Chapter 4
1228 Words
The house is dark when Casey steps inside.
No lights. No voices. No footsteps.
Her parents aren’t home yet.
After everything that happened tonight, the silence feels almost unreal.
She closes the door quietly behind her and leans against it, exhaling slowly.
Future Luna.
Her stomach flips.
She hasn’t even shifted yet.
She turns twenty-one in one month.
And somehow, in the span of a single night, she went from anonymous party guest… to the future Alpha’s mate.
She slips off her shoes and pads down the hallway, her thoughts racing faster with every step. When she reaches her bedroom, she shuts the door and sits on the edge of her bed.
For a moment, she just stares at the floor.
Luna.
The word feels too big for her.
Her phone is already in her hand before she consciously decides to call.
Molly answers on the first ring.
“CASEY. If you don’t start talking right now, I swear—”
Casey almost laughs. “Hi to you too.”
“Do not ‘hi’ me. I was grounded while chaos apparently unfolded. I heard there were rogues? Are you okay?”
“I’m Okay.”
“Good. Because if you died without giving me details, I’d resurrect you just to yell at you.”
Casey takes a steadying breath.
“Miles is my mate.”
Silence.
Long, stunned silence.
“…You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
“As in Miles?” Molly’s voice jumps an octave. “Future-Alpha, devastatingly handsome, every-girl-has-a-crush-on-him Miles?”
“Yes.”
A loud thud sounds on the other end of the line.
“Did you just fall?” Casey asks.
“I sat down aggressively.” Molly sucks in a breath. “You are going to be Luna.”
Casey presses her lips together. Hearing it out loud makes her chest tighten.
“Don’t say it like that.”
“Like what? Like it’s incredible? Casey, do you understand how lucky you are? You are mated to the hottest, sexiest, highest-status male in the entire pack.”
Casey flops backward onto her bed, staring at the ceiling.
“That’s not helping.”
“It’s factual.”
Casey hesitates.
“I don’t feel the full bond,” she admits quietly.
“What do you mean?”
“The doctor said I won’t until I turn twenty-one. My wolf hasn’t matured yet.” She swallows. “So he feels everything. I don’t. Not completely.”
“But you feel something?”
“Yes.” Her voice lowers. “It’s like… a pull. A constant awareness of him. And this heat under my skin that won’t go away.”
Molly makes a knowing sound.
“I’ve been fighting it,” Casey confesses.
“Why?”
“Because it’s intense.” She closes her eyes, remembering. “At the party… when we were in that bedroom—”
Molly gasps. “You were in a bedroom.”
“Yes, and it wasn’t planned!” Casey huffs. “I needed a minute to calm myself. And then he found me and kissed me.”
“The kiss.”
Casey’s stomach flips at the memory.
“It wasn’t gentle,” she whispers. “It was… consuming. Like everything else disappeared. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“And then?” Molly demands.
“And then another couple walked in,” Casey groans. “Which is probably the only reason we stopped.”
Molly laughs loudly. “Oh my God.”
Casey presses her fingers to her lips unconsciously.
“I was so affected,” she admits softly. “Like my whole body reacted. I didn’t expect that. I didn’t expect to want him that much.”
“Casey.”
“I don’t want him to know how much I want him,” she continues quickly. “Not when I’m not even twenty-one yet. The bond isn’t even fully there for me.”
There’s a pause.
“So what happened after?” Molly asks.
Casey’s expression shifts.
“Rogues attacked. Everything turned chaotic. I slipped and hit my head.”
Molly goes silent.
“I’m fine,” Casey says quickly. “Miles took me the pack doctor.”
“Oh.” Molly sighs dramatically. “You’re living in a novel.”
“I’m living in a panic attack,” Casey mutters. “And there’s more.”
“On the way to the pack doctor. After the attack.” Casey swallows, remembering the gravel under their feet, the cool air between them. “We were arguing a little. I told him to reject me.”
Molly gasps. “You did not.”
“I panicked!”
“Continue.”
“He stepped in front of me. Told me he didn’t want anyone else.” Her voice softens. “Then he asked if he could kiss me.”
“He asked?” Molly sounds impressed.
“Yes.”
“And?”
Casey’s fingers curl into her comforter.
“It started slow,” she says softly. “Gentle. Like he was giving me time to pull away.” Her breath deepens slightly. “But I didn’t.”
“And then?”
“And then it wasn’t gentle anymore.”
The memory sends warmth through her again.
“It felt different from the first one,” she admits. “Less shocking. More… intentional. Like he knew exactly what he was doing.”
Molly exhales slowly. “Okay. I need to meet him immediately.”
Casey laughs nervously.
“I wanted more,” she whispers. “That’s the problem. I wanted more, and I shouldn’t feel that strongly yet.”
“Your life is about to change.”
“I know.” Her voice wavers. “People are going to expect me to be strong. Confident. Alpha material. I haven’t even shifted yet.”
“You’ll grow into it,” Molly says firmly. “And I’ll be right there. You think I’m not attaching myself to the future Luna? Please.”
That makes Casey smile.
But the weight is still there.
One month.
In one month, the bond will hit her fully.
The desire she’s barely holding back will no longer be something she can pretend isn’t there.
Her phone buzzes.
She freezes.
Molly immediately sharpens. “Who is it?”
Casey looks down.
Miles.
Her pulse spikes.
“What does it say?” Molly whispers.
Casey opens the message.
I can still feel you.
Her breath catches.
Another text comes through almost instantly.
I was so focused on the rogue attack… but not before that.
Her heart starts to pound.
A third message appears.
Do you remember why I followed you into that bedroom?
Her stomach flips.
Another vibration.
It wasn’t an accident. It was your scent.
Heat creeps up her neck.
Her phone buzzes again.
But once we were inside… it changed.
Her pulse jumps.
I could smell your arousal, Casey.
Her breath stutters.
You were fighting the pull. I knew it.
Her fingers tighten around the phone.
Another message.
You think I didn’t notice?
Heat rushes through her, pooling low in her stomach.
He knew.
He knew the entire time.
Her phone vibrates once more.
You don’t have to fight me.
Casey swallows hard, staring at the screen, her heart racing so loudly she’s sure Molly can hear it through the phone.
One month suddenly feels like a countdown.
- Writer
