Willow Finds Her Mate

Chapter 1 Willow

My name is Willow Faye, and tomorrow is my sixteenth birthday.

Tomorrow is the day I've been waiting for my entire life.

Tomorrow, I will finally meet my wolf.

I should probably clarify something before you picture me sitting around waiting for a full moon like some ridiculous human werewolf movie.

Our wolves aren't controlled by the moon.

We can shift whenever we want once we've had our first shift.

Tomorrow just happens to be the day the Moon Goddess has chosen for me to meet the other half of my soul.

My wolf.

My second soul.

I've spent sixteen years wondering what she'll be like.

Will she be big?

Small?

Fast?

Will she have my brown eyes?

Will she be playful?

Will she be fierce?

Will she have a personality completely different from mine?

I've heard every wolf is different.

Some wolves meet their other half and immediately become best friends.

Others spend weeks arguing inside their heads.

Parker says his wolf, Jasper, is an arrogant pain in the ass.

Jasper apparently says the same thing about Parker.

Personally, I think that's hilarious.

I can't wait to find out what my wolf thinks of me.

I'm an Omega of the Nero Pack, which means I'm at the bottom of the pack hierarchy.

There are Alphas, Betas, Deltas, warriors, ranked wolves, and then Omegas.

Omegas.

That's me.

My parents are both Omegas too.

My mother, Serina Cole, is one of the kindest people I've ever known. My father, Jason Cole, is probably the most patient man alive.

I've never been ashamed of being an Omega.

At least, I try not to be.

Tomorrow might change that.

Maybe my wolf will be bigger than average.

Maybe she'll be strong.

Maybe I'll surprise everyone.

Or maybe she'll be exactly what everyone expects from an Omega.

Small.

Quiet.

Forgettable.

I don't know.

And honestly?

I don't care.

I just want to meet her.

Unfortunately, before I can do that, I have to survive today.

Friday.

School.

Southwest High.

Human school.

High school seems pretty insignificant when you know you're part of a supernatural species that can turn into wolves, but our kind still has to follow most human laws.

Including school attendance.

Apparently being a werewolf isn't an acceptable excuse for skipping algebra.

Believe me.

I've tried.

I attend school with several other wolves from the pack.

One of them is Ashley Nome.

Beta's daughter.

And my personal nightmare.

Ashley has hated me ever since Ryan Pines had his first shift earlier this year.

Ryan is the son of our Alpha, Jackson Pines, and his Luna, Marie Pines.

He's also my best friend.

Well...

Technically, he's like a brother.

We've known each other since we were babies.

Our fathers grew up together and have been best friends for as long as anyone can remember.

Because of that, Ryan and I were basically thrown together as children.

Playdates.

Family dinners.

Pack celebrations.

Swimming in the creek.

Sneaking food from the kitchens.

Getting yelled at by our parents.

Normal childhood stuff.

Ryan was always there.

Until he shifted.

His first shift happened a few months ago.

And it was spectacular.

I'd never seen a wolf like him.

He was enormous.

His wolf was black from nose to tail, with beautiful golden flecks scattered throughout his coat. When he moved beneath the moonlight, the gold almost looked like sparks.

His wolf introduced himself as Blake.

And if you ask me, Blake is just as arrogant as Ryan.

Ryan says that's because Blake is an Alpha wolf.

I say it's because they're both annoying.

The day after Ryan shifted, he left for Alpha training in San Diego.

All future Alphas attend the program.

It's where they're taught everything they need to know about running a pack—territory management, laws, diplomacy, combat, pack politics, and everything else that comes with being an Alpha.

He'll be gone for two years.

His father announced to the pack before Ryan left that when Ryan turns eighteen and finds his mate, he'll return home and officially take over as Alpha.

Which means Ryan is going to be Alpha of Nero before we're even out of high school.

I still can't picture it.

The same Ryan who once fell out of a tree because he was trying to impress me is going to be Alpha.

It's terrifying.

And kind of funny.

Unfortunately, Ashley doesn't think any of it is funny.

She believes Ryan is destined to be her mate.

She hasn't even scented him yet.

But that doesn't matter to her.

She has already decided.

And because she believes she's going to be Luna someday, she thinks I'm beneath her.

Which, technically, I am.

But that doesn't give her the right to treat me like garbage.

I haven't told anyone about the bullying.

Especially not Ryan.

He's supposed to be focusing on becoming Alpha.

He doesn't need to worry about some stupid school drama happening back home.

Besides, Ashley is the Beta's daughter.

Nobody wants to cross her.

Especially the lower-ranking wolves.

So I keep my head down.

I stay quiet.

I get through the day.

And I go home.

That's the plan.

Unfortunately, Ashley has never been very good at following my plans.

"Willow."

I hear her voice behind me as soon as I step into the hallway.

I close my eyes.

Please, Moon Goddess.

Just let me make it to lunch.

I turn around.

Ashley stands there with her usual group of friends.

She's tall, beautiful, and completely aware of it.

Her long blonde hair falls perfectly around her shoulders, and her blue eyes are fixed on me.

Since shifting, she's become even more unbearable.

Her wolf is white with a black snout and black paws.

She's large for a female wolf, roughly the size of her father.

Ashley considers this further proof that she's destined to be Luna.

Her wolf's name is Sabrien.

Ashley made a huge deal about how graceful the name was.

Personally, I think it sounds like the name of an expensive perfume.

But I value my life, so I keep that opinion to myself.

"What?" I ask.

She smiles.

"You didn't answer me."

"I didn't know you asked a question."

Her friends giggle.

Ashley's smile disappears.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No, I really don't."

"Tomorrow."

Ah.

That.

"My birthday?"

She rolls her eyes.

"Your first shift."

I shrug.

"Yeah."

"I heard you were having some kind of celebration."

"It's a pack tradition."

"I know."

Her eyes narrow.

"I just hope you're not expecting anything special."

I stare at her.

"Why would I?"

She steps closer.

"Because you think being close to Ryan makes you special."

There it is.

Again.

I sigh.

"Ryan isn't here."

"Exactly."

Her smile turns smug.

"And when he comes back, he's going to be Alpha."

"I know."

"And I'll be Luna."

"If you say so."

Her face hardens.

"Don't get smart with me."

"I'm not."

"You think you're going to be his mate."

I actually laugh.

"What?"

"You've always been attached to him."

"Because we're friends."

"You're an Omega."

"I know."

"He's an Alpha."

"I know."

"So why don't you act like you understand the difference?"

I stare at her.

For a moment, I don't say anything.

Then I simply smile.

"Because Ryan doesn't."

I walk past her.

Behind me, I hear her growl.

I don't look back.

But I can feel her eyes following me.

And somewhere deep inside me, something stirs.

Not fear.

Not anger.

Something else.

A whisper.

A presence.

Soon.

I stop walking.

My heart pounds.

"What?"

Nothing.

The feeling disappears.

I look around the hallway.

Nobody seems to have noticed.

I shake my head.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow I'll finally meet her.

The final bell rings at three fifteen.

I've never been happier to hear anything in my life.

I practically sprint out of the building.

Parker is waiting beside the parking lot.

His red curls are impossible to miss.

"Finally."

"You waited?"

"Of course."

He falls into step beside me.

"Tomorrow."

I smile.

"Tomorrow."

"You nervous?"

"Terrified."

He laughs.

"Don't worry. It's not that bad."

"You say that because you've already done it."

Parker shifted about a month ago.

His wolf, Jasper, is red, just like Parker's hair, with white paws, a white chest, and a white belly.

He's about the size of an average wolf.

Personally, I think he looks like a fox.

I've told Parker this repeatedly.

Jasper doesn't appreciate it.

Parker thinks it's hilarious.

"Jasper says you're insulting his dignity."

I laugh.

"Jasper doesn't have dignity."

Parker snorts.

"That's exactly what I told him."

We reach my car.

Then Parker's expression softens.

"You really okay?"

I nod.

"Yeah."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

He studies me for a second before nodding.

"Okay."

I climb into the driver's seat.

Tomorrow.

One more sleep.

Then I'll meet my wolf.

I have no idea that by this time tomorrow, the entire Nero Pack will be talking about me.

I have no idea that my first shift will reveal something no one expected.

I have no idea that the wolf waiting inside me is unlike anything Nero has seen in generations.

And I certainly have no idea that one day, the scent I've dreamed of finding will lead me to the most powerful wolf kingdom in the world.

For now, I'm just Willow Cole.

An Omega.

A sixteen-year-old girl.

And tomorrow, I'm finally going to meet my wolf.