Unmatable

The soft rumble of an engine in the driveway alerted me that my best friend had just pulled up and would be waiting for me.

She had texted only minutes ago to let me know she was on her way. It felt like seconds.

My stomach was churning with nerves. I hadn’t been able to eat all day long from the anxiety. My wolf on the other hand, was spinning with excitement as if she were chasing her own tail. She’s still new to me, but I get the feeling I’m not new to her.

I thought our wolves were supposed to be reflections of ourselves, but mine doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything.

I had my birthday over winter break, and she showed up only a few days later. Now it was time for the New Year’s Eve dance before school resumed on the 2nd of January.

Usually I avoided the dances, but now that I had turned 18, my sister and Monica both insisted that I should go. My mate could be there.

But that was exactly why I didn’t want to go. I didn’t feel ready to find my mate. What if he was disappointed? I’m not exactly the kind of mate young men dream of with my thunder thighs and a butt that jiggles when I run.

I took one final look in the mirror before going out to meet her. My pale round face looked back at me, the very image of anxiety.

Glossy black hair lay in waves across my shoulders. My hair was by far my favorite feature. My older sister, Shara, helped me with it, and my makeup before returning to her husband and pup.

The dress had seemed so perfect when I’d picked it out in the store when shopping with Monica. But now I found myself second guessing my choice. The silky pink fabric dipped down the front, showing off a healthy dose of cleavage as it hugged my breasts before cinching at my waist and flaring out at my wide hips.

Monica had insisted that my curves were beautiful, and this dress accentuated them in a way that would have guys drooling. But I wasn’t so sure. It was easier to believe when she was standing next to me cheering me on with her infectious enthusiasm.

A tiny honk from the waiting car alerted me that I was taking too long.

Summoning all the courage I could find; I picked up my purse and headed out the door to meet whatever lay ahead.

“Girl! You look hot!” Monica shouted from her rolled down window when I emerged from my house. Since my sister had married and moved out it was only me and my father at home. And he was working late, so I had no one to say goodbye to me or wish me luck. That was probably for the best because his own anxious energy would only feed into mine.

“Says the hottest girl I know,” I fired back. Even though she was mostly hidden behind the car door, I knew she looked amazing. Her tall slender figure was my opposite in every way.

She was the kind of girl boys dreamed of when they imagined their future mate. Her sleek caramel hair gleamed in the light of the setting sun. Occasionally I was guilty of feeling a little jealous. But those weak moments of jealousy were nothing compared to the love I had for my best friend.

“Walk slower babe, so I can get a better look!” she catcalled playfully as I hurried to the passenger side of her little sedan.

“What are you on, Monica?” I rolled my eyes as I slid into the seat next to her and pulled the belt across my shoulders. “You should be mourning your last day as a single woman, because your mate is going to snatch you up the moment we set foot in that building.”

“I hope he is there!” she beamed. Her enthusiasm matched my wolf’s. Monica turned 18 three months ago but got her wolf around the same time I got mine. I wondered if hers was as exuberant as she was.

When we pulled into the school parking lot, it was already bustling with activity. Students milled around outside the door in a line, waiting to be allowed in. A few underclassmen were dropped off by parents, but mostly only juniors and seniors attended these dances as we all reached the age of maturity. I seemed to be one of the only ones not eager to find my mate.

As we moved toward the entrance, Monica was practically bouncing with energy.

“Nikki is sure tonight’s the night, Dar,” she said as she offered her elbow out to me.

I slipped my arm through hers and huddled closer to her tall figure as if she were my own personal shield.

“Is she bouncing as much as you are?” I asked.

“She’s much calmer. It’s kind of soothing,” Monica replied.

Perhaps our wolves didn’t match our energy as much as they helped to balance it.

Unfortunately, mine felt like she was doing flips now. I wondered if she sensed something, but I haven’t become familiar enough with her to know what it is. I had a suspicion though.

Glancing around at the growing crowd outside the school, I wondered if he was here. Would he be someone I already know? Someone from Shadyglen High, or someone from the neighboring pack, Woodlawn? Or would I be one of those souls who’s mate is in some other part of the world, forever out of my reach?

When we approached the door, Mr. Darrow greeted the two of us.

“Good evening, ladies,” he said as a smile stretched across his weathered face. “I see you’ve both got your wolves now. Could be a big night for you two. Have a good time, but be careful,” he added as he stepped aside to allow us through.

Mr. Darrow was our class guidance counselor. His wolf is especially attuned to others, making him good at his job and a reassuring presence.

Seconds after stepping into the glittering cafeteria, I felt my friend go rigid on my arm.

“He’s here,” she said in an almost reverent whisper.

I turned my face to see her blue eyes had gone wide. Some of her excitement had finally been replaced with nerves, I was almost thankful to see. So, she was not completely immune to anxiety.

I reached over and gave her arm a pat.

“He’s a lucky guy,” I whispered back to her. “I hope the goddess knows what she’s doing, cause if she sends someone unworthy of my best friend, he’s going to have to fight me for you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Dar. I’m sure he’s perfect.”

Then we saw him. I wouldn’t have known, except for the way both of their faces changed when their eyes met. Just like that, I knew I was losing my best friend. I could feel her body wanting to pull away from me and rush to him.

Who it was couldn’t have surprised me more if he’d been from another planet.

Moving across the room to us as if in a daze was Andrew Paulus. His blond hair had a mussed look that appeared more by accident than on purpose. Wireframed glasses perched on his nose. He was the kind of pale that you saw in people who didn’t go outdoors often enough. He was thin, with a lithe frame that looked like it could possibly bulk up if he ever put a book down long enough.

He was a nice boy as far as I knew. Quiet, except when you got him on a topic he loved, like chemistry or history. Teachers liked him, students only paid him mind when they wanted help with homework. He was as patient as he was intelligent, making him a good tutor.

His hazel eyes were wide with wonder when he reached us.

Monica dropped my arm and practically floated to him. If she felt even a hint of disappointment by her match, it didn’t show. There was a rightness to the match that I could see as soon as they touched.

Our wolves might help balance our energy, but our mates are meant to bring balance to our souls. To our lives.

I was immediately forgotten, but I didn’t take it personally. There was a contentment in my heart, seeing them together. I knew at that moment that Volana had gotten it right with those two.

Sometimes she got it wrong. I knew this personally because that’s what happened to my parents. They’d been true mates. Yet when a recently widowed alpha from a visiting pack laid eyes on my mother, she’d forgotten all about my father as he whisked her away. She had two more daughters now. A brand-new family. And no use for me, my sister, or her rejected mate.

Siera, another friend, saw Monica and tried to approach her before she realized what was going on. She made a quick diversion and greeted me instead.

“I think we’ve lost her, Dariana,” she said with a dreamy sigh. Everyone loved Monica, so it was no surprise Siera was already feeling the impact. Though I don’t think anyone would feel it quite as much as I did. Monica was my best friend and my buffer between me and the rest of the world.

Now I was alone and unbuoyed. It wasn’t a great feeling. Siera was nice enough. But she and I were really only friends because of Monica. We exchanged a few pleasantries before she drifted off, leaving me once again floating in the sea of teenage hormones and body spray.

After drifting for a while, I located the drink table. Ms. Ness stood guarding the punch bowl and serving drinks.

“Dariana!” she said with a warm smile. “I didn’t expect to see you at one of these things. Did Monica finally drag you kicking and screaming?”

“Only a little kicking,” I replied with a weak smile of my own.

Ms. Ness was my history teacher from freshman year. The boys all went gaga over her with her perfect body and sea green eyes. She was near thirty, but still hadn’t found her mate. It didn’t seem to bother her though. I wasn’t sure if I hoped for a future like hers or feared it. Especially now that I was losing my anchor.

“Here,” she said passing a glass of maroon punch to me. “Where is our girl now?” she asked as I took the drink.

“She’s out there somewhere,” I said, not wanting to gossip about my friend. Word about the two of them would be out soon enough, but I didn’t want to be the one to spread it. I unfortunately knew how it felt to be on the wrong end of gossip, and I wanted no part of it.

I thanked Ms. Ness then found a quiet corner to sip my drink away from the suffocating crowd.

Suddenly, I regretted letting Monica drive me tonight. I was already ready to go home. Coming out tonight had been a mistake.

As I contemplated sneaking out to a dark alley and shifting into my wolf to run home, something changed in the air around me.

It felt like Ria was vibrating. We couldn’t communicate with words. At least not yet. But after a minute, I got the impression that she wanted me to turn around. I could only think of a couple of reasons why that might be. What could have made her so wound up.

My stomach twisted in knots at the idea that I could turn around and see my mate. It was too soon. I wasn’t ready. But she would not stop.

I heard familiar laughter behind me, and my gut clinched.

“No way!” cackled Dean McCallister. “Dariana! Come hang out with us.”

“I can’t believe you found a dress big enough for all that ass,” said another, though through the laughter, I couldn’t tell who. “Did you wear that for us?”

I considered just ignoring them. Maybe if I did, they’d go away. The alpha jocks of Shadyglen High hadn’t even known my name a year ago. But now whenever I heard my name on their lips, I wished more than anything for that invisibility once again.

Slowly I turned to face them, not wanting them to see me cower in their presence. It was worse now that I had my wolf. Most of them had theirs too. They were all strong.

Reed was one of the weaker among them but kissed their asses to remain close to the most powerful guys in school. Last year, he’d shyly asked me out on a date.

He’d been the first boy to give me that sort of attention, and I had happily gone out with him. It had been a sweet and innocent evening, ending in a kiss at my door.

But when his friends found out and teased him, he’d told them he’d only gone out with me because I was an easy lay. For the next several months the rumors about me flew. Now here were all my chief tormentors.

And one of them was my mate.