Page 5

Austin

I can’t concentrate on a word Vincent says as he tells me about the latest spy we’ve found on our territory. I can’t stop tracking Yelena’s movements around the bonfire. It’s the curse of Fated Mates. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop stealing glances at her.

She looks beautiful tonight. Her black hair is pulled back in a simple braid and she’s dressed casually in just jeans and a pink flannel shirt. It’s an effortless kind of natural beauty that she’s embodied ever since we were kids. An intrusive thought flashes into my mind as I watch her move.

What would her body feel like, pressed up against mine? What would she taste like?

I shudder and shake my head, scowling at the world around me. It does me no good to think like that.

I look up again and see her staring at me, her face stricken. She must have seen my scowl and assumed that it was about her.

If I were a better man, I’d reassure her. Tell her that she did nothing wrong. But, instead, I scowl again and she visibly recoils.

I’m the worst kind of asshole for taking some joy in it. It’s not Yelena’s fault that she represents everything I hate about my life and it’s not her fault that I’m drawn to her against my will.

I wish I could hate her. It would certainly make things easier. But she’s so good. It’s hard to hate someone who is naturally kind. Compassionate. Loyal.

I resent it and her in many ways. If I can’t fight Fate, I can at least delay it, which is why she’s been claimed as my mate in name only.

One of the kitchen assistants hands me an ice-cold bottle of beer and I take it, drinking deeply. My eyes are still fixed on my skittish mate, watching her as she moves quietly throughout the party. If Calliope weren’t here causing a ruckus, she’d probably already be hidden away.

Yelena’s shoulders are already so tense and her smile is brittle. She’s deeply uncomfortable in these kinds of situations, but she’s doing a good job of hiding it.

Doing her duty, as always.

She smiles at the few people who greet her and pays special attention to one of the children who approaches her. It’s the first time I have seen one of her genuine smiles come out and it makes my heart skip a beat and a pang of jealousy rise in my chest. I frown and try to push those feelings away.

But this is what our life has dealt us. We’re promised to each other. Fated.

Our choices have been made for us. By our parents, the universe, the pack, hell, even the Moon Goddess herself.

I’ve come to terms with her presence in my life by accepting her as an unfortunate inconvenience.

A physical representation of not only my status as Alpha-heir but the reality that my freedom has been stolen by Fate.

She is my responsibility, as are all of my pack members, but I can’t allow her to be more.

I purposefully look away and try to concentrate on my friend next to me.

“I think we should send a scouting party out to the east just to make sure that border is locked up,” Vincent continues, blissfully unaware of my inattention.

I nod. “Do it.”

These are the kinds of concerns I should be focusing on. Our border, the safety of our pack, the intelligence that keeps coming in about our rivals…not, my mate.

He tries to add something else, but I brush him aside.

My eyes are glued across the fire to where Yelena is being dragged out onto the dance floor by a small group of children and some of our warriors.

Her lithe body moves side to side, in time with the music as the pups dance around her.

She looks ethereal, the way she throws her head back and howls at the moon with the kids is… stunning.

I feel a small tendril of shame start in my core. I’ve treated her like shit, and yet she continues to do her duty to me and our pack, with kindness, respect, and grace. It would be way easier if she were cranky, or obstinate, or needy…

But she’s not. She’s accepted every decree that I’ve given her, even when I know she hates it. She has served our pack well.

She will be the perfect Luna . Submissive, selfless, and obedient.

I kick a pebble across the grass in frustration.

Yelena may be the perfect Luna on paper, but at the end of the day, the idea of trading my freedom for a lifetime of living with someone so meek and bland makes me want to punch something.

How could she be okay with just signing her life away because Fate told her to? Why doesn’t she ever push back?

I grumble when my view of her is blocked by more couples joining the dance party. I want to keep watching her, but if I stare too long, I’ll attract attention. I’ve done well to keep a very visible divide between us. If that changes, the entire pack will start to gossip.

It’s not fair to me and it’s not fair to her. Better to leave things as they are.

“You should ask her to dance, Austin,” Vincent says, looking at where my attention lies. “She’s your mate, not your enemy.”

I scowl at him and shrug. “I don’t dance.”

Vincent smirks at me. “You’re quite hard on her, you know. There are better ways to be hard for your mate. Remember that, my friend.”

I roll my eyes and take a deep breath to keep from snapping at him. As my most trusted advisor and one of my closest friends, Vincent always knows which buttons to push.

He claps me on my shoulder and moves toward the dance area where his own beautiful mate, Giana, is waiting for him. They are well matched and I’m happy for them. They will bring much strength to our pack through their family ties.

Vincent and Giana twirl effortlessly around the fire, lost in their own little world.

They are one of the lucky few who fell in love first and then Fate confirmed their bond and destiny.

I wish that had happened for Yelena and I.

Perhaps it would be easier for me to accept if I had chosen her first before Fate chose her for me.

I drain my beer bottle and another person hurries over to replace it.

Yelena is still dancing, her willowy frame bending and swaying to the music. I go to turn away, lost in my thoughts, when I see him approach her. Suddenly, there’s nothing else going on at this party more important than watching this interaction.

His name is Jimmy, and he’s one of our loners, pack-less wolves who stay with us for a time in exchange for their mercenary services.

And she is mine.

Most of our packmates know better than to approach Yelena to dance. Or, if they do, it’s always in a group. Always.

But this asshole has swaggered up to her as if she’s any other available female. He’s smiling at her, laughing with her.

Rage flows through me when he offers her his hand and gestures toward the music. I go to turn away, causing the packmates around me to look around.

I don’t care what they do. All I care about is Yelena and what she does.

She pauses and looks uncertain, clearly uncomfortable with the rogue wolf’s advances. Good girl.

Jimmy is undeterred and I grit my teeth. She looks over toward where I am, clearly looking to see my reaction, and I school my face, giving her only my normal stony glare.

The moon is high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the clearing and I can see her face clearly. She looks…lost. But he? He has a knowing smile playing across his lips.

He knows who she is. He knows what he’s doing.

I take a step toward them before turning to converse with a startled group of wolves.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Yelena and Jimmy walk together toward the fire. He starts to dance. She’s careful to keep a space between them, as befitting her station.

I try to relax, but my jealousy is riding me hard. I’m relieved that she doesn’t touch him, but she’s still next to him, and that’s a problem.

My wolf demands that I move closer, so I make my way through the throngs of people.

The music changes to an upbeat song and I watch as she graces him with a smile. The bastard. They keep dancing and I slowly start to lose control over my feelings.

I scan the area for Vincent, hoping he can be the voice of reason before I do something rash like punch Jimmy in the fucking face.

She is my responsibility but so is my entire pack. I cannot let this situation make a fool of me.

My pep talk does nothing to calm my instincts. I’m still hyper-aware of everything she does. Damn it.

The next time I look over, I see her walking away from him. My wolf starts to calm and I feel peace start to flow through me again.

As I start to turn my back, something catches my eye. A tree branch jutting out of the flames. It's as if I'm watching a slow-motion replay of a live sporting event. She stumbles, and her arms flail in an attempt to regain balance...but she's already tumbling down.

I rush toward her, but not before he gets there first. His hands circle her tiny waist, catching her before she collapses and, for one tiny second, holding her close.

Instantly, my hackles rise and I feel the growl start deep in my throat. Mine.

My bark startles the rest of the surrounding pack and they move out of my way, their chatter dropping to a low hum.

“Jimmy!” I roar, effectively drawing the eyes of every single person here.

He startles at my roar and freezes, his hands still around her waist.

I can’t look away. I’m utterly fixated on where his hands touch her. My wolf growls again as murderous thoughts crowd my mind.

He’s touched my mate. His hands are on her. The rogue wolf must go.

As quickly as he touches her, he lets go, and she loses her balance, crumpling to the ground in a heap.

She looks up at me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide with terror.

“Austin,” she whispers.

I ignore her and focus on Jimmy. He must pay for his disrespect.

“Get out,” I order, glaring at him. “Your time at this Bonfire has ended, rogue.”

Jimmy opens his mouth as if to say something but looks back at me and decides against it. Wise.

Instead, he shuffles off toward the woods, waiting until he’s safely far enough away to shift.

I can’t look away until I’m sure his russet wolf is far away from here.

When I look down, I see that several of the women, including Calliope, have helped Yelena up. Shame and guilt weigh heavily on my chest yet again, threatening to suffocate me.

“Are you hurt?” I bark, making her flinch again. Damn it.

She shakes her head slowly and backs away from me, dusting off her jeans as she does. Vincent appears at my side, his face the picture of concern…and confusion.

I’m acting out of character. I know it. He knows it. The pack knows it, and, worst of all, Yelena knows it too. I can feel her questioning gaze burning into the side of my face, but I refuse to acknowledge it.

The constant murmur of my pack, whispering all around me, tells me that what I’ve dreaded has already happened; this scene will be the main discussion amongst them for days.

“You should go in, get some rest,” I tell her gruffly, turning away to stalk back toward the party. Yet, the closer I get, the more I realize that I don’t want to be here anymore. The bonfire has lost all appeal.

The only thing that appeals to me right now is blood…and since I can’t have that, a run.

“Vincent, Chris—on me,” I yell, shifting easily into my midnight-black wolf. I sprint toward the tree line, the familiar yips and howls of my men following close behind.

At least as a wolf, everything feels clearer. Life makes more sense. If only for a little while.