Chapter One
Panting, I ran through the forest. Night had fallen, and, through the thick canopy of branches above me, little moonlight made its way to the ground, causing me to stumble over roots and stones that the thick layer of snow had hidden.
A branch snapped behind me, sending my heart pounding. I could feel something- no, someone chasing me, and, although I couldn’t remember why, I knew I couldn’t allow myself to be caught. Pushing my legs to go even faster, I felt my lungs burning and sweat trickling down my back despite the freezing temperatures.
A growl, low and deep, sounded behind me, and I knew I should be frightened. Very frightened. I reached out to Amaris desperately, but it was as if there was a block between me and my wolf. No matter how much I tugged on our bond and shouted in my mindlink, there was nothing but silence.
So concentrated on trying to reach the other half of my soul, I didn’t notice the large root sticking out in front of me until it caught my ankle in a snare, sending me tumbling. Pain lanced through my body as I faceplanted into the snow and I felt a wave of finality rush over me.
The growls came even closer, as if the creature that hunted me so relentlessly were standing right over me. Unable to summon the strength to continue running, I slumped to the ground, turning over onto my back, determined to at least face my death head-on.
The last thing I saw was a pair of glowing golden eyes.
I bolted upright in bed, clutching my chest as my heart pounded and my lungs heaved for air. Looking around my room, dimly lit by the moonlight streaming in from my cracked-open window, I forced my breathing to regulate.
It was just a dream, I said rather forcefully.
Amaris, still drowsy from our sudden awakening, purred back, It was the dream. We’ve been having it every night for weeks now. You know it must mean something.
I shook my head, snapping, “No!” out loud. This same nightmare had followed me for as long as I could remember, but lately it had become even more consistent, going from once or twice a month to every night for the last two and a half weeks.
It doesn’t mean anything, I tried to reassure Amaris. Maybe my stress is just high from all the prep for Bree’s party.
I could feel the doubt radiating from my wolf, but she just let out a soft Sure before fading to the back of my consciousness.
Glancing at my alarm clock, I groaned. 4:47 am. Just thirteen minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. Swinging my feet over the side of my bed, I grabbed my phone and disabled the alarm before standing and stretching.
I might as well get a few minutes’ head start on my day.
Biting back a yawn, I glanced up with a smile as the delicate bell above the front door tinkled softly and a young blonde woman made her way through the door.
Stomping her feet slightly at the entrance, she knocked off the excess snow on her boots before making her way to the counter of the bakery. Slumping in one of the stools, she snapped her fingers.
“Barista! I need my caffeine now!” she ordered haughtily.
Snorting, I slid her monstrosity of a drink towards her and leaned against the counter. “You know, Bree, one of these days, I might just give you my strongest brew of plain black coffee,” I teased.
Taking a long sip from her more-sugar-than-coffee drink, Bree, my best friend, gasped in mock outrage. “You wouldn’t!” she said. “Fine, Vivi, I promise to never ever refer to you as barista again. You are my favorite person in the world, and I would kill for you and your beautiful drinks.”
I couldn’t help but smile warmly as the blonde across from me grasped my hands tightly. “Okay, I guess you’re forgiven,” I replied. “But just remember who holds the power here, Miss Daughter of the Alpha.”
Bree, or Gabriella as her mother fruitlessly tried to get her to go by, had been my best friend for as long as either of us could remember. While she might have been our Alpha’s daughter, her father had worked tirelessly to make sure she grew up grounded and level-headed, despite her mother’s pageant schemes. I had to admit, he had done a pretty good job, I thought, as I stared at the blonde across from me. While her clothes were clearly high quality, they were also simple and functional, and her makeup for the day had been applied tastefully, only a bit of mascara and eye shadow to softly accentuate her warm brown eyes, where unmistakable kindness radiated. Her trademark red lips curved into a smile as she returned my stare.
“Where’d you just go, Viv?” she asked softly. “You look exhausted.”
Forcing a smile to my lips, I shook my head lightly, tucking a tendril of my dark hair behind my ear from where it had come loose from my ponytail. “It’s nothing, Bree,” I brushed her off gently.
Not falling for it, she arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow and tilted her head, the move remarkably predator-like. “You had the nightmare again, didn’t you?”
No matter how hard I tried, Bree could always read me like an open book. She was the only one I had ever confided in about my haunting dream. Even my late parents never knew the details, only that I had a recurring dream that always left me unsettled.
I shrugged, trying to look as unbothered as possible, but, from her deepening frown, I appeared to have failed. “You know it just tends to pop up whenever I get stressed,” I replied before quickly lifting a hand to cut her off as I saw her mouth open. “Not that it is your fault that I’m stressed. You know I’m so happy to help cater your party. It’s just…” I sighed and trailed off.
Bree squeezed my hand gently. “I know, Viv,” she said softly. “I know how you get when outsiders come into the pack. And I’m so grateful you’re helping out as much as you are anyways, even though I’ve told you a million times you don’t have to.”
I gave her a small smile, my throat suddenly tight with unshed tears. “Thanks, Bree. It’s just always weird whenever people I don’t know are here.” Straightening, I force a brighter smile to my face. “Besides, there’s no way I’m letting you weasel out of paying my exorbitant catering costs.”
We shared a laugh. We both knew I wasn’t charging anything besides the cost of my supplies. Despite all her begging and arguing, this was one fight I had won against the Alpha female. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a trick up her sleeve to force me to take her money.
Taking another long drink from her morning coffee, Bree sighed. “I think I’m in a bit of a shock that it’s only a few days away. Part of me is terrified because everything might change after that night and part of me is so incredibly excited because everything might change!” She threw her hands up in mock frustration, but I could see the anticipation in her.
Just three days from now, it would be her 22th birthday party and, as the oldest child of a prominent Alpha, all the Alphas and Betas from across the country had been invited to celebrate, and, hopefully, one of them would be revealed to be her fated mate.
While I had never put much stock or faith into finding my fated mate, I knew Bree had been looking forward to it since she was a child. While I dreamed of writing my stories and getting published one day, she had fantasized about finding her mate, falling in love, and, because more than likely her mate was also a high-ranked Alpha, becoming a Luna one day. I knew she would be incredible at it; she already had such a natural gift at making everyone feel welcome and heard.
Despite the ability to find your fated mate appearing at 18, Bree’s father had convinced her to wait four more years so she could graduate college with a degree, which she had, in communications, just over a month ago. While she may not have had her big birthday party yet, Bree hadn’t been deterred from searching for her mate as much as she could, traveling to other packs any time her father needed an ambassador to one of our neighbors. But she had had no luck yet.
“Oh!” Bree squealed, drawing me out of my thoughts. “Did I tell you who RSVPed last minute?” She waggled her eyebrows, holding out the suspense before clapping her hands together. “The Lycan King!”
I felt my stomach drop. “You mean, King Aeron is coming here?” I couldn’t believe Bree seemed happy about this. Everyone had heard the stories of the infamous Lycan King. Bloodthirsty and half-mad, he had slaughtered whole packs over the smallest perceived slight. Nearing his 30th birthday, people whispered that his Lycan side-which is more animalistic and more powerful than even the strongest of normal wolves-was growing more dominant and more feral each day he didn’t find his fated mate. Unlike wolves, it could be physically painful for Lycans to take a chosen mate, which was part of why their population had been in steady decline for decades.
Bree rolled her eyes with a laugh. “You don’t have to say it like that.” She lowered her voice, glancing around. “You know, I did actually run into him one time when I was at the Crescent Plain pack. He was distant, sure, but polite enough. I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to lose his parents and become king that young! I mean he was only 19!”
Too late, she saw the stiffening of my shoulders and firm set of my mouth. Gasping, she grabbed my hand. “Oh my Goddess, Viv, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t even thinking!” Her warm brown eyes welled up with tears.
Squeezing her hand back, I leaned over the counter to give her a quick hug. “You’re fine, Bree, you don’t need to walk on eggshells around me. I mean, I just inherited the bakery, not a whole kingdom.” I forced myself to laugh, smiling genuinely as I saw the tension begin to drain out of her.
“You’re the absolute best, Viv! I don’t know how you put up with me and my big mouth,” Bree continued to gush for another minute before the door chime rang again and I had to step away to help another customer.
“Remember,” she called after me, “family dinner at my place tonight, seven sharp! Dylan and Hiram and their families will be there!”
I shot her a smile and thumbs up over my shoulder before getting back to work, allowing the steady stream of customers that followed throughout the morning to distract me from both thoughts of my parents and the lingering tension from my dream.
