matt had turned 21 almost a year ago and had yet to find his mate. While it was important for each wolf to find their mate, it was slightly more important for Matt to find his mate, since he was the newly appointed Alpha of the Golden Lake Pack. An Alpha finding his mate made the pack stronger. We had never talked about our possible mates explicitly, but I think he hoped I might be his mate as well. We’d know at midnight!

…

Dinner was decadent. The food was perfect and the wine flowed. I was happy and feeling GOOD. Matt was the one. My mate. I just knew it. He had been sweet and attentive all evening, and his hands kept brushing up against my body heating me from the inside out. How could he be so casual and so purposeful all at the same time?

About twenty of us left dinner around 10:30pm and tumbled into the waiting black cars that would take us to the club. It was a werewolf-owned club designed especially for a night like tonight. The club backed up onto a large pack owned forest preserve, so if you were celebrating your 21st birthday, you could safely shift into your wolf for the first time at midnight and go for a run before coming back and partying until dawn. 

The bass was pumping through the place when we arrived. Matt instantly had us drinks and led me out on to the dance floor. Other she-wolfs would try to come up and join our group, but Matt’s attention was all mine. 

I was feeling fuzzy. The alcohol combined with Matt looking into my eyes as we grinded against each other on the dance floor was about to break me. I could feel my wetness pooling in my panties and it was taking all my self control to wait until midnight to jump into his arms and kiss him passionately.

The DJ turned down the music at about five minutes to midnight. “We have a very special birthday in the house tonight!” He called over the mic. Everyone howled. Matt’s deep brown eyes glittered under the club lights as he leaned into me, his smooth cheek brushing ever so gently against mine, whispering in my ear, “Happy Birthday, Abby.” 

I gasped as a huge cake was wheeled in behind him. “Thank you.” I whispered, dropping my head onto his shoulder. He held me as we swayed to the music. The DJ started a countdown and at the count of one, at midnight exactly, I stood up straight and looked into my mate’s eyes. Into Matt’s eyes. And then my heart broke into a million pieces.