Chapter 1
RUNE
Moving up in the seat, I kept my eyes glued to the window of the bus. I was heading back home for the first time in four years since I left my pack. It was all for college to my pack’s eyes, but there was more to it, and I didn’t explain to anyone why I left like I did. I never once came home. I always stated I was busy with something or often, I would ignore the calls and leave them go to voicemail.
Memories of what my life was like before came flooding back, which then brought the reasons why I left and it was all to do with a boy and his big mouth.
The boy was the alpha’s son; someone I had a secret relationship with till it ended in a way no one would have thought. No one knew about the relationship, not even my best friend, who so happened to be that said alpha’s sister. The whole thing was his idea, and I went along with it since I had this big crush on the guy. I was a stupid idiot to believe that anything would have come of it.
Hi sister, Molly and I had been friends since we were five and were inseparable. We did everything together, like our brothers did. Our families were best of friends, which made everything easier until it became more complicated.
My father was the beta to his father and friend, which made my brother’s life become all set in stone when his best friend asked him to become his beta when he took over which meant my brother, Lars had to train with my father every day.
As for me, I was good at school which often got me the reputation of a nerd, but Molly was the only person who saw past all that stigma. She was happy to have a friend who wasn’t with her because of her brother or because she was an alpha’s daughter.
There had been many stories about alpha daughters being spoilt brats but not Molly. She was different. She often would state how everything was but not in a cruel way. When I was around, she was the one who made sure no one bullied me and if they did, they would have to go against her wrath.
Part of me wondered if she only looked out for me because our families were friends. I was good at math and even helped her get her grade up when she was failing the class.
The bus jerked slightly which made me come back to the present and look to see what was happening. There seemed to be some sort of traffic jam ahead, which meant I was going to be here for a little while longer.
Movement came from inside my head which meant Silver, my wolf was waking up from her nap. She moved closer but not too close to be seen. She let out a huff. “We are not there yet.”
Rolling my eyes, I looked toward the window and sighed. “Nope, not yet. Theres traffic up ahead, so it may take longer.”
Silver said nothing but let out another huff. “You wouldn’t care if we didn’t go back. You have been putting off coming back for the last year,” she said, which made me look back at her to see her flop back down in my head. Her eyes met mine when she spoke again. “We could have found our mate by now.”
I said nothing, while my stomach twisted into knots at the word—mate.
We should have been home last year when I turned twenty-one, but I put it off and made the same excuse as before I had to finish my studies, which was partially true. When you are smart like me, you can do anything and I not only went to college to get one but two degrees, but I also completed my master’s in nursing and teaching. I was now qualified to do both and either one was my love.
Not bothering to say anything about what she said, I looked back out the window when the bus started to move again.
Knowing Silver, she wouldn’t let this go and I was right when her voice filled my head again. “I know he hurt us but that doesn’t mean our mate will.”
Those words made me roll my eyes again at her. I wasn’t even thinking about him or what happened. I was more concerned about how we were persuaded to come back home. “It’s not him. I got over him a long time ago when we first got to college.” I let out a sigh before I continued again. “I still can’t believe dad wants me back to meet Lars’s mate.”
Silver sighed. “Well, we haven’t been home in a while and things may have changed.”
Yeah, and don’t I know it.
Before he hurt me, I was told by the alpha I had been selected into the gifted program to attend college with a full ride. I always wanted to go but when I was with him, I always second guessed myself and knew I would never leave if we became more than what we were, but it all changed that night and I took it.
Even though the alpha knew, I asked him to keep it a secret as I wanted to surprise everyone and he took that as the truth, but I never got around to telling anyone since I left before I could.
Dad found out when I got to college, which upset him since he wanted to celebrate and spend time with me but when you are the beta of the pack, you are also the second in command to the position too which often meant he would have to look after the pack and take over when the alpha wasn’t there, and that happened a lot when the alpha would take his son to training and watch his fights.
Molly was the same. She was doing her own thing back then and even preferred to party more than spend time with me. It hurt but I didn’t care.
Letting my mind have some time to come to terms with it, I felt a vibration on my phone bring me back to the present again. I got my phone out and looked at it. There was message from dad. “When do you think you will be here?”
That was odd. Dad was never one to ask for when I was coming or going. He let me do whatever, but within reason.
Dad had been the one who raised Lars and me since I was two years old. Mum had died after a rogue attack and was killed by a poison blade. I don’t have many memories of her, only what dad and Lars have told me.
Opening the message, I glance up to see if I could figure out how much further I was to the pack and judging on the surrounding area, not that far.
I quickly typed the message to him. “About half hour away. There are loads of traffic on the roads.”
I hit sent but before I could put my phone away, my father typed back again. “It’s Christmas, everyone is finishing off what they need to do.”
Not bothering to text back, I leaned back while my stomach twisted into knots about going back home.
How cliché is it to be coming home for Christmas after four years? All I would like now is for it to be uneventful but there is a feeling in the pit of my stomach that said otherwise.
