Chapter 1
Astrid Asgrim slowly ran the loofah over her body as she stared at nothing. Her mind was far away, daydreaming as usual. She had found herself doing that more and more lately.
She went through spells of complacency, where the years drifted by and she couldn’t remember them. She’d lived too long, searching for her mate, the elusive creature that was never to be found.
She’d become more and more convinced that she wasn’t meant to have a mate, but in all of the years she’d lived, she’d never heard of such a thing. Everyone had a mate. She wondered if her mate was alive, but then she wondered that every new year. Was this the year she’d find him? Would he be born this year? She never knew.
Eventually, everyone came across their mate at some point, so Astrid knew, if he was out there, eventually she would find him, but he was like a unicorn, a mythical creature that didn’t exist. At least, not for her.
During the eleven hundred-plus years of her existence, she’d watched member after member of her pack find their mates. It seemed like for each new Alpha King, once one member of the pack leadership found their mate, the others followed close behind. She’d watched it happen with Ranald and then his son, Caleb. But never her father until Daniel had ruled and found his mate.
Her family had seemed cursed. Her own father had finally found his mate twenty-two years ago, after waiting close to twelve hundred years. Life has suddenly become interesting again, as she’d gotten to know the she-wolf. Talia had been mated before and had an infant child, whom Astrid had fallen in love with and helped raise.
Her father and Talia had raised two more pups as well, giving Astrid something to occupy her time with. She loved children and adored her siblings, but deep down, she was sad she’d never been able to have her own pups. She longed to be pregnant, to feel her own pup kick, and to share the joy of bringing a new life into the world with her mate. She’d dreamed long ago of being around for generations, watching her offspring grow up.
She’d thought at one point of just taking a chosen mate, but it wasn’t the same, and she knew one day, she’d find him. Hopefully, she could have a bunch of pups, and grand pups and live a full life.
She finished her shower and flipped off the water, then dried herself off. She hadn’t even been with a man in a very long time. At one point, she’d wanted to save herself for her mate, but as the years had gone by, she’d given up, and given in.
He’d been a pack member and had taken his time, making sure that she enjoyed it. She’d come back to his bed more than once. But he was no longer around.
None of the men who’d been in her bed had been impressive enough to be remembered. They passed through like the years, gone and forgotten. They weren’t her mate.
She walked into her walk-in closet and slipped on some cozy pajamas, then glanced over her luggage. Tomorrow she’d fly out to Ohio, and the job she had taken two years ago. It had been a good distraction.
Cuyahoga River University was a college located in Ohio that was for werewolves. It offered regular classes that any pack member could take. It also offered an Alpha course and a Luna course.
While it obviously wasn’t required for an Alpha and Luna to take the courses, most did. The history part of the Alpha course was what Astrid taught.
School was something she enjoyed. She’d gone back numerous times throughout the years, taking different courses. She had five degrees in history, as she’d gone back every so often to update herself on what was taught.
In some of those early classes, she’d been the only female in attendance. But she’d always gotten top grades and impressed her professors.
She’d gone to art school and learned to play multiple instruments. She just liked school, and it had been Talia who had told her she should teach.
She thought her love of learning might have been because she had never gone to school as a child. She hadn’t had the opportunity to learn to read or write until she’d joined her father’s pack at the age of sixteen.
Once she’d learned to read, she hadn’t stopped. She’d read almost every book in the Remington Family Library.
History was her favorite subject, which her dad thought was hilarious. “You’ve lived through it, why would you want to teach it?” he’d asked.
“Why not? I know it better than anyone,” she’d said.
She taught werewolf history, teaching about major things that had happened throughout the years, why they’d happened, and how they’d affected the werewolf community as a whole.
Peace had reigned in the community for almost fifty years now. There were always small spats that crept up, but nothing major had happened since the The Great Werewolf War.
Her new class started next Monday, but Astrid would go early, get settled in her dorm and prepare for the incoming class. Her wolf, Stella, seemed more excited than normal.
‘I have a good feeling about this,’ Stella had told her more than once.
When Astrid was content with her luggage, she walked out into her bedroom and crawled in her lonely bed. She grabbed her book off the nightstand and settled down to read for a bit before she went to sleep.
Her romance novel would keep her company. Perhaps if nothing else, she’d find a man to warm her bed for a night while she was away.
***
Astrid’s plane landed at the college’s private landing strip the next morning and was met by the chauffeur.
“Good morning, Miss Astrid,” he greeted her warmly as she walked over to his waiting SUV.
“Alfred, it’s good to see you. How’s your mate?” Astrid placed her luggage in the open back.
“She’s wonderful. Have you found yours yet?” He asked.
“Nope. Still looking.” Astrid climbed into the SUV.
They headed across campus, and he dropped her off at her dorm. She’d had the same one now for two years, and she headed inside. It was already furnished for her, and she quickly put her clothes away and made the full-sized bed with the sheets and blankets she’d brought from home.
Once she had that finished, she headed down to the office to collect her packet of information for the new students coming through.
“Ms. Astrid! Such a pleasure to see you!” Shirley smiled up at her. “I have everything you need right here.”
Astrid took the packet. “Good to see you too. How many students do I have in this class?”
“Six. Five men and one woman. Though I’d imagine you know about her,” Shirley said.
“That I do. I’ll see you later.” She turned to leave.
“Goodbye, Dear,” Shirley called after her.
She headed back up to her room and sat the packet down on her desk. She needed to go to the market and pick up a few things. She’d do that before she looked through the packet.
A few hours later, she was seated at the desk with a hot cup of tea. She dumped out the contents of the package and glanced through it, looking at the information about each Alpha that would be in her class.
The first was an Alpha from Canada. He was mated and due to take over as Alpha in two years. The second was from Australia and also mated. He was due to take over his pack in three years.
The third was from a pack in southern California. He was unmated and due to take over in less than a year. The fourth was an Alpha from northern California, also unmated and due to take over in about eighteen months.
The fifth.. Astrid frowned and flipped back to the fourth, making a comparison between the two. Twins, she realized, noting their birthday. Also unmated. She wondered if they were identical or fraternal. Identical twins were usually easy to tell apart by their scents. They might be similar, but there would be subtle differences, and if one paid attention, they would be able to distinguish between the two.
The last one Astrid knew personally. From Regal Eclipse and due to take over in three years. That was doubtful. She probably wouldn’t take over for a very long time still. But the school wouldn’t know that.
Astrid knew part of the reason she had chosen to come to school was to look for her mate. She couldn’t blame her, though her father and grandfather both had waited several hundred years for theirs, and she knew that more than likely, she would have a long wait as well.
She wasn’t due to arrive at the school until Sunday. She was waiting till the last moment, but then she didn’t have classes to teach either. Astrid looked forward to having her in her class this year.
She lifted her cup to her lips and took a sip of her tea.
’This will be a good class. I can feel it,′ Stella said in her mind.
‘Do you think we will ever find our mate, Stella?’ Astrid asked. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked, and Stella always gave her the same answer. “In due time.”
Astrid hated that answer, and Stella was aware of that too.
‘We will find him. Soon,’ Stella told her, startling Astrid with her response.
‘How soon?’She asked.
‘Soon enough,’ Stella responded, her bushy red tail swaying back and forth.
‘That’s cryptic,’ Astrid muttered.
‘Would you rather I said in due time?’ Stella chortled.
Astrid rolled her eyes. ‘No.’
‘We’ll meet him soon. Don’t worry. Be patient,’ Stella told her. ‘He’s of the appropriate age.’
Astrid’s eyes widened at that. It would be soon then. It sometimes blew her mind how Stella knew things. Her wolf was very wise.
She finished her tea and put the cup in the sink, then grabbed her book, and crawled into bed. But how soon was soon?
