Page 10

Austin

Early morning sunlight filters in from the window, momentarily blinding me as I squint and yawn.

I blink a few times, my eyes adjusting to the brightness.

Yelena stirs beside me, and I take a moment to enjoy the feeling of her soft curves pressed up against me.

Her hair is splayed across the pillow, and she looks so peaceful lying next to me. So right.

But, as the memories of last night start to flood back in painfully vivid detail. Her sweet kisses, the way she submitted to me, the way she begged me for more like an exquisite fantasy come to life…I stiffen.

Oh, shit.

I swallow hard. There’s a twisting sensation in my gut that makes me want to puke. I slept with her. That happened, and now….

I sit up and carefully ease myself away from her. My body immediately misses her warmth.

What have I done? How could I have been this stupid?

I groan and cover my face with my hands before dragging myself out of bed. I move stealthily, careful not to wake her.

She whimpers in her sleep, curling around her pillow. The blanket has slipped off her shoulder, giving me a tantalizing peek at her body in the early morning light.

My cock stirs, and I remember how tight she felt when I drove into her last night.

"Austin," she had whispered, her voice straining with need. "Please… Don’t stop…"

“No. Get a grip on yourself,” I chastise myself as I pull on my shorts.

I need to clear my head to think about what comes next, and clearly, I can’t do that next to her.

Quickly, I pull on some clothes and slip out of the bedroom. Once I’m in the relative safety of the hallway, I lean against the wall and take a deep breath.

The enormity of what I’ve done hits me like a punch to the gut. Sleeping with Yelena was everything I thought it would be. Her warmth and responsiveness to me were all I could have asked for and yet, I know it was a mistake.

I’ve spent years keeping my distance, and now, in a moment of pure weakness, I’ve gone and complicated everything. She’s going to think that things have changed between us, assume I’m ready for this life.

Fuck.

My head pounds as I stumble into the kitchen, hoping a strong cup of coffee will somehow materialize and help me sort out this mess.

Yelena is usually the one who sets up the coffeemaker and leaves an easy breakfast for me to grab in the morning.

When I walk into the kitchen, the smell of dark roast fills the air, and I feel an uneasy appreciation for my intended-mate flood through me.

The automatic coffeemaker is brewing, and there’s a plate of muffins covered in plastic wrap on the kitchen island.

She takes good care of me. Even though I push her away.

The uneasy feeling turns to guilt as I pour myself a cup of the piping hot brew and pull out a muffin.

Blueberry. My favorite. It’s unnerving the way she knows me so well.

I take a bite, barely tasting it as my mind spins. What the hell am I going to say to her when she wakes up? How can I look her in the eye after last night?

I curse under my breath. I never should have let things go so far.

As I take my first sip of coffee, I feel a jolt of energy rush through me. I close my eyes and savor the warmth as it travels down my throat.

I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t hear the back door open. It’s only when I hear my mother’s voice that my eyes snap open.

“Austin, sweetheart, you’re up early,” she says, bustling into the kitchen with my father trailing behind her.

I nearly choke on my coffee. Mom just smiles and walks over to kiss me on the cheek. She’s carrying a large vase of wildflowers which she places on the counter.

"Son," my father greets me with a nod. His gaze travels over my disheveled appearance, one eyebrow raised. "Rough night?"

I grunt noncommittally, avoiding his probing stare by taking another swig of coffee. The hot liquid scalds my tongue, but I barely register the discomfort.

He helps himself to a mug off the counter and fills it with coffee.

“Mom, Father…what are you doing here?” I manage to say, setting down my mug. I immediately think of Yelena, still asleep in my bed, and my pulse pounds. The last thing I need is my parents finding out about that.

“We have some exciting news for you and Yelena!” my mother beams, her eyes sparkling. “Where is she?” Her voice is bright, almost giddy. It sets me on edge.

I cough and my mind races to come up with something that my parents will accept but that won’t be suspicious.

I gesture to the muffins on the island. “She’s still asleep. I am going to bring her breakfast in a little while.”

My mother smiles at me. “How considerate! Well, I will let you be the one to tell her the good news, then!”

"What news?" I ask warily. An uneasy feeling coils in my gut. Whatever they're about to say, I know I won't like it.

Father moves to stand next to me, and my stomach drops.

“We’ve set the date for your mating ceremony!” he booms, clapping me on the shoulder forcefully. “You and Yelena will be bound together before the Moon Goddess and the Pack at a Full Moon Ceremony in two months’ time.”

My head spins as I try to process my father's words. I knew this day was coming, but a part of me had hoped it never would.

Two months. I only have two short months left before I’m shackled for life.

The walls of the kitchen seem to close in around me.

"No," I choke out, shaking my head vehemently. "I'm not ready. I don't want this."

My mother's smile falters, and she exchanges a concerned glance with my father. "Austin, what do you mean? You've known this was coming for a long time now. You’re Fated . Blessed by the Moon Goddess herself!"

"I don't care!" I snap, slamming my mug down on the counter. Hot coffee sloshes over the rim, splattering across the granite. "This is my life we're talking about. I should get a say in who I marry and when, and I’m telling you, I don’t want her. "

The words come out harsher than I intend, but I can't take them back now.

Father's eyes narrow dangerously. "You don't have a choice, son. The decision has been made. You will fulfill your duty to this pack and take Yelena as your mate."

"To hell with duty!" I snarl, slamming my palm down on the counter. “I should get some say in this!”

Mother gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. “Austin!”

“No! You don’t get to guilt me into this, Mom! Not this time!”

My father growls, a deep rumble that vibrates through the kitchen. His eyes flash with barely contained anger. "You will not speak to your mother that way."

"It's not just about what you want," my father retorts. "This union was destined by the Goddess herself. To refuse would be an insult to Her and everything our pack stands for. You are destined to be mates. This isn’t a choice!"

I let out a harsh laugh. “I’m well aware that you think I should have no choices here.”

I clench my jaw, meeting his steely gaze head on. The tension crackles between us, neither one willing to back down.

"I'm a grown man," I say through gritted teeth. "I can make my own decisions. And I'm deciding that I don't want to marry Yelena. I won’t do it."

My father's eyes blaze with anger at my outburst. He opens his mouth to reprimand me when a small gasp from the doorway makes us all freeze.

I whip my head around to see Yelena standing there, her face pale and eyes wide with shock. She's wearing one of my t-shirts that falls to her bare thighs. Her hair is tangled, both from sleep and sex. There's no mistaking what we did last night.

"Yelena..." I breathe out, my heart clenching painfully in my chest.

Tears well up in her eyes as she stares at me. "You don't want me?" her voice is small and broken.

"I..." I falter, unable to find the words. I glance helplessly at my parents, who are looking between us in growing realization and disapproval.

"I heard what you said, Austin," Yelena whispers, a tear slipping down her cheek. "You made yourself quite clear. I’m just…I’m going to go."

She turns on her heel and flees from the kitchen before I can respond. The sound of her footsteps running down the hall echoes in the sudden silence.

I hear the front door open and then slam shut. I stand frozen, staring at the spot where she stood. The devastation on her face is seared into my mind.

My heart clenches painfully as I watch Yelena's silver wolf streak away into the forest through the kitchen window, her pained howl piercing the morning air.

"What have you done, Austin?" my mother whispers, her voice heavy with disappointment.

“You will fix this,” my father snarls.