Howl Against Fate and Defied Destiny.

Howls Of The Heart

CHAPTER ONE

Howls Of The Heart

"Nathan," I panted. "More. Please."

Nathan's mouth on the inside of my thigh left a searing hot impression, and I writhed and squirmed as he continued his slow ascent up.

His hands fisted in the fabric of my dress tightly before he remembered we had somewhere to be soon, and smoothed it back down. His finger stroked gently along the seam of my panties, while he continued kissing and nibbling at my thighs.

I gasped as he gave me one last final kiss far away from where I really wanted his mouth, and stood, giving me a small smile.

I didn't return it, but pouted.

"Why didn't you do it?" I demanded.

His eyes flickered from me to the door, and back again. He shrugged.

"Nothing. The ceremony is about to start. Shall we go?"

He extended his arm to me, and I refused it defiantly.

"No." I scowled. "Not until you tell me what's going on."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"This." I made a vague gesture at him. "You've been distracted as hell all day. You didn't kiss me good morning. You forgot to hold my hand when we went to get breakfast. And now."

Nathan smirked at the reminder of what we'd been doing just seconds ago.

"Now? Now what?”

“You didn’t let me come!” I exclaimed hotly.

He chuckled. “Don't tell me you're too impatient to wait a few hours."

He pulled me to him, his hand resting possessively on my ass, and let his lips graze the curve of my ear. I shivered with pleasure.

"I'll make it up to you later." He squeezed my butt, holding me close enough that I felt his prominent erection.

That was enough to placate me.

"Promise?" I grumbled.

He kissed me quickly on the neck. "Promise. Let's go?"

I nodded, taking his arm and letting him lead me out of the room.

Tonight was a full moon, and as was customary, the pack would hold a mating ceremony out in the woods. It was an opportunity for unmated wolves to find their mates, and for mated wolves to renew their bonds if they felt like it. Basically, people f****d before it, and people f****d after it. A lot.

Nathan and I weren't the only pack members on our way to the clearing where the ceremony was held. We waved at people who called out greetings to us as we walked hand-in-hand.

Everyone in the pack knew who we were. I was the Alpha's daughter and only heir, and Nathan was my chosen mate.

The pact we'd made as kids to always remain together and in love still burned between us. Even though we weren't fated by the moon, we might as well have been. I, for one, wasn't going to let something as fickle and unpredictable as fate decide when I found love, and whom I loved. I made my own decisions, and that was that.

As Nathan and I neared the clearing where the rest of the pack was gathered, I pulled him in for one last kiss. The look in his eyes was far away.

I cupped his chin. "Are you sure you're okay?"

He nodded, and shook his head slightly. "Yeah. I'm fine. Besides, Scott’s back. I can’t wait to see him again.”

I laughed. Apart from being my first crush, Scott had been Nathan’s childhood friend before he was sent away to serve military time due to all the trouble he caused in the pack.

“Me too.”

The pack members were already seated around a campfire, and from the look of things, Nathan and I were already late. A couple stood in the centre of the circle made by the surrounding wolves, kissing ravenously. The ceremony had begun.

"Let's go sit over there," I whispered to Nathan, tugging him in the direction I wanted us to go.

He didn't move.

I turned. "Nathan?"

My breath caught in my throat. Nathan's pupils were dilated, his brows furrowed as he stared in the direction of a woman I recognized.

A sudden dreadful feeling filled me, and I tugged at his arm, hard.

"Nathan!" I hissed. "What are you doing?"

Murmurs began to break out as the other pack members realized what was going on, and began staring in our direction.

I watched, horrified, as Nathan took a step forward — away from me.

Slowly, he untangled our fingers, letting my hand fall to my side.

Looking in the same direction he was, I saw who held his attention. The beautiful woman took a step towards Nathan, looking just as star-struck as he did.

They walked towards each other slowly, with outstretched hands. Their hands touched, and I heard the sharp intake of breath from Nathan.

"Mate," he breathed in wonder.

And that was it. I felt my whole world begin to crumble as the one thing I thought would never happen, happened.

"Wh-what?" Someone asked, confused. It took me a moment to recognize my voice.

The spell between Nathan and his fated mate was broken, and they finally turned to stare at me, looking wondrous.

Nathan seemed to come to himself as he saw me standing there alone, my arms wrapped around me while he held hands with another woman. He let go of her like he'd been burned and took a step towards me.

"Tessa, I..."

Whatever he was going to say was cut short because his mate grabbed his arm and pulled him back. I met her gaze.

"Sofia," I spat.

She smiled at me. It wasn't a kind smile. "Tessa."

"Leave him alone," I ordered in a shaky voice.

"No," Nathan's mate replied. "He's mine now, Back off."

I stared at Nathan, who looked torn.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. "You're accepting her?"

At my words, the murmurs from the pack grew. Everyone knew what this moment meant. Nathan and Sofia were fated mates, which meant their bond was almost unbreakable. It was suicide to reject one’s mate. Still. Nathan was mine. We were getting married soon, for god's sake! And he loved me. Not some random woman the moon had chosen for him. Me.

I'd never seen Nathan look so torn. He took another small step towards me, then took another one back when Sofia tightened her hold on him.

"Nathan?" My voice was shrill, sounding almost hysterical.

"I..." He deflated, and looked from me to Sofia, and back again. The spot on my neck where he'd kissed me last burned. "Tessa, I..."

"We promised each other," I reminded him shakily. "You promised me."

"That doesn't matter," Sofia insisted, glaring at me. "Nathan has been given to me by the Moon Goddess. You have no claim on him anymore."

More whispers.

"You don't..." I began.

"And even if you do have a claim," Sofia talked to me, raising her voice, "it ends tonight." She paused for dramatic effect, and turned to give Nathan a winning smile.

“You’re going to be a father, Nathan,” she said. “I’m pregnant!”