Chapter One – The One Who Left

The diner smelled like it always did—fried onions, motor oil, and a hint of whiskey that clung to the walls no matter how hard you scrubbed.

My mom had run this place for years. It wasn’t fancy, but it was ours. Wolves from our side of town always came here—some for food, most for the company, and a few because they liked the way Mom’s smile could soften even the hardest outlaw.

Me? I worked the evening shifts when I wasn’t busy at the garage. I pulled the leather apron tight over my jeans, hair tied back, my hands always smelling of either grease or fryer oil. It wasn’t glamorous, but it kept me busy. And being busy meant less time to think about him.

Damon.

The name alone felt like a bruise pressed too hard.

You mean the one who marked us and then dipped? My wolf’s voice purred inside my head, dripping with her usual sass. Her name was Jinx, and she never knew how to shut up.

Don’t start, I warned, grabbing a tray of drinks.

Oh, I’ve already started, Jinx said with a wicked laugh. You’re the one who keeps pretending we’re over him. But that mark still sizzles under your skin, babe. I say next time we see him, we drag him into a dark alley and finish what he started.

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. You’re disgusting.

Don't you mean honest?, she shot back.

I stacked plates on the counter, ignoring the low thrum in my wrist. The scar was faint, but under the buzzing diner lights, I swore I could still see it. A half-moon mark. His mark. The bond that never finished, that never healed.

I flexed my fingers. It didn’t hurt tonight, not exactly, but it was there, always there. A reminder of the wolf who bit me, claimed me, and then disappeared into the night without a word.

I wasn’t that shewolf anymore.

I wasn’t waiting for him anymore.

Or at least, that’s what I told myself every damn day.

“Lyric, baby girl, you got a minute?”

I turned. Mom stood at the entrance to the kitchen, wiping her hands on a sunflower-printed towel. Same towel she’d used since forever, yellow faded but still cheerful. Her curls were pinned back, and she wore just a touch of lip gloss that caught the diner lights. She looked… happy. The kind of happy I hadn’t seen on her face in years.

“Yeah,” I said, setting the tray down. “What’s up?”

Her smile widened, soft and shy all at once. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”

My stomach dropped, then eased into a laugh. “Of course I didn’t forget. Tomorrow’s the big day.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she swatted my arm with the towel. “Smart mouth. You know I don’t want it to be some big deal. Just a small ceremony, close friends, family. I just want you there.”

I squeezed her hand. “You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Mom.”

Her eyes glossed a little, and she sniffed. “You always say the right thing.”

She’s glowing, Jinx whispered, uncharacteristically gentle for once. Like a woman who finally remembers she deserves love.

I smiled, but there was a knot in my chest. I had heard the name of her soon-to-be husband—Alpha Raiden Calder. Leader of the Iron Howlers. Reputation rougher than gravel, always whispered about with both respect and fear. I hadn’t met him yet, and honestly? I wasn’t sure I wanted to. But if he made my mom smile like this… who was I to argue?

“I just want you to be open,” she said, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Raiden is… different. Strong. But he’s good to me, Lyric. He makes me feel safe.”

I pulled her into a hug, holding her tighter than I meant to. “That’s all I want for you. To be safe. To be happy.”

Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath against my neck. “Then I already have everything I need.”

Ugh, sweet, Jinx muttered. But wait until the stepdad part kicks in. Then it’ll be awkward city.

I shoved her voice aside, focusing on my mom’s warmth, her joy. She’d been dimmed for so long after Dad died. Seeing her light again was worth swallowing my unease.

****

The next day rushed by in a rush of errands and nerves. Mom wanted sunflowers in her hair, cream-colored lace for her dress, nothing over the top. Just simple, beautiful, her style. I drove her to the salon, helped her pick earrings, and tried to hide the ache in my chest every time she caught her reflection and smiled like a teenager.

By evening, we stood in a small chapel on the edge of town. The air smelled of sage smoke and leather. Wolves filled the pews, rough voices hushed, the low hum of pack energy vibrating in the wooden walls. This wasn’t just a wedding—it was a union with an Alpha. It carried weight.

Raiden Calder entered first.

He wore all black, tattoos curling up his arms, shoulders broad enough to block the light behind him. He moved like he didn’t need to announce who he was. You just knew. The Blackfang’ Alpha. My mother’s future mate.

He looked at her like she was the only thing in the room. And for a fleeting moment, I felt myself relax. Maybe she really was safe with him.

Big, scary, dangerous, Jinx purred. Bet he knows how to bite, though.

Gross, I muttered.

What? I’m just saying, apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Wonder what his son’s like… Her laugh was wicked, echoing through me. Oh, wait…

I didn’t know what she meant until it happened.

The low, hungry roar of an engine broke the quiet. The sound was familiar, too familiar. My lungs locked up. No. It couldn’t be.

The chapel doors swung open.

A rider strode in, helmet still on, leather jacket catching the dim light. He walked with the same mix of arrogance and ease I remembered, like the world belonged to him and he dared anyone to disagree.

He pulled the helmet off.

Dark hair fell into storm-gray eyes that locked onto mine instantly, like they’d been searching for me the whole time.

I temporarily lost the ability to breathe..

Damon.

Older now. Sharper around the edges. But still him. My first love. My first betrayal. The one who marked me and then left me with a bond that never healed.

The mark on my wrist flared white-hot, searing through my skin until I had to bite my tongue not to cry out.

Whispers rippled through the pack, but I didn’t hear them. All I heard was my pulse and Jinx’s moan in my head.

Ohhh, hell yes. Look at him. He could ruin us all over again and I’d say thank you.

Shut up, I gasped inwardly.

Make me. Or better yet, let him.

And then the realization slammed into me like a blade to the ribs.

Raiden Calder’s son. Damon Calder.

My ex. My mate. My mother’s new stepson.

The world turned upside down, and for a moment I couldn’t believe it. I mean what are the odds?

That the wolf who ruined me stood at the altar—as my mother’s new stepson.