Chapter 1
Kya-
Ugh, it's too bright.
I pull the blanket up over my head, shielding my eyes from the sunrise through my window.
I feel peace here in the moments before I have to be fully awake. I can remember the dream I was having.
I was standing beside a lake, staring at a man looking down at the water. He was naked, and he was beautiful.
He turned to look at me, and smirked.
Then the sun shone in my face and I woke up, frustrated that I didn't get to see what happened next. I'd had this dream, more then once, and I always woke up at the same part.
Suddenly, I hear the piercing tone of my alarm on my phone.
Shit
I fling the blanket off myself and get up to get ready for the day.
Then I remember why I had my alarm set in the first place.
The Howling is tonight! I could meet him. I hope I get to meet him.
Every unmated were for miles was going to be there. All of us hoping to find our mate. This would be my first year, and I was hopeful it'd happen for me.
Every year, all the unmated weres for miles convene for the Howling. We howl into the sky and hope to hear our mates call to us, then our eyes are supposed to meet, and we know.
The alpha is meant to lead us, but no one knows if he will this year.
The position was handed down to the next in line, and no one knew if he would do it. No one even knows what he looks like.
My friends have been speculating since the handover was announced.
"What if I was the alphas mate, you'd all have to call me your Luna?"
"Oh gods, what if he's ugly"
"He can't be too bad looking if he's Alpha Desmonds son"
Alpha Desmond was my friends basis for the word 'sexy'. He was in his late 40's, but he didn't look it. He was tall at 6"3, had black hair, and stubble, beautiful golden eyes, and a strong jaw.
Most women who'd seen him, couldn't help but dream about him.
I didn't see what the fuss was about, but then I never did.
No one had seen his son, and the Alphas kept their lives private where they could. Although how they'd kept their lives so private was a mystery to me. People were always coming and going from the pack house, but no one could tell anyone what the next in line looked like, or even his name.
I always thought that that's probably a good thing. Everyone should have a private place, and no one should be dragged into the limelight.
I didn't really care what he looks like, or anything. The chances of being the Alphas mate, were pretty slim.
Shit. I'm going to be late.
I think as I glance at my watch and realise I've been thinking too much and zoned out.
I bolt to the bathroom to shower and get ready.
Damien-
"Do I seriously have to do this?" I ask, hopeful that my beta Brodie won't give me the horrible news that I have to start off The Howling tonight.
"Yeah bro, you do. You know if you don't, your dad will drag you down to the woods by your ears".
He wasn't wrong. My dad had already said I didn't have a choice. The alpha had to be the one to kick it off. It was tradition, and weres love their traditions. This wasn't my first time, but it'd be my first time leading the howl.
It's not like she will be there. She hasn't been yet and it's been three years.
I keep the thought to myself. If Brodie hears me say that shit, he'll go into his story about mating with Alyssa.
He found his mate his first Howling.
He said he could tell which howl was hers, and that when their eyes met, it felt like sparks under his skin.
"There's always a chance man"!
Brodie says while looking at me, like he can read my mind, and see the doubt in there.
"Fine, I'll go" I say, giving up before this ends up being an argument. I'm not in the mood for one of those this afternoon.
It's only a few hours till it starts and I already just want it over with.
Kya-
It starts in half an hour.
I grin to myself, thinking hopefully that I'll meet him.
"KYA", I hear him from behind me and hear footsteps catching up to me.
My step-brother Reed.
He's tall at 6", he's got copper brown hair and green eyes. He's fit, but it's not obvious.
Shit, I forgot he's coming too!
I cringe when I realise Reed isn't mated.
He's going to be there too.
And we have to get naked and shift.
"Umm, hi Reed". I say awkwardly as I blush crimson.
"You're freaking out aren't you?" He looks at me sideways and smirks.
"Umm, I wasn't. Then I realised you'll be there, when I have to strip and shift. Now I'm freaking out".
"You'll be fine. We're weres. You get used to being naked around each other. It doesn't have to be awkward or whatever" he says smirking and laughing to himself a little.
"Reed, your my brother, and I have to strip naked in front of you, and everyone else we know who isn't mated and shift. I don't want to see your bits, and I sure as hell don't want you seeing mine, it's literally the last thing I want to happen" I blurt out, like I have no brain-to-mouth filter.
I hear him laugh, out loud, at me.
"Oh gods Ky, if you're so worried, just shift behind a tree and come out already shifted" he says while he's laughing at my obvious discomfort.
Shit. Why didn't I think of that.
I mentally face palm.
"I ummm.... Didn't actually think of that...." I say as I shrug, and try to look like I don't feel like an idiot.
We walk in silence for a bit, then I check my watch.
Fuck, it starts in 5 minutes.
Reed notices my eyes go wide, grabs my wrist and sees why.
"Fuck, we'll have to leg it" he says, right before he starts running into the woods. I'm close behind him.
I can see the clearing up ahead. I see that there's a few wolves already shifted and waiting patiently, so I vear off and strip behind a bush. I breathe slowly and shift. I embrace the breeze through my fur for a second, enjoying the feeling of the wind, before I turn and walk over to the clearing.
I'm at the edge of the group, I tried to be as far away from Reed as possible. Looking around, I see him on the other side of the clearing, already shifted into his copper coloured wolf form.
Then, as I look around some more, I see a huge wolf coming from the darkness of the woods. He's pitch black, and his eyes glow golden.
He strides into the clearing and walks to the centre of the group. Everyone's eyes are on this massive black wolf.
He must be the new alpha.
He nods for everyone to see, then lifts his head and howls into the sky, calling for his mate.
Everyone does the same. His howl compelling me to howl back to him.
He hears me, and looks straight at me.
I meet his eyes and I can hear my wolf squealing excitedly inside my mind.
It's him, it's him, mate, follow him. Have to meet him, mate him.
He nods his head towards the woods telling me to follow him, so I do.
He takes off running, so I chase. He's fast. Really damn fast. I'm quick, but it's taking everything I have to stay on his heels.
We come to a big clearing with a lake and a waterfall. If I wasn't looking at it, I probably wouldn't have believed it could be out here.
I can see the moon shining on the water, and feel the breeze.
He strides to the edge of the water and looks down.
He shifts while facing the water.
I can see every muscle in his back pulse. Then he turns his head and smirks at me.
Like in my dream.
"Shift" he says, he's clearly not asking, he turns his head back to the water.
I walk towards him slowly, and stop a few steps away, and I shift.
