Chapter 1

There was nothing more exciting for any member of the pack than your eighteenth birthday. That is if the Moon Goddess has mated you with someone who has also reached their eighteenth birthday.

Ethan feigned annoyance with the excitement emulating from his little sister, younger by exactly seven minutes. The Reid household was buzzing with a nervous excitement that could only be described as quiet chaos, if it weren't for the fact Emma hadn't stopped talking since she tumbled out of bed barely past dawn. Afterall, there were two members of this family who may potentially find their life-mates this very day.

"Do you think he'll come to the party tonight? Do you think he'll feel the pull? Do you think Goddess will make us feel the same for each other? What will happen if he's not there? I'll feel so ashamed. Maybe he's not eighteen yet. Oh my Goddess, what if he won't be eighteen for months or even years?" Emma performed this stream of consciousness so quickly it was difficult to follow. Her father, Alpha Charles Reid stood behind his overwhelmed daughter and gently wrapped his arms around her, "Goddess does all things in her time and for her reasons. She will mate you with one of the luckiest guys in the world. As a matter of fact, I can only think of one being on the entire planet who could possibly be more lucky? Me." He said this with a wink to his mate, his wife...his Luna.

Luna Catherine Reid rolled her eyes but was unable fool any of them. The sparkle in her olive-colored eyes was unmistakable, as was the smile that couldn't help but spread across her face. Her spell was broken by the giggle her daughter did not even try to suppress when she looked adoringly at both her parents. Catherine felt the need to remind her daughter she may need to be cautious and realize that a werewolf's eighteen birthday does not guarantee an automatic match. "Emma, my love, you know that both your father and I did not find each other on our eighteenth birthdays. It is disappointing but was worth the wait."

This elicited a booming laugh from Charles, "I know I'm irresistible, but I would hardly call two days a wait. If you want to know anguish, try the two years I waited for you." He said teasingly. "If it hadn't been for the breach in the lower territory, I would have happily had a kiss for the birthday girl." Even through the smile Charles showed his wife and children, Catherine could see the pain flicker across his dark brown eyes as he remembered that day from almost twenty years ago. That was day he became Alpha of the Great Lakes pack, the day he lost his father. That's just a small part of the mate bond, the ability to feel and know the heart and head of your beloved.

Ethan sensed there was more than just the warning his mother was giving his sister he had heard the stories told by many pack members about the grandfather he never knew and the cruelty of his death. He thought a change of subject was just what his family needed on this unpredictable day, "Hello, does anyone remember me, the first born? You know there just might be some extremely lucky lady who will soon get all of this." He said this as he flexed his bicep showing unbelievable defined muscles that rippled and strained against the bottom of his t-shirt sleeve. At this Emma teased, "You mean more like some poor girl who will be stuck putting up with you."

At this Ethan rose with undeniable speed to capture his little sister. Before she could blink he had her arms pinned down as he roughed up her hair. "Who's the poor girl now?" he laughed. Emma tried to muster some indignity as she shouted, "Stop, you're going to have me looking like I was in a wrestling match before I meet the love of my life.", she couldn't help but laugh as she tumbled to the floor with her bother, her best friend. He knew his sister was all grown up and this may be the last time they could be rough and wrestle so it was time to be serious, like it or not. There is a bond between twins that heaven and earth would not be able to break yet it was starting to feel like there was a change happening today.

Ethan sprang up from the floor and held a hand-out to his sister, "Eighteen or not, I'll always love and protect you bug." Even through her unmistakable happiness for what this day may bring, Emma knew it was time to be serious too. "Ethan, do you think we might be just a little too old for that nickname? I mean, I adore the name but I don't want my guy to think of me as a creepy crawly bug." When Emma was only three years old she refused to wear anything but red and black and would announce to anyone who would listen that when she grew up she was going to be a ladybug. The phase may have lasted only a couple of months, but Ethan picked up the name and never looked back. "Sure bug.", he answered and that earned him a low growl from his sister. "Last time, I swear." He chuckled.

Catherine interrupted to say, "Today's a big day and the last thing we want is for the guests of honor to be late." This was all Emma needed to hear, "Mom, Katie is going to come over and help me get ready. Is that okay?" Catherine laughed, "Katie is practically a member of this family, of course it's okay."

She barely finished he sentence as the doorbell began to ring. Ethan was just on the first stair to go upstairs to change and grabbed the door behind him. He grabbed the door just as Katie dropped her makeup bag and all of its contents all over the entryway. "Need some help goofball?"