Chapter One
I’m annoyed.
Not mildly annoyed. Not the kind of annoyed that a salted caramel coffee can fix or a hot shower can rinse away. I’m frustrated, restless, and irritated by absolutely nothing and everything at the same time.
I can’t point to any one thing that has put me in this mood. That might be the worst part. I’m just irritated by life in general. My life, mostly.
And today is supposed to be a good day. It’s my birthday. I’m waiting on my best friends to arrive. Madison and Shana. We’ve been best friends since Madison and I saved Shana from a bully on the playground in elementary school. Who knew that punching Cassandra Clark in the nose would create a ripple effect that made us friends for life? I wonder what would have happened if I’d punched her a few more times for good measure.
Then again, I don’t believe in stuff like that. Butterfly effects. Ripples. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction across the universe itself. Fate. Destiny. Karma. My grandmother was the one who believed in that kind of nonsense. If any of that is real, then I must have really pissed off the universe.
“Taryn!” a voice calls out from the top of the stairs. “Madison’s here!”
“Thanks, Melinda! You can send her down!” I yell back.
I live in Shana’s basement like I’m some sort of forgotten gremlin. Shana suggested I take her room after she left for college, but I didn’t get a good vibe about it when she mentioned it in front of her parents. I think they were hoping I’d move out after Shana left, not make myself a more permanent resident. But it’s been almost four years, and I’m still here.
I can hear Madison catching up with Shana’s parents before she comes down to the basement. We hug and say all the things people say when they haven’t seen each other in too long.
I tell her how much I’ve missed her. She claims to have missed me even more. Then she tells me how much I’d love Amherst University, especially all the hot guys. It just makes me feel slightly more depressed about how close to rock bottom my life is.
“Let’s have a drink,” I say, filling two shot glasses with cranberry vodka.
“You don’t want to wait on Shana?” Madison asks hesitantly.
“She can catch up when she gets here,” I say, holding up my glass. “It’s my birthday party. If I want to start early, I can.”
“True,” Madison says, raising her glass. “Happy birthday!”
“Thanks.” I nod and down my shot, wincing a little when I feel the burn, but the cranberry makes it a little smoother.
Madison downs her shot and smiles, then looks around. “You’ve really fixed this place up since the last time I was here.”
“Not much,” I mutter. “I just covered the water stains with posters and… oh, Frank got me a couch from Goodwill.”
“Better than sitting on the floor,” Madison says, plopping down on the couch. “I see Frank has also moved most of the junk out of here.”
“Yeah, last summer,” I say, glancing at the empty space that used to be filled with furniture, tools, and Shana’s childhood toys. “The basement flooded after Hurricane Lucy. Thankfully, none of my stuff got ruined. Guess it helps that I don’t have much.”
That’s an understatement. I’ve got a bed, some clothes, a few mementos, and a box of stuff I kept when my grandmother died. Oh, and a couch, but I’m not sure if I own that or if he just put it down here for me to use.
“Are you still working at Frank’s diner?” Madison asks.
“I am,” I sigh. “I think that’s why they haven’t asked me to leave yet. He knows he doesn’t pay me enough to afford my own place. Not that he can. The diner barely turns a profit.”
“Good thing Melinda is a lawyer,” Madison laughs. “He can fuck around in the kitchen all day while she brings in the big bucks.”
“And I bring in the scraps,” I mutter under my breath.
“What did you say?” she asks, glancing over at me.
“Another shot?” I smile and reach for the bottle.
“It’s your birthday party.” She shrugs and slides her glass closer.
I’m turning twenty-two today. Birthdays are supposed to be exciting, but I haven’t been excited about one in years. Nothing exciting is happening tonight. I’m just drinking cheap vodka in someone else’s basement.
Suddenly, there’s a squeal of excitement upstairs.
“Shana must be here,” Madison says, glancing toward the stairs.
“She’s already two drinks behind,” I remark, tilting the bottle and filling two shot glasses. “That will catch her up.”
Shana stays upstairs longer than Madison did. Her parents always act like they haven’t seen her in years when she comes home from college. I wish someone got that excited to see me. My grandmother used to, but her enthusiasm faded as she got older and time took its toll.
“Where are my bitches at?” Shana calls out as she walks downstairs.
“We’re down here!” Madison yells.
“Yep,” I mutter. “Where else would I be?”
Shana’s as excited to share her updates about college as Madison was. After we hug, I get an earful about Smyrna University, her nightmare roommate, her favorite bar, and the guy from her psychology class who apparently has abs worth writing poetry about.
Seems like there are hot guys everywhere, and I’d be dating them all if I wasn’t a loser who lives in someone else’s basement. The last time I told a guy that on our first date, he couldn’t find an excuse to bail fast enough. I’m sure his little sister is lovely. I hope she didn’t really get attacked by a mountain lion.
“We started without you, so you’re already behind,” I say, gesturing to the shots.
“I’m not doing two on my own,” she says. “You guys can join me.”
“If we join you, then you’ll be even further behind,” Madison laughs.
“Fine, I’ll have these two and then we’ll have another,” Shana says, walking to the table.
“I like that compromise,” I say, reaching for the bottle.
This is all I really want tonight. Drinks with my best friends. Just enough for the veil to slip and for it to feel like it used to when we were foolish, happy kids. Before all our lives got complicated and mine fell apart.
“Alright, Taryn. Spill the tea,” Shana says after she’s caught up. “Dating anyone new? My dad said there’s a new busboy at the restaurant who has a thing for you.”
“Shana, he’s like sixty years old!” I groan, shaking my head. “He’s not a busboy. He’s an old man who got out of prison last year. Your dad really said he’s got a thing for me?”
“Maybe he meant someone else,” she says apprehensively.
“He’s the only one who works there other than your dad, so…” I roll my eyes and pour another round. “God, Shana. Your parents must really want me gone.”
Shana’s smile falters. “Taryn, no. They don’t want you gone.”
“Your dad wants to set me up with a felon old enough to be my grandfather,” I mutter.
“Okay, when you say it like that, it sounds bad,” she sighs, her voice getting fainter. “But I’m sure he means well.”
It isn’t the first time Shana’s dad has tried to pawn me off on the nearest guy with a pulse. There was a regular who asked for my number a few times and Shana’s dad was pretty insistent that I should give him a chance. I finally gave in and it went as horribly as I imagined it would.
“No, they’d never kick you out. Besides, my mom is baking you a cake. Do you think she’d bake you a birthday cake if she wanted you to leave?” Shana asks. “Maybe my dad was confused.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I mutter, holding up my glass.
“After this shot, you should open your presents,” Shana says, removing a wrapped box from her purse and placing it in front of me. “Mine will put you in the mood for cake. Lots of cake.”
“Open mine first,” Madison insists.
“You guys really didn’t have to bring presents,” I sigh, reaching for the gift from Madison. “You came home for my birthday weekend. That’s all I wanted.”
“We’d be terrible friends if we didn’t bring gifts,” Madison laughs. “Now open it.”
I rip the wrapping paper off and tear up when I see the gift. It’s a framed picture of us sitting in this basement when we were in high school. It was taken by Shana’s mother, if memory serves. We’re all cross-legged on the floor, looking agitated that someone has violated our sanctuary, which is what the basement felt like back then.
The bottom of the frame says, “Best friends forever, no matter what,” which was our slogan. I guess it still is, since it’s the name of our group chat.
“What were we even doing?” I sigh, looking at the photograph, noticing we all look like emo goths. “This was during our witchcraft phase, wasn’t it?”
“The Covington Coven!” Madison says proudly. “If you fuck with us, we’ll put a curse on you!”
I look away when she says curse. It’s a stupid word. A childish word. The kind of word we used to throw around when we were bored girls wearing too much eyeliner.
My grandmother believed in those as much as she believed in the rest of the nonsense. Supposedly, one was cast on my family by a witch long ago. If I believed like she did, I could blame all my troubles on that, instead of accepting that the universe hates me.
“Thank you, Madison. This brings back some good memories,” I say, smiling weakly as I put the photograph on the shelf by the table.
“Okay, open mine!” Shana says excitedly, moving her gift closer.
I pick up the present and tear the paper off. Underneath the birthday wrapping is a stained matchbox, which makes me raise a brow. I slide it open and my eyes widen a little. It’s a joint.
“You bought me drugs?” I ask, a little confused. “Your parents will kill you if they find out you brought drugs into their house.”
“It’s just weed,” she sighs. “Besides, it’s legal where I go to school, so I didn’t technically break any laws. It’s not like I went to some shady drug dealer.”
“They’d still be pissed,” I say.
“Then we better burn the evidence before they find out? Right?” Shana laughs. “I told you it would put you in the mood for cake.”
I wanted to feel like a foolish, happy kid tonight. This will definitely do it, especially after downing several shots. We used to smoke weed in high school, when we could get our hands on it. We didn’t mind if it came from a shady drug dealer back then. We went to high school with several of them.
“There are no matches,” I say, removing the joint from the box.
“Madison, you’ve got a lighter, right?” Shana asks.
“No, I quit smoking,” Madison says.
“Aw, good for you,” I say, looking around until I see the box beneath my shelf. “Wait, I think there are some matches in the stuff from my grandmother’s house.”
I open the box and start moving things around. I don’t open it often because it’s filled with painful memories. My grandmother raised me. Well, almost. She died when I was sixteen and while I felt like I was all grown up, I realize now that I was just a foolish girl who still had a lot of growing up left to do.
Madison leans over and looks in the box while I search for matches. Just as I find them, she reaches in and pulls a book out.
“Oh my god! This is the book of spells we were trying to translate!” she says excitedly. “I wondered where it went.”
“It was my grandmother’s book, so I returned it after we grew out of that phase,” I say dismissively.
“This brings back so many memories,” Madison says.
“Yeah, I suppose it does,” I say, tossing the matches on the table.
“Nah, you’re the birthday girl, so you get to light it,” Shana says, sliding them back to me.
I pick up the joint and matches. I press the joint between my lips, and the first match is a dud, but the next one gives me enough fire to light the joint. I take a deep drag and immediately cough, because it’s a lot harsher than what we used to smoke in high school.
“Holy shit,” I gag, passing the joint to Shana.
“Yeah, this is the good stuff from a dispensary,” she says proudly, taking a hit.
“I’m going to open the door, so the basement doesn’t smell like weed if your parents come down here,” Madison says, walking to the sliding glass door that opens to the side yard.
The sliding glass door is the only source of natural light in the basement, but I had to put curtains up because it gets bright when I’m trying to sleep in. It’s also the only reason the basement doesn’t feel like a storage closet with a shower, toilet, and bed. I normally use it as an escape hatch, if I want to leave without dealing with Melinda or Frank.
Once Madison pulls the curtains aside and slides the door open, smoke starts rolling into the night. The moon is brighter than usual tonight. Figures that my birthday would fall on a full moon. My grandmother used to say a full moon turns people into lunatics. But she said a lot of weird stuff like that.
“Shana’s parents never come down here,” I say, my face turning a little red. “Not since… well…”
Shana flashes me a curious look, then hands the joint to Madison.
“What happened?” Shana asks.
“I didn’t hear the door one day and your dad surprised me,” I say, gesturing to the bed. “I was having a little me time.”
“Oh my god!” Shana laughs. “No wonder he’s trying to set you up with anyone he can find.”
“So, what happened when he caught you?” Madison asks, passing me the joint. “Was it like a porno?”
“Madison, that’s my dad!” Shana shrieks, then laughs nervously before looking at me. “Seriously, you didn’t…”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. Even if I was attracted to him, he’s married, and my best friend’s dad.
“No, I threw a blanket over myself and cried until he ran back up the stairs,” I say, not sure which part of it I should be more ashamed of.
We continue passing the joint until we’re all buzzed. I am, at least. Shana gets distracted by her phone. Madison is flipping through my grandmother’s book. I’m happy enough not to care about anything right now. Exactly how I hoped my birthday would go.
“Here’s the spell we were working on last,” Madison says. “The one that was supposed to make every guy in school fall in love with us.”
“That would imply we got any of them to work,” I say. “We couldn’t even figure out the cipher.”
“We figured out some of it for this spell,” Madison says. “Love. Desire. Something about the moon.”
“Hey, what if we ask AI for help?” Shana suggests. “Have you guys played around with it yet?”
“I haven’t,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.
“I have it on my phone and use it for school, but that’s about it,” Madison says. “But you’re right, I bet it could at least help with the pattern.”
Madison pulls out her phone and starts taking pictures. When we were in high school, we thought solving the cipher would reveal all the secrets the book had to offer. I’ve never told them, but after we grew out of this phase, my grandmother said the book came from a box of junk she got at an estate sale.
My grandmother wasn’t secretly a witch, like we used to pretend. She was just an old lady who loved antiques and bought so much useless junk she was practically a hoarder. And a stern disciplinarian when needed. I’ve definitely lacked discipline since she’s been gone.
“Okay, AI can’t solve all of it, but it gave me a partial key. That’ll get us much further than we did back in the day,” Madison says, looking around. “Got a pencil?”
“Uh, yeah,” I say, reaching for the box where I keep my pens, pencils, and stamps.
Madison starts deciphering what she can. I lean back and enjoy my buzz. I thought we’d moved past this phase after we realized the answers to our problems weren’t in old books. Maybe Madison still thinks magic is real, or she’s just high. Either way, we’re having fun. We’re laughing. It feels like the old days I miss. The only things missing are black lipstick, eyeliner, and nail polish.
“I still can’t fully decipher the description, but I was able to decipher the ingredients and the words for the spell,” Madison says. “We need candles, sage, rosemary, salt, honey, red thread, and a drop of blood. Oh, and it has to be done during a full moon.”
“Convenient,” I say, glancing toward the open door. “But is it really a love spell?”
“The description is messy,” Madison says. “Something about calling desire. Or summoning devotion. It keeps translating one symbol as love, but AI says it could also mean hunger.”
“That’s romantic,” I say dryly.
“Depends how hot he is,” Shana says, jumping to her feet. “I bet my mom has everything we need. Candles in the junk drawer. Herbs in the pantry. Thread in the laundry room. I’ll be right back.”
“Wait, you’re high,” I say cautiously.
“I’m not going to have a conversation with her, I’m just going to grab the stuff,” she laughs, hurrying toward the stairs.
Once Shana is gone, I glance over at Madison. “You don’t really think it’s going to work, right?”
“I don’t know, but we can at least try,” she says. “Although, I thought the reason we could never get it to work was because it needed something from the guy we wanted to fall in love with us. It looks like the spell calls for our blood.”
“So, burning Matt Carson’s hair was just a waste of time?” I laugh.
“Apparently,” Madison giggles.
We tried all sorts of ingredients when we couldn’t decipher them all, hoping to get lucky. Back then, I still believed there was a chance magic was real and the universe was a vast mystery. I was so fucking naive back then. I guess we all were.
Shana returns with the ingredients in a mixing bowl. I saved my grandmother’s book, but not the little cauldron that made us feel like proper witches. I guess a bowl will do, since it isn’t going to work anyway.
“Alright, that’s everything except the drop of blood,” Madison says. “Who wants to bleed for the cause?”
“Uh, it’s Taryn’s birthday,” Shana says. “If this spell is going to make a hot guy fall in love with someone, it should be her.”
“This is ridiculous,” I sigh.
“Grab a razor,” Shana says. “Just a quick nick on your finger.”
If I weren’t so buzzed, I’d probably have more hesitation. But the quicker we get done revisiting our dark descent into the occult, we can get back to doing shots. Maybe even have some cake, once the munchies kick in, because I can tell they’re coming.
At least I’m not frustrated or annoyed right now. We’re laughing, joking, and having fun. It’s exactly how I wanted my birthday to go.
Minus the witchcraft.
[divider]Chapter Two
Victor
I was hoping it would be a nice, peaceful night.
Instead, I’m running on four paws beneath a full moon, surrounded by my pack and following a trail we picked up before sunset. It should lead us straight to whatever hole they crawled out of.
“The scent is getting stronger,” Saul transmits across our mental link. “They have to be close.”
“Lots of warehouses around this area,” Ryker transmits. “I’ll scout ahead.”
“I’ll come with you,” Seb transmits.
We call ourselves Silver Pack because most of us are old wolves. Divorcees, widowers, and wolves like me who never found mates. Some say I joined prematurely, but I’ll turn thirty-five later this year. It’s pretty clear that Mother Fate has no plan for me.
Ryker and Seb pull ahead first. They’re best friends and always stick together. Ryker tracks, Seb watches his back, and Saul keeps the center. He’s the oldest and we all listen to him, even though he’s not an Alpha. Austin, Donovan, and I hang back. We’re the muscle, and we’re not needed until things get violent.
“Found them,” Ryker transmits. “Everyone to my location.”
“Finally,” Austin transmits. “We can put an end to this once and for all.”
“And send a message to anyone else foolish enough to fuck around in our territory,” Donovan transmits.
“After tonight, the message will be loud and clear,” I add.
We rush to Ryker’s side and he fills us in. There are a dozen members of the Devastators MC inside the warehouse. They have hostages, but we wouldn’t have been able to track them so easily if they didn’t. They hurt one of the girls they snatched tonight, and we’ve been following her blood scent.
“Protect the women at all costs,” Saul transmits.
“Yeah, we’ve done this before,” Ryker agrees.
We could smash in the front door and tear into them, but that could put the women at risk, so stealth is our best option tonight. There’s a broken window several floors up. Thankfully, it’s a big window, and we should fit, so we carefully move up the fire escape.
In wolf form, I’m nearly seven hundred pounds of pure power, but I’m as light on my feet as a kitten when I need to be.
Once we make it to the third floor, we crawl through the window and take our positions. The members of the Devastators MC are focused on the front door, and it looks like they’ve got itchy trigger fingers.
They know what we are because we’ve had encounters with them in the past. It won’t help them. They may manage to get some shots off, but they won’t see us coming until it’s too late.
“Now,” Saul transmits, then he leaps over the railing.
The rest of us follow him over the side and we tear into the bastards before we hit the ground. There’s shouting, screaming, and a hail of bullets, but as long as they’re aiming at us, the women are safe.
I catch one of the MC members by the back of his neck, ripping out his spine as I land. I immediately launch myself at another, feeling several bullets bounce off my hide. They hurt, but they can’t penetrate my skin. I’m more afraid of something with a sharp edge than a bullet.
“Run! There’s too many of them!” one of the MC members shouts.
The one in front of me doesn’t live long enough to hear it. I sink my fangs into his throat, jerk my head, and taste his blood in my mouth. Ryker chases the one who gave the order to run, clipping his leg before finishing him off. I look around and see the rest of the pack delivering killing blows except for Austin. He likes to play with his prey before going for the kill.
“Stop fucking around, Austin,” Saul transmits.
“Just making sure he regrets what he did before he pays for it in blood,” Austin replies.
“The women are fine,” Donovan transmits. “Scared, but fine.”
The women are all bound and gagged in the back of the warehouse. I can see them, but I don’t approach, because we’ll scare them more than the bikers. We’ve done our job. The cops can clean up the mess. We don’t work with them, but they understand that we’re on their side, even if they don’t fully understand what we are or agree with our methods.
After the last member of the MC is dead, we exit the warehouse and rush back to the rendezvous spot where we met up before we started following the trail. We shift into human form, gather our things, and circle back to the warehouse district once we have our phones. Saul uses his to call the cops.
“Hey, Lieutenant Peterson,” he growls. “I’m sending you a location. You’ll find what’s left of the Devastators MC and some women in need of medical attention.”
A few of the women have been hurt. I could tell that without getting close to them. I wish we had gotten here sooner, but things could have been a lot worse. The women who are trafficked by the Devastators MC usually get auctioned to the highest bidder. Then they’re never seen or heard from again.
We climb to the top of a warehouse that overlooks the area where we fought the Devastators MC. There’s no real need for us to stick around, but we need to ensure the women are safe before we leave.
Once the police and paramedics arrive, we slip into the darkness and disappear. We’re not needed anymore. With any luck, this will be the last fight for a while. We might actually be able to get some rest.
“Let’s head back to the bunker,” Saul says.
“Good idea,” I say.
“The bunker? Nah, let’s go to our penthouse in New Salem,” Ryker growls. “Cigars, whiskey, and maybe we could invite some women to join us. Been way too long since we’ve had a party.”
“I like the sound of that,” Seb says. “We deserve it after tonight.”
“Yeah, come on, Saul,” Donovan chuckles. “I bet that college girl would love to see you again. We all heard her calling you Daddy the last time you had her over.”
“That’s none of your business,” Saul growls. “But fine. I suppose we could use a break before we return to the bunker.”
“I’ll make a few calls so that we’re not lonely for very long once we get there,” Austin says, pulling out his phone.
We cut left toward New Salem. We’d be faster if we called our wolves, but we’re pretty fast on our feet too. Our wolves give us increased strength, speed, and endurance, even when we’re in human form.
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten my dick wet, but I’m not really one for parties. I was looking forward to a quiet night at the bunker. Silver Pack is clearly in the mood to party and we stick together, so I’ll go with them. If I see a woman I like, the other side of my bed won’t be cold tonight. Sometimes, it does get kind of lonely waking up alone every morning.
We’re almost to our penthouse when I pick up a strange scent. At first, it’s just smoke, like a candle has been extinguished nearby. Then I pick up hints of sage, rosemary, salt, and honey. My nose is twitching and searching for the origin when I detect a coppery tang beneath the other scents, along with something bitter I can’t really identify.
It’s definitely blood, but not like the blood from the warehouse. This isn’t spilled with malice. This blood has been offered.
“Ryker? Seb? You guys picking up any scents?” I ask.
Ryker stops and looks around. “No, nothing. Just oil, grease, and exhaust. Same as it always is in New Salem.”
“Same here,” Seb agrees. “Cars and smog.”
“Ryker’s got a better nose than any of us,” Saul growls. “You picking up some other scent, Victor? More Devastators?”
“No, it’s not that…” I reply, words trailing off.
Suddenly, I feel something snap inside me, like every muscle has been ripped from the bone. I howl with pain and go to my knees, barely able to catch myself on my palms so that my face doesn’t slam into the pavement.
“Oh shit!” Donovan says, rushing to my side. “Victor!”
Agony twists everything inside me like my body is trying to shift, but my wolf can’t get free. My limbs jerk as the wolf tries to push through. I growl and grunt, snapping at Donovan when he tries to put a hand on my shoulder.
“Relax, Victor,” Saul says knowingly, walking closer to me. “You know what this is. You just need to get control of it. Stay calm.”
“What’s happening?” Donovan asks with alarm, glancing at Saul.
“Mother Fate,” Ryker says. “Victor feels her calling to him.”
“No, that can’t be it,” I grunt, trying to push myself up as my body continues to revolt. “It’s too late for me.”
“The ways of Mother Fate are a mystery,” Saul says. “If you relax, it’ll pass. For now.”
“Most of us have felt this pull before, Victor,” Seb growls. “Looks like Mother Fate hasn’t forgotten about you after all.”
I want to tell him he’s wrong. I want to tell all of them they’re wrong. But I’ve heard the stories from other wolves. I saw something similar happen to my brother, right before Mother Fate led him to his mate. And every wolf surrounding me has felt it too, except for Donovan. There’s no denying what this is.
I close my eyes, grit my teeth, and try to silence my wolf. It wants to take control and give in to the instincts clawing their way to the surface. No wonder very few wolves fight this. I always thought it was more of a choice. That’s what my brother described. This doesn’t feel like a choice. This feels unavoidable, like I’ve been captured by Mother Fate.
Finally, I feel the tension inside me release. The scent lingers, but it’s no longer maddening. I gasp a few times and try to push myself up, but my legs are weak. Saul offers a hand and I take it, letting him haul me to my feet.
“You know what this means, don’t you?” Saul asks.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “It means I have to go.”
“You have to find your mate,” Ryker says. “She’s out there somewhere. Waiting for you.”
“Just when I was getting used to having another wolf around who never found his mate,” Donovan sighs. “Guess I’m back to being the only one Mother Fate forgot.”
“Finding your mate doesn’t mean it’ll work out,” Seb mutters. “Mine fucking hates me.”
“That’s because you’re an asshole,” Ryker chuckles. “I can say that. I’ve known you longer than anyone.”
“I have my moments,” Seb growls. “But it wasn’t all bad. The hunt was fun. Claiming her was even better. Just didn’t work out so well after that.”
“Let’s not pile our troubles on Victor’s shoulders,” Saul says. “Tonight, his hunt begins. It’s a time for celebration.”
“Yeah, we’ll go celebrate while you go find your mate,” Ryker smirks, then he extends his hand. “It’s been fun having you around. We’ll miss you.”
“I guess this means my days as a member of this pack are over,” I sigh, shaking Ryker’s hand.
“Yes,” Saul says, clasping my shoulder. “You’ll always have a place with us, but destiny calls you elsewhere. Follow the scent. It will guide you to her.”
I wasn’t planning on saying my goodbyes tonight. I was hoping I’d never have to say them. It’s bittersweet in a way. I expected to grow old in this pack. Possibly lead it one day, after Saul and the older wolves are gone. But Mother Fate doesn’t care about my plans. I have a mate and her scent is so sweet I already crave it. I’m just not sure why there’s bitterness beneath the ambrosia.
Donovan doesn’t look at me when he says goodbye. I understand why. Until a few minutes ago, we were the same kind of forgotten. Now I’ve become proof that maybe he is the only one left behind.
After I leave New Salem, I head back to the bunker. If I’m leaving, I’ll need a few supplies. I pack only what I can carry. Saul had backpacks made for us by a leather worker he knows. They fit us well in human form, but they’re designed so that we don’t destroy them when we shift.
Everything I don’t need for my trip goes into a box. The same one my things were in the day I joined Silver Pack. I’ve kept it in my closet for some reason. Maybe a small part of me always hoped Mother Fate hadn’t completely forgotten me. I’m not sure what took her so fucking long. Most wolves who find mates feel the pull when they’re much younger than I am.
I’m warring with myself when I leave the bunker and shift into wolf form. The life I’ve built is over. My time as a member of Silver Pack is finished. Even if they do welcome me like a brother, should I visit or have a reason to return to the pack, it’ll never be the same again.
They’ve moved on from this stage of their lives while mine is finally beginning. Some packs would welcome mates, but that’s not how Silver Pack operates. It’s a place for wolves who lost their mate or never felt the call.
I run for almost a full day, miles passing beneath my paws before I finally have to stop for a break. Once I shift, I find a spot in the woods near a clearing and put my backpack down. I brought a few rations, but this trip may take a few days, so I should hunt some wild game.
After I recover, I shift back into wolf form and try to find a scent in the air.
“Bear,” I growl when I catch the scent, barely identifiable beneath the one flooding my senses. “Perfect.”
It would be safer to go after a deer or smaller game, especially since I’m alone, but I’m feeling more aggressive than normal. A fight with a little danger is exactly what I need. Besides, if Mother Fate is guiding me to my mate, I can tempt her a little.
The bear is by a stream, pawing at fish. I slink into the shadows that the trees provide and approach cautiously. If I can take it by surprise, I’ll be able to injure it enough that there won’t be much of a fight; just enough to keep me on my toes.
Except when I get closer, the scent changes. A second later, the bear gets mine and spins around. I don’t go for the attack. I shift and take a step closer.
“A bear shifter,” I growl. “Been years since I’ve seen one of your kind.”
The bear lets out a low warning rumble but then begins to transform. Bones snap and pop as the fur recedes, massive shoulders narrowing until a burly older man stands where the bear stood. The gray in his black mane suggests he’s older than me, maybe close to Saul’s age.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a wolf shifter, too,” he rumbles, meeting my gaze. “My name is Kodiak. Not many wolves around here. What brings you this far north?”
Bear shifters usually don’t travel in packs. They’re loners who enjoy their solitude. I’ve always been a little envious of shifters who don’t have the instinctual pull toward a pack or pride. Saul claims there were once bear clans who weren’t much different from packs, but that’s either a legend or ancient history.
“Mother Fate,” I answer. “She’s leading me to my mate.”
Kodiak’s expression softens, but only for a second. “Then I won’t stand in your way.”
“You sound like you know better,” I answer.
“I know enough not to interrupt Mother Fate’s plans. Especially when she’s dragging a wolf by the throat…or the balls,” he chuckles, his voice rumbling. “Are you hungry? I have a cabin nearby.”
“I am, but I think I’ll hunt, as long as you’re not territorial about the wild game,” I say.
“No, there’s plenty to share,” he says, turning his attention back to the stream. “Help yourself. If you change your mind, I’m sure you can pick up my scent.”
I nod to the bear shifter and step back into the shadows before I call my wolf. It looks like my journey will lead me through the heart of bear country. If there are shifters around, I’ll have to be careful. Some bear shifters are more feral and aggressive than the one I just met. I could handle a wild bear, but a bear shifter is a different story.
By the time I find a deer, kill it, and drag it back to my campsite, the bear shifter is gone. His scent lingers, and I could follow it, but there’s no reason to. I’ve got what I need. I start a fire and rig a spit. Shifters can eat raw meat, but it tastes better if it’s cooked. If our legends are true, we were the first to discover fire, and it didn’t take us long to realize it was good for more than just warmth.
After I eat and drink some water from the stream, I continue on my journey. I run for another day while the scent gets progressively stronger. There’s still something off about it. Some sort of bitterness I can’t identify beneath the sweetness. I’m not sure what that means. I consider stopping to contact Saul, but I’m too close now. I can feel my instincts flaring.
Finally, I crest a hill and see a city below me. That’s where the scent is coming from. There’s no mistaking it now that I’m this close. I shift into human form and set up camp. I need to rest before I start hunting my mate.
Based on what I know, I’ll have a few weeks before the mate bond fully develops, before I lose control and won’t be able to fight it any longer. It’ll be the same for her, but I have to be careful, especially if my mate is human. A she-wolf would be more prepared, but there aren’t as many of them around as there used to be.
“Covington,” I growl, looking at the lights of the city. “That’s where I’ll find my mate.”
I hope she’s ready for me. Everything inside me says I’m ready for her, even if I never asked for this. Never expected it.
I’ll track her. Hunt her. And after I’m sure she’s the one, I’ll make her mine.
I just don’t understand why the scent is still off.