Chapter One: The Outsider

A bright flash of lightning lit the whole valley just before a loud clap of thunder shook the entire restaurant. Another night with nothing to do. Elena Marlowe sighed quietly as she cleaned the same table for the third time. Whenever it rained in Silverpine, none of the locals came out for a bite at her aunt's diner. While she didn't have to deal with the judgmental attitudes of her peers, it also meant no tips.

Elena dreamed of one day escaping Silverpine and making a new life far away. She'd only been here for three years. Her aunt Gail was kind enough to take her in when her parents died in a horrible car crash. But everyone made sure she knew she wasn't welcome.

When she first arrived, the girls in her class picked on her mercilessly. First, it was for her glasses and chubby cheeks. Then, when she got contacts and lost the weight, they called her names, insinuating she slept around with all the boys in school.

The real problem was that she was an Alpha's daughter, but she had no wolf. Everyone knew who Elena's parents were, and when she turned 18, everyone expected her to find a powerful wolf to follow in their footsteps. When none arrived, the bullying only intensified.

She shoved down the miserable thoughts and finished cleaning the tables, prepped the silverware for the following day, and locked up just as the rain stopped for the night. The wind picked up as Elena stepped outside, and the clouds parted to reveal a beautiful full moon. Despite her wolf never coming, the moon still held powerful sway over her, especially when it was full. She shook her head and made her way to her car.

Her cute little Honda Civic was a gift from her parents when she turned 16. As one of the last things they ever gave her, she always treated it like the most fragile piece of glass, never missing a tune-up. The drive home to her aunt's house was uneventful, with the moon's light guiding her.

When she got to the house, she parked the car, got out, and locked it. Gail would be out late, running with the rest of the pack. Elena loved her aunt dearly but couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy.

She leaned on the car, letting the night breeze blow against her warm skin. She was 19 now, and still had no sign of her wolf. The feeling of isolation was so powerful some days that she couldn't breathe through it.

Gail's house was a farmhouse constructed in the countryside, surrounded by trees. The light blue paint gleamed in the moonlight, almost blinding in its brilliance. Dreading being alone in the big house on a night she should be frolicking with her pack, Elena sighed and began the trek up to the front door.

In the distance, she faintly heard the sound of a twig breaking in the forest. She stopped, and her breath immediately caught in her chest. She was defenseless out in the open, whether it was a wild animal or a werewolf from the pack. If she ran for the door, she risked attracting the attention of whatever made the noise.

Before she had time to make a decision, an enormous mountain lion emerged into the clearing. It growled low in its throat, signaling its intent to attack. The animal stalked closer to Elena, who whimpered in fear. The mountain lion was less than 5 feet away when another sound drew its attention to the edge of the woods, where three large wolves stood at attention.

The wolves formed an attack formation, with the largest wolf moving to the front and the other two wolves taking flanks. They methodically entered the clearing with eyes focused on the mountain lion. Sensing its life was in danger, the mountain lion turned and fled with the three wolves on its trail.

Elena recognized her chance and fled into her house, locking the door behind her. Even with the door closed, she heard the violent fight in the woods and the end of the mountain lion. She shivered and hugged herself, hiding in the darkness.

A tear slipped from her eye. If only she had a wolf of her own, she wouldn't feel so helpless. Suddenly, a howl pierced the quiet of the night, sending chills down her spine. She knew it was the leader of the three wolves that saved her tonight. She had no idea why they stepped in or who they were. In fact, she was pretty sure that if the mountain lion hadn't been there, she would have been the one who had met their end in the woods.

THUMP.

Elena jumped at the loud noise. It came from right outside the door. She could hear the "tick, tick, tick" of toenails on the deck. It was the wolves. They must have come back for her. Everyone knew who she was. It only made sense they'd come back to terrorize her.

Something stirred inside her. She'd never felt anything like it before. It was driving her to look out the front door, almost as if she'd go crazy if she resisted. Slowly, she moved to her knees so she could look out the window next to the door. Elena nearly fell backward when she made direct eye contact with the largest werewolf she had ever seen.

Panicking, she gasped for breath, looking for anything to defend herself. While she scrambled around the entryway, the wolf simply sat with his head cocked to the side, almost like he was asking a question. After a few minutes, Elena realized he wasn't attacking and he had returned alone.

Shaking, she moved closer to the window. The stirring in her chest became more powerful the closer she got to the wolf. At the window, she placed her palm on the glass. The wolf responded by touching his nose to her palmprint. Magic flared up between the girl and the werewolf, and the mate bond took hold, sealing them together.

Shocked, Elena fell back, breaking the spell between them. The wolf stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head and running off. He was the only one who saw her eyes flash silver, and the only one who knew their secret.