CHAPTER 2
1119 Words
POV: KAEL
“Would you calm the f**k down?!” I snapped at my wolf. The little fucker has been pacing around in my head like it wants to rip itself out.
“No!” It snarls back. “Hurry up!”
“I am going as fast as I can,” I say as I shove the rest of my books into my bag and zip it up. “What’s the rush anyway? You hate school. You call it a waste of daylight.”
“It is.”
“Then why the hell are you rushing me?!”
“I don't know, hurry up!”
What a f*****g psycho.
The only reason I can think of for my wolf's excitement is the final tryouts today, but even then, he is only mildly interested in sports.
“Less thinking, more moving!”
“Okay! Okay.” I am halfway out the door when my phone buzzes.
“What now?” I mutter into it
"You need to come by the temple," Joren says. No hello. Just that. His voice is clipped. Urgent.
My hand tightens on the phone. "Now?"
"Now."
I don’t ask why. I already know it is something serious. You don’t summon the Alpha’s son before dawn unless something is happening.
I throw my hoodie over my head, slam the door behind me, and take off. It is not far. Just through the tree line, past the creek. The elders live on old pack ground. The kind we pretend doesn’t exist when humans ask too many questions.
And that is where the temple is, hidden and guarded by them.
By the time I step inside the temple, they are already waiting. Four of them. Sitting in a half-circle around a fire that isn’t there for heat. Joren, their guard, stands too, arms folded, jaw tight.
"You called?" I say.
One of the elders, Mave, eyes me like she is trying to see through my bones.
"The Binding Moon comes in two months," she says. No hello, either.
Binding moon. The one time in a year when wolves who have no mate are allowed to mate with another of their choice. It's the only time the Goddess will bless the union and acknowledge them as true mates.
I blink. "Okay?"
"You will mate at that time."
“Not this again,” I laugh, short and cold. "What if I don’t want to?"
"You are the heir," Joren says. "It’s not about want."
"It should be."
“Look, I have already agreed to mating Aria, can't you just give me a f*****g break to do what I want now!”
The air in the room sharpens. Mave leans forward, eyes glowing just a little. "Other packs can't afford you that. Our pack has gathered envy all around, and the longer you delay in choosing a future Luna, the weaker we appear. You have nothing to worry about. You know she comes from a strong bloodline."
"A bloodline I don’t care about," I snapped.
"Kael." Joren’s voice is a warning.
I look at him. "You want me to fake a bond with someone I don’t even like, much less love? Aria is an ambitious, ruthless bitch."
“All the more reason why she is the best choice for you.”
“Fine, but can't we delay it-
"You will do what the pack requires."
My wolf snarls beneath my skin. The heat rises my spine. Not full shift, but close. I breathe hard through my nose and swallow it back down.
"Anything else?" I say.
They don’t answer. They don’t have to. I walk out.
***********
School is worse.
I pull into the lot already irritated, my hands still shaking from the half-control. People scatter when they see my car. I don’t mean to intimidate them. It just happens.
Eli meets me at the locker. He’s bouncing, because he never has any chill.
"Dude, did you hear? New girl. Human."
Great.
More nuisance. I wonder what she is running from. Because that is the only reason humans will come to our town.
To hide.
I roll my eyes. "So?"
"So she is hot. Apparently. And Aria is already marking territory."
Of course she is. Aria has had it out for every girl who is remotely above average in looks.
And she is to be our future Luna.
Amazing
"Not interested," I say.
Eli laughs. "You never are."
I slam my locker shut and walk toward the gym. I need to burn off steam.
Cheer practice is already going when we walk in. Music blasting. Girls flipping. It all smells like cheap perfume and hairspray.
Aria is front and centre, doing high kicks like her life depends on it. She sees me. Smirks.
"Hey Kael," she purrs.
I grunt. Keep walking. She frowns, but I don’t stop.
"Someone’s moody today," Eli mutters. "You good?"
"No."
He gets it and he doesn’t ask.
We sit on the bleachers while the practice continues. I’m not watching them, not really. My eyes keep going to the doors for some reason, and my wolf won't stop pacing in my head.
Then she walks in and it’s like the world forgets how to breathe.
Or maybe it's me who forgot how to breathe.
She doesn’t do anything dramatic. Just steps into the gym like she’s not already ripping it open. Her jeans are ripped. Hoodie too big. Hair pulled back in a messy bun. But it’s her scent that hits me first.
Like rain.
Like home.
I freeze as I let it wash over me.
Eli says something, but I don’t hear it. My eyes are locked on hers.
She sees me. Stops.
Everything in me shatters.
‘Mate.’
My wolf roars. I almost lost it right there. Claws prickle at my fingertips. My skin burns.
She looks confused. Like she felt it, too. But doesn’t know what it means.
Aria notices. She follows my gaze, sees the girl. Her smile drops.
"Who is she?" I whisper.
Eli blinks. "You okay, man?"
I shake my head. "No."
The cheerleading coach calls out to her, "New girl, right? Sera, was it? Are you trying out today?"
She nods slowly. Her eyes are still on me. I can’t move. My whole body is frozen.
Sera.
My mate.
Human.
No. No, this isn’t right. This is not what the pack planned. This is not the girl they chose.
She starts walking. Toward the group. Past me. Close enough for me to smell her all over again.
She doesn’t say anything and neither do I.
Because if I open my mouth, I’ll lose control.
She doesn’t know what she is to me.
But I do.
And everything’s about to break.
- Writer
