Forest Of Our Destiny

I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. My morning was instantly ruined. Chloe was sitting at our kitchen island, sipping coffee from my favorite mug. She is my brother's best friend. She is 23 years old, just like my brother Caleb and our Alpha, Asher. They grew up together. Chloe always thought she would be the Luna of our pack. When Asher turned 18 and didn't find his mate, Chloe practically moved into the pack house to prove she would be the perfect chosen mate. Our pack allows chosen mates if an Alpha cannot find his true mate after five years. Asher's five years are up next month. Chloe is acting like she already owns the place. Chloe is beautiful. I have to admit that. She has long red hair, green eyes, and a body like a model. But her personality is terrible. She is mean to everyone she considers below her, which is basically the entire pack except for Caleb and Asher. She hates me the most. She thinks I am just a weak, annoying little kid. "Good morning, shorty." Chloe said and gave me a fake smile. "Morning, Chloe." I said and opened the fridge to get the milk. "Did you sleep here again?" "I was helping Asher with some pack paperwork late last night." she said and flipped her red hair over her shoulder. "We were exhausted. He told me to just stay in the guest room." I rolled my eyes when my back was turned to her. She was always bragging about how much time she spent with the Alpha. "That's nice." I said flatly and poured my cereal. "Tomorrow is your big day, isn't it?" Chloe asked. "You finally turn 18. You are such a late bloomer, Maya. Most of us shifted at 16." "My mom shifted late too." I said and gripped my spoon tightly. "It runs in the family." "Well, let's hope your wolf isn't as tiny as you are." she laughed. I wanted to throw my bowl of milk at her perfect face. But I heard the heavy footsteps coming down the hallway. Caleb and Asher walked into the kitchen. They had just finished their morning run. They were both sweating, and their t-shirts clung to their massive muscles. Caleb is my older brother and the Beta of our pack. He is huge, 6'3, with broad shoulders and light brown hair. He is overprotective of me since our parents passed away. Asher is our Alpha. He is even bigger than Caleb. He is 6'5, with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes. He is the strongest Alpha our pack has ever had. He is always serious, always carrying the weight of the pack on his shoulders. But he is a good Alpha. He is fair and kind. I have had a massive crush on him since I was twelve years old, but I know I don't stand a chance. He only sees me as Caleb's little sister. Chloe immediately stood up. Her mean face vanished, replaced by a sweet, glowing smile. "Good morning, boys." Chloe said in a soft, completely fake voice. "I made fresh coffee." "Thanks, Chloe." Asher said. His deep voice always made my stomach do little flips. He looked over at me sitting at the counter. His blue eyes softened just a little bit. "Morning, Maya." Asher said and walked over to stand beside me. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" "I think so." I said and smiled up at him. "I am a little nervous." "Don't be nervous, little bird." Caleb said and kissed the top of my head. "Your wolf is going to be amazing. And I will be right there with you when you shift." "We both will." Asher added. He reached out and gently squeezed my shoulder. His hand was so warm and large. A sudden spark shot through my skin where he touched me. I gasped softly and looked down, hoping my face wasn't completely red. "Maybe you will finally find your mate, Maya." Chloe said. She walked over and handed Asher a mug of coffee, completely interrupting our moment. "And then you can move out and start your own life." Caleb frowned at her. "Maya is never moving out unless she wants to. This is her home." I smiled at my brother. I loved how much he protected me. "I don't know if I will find my mate tomorrow." I said honestly. "But I really want to. I want the real thing. I want a true mate bond." I looked directly at Asher when I said it. I didn't believe in chosen mates. I wanted someone who loved me because the Moon Goddess made us for each other. Someone who wanted me completely, and I wanted them just as much. Asher stared back at me. His blue eyes darkened for a second, and his jaw tightened. He took a slow sip of his coffee without looking away from me. "A true mate is a rare gift, Maya." Asher said softly. "You should hold out for it." Chloe scoffed quietly, but quickly turned it into a cough when Caleb looked at her. "I have to go meet Sam at the library." I said and stood up. I put my bowl in the sink. "We are studying for our final exams." "Be careful walking into town." Caleb said. "Take the main road." "I will." I promised. I grabbed my backpack from the chair. I walked past Asher to get to the front door. He smelled like fresh rain, pine needles, and something deep and spicy that I couldn't name. It was the best smell in the world. "See you later, Maya." Asher said as I opened the door. I smiled back at him. "See you later, Alpha." I walked out into the bright morning sun. My heart was beating fast. Tomorrow I was going to shift for the first time. Tomorrow everything was going to change. And for some reason, I had a feeling that Asher was going to be the biggest part of that change.