Silver Mist

Chapter Three

Several hours later, Patrick returned with bags of party decorations. After hiding them in a closet ready for tomorrow, Dani said goodbye to her parents and headed home for her evening off. As there was just the three of them, their cabin was one of the smaller ones closest to Main Street. The cabins got bigger the further up the drift you went and ended with the two storeys level with the Chalet.

The cabin wasn’t very extravagant, a big open plan sitting, dining and kitchen area with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom at the back. Dani loved to sit in the armchair by the log burner, quite often with a book from the Chalet library. After a quick shower, she got the fire going and fixed a simple sandwich for dinner.

Dani was a big fan of classic literature, she had just finished Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, one of her favourites. She possessed a few novels, having been gifted them for Christmas and birthdays, but there wasn’t very much room in the cabin for stacks of books. She had to settle for picking a couple of extras out of the library from time to time, when she fancied something different.

With the evening ahead all to herself, Dani decided to head up to the Chalet and pick out one or two books for a quiet night of escapism.

Wrapped up in her fluffy boots, scarf and woolly hat, mostly for show, Dani left the cabin and started the climb up to the hotel looking like any other tourist.

The Chalet was split into 2 sections. One for guests with hotel rooms, dining and entertainment spaces and indoor recreational facilities like the pool, gym and spa. The other housed the Alpha, Beta and Warrior Lead families as well as several meeting rooms, training rooms and a small collection of dorm rooms housing unmated members of the guard.

The library was on the guests side tucked at the back, a large open hearth with comfortable furniture and a few tables and chairs, were central to rows and rows of at least 1000 books. The windows backed onto the base of the mountain, so the lack of natural lighting gave the room a very cosy feel.

Dani wasn’t particular when it came to genre or style, fact or fiction. There was no system for her choices, she just perused the shelves until something grabbed her fancy. She was in the third row when her wolf hearing picked up people entering the room.

“Agh, books are so boring!” A girl whined.

“You don’t have to follow me if you don’t like it.” Was the reply. Dani knew that voice, it was Will, the Alpha’s son.

“We could go up to my room and watch a movie.” The girl whispered, leaving no doubt as to her suggestive intentions.

“Hmm, thanks but no.” Will said.

“Why not? You were very enthusiastic yesterday.” the girl purred.

Out of the corner of Dani’s eye she watched them walk past the end of the aisle. The girl was hanging off Wills arm, whispering lustful propositions in his ear. There had been several rumours at school that Will had taken lovers. It was very frowned upon within the shifter communities, to give yourself to someone other than your bonded mate.

They passed without noticing her, Wills birthday was still about 2 weeks away, he wouldn’t be getting any of his wolf senses until next week at least so was unable to detect her presence.

She tried focusing back on the task of choosing some books; but when an affirmative whisper, the sound of a zipper and a soft sigh reached her sensitive ears, her brain was unable to process the words in front of her. She couldn’t believe that the son of an Alpha would have such disrespect for his intended mate, and in such a public space where any wolf walking past the adjoining corridor or in the next room would hear them.

Dani froze when a wave of anger and despair flooded her body, she could feel her eyes flashing and teeth sharpening. With wet noises ringing in her ears and a disgusting smell settling in her nose, she couldn’t stop the animalistic whine from her throat as her knees gave way and she fell against the book shelf.

Like a slap to the face, Dani realised that he must be her mate. Her mate, who was currently shagging some random human at the back of the Library. She pushed away from the shelf whimpering with pain, trying to escape from the room as quickly as possible. Dani was almost to the door when a deafening roar came from the shelves.

“Get out!” She stumbled and caught the door frame. “Get out!” Pushing herself off she tried to run, her vision blurry from the tears streaking down her face.